Santa Barbara Sherpa Fire Still Raging Out of Control

This is a nasty, nasty fire.

Watch, at KEYT News 3 Santa Barbara, "Day 4 of fire fight in Scherpa comes to a close," and "West Goleta Residents Told to Think About Preparing."

And at the Santa Barbara Independent, "Scherpa Fire: Sunday Afternoon Update."

And from the Santa Barbara County Information Officer, incredible photos from the other day, when the fire jumps the 101 Freeway near Refugio:

#SherpaFire a tractor-trailer drives past flames in the center divider of US 101 at El Capitan State Park. pic.twitter.com/Z9m9ChHYeO

— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) June 17, 2016

#SherpaFire wind driven flames move down hillside near El Capitan State Park. pic.twitter.com/rZxRpPV2e8

— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) June 17, 2016

#SherpaFire a skycrane helicopter makes a drop on the US 101 center divider at El Capitan State Park. pic.twitter.com/wE0AhAQmZ5

— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) June 17, 2016

#SherpaFire firefighters take shelter behind the engine as flames advance on them along near El Capitan State Beach. pic.twitter.com/wj5OHmLKUi

— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) June 17, 2016

It's still early on the West Coast. More triple-digit temperatures are expected, and this fire is burning in parts of the Santa Ynez outback, where there's few if any service roads.

Showdown Over Gun Control This Week on Capitol Hill

It's astonishing that our politics have come to this.

All of these terror attacks simply do not raise gun control issues.

At WSJ, "Lawmakers Set for New Showdown on Guns":

WASHINGTON—Republicans and Democrats are headed for a new showdown over gun control this week as lawmakers sort through four proposals on the divisive issue in the wake of the Orlando nightclub massacre.

The Senate will vote Monday on provisions to limit access to weapons for people on the government’s terrorist watch lists and expand background checks. One Republican-sponsored measure to delay gun sales to buyers on a watch list has secured support from the National Rifle Association.

None of the proposals is likely to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome Senate hurdles. But some momentum was already building for a bipartisan compromise led by Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) to prevent people on the government’s no-fly list from buying firearms while still offering a route to appeal those decisions.

Omar Mateen, the gunman in the Orlando shooting that left 49 dead, was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2013 and 2014 and was placed on the terror watch list. But he was removed when authorities couldn’t find evidence to continue the investigations.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the Federal Bureau of Investigation plans to release Monday a partial transcript of the 911 calls from the gunman inside the nightclub. But she said the transcript won’t include what Mateen said about his support for Islamic State.

“What we’re not going to do is further proclaim this individual’s pledges of allegiance to terrorist groups and further his propaganda,” she said on NBC Sunday.

The Justice Department didn’t clarify what exactly Mateen said about terror or Islamic State.

The heated election season adds another wrinkle to the political maneuvering in the wake of Orlando. Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump last week broke with many in his party by supporting an outright ban on gun sales to people on terror watch lists. Democrats are intensifying their focus on terror watch lists alongside other measures such as expanded background checks. While Republicans in some tight Senate races might benefit from reaching a deal, such a move could also spark a backlash from conservative voters and from gun-rights groups.

Any gun-control measure would need to overcome significant hurdles, including winning support in the Republican-controlled House...

The administration's memory-holing of 9/11 is outrageous and reprehensible.

That said, I doubt the proposal on the terror watch list restrictions is going to fly. There's too many good, decent people who'll be banned from buying firearms because of bureaucratic screw-ups. Just a week or so ago, Dana Loesch's step-father was detained and questioned at the airport over a mistaken name. It's just not going to work.

Markets Soar After Poll Suggests Britain Will Stay in European Union

Hmm. It's just one poll?

Maybe traders are really jonesin' for the U.K. to stay?

At WSJ, "Global Stocks Soar After Poll Suggests U.K. Will Remain in EU":

Stocks, sterling and oil soared at the start of the week after polls suggested the U.K. was more likely to vote to remain in the European Union in Thursday’s referendum than previously expected.

The Stoxx Europe 600 jumped 3.7%, on track for its best day since August, while the British pound surged more than 2% against the dollar to as high as $1.4674.

Futures pointed to a 1.3% opening gain for the S&P 500. Changes in futures markets don't necessarily reflect market moves after the opening bell

“We’re in this sort of frenzied period where Brexit is front and center,” said Bob Doll, senior portfolio manager at Nuveen Asset Management.

A survey published in the Mail on Sunday showed that 45% of respondents backed the U.K. staying in the trade bloc, compared with 42% in favor of leaving. The poll-of-polls, averaging the last six polls in the U.K. vote, returned to 50/50, suggesting growing momentum for the “remain camp” in the referendum...

Keep reading.

There's no mention of the Jo Cox murder, but no doubt ghoulish British leftists will continue to exploit the poor woman's death.

FLASHBACK: From 2004, "Postcard from Britain: Immigration Is Hot Issue as Elections Approach."

Father's Day

Sorry for the light posting.

My younger sister was here on Friday, and then yesterday my mom came for Father's Day. We went out to B.J.'s in Irvine for a wonderful dinner last night.

I've been hanging out watching sports all day today, with the exception of an afternoon excursion to Barnes and Noble, where I picked up a copy of the new book out from Eric Metaxas, If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of American Liberty.

I'm also halfway through Roger Scruton's, Fools, Frauds and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left. Scruton's an absolutely stellar writer, and the book's excellent. It's heavy duty scholarship, though, so not a quick read. But his command of the literature is breathtaking, and he's just merciless in skewering all the neo-Marxist postmodernist pap.

On the sporting front, the Angels have been outstanding this weekend, especially the pitching. Both offense and defense have been great too, especially yesterday, with the Halos taking the Athletics 7-1. Tim Lincecum made his major league comeback, picking up the win, although this Sports Illustrated piece just savages him as a hollow shell of his old self.

Today Jared Weaver had a pretty amazing outing, a 2-0 shutout over the A's. I don't know how great or not it was according to all the sophisticated metrics of professional analysts, but it was nice to see Weaver pitch the complete game for the win, clearly rekindling some badly needed confidence for a pitcher who's also seen better days.

LAT's Pedro Moura was impressed, in any case:

Attended two sporting events in Oakland today. This is a story about the less lit one. Jered Weaver threw a shutout. https://t.co/PAX59kZq3W

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) June 20, 2016

And the first man in the majors to throw a Maddux in 2016 is Jered Weaver, because you can’t predict baseball and, really, you shouldn’t try

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) June 19, 2016

The Angels beat Oakland, 2-0. Jered Weaver threw a CG. At 2:19, it was their shortest non-Kershaw game of the year. That’s what you want.

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) June 19, 2016

Jered Weaver’s 23rd out was his first strikeout. He has only thrown 85 pitches through 8 scoreless innings. This is a remarkable performance

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) June 19, 2016

Jered Weaver has now thrown seven scoreless innings without striking anyone out. Last man to do that was Rick Porcello in July 2014.

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) June 19, 2016

Deal of the Day: Save on Outdoor Lounge Sets from Hanover

At Amazon, a great time to be outdoors, Hanover Metropolitan 5-Piece Outdoor Lounge Set.

Also, Save Big on Select Yamaha Bluetooth Receivers.

More, Duduma® Polarized Fashion Designer Sports Sunglasses for Cycling Running Baseball Fishing Tr628 Superlight Frame.

And, Bluetooth Headphones, HaMi Noise Cancelling Headset Wireless Stereo Earbuds with Microphone Gym Running Sports Sweatproof for Android IOS Devices.

Plus, San Francisco Bay OneCup, Fog Chaser, 80 Single Serve Coffees.

Still more, from Kenneth C. Davis, Don't Know Much About History, Anniversary Edition: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned.

BONUS: William C. Davis, The American Frontier: Pioneers, Settlers, and Cowboys 1800-1899.

Kristen Keogh's Triple-Digit Weekend Forecast

Well, it won't be too bad if you're down by the seashore.

Otherwise, if you're out and about, be sure to drink plenty of water.

Here's Ms. Kristen, for ABC News 10 San Diego:

Antje Utgaard Dances in Her Underwear and Skinny Dips (VIDEO)

Watch, at Playboy, "Antje Utgaard Dances in Her Underwear and Skinny Dips When Left Alone at the Playboy Mansion."

Plus, "Is Antje Utgaard the Next Kate Upton?"

She's got a crazy-hot Instagram feed, man.

'Frat-House' Culture: Oakland Loses Third Police Chief in 9 Days (VIDEO)

Why are Democrat-run cities such cesspits of toxic macho culture and racist sexual predation?

At the San Francisco Chronicle, "Oakland police bombshells: Racist texts, latest chief steps down":

Oakland’s acting police chief Paul Figueroa stepped down Friday, becoming the third head of the Oakland Police Department to abruptly leave the top post in nine days, just as another bombshell dropped: A new internal investigation is under way, this time into racist text messages and emails shared among officers.

A visibly frustrated Mayor Libby Schaaf revealed the probe at a news conference Friday night that she began with a simple declaration: “I am here to run a police department, not a frat house.” With that, she disclosed that her city’s department, already engulfed in a sex scandal, was also being probed for racist communications that were “wholly inappropriate and not acceptable for anyone who wears the badge of the Oakland Police Department.”

The texts were sent by African American officers, Schaaf said. She would not give other details, including whether members of the police command staff were implicated, saying state law governing public release of police disciplinary matters prevented her from doing so.

Some of the officers being investigated were “engaging in hate speech,” and others were “tolerating it” by receiving offensive messages and not reporting them, Schaaf said. One text obtained by NBC news showed an image of a Ku Klux Klan member on a cereal box with the message, “Brad, I heard you got boxes of these in your cupboards.” Another text appeared to show the word, “N—.”

Well, maybe they should bring back Jerry Brown for another term as Oakland mayor? I mean, why not? He's on his fourth term as California's governor and we've still got a long way to fall!

Still more.

And note this part:

Meanwhile, the mayor has set her sights on significantly changing the department — ending what she says is a disgusting frat culture, even as the department has been under federal oversight for the last 13 years.

“We have a department with almost no women, no LGBT people, and a dramatic underrepresentation of people of color,” Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan told The Chronicle. She is pushing for reforms that would require Oakland’s police force to rethink its hiring and recruiting strategies.

Oh brother. I'm sure that "recruiting strategy" will really fix things right up. Might as well put out hiring feelers to Black Lives Matter activists!

RNC Promotes Report Accusing Democrat Party of Conspiring to Nominate Hillary Clinton

Well, that oughta piss off a few Bernie bros, heh.

At the New York Post, "Leaked document shows the DNC wanted Clinton from start" (via Memeorandum):

DNC was pushing HRC as candidate from May, 2015 of last year. #Guccifer2 pic.twitter.com/0rJcTspOvl

— Kick (@MatthewKick) June 16, 2016

The document, posted online by the hacker “Guccifer 2.0,” outlines ways to hit back at the GOP presidential field, such as “use specific hits to muddy the waters around ethics, transparency and campaign finance attacks on HRC.”

Heh, guilty much?

Paused EU Referendum Debate to Resume with Calls to Be More 'Respectful'

Who wasn't being "respectful"? The suspect in the Jo Cox murder, Tommy Mair, wasn't political and wasn't campaigning for Brexit. This is a made-up controversy. Made-up by desperate and demonic leftists who look like they're about to lose.

At the far-left Guardian:

Paused EU referendum debate to resume, but with a more respectful tone https://t.co/YKKYppqKPs

— The Guardian (@guardian) June 18, 2016

Clinton Snarks at Trump on Twitter

It'll be a full-blown Twitter campaign this election, which must say something about the extreme significance of social media, or of modern times, or something.

I just can't help that it feels kinda stupid, insignificant even. Or, it's just weird.

And notice the pro-Clinton tone at this Politico piece. Here's hoping that Donald Trump blows off all the demands that he become more "presidential." Those are leftist demands for "civility," as in "civility bullshit."

. @HillaryClinton, taking a new posture on Twitter, snarks at Trump https://t.co/l3pqLVnDEb | Getty pic.twitter.com/QWv0VkLzlB

— POLITICO (@politico) June 18, 2016

Ten-Point Swing to #Brexit in EU Referendum

The vote's scheduled for Thursday, June 23rd -- less than a week away.

Louise Mensch's thinks it's more than at ten-point swing, on Twitter:

The independent reports as a ten point swing to #Brexit what i think is a 20 point swing to #VoteLeave https://t.co/TdQcP6ENbX

— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) June 18, 2016

U.S. Diplomats Slam Obama's Syria Policy, Call for Airstrikes on Assad Regime

From Austin Bay, at the Observer, "As Assad Continues to Wipe Out Syria, State Dept. Dissenters Confront Obama":

Dissenting State Department officials are demanding President Barack Obama wage war on the Assad dictatorship—which is a short step away from demanding regime change.

Late on June 16 The Wall Street Journal reported that the “near collapse” of the current ceasefire had spurred 51 “mid-to high-level State Department officers involved with advising on Syria policy” to sign a “dissent channel cable” calling on the Obama Administration to target Syria’s Assad regime with repeated “military strikes.”

At the moment, the article remains behind The Journal’s paywall, so I’ll include several extended quotes. Journal reporters who personally reviewed the cable described the document as “a scalding internal critique of a longstanding U.S. policy against taking sides in the Syrian war, a policy that has survived even though the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been repeatedly accused of violating cease-fire agreements and Russian-backed forces have attacked U.S.-trained rebels.”

The dissenters argue “Failure to stem Assad’s flagrant abuses will only bolster the ideological appeal of groups such as Daesh, even as they endure tactical setbacks on the battlefield.” The Journal adds that Daesh is an Arabic acronym for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The article provides excellent background information, noting the “Dissent Channel” is an authorized forum for expressing opposing views. It also quotes a former State Department official who acknowledged: “It’s embarrassing for the administration to have so many rank-and-file members break on Syria.” The dissent comes from “the heart” of the State Department bureaucracy—in other words, career, professional diplomats.

Yeah, and keep in mind the overwhelming majority of these "career professionals" at State are leftists. It's thus even doubly telling how disastrous this dissent is the for administration's policy.

More here.

And pay wall? What pay wall?

Just click through at the Google link to read the WSJ's piece, "U.S. State Department Officials Call for Strikes Against Syria's Assad."

The 'Never Trump' Murder-Suicide Pact

From David Horowitz, at Breitbart (via FrontPage Magazine):

My Breibart piece today:https://t.co/u27aJSDAJa

— David Horowitz (@horowitz39) June 17, 2016

Barack Obama delivers nuclear weapons and $150 billion to America’s mortal enemy in the Middle East – and every Democrat to a man and woman defends his betrayal; Hillary Clinton violates the Espionage Act and delivers classified secrets, including information on an impending drone attack, to America’s enemies – and every Democrat to a man and woman defends her. Obama and Clinton lie about matters of war and peace – and every progressive publicly swears they are telling the truth.

But when Donald Trump insinuates the president is a man of uncertain loyalties, Republican leaders back away from him. When Trump proposes fighting “radical Islam,” securing America’s borders, stopping unvetted immigration from Muslim terrorist states, surveilling mosques, and scrutinizing the families of terrorist actors, Republicans join Democrats in denouncing him, or take an uncomfortable distance or maintain a silence that leaves him to fend for himself.

The left is blaming Christians, Republicans, and guns for the Orlando slaughter. The president and Hillary are claiming that ISIS is on the run – a lie flatly contradicted by the CIA director himself. They want to disarm Americans. If Hillary is elected, borders will stay open, and protecting Muslims will take priority over fighting Islam’s holy war against us.

In other words, Democrat betrayers of America are on the attack, while Republican leaders who claim to be patriots are on the run. Where, to take one example, is Ted Cruz? He claims to be a patriot and care about the Constitution, but he is AWOL — sulking like Achilles in his tent over personal slights he can’t get past to fight for his country’s survival. The Republican leader of the Senate and his second-in-command have both announced they will not participate in the presidential election, while the leader of the House makes clear his extreme embarrassment over Trump’s proposals to establish immigration policies appropriate to a nation under siege. This is the sad state of the Republican forces in retreat in an election campaign that will decide the fate of our country.

There are actually two wars we are engaged in– one with the Islamic caliphate and the other with an American left that refuses to recognize the enemy we face or the magnitude and nature of the threat. In this internal war, too many on the right have taken a course whose only practical effect can be seen as a betrayal of their cause. Erick Erickson has summed up the view of the Republican renegades in this succinct phrase: “We are in the midst of a murder-suicide pact that will be our ruination.”

This is, in fact, a precise description of what the #NeverTrump right is up to. But in Erickson’s inversion of reality, it is “the Republican Party [that] intends to murder the nation and commit suicide along the way.” What Erickson and his fellow saboteurs, led by Mitt Romney and Bill Kristol, want is for the Republican Party to block Trump and repudiate the record number of Republican primary voters who nominated him. This would actually be a Republican suicide in November – one that would indeed “murder the nation.”

Although the defection of the Republican leadership from the field of battle is still ongoing, there has been a break in the ranks of the #NeverTrump spoilers. Two of their leading intellectual figures, Hugh Hewitt and Andy McCarthy, have finally come to realize not just the futility of their efforts but their destructiveness as well. For the sake of the nation, let’s hope that there are a lot more such reversals on the way.

Meanwhile, the really big problem remains that of the Republican leadership, which thinks that “We’re stuck with Trump but we won’t dump him!” is an appropriate battle cry. As we all know, the Democrats are vicious, unprincipled attack dogs with a kept and unprincipled media in their camp. Passivity in the face of this blitzkrieg is, in practice, no different than a white-flag surrender. Paul Ryan summed up Republican fatuity in his answers to media questions in the wake of Orlando about whether he’s still supporting Trump. Ryan’s answer: he would be defending Republican principles in this election. Well, Paul, principles aren’t running in this election. Candidates are. And unless Republicans rally around Trump, and Trump beats Hillary, Republican principles are going down with him.

PREVIOUSLY: "Hugh Hewitt: We Can't Dump #DonaldTrump."

Hugh Hewitt: We Can't Dump #DonaldTrump

This is great!

Hugh Hewitt's done an about-face on Donald Trump, and it's spectacular!

At WaPo, "Clinton’s the real risk. If we want to stop her, we can’t dump Trump":

With his undisciplined comments about federal district Judge Gonzalo Curiel the week before the attack in Orlando, Trump was losing ground and the confidence of many Republicans who have reluctantly backed him. But if he sticks with the tone and the focus of Monday’s speech, Republicans will stay with him. Despite endless talk of a mutiny within the GOP, if Trump can forcefully expose the weak leadership and serial failures of Obama and Clinton in the fight against terrorism — the central issue of our time — he will not only consolidate support, he will make any talk of an intra-party coup obsolete. On Monday, as he did throughout the primaries, Trump spoke to the Republican base and the undecided middle in a way no other candidate has.

When Trump said, “I will be meeting with the NRA” to “discuss how to ensure Americans have the means to protect themselves in this age of terror,” liberals may have blanched, but conservatives cheered. When he said, “I refuse to be politically correct,” he returned to the theme that powered him to the top of GOP polls. Promising to provide “our intelligence community, law enforcement and military with the tools they need to prevent terrorist attacks,” Trump sent the message that Clinton cannot, and will not, to a country demanding security.

It’s not just that voters give him a polling edge on national-security issues, it’s that this week he finally returned to what so many voters liked about him in the first place. He’s not a policy wonk, and he’s not an orator in the mold of Abraham Lincoln. But more than any other right-of-center politician, he relishes aggressively championing Republicans’ national-security priorities.

With Monday’s speech, a bookend to his strong words on religious liberty at Friday’s Faith & Freedom Coalition forum, Trump has returned to a winning message and walled off the assorted “never Trump” holdouts trying to upend his nomination. Although there’s been talk in recent weeks of implementing new rules at the Republican convention in Cleveland that would allow party leaders to replace Trump — talk that I’ve entertained — the appetite for that sort of drastic measure is gone. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) want no part of a coup, so there won’t be one. Yes, party rules allow for last minute rules changes and tricky procedural maneuvers. But for Republicans to root for a coup at this point would be more than just futile, it could be completely self-defeating. No Ryan, no McConnell, no mutiny. Period.

Despite reservations, Ryan, McConnell and others have judged the cost of trying to make a change at the top of the GOP ticket to be higher than the cost of betting that Trump will ultimately see that his path to the White House is a return to big themes — not small arguments and inflammatory rhetoric. They understand that Republicans have to stick with Trump if they want to avoid capitulating to Clinton, who has demonstrated again and again that she is unfit to lead — and, that at this stage, Trump alone can run successfully against her. If Ryan and McConnell have wagered wrong, we’ll soon know. But events of the past few days suggest that they are right.

Clinton can’t respond effectively to Trump’s blunt assessment of terrorist threats because Americans know that her positions over the years — on Egypt, Iraq, Syria and especially Libya — have directly contributed to the dangers we face.

Trump is positioned to make the case that Clinton’s cavalier approach to State Department email security has compromised her ability to combat terrorism, particularly if, according to new reports, she discussed sensitive operations, such as planned drone strikes, via non-secure communications. He is positioned to make the case that, according to former CIA deputy director Michael Morell, our adversaries’ intelligence services could “have everything on any unclassified network that the government uses,” including hers — meaning that anyone who sent her anything may have been compromised as well.

Trump will make sure that the Clintons’ serial scandals: the Clinton foundation’s questionable dealings, the appointment of an unqualified Clinton ally to the International Security Advisory Board and obscene multimillion-dollar payments made to former president Bill Clinton as “honorary chancellor” of for-profit Laureate International Universities, are never far from voters’ minds. Add in the latest revelation of the Russians’ hack of the Democratic National Committee’s computers, and the public’s concern over the former secretary’s at-home server skyrockets.

More at that top link.

CBS News May Have Broken Federal Law with 'Straw Purchase' of AR-15 (VIDEO)

And the pathetic thing is that Mateen didn't use and AR-15. He used a Sig Sauer MCX semi-automatic rifle.

At Free Beacon, "Store Owner: Undercover CBS Purchase of AR-15 Broke Federal Law."



Hat Tip: Dana Loesch.

West Hollywood #ShootBack Posters

This story made the local news last night, which is great!

Via Ed Driscoll, at Instapundit, "EXCLUSIVE: GROUP BEHIND #SHOOTBACK POSTERS SAYS GAY COMMUNITY CAN’T PROTECT FAMILIES IF ELECTED OFFICIALS DISARM THEM."

At ABC News 7 Los Angeles and the L.A. Times:

Posters saying #shootback appearing in parts of West Hollywood https://t.co/J283nAyHnh pic.twitter.com/H55VmN4GX7

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 16, 2016

West Hollywood plastered with rainbow #ShootBack signs https://t.co/cOnYRdCv32 pic.twitter.com/8AKplhOitb

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 16, 2016

Jo Cox: Best of Britain

From the lovely Louise Mensch, at Heat Street, "Jo Cox MP Was the Best of Britain. Politicising Her Death is the Worst":

Jo Cox MP Was the Best of Britain. Politicising Her Death is the Worst | Heat Street https://t.co/zqJkLCE7zB pic.twitter.com/MSZJBVQjpJ

— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) June 17, 2016

Jo Cox’s killing has stunned the nation. A new MP, passionate about her job, her family and her children, is gunned down at a surgery where she is trying to help people.

Every one of us must have our hearts broken. The worst of it is imagining, or trying to imagine, the pain of her little ones, just three and five.

Jo was just 41. She was a woman in the prime of her life, a politician of great promise....

The Vote Leave campaign bears no responsibility – none – not the tiniest sliver – for any part of what happened to Jo Cox MP, and neither do its supporters. Anybody suggesting that at this grief-stricken moment should be treated with the most profound contempt.

Be sure to RTWT.

Who would have thought serving in parliament would be such a dangerous job?

The Political Establishment Will Exploit the Murder of Jo Cox to Kill Brexit

From Paul Joseph Watson, at InfoWars, "'Not all Muslims' Crowd Will Blame All 'Vote Leave' Conservatives for Shooting of MP":

The shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox will be swiftly exploited by the political establishment and blamed on those who want to limit immigration and vote to leave the European Union.

Mother of three Cox, who supported the ‘Vote Remain’ campaign, was stabbed and shot in her constituency near Leeds today.

The killer reportedly shouted “Britain first” during the incident, although Maria Eagle MP, one of the most prominent people to make this claim, has since deleted her tweet about it.

When another eyewitness was asked if he heard “Britain first” being shouted, he responded that he “never heard that”.

Another eyewitness told Breitbart’s Raheem Kassam that he didn’t hear the words either.

It has since emerged that the man has received treatment for mental illness and was in receipt of “psychotherapy and medication”. He also “had no political views” and no opinion on the EU referendum.

However, the facts don’t really matter to the left, who scream “Not All Muslims!” after every Islamist attack, but will immediately exploit the death of Jo Cox to frame ‘Vote Leave’ supporters as dangerous extremists.

More.

PREVIOUSLY: "Britain at the Breaking Point."

Last-Minute Father's Day Gifts - Makita Power Tools

At Amazon, Father's Day - Makita Promotion: $20 Off $100 Promotion.

Also, Best Selling Products.

And, GoPro HERO4 Silver.

Still more, KIND Bars, Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt, Gluten Free, 1.4 Ounce Bars, 12 Count.

Plus, from Samuel Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order.

BONUS: Robert Spencer, Arab Winter Comes to America: The Truth About the War We're In.

Marc Lynch, The New Arab Wars

At Amazon, Marc Lynch, The New Arab Wars: Uprisings and Anarchy in the Middle East.

Plus, ICYMI, Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan, ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror.

Joby Warrick, Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS.

Patrick Cockburn, The Rise of Islamic State: ISIS and the New Sunni Revolution.

Fawaz Gerges, ISIS: A History.

BONUS: Robert Spencer, The Complete Infidel's Guide to ISIS.

Prime Minister Netanyahu Speaks Out on Orlando Islamic Jihad (VIDEO)

If only we had him here in the U.S. He's so awesome.

Via Legal Insurrection, "Prime Minister Netanyahu Says What We’re All Thinking About Orlando Terrorist Attack."

CIA Director John Brennan: Islamic State 'Will Intensify its Global Terror Campaign' (VIDEO)

Chilling.

Via CNN:

Kylie Jenner in Corn Rows and Bikini

Heh.

She's tryna act all black or something, lol.

At London's Daily Mail, "Nearly nude! Kylie Jenner dons flesh-coloured bikini to go with her braided hair in another revealing selfie."

More here, "Better luck next time: Kylie Jenner attempts to speak with the New Zealand accent as she hangs out with model Cassidy Morris...but instead sounds British."

Mr. President: We Need You to Act

From Brendan Bunting O'Connor, at the Orlando Sentinel, "Dear Mr. President: We need you to act. It's your last chance":

Guest viewpoint: Dear Mr. President: Honor Orlando with action https://t.co/GLwNCgMGtW

— OS Editorial Board (@OrlandoOpinion) June 16, 2016

President Obama, welcome to Orlando. We're honored to have you here during this awful time.

Your words of support have fallen on receptive ears this week, as we struggle to find meaning in our day-to-day lives after losing so many valued members of our tight-knit community. Your recent scorn for "politicians who tweet" really struck home. Thank you for being such a solid rock for us to cling to.

But we need more from you:

Orlando residents have had a few days to replace most of our initial shock and sadness with a constant, seething anger. An anger that frightens many of us, myself included. This man who stormed into our lives has shaken us to our core. Yes, our community should be commended for how quickly we have rallied together in the face of this violence — the response has been breathtaking. We're doing everything we can to clean up this mess, but we need you to do the same.

History has shown us that whenever an oppressed group becomes less so, there is always a backlash, and the queer community — the LGBTQ alphabet soup — is uniquely vulnerable to hate attacks. Even with recent strides in gay marriage (thanks, Obama!) and increasing acceptance of LGBT issues in popular culture, we are still being treated as "other," as objects of hate and ridicule. This hate crime could have happened anywhere, but it happened here, as John Oliver said, "At a Latin night at a gay club in the theme park capital of the world."

One man simply had to walk into a store and purchase a semi-automatic weapon, over the counter, like one would if he were ordering a pack of cigarettes at 7-Eleven. A type of gun so accessible that it has been used in multiple shootings across the country: Newtown, Aurora, San Bernadino, and now Orlando.

If children on a schoolyard are hitting each other with sticks, you take the sticks away. Yet, we are living in a society that is encouraging violence, and there is nothing keeping the next Omar Mateen from sauntering down to his corner gun shop to buy his own AR-15. Nothing, except maybe you President Obama — if you act with the agency granted to you by the American people and step in.

In my heart, I want to react to this shooting, labeled as an act of hate, with more hate. My gut is clenched, along with my fists, demanding some sort of answer. Some sort of retribution. Yet even as we all come to grips with the tragedy of losing so many beautiful friends, sisters, brothers and neighbors, we are hearing word that this man, Omar Mateen, may have been gay himself. And I really just feel sick. This young man reportedly joined us, in our safe spaces, possibly seeking answers, to reconcile who he was with what he had been told he was by his parents and his religion. And instead he returned with weapons to kill and to hurt.

I don't know the whole picture, but what I do know is this volatile man was investigated twice by the FBI for possible links to terrorism. That he had a history of violence. And that he was still allowed to legally purchase a weapon that allowed him to open fire on a building full of people. Just the night before, another man was able to walk into a concert venue and shoot a young pop star, Christina Grimmie. In the past few days, almost 100 people have died and more than 200 people have been injured due to gun violence in America, and that doesn't include Orlando...

That's very heartfelt, but the guy focuses way too much on the gun issue and not enough on the jihad issue. And Mateen didn't use an "AR-15." This is so far is one of the biggest lies in the whole sordid leftist debate following the massacre. See, Bearing Arms, "NARRATIVE FAIL: Orlando Islamic Terrorist Did NOT Use An AR-15."

Indeed, Senator John McCain is out with a brutal take down of the president. At AP, "McCain: Obama 'directly responsible' for Orlando shooting."

Hillary Clinton Fundraising Off the Orlando Jihad Massacre, Demonizing Donald Trump

This is in the mail this morning, from the Hillary Clinton campaign. These people are freakin' shameless:

Donald --

In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in United States history, the GOP nominee for president didn't pledge to stand with the LGBT community, didn't make a distinction between Muslims and jihadists, didn't lay out a measured and thoughtful plan to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

Instead, he said I told you so. He took to the internet and fired off a tweet: “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!”

We don’t need your self-congratulatory victory lap at a time of mourning, Donald. Our nation needs time to heal and reflect. We need a leader who can calmly and rationally lead us out of the darkness we find ourselves in -- not one who creates light with kerosene and a match.

Donald, the only thing standing between Donald Trump and the White House is you and this team. Today of all days, I need to know if you're in. Our country needs this campaign, and this campaign needs you:

Thanks,

Christina

Christina Reynolds
Deputy Communications Director
Hillary for America 

The bold highlighting is in the original.

On the Verge of Collapse: Falling Demand for Carbon Permits in California's Failing Cap-and-Trade Program

It's not working.

Unexpectedly!

At the Los Angeles Times, "California's cap-and-trade program faces daunting hurdles to avoid collapse":

California's cap-and-trade program is on the verge of collapse https://t.co/2hkkXC8iDl pic.twitter.com/JIo3pnu7Dx

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 14, 2016

The linchpin of California’s climate change agenda, a program known as cap and trade, has become mired in legal, financial and political troubles that threaten to derail the state’s plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The program has been a symbol of the state’s leadership in the fight against global warming and a key source of funding, most notably for the high-speed rail project connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles.

But the legality of cap and trade is being challenged in court by a business group, and questions are growing about whether state law allows it to operate past 2020. With the end of the legislative session in August, Gov. Jerry Brown, lawmakers and interest groups of all stripes are laying the groundwork for what could become a battle royal over the future of California’s climate change programs.

Unless the state acts, “the whole system could fail,” said Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles). “If that happens, we could lose an entire stream of revenue to make our communities more sustainable.”

California received an unwelcome reminder of cap and trade’s precarious situation last month.

The program functions by capping how much greenhouse gas can be emitted into the atmosphere and requiring companies to obtain permits, each allowing 1 metric ton of emissions. Those permits can be purchased at auctions or traded in a market, a system intended to provide a financial incentive for businesses such as power plants, oil refineries and manufacturers to reduce emissions.

By selling the permits, the state generates revenue that can be spent on other initiatives that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, such as weatherizing homes and helping low-income residents buy cleaner cars. The bullet train is the biggest recipient, getting 25% of the cap-and-trade funds.

During the most recent auction in May, only 11% of the permits offered for sale were purchased.

Analysts suggested that legal uncertainty around cap and trade has damaged faith in a system that, like other markets, requires investors’ confidence to operate smoothly. They also said corporations and speculators are holding more permits than currently needed to cover the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the state, a supply-and-demand problem that has been growing in every auction over the last year and could continue to choke revenue through 2017...

Oh, it's a "supply and demand" problem. Who could have predicted that? Not California's Marxist economists, who no doubt ignored neoclassical economic theories in their statist models of environmental regulation. Note though, when you get the fundamentals wrong, it's likely you'll get the entire state-led regulatory structure wrong. Actors in the economy respond to signals and incentives, and when they see the system's built-in disincentives to participation, they'll exit the program, sit on the sidelines, and wait for better business opportunities.

That's how markets work, come to think of it.

Still more.

Britain at the Breaking Point

The Guardian blamed Nigel Farage and the British nationalist party for fueling "hate" in the murder of Jo Cox.

But reports indicate that the suspect was non-political and that witnesses denied the he shouted "Britain First" before the murder.

I'll have more on this throughout the day.

The EU has failed us all. pic.twitter.com/Lb7txUghar

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 16, 2016

"The EU has failed us all" https://t.co/zFS8oAlz1W

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 16, 2016

Jo Cox killer was mentally ill, DID NOT shout "Britain first". https://t.co/LCKAtXFCPL

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

Jo Cox killer "had no political views," said nothing about EU referendum. But the left will still exploit this. #Brexit

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

The killer had no political views and was mentally ill. Delete your account. https://t.co/guA3FiKIdY

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

LATEST: Jo Cox killer known to locals, said “not politically minded” https://t.co/BCgvEX5ptT

— Raheem Kassam (@RaheemKassam) June 16, 2016

Except the attack was NOT politically motivated. Shameful exploitation of tragedy from the Guardian. https://t.co/BCcUw67YFe

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

The truly shameful mainstream media disgraces itself once again. https://t.co/wF2XtXJLKn pic.twitter.com/yH9ShTCDY0

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

A lot of shameful idiots are having to delete their tweets right now because of this. #Brexit. pic.twitter.com/SyK4bVLino

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

The killer had no political views. pic.twitter.com/O6rkckvp9A

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

I thought Remain had hit its lowest point when it was Geldoff screaming at fishermen. Sadly I was wrong. https://t.co/IlPlk78N5e

— (((Donna_R_E))) (@Donna_R_E) June 16, 2016

If you're still exploiting the murder of Jo Cox for political grist, YOU are the problem. Killer had no political views. Delete your account

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

Even though the Jo Cox murder was NOT political, people are stupid and will believe the first thing they hear. Left will be relying on this.

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 16, 2016

Labour MP Jo Cox Dies After Being Shot and Stabbed in West Yorkshire (VIDEO)

So much bad news of late. Evil news. It's sickening. And depressing at the same time.

But I do think that in times likes these, in times of mass alienation from elites, and hyper-partisanship, we'll be seeing more and more resorts to violence to settle conflict and express outrage and disgust at opponents. It's terrible it's come to this, but it's happening.

At the Telegraph UK, "Live: Labour MP Jo Cox dies after being shot and stabbed in her West Yorkshire constituency."

Also, at the BBC, "LIVE Latest updates on killed MP."

Video from the police press conference, "Labour MP Jo Cox dies after gun and knife attack."

The Guardian view on Jo Cox: an attack on humanity, idealism and democracy https://t.co/5WXxPddXrp pic.twitter.com/c4fcPFbxj4

— The Guardian (@guardian) June 16, 2016

More, from Ed Driscoll, at Instapundit, "BREAKING: LABOUR PARTY MP JO COX MURDERED IN BRITAIN."

Some witnesses are saying the suspect did not scream "Britain First!" before the attack.

UPDATE: The leftist "remain" forces have viciously exploited the murder. See, "Britain at the Breaking Point."

Obama's Continued Denial About the War We're In

From, Marc Thiessen, at WaPo, "After Orlando, Obama continues to be in denial about terrorism":

New column by @marcthiessen "After Orlando, Obama continues to be in denial about terrorism" https://t.co/NTvPwZeXJ6

— Dana Perino (@DanaPerino) June 15, 2016

After the Islamic State began releasing videos of American citizens being beheaded, White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett reportedly told President Obama that Americans were worried that they would soon bring this violence here to the United States. Obama was unfazed.

“They’re not coming here to chop our heads off,” the president promised.

Now a terrorist pledging allegiance to the Islamic State has murdered 49 Americans in Orlando. What inspired him? CNN reports that “analysis of Mateen’s electronic devices showed searches for jihadist propaganda, including . . . ISIS beheading videos.”

Obama dismissed Omar Mateen as a “homegrown” terrorist who had announced his allegiance to the Islamic State “at the last minute” and declared that “there is no evidence so far that he was in fact directed by ISIL.” That distinction (if it turns out to be true) is irrelevant. Last month, the Islamic State commander responsible for external attack plotting, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, gave a speech calling on supporters to carry out killings in the United States during the holy month of Ramadan. “The smallest action you do in the heart of their land is dearer to us than the largest action by us, and more effective and more damaging to them,” he said.

Mateen answered al-Adnani’s call, Orlando is awash in blood, and the Islamic State claimed credit for the attack and declared Mateen “one of the soldiers of the caliphate.” He was an Islamic State terrorist. This was an Islamic State attack. And Obama’s stubborn refusal to see this is part of a larger pattern of downplaying or dismissing terrorist dangers. According to the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, who spent hours interviewing Obama about his foreign policy doctrine, the president “has never believed that terrorism poses a threat to America commensurate with the fear it generates” and “frequently reminds his staff that terrorism takes far fewer lives in America than handguns, car accidents, and falls in bathtubs do.” That’s right, our commander in chief sees the mass shooting of 49 people in Orlando as akin to a slip in the tub.

In his 2016 State of the Union address, Obama blithely dismissed the Islamic State as “fighters on the back of pickup trucks” who he said, in typical strawman fashion, “do not threaten our national existence.” In a 2015 BBC interview, he said , “If you look at the number of Americans killed since 9/11 by terrorism, it’s less than 100.” In other words, no big deal.

After his anti-Islamic State strategy came under withering criticism following the Brussels terror attacks in March, Obama said “my top priority is to defeat ISIL.” But he has admitted elsewhere that is untrue. Obama has openly declared that climate change is a much higher priority for him than terrorism because “ISIS is not an existential threat to the United States. Climate change is a potential existential threat to the entire world if we don’t do something about it.” Indeed, Goldberg writes, Obama “gets frustrated that terrorism keeps swamping his larger agenda” and “his advisers are fighting a constant rearguard action to keep Obama from placing terrorism in what he considers its ‘proper’ perspective, out of concern that he will seem insensitive to the fears of the American people.”

The “proper” perspective. No wonder the president keeps getting the terrorist threat wrong...

OMG! Donald Trump Tweeted Story of Obama Administration's 'Secret Memo' on Support for Islamic State!

There's no "there" there at this made-up controversy at Memeorandum.

The Patrick Howley story stated precisely what the issue is: The Obama White House was shown in a routine "intelligence information report" to have cultivated diplomatic and military ties with Muhammad Al Adnani, formerly of the notorious jihad terror organization al-Qaeda in Iraq, and now is the senior spokesman for the Islamic State.

It's important precisely because it shows the convoluted lines of alliance and counter-alliance in the administration's poorly-conceived anti-Assad policy on rebel support in Syria. The deaths in that conflict have long ago passed over 200,000, and history will show that it's the Syrian civil war, not regime change in Iraq, that has been the most horrific and destabilizing blunder in the Middle East in the post-Cold War era.

So, Donald Trump tweeted it, as well he should. This kind of thing is the tip of the iceberg in the catastrophe of America's retreat from global power and leadership.

An: Media fell all over themselves criticizing what DonaldTrump "may have insinuated about @POTUS." But he's right: https://t.co/bIIdYtvZYw

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2016

More, at the Hill, "Trump tweets story claiming 'secret memo' shows Obama supports ISIS."

We're long past the point in the campaign where everything Donald Trump does or says is THE WORST CLUSTER IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HISTORY, whereas everything that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton do or say represents all that's good and righteous in the postmodern Democrat collectivist universe of THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE socialist identity politics America.

And that's why, despite polls showing an "unfavorability spike" for Trump following Orlando, we're going to continue to see an extremely tight presidential horse race over the next few months, with the trends on support for Trump vs. Clinton heavily influenced by leftist media news coverage of the key milestones in the campaign (post-convention bounce, traditional post-Labor Day campaigning, the "debates," etc.).

The leftist establishment press has been wrong about Donald Trump's political prospects since he first entered the race last June. There's nothing that's likely to change the left's inaccuracy in reporting on the Trump phenomenon. Americans are unhappy with the direction of the country, both candidates have the highest negatives for any major-party nominees in history, and both the economy and terrorism will be the leading campaign issues heading into the fall. The Democrats are desperate and on the defensive. It doesn't look good for them.

Sophie Tweed-Simmons, Gene Simmons' Daughter, at Premiere of 'The Neon Demon' in Hollywood

Hey, I guess this is sexy celebrity daughters week at AmPow, lol.

At London's Daily Mail, "Gene Simmons' stunning daughter Sophie displays some SERIOUS side-boob as she steps out in a patterned sleeveless dress at The Neon Demon premiere."

She's on Twitter as well.

Very beautiful young lady.

Deal of the Day: Save Up to 36% on Select Lotos Metalworking Products

At Amazon, Lotos LT5000D Plasma Cutter 50Amps Dual Voltage Compact Metal Cutter 110/220V AC 1/2" Clean Cut, and Lotos set of Nozzle Electrode and Cup 40-Piece PCON40.

Also, Delsey Luggage Helium Aero 3 Piece Spinner Luggage Set.

And, 3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector, MP3 Compatible with AM/FM Tuner (90541-4DC).

More, Samsonite Syndicate Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Backpack.

BONUS: From Dana Loesch, out next Tuesday, Flyover Nation: You Can't Run a Country You've Never Been To.

Hillary Clinton Received Secret Memo Stating Obama Administration 'Support' for Islamic State

From Patrick Howley, at Breitbart:

So this is the smoking gun, right? Or will this be glossed over too? https://t.co/aY1hhJakOI

— Wzrthnu (@wzrthnu) June 15, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC — Hillary Clinton received a classified intelligence report stating that the Obama administration was actively supporting Al Qaeda in Iraq, the terrorist group that became the Islamic State.

The memo made clear that Al Qaeda in Iraq was speaking through Muhammad Al Adnani, who is now the senior spokesman for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Western and Gulf states were supporting the terrorist group to try to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad, who was being propped up by the Russians, Iranians, and Chinese.

In August 2012, a “SECRET” classified memo was sent to various top Obama administration officials and agencies, including to the State Department and to Clinton’s office personally.

“The document is an IAR, an intelligence information report,” said Christopher J. Farrell, who serves on the board of directors of Judicial Watch, which obtained the document. “It is produced by somebody within the Defense intelligence agency (DIA). It is reporting from the field by an intelligence agent” who could be a U.S. government agent, a defense attaché, or a source.

“It’s a report from the field back to headquarters with some intelligence that somebody is willing to bet their career on,” Farrell said.

Farrell confirmed that the report was sent to Clinton’s office, based on the recipient marking “RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC.”

The report identifies Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) as being one of the principal elements of the Syrian opposition, which the West was choosing to “support.”

The enormity of the lies and deception of the Obama years have only begun to be unfolded. We're going need and national truth and reconciliation commission under the Trump administration, and that still will only scratch the surface of the left's evil war on the U.S. over these last few years.

The document's at the link.

More at Memeorandum.

Obama's Failed Feadership

From Michael Goodwin, at the New York Post, "Obama's tantrum a striking display of failed leadership."

Obama's speech was a striking display of personal anger and pent-up grievances https://t.co/S0HSvD6bt7

— New York Post (@nypost) June 15, 2016

Political Correctness to Blame for Orlando Massacre

From Kenneth Timmerman, at the Hill:

The FBI placed Orlando shooter Omar Mateen, 29, on its terrorist watch list in 2013 after co-workers reported that he had made “inflammatory comments” they felt showed his sympathies for terrorist groups.

When agents questioned him, they determined that Mateen “had not broken any laws,” and closed the investigation. In Obama’s America, it’s not illegal to declare your sympathies for radical Islamic terrorist groups - even repeatedly and vehemently, as Mateen’s co-workers claim was the case - because radical Islamic terrorism doesn’t exist. So the FBI took him off the watchlist.

In 2014, the FBI came back for a second try. This time, they found that Mateen had been in contact with an American who had traveled to Syria, joined ISIS and volunteered for jihad, blowing himself up in a homicide bombing.

An FBI official told reporters that they closed that investigation “because they concluded the contacts with the suicide bomber had been minimal.” Once again, they took him off the terror watchlist.

Now, obviously no rational American wants the FBI arresting people because of their opinions, even though the Obama Justice Department and several Attorneys General are trying very hard to criminalize as “hate speech” anyone who cites scientific data showing that man-made global warming isn’t happening.

But when the FBI investigates the same individual for suspected terrorist ties twice in two years, you would think they might conduct an undercover investigation to learn more.

Remember: they hadn’t investigated Mateen twice because he was a Muslim. They investigated him because he exhibited behavior that suggested he might pose a potential threat. Despite this, they were not allowed to push that investigation further, because of political correctness.

This is not the first time that innocent Americans have died because of political correctness.

Just days after the San Bernardino shootings last December, we learned that the Department of Homeland Security had shut down an intelligence-based screening program that had identified the mosque shooter Syed Farook attended as a recruitment center for jihadis.

Had DHS been allowed to continue using that screening program and pursue its investigation of the mosque, they would have stumbled upon Syed Farook and arguably could have prevented a massacre of American innocents.

Instead, they fired the intelligence analyst who devised the program, Phil Haney, and ordered all the data he had uncovered about jihadi recruiting centers destroyed because it offended President Obama’s Muslim Brotherhood advisors, who worked hard to eliminate all such law enforcement programs on the pretence they were “offensive” to Muslims.

Political correctness kills.

More.

And ICYMI, from yesterday, "Dana Loesch Comments on the Orlando Terrorist Attack (VIDEO)."

Donald Trump: 'I watched President Obama today and he was more angry at me than the shooter...' (VIDEO)

Polls show that Americans dislike both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's response to the Florida attack. But it's not even close for me. Trump nailed it.

At the Hill, "Trump: Obama ‘more angry at me’ than Orlando shooter."

Trump in Greensboro: "And I watched President Obama today, and he was more angry at me than he was at the shooter."

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 14, 2016

Guns Occupy a Critical Space in the Culture Wars

Here's a great piece, from Jason Willick, at the American Interest, "How to Tear a Nation Apart" (via Instapundit):

Guns occupy a critical space in America’s increasingly acerbic culture wars, a manifestation of the broader social convection currents taking place below the surface. For Jacksonians who are losing faith in the ability of established institutions to preserve order, the Second Amendment is a bulwark against totalitarian movements, like Islamism, that would undermine American liberty. Under this deeply held view, attacks by ISIS-enthusiasts strengthen, rather than weaken, the case for gun rights. But for cosmopolitan liberals, gun rights are an anachronism—a symbol of all the wrong-headed views espoused by working class whites. Set these two warring camps against each other in the context of an ongoing terror threat, and you push an already divided society even further down the path of tribalism and fracture.

More.

Obama and Clinton Say Donald Trump is Out to Destroy American Values (VIDEO)

I teach politics, so I'm literally obligated to keep up with the news. But I don't remember a campaign this nasty, and it's not the surrogates who're dragging everything down into the mud. It's the left.

I'm inclined to tune out more than I normally do in the summertime, but it's something that needs to be monitored. We're in a very unusual period of Democrat demonization. Citizens' vigilance is now more vital to freedom than any time in my lifetime.

At the Los Angeles Times, "Obama accuses Trump of 'doing the terrorists' work for them'":

President Obama and Hillary Clinton conducted an extraordinary joint attack on Donald Trump on Tuesday, with the president accusing the presumptive Republican nominee of “doing the terrorists’ work for them” and Clinton excoriating him as a liar and a “pathological” personality who is temperamentally unsuited to be president.

Their remarks, made at simultaneous speeches in Washington and Pittsburgh, came the day after Trump revived insinuations about Obama’s loyalty to the U.S. and vowed that as president he would ban immigration not only by Muslims but people from any country with a “proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies.”

The harsh exchanges between the two sides, with the election still five months away, underscored the brutal nature of the campaign to come, with its focus on intertwined issues of race, ethnicity, terrorism and immigration.

In his remarks, delivered after a meeting with national security advisors at the Treasury Department, Obama said that the proposals by Trump, whom he referred to as the “presumptive Republican nominee,” would undermine American values.

“Where does this stop?” Obama demanded, noting that the shooter responsible for the killing of 49 people in Orlando was born in the U.S., as were the attackers in several previous terrorists acts. “Are we going to start treating all Muslim Americans differently” than other citizens? he asked. “Are we going to start discriminating against them because of their faith?”

If the U.S. were to go down that path “we would have betrayed the very things we’re trying to protect,” the president said. “And then the terrorists would have won, and we cannot let that happen. I will not let that happen.”

Groups such as Islamic State want to present themselves as the leaders of a “war between Islam and America,” Obama said. “They want us to validate them.” Proposals such as the ones Trump has offered are “doing the terrorists’ work for them,” he said.

Trump, in a statement emailed to the Associated Press, responded that Obama "continues to prioritize our enemy over our allies, and for that matter, the American people."

"When I am president, it will always be America first," he wrote.

Keep reading.

Alligator Drags 2-Year-Old Boy Into the Water at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort (VIDEO)

It's in Orlando, of course.

What a terrible, terrible story.

At the Orlando Sentinel, "Alligator attacks 2-year-old boy at Disney's Grand Floridian":

[Orange County Sheriff Jerry] Demings said the Nebraska family of five was relaxing on the shoreline when the alligator attacked the boy. The father entered the water and tried to grab the child from the gator, but was not successful. He had scratches on his hands after the ordeal.

Reporter Christal Hayes tweets, "#Orlando has turned into a media circus with all this terrible news lately. This is the scene as we wait for info."

More, at FOX 5 News Atlanta:

Noor Salman, Wife of Orlando Jihadist Omar Mateen, Could Soon Face Federal Charges

Megyn Kelly just announced it on Fox News.

#KellyFile has more at 9p ET on @FoxNews rpt that fed prosecutors have convened a grand jury against Mateen’s wife: https://t.co/me2UwDFBmg

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) June 15, 2016

And at the website, "WIFE ACCESSORY TO MURDER? Feds convene grand jury to launch probe into Orlando shooter's spouse."

Dana Loesch Comments on the Orlando Terrorist Attack (VIDEO)

Following-up, "Gun Control Didn't Stop Orlando Terrorist Attack."

Ava Sambora Shows Off Enviable Bikini Body in Malibu

It's Heather Locklear's 18-year-old daughter.

At London's Daily Mail, "Ava Sambora puts on an eye-popping display for sizzling photo shoot as she parades her enviable bikini bod in Malibu."

Poll Shows Boost for Donald Trump Over Hillary Clinton After Orlando Jihad Attack

It's the Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted from Friday to Tuesday.

Not a huge bounce, but definitely contradicts the NBC News poll out today saying Clinton's "eating away" at Trump's lead among men and white voters. (Via Memeorandum.)

See, "Trump gains slightly on Clinton after Florida attack: Reuters/Ipsos poll" (via Memeorandum):

Trump gains slightly on Clinton after Florida attack: Reuters/Ipsos poll https://t.co/J5ZK77aLQ6

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) June 14, 2016

Hillary Clinton's lead over Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race has narrowed since late last week, according to the results of the first Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted since the Orlando shooting rampage on Sunday.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for the Nov. 8 election, has blamed Democratic policies for the worst mass shooting in U.S. history and doubled-down on his pledge to ban Muslim immigration, while Clinton has warned against demonizing Muslim-Americans.

The poll, conducted from Friday to Tuesday, showed Clinton with an 11.6-point lead - 44.6 percent to 33.0 percent - over Trump, down from the 13-point lead she had in the five days that ended Saturday.

The Florida attack, in which a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub and wounded 53 could have a lingering impact on the presidential race, mixing concerns about immigration, gun violence and religious tolerance into what has already been a volatile and sharply negative campaign.

The shooter, Omar Mateen, 29, the U.S.-born son of Afghan immigrant parents, called authorities during the massacre to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State militant group.

Federal investigators have said Mateen, who was killed by police, was likely self-radicalized and there was no evidence he received any instruction or aid from outside groups such as Islamic State.

Trump seized on the attack to accuse Democratic President Barack Obama of failing to address "radical Islamic terrorism," to warn that Clinton's policies on immigration would allow more potential attackers into the country, and to fine-tune his call for a suspension of Muslim immigration.

In a speech on Monday, Trump said he would suspend immigration from countries with a “proven history of terrorism” against the United States, Europe and allied countries "until we fully understand how to end these threats."

Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said Trump's response to the attack was disturbing...

More.

Frankly, Trump's numbers have yet to take off, especially now that the Democrats are playing desperate defense on national security. O's terrorism speech today was an absolute disgrace, attempting to justify his administration's refusal to clearly identify our enemies.

The public's not going to be forgiving. We're having regular jihad attacks, inspired by Islamic State. The blood's on the hands of the Democrats in the White House, and Hillary Clinton too.

FLASHBACK: From last December, "Poll: Heightened Fear of Terrorism is Rippling Through the Electorate."

Somali Muslim Mohammad Moghaddam Killed in Hostage Situation at #Amarillo Walmart (VIDEO)

"Workplace violence."

At Creeping Sharia, "Texas: Muslim employee took hostages at Amarillo Walmart, killed by police."

And Ricochet, "Police Kill Suspect in Apparent Hostage Situation at #Amarillo Walmart."

And watch, at ABC News:

Laura Ingraham Responds to Candidates' Reactions to Orlando Jihad Massacre (VIDEO)

Watch, at Fox News, "Laura Ingraham on Candidates' Reactions to Orlando Shooting."

Roundup of the Roundups

I've gotta head out to the office to wrap up a few loose ends.

Plus, I'll be having lunch with my colleague who just retired.

Back this afternoon.

Meanwhile, check out Maggie's Farm, "Tuesday morning links." Also, from Doug Ross, "Larwyn's Linx: ISIS Terror Shooting at Gay Nightclub Dismantles the Liberal Narrative; Trump's Speech a Game-Changer."

More at Blazing Cat Fur, "NBC: Real Problem with These Tragedies Are Trump’s Tweets or Something."

ICYMI: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Heretic

From last November, at Amazon, Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now.

And from earlier today, "Islam's Jihad Against Homosexuals."

Hannah Ferguson Summer of Swim 2016 (VIDEO)

Talking a break from Orlando blogging.

Via Sports Illustrated:

Nabeel Qureshi, Answering Jihad

Nabeel Qureshi published an outstanding essay -- one of the best on this ever --- following the Belgium jihad attacks in March, at USA Today: "The Quran's deadly role in inspiring Belgian slaughter."

I meant to blog it at the time, but never got the chance.

He's a convert to Christianity, and pulls no punches on Islam. But his family's Muslim, and he worries about them. That's one of the topics in his latest book, Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward.

I haven't read it yet, but hopefully soon.

Also, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity.

Deal of the Day: Dromida Ominus Drones as Low as $49.99

At Amazon, Dromida Ominus UAV Quadcopter RTF (Various Colors).

Also, Panasonic ES-RT97-S Arc3 Electric Razor, Men's 3-Blade Cordless with Wet/Dry Convenience, Comb Attachment for Trimming, and included Premium Automatic Clean & Charge Station.

And, Last Minute Father's Day Gifts - Wahl Lithium Men's Products.

More, Father's Day - Chef Works Promotion.

Plus, Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan, ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror.

Joby Warrick, Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS.

Patrick Cockburn, The Rise of Islamic State: ISIS and the New Sunni Revolution.

BONUS: Bruce Bawer, While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within.