The Coming #Democrat 2014 'Shellacking'

President Obama confessed that his party took a "shellacking" in the 2010 midterm elections.

It's still six months out from November 2014, but two polls out today paint a grim picture for House and Senate Democrats. At Pew Research, conducted with USA Today, a new survey shows Republicans leading Democrats by four points in the generic ballot, 47 to 43 percent. The key finding for me, however, is how dramatic the parties have traded places since last October, at the time of the ObamaCare rollout. Back then Democrats were leading the generic ballot by far, holding a six-point lead (49 to 43 percent) over the Republicans. See, "Midterm Election Indicators Daunting for Democrats: No Improvement in Perceptions of Job Market" (at Memeorandum).

And here's the USA Today report, "Poll: For the midterms, a tilt to the GOP." And check the beautiful graphic at the link. In November 2010, the parties were tied at 44 percent in the generic ballot, and the GOP still went on to gain 63 seats in the House. And Republicans picked up 6 seats in the Senate that year, taking the nationwide popular vote 49.4 to 44 percent.

Susan Page of USA Today is interviewed by Jake Tapper at the Twitter link below, and she indicates that Republicans haven't had this kind of lead in the generic ballot for decades.

Yes. MT @jaketapper Are Democrats in for a ‘shellacking’ in 2014 midterms? #TheLead http://t.co/P1PzwiXMNU … #ObamaSucks #DEMS
— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 5, 2014

And CNN's also out with a poll showing similar Democrat Party disadvantages, "CNN Poll: GOP advantage in midterms." Particularly noteworthy are the president's numbers, clearly a drag on Democrat prospects in the fall:

According to the poll, 43% of Americans say they approve of the job Obama is doing as president, with 55% giving him a thumbs down. The President's approval rating is unchanged from CNN's most recent survey, which was conducted in early March.

The President's approval ratings are hovering in the low to mid 40's in most non partisan national polling this year, slightly above where he stood in November and December, when he hit or matched his all-time low in many surveys....

While a majority of those questioned say the President is not a major factor in their vote this November, a quarter say they will be sending a message that they oppose Obama, with one in five saying their vote will be a message of support for the President.

"On the face of it, a majority saying that their vote is not based on their opinion of an unpopular president may sound like good news for Democrats," Holland said. "But President Obama has usually been the Democratic party's most reliable way to fire up the base, and this question suggests that Democrats won't turn out this year just because Obama asks them to. It's also worth noting that the current numbers are almost identical to 2010, when the President's party got shellacked in the midterms."

And Democrats, more than Republicans, appear to have more work ahead of them when it comes to firing up the base. Conventional wisdom dictates that the GOP has an advantage over the Democrats in midterm contests. White voters and older voters, key to the Republican base, tend to cast ballots in bigger percentages in midterms than younger voters and minorities, who are an important part of the Democrats' base.

Dana Bash, also interviewed with Jake Tapper at the link above, warns that there's simply too much that could happen on the Senate side to make any reliable predictions at this point. "Something big" could happen, like a Todd Akin, that could torpedo Republican hopes of recapturing the upper chamber. Commenters here, in previous posts, have also warned that the Republicans will probably snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and I'm not quick to blow off such sentiments. But barring a major campaign debacle that gives the Democrats unearned advantages in the fall media sound-bite cycle, I think "shellacking" won't be a strong enough term for the beating voters administer the Dems come fall.

More at Memeorandum.

Added: From Heather Ginsberg, at Town Hall, "65% of Americans Want Next President to Change Obama's Policies."

Utterly astounding numbers.

What Would America Fight For?

At the Economist, "The Weakened West":

“WHY is it that everybody is so eager to use military force?” America’s cerebral president betrayed a rare flash of frustration on April 28th when dealing with a question in Asia about his country’s “weakness”. Barack Obama said his administration was making steady, if unspectacular, progress. By blundering into wars, his critics would only harm America.

Mr Obama was channelling the mood of his people, worn out by the blood and treasure squandered in Iraq and Afghanistan. A survey last autumn by the Pew Research Centre suggests that 52% want the United States to “mind its own business internationally”, the highest figure in five decades of polling. But when America’s president speaks of due caution, the world hears reluctance—especially when it comes to the most basic issue for any superpower, its willingness to fight.

For America’s most exposed allies that is now in doubt...

A poisonous root

Admittedly, deterrence always has some element of doubt. Between the certainty that any president will defend America’s own territory and the strong belief that America would not fight Russia over Ukraine lies an infinite combination of possibilities. A lot depends on how each incident unfolds. But doubt has spread quickly in that middle ground—and it risks making the world a more dangerous, nastier place.

Already, regional powers are keener to dominate their neighbours. China is pressing its territorial claims more aggressively, Russia interfering more brazenly. In 2013 Asia outspent Europe on arms for the first time—a sign that countries calculate they will have to stand up for themselves. If Mr Obama cannot forge a deal with Iran, the nightmare of nuclear proliferation awaits the Middle East. Crucially, doubt feeds on itself. If next door is arming and the superpower may not send gunboats, then you had better arm, too. For every leader deploring Mr Putin’s tactics, another is studying how to copy them.

Such mind games in the badlands of eastern Ukraine and the South China Sea may feel far away from Toledo or Turin. But the West will also end up paying dearly for the fraying of the global order. International norms, such as freedom of navigation, will be weakened. Majorities will feel freer to abuse minorities, who in turn may flee. Global public goods, such as free trade and lower cross-border pollution, will be harder to sustain. Global institutions will be less pliable. Americans understandably chafe at the ingratitude of a world that freeloads on the economic, diplomatic and military might of the United States. But Americans themselves also enjoy the exorbitant privilege of operating in a system that, broadly, suits them...

Keep reading.

And ICYMI, from Charles Krauthammer, at WaPo, "Obama’s foreign policy of denial."

Leftist Publisher Lawrence & Wishart Issues Takedown Notice Against #Marxist Internet Archive

OMG this is rich.

As I started reading the piece I checked over at the Marxist Internet Archive, which posted an announcement that as of April 30th they were taking down their Marx collection, heh.

And the best part? The communists over at Crooked Timber are all up in a lather about it, bwhahaha!!! See, "Karlo Marx and Fredrich Engels / Came to the checkout at the 7-11."

Shoot, even the New York Times gets the irony, "Claiming a Copyright on Marx? How Uncomradely":

The Marxist Internet Archive, a website devoted to radical writers and thinkers, recently received an email: It must take down hundreds of works by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels or face legal consequences.

The warning didn’t come from a multinational media conglomerate but from a small, leftist publisher, Lawrence & Wishart, which asserted copyright ownership over the 50-volume, English-language edition of Marx’s and Engels’s writings.

To some, it was “uncomradely” that fellow radicals would deploy the capitalist tool of intellectual property law to keep Marx’s and Engels’s writings off the Internet. And it wasn’t lost on the archive’s supporters that the deadline for complying with the order came on the eve of May 1, International Workers’ Day.

“Marx and Engels belong to the working class of the world spiritually, they are that important,” said David Walters, one of the organizers of the Marxist archive. “I would think Marx would want the most prolific and free distribution of his ideas possible — he wasn’t in it for the money.”

Still, Mr. Walters said the archive respected the publisher’s copyright, which covers the translated works, not the German originals from the 19th century. On Wednesday, the archive removed the disputed writings with a note blaming the publisher and a bold headline: “File No Longer Available!”

The fight over online control of Marx’s works comes at a historical moment when his ideas have found a new relevance, whether because the financial crisis of 2008 shook people’s confidence in global capitalism or, with the passage of time, the Marx name has become less shackled to the legacy of the Soviet Union. The unlikely best seller by the French economist Thomas Piketty, “Capital in the 21st Century,” harks back to Marx’s work, examining historical trends toward inequality in wealth.

Despite this boomlet in interest, however, Lawrence & Wishart, located in East London, hardly expects to have an online hit on its hands, said Sally Davison, the publisher’s managing editor. The goal is to create a digital edition to sell to libraries in place of a print edition, which costs roughly $1,500 for the 50 volumes.

Lulz.

Even Marxist collectivists can't resist the filthy lucre when it suits them. Communism: the biggest scam in world history.

More at the link.

And really, the statement from Lawrence & Wishart is the kicker!

Over the last couple of days Lawrence & Wishart has been subject to campaign of online abuse because we have asked for our copyright on the scholarly edition of the Collected Works of Marx and Engels to be respected. The panic being spread to the effect that L&W is ‘claiming copyright’ for the entirety of Marx and Engels’ output is baseless and largely motivated by political sectarianism from groups and individuals who have never been friendly to L&W.

Because online Marxist trolls are so compassionate lol!

London's Daily Mail Boasts 690 Percent Growth in Unique Visitors Since '08 Relaunch

They've got an amazing publishing model. Some of the most minute local stories get blown up into big extravaganzas at Daily Mail. And of course, the celebrities.

And I love the "sidebar of shame," heh.

At the Press Gazette UK, "Mail Online has grown ten-fold since its 2008 relaunch, but is it journalism?"

'I have evidence there was a systematic, intentional decision to withhold certain documents from Congress...'

Rep. Trey Gowdy, on Greta's last Friday:

The #Benghazi-Industrial Complex? Politico's Michael Hirsh Pushes Back Desperately Against Ben Rhodes Bombshell

Michael Hirsh, the far-left former reporter at Newsweek and National Journal, breathlessly pushes the "right-wing conspiracy" meme at Politico, "The Benghazi-Industrial Complex: Will the pseudo-scandal be enough to stop Hillary from running?"

Typical hack piece by a typical court-reporting hack.

I called the f-ker out:

.@Michaelphirsh And it's crap. Some obscure 9th tier blogger can do better than this, sheesh: http://t.co/0ZDmgW2fcU cc. @Instapundit

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 5, 2014

Crap journalist @Michaelphirsh interviewed "dude" Tommy Vietor for his laughable propaganda piece. Dude! @Instapundit

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 5, 2014

.@Michaelphirsh So Judge Jeanine Pirro's a "right wing conspiracy monger"? She'd cut you to ribbons, you hack: https://t.co/SgJPtcSk9u

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 5, 2014

.@Michaelphirsh runs a invitation-only blog titled "Informing the 99 Percent." Bwhahaha!! Don't change, lol!! @Instapundit

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 5, 2014

And don't miss this great Howard Kurtz "Media Buzz" segment from yesterday, "Media Minimize Benghazi Story After Initial Release of Emails - Media Buzz Spin Cycle."

Dems' Plan to Counter Criticism: Outlaw It

From Seth Mandel, at Commentary.

Read it at the link. (Sighs, shaking head.)

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."



Also at Reaganite Republican, "Reaganite's SUNDAY FUNNIES."

And at Legal Insurrection, "Branco Cartoon – Little Big Foot."

Cartoon Credit: William Warren.

#LiberalRacism: The Left's Cynical Perpetuation of Racist Plantation Politics

Derek Hunter has the epic must-read summary analysis of the week, "Liberal Racism," via Instapundit:

"It’s been fascinating to watch the ultra-liberal MSM work overtime to portray" #Sterling as Republican. http://t.co/GriI7hcqPK @Instapundit

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 4, 2014

.@Instapundit As I've said all along, doesn't matter #Sterling's party ID. He's a liberal to the core. Oops! http://t.co/GriI7hcqPK

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 4, 2014

.@Instapundit And that's far-left Michael Hiltzik at LAT, a rank partisan of the first order. #Progs #Hypocrisy http://t.co/GriI7hcqPK

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 4, 2014

Donald Sterling never will be accepted in polite society again, and rightfully so. He may even be forced to sell his NBA team for his private racist comments. Meanwhile, Democrats will continue to exude racism publicly, and proudly, in the hope that it scares the hell out of voters, particularly minority voters, and keeps them from realizing their lives depend more on who they are and what they do than on any politician or party. Democrats will continue to convince people that even though their lives haven’t improved after decades of loyally voting for Democrats and their ever-increasing government programs, the alternative is worse, so don’t try it.

It’s divisive, cynical, cruel, un-American and racist. It’s also the path to, the reason for, and the basis of Democrats’ power. As long as it works, they’ll never stop doing it.

Donald #Sterling, Racism and Privacy

One of my students mentioned last week that he didn't mind Donald Sterling's "private" thoughts. It's when they become public that's a problem. I responded by saying that I think the distinction between public and private has been pretty much erased these days, and that folks should consider themselves always "in public" when they're speaking, since you never know when you're going to be taped. What about private comments in your own home, folks might protest? Perhaps that's the last bastion for the expression of politically incorrect views, but even that bastion is embattled.

It's taking it to another level to use that "personal" privacy argument to defend Sterling's racism. I think Ben Shapiro, for example, made a lousy defense of Sterling this week, mostly because it sounds as if it's an endorsement, which is how depraved leftists exploited it. See, "Shapiro: Of Donald Sterling's Racism and the Rise of Thoughtcrime."

That said, controlling for disgusting leftist hypocrisy, the issue of thought crimes will be with us as long as the left's regime of acceptable discourse remains the order of the day.

More from the letters at LAT, "The Donald Sterling Case":

Though I wholeheartedly agree that Sterling's remarks are abhorrent, this knee-jerk reaction and bitter reprimand set a dangerous precedent for us all.

I am not defending Sterling's words, but they are his words and his alone. They do not reflect a company policy, nor do they ask that we adhere to their ideals.

Where do we draw the line? How is it our right to tell someone that his comments made in private are cause for a fine of more than $2 million? How do we justify our demands that he forfeit a lucrative business simply because some of us have been gravely insulted?

This is a very slippery slope we have embarked on. When someone is denied the right to express a thought unacceptable in polite society, then we are all denied the right to think for ourselves, regardless of the unpopular nature of those thoughts.

Are we now entering the realm of "thought police"?

Tom DeSimone
Palm Springs

And see Mitch Albom, at USA Today, "Donald Sterling and what we're learning about privacy."

Albom suggests "there oughta be a law" against this kinda posting of private thoughts in the Internet age, but there are some laws already. People can think what they want. Situations will come up where they'll have to defend those views. Sterling's are pretty indefensible, even in the privacy of his own home. He's a small, bitter, hateful man, despite claims by V. Stiviano to the contrary. And for that he's being shunned. Not many NBA stars wanna play for him. The market works that way.

But again, politically it's best to hold the left to its own standards. Progs refuse to accept that fact that Sterling's one of their own, a dyed-in-the-wool Beverly Hills leftist. That's the part I will never stop hammering. Leftists --- and Democrats --- are racist hypocrites now destroying the very fabric of American life. The Sterling case is just the latest in what's going to be a long-running debate on the role of the individual in a PC-drenched and perpetually wired political space. Folks should gear up for the battle. Don't excuse the racism. Instead, pin the responsibility for it precisely where it belongs.

#Sterling Will Fight to Keep #Clippers, Mayor Garcetti Predicts

It's going to be an ongoing drama.

At LAT, "Donald Sterling will fight to keep Clippers, Garcetti predicts."

#Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff Blows Off #Benghazi Select Committee as 'Colossal Waste of Time...'

Pure politics.

Sad too, since the overwhelming evidence points to a massive political cover-up just weeks before the 2012 general election.

At Legal Insurrection, "Dem congressman dismisses Benghazi committee as ‘colossal waste of time’."

Watch it: "Rep. Schiff on Fox News Sunday: Benghazi Select Committee a 'Colossal Waste of Time...'"

Also from Darleen, at Protein Wisdom, "Democrats make it clear: Obama’s political reputation more important than American lives" (via Memeorandum).

Emily Grant, 16-Year-Old at Calvary Murrieta Christian School, Wins Award for Art Project Remembering Her Late Grandfather

I love this.

At the Riverside Press-Enterprise, "MURRIETA: Student’s winning photos tell of late grandfather’s life."

I especially love how Ms. Emily reveres her grandfather's patriotism and values:

A dozen photos representing a dozen memories.

Emily Grant tells the story of her late grandfather’s life in 12 snapshots.

Her piece, “Valor,” won The Press-Enterprise Sponsorship Award at the 52nd Annual Press-Enterprise Riverside County High School Art Show last month.

“My grandfather is a huge inspiration to me and the legacy he passed down will last forever,” said the 16-year-old junior at Calvary Murrieta Christian School.

Emily got the idea for the display when she and her photography teacher visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art last year to see a photo exhibit.

“It was great to see how inspired she was,” said April Estoch, photo teacher and fine arts director at Calvary Murrieta. “She took an idea she saw somewhere else and made it her own. It tells a story that’s very personal to her.”

Emily was able to use the photos for an assignment in her photography class. She got an “A.”

More.

Kids like Ms. Emily reflect the power of our culture's private, religious sphere over the state-worshipping culture of the political left. I mean, an artistic photo display of her grandfather's church marriage and military service? That's like garlic to the Obama-cult teeanagers of the ethnic urban big government constituencies of the Democrat-left. I'm sure leftists will be attacking her as "racist" in no time.

Top Domestic and Foreign Policy Analyst Will.i.am Joins 'Meet the Press'

Heh.

This is pretty delicious, at Twitchy, "Meet the Press jumps the shark: David Gregory invites will.i.am to talk Benghazi, foreign policy."

Lol. http://t.co/sh4CAulhDs discussing foreign affairs and military involvement as a "world traveler." @meetthepress pic.twitter.com/uRS83XXRJY

— J.C. Polanco Esq MBA (@JCPolancoNYC) May 4, 2014

The "as a world traveler" clip is here.

#RapeCultureIsWhen: Campus Sexual Assault is Not More Prevalent Than Any Time in the Past

From today's front-page at the New York Times, "Fight Against Sex Assaults Holds Colleges to Account."

And here's the bottom line up front:

While there is scant evidence that sexual assault is more or less prevalent than in the past — or of how Columbia compares with others — the storm of attention has forced university administrators to pay more attention to a largely unfamiliar set of duties, more akin to social work and criminal justice than to education.

And, well, more "social justice" than education.

Seriously, as I've reported with the shamelessly dishonest Professor Caroline Heldman, irrationalism and hysteria have taken over America's campuses.

More on that at the Other McCain, "‘Pervasive Culture of Sexual Violence’," and "‘Highly Intoxicated Vaginal Penetration’: #RapeCulture and Campus Reality."

The story at the Times focuses on the allegations made by Emma Sulkowicz, who says she was raped by a man with whom she had consensual intercourse two times previously. She also says she was not drinking at the time of alleged rape:

It was eight months before Ms. Sulkowicz of Columbia reported the alleged assault and an additional year before she went public.

In an interview last week, she said she had been assaulted at the beginning of her sophomore year in 2012. The accused, as is often the case in college, was someone she considered a friend, a man with whom she had had consensual sex twice the previous school year.

They went to her room. She said she had not been drinking. They started to have sex, she said, but then he began to choke her, slapped her face, pinned her arms and penetrated her anally. She said she had screamed for him to stop, but that he would not.

“It could take two minutes for it to stop, or he could have strangled me to death,” she said.

The university’s adjudication process, she said, left her feeling even more traumatized and unsafe. “I’ve never felt more shoved under the rug in my life,” she said.

Ms. Sulkowicz's case is one of a number discussed at Blue and White, "“Accessible, Prompt and Equitable”? An examination of sexual assault at Columbia." (And see NYT's, "Behind Focus on College Assaults, a Steady Drumbeat by Students.")

This so-called crisis of campus rape is leading the news following this week's initiative from the Obama administration on college sexual assault, "55 Colleges Named in Federal Inquiry Into Handling of Sexual Assault Cases."

KC Johnson responded to that at Minding the Campus, "The White House Joins the War on Men."

And Christina Hoff Sommers just eviscerates the administration's rank politicization of this important issue. Leftist lies and political exploitation have made things worse, and regressive ghouls are placing real victims of violent assault at even greater risk.

#Clippers Win Despite Distractions

From Bill Plaschke, at the Los Angeles Times, "Clippers are not riven by distraction: They win a series over the Golden State Warriors that could have finished them but instead defines them":

Their owner was thrown out of the league, their organization is buried in chaos, yet the Clippers play on.

They were humiliated by hate, distracted by protests, exhausted by stress, yet the Clippers play on.

It was a series that could have finished them. It was, instead, a series that has defined them.

Exactly one week after their world was rocked by the release of an audio recording containing racially charged comments by owner Donald Sterling, the Clippers finished their fight through the sludge Saturday with a 126-121 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the deciding Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.

A series of seething turmoil ended in screaming relief. A series mired in pain ended in joy. The gestures of Doc Rivers, the rarely celebratory coach who calmly led his team through the continuous controversy, spoke volumes in the final seconds with a fist-pumping dance down the sidelines.

“I needed to exhale ... this was a hard week, it feels like two months,’’ Rivers said afterward. “I just needed to be able to smile and laugh and cheer and be proud of something. And I was very proud of this team.’’

The Clippers' resilience began the night before the game, when the players began texting each other with inspirational messages.
“Guys were texting like, 'No, this can’t be over, it’s not our time to be over,' ’’ Paul said.

Well, the team's fourth quarter play last night was spectacular, as you can see at the clip at top.

And more at the link.

Sharyl Attkisson on the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama's Washington

A fantastic Nick Gillespie interview with investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson, via American Glob.



PREVIOUSLY: "Judge Jeanine Pirro on #Benghazi: Mr. President 'This Dereliction of Duty Demands Your Impeachment...'"

Judge Jeanine Pirro on #Benghazi: Mr. President 'This Dereliction of Duty Demands Your Impeachment...'

Judge Jeanine brings down the hammer!



These Watergate-era comparisons are coming with increasing frequency. Previously, "Krauthammer: White House Benghazi E-mail 'Equivalent' to 'Nixon Tapes'." And from commenter Simon there:

The White House/Obama team decided to not send help to Americans locked in mortal combat, they let them die, they stood down the military and all so the Obama narrative that he has defeated Al Queda could be preserved for the election.

The election was put ahead of four American lives. Obama et al let them die so they could stay the course on a false election narrative.

Disgusting actions by truly disgusting people.

Indeed. Truly disgusting people.

#Clippers Advance to Second Round of #NBA Championship Tournament

Just now:

Clippers win Game 7, 126-121. They will advance to the second round of the playoffs.
— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) May 4, 2014

Added: At LAT, "Clippers defeat Warriors in Game 7; play Thunder on Monday."

California Chrome Wins 140th Kentucky Derby

It's the one time a year I get into horse racing.

Via Twitter:

Giddyup! Kentucky Derby favorite California Chrome was up at 5:45 am to stretch his legs in advance of today's race. pic.twitter.com/Qn0dT38oRs

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 3, 2014

Victor Espinoza and California Chrome are the 140th #KentuckyDerby winners! Congrats to Victor and Chrome. 🏇🏆 pic.twitter.com/qO5JSAesKB

— Christopher Bagshaw (@ChristopherB502) May 3, 2014

California Chrome pulls away to clinch the win at Kentucky Derby. Read the full story: http://t.co/oCKbyEvOGa

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 3, 2014

California Chrome wins 140th running of Kentucky Derby - http://t.co/JefOAKnbkC

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) May 3, 2014

Here's video by @johnclayiv from April 30 when owner of California Chrome predicted a #KyDerby win http://t.co/eHYcYP1F4y … @KentuckySports

— Peter Baniak (@pbaniak) May 3, 2014

Casey Batchelor

Well, Egotastic's still in business, heh.

See, "Casey Batchelor Bikini Pictures With Such Proud Boobtastic You Might Miss Her Camel Toe."

More at Britain's Daily Star, "Blooming 'eck! Casey Batchelor breaks modelling vow to expose natural GGs."

Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Dead at 95

An interesting obituary at the New York Times, "Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Star of ‘77 Sunset Strip’ and ‘The F.B.I.’, Is Dead at 95."

Efrem Zimbalist Jr. "received the Purple Heart after being wounded in the battle of Hürtgen Forest" in WWII. http://t.co/OlNomF7TSK #TCOT

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 3, 2014

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann Calls on Secretary of State John Kerry to Resign

Via Israel Matzav.

She's awesome. Remember, Rep. Bachmann lived in Israel. She hits it out of the park with her comments here. Wow.



Previously Kerry "apartheid" blogging here.

Radical Feminists Take Down Nuts Magazine, Leading British 'Lads Mag'

Perhaps other business issues were at play, but clearly the boycott campaign by bitter, ugly feminists played a huge role in the demise of this 10-year-old institution of men's interest publications.

At Independent UK, "Nuts final issue: Lucy Pinder cries on the front cover as the lads' mag."

Last year, the Lose the Lad Mags campaign was launched which called for the ban of such publications in high-street shops. The Co-Operative chain said that it would only sell such magazines if they were sealed in plastic bags. While Loaded complied, Nuts, Zoo and Front refused to acquiesce and consequently had their publications pulled from the store’s shelves.

Actually, I thought Nuts would weather the storm, but the magazine's circulation is down dramatically from ten years ago, when over 300,000 British men enjoyed each issue. Britain has its share of Lads Mags (so, competition), and interestingly, Nutz gave a shout out to Zoo, it's main rival, in the final edition. Last year Nuts announced that the magazine would not bow to demands to wrap its product in "modesty covers," and perhaps at that time it knew the end was near:

"As has been widely reported in the media in recent weeks, this is no longer a question of whether or not you like men's magazines, it is a question of how far you can restrict the public's ability to consume free and legal media before it becomes censorship."

The Nutz website has been taken down as well.

Check my "Lads Mag" search for more on the British feminist left's campaign of totalitarian censorship.

And at the Other McCain, "British Left’s War on ‘Page Three Girls’."

LOL! Prof. William Jacobson Rips Idiot @EricBoehlert on 'War Criminal' Hillary Clinton's 'Mushroom Cloud...'

#LiberalRacism.

I'm almost flummoxed at how tone (as in "skin tone") deaf are the racist, eliminationist regressives.

Following-up my previous entry, "#LiberalRacism: Condoleezza Rice Bullied Out of Rutgers Commencement."

I just saw this hilarious Twitter exchange via William Jacobson, at Legal Insurrection, "“College campuses essentially operate on mob rule at this point”":

@EricBoehlert Does that apply to Hillary?

— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) May 3, 2014

.@EricBoehlert " can you send me Hillary's "Mushroom Cloud" TV appearance" http://t.co/o2BN651i1H

— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) May 3, 2014

Be sure to tweet that to @MMfA and @EricBoehlert, the depraved, hate-addled liberal racist.

Yet more disgusting left-wing racism. One standard for whites like Hillary Clinton and another one for blacks like Condi Rice.

#LiberalRacism: Condoleezza Rice Bullied Out of Rutgers Commencement

Another day, another vile liberal racist eruption of hate.

At Newark's Star-Ledger, "Condoleezza Rice pulls out of giving Rutgers commencement speech":

Racist liberal students at @RutgersU win. RT @NROcorner: EXCLUSIVE: Rice Withdraws from Rutgers Commencement http://t.co/nF8OL8bUC4
— Marooned in Marin (@MaroonedInMarin) May 3, 2014

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice backed out of giving Rutgers University's commencement speech today amid growing opposition among the school's students and faculty.

In a statement, Rice said she informed Rutgers President Robert Barchi that she has decided not to give the May 18 address.

“Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families. Rutgers' invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time," Rice said.

"I am honored to have served my country. I have defended America's belief in free speech and the exchange of ideas. These values are essential to the health of our democracy. But that is not what is at issue here," she said. "As a Professor for thirty years at Stanford University and as its former Provost and Chief academic officer, I understand and embrace the purpose of the commencement ceremony and I am simply unwilling to detract from it in any way."

Rice wished good luck to the Rutgers graduates.

About two hours later, Rutgers officials released their own statement.

"While Rutgers University stands fully behind the invitation to Dr. Rice to be our commencement speaker and receive an honorary degree, we respect the decision she made and clearly articulated in her statement this morning," Barchi said. "Now is the time to focus on our commencement, a day to celebrate the accomplishments and promising futures of our graduates. We look forward to joining them and their families on May 18, 2014."

Barchi said more details about the commencement will be announced in the coming days. Rutgers has two weeks to come up with a new commencement speaker.

Added: At Twitchy, "Brit Hume, others slam Rutgers mob’s ‘sickening’ shut-uppery of Condoleezza Rice."

Wonder how graduates of #Rutgers feel about pushing away an accomplished black woman? I thought progressives were supposed to be tolerant.
— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonDC) May 3, 2014

Added: From Robert Stacy McCain, "The Left’s Mob Rule on Campus."

Krauthammer: White House Benghazi E-mail 'Equivalent' to 'Nixon Tapes'

At the Heritage Foundation.

And from Stephen Hayes, at the Weekly Standard, "Boehner to Form Select Committee on Benghazi."

V. Stiviano: Donald Sterling Should Apologize for Racist Remarks — #LiberalRacism

At USA Today, "V. Stiviano sits down for interview with Barbara Walters."

I'm still trying to figure this woman out, and this interview is frankly bizarre.

Kate Upton Shoots for Sports Illustrated in the Cook Islands

At London's Daily Mail, "'My butt doesn't get much attention': Kate Upton discusses the bottom line as she shoots for Sports Illustrated in the Cook Islands."

L.A's NAACP Chief Resigns Over Donald Sterling Ties — #LiberalRacism

Epic leftist hypocrisy.

The Los Angeles Times has been on the chapter's case, "Donald Sterling's ties to NAACP under scrutiny after race recording."

This Jenkins dude's been shaking down Sterling despite the latter's long history of liberal racism. Shameless. Leftists simply have no shame.

And here's this morning's report, "Head of L.A. NAACP quits over ties to Donald Sterling."

Also at Fire Andrea Mitchell, "NAACP-LA President Leon Jenkins resigns for sucking up to Donald Sterling."

17-Month-Old Baby Attacked by Rattlesnake Near San Diego

The heat's bringing out the serpents, and the child, playing outside at his parents 3-acre homestead, got in harm's way.

At NBC San Diego, "Infant Bitten Multiple Times by Rattlesnake: Cal Fire."

Extra: At KPBS, "It’s Rattlesnake Bite Season In San Diego County, Health Officials Warn."

A Question for Milquetoast Conservatives!

At Cold Fury, "Setup: the Empire strikes back."

Hat Tip: Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, "'Conservatives' Continue to be Pig Ignorant Easy Targets for Alinsky…"

Josh Rogan: 'Damn Right I Taped Kerry’s 'Apartheid' Talk...'

A great piece.

Rogan's got chutzpah, at the Daily Beast.

PREVIOUSLY: "Secretary of State John Kerry Excoriated for Israel 'Apartheid' Slur."

Beverly Hills Liberal Donald Sterling Speaks Out — #LiberalRacism

At Du Jour, "DONALD STERLING SPEAKS UP":

#DonaldSterling tells DuJour, "I wish I had just paid her off." Full story here: http://t.co/5cTK4o29Qq

— DuJour (@DuJourMedia) May 2, 2014

The embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner on what he’d do differently": The embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner on what he’d do differently": While the dust in Los Angeles has yet to settle after recent revelations of Clippers owner Don Sterling’s regrettable remarks, nothing about the future of Sterling or the team is certain.

Some observers claim the NBA lacks the authority to force Sterling to sell the team while others, like basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabar, are questioning why the billionaire’s private conversations are being aired in public at all.

And while it could be weeks before any definite decisions are made about the future of the Clippers—Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon and Sean Combs are all said to be interested in buying the team—during an exclusive discussion with DuJour’s Jason Binn, Sterling expressed remorse for the way his situation’s unfurled. Speaking of girlfriend Vanessa Stiviano, who released to the media audio footage of Sterling on a racist tirade, Sterling says, “I wish I had just paid her off.”

Expect to hear more from Sterling, who tells DuJour he’s limiting himself to interviews with Barbara Walters and the NBA.

Also at USA Today, "Donald Sterling to 'DuJour' magazine: 'I wish I had just paid her off'."

And at the New York Post, "Sterling: 'I wish I had just paid her off'."

Donald Sterling speaks out: "I wish I had just paid her off" http://t.co/0qsqk93uDH

— New York Post (@nypost) May 2, 2014

And CBS Los Angeles.

Donald Sterling Reportedly Breaks Silence Amid Scandal: http://t.co/0vbmbhmxte

— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) May 2, 2014

I'll have updates...

#Benghazi, Lies and Videotape

From Nonie Darwish, at Frontpage Magazine:

Shocking White House emails released to the public Tuesday by government watchdog group Judicial Watch shed new light on the Obama administration’s brazen dishonesty with the public about the deadly Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. Statements from top Obama adviser Ben Rhodes confirm what critics have long alleged: that the Obama administration’s to priority in the wake of the attack was not to seek justice for the fallen or confront the threat to our nation, but to lie to the public about the nature of the attack in order to improve President Obama’s image in an election year.

It is the tragedy of our times that that the US government advocated the video excuse as a justification for the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi — or even the attack on the US embassy in Cairo on 9/11/12. It should be common knowledge to Western governments by now that Islamic leadership habitually justifies Islamic terrorism as a reaction to some kind of injustice or offense perpetrated against Muslims. This happens all the time in the commission of terrorist attacks or after they have been perpetrated. But instead of exposing the Islamic lie as usual, America facilitated the terrorists’ excuses. This is not a bad deal for jihadists who are only too happy to see nations victimized by terror defend jihad on behalf of Muslims.

As a matter of fact, Muslims over many centuries have trained Coptic Christians and other Middle East oppressed minorities to blame themselves for Islamic jihad and to ignore the obvious Islamic jihad violence.

Since jihad against other nations is a violation of international law, Muslims have discovered that they have no choice but to lie about their motivation and religious obligation to engage in jihad. It is not the author of this article who is saying this about Muslim culture, but the Islamic law books themselves; they clearly state that Muslims are obliged to lie if it is for the benefit of Islam.

Lying to justify jihad comes to people of the Middle East naturally and without hesitation. Even I was guilty of protecting Islamic jihad at any cost when I used to be a young journalist in the Middle East years ago. Lying to protect Islam has thus developed into a virtue that comes naturally to Muslims after centuries of forced practice of the Sharia obligation — and most Muslims no longer realize the connection to Sharia nor realize that what they are saying is lying.

Muslims shamelessly justified 9/11 with incredible fabricated stories about oppression of Muslims, America’s foreign policy, the occupation, etc. But when such excuses were discredited, the Muslim leadership never gave up and, until today, continues the blame game. The versions range from how Arabs could not have accomplished such a sophisticated terror attack by airplanes (their favorite excuse) to how 9/11 was a Jewish conspiracy or that the American government itself is behind it, etc.

No one in the Bush administration was so reckless as to buy any of the Arab excuses. Even NYC mayor at the time, Rudy Guiliani, would not accept a $10 million donation for disaster relief from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal after the prince suggested U.S. policies in the Middle East contributed to the September 11 attacks. America cannot afford to collaborate with Arab excuses over terrorism under any circumstances. If America accepts Islamic excuses for terror it is not just an invitation to more terror, but it is descending to the level of banana republics, which fool their own people into believing lies.

Western nations have always understood this pathological Islamic game and never bought it — until Sept 11, 2012, when the Obama administration coordinated an excuse for the violent attacks on the US Embassy in Cairo to avoid the embarrassment that al-Qaeda was alive and well even in Egypt, which was headed by the Muslim Brotherhood at the time. It was the first time in US history that one could see the US government not only buying the jihadist excuse, but also facilitating it...

Utterly treasonous. And all for politics. Depraved.

Still more here.

Plus, from Stephen Hayes, at the Weekly Standard, "Benghazi Lies."

Victims of Communism Day — #MayDay

From Ilya Somin, at Volokh:

Today is May Day. Since 2007, I have advocated using this date as an international Victims of Communism Day. I outlined the rationale for this idea (which I did not originate) in my very first post on the subject:

May Day began as a holiday for socialists and labor union activists, not just communists. But over time, the date was taken over by the Soviet Union and other communist regimes and used as a propaganda tool to prop up their regimes. I suggest that we instead use it as a day to commemorate those regimes’ millions of victims. The authoritative Black Book of Communism estimates the total at 80 to 100 million dead, greater than that caused by all other twentieth century tyrannies combined. We appropriately have a Holocaust Memorial Day. It is equally appropriate to commemorate the victims of the twentieth century’s other great totalitarian tyranny. And May Day is the most fitting day to do so...

More.

Also from Gabriella Hoffman, at Town Hall, "Communists Aren’t Cool: Honor Victims of Communism This May Day."

BONUS: "‘Die yuppie scum’: Anarchists, illegal aliens march through Seattle [pics]."

#Sterling Could Face $360 Million Tax Hit on Clippers Sale, Hindering #NBA Push to Terminate Ownership

Today's New York Times feature a sensational front-page report on the high-dollar celebrity interest in the Los Angeles Clippers, "Stars’ Newest Must-Have Item: The Clippers."

But it's doubtful that Donald Sterling will relinquish the team without a fight. See Bleacher Report, "Donald Sterling Reportedly Will Sue NBA If Forced to Sell Clippers."

Frankly no matter how combative and cantankerous he is, no matter how big a fight he puts up, I suspect the prospect of massive tax savings from keeping the team is one of the biggest factors working against NBA moves to force a sale.

See the Los Angeles Times, "Donald Sterling could tie Clippers sale up in court":

If NBA owners ultimately vote to oust Donald Sterling and the embattled Clippers boss decides to fight back, the resulting litigation could drag on for years and set a precedent for American professional sports, legal experts said Wednesday.

While Sterling appears to face long odds in challenging his lifetime ban and $2.5-million fine, legal experts and lawyers who have faced the NBA in court see a more viable case when it comes to opposing a forced sale.

Sterling could seek an immediate injunction, then file suit raising breach of contract or antitrust claims.

If that happens, the courts will find little or no precedent for a team owner facing expulsion because of offensive comments about race.

"We're in a part of sports law where there isn't a playbook," said Michael McCann, a sports law professor at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. "We're in uncharted territory."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the fine and ban Tuesday and said he would encourage the other 29 owners to force the Clippers owner to sell. A three-quarters vote is needed to oust an owner.

The team is owned by the Sterling Trust, which includes Sterling, his estranged wife, Rochelle, and two living children. A Clippers spokesman did not provide percentages of voting rights or other details.

Banned from attending games or having any involvement as owner, Sterling could be motivated to hang on to the team if only for tax reasons. If he were to sell at an estimated $1billion, capital gains and state taxes could exceed $360 million, said Gary Slavett, a Beverly Hills tax attorney.

A large share of those taxes could be avoided if the owner bequeaths the franchise to his family upon death.

Sterling did not respond to a request for comment left at his Beverly Hills office. Two attorneys who have represented him in the past also did not respond to requests for comment.

More.

#Democrats on Thin Ice in 2014

I've been meaning to get back to my regular campaign blogging, but Democrat and liberal racists keep popping out of the KKK woodshed. Indeed, there's more on that in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, here's A.B. Stoddard, at the Hill.

RELATED: From Ronald Brownstein, at National Journal, "Poll Shows Problems for Obama, Peril for Senate Democrats."

'Feeling That Way'

From Tuesday morning's drive-time, at the Sound L.A.

Enjoy. I'll have more explosive reporting on all the leftist scandals, racism and hypocrisy tonight!

Tiny Dancer Elton John 6:54 AM

Feeling That Way/Anytime Journey 6:48 AM

Breakdown Tom Petty 6:45 AM

Dude (Looks Like a Lady) Aerosmith 6:39 AM

Eleanor Rigby The Beatles 6:36 AM

Another One Bites the Dust Queen 6:26 AM

Oye Como Va Santana 6:22 AM

Life In the Fast Lane (Live) Eagles 6:17 AM

Nights In White Satin The Moody Blues 6:10 AM

Oh My! @MSNBC's Krystal Ball: 'Animal Farm' Actually a Parable About Greedy Capitalists (Bumped)

I know.

The mind reels.

This woman is literally brainless. Piketty's book is titled "Capital" for a reason.

From Darleen Click, at Protein Wisdom, "Positively Orwellian":

"Even the aghast and ostensibly economically literate The Wall Street Journal tells him to read Animal Farm. Animal Farm, hmm. Isn't that Orwell's political parable of farm animals where a bunch of pigs hog up all the economic resources, tell the animals they need the food because they're the makers and then scare up a prospect of a phony boogie man every time their greed is challenged? Sounds familiar. Hey conservatives, it's time to stop the childish Cold War name-calling and deal with facts. Either that or be relegated to the kids and the crazy uncle table at holiday dinners."

Huh?

Look, even the left-wing editors at Wikipedia get it right:

Animal Farm is an allegorical and dystopian novel by George Orwell, published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then on into the Stalin era in the Soviet Union. Orwell, a democratic socialist, was an outspoken critic of Joseph Stalin and, especially after experiences with the NKVD and the Spanish Civil War, he was actively opposed to the controversial ideology of Stalinism. The Soviet Union, he believed, had become a brutal dictatorship, built upon a cult of personality and enforced by a reign of terror. In a letter to Yvonne Davet, Orwell described Animal Farm as a satirical tale against Stalin "un conte satirique contre Staline", and in his essay "Why I Write" (1946), he wrote that Animal Farm was the first book in which he had tried, with full consciousness of what he was doing, "to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole".

VIDEO: Via National Review.

We're Coming for You, John Boehner

From Richard Viguerie, at Politico, "I've been a GOP insurgent for 50 years. And I'm not done yet."

ABC's Jonathan Karl Eviscerates White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on #Benghazi

At Twitchy, "‘Asking real questions’: ABC News’ Jonathan Karl takes squirming Jay Carney ‘to the woodshed’ [video]."

MUST WATCH: Jon Karl vs. Jay Carney on Benghazi http://t.co/KLRYjw7iqr

— Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) April 30, 2014

More, "‘Unbelievable’! ‘Lying liar’ Jay Carney ties himself in knots over Benghazi email."

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to 'Get Help' After New Crack Smoking Video Surfaces

It's all over at Memeorandum.

But Blazing Cat Fur has the essentials, "Oh well... Mayor Rob Ford 'ready to take a break'... Nah he's done for good."

Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams Arrested

I saw this and I'm like, "Huh. The 1980s are calling..."

At the New York Times, "Gerry Adams Questioned Over Murder From 1972."

Narcissistic Rage, Envy and Revenge at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

At Director Blue.

Two Wealthy Leftists Go to a Ritzy Hotel Serving $16 Cocktails to Discuss Income Inequality...

Heh.

I love this, at AoSHQ:

Matthew Yglesias informs us that Thomas Pinketty is not a Marxist, but rather is a fan of capitalism...

This is what Matt Yglesias calls "Voxsplaining the News."

RTWT (if for nothing more but the hilarious mock-Yglesias photo).

Daily Beast's @OliviaNuzzi Hammered on #DonaldSterling Hypocrisy — #LiberalRacism

Well, here's an interesting follow-up to my earlier post, "Daily Beast Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi: 'I really don't care about this debate very much..." — #DonaldSterling."

Last night I saw Ms. Nuzzi tweeting out left-wing loser Michael Tomasky's transparent and disgusting propaganda on Donald Sterling's politics. Indeed, she was yammering cluelessly like some first-year sorority pledge about how OMG! "relevant" is Donald Sterling's so-called "Republican registration."

Of course that was after Ms. Nuzzi had already claimed that "I really don't care about this debate very much." Naturally, Ms. Nuzzi didn't "care about this debate" when the actual facts showed Sterling's campaign contribution going exclusively to Democrats and far-left ballot measures.

So, I called her out:

.@Olivianuzzi I thought you didn't "care about this debate very much"? https://t.co/tGLQYK3T02 @tkurlan @mtomasky

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) April 30, 2014

.@Olivianuzzi Seems like you "care" that #Sterling's a "registered Republican." But how 'bout his poltical giving? @tkurlan @mtomasky

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) April 30, 2014

.@Olivianuzzi #DonaldSterling: "Thirty years of leftist, Democrat-supporting hate and ignorance." http://t.co/JEYrUKjzdl @tkurlan @mtomasky

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) April 30, 2014

.@Olivianuzzi Please be honest. There's enough sleazy propaganda right now. #Sterling's a Beverly Hills liberal. @tkurlan @mtomasky

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) April 30, 2014

That was that. Or so I thought. I didn't hear back from her (the sleazy hypocrite), although earlier today I saw former U.S. Spokesman at the United Nations Richard Grenell calling out Ms. Nuzzi as well:

suddenly Olivia doesn't care #Sterling #Democrat @Olivianuzzi @AmPowerBlog I really don't care about this debate. direct tweets elsewhere.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

@Olivianuzzi @AmPowerBlog you cared about Bundy's racism but suddenly became uninterested with the Democrat's #Sterling

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

. @Olivianuzzi let's start with the same condemnation you gave to the republican racist......

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

@Olivianuzzi he gave money to democrats.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

. @Olivianuzzi so do you think you get to write bias without getting pushback? nobody is "attacking" you. it's called accountability.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

@Olivianuzzi I hope you start writing like a fair journalist or switch to be an opinion writer.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

why all the #UniteBlue followers, @Olivianuzzi?

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

. @Olivianuzzi the left loves you, Olivia. Keep up the Blue work! just think, there's 2 years left to become an Obama spokesman....

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) April 30, 2014

Political junkies might remember that Ms. Nuzzi is a former intern for Anthony Weiner's disastrous New York mayoral bid. She wrote a kiss-and-tell-all exposé slamming the corruption and inexperience of the doomed campaign organization. Barbara Morgan, Weiner's classy communications director, attacked Ms. Nuzzi as a "cunt" and a "slutbag." Morgan resigned. I wrote about it here: "Olivia Nuzzi 'Slutbag'."

Funny, though, how "slutbag" doesn't sound so inaccurate now. It turns that Ms. Nuzzi really does "care about this debate," at least when it comes to smearing conservatives and Republicans for backing Cliven Bundy. Here's her piece up today at Daily Beast, "What Cliven Bundy’s Famous Backers Said, Before and After." And notice the dramatic subtitle:

"The Nevada rancher’s breathtakingly racist comments Wednesday left Republican supporters racing to distance themselves. What they’re saying now."

Well, no doubt Ms. Nuzzi would know something about folks "racing to distance themselves" from the racist comments made by ideological partisans. As soon as I pointed out to her that Donald Sterling's a dyed-in-the-wool Beverly Hills liberal, she hightailed it for the tall grass!

The fact is Olivia Nuzzi's way more than ready to smear conservatives when it serves her leftist political and ideological program. Seriously, you've gotta give it up for this woman's astounding liberal racist hypocrisy. She's way down deep in the Democrat tank, a rank leftist hack with a byline. Maybe Barbara Morgan had her pegged all along.

Only CBS Covers #Benghazi Emails Suggesting White House Cover-Up, NBC and ABC Ignore

Well, I'm shocked.

At NewsBusters.

And Charlie Rose at CBS This Morning:



PREVIOUSLY: "New #Benghazi Emails Expose White House Cover-Up."

#NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Speaks for the Nation

From Christine Brennan, at USA Today, "Adam Silver unprecedented — and perfect":

The era of leniency and looking the other way in our professional sports world has met its match in new NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Banned for life? Now that's some serious punishment.

Isn't it wonderful to see a 21st century commissioner throw the book at someone who deserves it?

Silver did the absolute right thing Tuesday in banning Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life for his reprehensible racist comments that exploded throughout the news media since last weekend.

The commissioner's news conference in New York riveted the nation – and not just sports fans. The issues at play were the topics that often help form the foundation of high school history classes: racism vs. racial tolerance and advancement, the value of diversity in society, public figures and their private lives, ownership and its responsibilities.

This was about sports, but also about so much more. The conversation transcended sports, and so did Silver's unyielding performance.

He punished Sterling in every way he possibly could – and even in ways he could not. He said he fully expects the support of at least three-quarters of the other NBA owners, a league requirement to remove Sterling as an owner. That's the only thing that's left to do. Silver fined Sterling the maximum of $2.5 million, he made sure Sterling will never appear at a Clippers' game or practice again, and he banned him from making any decisions about his team or the league.

In other words: the works.

The rookie commissioner kicked out the league's longest-tenured owner – forever.

Not since Kenesaw Mountain Landis have we seen a commissioner in any sport debut in the public eye with such a bold stand. This clearly doesn't happen very often. Landis banned the Black Sox 94 years ago.

More.

And don't miss, "Racist Liberal Donald Sterling Banned for Life — VIDEO."

#Blocked by Vile Liberal Racist @JoshTPM

I've gone 'round and 'round with TPM publisher Joshua Micah Marshall many times on Twitter, but recently I've been calling him out for his rank POS partisanship on Donald Sterling's Beverly Hills Racism. And he finally caved like a pussy and blocked:

Don't block most of my trolls, see them sort of like pets or collectibles. but this dude is just too crazy > https://t.co/GZDDg05h8C

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 30, 2014

I think these last few tweets put him over the edge:

.@AmericnElephant #DonaldSterling "Thirty years of leftist, Democrat-supporting hate and ignorance..." http://t.co/JEYrUKjzdl @JoshTPM @TPM

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) April 30, 2014

.@Olivianuzzi 'Thirty years of leftist, Democrat-supporting hate and ignorance...' http://t.co/xxXeXD23OK @JoshTPM @NoMoreMister #Clippers

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) April 30, 2014

Fact: Donald Sterling's a dyed-in-the-wool Beverly Hills liberal who's given to Democrats and far-left ballot initiatives exclusively. Honesty requires news outlets report these facts for the record.

PREVIOUSLY: "Liberal Racist Donald Sterling: 'The man who poisoned the Los Angeles Clippers for nearly 30 years with his ignorance and hate has at last been dragged away into sweet oblivion...'"

Americans Grow Weary of World Stage

War weariness.

At WSJ, "Americans Want to Pull Back From World Stage, Poll Finds: Nearly Half Surveyed in WSJ/NBC Poll Back Anti—Interventionist Stance That Sweeps Across Party Lines" (via Google):

Americans in large numbers want the U.S. to reduce its role in world affairs even as a showdown with Russia over Ukraine preoccupies Washington, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.

In a marked change from past decades, nearly half of those surveyed want the U.S. to be less active on the global stage, with fewer than one-fifth calling for more active engagement—an anti-interventionist current that sweeps across party lines.

The findings come as the Obama administration said Tuesday that Russia continues to meddle in Ukraine in defiance of U.S. and European sanctions. Pro-Russian militants took over more government buildings in eastern Ukraine, while officials at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said satellite imagery showed no sign that Russia had withdrawn tens of thousands of troops massed near the border.

The poll showed that approval of President Barack Obama's handling of foreign policy sank to the lowest level of his presidency, with 38% approving, at a time when his overall job performance drew better marks than in recent months.

Mr. Obama defended his diplomacy-first approach at a news conference Monday in the Philippines, the last stop on a four-nation tour through Asia. He said those who called for a more muscular policy hadn't learned the lessons of the U.S. decision to invade Iraq.

"Why is it that everybody is so eager to use military force after we've just gone through a decade of war at enormous costs to our troops and to our budget?" he said. "And what is it exactly that these critics think would have been accomplished?"

Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said, "After a week of rhetoric from the administration, I had hoped we would have responded to Russia's blatant violations…with more than just a slap on the wrist."

The poll findings, combined with the results of prior Journal/NBC surveys this year, portray a public weary of foreign entanglements and disenchanted with a U.S. economic system that many believe is stacked against them. The 47% of respondents who called for a less-active role in world affairs marked a larger share than in similar polling in 2001, 1997 and 1995.

Similarly, the Pew Research Center last year found a record 53% saying that the U.S. "should mind its own business internationally" and let other countries get along as best they can, compared with 41% who said so in 1995 and 20% in 1964.

"The juxtaposition of an America that wants to turn inward and away from world affairs, and a strong feeling of powerlessness domestically, is a powerful current that so far has eluded the grasp of Democrats and Republicans," said Democratic pollster Fred Yang, who conducts the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. "The message from the American public to their leaders in this poll seems to be: You need to take care of business here at home."

The poll results have broad implications for U.S. politics, helping to explain, among other developments, Mr. Obama's hesitance to have the U.S. take the lead in using military force in Libya, the reluctance of Congress to authorize force against Syria and the ascent as a national figure of Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.), a potential 2016 presidential candidate who has called for a restrained foreign policy.

Support for Mr. Obama's handling of Russian intervention in Ukraine slipped to 37% in the new poll from 43% in March. But at the same time, a plurality agreed with the statement that Mr. Obama takes "a balanced approach" to foreign policy "depending on the situation," with smaller shares rating him as too cautious or too bold.

More.

New #Benghazi Emails Expose White House Cover-Up

As I always say, leftists are nothing if not consummate, inveterate liars.

At Judicial Watch, "Judicial Watch: Benghazi Documents Point to White House on Misleading Talking Points" (via Memeorandum).

Also at IBD, "Emails Show Susan Rice Prepped to Lie By White House":

White House Press Spokesman Jay Carney was in the loop on Ben Rhodes #Benghazi emails. He lied for months about deaths of America's fallen.

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) April 30, 2014

Scandal: Newly obtained emails on Benghazi show then-U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice was coached by a key White House aide to lie and ignore the facts known and reported on the ground to make the administration look good.

The fish rots from the head, as the saying goes, and no further proof is needed than a Sept. 14, 2012, email from Ben Rhodes, an assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, contained in more than 100 pages of documents released by Judicial Watch and obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request.

That email, with the subject line: "RE: PREP Call with Susan: Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET," was sent to other key White House staffers such as then-Communications Director David Plouffe and Press Secretary Jay Carney the day before now-National Security Adviser Susan Rice made her whirlwind tour on five Sunday news show appearances to specifically and emphatically blame an Internet video for the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, in which U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other nationals were killed.

One of the goals listed in the emails was the need for Rice "to underscore that these protests are rooted in an Internet video, and not a broader failure or policy." She was also to "reinforce the President and Administration's strength and steadiness in dealing with difficult challenges." Her job was not to tell the truth, but to put lipstick on the Obama administration's Benghazi pig...

More.

'The structure as you describe it ... would be as grotesque as a three-story museum dedicated to exploring the faith of Shintoism and emperor-worship, and its arts and culture, with a sanctuary for prayer services and community programs, at Pearl Harbor...'

Comment from Robert Spencer, interviewed at the New York Times, "Developer Scales Back Plans for Muslim Center Near Ground Zero":

The developer whose proposal to build a Muslim community center and mosque near the World Trade Center failed amid a national controversy three years ago said Tuesday that he now plans to construct a museum devoted to Islam in the same location.

Sharif El-Gamal, the developer, said through a spokesman that instead of a $100 million, 15-story community center and prayer space, he now planned a smaller, three-story museum “dedicated to exploring the faith of Islam and its arts and culture.” The building would also include a sanctuary for prayer services and community programs.

To make the plan more attractive to neighbors, he said in a statement, he had commissioned a French architect, Jean Nouvel, winner of the 2008 Pritzker Prize, to design the building at 45-51 Park Place, about two blocks from the former World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, and had included plans for a public green space.

“This is a more tailored approach, both physically and programmatically,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a spokesman for Mr. El-Gamal. “It will prove to be an important addition to the neighborhood and to New York City’s arts and cultural community.”

RTWT.

These Islamists are truly evil.

FLASHBACK: "Faith, Freedom, and Memory: Report From Ground Zero, September 11, 2010."

Rio Olympics Preparations 'the Worst'

Hmm...

At NYT, "Preparations for Rio Olympics ‘the Worst,’ Committee Official Says":

RIO DE JANEIRO — A top International Olympic Committee official on Tuesday called Rio de Janeiro’s preparations to host the 2016 Summer Olympics “the worst I have experienced,” adding to a growing chorus of doubts about the city’s ability to get ready for the Games without international help.

“We’ve become very concerned, to be quite frank,” the official, John D. Coates, who is vice president of the committee, told reporters in Melbourne. “They really are not ready in many, many ways.”

The remarks reflected similar criticism from the Olympic Committee’s president in mid-April, when the body announced that it was sending outside experts to Brazil to monitor progress and speed up work in Rio.

“This is unprecedented for the I.O.C. to be sending in people like this,” said Mr. Coates, who has made six visits to the city and called the situation in Rio worse than in Athens in 2004.

However, he ruled out moving the Olympics to another city.

“There can be no Plan B; we are going to Rio,” Mr. Coates said. “We’ve just got to make sure that we help the organizing committee deliver Games that will enable our athletes, the athletes of the world, to perform to the best of their ability.”

Keep reading.

Well, Third World Olympics: The racist imperialist advanced nations will no doubt bail 'em out.

'I'm wearing Google Glass. And I hate it...'

Well, when everyone's got Google Glass, it won't be so bad.

From Hayley Tsukayama, at the Washington Post, "My awkward week with Google Glass."

I've heard just about every privacy concern raised about Glass, but, as the one wearing the device, I wasn't expecting that the privacy most invaded would be my own. That type of anxiety should lessen over time, particularly as Google works with designer labels such as Luxottica's Oakley and Ray-Ban to make prettier models. But anyone who opts to buy Glass should be ready and willing to become a constant topic of conversation and to answer questions from strangers. Wearing Google Glass in public is like wearing a sandwich-board that says "Talk to me!" And, given the rare but highly publicized fights, robberies and other major incidents some Glass users have experienced, I was a little wary about wearing the device in public.