Pollard "Analysis" In The Times

Jodi Rudoren of the NY Times pretends to analyze the possible parole of convicted spy Kenneth Pollard:

Spy’s Release Is Unlikely to Assuage Israel on Iran Nuclear Deal

JERUSALEM — The two issues with perhaps the broadest consensus and resonance in Israeli politics are opposition to the Iran nuclear deal and support for the release of Jonathan J. Pollard, the convicted Israeli spy, from a North Carolina prison. Now the two could be tied together, as some in Washington appear to be highlighting Mr. Pollard’s likely parole in November in hopes of quieting the vigorous campaign by Israel and some of its American supporters against congressional approval of the deal.

But while Mr. Pollard has long been bandied about as a potential diplomatic chit the United States might use to force Israeli concessions, analysts said Saturday that such a linkage had little chance of working now, and could instead provoke a backlash.

Oh for heaven's sake - releasing Pollard wouldn't be about changing minds in Israel; it would be about changing votes in Congress. If it provokes an Israeli backlash, then so much the better for Team Obama, which will highlight their own attempts to be reasonable in contrast to increased Israeli intransigence.

In a twenty-two paragraph article, paragraph seven touches briefly in the domestic political implications:

That spin may be aimed not at Israel but at Democratic — and Jewish — lawmakers like Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, who has long lobbied for Mr. Pollard’s release and could be among the pivotal votes in Congress on Iran. Even if it does not change either the substance or the tenor of criticism of the nuclear deal, freeing Mr. Pollard would at least remove one item from the lengthy list of complaints about Mr. Obama by Israelis and their backers.

The article does eventually note that as favors go, releasing Pollard now doesn't count for much:

As the clock ticks toward the 30th anniversary of his arrest — at the time, parole was generally mandated after 30 years for federal inmates serving life sentences — the value inevitably drops. Amir Oren, a journalist who has covered the case from its first day, said Israelis would “pocket this gesture; they will not even agree that it’s a gesture, they will say it’s a make-believe gesture because he was going to be released anyway.”

Mr. Pollard will hit the thirty-year mark and be eligible for parole this November. My casual and uninformed impression is that denying him parole would be unusual and not politically astute for an Administration that is straining to put Gitmo terrorists back on the battlefield. But I don't pretend to be smart enough to be a progressive advisor to Obama.

Comments

[GMax]

OH Yeah first again

[Jane]

I have no idea how I feel about Pollard. I'm not a fan of treason, but the double standards in this issue are ridiculous.

[Jack is Back!]

We've had Ivan the Terrible, Vlad the Impaler, Richard the Lionheart and now we have Barack the Naive.

[Jack is Back!]

Analysis - U.S., Iran Finesse Inspections of Military Sites in Nuclear Deal.

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN0PP2TK20150715?irpc=932&utm_content=bufferf874b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Asked if Washington expected Tehran to honour demands for access, and hence avoid any need to reimpose U.N. sanctions, a senior U.S. official told Reuters: "I hope so."

As Chuck Knox famously told his Rams team: "Those who live in hope die in shit.'

[Jeff Dobbs]

New CNN/ORC poll now included in the RCP average.

Trump 18
Bush 15
Walker 10

Carly only got 1%.

The average of the last 5 polls:

1 Trump 19.2
2 Bush 13.4
3 Walker 12.6
4 Rubio 7
5 Carson 6
6 Huckabee 5.8
7 Paul 5.6
8 Cruz 5
9 Christie 3.2
10 Kasich 2.4
11 Perry 2
12 Santorum 1.4
13 Fiorina 1.4
14 Jindal 1.2
15 Graham 0.2

[Jeff Dobbs]

Actually, RCP lists 6 polls in its average - and I took the top 5. Except, polls 5 and 6 both took place over the same number of days. Doesn't change the order above, but it gives or takes a couple tenths of a point from some candidates when you include all 6 polls.

[squaredance]

Oh, Obama is not being naive.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Hey look, I can sign in with my tyepapd profile again.

Yay.

[matt]

Another meaningless gesture. He's good at that and at pissing off his hosts when he travels. Other than that, he's good for nothing.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Well, ok.

The CNN/ORC poll also found that 15 percent want Trump to run as a third-party candidate, something the billionaire businessman has threatened to do if the Republican National Committee, which has urged Trump to tone down his rhetoric, does not treat him fairly.

How many of that 15% are Dems wanting him to run solely to provide interference for Hillary?

If I was giving answers to a poll and there was a question about Bernie Sanders running as an independent, I'd say hell yes.

[Cispigmented Heteronormative Microagressive Ignatz]

I question polls conducted by Orcs.

[Cispigmented Heteronormative Microagressive Ignatz]

Naive?

More like, Barack the Sarcoma.
A soft malignancy that destroys its host from the inside.

[Jeff Dobbs]

I'm so disillusioned.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/25/bernie-sanders-demands-15-per-hour-minimum-wage-pays-his-own-interns-12-per-hour/

[Jane]

It would be interesting if Trump and Bernie run as third (and 4th) party candidates. That certainly would be a good warning to both parties.

[clarice]

Sucha cynic, TM. (XOXO)

[Tom Bowler]

I predict Trump will run as a third party candidate. His job is to get Hillary elected.

[Miss Marple]

I predict that if Trump runs as a 3rd party, he will draw black voters more than the dems realize.

[narciso]

Rudoren is the lead Carlos slim Israel correspondent so remove all doubt right there

[Buckeye]

I predict if Trump runs as a third party candidate, Shrillary will provide all the enhanced personal secirity he will need.

[Jack is Back!]

For GUS and the other "pickers" out there.

When Bob Dylan Went Electric. 50 years ago at Newport he strapped on a Stratocaster and got booed. [Its behind the WSJ paywall, but you all know the google trick].

http://www.wsj.com/articles/when-bob-dylan-went-electric-1437432312?mod=e2tw

[Jane]

Hey Tom, nice to see you. A few people on the NR crew believe you and make a hell of a case.

BTW Pat Caddell and John Sununu almost came to blows over the state of government. It was fabulous.

[Tom Bowler]

Interesting point, Miss Marple. What do you suppose the result of that draw on black voters might be?

[Tom Bowler]

Hi Jane, how've you been? Too bad I missed the Caddell/Sununu dust up. Was it Sununu the elder? By the way, how do you feel about Rick Perry this time around?

[Jane]

It was Sununu the elder, who never said so, but is shilling for Jeb.

I like Perry - a lot. I think he is right on the money. But I'm a Walker girl.

How about you?

(crew should be cruise)

[rich@gmu]

afternoon all.

[rich@gmu]

Prayers for a speedy recovery jimmyk. was catching up on the previous threads and hope you feel better soon.

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

Sununu was the only member of Team Willard that seemed to understand that you win by confronting your ideological opponents rather than playing nice nice with them. Too bad he's aligned with GOPe candidates.

What were he and Caddell at odds over?

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

For the second time, what is ailing jimmyk?

[rse]

Lyme. He was bitten, but quickly put on antibiotics.

[jimmyk on iPad]

Hey, CH, too many threads, I answered you in the last one. Apparently Lyme disease. On 3 weeks of antibiotics, felt lousy the last couple of days, but doing better this afternoon. Thanks, rich and others.

[DrJ]

CH, potential Lyme's disease.

[rse]

And can clearly answer for himself.

Glad it was caught so quickly. Coherent economic thinkers are so hard to find these days. We can't have our favorite ailing.

[Jane]

Lyme sucks Jimmy. Hope you feel better.

[Miss Marple]

There is a real animosity between the black and Hispanic (Mexican) communities. I first became aware of this when my son worked landscaping. There is a landscaping firm here in town that is run by a black guy and he will ONLY hire black guys. His entire crew would bother my son's Mexican crew when they worked out at the airport, sabotaging them and calling names and such.

The Hispanaics think the blacks are lazy. The blacks think the Hispanics are stealing jobs.

This is what my son told me from his experience. In Indianapolis the neighborhoods are pretty much separate.

So, going on my personal experience, blacks may gravitate to Trump to stick it to Hispanics and make sure no more get in.

In addition, Trump is a celebrity on TV and he is rich, so uneducated emotional voters may think that magic will happen, just like they thought with Obama.

I realize this sounds racist but it is only based on what my son reported. I do think Trump running as a 3rd party might actually draw from blacks and white working class dems, especially if Hillary is the candidate.

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

Best wishes for as quick of a recovery as possible. I apologize for missing the earlier response.

[daddy]

Just starting catch-up and reading Miss Marple's Douthat link about abortion. Just a question. I don't smoke, but currently in America, do our cigarette packs and cigarette cartons have repulsive photos of cancer victims on the covers?

I ask, because every time we leave Penang Malaysia, we do so right in front of the Cigarette Duty Free shop, and the entire glass window that stares at us from 3 feet away as we run our bags thru the metal detector, is full of cartons with stomach turning, horrific images of cancer victims. I couldn't imagine buying a pack after looking at that grisly display. Do we do that on American cigarettes? I can't recall when's the last time I've even seen cigarettes out on display for sale in this country. It's as if they've disappeared.

[Tom Bowler]

I'm with you on that, Jane. I like Perry, but I like Walker better. I think he is the only serious contender who is likely to make any meaningful, positive change in Washington. I suspect rest of them will do little more than tinker at the edges. Like Rubio. His tax proposal was a huge disappointment.

[Miss Marple]

daddy,

No, there are just messages about cancer and birth defects and stuff. No pictures. I believe there was at one time a push to put those pictures on but it got quashed by the tobacco lobby.

[rse]

Tom-I listened to Rubio's ed plans the other night when he was on Bret Baire and they were stupid. Someone in his circle must have a large financial stake in on-line coursework.

[Miss Marple]

Fiorina was quite good on Fox News Sunday. I encourage people to find the repeat on Fox News Channel or look for it on line.

[squaredance]

Well, Trump does not have to run a 3rd party, and if it does it is because the GOP blew it.

I really do not think that he consciously acting as sort of agent provocateur, shill or stalking horse for Hillary, though if left to run a 3rd party/independent run he well might have that effect.

I suggest that people watch his recent speech in Iowa--he is definitely tapping into something huge, and does not come off as insincere about it either.

The GOP need to deal with him intelligently, and honestly and if necessary, offer some sort of cabinet position. I do not possibly see him in a VP slot--his instincts for self-promotion would just sabotage the ticket.

If the GOP insisted on cleaving to the CoC and treating the rest of us like we are children, then they deserve what they get.

If they think that the gravy-train will be there for them on the other side of 4 to 8 years of another Democrat POTUS (does not matter who) then they are fools, and we are fools to support them.

This is working out to be a fundamental test of what the GOP is all about. High are the stakes this time around.

They need to stop the marketeering and do a little soul searching. If all they stand for is getting their piece of the action, then so be it.

[daddy]

Thanks, Miss M.

Well they sure are repulsive when you have to look at them to get through Customs. Very effective in turning me off from having anything to do with them. You walk through the airport and it's 90% big beautiful photos of supermodels selling watches or perfume, then you come to the cigarette counter and immediately feel like retching.

I don't know if abortion videos are easily available on the Internet, but if not I'd consider that odd, since videos of beheadings and tossing gays off rooftops are posted every few weeks for anyone to click on.

"Out of sight, out of mind," I suppose.

[Tom Bowler]

Your analysis doesn't sound racist to me, Miss Marple, although the landscapers your son describes might be. I'd like to think you're right, but I'm not so confident that Trump will be that big of an attraction to the black voters.

On Fox News Sunday this morning George Will mentioned Trump's contributions to Schumer, Reid, Pelosi, and the Clinton Foundation. He should be running as a Democrat.

[Miss Marple]

http://www.vice.com/read/the-strange-tale-of-the-british-soldier-who-killed-nazis-with-a-sword-and-a-longbow?utm_source=vicetwitterus

Boy, would I have liked to have met this guy. I may buy the book about him.

[rich@gmu]

quashed as in the FDA rule went to the DC circuit and was struck down. iirc Australia also as notorious, grim packaging.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration

[squaredance]

Well, I am not surprised that he made those. He does business in all the Blue Hells, and henis based in NYC, and it is almost impossible to do any higher level of business in NYC without contributing to Democrat politicians. As a businessman, Trump knows the game, and is a player.

His donations are across the board and it is hard to separate out business from politics in these.

See here.

(Note that at the link it details that he gave $10k to Weaker in his last run.)

[Buckeye]

squaredance

How about Trump as Ambassador to Mexico:)

[daddy]

You guys are probably way ahead of me on this but a FOX update just said this:

Sunday Drama In The Senate:

We are awaiting a vote any minute now during a rare Sunday session in the Senate. Lawmakers are trying to get the Highway Funding Bill passed before the looming deadline on July 31st. Senate Majority Leader McConnell bringing to a vote 2 Amendments that are attached to the Bill. The ObamaCare Amendment failed to pass. The other one deals with the controversial Export/Import Bank.

Guess we have that to watch and have explained to us later today.

[Miss Marple]

Am listening to Dorothy Rabinowitz, who seems to not think most people are angry with he government. I think she is in the bubble as well, which I am sad about as I always considered her pretty sharp.

People are angry, no doubt.

Common Core
Food prices
Crappy job outlook
Obamacare
Terrorism
Black rioting
Blacks are mad about perceived persecution
LGBT in everyone's faces
Worry about stock market

Obama lecturing us every damn day about how smart he is and how stupid and racist and greedy we are

Confederate flags removed
PC stuff on ESPN
Catlyn Jenner

Everyone in DC telling us we're stupid and don't know what we are talking about

Planned Parenthood selling baby parts
Student loans
Low interest rates on savings accounts
Taxes
Immigration
Immigrant criminals killing people

Need I go on? If you're not angry you either are totally clueless or think these issues won't affect you, in which case you are stupid.

I am sure there are more things to be angry about. I just dashed these off because I was so upset at Rabinowitz.

[Cispigmented Heteronormative Microagressive Ignatz]

There has been a long simmering feud between Asians and blacks but it hasn't seemed to translate into anything other than separate but equal Dem votes.

[Miss Marple]

I see Black Brunch finally quit for a while. Shame. I thought it would be instructive for more progs to be harrassed at brunch by these people.

The Asian thing might change, Iggy, as nothing concentrates the mind like the prospect of your business going up in smoke.

[Captain Hate]

Want some summer music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWw55XhTehg

[Cispigmented Heteronormative Microagressive Ignatz]

Maybe Dorothy Rabinowitz is like a latter day Pauline Kael; she's just never met anyone who wanted to shoot a Dem and a Republican (or three, or four, or...) even though there are millions of us out here.

[Tom Bowler]

RSE, I didn't catch Rubio on FNC and I haven't been hearing (or reading) much about him lately. He seemed like such a bright star for a while there, but maybe a lot of people are reacting to his proposals the way you and I have.

[daddy]

Captain,

Thanks for your always enjoyable and insightful "play by play" of FOX News Sunday.I look forward now to it every Sunday like I look forward to Clarice's Pieces.

Currently watching the WSJ FOX Show discussing the candidates:

Dorothy Rabinowitz: If I had my way as a citizen I'd be happy to see Lindsay Graham in the top tier. (she likes him on foreign policy) But it's not going to happen.

She also says that this Traditional Marriage position of Walker's campaign is a negative:

I have to say that when you count Walker in the top tier, the more I listen to him the more I think this is going to be a problem. He announced for one thing his willingness, were he President, to have States vote on whether you could have "One Man, One Woman." This is the kind of polarizing reach out that is not going to play well.

I guess she believes the country has shifted and the Traditional Marriage bandwagon has passed. She's probably correct, especially with the Millennial voters.

[Jane]

Except he's the only one who has it right on foreign policy.

Make him Secretary of State.

[Captain Hate]

Moar summer music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16qsYreBJZE

[Captain Hate]

Thank you for that high praise, daddy. Believe me, it's fun for me.

[squaredance]

Well, he would actually do a good job there with Mexico: they need to be stood on their head, but of course, that is too low level for Trump, or so I would think.

It would be hilarious to see him as Sec. of the Treasury or Secretary of Labor, but I doubt that the GOP establishment are capable of that sort of subtle wit (though he would do a good job).

My guess is over at Commerce would be best.

I really suggest you listen to that speech he gave in Iowa (it is on Youtube somewhere). Really his spiel has broadened very much from the immigration issue, and there is a lot of focus on trade, and how we have given away the store in negotiations and practice.

He is not putting out the standard globalist cant, and people respond to that.

I was sort of surprised at the style: some might call it "rambling", but it is very colloquial, and not condescending at all. Middle class, normal people respond to it, and are sick of the false humility they get out of politicians--they have been burned so many times.

Trump certainly loves Trump, but it comes across more as entrepreneurial self confidence. It is several levels down from the Egomania of Obama, Kerry or the Clintons (really, any promenade Democrat), and not nearly as condescending as Jeb comes off (at least to me). I was rather surprised at how well he worked the audience, how well he connected. It had an odd resonance: It did not feel like the standard stump speech at all.

He is on to something; he has tapped into something. It is not superficial, and his audience are not nutters or fringe sorts. Trump is not going to just fade away, and the coastal pundits in their PC bubbles do not understand that what the think as "Gaffes" are really not seen that way by a good many voters.

[clarice]

Most people polled know nothing about Trump except for his tv appearances and b.s. His positions on most matters are a mystery and his personal life --i.e. 12 bankruptcies, contributions and kissing up yo Clinton--are out of their thoughts at the moment. Plus, he's a loose cannon likely to shoot himself in the foot before November.

[daddy]

One point about Trump I was surprised at was that on one of the Talk Shows the Host said Trump does not drink alcohol.

I can understand that with a Mormon like Mitt, but I find it odd in a guy like Trump. I would have thought he would occasionally imbibe some very classy liquor. Perhaps, like Richard Feynman, he woke up one day and decided from here on out he wants a clear head due to all his business dealings.

Who else in the political class doesn't hit the bottle now and again? I know W didn't drink, but I thought that was because after some hard binge Laura Bush told him "No More."

[Vox Populi distrusts the talking heads.]

More likely he will be shot down by the Press, and those who like him will take it out on the remaining Republicans rather than the Press.

[Old Lurker]

MM, you must add #18Trillion in stated debt plus another 75T in promises that cannot be met to future retirees and unionized govt workers.

How about using the IRS blatantly to go after political opponents?

How about a JustUs system which targets only those deemed politically appropriate?

How about an America where most of the population is sucking off less than half of the others?

How about making the country a toothless tiger on the world stage in one presidency?

Yes, you can go on and on.

[rich@gmu]

great pieces this morning Clarice. wonder week in review.

[daddy]

And just as a simple point, how the hell can Hillary or anyone tell us that nobody ever sent classified material to her private website? Receiving incoming is something that is totally out of control of the receiver. Only the sender is responsible for that. Hell, I've probably received "classified info" on my work e-mail.

Claiming to have never received incoming messages on a private website is as idiotic as TM saying no troll has ever posted at the free forum of JOM. Ask Huma's hubby, Anthony Weiner, about how much control private websites have about not receiving unwanted e-mails.

Why isn't that simple point brought up by all the Talking Heads I hear yapping all day long?

[sbw]

jummyk: Somehow got a bite on my back, probably hiking in the Berkshires.

Those Massachusetts liberals. Can’t turn your back on them.

[Carly might be smart enough to do that. Who else?]

The Republicans, instead of harnessing his strength, will try to emasculate it. Find the one who can figure out how to harness him to his/her campaign.

[Tom Bowler]

He does business in all the Blue Hells, and henis based in NYC, and it is almost impossible to do any higher level of business in NYC without contributing to Democrat politicians. As a businessman, Trump knows the game, and is a player.

Trump does seem comfortable with crony capitalism -- in my opinion anyway.

No doubt, the GOP should deal with Trump honestly and intelligently, but even if the RNC extends him every courtesy I still expect him to run on a third party ticket after he loses in the Republican primaries. We shall see.

[One or two smart people thought that was secure, too.]

Yeah, daddy, foolish on the face of it. It amazed me she even contends that there was no classified material.

Better for her to claim she thought it was secure. The public would buy that, particularly after the Office of Personnel Management hack.

[squaredance]

Dorothy Rabinowitz is really an "Old style" Liberal--what would be a slightly Left of center Democrat in the 1960s or 1950s; a sort of "Kennedy Democrat". She is not a Marxist and not a totalitarian, but she cannot connect the dots so far as the Neo-Gramscianism, Marxist-Leninist take over of the Democrat party goes, and cannot see the connection between economic and cultural Marxism, and their destructive effects.

Thus she no doubt sees some of what goes on on the Left as immature excesses in what is otherwise a reasonable shift to her notion of "Liberalism". Resistance to gay marriage to her no doubt has allows seemed hindbound.

If you look back at her courageous stand against the bizarre episode of "sexual abuse of children" hysteria, a stand that made her bones as a journalist, you will see that she really characterized it as "mass hysteria", to a degree prodded by the press, but only to a degree, and does not consider the possibility that this hysteria might arise from the role of the state, or the various PC false consciousnesses and "social movements" foisted on us by the Left. She cannot understand that this "Hysteria" is yet another political attack on society meant to destabilize and dishearten.

But I must agree with Miss Marple: the coastal elites (of both parties) are really out of touch and do not understand at all the very high level of anger, and even desperation out there.

The Left is besotted on their own PR, but the victories of today may prove fleeting as Pyrrhic.

[Jeff Dobbs]

CH:
the only member of Team Willard that seemed to understand that you win by confronting your ideological opponents rather than playing nice nice with them.

But Perry was wrong in taking on Trump from an ideological perspective? He should have played nice nice with him?

There are tactics and strategy, to be sure. I'm not sure we all understand the difference when we start throwing around jabs about candidates doing this or that.

I mean, I really thought that JOM would be a fertile ground for discussing how Trump went after Walker yesterday. But no one really seemed interested.

Trump Good. Walker Good. Trump attacks Walker.

No discussion.

[It was allegiance, it was, and was all along.]

Nope, Tom, the smart Republican will partner with him, promise him something.

Heh, like letting him investigate Obama's birth certificate.

[clarice]

Mostly dead's not dead..(Princess Bride)http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/senate-advances-export-import-bank-lifeline/article/2568997

[Wot it is all about.]

He will make a deal. Just you watch.

[daddy]

Well our $1 Billion Dollars spent in Kenya wasn't a complete waste.

We got to watch the President Dance with a Kenyan Rapper:

and we learned about 2 Kenyan women giving birth, and naming their babies "Air Force One!"

“I have been told that it is the best aeroplane because it carries a very powerful leader of America who is also a Kenyan,” Lucy Atieno said.

[And the winner is.....]

Ha ha ha, probably a deal with Jeb's peeps.

[Cispigmented Heteronormative Microagressive Ignatz]

--Trump Good. Walker Good. Trump attacks Walker.

No discussion.--

Didn't Walker's guy get things started by insulting Trump first or did I misread that?

[Jack is Back!]

daddy,

You don't remember Trump Vodka?

His brother Fred died of alcoholism. That's why.

[Rick Ballard]

Jeff,

What? You mean you've actually read the "right track wrong track" numbers and the 16% approval rating of Congress and figured out the vein Donny Kardashian has tapped by biting off the head of a different Republican chicken every week?

You don't think the Howard Beale Moment is eternal?

[daddy]

His brother Fred died of alcoholism. That's why.

Thanks, Jack. Good explanation.

[rich@gmu]

for the H!'s denials, we would have to undertake the laborious process of Clintonian parsing to figure out her real meaning ... definition of "is" and "servers" and all that.

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

I didn't think Perry attacked Trump from an ideological standpoint as much as go after him with ham fisted insults. I thought it was a perfect opportunity for him to invite Trump down to see first hand what he's dealing with.

[Horse and carriage.]

Perhaps Walker won't bite back and the Donald will be amazed, chagrined, and favorably impressed.

[Tom Bowler]

"He will make a deal. Just you watch."

Yeah, but I think he already made the deal. With Hillary. I hope he didn't, but I'm guessing he did.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Sure, Ig - some Walker fundraiser guy "started" it in some email.

No, but seriously, imagine President Trump...........

Aide: "We need to go down to the situation room about the latest ISIS bombing"

Trump: "Not now! Somebody on the internet just insulted me!!!!! He's gonna wish he'd never been born after I'm done tweeting...."

[jimmyk]

Lawmakers are trying to get the Highway Funding Bill passed before the looming deadline on July 31st.

No one in the GOP asks whether we really even need a Highway Funding Bill? From news accounts, it's "a six-year, $47 billion highway funding bill to help states repair crumbling roads and bridges throughout the nation." States can't do this themselves?

[clarice]

Can we start a date Trump will self-immolate poll?

[daddy]

Cruz: "I stood up and I asked the Majority Leader, very directly, "What was the Deal that was just cut on TPA, and was there a deal on the Export/Import Bank?" It was a direct question. I asked the majority Leader in front of all of the Republican Senators. The Majority Leader was visibly angry with me that I would ask such a question. And the Majority leader looked at me and said:

"There is no Deal
There is no Deal
There is no Deal."

Like St Peter he repeated it 3 times.

From Clarice's link above:

Senate advances Export-Import Bank lifeline:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., kept a promise made to Democrats earlier this year that in exchange for their support on an important trade deal, he would allow a vote on a measure to extend the bank.

[It probably was. Dying laffing, here.]

Heh, Hillary should've claimed she thought her private server was more secure than the State Department's.

[Give him a little credit. He can see impending bankruptcy.]

Tom, why would he make a deal with that loser?

[rich@gmu]

kim-

good help is so hard to find these days ... why couldn't we go back to the days where the servers knew their place.

[jimmyk]

I mean, I really thought that JOM would be a fertile ground for discussing how Trump went after Walker yesterday. But no one really seemed interested.

I for one have Trump fatigue. Some wag suggested a while back that the only way to get Trump out of the MSM spotlight would be to have a video of him selling baby parts.

Trump: "Not now! Somebody on the internet just insulted me!!!!! He's gonna wish he'd never been born after I'm done tweeting...."

Yep, Trump acts like a 16-year-old in responding to every criticism with a playground retort. I suspect he's gotten it in his head that it's part of his appeal. It will wear thin, if it hasn't already.

[jimmyk]

Can we start a date Trump will self-immolate poll?

Or better: Who will self-immolate first, Hillary! or Trump?

[Firebird.]

clarice, he's already self-immolated. Ask anyone.

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

That would be a great response on multiple levels, Kim; too bad the boozy crone's synapses have precluded anything so lucid.

[squaredance]

Actually, on the GOP side, they know more about Trump than any other candidate, and cannot help but know about things like the bankruptcies (and the bankruptcies are not really going to matter at all to a substantial amount of people; all of these things that the coastals are throwing at him are really tone deaf to what is going on here. It is comic to see their consternation at this simple fact; nothing is sticking. Besides, very few think that Jeb, for example is squeaky clean. The Clintons?)

And he addresses these things in his speeches well enough to satisfy his supported. I am surprised how effective he is with this. Face it: Trump is thus far playing the MSM and not the other way around.

Again, it is misjudgement to talk about his gaffes, as outside the coast they are not seen as that at all.

Loose cannot? Well thus far it is his battle ship, it is not an appropriate metaphor really. Now playing along with the party down the line, that is another issue. Right now he is coming across a as a savvy, street smart outside: a non-politician. This is part of his allure.

If you listen to his "attack" on Walker, it is really no worse than Walker's "attack" on him.

I strongly suggest that people drop their prejudices and listen to him. He is on to something. He is working it. It is not going away and he is no fool.

It is true that he probably cannot get enough support to go the full distance, but that is beside the point.

The point is that the GOP needs to deal with this intelligently and, again, honestly.

Thus far they have been fumbling. SO has the MSM. Niether have made a dent and it is just playing into Trumps hands.

The GOP have potentially a real problem on tier hands. They need to stop a 3rd party run by Trump, but not PO his supporters.

It is quite doable, but not they way they are doing it now.

[Miss Marple]

Jeff,

I mentioned the Walker thing because I thought Trump erred in going after him because Walker has been pretty popular and Iowa voters don't seem to care for that stuff.

squaredance is right in that Trump's conversational tone strikes a "Hey, he's just like me!" chord with the crowds.

I agree with Captain Hate about Perry not taking advantage of Trump's position on the border. I feel that Perry, who I really liked and was sorry to see drop out last time (and foo on Ace for getting all bothered because the guy had a memory lapse), was a good governor who I felt had leadership potential because of his experience and military service.

I am deeply disturbed Perry hired Captain Evil. I don't know if he will be able to overcome that. He would have been better off following his natural instincts.

All of the candidates (except for a couple) made a huge mistake in attacking Trump personally and even worse, attacking his supporters. Ask yourselves how well Obama's supporters did attacking all of us. Did it make you think, "Oh, I am stupid. I MUST support Obama." No, it made you dig your heels in because you were convinced (and rightfully so) that they were all creeps and jerks.

This has been my big complaint about this whole situation. The GOP has made Trump even more popular by their stupid attacks.
And when you try to point it out in a polite way, people like Rick Wilson and Kevin Williamson not only don't listen, they call you stupid to your face.

So I don't know what will happen, except that debate will be something that will get huge ratings.

[rich@gmu]

jimmyk-

>>>I for one have Trump fatigue.<<<

seconded! good grief maybe we can have a Trump free day.

[The I miss America pageant.]

Everytime he sets fire to himself, he emerges more popular. This is no ordinary politician, and there you have it.

[Eighteen and a half minutes of missing emails.]

Heh, Cap'n; it was probably her real reason for setting it up. She should've thrown in the towel when the first leaks were about Benghazi. Someone has the goods on her, the whole nine yards.