Barack Obama Bent Over Backwards to Advance Islamic Totalitarianism in Iran

This is a must-read.

From Sohrab Ahmari, at Commentary, "Anything for the Ayatollah":

My column on Obama bending over backward to help the mullahs cash in on the Iran deal made @RealClearNews this morning. Read it here. https://t.co/aHdMaE1c6n

— Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) June 7, 2018

The full history of the Obama administration’s nuclear dealings with Iran has yet to be written, not least because many of the details remain shrouded in secrecy. The bits of the story that do seep out into the public sphere invariably reinforce a single theme: that of Barack Obama’s utter abjection and pusillanimity before Tehran, and his corresponding contempt for the American people and their elected representatives.

Wednesday’s bombshell Associated Press scoop detailing the Obama administration’s secret effort to help Tehran gain access to the American financial system was a case study. In the months after Iran and the great powers led by the U.S. agreed on the nuclear deal, the Obama Treasury Department issued a special license that would have permitted the Tehran regime to convert some $6 billion in assets held in Omani rials into U.S. dollars before eventually trading them for euros. That middle step—the conversion from Omani to American currency—would have violated sanctions that remained in place even after the nuclear accord.

That’s according to the AP’s Josh Lederman and Matthew Lee, citing a newly released report from the GOP-led Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Lederman and Lee write: “The effort was unsuccessful because American banks—themselves afraid of running afoul of U.S. sanctions—declined to participate. The Obama administration approached two U.S. banks to facilitate the conversion . . . but both refused, citing the reputational risk of doing business with or for Iran.”

Put another way: The Obama administration pressed American banks to sidestep rules barring Iran from the U.S. financial system, and the only reason the transaction didn’t take place was because the banks had better legal and moral sense than the Obama Treasury.

This was far from the first instance in which the Obama administration bent over backward, going far beyond the requirements of the deal, to help the Iranian regime cash in on the deal...

Still more.

'Sheena is a Punk Rocker'

I had this song on the brain for almost a week, since Jack F.M. was playing it repeatedly during my drive time.

Well the kids are all hopped up and ready to go
They're ready to go now they got their surfboards
And they're going to the discotheque Au Go Go
But she just couldn't stay she had to break away
Well New York City really has is all oh yeah, oh yeah
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now
Well she's a punk punk, a punk rocker
Punk punk a punk rocker
Punk punk a punk rocker
Punk punk a punk rocker
Well the kids are all hopped up and ready to go
They're ready to go now they got their surfboards
And they're going to the discotheque Au Go Go
But she just couldn't stay she had to break away
Well New York City really has is all oh yeah, oh yeah
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now
Well she's a punk punk, a punk rocker
Punk punk a punk rocker
Punk punk a punk rocker
Punk punk a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now...

Jennifer Love Hewitt Rule 5

I haven't posted on the lovely Ms. Jennifer in ages.

Seen on Twitter:

Jennifer Love Hewitt pic.twitter.com/zj2vjwV52k

— Celebrities (@CeIebritease) June 5, 2018

Christina Hoff Sommers, Who Stole Feminism?

At Amazon, Christina Hoff Sommers, Who Stole Feminism?: How Women Have Betrayed Women.

Daphne Patai and Noretta Koertge, Professing Feminism

At Amazon, Daphne Patai and Noretta Koertge, Professing Feminism: Education and Indoctrination in Women's Studies.

Miss America Pageant Scraps Swimsuit Competition in Capitulation to Political Correctness (VIDEO)

The news from yesterday, "JUST IN: "We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance. That's huge. And that means we will no longer have a swimsuit competition." - @GretchenCarlson on the major changes coming to @MissAmericaOrg."

The Other McCain has the analysis, "On Courtesy and ‘Gender Equality’":

Where I come from, to insult a man is to challenge him to a fight. Perhaps “progress” has eroded that old-fashioned sensibility down home since I was a boy growing up in Georgia, but surviving to adulthood was not necessarily guaranteed in the culture in which I was raised. My junior year of high school, a quarrel arose between two boys over some no-account, two-timing girl. Neither of those boys made it to graduation. One went to the graveyard, and one went to prison.

Avoid trouble, if possible, but be prepared to defend yourself. Don’t be a bully, don’t let some fool taunt you into throwing the first punch, and don’t go around insulting people just to start trouble.

We were raised by old-fashioned country people. Douglas County, Georgia, started growing fast in the 1970s, but it hadn’t yet become the overcrowded suburb it is now. A rural ethos still prevailed, and you couldn’t just call 911 if somebody started trouble. Fistfights were regarded as just part of life, and it wasn’t the kind of culture where people filed assault charges. People settled their own quarrels, and maybe a boy would get suspended a few days for fighting, but unless there was a knife or a gun involved, fighting wasn’t generally regarded as a crime.

“Never hit a girl” was a rule we were taught from childhood. Only a coward would ever raise his hand to a woman. Did “domestic violence” happen? I’m sure it did, but such people were considered trash.

Life was actually more civilized, in many ways, before we had so much “progress,” and I’m sure I’m not the only old guy who perceives this. The late, great Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard once published a book called I Haven’t Understood Anything Since 1962 which summarized his attitude toward “progress.” Fortunately, I was able to continue understanding things up until about 1993, at least, but I digress . . .

Many times when I remind readers that Feminism Is a Totalitarian Movement to Destroy Civilization as We Know It, some commenters will object to my categorical statement: “Not all feminists.”

Sure. OK. Maybe there are women who call themselves “feminists” who aren’t fanatically devoted to the idea that stabbing babies in the head is among their constitutional rights. Maybe there are women who call themselves “feminists” who aren’t blue-haired “nonbinary queers” with facial piercings who enjoy beating up anyone who “misgenders” them. It’s possible, I suppose, that there are some women who call themselves “feminists” who are not constantly ranting about “misogyny” and “the male gaze” while demanding the destruction of “our capitalist imperialist white supremacist cisheteronormative patriarchy.” However, where are these sane, normal “moderate feminists” whose existence is so often alleged, but are nowhere to be seen in the Year of Our Lord 2018?

Keep reading.

The Democrats' Great White Hope in California

Following-up, "California Primary Results: Gavin Newsom, John Cox to Face-Off in November Gubernatorial Election."

Althouse blogs about the California gubernatorial race, "'Republican John Cox Secures Spot in California Governor’s Race/Businessman comes in second in primary, is set to face Democrat Gavin Newsom in November election'":

ADDED: I just looked at Drudge, saw this...

... asked myself what does John Cox look like, did an image search, and came back to say forget about it, Republicans. As indicated above, I'm practical about voting, and being practical, I'd probably vote for Cox, but as an observer, my practicality has me predicting that California voters — tasked with deciding between idealism and practicality — will spring for the better looking man.

Yeah, well, Cox is probably toast, as I noted at my entry above.

Althouse's screenshot of Drudge:

Justice for Jack Phillips, Owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado (VIDEO)

Vodkapundit linked me at Instapundit the other day, "VIDEO: CNN Reacts to the Supreme Court’s Ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop."

And here's more video, from the Alliance Defending Freedom, the group representing Jack Phillips:

California Primary Results: Gavin Newsom, John Cox to Face-Off in November Gubernatorial Election

Well, the results are in, and it's almost a near certainty that far-left loon Gavin Newsom will be the state's next governor.

I didn't vote for John Cox, but I'm heartily throwing my support behind, although I'm not confident it'll do any good. But Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton took roughly 60 percent of the vote in the last two presidential elections, and I'd be surprised if Newsom doesn't come close to matching that statewide.

In any case, the full primary election results are at the Los Angeles Times, "Results from the California primary." (And at Memeorandum.)

Also, "It's Newsom vs. Cox in November as Villaraigosa tumbles in governor's race":

Gavin Newsom, the favorite of the California Democratic Party's core liberal base, coasted to a first-place finish in Tuesday's primary election for governor and faces a November showdown with John Cox, a multimillionaire Republican hitched to the far-right policies of President Trump.

The results mark a stunning defeat for former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, representing the fall of a politician who embodied the growing power of the Latino electorate when he was elected mayor in 2005. Villaraigosa conceded late in the evening, urging those who voted for him to give their support to his opponent.

“I’m asking you to get behind Gavin Newsom,” said Villaraigosa, surrounded by his family. “I’m asking you to stand up and pressure every one of us — Democrat and Republican alike — pressure every one of us to stand up for you, to fight for you, not just for ourselves, but for all of us for an America and a California where every one of us are growing together.”

Newsom, 50, a former San Francisco mayor who is currently serving his second term as California's lieutenant governor, will face Cox, 62, an Illinois transplant and real estate investor who ran for the U.S. House and Senate twice in Illinois, failing to reach the primary in all three. In 2008, Cox also launched a campaign for president before dropping out when he failed to gain any traction.

At Newsom’s election night party in San Francisco, the Democrat vowed to fight for universal healthcare and tackle the state's housing affordability crisis, while promising to offer policy solutions instead of angry rhetoric.

"In politics today, there’s too much anger,” Newsom told his supporters. “Instead, we offered answers. Resistance with results.”

Cox has poured nearly $5 million into his bid for governor, but his political fortunes grew considerably when Trump fired off a tweet endorsing him in the final weeks of the campaign.

After a five-year hiatus from political office, Villaraigosa hoped to recapture the magic that led to his two terms as mayor of Los Angeles, but failed to stitch together support from enough Latinos, moderates and lower-income Californians to finish in the top two.

Cox declared a second-place victory Tuesday night and wasted no time blasting Newsom and the Democratic Party for California leading the nation in poverty, and government regulations that he said have made homes unaffordable, leading to an explosion of homelessness. In a preview of his general election campaign, Cox pinned the unpopular new gas-tax increase and the so-called sanctuary state policy squarely on Newsom.

“Mr. Newsom, you've had eight years, and your party has made a colossal mess of this once golden state,” Cox told supporters at an election night party held at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego.

Cox said California is in desperate need of a leader with business sense.

"Businesspeople have been elected to office as governor all across this nation to clean up the messes that the politicians have made," Cox said.

Newsom also had a few words for Cox on Tuesday night, yoking the Republican to a president who remains extremely unpopular in California.

“California’s vision and America’s values are one and the same,” Newsom said. “But our values, as you know, are under assault. We’re engaged in an epic battle, and it looks like voters will have a real choice between a governor who will stand up to Donald Trump and a foot solider in his war on California.”

Lisa Kennedy Montgomery on President Trump's Transformation of the U.S. Economy (VIDEO)

It's Kennedy, who's got her own show nowadays on Fox Business Channel.

Katie Pavlich, who should have her own show on Fox, gave Kennedy a plug yesterday. I don't see the video for the monologue, but Kennedy was on the day before with Steve Hilton, and she gives a rousing analysis of the economy and the impact the Trump administration is having on everyday people (the "populists" of American politics).

. @KennedyNation’s monologue is the best in the business, hands down. If you missed it catch the rerun at 12 am et on @FoxBusiness.

— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) June 5, 2018

Donald Barclay, Fake News, Propaganda, and Plain Old Lies

This looks interesting.

At Amazon, available June 29th, Donald Barclay, Fake News, Propaganda, and Plain Old Lies: How to Find Trustworthy Information in the Digital Age.

CNN Reacts to the Supreme Court's Ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop (VIDEO)

Poppy Harlow does a good job at maintaining objectivity, but it's not until 8:30 minutes into this video where she brings up the issue of the Colorado commission authorities' extreme hostility to religion. I mean, from the case we see intense animus to Christianity:

As the record shows, some of the commissioners at the Commission’s formal, public hearings endorsed the view that religious beliefs cannot legitimately be carried into the public sphere or commercial domain, disparaged Phillips’ faith as despicable and characterized it as merely rhetorical, and compared his invocation of his sincerely held religious beliefs to defenses of slavery and the Holocaust. No commissioners objected to the comments. Nor were they mentioned in the later state-court ruling or disavowed in the briefs filed here. The comments thus cast doubt on the fairness and impartiality of the Commission’s adjudication of Phillips’ case.

I tweeted:

Leftists like Nina Totenberg are downplaying the Court's ruling, claiming it was decided on the most "narrow grounds," but reading it we see a major statement denouncing the radical left's monstrous religious bigotry and anti-Christian animus. #MasterpieceCakeshop #SCOTUS 🙏 https://t.co/YmJo3xUskj

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) June 4, 2018

#MasterpieceCakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission: #SCOTUS https://t.co/N53SQ3Mif4

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) June 4, 2018

But watch, at CNN:

Ryan T. Anderson, Truth Overruled

In light of today's decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, here's Ryan T. Anderson's book, at Amazon, Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom.

Howard Kurtz, Media Madness

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Howard Kurtz, Media Madness: Donald Trump, the Press, and the War over the Truth.

ICYMI: Joel Kotkin, The New Class Conflict

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Joel Kotkin, The New Class Conflict.

Big Win for Religious Freedom in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission

Actually, it's apparently a very narrow ruling touching on the nature of religious bias in Colorado's anti-discrimination legislation, but either way, conservative proponents of freedom of expression and religious belief are going to be jumping for the moon today.

At the Washington Post, "Supreme Court rules in favor of baker who would not make wedding cake for gay couple":

Supreme Court narrowly rules for a Colorado baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a gay couple https://t.co/ovz7BwsqGG

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 4, 2018

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled for a Colorado baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a gay couple.

In an opinion by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy that leaves many questions unanswered, the court held that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had not adequately taken into account the religious beliefs of baker Jack Phillips.

In fact, Kennedy said, the commission had been hostile to Baker’s faith, denying him the neutral consideration he deserved. While the justices split in their reasoning, only Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor dissented.

Kennedy wrote that the question of when religious beliefs must give way to anti-discrimination laws might be different in future cases. But in this case, he said, Phillips did not get the proper consideration.

“The Court’s precedents make clear that the baker, in his capacity as the owner of a business serving the public, might have his right to the free exercise of religion limited by generally applicable laws,” he wrote. “Still, the delicate question of when the free exercise of his religion must yield to an otherwise valid exercise of state power needed to be determined in an adjudication in which religious hostility on the part of the State itself would not be a factor in the balance the State sought to reach. That requirement, however, was not met here.”

Phillips contended that dual guarantees in the First Amendment — for free speech and for the free exercise of religion — protect him against Colorado’s public accommodations law, which requires businesses to serve customers equally regardless of “disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, or ancestry.”

Scattered across the country, florists, bakers, photographers and others have claimed that being forced to offer their wedding services to same-sex couples violates their rights. Courts have routinely turned down the business owners, as the Colorado Court of Appeals did in the Phillips case, saying that state anti-discrimination laws require businesses that are open to the public to treat all potential customers equally.

There’s no dispute about what triggered the court case in 2012, when same-sex marriage was prohibited in Colorado. Charlie Craig and David Mullins decided to get married in Massachusetts, where it was legal. They would return to Denver for a reception, and those helping with the plans suggested they get a cake from Masterpiece bakery...

Also at Memeorandum.

Sophie Mudd Photos

At Drunken Stepfather, "SOHPIE MUDD MASSIVE OF THE DAY":

Sohpie Mudd is the biggest deal on social media. She’s done gone viral and I am ready for her to take the reigns from all those aging big titty girls we are bored of seeing.

She certainly fills out a bathing shoot, dang.

pic.twitter.com/3SL5vKMl8Z

— Sophie Mudd (@sophie_mudd) May 18, 2018

New Populist, Anti-Establishment Government Takes Over in Italy

A specter is haunting Europe, the specter of populist-nationalism.

From Professor Michael Curtis, at American Thinker, "Harmony and Discord in Italy":

THIS!
Harmony and Discord in Italy - A new populist government in #Italy threatens to upend the entire #EuropeanUnion arrangement...#EU #globalism #CCOT #PJNET https://t.co/qPBwltvgld

— patriotgirl ن (@Jesus_isPeace) June 3, 2018

Volare, oh, oh, away from the maddening crowds, we can leave the confusion and all disillusion behind!  Such has often been the chant of Italians in search of the elusive political rainbow.  "Così Cosà" may have had little meaning when sung in the Marx Brothers film A Night at the Opera, but its gist of tolerant acceptance is meaningful in the effervescent world of Italian politics.

Changing of governments is a familiar fad in Italy.  Since the end of World War II 73 years ago, Italy has had 64 governments, and six in the last ten years.

On June 1, 2018, an agreement was reached by the two leading parties in parliament to form the 65th, a coalition government, an improbable and unnatural mixture of left and right, a populist coalition with contradictory policies, to end the weeks of political chaos and wrangling, the longest stalemate in Italian politics.

The political and economic crisis since March 2018 destabilized not only the Italian, but also the European financial system, at least temporarily.  With the appointment of a new government, European stocks closed higher.  Yet are the barbarians within the city walls?  The question remains whether the populists in power with their sharp rhetoric and outlook are a danger to democratic institutions and whether they can reach harmony with the Italian elite and abide by the fiscal rules of the European Union, already troubled by Brexit and other matters.

Italy is the fourth largest country in the E.U., accounting for 15.4% of the eurozone's GDP and 23% of its public debt.  But 32% of those under 25, and 10% of all Italians, are unemployed.  Only 64% of young people with degrees are employed.  Next to Greece, Italy has the highest debt level in the E.U., 132% of GDP, more than twice the E.U. requirement.

A variety of issues confront the new government: membership of the eurozone; the need for economic growth and productivity; the proposals for guaranteed income, pensions, and flat income tax; more foreign investment; reversal of E.U. free trade rules; immigration, 181,000 in 2016; and change in international relations and closer ties with Russia.

The new coalition brings together the two leading parties, the Five Star and the League (formerly the Northern League), and an odd couple of young leaders.  To this has been added a compromise figure, a little known University of Florence academic lawyer, 53-year-old Giuseppe Conte, a man with no previous political experience, as prime minister, heading a cabinet of 18, of whom five are women.  It is curious that Conte has stated he "perfected" his legal studies at NYU and the Sorbonne, though neither university has any record of him.

In the inconclusive March 2018 election for the 630 seats in Parliament, the two populist anti-establishment and anti-European parties won 349 seats.  Five Star, a party formed in 2009 mainly by stand up comedian Beppe Grillo, got 32% of the vote and 222 seats, mostly in the South, while the League got 17% and 124 seats, mostly in the industrial North.

The Five Star is now led by a telegenic, easygoing, youngish looking Neapolitan millennial, 31-year-old Luigi Di Maio.  He spoke strongly against corruption and for direct democracy.  He came out equally strongly for a referendum on the eurozone, which he called a failed economic and social experiment, but he seems, taking the position of minister of labor and industry, to have moderated his position in recent weeks.

The leader of the League is the Milanese-born 45-year-old Matteo Salvini, college drop-out, tireless campaigner, and shrewd manipulator of social media, who changed the stance of the party from a regional group calling for the wealthy North to secede from Italy to a far-right party like the French F.N.  Much of his success was based on his opposition to immigration, especially the 750,000 who had entered since 2011, and his call for mass deportation and for deportation centers around Italy.  Now that he has become interior minister, it remains to be seen whether he will implement his proposals.  He is said to have praised Russian president Vladimir Putin, opposes sanctions against Russia, and seeks closer ties with Russia.  For the U.S., this appears more significant than his complicated sex life.

The two populist parties are divided on issues...

Yeah, let's see those deportations from Italy, heh. Heads will explode in Brussels, and among American bleeding-heart leftists.

Keep reading.

Shop Deals

At Amazon, Today's Deals New deals. Every day. Shop our Deal of the Day, Lightning Deals and more daily deals and limited-time sales.

And especially, Coolaroo Outdoor Cordless Roller Shade 4ft by 6ft Sesame.

Here also, Philips HD9621/99 Viva Turbostar Frustration Free Airfryer (1.8lb/2.75qt), Black.

Also, Lamicall VC-S-US-B Cell Phone Stand, S1 Dock : Cradle, Holder, Stand For Switch, all Android Smartphone, iPhone 6 6s 7 8 X Plus 5 5s 5c charging, Accessories Desk - Black.

More, Mpow 059 Bluetooth Headphones Over Ear, Hi-Fi Stereo Wireless Headset, Foldable, Soft Memory-Protein Earmuffs, w/Built-in Mic and Wired Mode for PC/Cell Phones/TV.

And, Samsung UN75MU6300FXZA MU6300 Series 4K UHD TV.

Here, Mountain House Just in Case Essential Bucket.

Plus, Koffee Kult Dark Roast Coffee Beans - Highest Quality Gourmet - Whole Bean Coffee - Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans, 32oz.

BONUS: Alonzo Hamby, Man of Destiny: FDR and the Making of the American Century.

President Trump Fights the Insurgent Wing of the G.O.P.

Interesting. At NYT, "Trump Ran as a Renegade. Now He’s Trying to Keep Them at Bay":

Trump Ran as a Renegade. Now He’s Trying to Keep Them at Bay. https://t.co/ag9zMPTK5i

— Thomas Edsall (@Edsall) June 1, 2018

IUKA, Miss. — When Chris McDaniel first ran for Senate four years ago, his campaign became a cause for disaffected and restless Republicans across the country. Activists waving “Don’t Tread on Me” flags flooded Mississippi. Tea Party-aligned groups spent millions supporting him. Donald J. Trump — who was still a year away from announcing his presidential campaign — took notice and tweeted his endorsement: “He is strong, he is smart & he wants things to change in Washington.”

Mr. McDaniel, a state senator and an attorney, received more votes than any other candidate in that Republican primary, but eventually lost in a runoff to the incumbent, Thad Cochran. But now as Mr. McDaniel embarks on another run for Senate, his campaign contributions are a fraction of what they were in 2014. On a good night, a few dozen people show up to hear him speak. And President Trump is so far keeping his distance from the race.

Mr. McDaniel’s faded political fortunes point up one of the more unforeseen effects of Mr. Trump’s leadership of the Republican Party. Instead of elevating the renegade, insurgent conservatives who have vowed to challenge party leaders in Washington — candidates who are politically and temperamentally cut from the same cloth as the president — Mr. Trump has effectively shut off the oxygen to the noisiest and most fractious wing of his party.

He has endorsed almost every incumbent Republican senator, making it much more difficult for challengers like Mr. McDaniel to wage the kind of primary fights that have sown division inside the party for most of the last decade. In Alabama, Nevada and West Virginia, Mr. Trump has actively worked against candidates that had strong support from grass-roots conservatives.

And while the president has publicly carped at Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader — while also privately badmouthing them as unreliable and weak — he has maintained a partnership of mutual convenience with these frequent targets of the right’s ire.

Mr. Trump’s repositioning has led some self-styled conservative agitators to acknowledge that their bomb-throwing, anti-establishment playbook is in need of refinement.

“People are starting to realize that the anti-establishment thing is kind of a luxury we can’t afford right now,” said Stephen K. Bannon, the president’s former chief strategist who six months ago said it was his objective to see Mr. McConnell removed as the Senate Republican leader.

That effort has been put on hold. And Mr. Bannon’s rebellion has considerably smaller ambitions than it did six months ago, when he was trying to recruit challengers to every Republican incumbent senator up for re-election this year, with the exception of Ted Cruz of Texas...

Power corrupts? Nah. I think President Trump --- and his erstwhile advisers like Bannon --- are strategic politicians, and now in the driver's seat, they're careful about maintaining a pragmatic working coalition. It's not like they haven't been doing anything, especially on the economy.

Keep America Great!

And keep reading.

Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition: Guns, God, and Church Services

At the Los Angeles Times, "At a church security seminar: Guns, God and 'get those heads up' when you pray":

At a church security seminar: Guns, God and 'get those heads up' when you pray https://t.co/NIWtSJ6n49 pic.twitter.com/gK3a9goaQx

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 22, 2018

Just as the people in Mariners Church began to pull off their hats, bow their heads and close their eyes to pray, Jimmy Meeks snapped at them.

"Get those heads up!" said the pastor and retired Texas police officer.

Hadn't he just warned them that closing their eyes made them targets? Sheep in the presence of wolves.

"What's wrong with y'all?"

Their eyes duly peeled, he then led the crowd in a prayer.

"Wherever we are, Father, should the wolf cross our path, give us the wisdom to know what to do with that moment, and give us the power and the courage to act to stop the wolf and protect our sons and daughters."

Churchgoers, preachers and law enforcement officers from across Southern California had gathered for a church security seminar in Huntington Beach hosted by the California Rifle & Pistol Assn., which delivered a warning: Faith alone will not protect you in a house of God.

In the sleek sanctuary of Mariners Church, the mostly male crowd sipped coffee, jotted notes and punctured the air with shouts of "Amen!" and "Hooah!" as a series of out-of-town speakers at the Sheepdog Seminar encouraged them to be the ones who step up and protect others if, God forbid, an attacker comes.

In the months since a gunman in November killed 26 people at the First Baptist Church in rural Sutherland Springs, Texas, many people of faith have begun questioning how to keep religious institutions safe, said Rick Travis, executive director of the California Rifle & Pistol Assn. His organization has been inundated with requests for church security training and probably will be hosting events for the next several years, he said.

"We don't want people to be afraid," said Travis, a churchgoer himself. "We want people to be knowledgeable."

The seminar happened four days before a mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas killed 10 people, mostly students, and reignited the never-ending debate over gun control, the 2nd Amendment and the place of firearms in American society.

Appearing on Sunday morning news programs, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that teachers need to be armed. He said guns are not the problem.

"Guns stop crimes," he said on ABC's "This Week." "If we take the guns out of society — if you or anyone else thinks that that makes us safer, then I'm sad to say that you're mistaken. That will just give those that are evil … [the ability] to put more of us in danger."

Were the assembled at the church safety event being told to pack heat in the pews? Not always in so many words — and that wasn't the whole kit and caboodle of advice. But if you're legally able to carry a gun, the speakers said, it's best to do it.

"If you do not have an armed presence in your church, you are simply not ready," Meeks said...

Samantha Hoopes: 'Am I Sexy Enough?' (VIDEO)

She's certainly sexy enough for me.

Boom! Atlanta Fed Boosts Second Quarter GDP Forecast to 4.8 Percent!

This is great. Curt Schilling tweets Breitbart.

And 4.8 percent is big, big growth for the U.S. economy. Normally, if we start getting above 3 percent the Fed wants to raise interests rates and put on the brakes. The big growth numbers will scare the s**t out of our trading partners, especially the Europeans, who can pound sand and suck on their double-digit unemployment rates.

Holy WINNING! 10-15 years of crap, 8 years of not even sniffing 3, now we're headed to 5!! https://t.co/7OKmNU6mSi #WINNING

— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) June 2, 2018

Ann Coulter: Leftists Just Wanted to Destroy Roseanne (VIDEO)

It's true.

Here's Coulter on Laura Ingraham's show:

Jennifer Delacruz's Sunday Forecast

It's shaping up to be a beautiful June. No overcast gloom. It's sunny and warm. The May Gray was yesterday (or last week, at least, heh).

Here's the lovely Ms. Jennifer, for ABC News 10 San Diego:

What if R.F.K Hadn't Been Assassinated?

Well, the world would have been a better place, surely.

A couple of R.F.K. stories at the Los Angeles Times, and a Michael Beschless tweet from 1968:

What if Robert F. Kennedy hadn't been shot? https://t.co/nVw6skDto8 pic.twitter.com/o07KSrSpKj

— L.A. Times Opinion (@latimesopinion) June 3, 2018

A living history:
“Juan Romero, the busboy comforting RFK in the famous photographs by Boris Yaro & @BillEppridge now 67, is still haunted by the event” @DavidButow who photographed Romero for this piece #photojournalism https://t.co/IvKu62VYxP

— Yunghi Kim (@Yunghi) June 3, 2018

Robert Kennedy campaigning in Modesto, California, 50 years ago today: #Golub pic.twitter.com/WjzPoh2A7O

— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) May 30, 2018

Progressive California the Most Racist State

From Ed Driscoll, at Instapundit, "NUMBER ONE IN POVERTY, CALIFORNIA ISN’T OUR MOST PROGRESSIVE STATE — IT’S OUR MOST RACIST ONE":

Around the world, progressive economies like those of Sweden, France, and Germany, which redistribute wealth through high taxes and generous social welfare policies, boast far less poverty and inequality than other nations.

What gives? And how does California maintain its reputation as a progressive leader given the reality on the ground?

If racism is more than just saying nasty things — if it is, as scholars like James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michelle Alexander and countless others have described, embedded into socioeconomic structures — then California isn’t just the least progressive state. It’s also the most racist.

Real World “Elysium”

In the 2013 science fiction film, “Elysium,” the rich have fled to a luxury satellite orbiting Earth while the poor toil in dangerous conditions below. Life in California today differs in degree, not in kind, from that dystopian vision...

Terrible.

Kelly Brook on a Movie Set

Ms. Kelly continues to wear the extra pounds, but amazingly, her "hourglass" body distributed the extra weight pleasingly. She's lucky in that way, I guess.

At Taxi Driver, "Kelly Brook Panty Upskirt on a Movie Set."

The Moment Obama Adviser Ben Rhodes Found Out Hillary Lost

I have to say I've never been one to avoid engaging in schadenfreude upon witnessing the defeats of the left, but in the case of Ben Rhodes, I felt sorrow. The man is captured in the moment when he was completely broken, morally and emotionally annihilated. His body, particularly his brain, is literally shutting down. It's a physiological defense mechanism, I imagine to protect the human body from the trauma. There's a non-processing going that is in fact horrible to witness, and I felt bad for Rhodes.

Am a glad he lost? Absolutely. I just think there are many cases when private moments should remain private, and this is one. From what I can remember, Rhodes is a pretty nasty guy, an extreme partisan of the Democrats' agenda, so perhaps he had some of the finger-pointing humiliation coming. But for me, I can only imagine how I felt in 2008 when John McCain lost, and how devastated I was for months. It hurts.

For an example of over-the-top glee, see Twitchy, "OMG! New HBO documentary captures the moment Ben Rhodes found out Hillary lost and IT’S HILARIOUS!"

Lots of so-called conservative tweeps were rolling at this on Twitter, but again, just watch for yourself. Ben Rhodes must have consented to this being included in the documentary, so there's that, in any case.

Ben Rhodes reacting to Hillary Clinton's hilarious defeat in 2016 is the funniest part of the new Obama Documentary on HBO.

What makes it even better is throughout the documentary he brags how she is going to win. pic.twitter.com/MGBQNE5ATY

— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) May 30, 2018

Roger Kimball, The Long March

*BUMPED.*

This book is so outstanding, I can't even...

At Amazon, Roger Kimball, The Long March: How the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s Changed America.

Reckoning with 1960s' Cultural Revolution

This a phenomenal essay. Just read the whole thing at the link. Roger Kimball is one of the very best writing and the disasters that have visited our society.

I sometimes wonder if we'll ever turn things around, but then, we did get President Trump?

At Pajamas:

Phenomenal essay. cc. @PatriarchTree #Culture #CulturalRevolution https://t.co/VJ3HHPBX7B

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) June 2, 2018

Celebrities in the White House? The Democrats' Double-Standard (VIDEO)

It's Dana Loesch, appearing this morning on Fox & Friends, discussing Kim Kardashian's visit today to the Trump White House:

Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke: 'Cops Are the Good Guys' (VIDEO)

Via Prager University:

Pat Conroy, Beach Music

I'm currently reading Beach Music.

And I just realized I haven't read anything else of Conroy's besides The Prince of Tides, which was phenomenal.

Here's the current paperback, at Amazon, Pat Conroy, Beach Music: A Novel.

And the mass-market paperback, Beach Music (Paperback).

Shop Today

At Amazon, Today's Deals. New deals. Every day. Shop our Deal of the Day, Lightning Deals and more daily deals and limited-time sales.

And especially, Samsung UE510 LED DISPLAY Monitor, Black, 28" 4K (Certified Refurbished).

More, Samsung UN65MU6300FXZA 65" 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model) Plus Terk Cut-the-Cord HD Digital TV Tuner and Recorder 16GB Hook-Up Bundle.

Also, Buck Knives 110 Famous Folding Hunter Knife with Genuine Leather Sheath - TOP SELLER.

More here, Military Outdoor Clothing Never Issued U.S. Military Canteen.

Also, CLIF Fruit Smoothie Filled - Organic Energy Bar - 3-Flavor Variety Pack - 1.76 Ounce Protein Snack Bar, 12 Count.

Plus, Nestlé Pure Life Bottled Purified Water, 16.9 oz. Bottles, 24/Case.

Still more, Koffee Kult Dark Roast Coffee Beans - Highest Quality Gourmet - Whole Bean Coffee - Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans, 32oz.

BONUS: Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead.

Samantha Hoopes Nevis Trip for 2018 (VIDEO)

She's great!

Charlotte McKinney in Slightly See-Through

At Taxi Driver, "Charlotte McKinney Braless in Slightly See-Through Tank Top."

'Roseanne' Cancelled After Stupid Tweets

Really stupid:

Roseanne Barr was dropped by ICM Partners, the talent agency that represented her https://t.co/t1RZOb8b7B pic.twitter.com/fLigtoCFrx

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 29, 2018

Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger tweeted in support of canceling "Roseanne" https://t.co/t1RZOb8b7B pic.twitter.com/YivntBtAA7

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 29, 2018

'Roseanne' cancellation a huge blow to ABC, but network praised for swift action https://t.co/ZHuTBTCD1X pic.twitter.com/42mAZoWbV7

— LA Unvrz (@LAunvrz) May 30, 2018

It's all political, as I was saying last night on Twitter:

See what happens when tweets and phone calls aren’t suppressed like votes??? KEEP. THAT. SAME. ENERGY. #Roseanne https://t.co/l0BHEZVyck pic.twitter.com/pJjojXHD5k

— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) May 29, 2018

ABC has done the right thing. They’ve stood up against racism. It is our country’s original sin. But this is 2018 and it has no place in the hearts of decent people. Unfortunately our president has stoked these evil fires. If he doesn’t applaud ABC, he will continue to stoke evil

— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) May 29, 2018

Roseanne’s problem turned out to be that she far too authentically represented the actual worldview of a significant chunk of the Trump base.

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) May 30, 2018

#Roseanne effed up. She had to know what would happen by making a stupid crack like that. This is the chance the left was waiting for, and to them, its the beginning of a purge. Trump’s the ultimate target, BAMN. 🤷‍♂️ https://t.co/3H0NzqrD0z

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 30, 2018

Rep. Linda Sánchez Takes the Heat

I use Rep. Rep. Linda Sánchez as an example of newer-style Members of Congress and congressional careers. She represents the 38th district, right next to my college, so she's an interesting example to discuss. Some students live in the district. And she's been in Congress since 2003, so she's got considerable seniority. And of course, she's a Latina.

In any case, she spoke out a year ago about Nancy Pelosi's entrenched leadership, and called for generational change. She's totally right, of course, but now she's in the cross hairs apparently. You know Pelosi's a vindictive bitch, so no matter what happens in the November elections, Sánchez is going to be fighting to keep her spot among the top Democrats in the House.

At Politico, "Highest-ranking Latina braces for backlash over Pelosi snub: Rep. Linda Sánchez called for a new generation of Democratic leadership. Her allies fear it might cost her her own spot in the upper echelon":

Rep. Linda Sánchez called for a new generation of Democratic leadership. Her allies fear it might cost her her own spot in the upper echelon.https://t.co/kO600ptfUm

— POLITICO (@politico) May 30, 2018

Forget Nancy Pelosi. The most endangered member of House Democratic leadership is its most recent entrant and the highest-ranking Latina in Congress, Rep. Linda Sánchez.

As vice chairwoman of the Democratic Caucus, Sánchez occupies the obscure No. 5 spot in Democratic ranks, a position deemed the “potted plant” of leadership by veteran lawmakers. But what is normally a launching pad to greater ambitions could be a blunt end to Sánchez’s so-far promising leadership career as some members have her in their cross hairs come November.

For Sánchez, the trouble started last fall when she shocked the caucus by publicly calling for a change in House Democrats’ leadership regime, long led by Pelosi, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Assistant Minority Leader Jim Clyburn of South Carolina.

It was a sentiment dozens of lawmakers have shared privately — but it was unheard of for a member of leadership to express to the media.

For her part, a defiant Sánchez shrugged off any potential blowback — even if that includes getting booted from leadership.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the future of the caucus,” Sánchez told Politico. “My ultimate goal is to leave behind a stronger Democratic Caucus with an effective majority because I think that would leave the country better off. That’s my ambition for my congressional career.”

The dilemma facing Sánchez is at the heart of tensions within the Democratic Caucus over its static top leadership. Pelosi and her team have made it clear they want to stay in power if Democrats win back the House in November, but their decade-plus reign has left a wake of frustrated younger members with little room to advance.

Sánchez gave voice to frustrations that most members are comfortable expressing only privately, and lawmakers say they’re watching closely to see whether she pays a price for speaking out.

What happens to Sánchez also has significant implications for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and its influence over leadership. She’s not the only prominent member of the group who might want to move up in the ranks where few slots, if any, might be open.

Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico could push for a promotion if his stint as chairman of Democrats’ campaign arm helps them win back the House. Other prominent CHC members, including Reps. Joaquin Castro of Texas and Pete Aguilar of California, are also mentioned in the leadership mix, according to members.

Interviews with 20 Democratic lawmakers and aides indicate an overwhelming sense that Sánchez will face a challenge for her leadership post this fall. But opinions are mixed as to whether she’s built up enough loyalty within the caucus to beat back a potential opponent.

So far, no one has stepped forward to say they are planning to challenge Sánchez. And the California Democrat could even have an opportunity to move up if the top three leaders step aside, especially if Democrats underperform in the midterm elections...

More.

'John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls'

I watched TV all day yesterday, which is unusual for me, since I don't watch that much TV, except for baseball. I recalled that HBO plays the entire 10-part "Band of Brothers" series on Memorial Day, and I tuned in around 9:00am. And once I got going, I couldn't stop watching. I love that show. I love it more than just about anything else ever made.

After it was over on the West Coast, I clicked over to the main HBO channel and caught the new documentary of John McCain. It was surprisingly good. McCain generates intense passion, if not hatred, so folks can just take my word for it, or just watch it and judge for themselves. McCain's a patriot, no doubt. But that doesn't absolve him from the disgusting wishy-washy flip-flopping he's engaged in his entire life, and of which he's now currently engaging with relative gusto. All the bad calls he's made, the one's that don't accord with the radical left's cultural PC dominance, are now jettisoned for the convenience of preserving a legacy. The biggest repudiation he's made is of selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008. Actually, I think that's one of the best things he's ever done. If he hadn't chosen Palin it's likely that Obama would have matched the Electoral College victories of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan in 1972 and 1984, respectively. That is, McCain would have probably one just his home state of Arizona if it wasn't for Palin on the ticket. She energized conservatives around the country and give the GOP a real forward/progressive orientation. Say what you will about Sarah Palin --- not the least of which she was often a policy lightweight --- the woman is genuine and genuinely conservative, and perhaps paved the way for the Trump administration today, and the resurgence of the regular, red-blooded Americanism that has driven the left-wing establishment literally insane since November 8, 2016.

Now John McCain's even saying that his support for the Iraq war was a mistake. Really, really, that's a bridge too far for me. It wasn't a mistake. McCain was right all along, and he would have been right for our country. Islamic State would have never emerged under a McCain presidency. The nucleus of the organization was crushed in the Bush administration's surge. But Barack Obama's precipitous withdrawal, which led to the rise of ISIS and the Syrian civil war and humanitarian crisis, squandered all of the heroic sacrifices made to secure the Iraqi people. McCain's attempt to whitewash his legacy is pathetic.

Sure, he's a genuine war hero. He shouldn't ever be attacked for his service. But his service shouldn't exempt him from criticism of his mistakes, and absolving his mistakes is the central goal of "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

Here's his latest book, if you're a fan, The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations.

And the preview:

Sofia Richie Bikini Shots

At Drunken Stepfather, "SOFIA RICHIE IN A BIKINI STEP MOM-ING OF THE DAY."

Adam Alter, Irresistible

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Adam Alter, Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked.

Sherry Turkle, Alone Together

At Amazon, Sherry Turkle, Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other.

Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans

Here's Brian Kilmeade's new book, at Amazon, Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America's Destiny.

And at Prager University:

Unconscious Bias Training

I've been boycotting Starbucks for a while. The company's closing 8,000 stores today for "unconscious bias training," which sounds like a joke to me and won't change my mind. In fact, it makes me even less likely to go there for a cup of coffee: too left wing.

At USA Today, "Starbucks anti-bias training: Here's what to expect as the coffee chain closes 8,000 stores."

Critics and Historians Pick Philip Roth's Best Book

This is really great.

At the New York Times, "Philip Roth’s Best Book":

Philip Roth’s Best Book:
Gary Shteyngart, Richard Ford, Ron Chernow, Lorrie Moore, Stephen King, Michael Lewis, Joseph O’Neill on their favorite Roth books. https://t.co/Xixsh8NeYc

— Michiko Kakutani (@michikokakutani) May 25, 2018

The death of Philip Roth this week led to near instantaneous debate about which of his books was his best. There was the transgressive Roth; the epic, historical Roth; the personal, memoiristic Roth; the postmodernist playful Roth. His genius has been an inspiration and a prod to a few generations of writers now. And it usually comes down to the individual book, that one book, which first opened their mouths in awe.

In that spirit, we asked a number of great, contemporary novelists, critics and historians, to make their own case for Roth’s greatest book. It’s silly to have to choose, of course, but for those only now coming to his work, consider these good places to start.

Jonah Goldberg, Suicide of the West

*BUMPED.*

Available now, at Amazon, Jonah Goldberg, Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics is Destroying American Democracy.

Steven Saylor, Roma

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Steven Saylor, Roma: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Novels of Ancient Rome).

Also, Empire: The Novel of Imperial Rome.

These two are grand sweeping epics, covering centuries. Start with Saylor as you jump into this fiction literature on Ancient Rome. Saylor and then Colleen McCullough.

Elisabeth Moss Has Complete Control Over Her Nude Scenes in 'The Handmaid's Tale'

At WWTDD, "Elisabeth Moss in Complete Control of Selling Her Nude Body."

Lilith Saintcrow, Afterwar

First there was Omar El Akkad's, American War. And now here comes another in this burgeoning genre.

At Amazon, Lilith Saintcrow, Afterwar: A Novel.

Jennifer Delacruz's Sunday Forecast

It's the May Gray weather, and it's lingering.

But Ms. Jennifer looks fantastic in that white dress.

At ABC News 10 San Diego:

Danica Patrick's Seen as Role Model, Though Critics See Her as Under-Performing

This is interesting. At LAT, "Danica Patrick's final race at Indy 500 comes with a hotly debated legacy":

Danica Patrick's race car is painted in a lustrous neon green one last time, a hue that ensures its "look at me" quality even when the car is a 230-mph blur.

The color is apropos of Patrick and her racing career, which she's ending Sunday with a final attempt to win the Indianapolis 500, the race that initially made her famous in 2005.

From that race forward, Patrick — often driving the shiny green car favored by her and her longtime main sponsor, the web services firm GoDaddy Inc. — has been the driver everyone watched, analyzed and endlessly debated.

That was due not only to her on-track achievements as a female in a male-dominated sport, but also to her relentless self-promotion, which together earned her the one-name celebrity of being simply "Danica."

"I can't think of a better way to end my racing career than at Indianapolis for the 500," the 36-year-old Patrick said in an interview. "I can't think of a more cool way to be done.

"I mean, to finish up at a place that has so many good memories for me, and at the biggest race of the year for Indy cars and arguably the biggest race of the year, period," she said.

Patrick achieved several firsts as a woman in the IndyCar and NASCAR racing series, and in doing so became a role model for countless young women and their parents who admired her feats, tough persona and unflagging determination.

No less than seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson tweeted earlier this year: "Thank you @danicapatrick for being a strong role model to the little girls in my life," referring to his two young daughters.

Patrick's fame also was burnished by her blunt, outspoken manner, her savvy marketing of her personal "brand" that earned her millions of dollars in endorsements, and by the outsized media attention she always received.

Patrick's overall record on the track was middling; she had one victory in 13 years of big-league racing. That fueled the debate about whether she deserved the attention she received and made the Roscoe, Ill., native one of the most polarizing figures in sports.

"I don't know that we've seen someone who is so popular when not performing as well," said Greg Goldring, senior director of sports and entertainment at the Marketing Arm, a marketing agency.

Her impact on motor racing will be argued long after the 102nd running of the iconic race, one of the biggest one-day sporting events in the world. Patrick is adamant that she's not going to just circle the track as more than 250,000 spectators and millions more on television look on.

"I'm here to win the race," she said...

In California, Democrats Go All-Out to Avoid Disaster

We have the top-two "jungle primary" in the Golden State nowadays, and with Democrats worried about a crowded field, Republicans are in the driver's seat. This is cracking me up, actually.

At NYT, "Democrats Go All-Out to Avoid Disaster in California House Races":

NEW: Democrats fear they are up the creek in Rohrabacher’s seat and could face same fate in Issa district, too.

From the OC to La Jolla, on the $4M (!) rescue mission to keep em in play >https://t.co/KAXFMSHS2b

— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) May 26, 2018

IRVINE, Calif. — National Democrats, confronting mushrooming political chaos across Southern California, are pouring millions of dollars into congressional races to avert a self-inflicted disaster that could undermine their chances at taking control of the House.

After months of optimism that the state’s June 5 primary would position them to pick off seven Republican-held districts in November — a substantial down payment on reclaiming the House — Democrats are now trying to ensure that they do not hurt themselves because of their unusually crowded slates of candidates.

With so many Democrats running, the party’s fear is that the vote will be splintered, allowing Republicans — who have fewer candidates — to dominate some primaries. The party and allied groups are spending more than $4 million on just three campaigns, intervening in one contest to prop up a favored candidate; attacking a Republican from the right in another; and even reminding people not to waste their votes on “ghost candidates” who have dropped out yet remain on the ballot.

As any progressive activist will explain through gnashed teeth, the head-snapping scramble is because of the state’s “top two” open primary system, which allows the two leading vote-getters — regardless of political parties — to advance to the general election.

The “top two” system was meant to create incentives for political moderation in a state where about a quarter of the voters are independents, but it has created immense stakes for Democrats: They need to win 23 seats to take back the House, and party officials believe the path runs through the seven competitive California districts, all of which Hillary Clinton carried in 2016.

“It’s a disaster,” Gail Reisman, a retired gerontologist and Toronto native who lives in Representative Dana Rohrabacher’s district, said after attending a candidate forum Tuesday. “If we have two Republicans running I think I’m going back to Canada.”

After three of the Democrats opposing Mr. Rohrabacher had taken a turn speaking at the forum, held at a synagogue, the moderator briefly came back on stage to alert the audience that the parking lot was so crowded the police intended to ticket those cars parked more creatively than legally.

The overflow of Priuses and Mercedes was a particularly vivid reminder of the California candidate logjam. Confusion and frustration among Democrats here only seems to grow by the day, as the state and national party back different contenders and spending sprays forth like an out-of-control garden hose. Some voters are not sure who to back to feel confident that a Democrat will advance past June 5, and they increasingly worry that Republicans will foil the party’s chances to stop President Trump’s agenda in the House next year.

The painful twist is that what seemed like the Democrats’ most valuable asset in the midterm campaign — the wave of liberal activism unleashed by President Trump — has metastasized into a mortal threat because of the glut of candidates.

Nowhere is the danger more acute than in a pair of contiguous districts that stretch from Orange County’s Seal Beach down the Pacific coastline to the cliffs of La Jolla.

It is here where national Democrats, deeply concerned their voters are scattered among little-known House candidates, are staging a rescue mission to ensure they are not locked out this fall in Mr. Rohrabacher’s district and the one farther south held by Representative Darrell Issa, a Republican who is retiring.

Opposition research and hard-edge direct mail pieces are flying between candidates, too, some of them tinged with accusations of #metoo impropriety. But surveys show many of the candidates bunched together in the teens and few operatives have a firm grasp for what will unfold...

Democrats' Counterintelligence Operation Against Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign

It's Sharyl Attkisson, at the Hill, "8 signs pointing to a counterintelligence operation deployed against Trump's campaign":

My latest in The Hill: 8 signs pointing to a counterintelligence operation deployed against Trump's campaign https://t.co/CHyDoeHDpb

— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) May 23, 2018

It may be true that President Trump illegally conspired with Russia and was so good at covering it up he’s managed to outwit our best intel and media minds who've searched for irrefutable evidence for two years. (We still await special counsel Robert Mueller’s findings.)

But there’s a growing appearance of alleged wrongdoing equally as insidious, if not more so, because it implies widespread misuse of America’s intelligence and law enforcement apparatus.

Here are eight signs pointing to a counterintelligence operation deployed against Trump for political reasons...

Keep reading.

Jay Leno’s Garage: Hellcat-Powered Toyota PriuSRT8 (VIDEO)

This is crazy lol.

Via Theo Spark.

Charles Frazier, Varina

At Amazon, Charles Frazier, Varina: A Novel.

Neal Stephenson, The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.

*BUMPED.*

Neal Stephenson, The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.: A Novel.

ICYMI: Matthew Sullivan, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Matthew Sullivan, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore.

Sarah Perry, The Essex Serpent

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Sarah Perry, The Essex Serpent: A Novel.

Richard White, The Republic for Which It Stands

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Richard White, The Republic for Which It Stands: The United States during Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, 1865-1896.

New Nina Agdal Bikini Shots

On Instagram.

And at Drunken Stepfather, "NINA AGDAL ASS IN A BIKINI OF THE DAY":

Just because you were in Sports Illustrated it’s final years, before it shuts down like Interview magazine….doesn’t mean you’re shit…even if you can scam 100k a year from bikini lines who also believe your lie.

She dumped her miami boyfriend for LEO DICAPRIO because she’s that much of a delusional idiot, who thought she was hot enough to have a chance, probably because she’s knows he is gay and that she’s big and dude like…

Just a garbage opportunist, who at least knows to cover up that face…in her bikini selfies of self promotion she’s onto.