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I appeared on Silvio Canto Jr's talk show from Dallas last night.  It's here.

NOVEMBER 20,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

IS THERESA MAY RALLYING? – FROM LONDON'S EXPRESS:   THERESA May has experienced a boost in support despite cabinet resignations and Brexit stagnation, a new poll has revealed.  A total of 34 per cent of respondents to the YouGov poll claimed Mrs May was their preferred choice for PM – a one point rise on a month ago.  Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn’s support experienced a two point drop at 31 per cent and 35 per cent said they are not sure.  Mrs May also commands an impressive majority of support from voters who backed leave in the EU referendum – with 53 per cent supporting her Premiership compared to a dismal 17 per cent for Mr Corbyn.  However, the emboldened Labour leader’s party gained a slight edge on Mrs May’s Conservatives – pulling ahead with 43 per cent while the Tories garnered support from 40 per cent of the poll's respondents.  This is absolutely critical to the United States.  Theresa May is an intensely pro-American prime minister.  Jeremy Corbyn is a Marxist anti-American, the most left-wing Labour leader in the party's history.  He must not become prime minister.  If he does, it could mean the end of the transatlantic alliance as we know it.  Corbyn is also uncomfortably friendly with pro-terror groups in the Mideast.

ROSE ACCUSED – Charlie Rose, a staple of TV journalism for decades, both at CBS and PBS, has been suspended by both outfits after being accused of sexual abuses by a number of past employees.  Rose is probably the most "respected" figure to be so accused in the current wave of sex allegations.  It is hard to see how his career, built on a kind of purity of image, can survive.  Some independent sources have told me that Rose, within the industry, has a poor reputation for his treatment of employees, both male and female.  Please recall that the first major accusations within journalism in the current time were directed at Bill O'Reilly and Roger Ailes at Fox.  Ailes has passed away, but O'Reilly has yet to find new employment.  We're seeing the end of a lot of careers.  I'm afraid we may see more in coming weeks.  If there's any good side to this, it's the puncturing of false images and larger egos. 

ARE WE SERIOUS HERE? –FROM THE DES MOINES REGISTER:  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will headline a political fundraiser in Iowa next month, a visit sure to stoke 2020 speculation for one of the country’s most prominent liberal officeholders.  De Blasio, who was elected to a second term as mayor earlier this year, will be the featured guest for Progress Iowa’s “holiday party” fundraiser Dec. 19 at the Temple for the Performing Arts in Des Moines.  “Iowans are speaking out and showing up to fight back against what conservatives are doing to their state and our country,” de Blasio said in a statement released by Progress Iowa. “Standing up for quality public education, access to health care, and to make sure working families get a fair shot matters in Iowa and New York, and I can't wait to discuss those ideas as well as how we can work together when I visit in December.”  Visits to Iowa, which hosts the first-in-the-nation caucuses, by nationally prominent politicians are frequently read as moves to test the waters of a presidential run. De Blasio has said he will not run for president in 2020, pledging during a mayoral campaign forum last August to serve his full term if re-elected – a term that runs through 2021.   Oh, he'll run if he's tempted.  Pledges not to run are as valid as claims that "I did not have sex with that woman."  But de Blasio is way out in left field, and would have to depend on the Che Guevara vote to win any presidential election.

November 20, 2017       Permalink

GOOD MOVE ON NORTH KOREA – AT 11:54 A.M. ET:  President Trump has placed North Korea back on the state-sponsor-of-terror list.  It's long overdue.  From the Los Angeles Times: 

President Trump says he is putting North Korea back on the small list of official “state sponsors of terrorism,” a move that could lead to additional sanctions against the nuclear-armed government.

Trump said the designation is part of a sanctions regime that would include “a very large” new sanction on Tuesday and increase in intensity over the next two weeks. By then, he said, sanctions would be at their highest level ever.

“It should have happened years ago,” Trump said at the start of a Cabinet meeting, calling North Korea "a murderous regime."

Trump said that “in addition to threatening the world with nuclear devastation,” the North Korean government had sponsored terror on foreign soil.

“It must end its unlawful ballistic nuclear development,” he said.

U.S. officials cited the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half brother in a Malaysian airport this year as an act of terrorism. 

Most of the punishments that Washington could mete out under the state sponsor of terrorism legislation are already in place against North Korea, or are irrelevant since they would involve suspending aid programs that don’t exist.

North Korea joins only three other countries on the state-sponsor list: Iran, Sudan and Syria. 

President George W. Bush removed North Korea from the list in 2008 in an unsuccessful bit to halt its nuclear weapons program, and President Obama removed Cuba in 2015 when diplomatic relations were renewed. 

COMMENT:  Bad move by Bush, nudged by the marginally capable Condi Rice, and bad move by Obama, nudged by the left-wing of the ridiculous Democratic Party.   Neither move did a thing for the United States. 

Trump is increasing the heat.  If he can force North Korea to move back, it will be a major accomplishment, but the mainstream media will decide whether to report it at all.

November 20, 2017       Permalink

A MAJOR EUROPEAN CRISIS – AT 11:16 A.M. ET:  Angela Merkel's German government has come to grief, and the instability in Europe that this can cause can affect NATO, Western defense, and the world economy.  From CNN: 

(CNN) Germany was plunged into political uncertainty Monday after talks to form the country's next government collapsed overnight, dealing a blow to Angela Merkel and raising questions about the future of the longtime Chancellor.

Merkel's party had spent weeks trying to cobble together a ruling coalition with three other parties, but the plan fell apart when the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) walked out of talks shortly before midnight on Sunday over disagreements on issues ranging from energy policy to migration.

Merkel said she regretted the FDP's withdrawal, but pledged to steer the country through the crisis.
"As Chancellor... I will do everything to ensure that this country comes out well through this difficult time," Merkel said Sunday.

Merkel canceled her planned meeting with the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday and instead met with Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss the next steps.

COMMENT:  Many commentators blame the government's instability on Merkel's overly – some say crazy – immigration policy, blind to the reality of who is actually in the immigrant stream.

It's a warning to us.

November 20, 2017       Permalink

ANOTHER GOOD MAN DOWN – AT 10:52 A.M. ET:  I'm sure the left will find an excuse for this.  From Fox:

Illegal immigrants reportedly assaulted two U.S. Border Patrol agents with rocks, killing one and seriously injuring another Sunday near the southern border with Mexico.

Details around the attack remained murky Monday, however, an FBI spokesperson said Rogelio Martinez and his partner were not shot and a National Border Patrol Council official told KTSM the assailants were "undocumented immigrants" who used likely used rocks to bash the agents.

"We strongly believe rocks were what was used," NBPC Vice President Art Del Cueto told KTSM.

The FBI had taken over the investigation into the death of Martinez, 36, and the injuring of his partner, who was not identified. The two were patrolling the Big Bend Sector of Texas when the attack occurred.

"They were not fired upon," said Jeanette Harper of the FBI's El Paso office. "There are so many different agencies working together that we need to come together and develop a timeline."

Martinez, who was from El Paso and had worked as a border agent since August 2013, died of injuries sustained while responding to “activity” near Interstate 10 in the Van Horn Station area, according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

He was on Interstate 10 near Mile Marker 151 when the incident occurred, KFOX14 reported. At some point, Martinez's partner called for help, saying he and Martinez had both been injured, investigators told KFOX14.

COMMENT:   These are the risks border agents face every day.  I wonder how this will be twisted by the propagandists to blame Trump.

November 20,  2017     Permalink

NOVEMBER 19,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 9:55 P.M. ET: 

THE CLASS SYSTEM RETURNS – FROM DAILY MAIL:   Passengers will soon be boarding British Airways planes according to how much they paid for their flights.  From next month, those who pay the lowest fares will have to wait at the departure gate and board after everyone else.  The carrier will introduce a ‘group boarding’ system on all its flights from December 12.  When passengers check in they will be assigned a group number between one and five which will be printed on their boarding pass.The lower the number, the earlier the passenger will be allowed to board.  Number one will be assigned First Class passengers on long-haul flights and short-haul travellers on BA’s business class, Club Europe, as well as Gold members of the BA Executive Club  Next will be business class Club World passengers on long-haul flights, and Silver members of the Executive Club.  Group three will be passengers in World Traveller Plus, which is BA’s premium economy, as well as Bronze members.  Normal economy passengers will be in group four.  The indignity of boarding the plane last will be given to those travelling on the cheapest, hand-baggage only fares.  Well, the Brits have always had a kind of class system anyway.  And all this for the privilege of flying in a tube with passengers who are dressed for a bus ride.  Forget elegance.

NFL DISASTER CONTINUES – FROM BREITBART:   With the NFL’s Week 11 action wrapping up, it quickly became clear that football fans had found other things to do as thousands of empty seats could be seen in stadiums from coast to coast.  With TV ratings off nearly 20 percent over all and the networks already known to have lost up to $500 million in ad revenue, it is becoming clear that last year’s 12 percent decline wasn’t because of the raucous political season, a claim that served as the excuse for the 2016 season’s ratings loss.  The ratings slide is reflected in the skimpy attendance at the stadiums, too, with Week 11 photos showing that there are still empty seats galore.  The NFL is getting what it deserves.  Or at least the management is getting it.  They've got to clean up their messes, make rules that stick, and show respect for the fans.

THE FRANKEN WATCH – FROM DAILY MAIL:    A spokesperson for Sen. Al Franken, a Democrat from Minnesota, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that 'no' the embattled senator would not resign over allegations that he fondled and kissed a woman without her permission 11 years ago.  'He is spending time with his family in Washington, D.C., and will be through the Thanksgiving holiday,' the aide told the newspaper. 'And he's doing a lot of reflecting.'   On Thursday, Franken became the latest high-profile man whose career is now in jeopardy over bad behavior with a woman.   Radio host Leeann Tweeden said in 2006, when performing alongside Franken at a traveling USO tour, the then-comedian grabbed her breasts without her permission when Tweeden was sleeping and kissed her against her will.  I wonder how one "reflects" on something like this, and how long it takes.  Do you do it yourself, or hire a reflection coach?  Do you call Gloria Allred and ask for advice?  Or Bill Clinton? 

November 19,  2017     Permalink

NOT SURPRISING – AT 2:29 P.M. ET:  The submarine-launched ballistic missile is probably the most feared combination because submarines, even today, are so hard to detect.  Little wonder, then, that the North Koreans are reported to be working vigorously on that weapons system.  From Fox: 

Kim Jong Un’s regime is pursuing an “aggressive schedule” to construct its first operational ballistic missile submarine, an analysis of satellite images indicated as North Korea scoffs at international condemnation and moves to complete its missile and nuclear program.

The images of Sinpo South Shipyard released on Thursday by 38 North, a project by the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies that specializes in North Korea analysis, suggested there were signs of movement and parts in the area since the start of the year. The shipyard has been notoriously known to be used to build large submarines for North Korea’s army, the analysis stated.

Several signs indicated the regime is expanding the site and working on a shipbuilding program to build and deploy a submarine capable of carrying a missile. The Nov. 5 satellite images showed “two larger circular objects” that could be used for a pressure hull on a submarine. Gantry and tower cranes have been seen moving around the facility, suggesting a “prolonged and ongoing shipbuilding program,” according to 38 North.

 “The presence of what appear to be sections of a submarine’s pressure hull in the yards suggests construction of a new submarine, possibly the SINPO-C ballistic missile submarine — the follow-on to the current SINPO-class experimental ballistic missile submarine,”  the 38 North report said.

COMMENT:  We will have to measure this report against the results of Mr. Trump's recent trip to Asia, where North Korea was high on the agenda.  Will North Korea continue this program, or will it be persuaded to step back?  I think the chances of success are small, without considerably more pressure, both economic, and if necessary, military.

November 19, 2017       Permalink

OH PLEASE GO AWAY – AT 1:50 PM. ET:  Kirsten Gillibrand is one of our two U.S. senators here in New York.  Kirsten Gillibrand could also go into any venue in New York, and few would know who she is.  She has the presence of a can of sardines. 

There was a time when "senator from New York" was a distinguished title, held by giants of the Senate, like the Democrats Robert Wagner and Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and the Republicans Elihu Root and Kenneth Keating.   These days, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand lowers the standard, but she would like to be president of the United States.  That's the buzz.

Last week, after years of receiving support from the Clintons, she announced, going with the current hysteria involving sexual misconduct, that Bill should have resigned over the Lewinsky affair.  This was not appreciated in Democratic circles.  So now she's making a big show of giving back some money.  Big deal.  From The Hill: 

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is planning to donate the money she has received from Sen. Al Franken's PAC after an accusation of sexual misconduct against the Minnesota Democrat.

Gillibrand is planning to donate the $12,500 she's received from the political action group to Protect our Defenders, a group dedicated to ending the "epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the military."

"In light of today's news about Senator Franken, Senator Gillibrand will be donating all the donations her campaign has received from his PAC ($12,500 over the course of her career) to Protect our Defenders who she stood with at her Military Justice Improvement Act press conference earlier today," Gillibrand's senior adviser, Glen Caplin, said in a statement.

Gillibrand said earlier Thursday she believes the woman who accused Franken Thursday of groping and kissing her without her consent during a USO tour in 2006.

In a tweet, Gillibrand said the allegations against Franken were "deeply concerning" and called for an ethics investigation into his behavior.

COMMENT:  Just part of the show.  Gillibrand regularly makes reckless comments about this issue, and has accomplished little as a senator.  I get the feeling that no one ever asks her much about any serious subject.  Far from being a presidential candidate, she should leave and do something useful.

November 19, 2017       Permalink

GIVING TRUMP CREDIT – AT 12:53 P.M. ET:  Salena Zito once again nails it.  She deserves a Pulitzer Prize for understanding the Trump phenomenon.  I doubt if she'll get it, things being how they are.  From the New York Post: 

Glen Dale, W. Va. — Bad news travels fast. Good news, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to travel at all.

Last weekend in Beijing, as part of his 12-day trip to Asia, President Trump announced that the US and China had signed an $83.7 billion memorandum of understanding to create a number of petrochemical projects in West Virginia over the next 20 years.

If the agreement holds tight, it is an economic game changer for the state.

And yet, speaking to the locals here, you wouldn’t even know it had happened.

“I am surprised I heard nothing about it on the national news, nor in my local paper and newscasts,” said Jerald Stephens, 67, a West Virginia native and union rep, who has been a keen observer of local politics for as long as he can remember.

The BBC and CNN covered the news in their business sections, while The New York Times picked up a short story by The Associated Press on the deal. The stories’ headlines were muted; their placement low-key.

“One would have suspected that the prospect of an investment this large — nearly three times the total annual budget for the department of energy — would have been front-page news,” said Paul Sracic, political-science professor at nearby Youngstown State University.

COMMENT:  The age of corrupt journalism is with us.  We are not getting the news.  We are getting the views.  Read Salena's excellent reporting.

November 19,  2017     Permalink