SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:07 P.M. ET: 

NOWHERE GUY – Not exactly Lincolnesque.  From the Boston Globe:   Lincoln Chafee has no support, according to a recent poll.  That’s right, literally zero people said they support the former Rhode Island Republican senator and independent governor for the Democratic presidential nomination.  The Monmouth University poll released Wednesday had Chafee trailing Hillary Clinton at 51 percent, Bernie Sanders at 17 percent, Martin O’Malley and Jim Webb—both at 1 percent—with 15 percent still undecided.  “Chafee registers no support in the poll,” according to the poll, which was based off a 357 sample of registered Democrats of 1,001 individuals surveyed.  But the real news is that Hillary Clinton only registers 51 percent.  If she starts bumping into the 40s, look for panic and the lowering of lifeboats.

RAND'S DADDY EMBARRASSES THE FAMILY AGAIN – From The Hill: Former Rep. Ron Paul said in two recent interviews that he supports the Obama administration’s nuclear agreement with Iran, calling it “to the benefit of world peace.”  Paul’s statements stand in contrast to his son, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has said he will vote against the deal.  Ron Paul told “The Michael Berry Show” on Friday that a lot of opposition to the deal comes from an unfair view of Iranians, according to Buzzfeed.  “We have learned and been conditioned to distrust and hate the Persians, and that they’re gonna kill us,” Paul said. “But there’s no history to show that Iran are aggressive people.”  “When’s the last time they invaded a country? Over 200 years ago!” he added, comparing Iran’s support for terror groups to “what our CIA does.”  I would have loved to hear daddy explain how trigger-happy American sailors fired on Japanese tourist planes over Pearl Harbor.  Sometimes psychiatry should be recommended.

GOOD FOR THEM – From Newsmax:   The Oregon bakers fined for refusing to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple  raised a record-breaking $358,500 on a religious crowdfunding site — more than 2 1/2 the $135,000 state penalty they faced.  Supporters of Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein raised more money than any previous campaign in the history of the Wisconsin faith-based Continue to Give crowdfunding website, its founder tells the Washington Times.  The Oregonian reports as of Wednesday the campaign had raised $358,500 from 7,750 donors, more than doubling the $150,000 goal announced when it began May 5.  That's terrific.  They are being treated horribly by the politically correct crowd in Oregon.  Declining to participate in a religious ceremony is not bigotry, but preference.  Even if there was a technical violation of a statute, a $135,000 fine is cruel and unusual punishment, and must be fought.

July 17, 2015