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

MAYBE – From London's Daily Mail:  A political adviser of Joe Biden has revealed he is '90 percent in' when it comes for his decision to run against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Biden’s advisers told ABC News that 'his political team has been ramping up in recent days, entering what they call a more active phase', according to the program This Week.  'In camp Biden, there are discussions about fundraising and launching a political action committee, and while the vice president himself hasn't authorized any of these moves, one adviser tells ABC News he believes Biden is 90 percent in,' Cecilia Vega reported Sunday.  Yeah, I'll bet that Biden hasn't authorized any of these moves.  That's not the way the game is played.  He's authorized the moves, and the next logical step would be to seek Obama's blessing.  If Biden runs, my belief is that Obama will endorse him, effectively denying Clinton the nomination, which will give Obama no end of pleasure.

NEW YORK ON THE ROPES? – The city, under a radical mayor, may slip back into the bad old days of the 1970s.  From Fox 5:  As he prepares for a major police conference, Commissioner Bratton told it like it is about the rise in shootings in the city and he's warning that this disturbing trend must be put in check before it’s too late.  It was a weekend of gun violence that, sadly, no one believes it will be the last.  In East New York, 9 people were shot and wounded at a barbecue. And in the Bronx, 20 year-old Christian Garcia was shot and killed, and 2 others struck when a gunman opened fire in a children's playground.  Speaking on a radio show, Commissioner Bratton says it's not just a New York problem.  “Crime is on the rise all across the US” he said.  The NYPD’s latest statistics show a 10% increase in murders through July 27th, compared to the same period last year.  Bratton says there are two main reasons.  One of them is because criminals are feeling empowered. The other reason, is police feel like they're under attack.  Gee, you don't think the rhetoric coming out of the White House has something to do with this, do you?  Nah.  It's just a coincidence.  In fact, we have a president and a press that are nostalgic for the 1960s and 1970s.  The chickens are indeed coming home to roost. 

MEMPHIS LATEST – An arrest has been made in connection with the murder of a Memphis police officer.  From CNN:   Memphis police identified 29-year-old Tremaine Wilbourn as the suspect in a weekend shooting of an officer.  Wilbourn is at large and considered armed and dangerous, Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong told reporters late Sunday.  "You can be assured that we will continue to pursue this suspect, and we will exhaust all means until he is in custody," he said.  Officer Sean Bolton, 33, was shot multiple times Saturday night. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition but later pronounced dead.  "Last night, we lost not only an officer, but a great man, a dedicated servant to our community, and a family member," said Armstrong.  The belief is that Officer Bolton interrupted some kind of drug activity.  The police director, Toney Armstrong, an African-American, strikes me as a terrific cop who stands behind his officers.  The suspect is also African-American and Armstrong made no excuses for him and didn't make with the usual stuff about "problems in the community."  Outstanding man.

August 2, 2015