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NOVEMBER 5,  2015

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:53 P.M. ET: 

THE UNKINDEST CUT – From The Politico:   Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee failed to make the cut for the main stage at next week’s Fox Business Network/Wall Street Journal debate, a particularly harsh blow for the New Jersey governor who has struggled to gain traction in the presidential race after being seen as a rising GOP star in 2012.  The two Republican candidates failed to meet the 2.5 percent average polling threshold, meaning they'll both be bumped to a 6 p.m. undercard debate on Tuesday, appearing alongside former Sen. Rick Santorum and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.  Christie and Huckabee weren’t the only ones to get bad news in the Fox Business lineup. Sen. Lindsey Graham, former New York Gov. George Pataki, and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore failed to register enough in four recent national polls to participate in the Nov. 10 event at all. They needed to get just 1 percent support in one of those polls. It will be Graham and Pataki's first time not getting to participate.  This was inevitable.  The herd must be thinned to allow voters to concentrate on a smaller number of candidates.  The main debate Tuesday night will feature Donald Trump, Dr. Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Jeb Bush, Rand Paul, and John Kasich.

NOT THE LIST TO BE ON – From frontpagemag.com:  Harvard, Columbia and Brandeis are among 10 American universities cited by the David Horowitz Freedom Center as among the “most friendly” in the nation to Islamic terrorists against Israel...In alphabetical order, the ten universities are: Brandeis University; Columbia University; Harvard University; Rutgers University-New Brunswick; San Francisco State University; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, San Diego; University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; and the University of New Mexico.  You may be sure that Israel isn't the only target of some of the radicals on these campuses.  Israel is the Little Satan.  We're the Big Satan.  You might want to slip this list to some relatives applying to college. 

WHAT A FLIP-FLOP – Bernie Sanders is learning from Hillary.  From the Washington Free Beacon: Bernie Sanders is walking back one of his statements from the first Democratic primary debate, now expressing support for the FBI investigation into the former secretary of state’s personal server.  In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Wednesday, Sen. Sanders (I., Vt.) clarified his outburst during the CNN Democratic debate on Oct. 13 during which he defended Clinton on the email issues.  “The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!” Sanders shouted on the debate stage, inviting laughs and a handshake from Clinton.  “You get 12 seconds to say these things,” Sanders told the Journal Wednesday. “There’s an investigation going on right now. I did not say, ‘End the investigation.’ That’s silly. … Let the investigation proceed unimpeded.”  Gee, Bern, that's what Republicans would say.  I hope Bernie is watching his back and wearing his flak jacket.

November 5,  2015     Permalink

NOTHING TO SEE, NOTHING TO SEE – AT 11:44 A.M. ET:  Facts about a stabbing rampage in California yesterday are coming to light.  Haven't seen much about it in American media, except for Fox.  This is from London's Daily Mail:

A student who stabbed four people inside a classroom at the University of California, Merced, before he was killed by police has been identified.

Faisal Mohammad, a freshman from Santa Clara who majored in computer science and engineering, was shot dead by officers after his violent rampage on Wednesday morning.

The FBI are now trying to figure out the motives of the 18-year-old, who was living in an on-campus dorm, the Merced Sun Star reported.

Well, for starters, stabbing rampages have now become a staple item for Arabs attacking Israelis in Israel.  Copycat?  I don't know, but that's where I'd begin.

Andrew Velasquez, his roommate, told ABC30 Mohammad was anti-social and was always alone on campus.

'Didn't talk much. And I never saw him walk with anybody. Walking to class, I never saw him walk with anybody.

'Every time I would try and say something he would just ignore it.'

Police cancelled classes on Thursday so they could continue their investigation.
During a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Sheriff-Coroner Vern Warnke said that the weapon used in the stabbings was a hunting knife between 8 and 10 inches long.

The university said that two students, one staff member and a vendor were wounded but were expected to recover. Two of the victims were airlifted to specific hospitals for treatment.

COMMENT:  We now have to be alert to further knife attacks.  Guns aren't the only weapons of choice for terrorists and murderers, although you'd never know it by the behavior of the press.

November 5, 2015       Permalink

HOW MANY WARNINGS DO WE NEED? – AT 10:55 A.M. ET:   Another public servant who tried to do her job for her country, and was sidetracked by Barack Obama.  From The Politico: 

Evelyn Farkas announced last month her decision to leave the Pentagon after five years during which she advised three secretaries of defense and played a major role in securing $244 million in military support for Ukraine.

The Pentagon's former top Russia policy expert, who stepped down last week, says she worked behind the scenes to get the Obama administration to take a harder line with Moscow but was overruled — and remains concerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will test the U.S. and its allies in other places.

Evelyn Farkas, who served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia until last Friday, made clear in an exit interview with reporters on Wednesday that her departure "was not motivated by policy differences.”

Of course it was.  However, they play the Washington "we're all colleagues" game.

But she said she advocated, unsuccessfully, for the administration to do more to deter Russia, including providing “lethal, defensive assistance to Ukraine, primarily anti-tank weapons.”

She also said that the administration should review its force posture in Europe and consider putting more troops further east and that top U.S. officials should spend more time in the region.

“We need more high-level attention being paid to the countries that feel directly threatened by Russia,” Farkas said.

COMMENT:  Nice to hear some common sense and serious, mature thinking.  But that's not what's wanted by this administration, and it can only get worse as Obama approaches his last year in office.

I love her comment, "We need more high-level attention being paid..."

Wonder who she's referring to.  Well, he's on vacation in Hawaii anyway.

November 5, 2015       Permalink

OBAMA THE POLITICAL GENIUS (CHOKE) – AT 9:46 A.M. ET:  Liberalism lost throughout the country in Tuesday's off-year elections, especially in the gubernatorial upset in Kentucky, which elected a Republican governor for the first time in years. 

In fact, catastrophic liberal losses in off-year elections have come to characterize the age of Obama, which has resulted in a Democratic Party in the worst power position it's been in since the 1920s.  From Gateway Pundit: 

In May 2009, after the historic Democratic victories in the 2008 election that saw Democrats win the presidency, the House and a super majority in the Senate, liberal strategist James Carville argued that Democrats could dominate politics for the next four decades.

But that was in 2009.
Since then Obama has destroyed public morale and trust in government with his radical Progressive agenda and anti-American foreign policy.

In 2010 Democrats lost the House to Republicans.
In 2014 Democrats lost the Senate to Republicans.

Since Obama took office Democrats have lost:
** 14 Senate seats
** 69 House seats
** 12 governorships
** 910 state legislature seats

That’s over 1,000 seats lost!
Nice job, Barack.

COMMENT:  All true, all true.  But there is the 900-pound gorilla in the room, and that is the presidency.  Without the presidency, all the Republican gains may well be meaningless.  We see that proved every day in the sweeping executive actions Obama is taking, whether legal or not, to change America.  And the presidency is always the focus of the nation's attention.

We have a big job next year.  It must get done.

November 5, 2015        Permalink

SUPPORT FOR THE FBI DIRECTOR – AT 9:05 A.M. ET:  FBI Director James Comey was criticized by the White House for saying that recent spikes in crime were partially the result of low police morale – a situation caused by the attacks on police by the "Black lives matter" group and other groups. 

Horrors, said the White House.  Why doesn't the FBI director get with the program?

Now Comey is getting proper support from another high law-enforcement official.  From USA Today:

WASHINGTON — The nation's top drug enforcement official said Wednesday that FBI Director James Comey was "spot on'' when he recently offered the controversial assessment that violent crime surges in some cities may be linked to police officers' reluctance to engage suspects.

"I think there is something to it,'' Drug Enforcement Administration chief Chuck Rosenberg told reporters, referring to the so-called "Ferguson-effect'' in which police have been reportedly hesitant to act for fear of prompting the kind of civil unrest that engulfed Ferguson, Mo., last year. "I think (Comey) was spot on.''

Comey's remarks during appearances last month in Chicago put the FBI director at odds with some in law enforcement and the White House, which indicated that existing evidence did not support such a claim.

"I will say that the available evidence at this point does not support the notion that law enforcement officers around the country are shying away from fulfilling their responsibilities,'' White House spokesman Josh Earnest said last week. "On the contrary, I think you’ve seen a lot of local law enforcement leaders indicate that police officers and sheriffs and other local law enforcement officials are actually dedicated public servants who on a daily basis are putting their lives on the line to serve and protect the communities that they’re assigned to.''

The FBI director has acknowledged that data is lacking to support a definitive conclusion, yet he said that he maintained a "strong sense'' of a connection based on reports from local law enforcement officials.

COMMENT:  Comey is obviously correct.  As he pointed out, many police officers are reluctant to "get out of the car" when there are mobs waiting with iPhone cameras to record their every move, recordings that can be used against an officer without any context.

The war on crime in America was working quite well in many (but not all) jurisdictions before Obama came to power.  Now it is failing again.  I wonder why.

November 5,  2015     Permalink

NOVEMBER 4,  2015

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

THE RUSSIAN AIRLINER – From CNN:  As authorities investigate the crash of a Russian airliner in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, the airport where Metrojet Flight 9268 originated is facing new scrutiny.  U.S. intelligence assessments suggest someone planted a bomb on the plane before takeoff, multiple U.S. officials said Wednesday, and that someone inside Sharm el-Sheikh airport could have helped.  News reports say the U.S, came to this conclusion from monitoring ISIS communications.  I wish they wouldn't be that detailed.  Communications intelligence is one of the most sensitive types of information gathering, and the constant talk about it today could give ISIS a road map for sealing a leak.  If the theory is correct – and only scientific analysis of the wreckage can confirm that – it would mark a major escalation in the terror war.

TALK ABOUT SLANTED JOURNALISM – This was actually presented as a significant story at The Politico under the exciting headline, "Woman nods off during Jeb speech":   One woman seemed rather low on energy during a town hall event for Republican candidate Jeb Bush on Thursday, struggling to keep her eyes open and yawning during part of Bush's event.  The Bush campaign identified the woman only as Tara, a working mom who woke up at 4 a.m. for a 12-hour shift to see the former governor of Florida speak.  Why, let's make sure Tara gets a book deal in which she can explain her history of yawning.  I mean, this story is below trivial, but any attempt to embarrass a GOP candidate is considered appropriate these days.  The Politico has damaged its initial reputation for good political reporting and has become a pretty reliably liberal website.

OH, PLEASE! – Some stories are just too hard to believe.  From The Hill:   Donald Trump’s highly anticipated hosting gig on this week’s "Saturday Night Live" is already generating controversy, three full days before showtime.  NBC on Wednesday unveiled eight promos for the upcoming show, but pulled the video from YouTube just minutes after posting, with no explanation.  A network spokesman later told NBC News Correspondent Peter Alexander that it “accidentally” published the wrong YouTube link, which contained three "SNL" promos “not for air,” including one in which Trump calls rival Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson a “real loser.”  In another spot, cast member Cecily Strong reveals that “due to FCC regulations," Trump can only appear in each promo for less than four seconds.  I really doubt that was an accident.  Those are the promos I've seen all over today.  I'm guessing it was an intentional accident designed for publicity.  The whole political world will be watching Trump on SNL.

November 4, 2015       Permalink

ELECTION – AT 8:55 A.M. ET:   There were some local elections around the country yesterday, and one result in particular is drawing attention.  From Fox: 

Republican Matt Bevin, a businessman and Tea Party favorite, beat Democrat Jack Conway on Tuesday to win the race for Kentucky governor -- becoming only the second GOP governor in the state in four decades.

The off-year election, one of many state and local contests held Tuesday ‎across the country, was seen by some as a test for outsider candidates at a time when several such candidates are seeking the GOP presidential nomination. Bevin, who has run as an outsider ever since he unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Mitch McConnell last year, was declared the winner over state Attorney General Conway in the gubernatorial race shortly after polls closed Tuesday evening.

Independent Drew Curtis was a distant third in Tuesday's election.

COMMENT:  This is considered a major upset, as the Dem was leading throughout the race.  Is it a sign of a conservative trend?  Who knows? 

And Ohio rejected a proposal to permit recreational use of marijuana. 

I think our side has a great chance in next year's huge election...with the right candidate and the right message.  But Republicans work hard, and creatively, to lose elections, so we must watch every step carefully. 

November 4, 2015       Permalink

SUCH WARMTH, I'M TOUCHED – AT 8:22 A.M. ET:  We certainly are getting a windfall out of that Iran nuclear deal.  What a brilliant negotiator is John Kerry!  From The New York Times: 

TEHRAN — Anyone who hoped that Iran’s nuclear agreement with the United States and other powers portended a new era of openness with the West has been jolted with a series of increasingly rude awakenings over the past few weeks.

On Tuesday, the eve of the 36th anniversary of the student takeover of the American Embassy in Tehran, state television announced the arrest of a Lebanese-American missing for weeks — after he had been invited here by the government. He has been accused of spying.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, said the “Death to America” slogan is eternal. New anti-American billboards in Tehran include a mockery of the Iwo Jima flag-raising photograph that symbolized Marine sacrifice in World War II. And an Iranian knockoff version of K.F.C., the chicken chain widely associated with the United States, was summarily closed after two days.

“It feels like a witch hunt,” said one Iranian-American businessman in Tehran, who dared not speak for attribution over fear for his safety. “It’s pretty scary.”

And...

The backlash comes as Iran is preparing for parliamentary elections in February that constitute a litmus test of Mr. Rouhani’s policies. It seems that hard-liners, using the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, have started rounding up journalists, activists and cultural figures, as a warning that the post nuclear-deal period cannot lead to further relaxation or political demands.

COMMENT:  Do you really trust these people to honor the terms of the nuclear deal, or to abstain from terror?  If you do, the Democratic Party probably has a high-ranking job for you. 

The arrest of Americans in Iran is of no interest to the Obama White House.  Doesn't rank high in affecting the president's legacy. 

Ronnie, where are you now that we need you again?

November 4, 2015       Permalink

GIVE THIS WOMAN SOME RESPECT – AT 8:11 A.M. ET:  Given his support of the "Black lives matter" movement, you'd think the president could show some regard for the mother of a police officer killed by an illegal immigrant.  You'd think wrong.  From The Blaze: 

After her police officer son was killed by a drunk-driving illegal immigrant, Mary Anne Mendoza says she has been “pleading” for a meeting with the White House to discuss the politically charged issue of illegal alien criminals.

She said Sunday the White Has responded to her requests with silence.

Mesa, Arizona, police officer Brandon Mendoza was killed in a 2014 head-on collision with a man who was found to be driving intoxicated with a BAC of 0.238 percent and living in the country illegally for decades.

He also had a previous criminal record.

Mary Anne Mendoza has since written three letters to President Barack Obama, but has not received any response. She said it’s “disheartening” to see some of the people who actually receive White House invites.

She's quite right.  Some pretty shady characters, like "the Reverend" Al Sharpton, have frequented this White House.

“We had been pleading with them to meet with us, to see our faces, to feel our pain and to hear our stories,” she told “Fox & Friends,” adding that it may help them “understand this problem a little better and do something about it for Americans.”

COMMENT:   This administration doesn't see illegal immigrants as a problem.  They're part of a potentially useful voting bloc.  The more, the better.  And the flood of refugees from the Mideast are also seen as potentially useful to the Democratic left.

I hope this mother gets some justice, but I doubt that she will.

November 4, 2015       Permalink

ENJOY YOUR VACATION – AT 8:02 A.M. ET:  Another undercover study of security at U.S. airports has turned up troubling problems.  From Fox: 

A federal watchdog told Congress on Tuesday that a recent covert audit of U.S. airports found layers of security were “simply missing,” in the latest undercover investigation to expose gaps in Transportation Security Administration procedures.

The findings were revealed by Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth during a House hearing on TSA problems where new Administrator Peter Neffenger also testified on what he's doing to fix them.

Roth said the tests by federal auditors found "troubling" problems related to technology, procedures and human error at security checkpoints. He said the findings were “consistent across every airport.”

However, he also said new TSA leadership promptly began addressing some of the issues and he is optimistic about airport security being improved.

“I am hopeful that the days of TSA sweeping its problems under the rug and simply ignoring the findings and recommendations … are coming to an end,” he told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

COMMENT:  That's a pretty frightening accusation about past practices.  The attacks leading to the Department of Homeland Security occurred 14 years ago. 

Why are other countries, particularly Israel, so much better at airport security?  I suspect it's because they take it more seriously.  We take it seriously only after a major incident.  Also, I suspect some other countries are more selective in their choice of personnel.

Every one of these discouraging reports gives hope to our opponents, hope that if they try something big, they'll get through.

November 4,  2015     Permalink