WikiLeaks Trove Plunges Democrats Into Crisis on Eve of Convention

Heh.

Here's more on the story, via WikiLeaks:

WikiLeaks trove plunges Democrats into crisis on eve of Convention https://t.co/pqWuWfFQckhttps://t.co/kpFxYDoNyX

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) July 23, 2016

Kelly Brook Goes for a Bike Ride

It looks like she's embracing her fuller frame. And I mean, she's like 25 pounds fuller, lol.

At London's Daily Mail, "'No Bra Bike Ride!' Kelly Brook shows off her perky assets in low cut yellow top as she enjoys a cycle through sunny Rome with boyfriend Jeremy Parisi."

More here, from last September.

Leaked Docs Show How DNC Used Foul Language to Insult Fox News Staff While Praising Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

I really should be blogging this #DNCLeaks story more aggressively. I'm gobsmacked at the utter MSM partisanship and corruption.

Until then, at Heat Street:

The embarrassing Wikileaks document dump of the Democratic National Committee’s private emails reveal how its communications staff derided journalists from news organizations they perceived as unfriendly. At the same time, the DNC was cooperating with friendlier journalists—doling out talking points and pre-approving articles in what appears to be a breach of journalistic ethics.

Much of the DNC’s private bile was reserved for Fox News.

“Is there a Fuck You emoji?” Communications Director Luis Miranda wrote a colleague who forwarded him FoxNews.com freelance reporter Fred Lucas’ questions about Donald Trump bringing up Bill Clinton’s dalliances.

DNC Press Assistant Rachel Palermo then replied: “hahahahahahhahahaha”.

Lucas politely e-mailed the DNC again three days later asking, “I hoped the DNC could weigh in one the appropriateness of Trump attacking along these lines? I would really appreciate any response you have. Thanks very much.”

Palermo then e-mailed Miranda and Deputy Communications Director Mark Paustenbach: “The asshole from fox e-mailed us again. I did some research and there’s still no ‘fuck you’ emoji, unfortunately.”

See what I mean?

Still more.

Are Anarchists and Radical Leftists Saving Violent Protests for the Democrat Convention?

Well, the police presence in Cleveland was phenomenal, so if the forces in Philadelphia can match that, I doubt there'll be any trouble.

But see William Jacobson, at Legal Insurrection, "Are anarchists and radical leftists saving violent protests for #DemsInPhilly?"

At the video, Lee Stranahan interviews Jeremy Segal, a.k.a., Rebel Pundit:

Louise Mensch Implores Me to Come Back to the Light

I love Louise. She's a sweet lady and super smart. She's a role model, in fact.

It's just that my support for Donald Trump is a protest vote against the left. It's that simple. I don't think Trump's conservative. I don't think he's neoconservative. I just know that he speaks his mind, he's got excellent instincts, he's a good family man, and he'll hit the left with all he's got. In that last respect he's the antithesis of Mitt Romney, to whom I threw my unreserved support in 2012, and look what that got me.

In any case, here's Louise on Twitter, responding to Bill Kristol's tweet of Stephen Hayes' essay, "Donald Trump Is Crazy, and So Is the GOP for Embracing Him."

@BillKristol @stephenfhayes not me. Never. @AmPowerBlog come back to the light

— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) July 23, 2016

Islamic State Claims Responsibility as Homicide Bombers Slaughter at Least 80 in Kabul (VIDEO)

It's every day now.

It's catastrophic slaughter on a daily basis.

At WSJ, "Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 80 in Kabul":

KABUL—Three suicide bombers killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 230 others at a protest in Kabul on Saturday, according to the Afghan health ministry, where thousands had gathered to demonstrate against plans to reroute a new power line.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on a “gathering of Shiites,” the group’s affiliated Amaq news agency reported, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist activity.

It is the first attack claimed by the Sunni extremist group in the Afghan capital. Islamic State emerged as foreign forces were withdrawing from Afghanistan in 2014 and has established a stronghold in the eastern part of the country.

An Afghan intelligence agency official said the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers dispatched from Islamic State’s eastern stronghold in the Achin district. “There were three bombers and they were all armed with suicide vests. Probably they all detonated their explosives at once,” the official said...

More.

Donald Trump Goes 'All-In' — And He's Got a Realistic Chance of Becoming President

Following-up from Cathleen Decker's analysis, "Donald Trump Accepts Nomination, Depicts Grim Times Under Obama and Clinton."

Check out Nate Silver, at 538, "Donald Trump Goes ‘All-In.’ How Will Clinton Respond?":

Don't think people are really grasping how plausible it is that Trump could become president. It's a close election right now.

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) July 23, 2016

Donald Trump goes "all-in." How will Clinton respond? https://t.co/VsXRRbJfH7 pic.twitter.com/DoVm79AD1I

— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) July 22, 2016

CLEVELAND — No matter what happens between now and the election on Nov. 8, Donald Trump’s dark and defiant acceptance speech on Thursday will probably be remembered as a pivotal moment in American political history. If Trump wins the election — an increasing possibility based on recent polls — the speech will serve as proof that he did so as an explicitly nationalist and populist candidate, having stirred up support in a country that has historically resisted such movements. If Trump loses to Hillary Clinton, especially by a wide margin, the speech will probably be seen as an historic debacle, the hallmark of a convention that went wrong from start to finish. Either way, the Republican Party might never be the same.

Trump delivered a long and loud address that violated most of the normal rules of acceptance speeches. The speech, and the Republican convention overall, made only perfunctory efforts to appeal to voters who weren’t already aboard the Trump train. It had no magnanimous gestures to Trump’s vanquished Republican rivals. It contained a fair bit of bragging, but not much autobiographical detail. It contained no laundry list of policy positions. Most strikingly, it was unrelentingly pessimistic, whereas acceptance speeches usually aim to soften the blow.

But Trump has broken a lot of rules and gotten away with it, and it will be a few days before we’ll have a sense of Trump’s convention bounce and a few weeks before we can reliably say how the conventions have affected the election overall. Given what Trump accomplished in the primaries, it’s probably prudent to avoid making too many assumptions in the meantime.

However, Trump is at a potential tactical disadvantage because he’s now committed to a strategy, whereas Democrats get to make the next move at their convention next week...

Still more.

How Cal State Los Angeles Canceled on Ben Shapiro After Leftists Compared Him to 'The KKK'

A couple of my students attended Shapiro's talk. The event went on despite the official cancellation.

But there's new information, at Heat Street, "How Cal State Canceled on Ben Shapiro After Liberal Students Compared Him to “The KKK”."

Donald Trump Accepts Nomination, Depicts Grim Times Under Obama and Clinton

Here's Cathleen Decker's take, at LAT, "Trump aims at voters he already has, betting they will give him a November win":

Analysis: With his dark, law + order pitch, Trump bets voters like the ones he already has will give him a victory https://t.co/C3Snsb286p

— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 22, 2016

Donald Trump’s Thursday night address, indeed his entire Republican convention, represented a high-risk bet: that a strong desire for change in November will defy the demographic and political tides that have defeated the last two Republican presidential nominees.

The Republican nominee only glancingly reached out to voters other than the ones who led him to victory in the Republican primaries, who make up a much smaller proportion of the November electorate.

He repeatedly spoke of the perils of illegal immigration and trade deals, positions that invigorate the white, blue-collar voters with whom he is most popular.

But apart from a mention of college tuition ills, he said nothing about fresh issues or emphases that might be helpful in attracting women, minority voters or young Americans, the three groups whose increasingly Democratic alliances represent the greatest threat to his candidacy. Those voters were key to successive Republican defeats in 2008 and 2012 — and their numbers have grown since.

Appeals to a broader audience were left to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who introduced her father. She said that he planned to provide for quality childcare, equal pay for women, and college aid. None of those issues had been a priority for her father during the long months of the primary campaign, and none was mentioned in his speech.

Instead, the  speech, the most anticipated event of the  four-day convention, was a slightly more formal, if lengthy, version of the one Trump has been delivering in the 13 months since he entered the race.

He presented a bleak view of America, blamed President Obama for dividing the country by race, and accused Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton of being a “puppet” of a “rigged system” that spreads “destruction.”

Only toward the end of his 75-minute address did Trump graft on a bit of optimism, suggesting that the nation’s problems have all been caused by politicians and would be quickly solved with his election.

“America is a nation of believers, dreamers and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics and cynics,” he said.

His tone was entirely in keeping with the convention, which repeatedly foundered over internal divisions but found emphatic unanimity in its opposition to Clinton and to any extension of Obama’s tenure.

One of the audience’s most vociferous reactions came when Trump said that the FBI had used mild terms regarding Clinton’s private email use as secretary of State to “save her from facing justice for her terrible crimes.”

“Lock her up! Lock her up!” delegates shouted.

Trump came into the convention’s final night with Republicans hoping for a rapid change of conversation after days in which self-inflicted wounds had interfered with the highest-profile opportunity for the new nominee to impress American voters.

With patriotic staging and thematic appeals, conventions are meant to flesh out the candidate, as if turning a black-and-white stick figure into a lushly defined future president. Done well, they are minutely timed, extended campaign commercials whose worst quality is that they’re perfect to the point of boring.

This one was far from that.

On none of the four nights did the message put out by the speakers wholly match the theme organizers had set for the day. Speakers who were meant to emphasize the need to create jobs, for example, were spread out over several nights, diluting what could have been a more forceful presentation of Republican goals on Tuesday, the night employment was supposed to be the theme.

Part of the difficulties stem from lingering problems between substantial portions of the party and its new leader. Many of the guests onstage spent little time talking about Trump, a reflection of the distance some Republicans are putting between themselves and him.

On Wednesday night, Trump’s most persistent primary opponent, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, appeared onstage and told delegates — and the extended television audience — to vote their consciences in November. That tacit suggestion that they consider abandoning the party’s nominee underscored the ideological battles dividing Republicans.

It is also the case that Trump holds a quirky ideology that combines Wall Street and populist flavors, a mix not seen in a nominee in recent decades. Thursday night demonstrated that anew.

Trump talked of his opposition to international trade deals that have been highly popular within his party, and U.S. involvement in Mideast conflicts that began under a Republican president.

But he also strode in the path of other Republicans, chiefly Richard Nixon, in casting himself as a president who would clamp down on an out-of-control society and blaming “elites” for spurning common Americans.

He vowed to make Americans safe here and abroad, exaggerating to suggest that crime is rising dramatically — it isn’t — and saying that when he takes office, he “will restore law and order to our country.”

But at the same time, he hit on some themes more common to Democrats. He went out of his way to vow to protect gay Americans — at least from attacks by jihadi terrorists — although he said nothing about extending their rights in this country.

The problem facing Trump is that while Republicans have largely forgiven his ideological diversions, his strongly conservative positions — including deporting immigrants who are here without papers, building a giant wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, opposing abortion rights and gun restrictions — are wildly unpopular among America’s expanding voter groups...

Well, we'll see. We'll see.

This election's closer than it should be. If Trump actually starts running a traditional advertising campaign in the key battleground states, I think he'll have a chance.

Still, the cards are stacked against him.

Evelyn Taft's Sunny and Hot Forecast

Hey, it's going to be great at the beach.

The U.S. Open of Surfing starts tomorrow.

Police Chief Says Munich Shooter's Motive is Still 'Fully Unclear'

Yeah, I'll bet.

BREAKING: Police chief: Suspect in Munich mall shooting that killed 9 was an 18-year-old whose motive is still 'fully unclear.'

— The Associated Press (@AP) July 23, 2016

"Fully unclear" is a euphemism for Islamic #jihad. #Munich https://t.co/IDuEtr3Xrw

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) July 23, 2016

Hillary Clinton Selects Tim Kaine as Running Mate

Following-up, "Hillary Clinton Expected to Choose Virginia Senator Tim Kaine for Veep."

Here's a good piece, at USA Today:

Great @SusanPage analysis: #HillaryClinton goes with her heart on #TimKaine VP pick. https://t.co/0naAhQ3ITw #DEMConvention #DEMS

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) July 23, 2016

It turn's out Kaine's got some scandal baggage, however. At the Washington Post, via Memeorandum, "Kaine's acceptance of gifts in Virginia could create opening for Republicans."

Echelon Insights Post-Convention Poll

Remember, I expect Donald Trump to be the heavy underdog during the general election, and frankly, I've been surprised this last few weeks that Hillary's not further ahead in the presidential horse race.

In any case, via Hot Air, some overnight post-convention numbers from Echelon Insights:

Echelon-@lucid_hq *Post-Convention* poll (RV)

Clinton 40
Trump 39
Johnson 3
Stein 2
Undecided 17

Clinton 45
Trump 41
Undecided 15

N=911

— Echelon (@EchelonInsights) July 22, 2016

Among LVs, it's:

Clinton 42
Trump 41
Johnson 3
Stein 2
Undecided 12

Clinton 47
Trump 42
Undecided 11

N=740

— Echelon (@EchelonInsights) July 22, 2016

Echelon/@lucid_hq survey (RVs):

Is the Republican Party more or less unified after #RNCinCLE?

Less 34
More 33
Unsure 33

— Echelon (@EchelonInsights) July 22, 2016

Do voters approve of @tedcruz's decision not to endorse @realDonaldTrump?

Approve 40%
Disapprove 32%
Unsure 22%

— Echelon (@EchelonInsights) July 22, 2016

Some internals from our post-convention poll (LVs, 2-way).

Among Rs:

Trump 86
Clinton 5

Among Ds

Clinton 85
Trump 10

— Echelon (@EchelonInsights) July 22, 2016

Previously, "CNN's Instant Poll of Viewers Shows Donald Trump's Speech Brought Down the House."

#Munich Eyewitness Says She Heard Attacker Screaming 'Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!'

Via Paul Joseph Watson:



I will say, though, that there're still conflicting reports.

So, until we have the official German government statement on the attack, I'm withholding broader comment.

Donald Trump's Gloom and Doom Doesn't Match Reality

Following-up, "President Obama Mocked GOP's 'Vision of Chaos and Violence' Moments Before Munich Attack (VIDEO)."

Heh, via Instapundit.

Nope. Doesn't match at all.

When It Comes to Islam, Western Leaders Are Liars or Idiots

Or both.

From Raymond Ibrahim, at Pajamas:

When it comes to the connection between Islam and violence against non-Muslims, one fact must be understood: the majority of those in positions of leadership and authority in the West are either liars or fools, or both.

No other alternative exists.

The reason for this uncharitable assertion is simple: If Islam was once a faraway, exotic religion, today we hear calls for, and see acts of, violence committed in its name every day. And many of us still have “ears that hear and eyes that see,” so it’s no secret: Muslims from all around the world and from all walks of life -- not just “terrorists” or “ISIS” -- unequivocally and unapologetically proclaim that Islam commands them to hate, subjugate, and kill all who resist it, including all non-Muslims.

This is the official position of several Muslim governments, including America’s closest “friends and allies” like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

It’s the official position of Islamic institutions of lower and higher learning: from Bangladeshi high schools to Egypt’s Al Azhar, the world’s most prestigious Islamic university.

It’s the official position broadcast in numerous languages on Islamic satellite stations that air in Muslim homes around the world.

In short, there’s no excuse today for anyone to still be ignorant about Islam, and especially for those in positions of leadership or authority. Yet it is precisely this group that most vehemently denies any connection between Islam and violence.

Why?

Well, they can't talk honestly about Islam, of course.

It would destroy the narrative of peace and comity among the enlightened people of the world. "All you need is love..."

Keep reading.

Plus, flashback video, "The World's Most Dangerous Ideology."

Emily Ratajkowski Launches Amore & Sorvete Swimwear Campaign (PHOTOS)

Ms. Emily's pretty much a gift from god, and thank goodness she's got no inhibitions about her body.

She looks great!

On Twitter:

So happy to announce my campaign w/ @amoreandsorvete 🙌🏽 shop online now https://t.co/8bxE8UHsFA pic.twitter.com/KP3fF1Evnd

— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) July 20, 2016

Extremely excited to announce the new face of Amore & Sorvete emrata it's been a pleasure… https://t.co/b7qMEdzKry

— Amore & Sorvete (@amoreandsorvete) July 21, 2016

Bombshell emrata wearing our new Hula Hula bikini. Exclusive style available online now✌🏼️… https://t.co/vfNOXfFnsk

— Amore & Sorvete (@amoreandsorvete) July 4, 2016

President Obama Mocked GOP's 'Vision of Chaos and Violence' Moments Before Munich Attack (VIDEO)

Well, he can pretend it's not serious with jokes and mockery. He's not up for reelection. Hillary is, though, and hence it's his third term on the line.

Frankly, I was a little surprised he took to the airwaves so soon. We still don't know exactly what happened.

In any case, you gotta love the headlines at Gateway Pundit, "OBAMA Mocked Trump and RNC’s “Vision of Chaos and Violence” 1 Hour Before Munich Attack (VIDEO)."



Plus, more video at CNN, "Obama pushes back against Donald Trump's speech."

Hacked Democrat Emails Reveal Plan for Hillary Clinton Attacks on Bernie Sanders' Religion

Wow!

Bernie's Jewish!

At the Intercept, "New Leak: Top DNC Official Wanted to Use Bernie Sanders's Religious Beliefs Against Him" (via Memeorandum):

"[Sanders] had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage," the CFO of the DNC wrote in a leaked email. https://t.co/z261ZcKrK4

— The Intercept (@theintercept) July 22, 2016

AMONG THE NEARLY 20,000 internal emails from the Democratic National Committee, released Friday by Wikileaks and presumably provided by the hacker “Guccifer 2.0,” is a May 2016 message from DNC CFO Brad Marshall. In it, he suggested that the party should “get someone to ask” Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders about his religious beliefs.

From:MARSHALL@dnc.org To: MirandaL@dnc.org, PaustenbachM@dnc.org, DaceyA@dnc.org Date: 2016-05-05 03:31 Subject: No shit It might may no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

The email was sent to DNC Communications Director Luis Miranda and Deputy Communications Director Mark Paustenbach. It’s unclear who the “someone” in this message could be — though a member of the press seems like a safe bet. A request for comment sent to Marshall was not immediately returned.

More at the link.

The DNC is denying the email was discussing Bernie's belief.

Right.

#Munich Attack: Witness Footage Appears to Show Gunman Opening Fire (VIDEO)

You'd be diving for the pavement at the pop pop pop! sound.

This dude Sebastian Raphael on Twitter has the video. A while ago he said that his girlfriend uploaded it, but I don't see that tweet now.

In any case, it's also at the Guardian, "Witness footage appears to show Munich gunman opening fire – video."

Previously, "#Munich Mall Shooting is Second Attack in Germany in Less Than a Week (VIDEO)."

UPDATE: We're still waiting for information on the shooter. So far, it's all speculation, and frankly, it could be a right-wing attack at this point. We just don't know.

Leftists are going to cheer the dead if the #Munich shooter turns out to be a "far right-wing nationalist." #DemConvention #DemsInPhilly

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) July 22, 2016

Meanwhile, Robert Stacy McCain's blogging the developments, "MUNICH TERRORIST ATTACK."

Expect further updates.