SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

JOE SAYS NO – FROM LONDON'S TELEGRAPH:   U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has ruled out serving as Hillary Clinton’s Secretary of State, should she win the presidency.  "I'll do anything I can if Hillary's elected to help her, but I don't want to remain in the administration," Mr Biden said in an interview with NBC's KBJR affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota.  "I have no intention of staying involved. I have a lot of things to do, but I'll help her if I can in any way I can," he added.  On Thursday,it had been reported that Mrs Clinton's campaign was considering Mr Biden for Secretary of State if she wins the Nov. 8 election.  In fact, it had been reported that he was her first choice.  The whole thing is baffling.  Why leak his name before checking with him?

NO HONOR – FROM DAILY CALLER:   The University of Missouri (MU) and University of Oregon have been dubiously honored as the worst major colleges in the country when it comes to respecting diverse viewpoints.  The “honor” comes from a new ranking by Heterodox Academy, a non-profit founded earlier this year by several academics concerned with the overwhelming ideological homogeneity of American colleges.  In its newly-released Guide to Colleges, Heterodox scores the top 150 schools in the U.S. (according to U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of national universities) on four factors indicating their overall openness to minority political viewpoints.  At least there are those who are fighting back, and exposing the dry rot in American higher education.

ANTHEM PROTESTS COSTING NFL BIG TIME – FROM CBS BOSTON:   BOSTON (CBS) — There are many reasons why the NFL’s ratings are down in 2016. You may be dismissive of the very idea that the backlash to the national anthem protests, sparked by the 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick, has played a role in the NFL’s TV ratings, which have dropped by about 12 percent year-over-year. To continue to dismiss that is to blatantly ignore legitimate data on the subject.  A fresh poll from Seton Hall surveyed 841 adults across the U.S. Each respondent was asked to identify seven separate factors as a reason for the NFL ratings drop, allowing them to answer “yes” or “no” for each of them. The leading factor, according to the poll, was the national anthem protests, which scored “yes” at a rate of 56 percent.   The outrage of the fans is well placed.  Players have a right to protest on their own time, and in their own space.  They have no automatic right to protest while wearing a team uniform on the team's time, and before a captive, paying audience. 

October 28, 2016