Links to commentaries

Petraeus Prosecuted -- Why not Hillary?  . . . "The cases are almost identical, but Petraeus admitted his crime, apologized for it and paid a fine. Now the man who is arguably the most significant American general since World War II, who achieved a victory in Iraq that President Obama threw away, is going to be publicly humiliated and his reputation permanently tarnished. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, whistles past her own graveyard, escaping punishment thus far for exposing our most classified secrets to foreign enemies on an unsecured server in her private residence. As Fox News’ Catherine Herridge noted in her blockbuster report:" . . .

Hillary Cackles In Response To Reporter’s Question If She Will Release Info On Speeches For Goldman Sachs

"It’s a tell. Every time she cackles, you know she’s trying to cover things up."

All Hail Diversity! Olympic Transgender Athletes Can Compete As The Gender They Identify As…  "Transgender athletes will no longer be required to undergo gender reassignment surgery in order to participate in the Olympics, according to documents obtained by Outsports on Thursday."

Country’s Biggest Whiners Go To War Over How Much Their Lives Allegedly Suck "The nation’s biggest whiners, white liberal feminists and black racial grievance mongers, have officially gone to war over whose lives suck the most … in regard to thriving in Hollywood."
Rubio Crushes Clinton In Minnesota  "The Minnesota Poll on the 2016 presidential race is out, and its results will be shocking to some. On the Republican side, opinion is split: Marco Rubio leads with 23% and Ted Cruz is second with 21%. But in a general election matchup, Rubio wallops Clinton by nine points, 49-40." . . .

Critics Assail Italy for Hiding Nude Statues During Rouhani Visit

The Guardian  "For most tourists, it would be the ultimate irritation: visiting one of Italy’s most famous museums, only to find famous exhibits hidden by wooden boxes. But this week, Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, apparently enjoyed his time at the Capitoline Museum, despite the fact that many of the artworks were covered up before his trip. Conscientious Italian officials had taken the precaution of concealing nude statues for the first visit in a decade by an Iranian politician – albeit a moderate one – in a bid to be culturally sensitive."

                            

Krauthammer: The three-cornered fight for the soul of the GOP

The 2016 presidential race has turned into an epic contest between the ethno-nationalist populism of Donald Trump and traditional conservatism, though in two varieties: the scorched-earth fundamentalist version of Ted Cruz, and a reformist version represented by Marco Rubio . . .

 

Charles Krauthammer  "It’s hard to believe that the United States, having resisted the siren song of socialism during its entire 20th-century heyday (the only major democracy to do so), should suddenly succumb to its charms a generation after its intellectual demise. Indeed, the prospect of socialist Bernie Sanders, whatever his current momentum, winning the Democratic nomination remains far-fetched.

"The Dems would be risking a November electoral disaster of historic dimensions. Yet there is no denying how far Mr. Sanders has pulled his party to the left — and how hard the establishment candidate, Hillary Clinton, has been racing to catch up.

"The Republicans, on the other hand, are dealing with a full-scale riot. The temptation they face is trading in a century of conservatism for Trumpism." . . .

Trailblazing Connecticut course is blueprint for future Holocaust education

The Times of Israel

A concentration camp prisoner attending a ceremony at the memorial site of the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 2014. 

". . . Of concern is how to make the Holocaust, which occurred more than 70 years ago, relevant to today’s students, particularly in places where there are few Jewish students or where perhaps students aren’t aware of their grandparents or great-grandparents’ stories.

"Since 2013, laws mandating the inclusion of the Holocaust in curricula have been on the books in Austria, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In the US, individual states decide on curriculum content. To date Holocaust education is mandatory in California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

America 2016: We’re mad as hell and not going to take it anymore

"Polls show deep discontent with the direction of the country"

McClatchyDC   "Craig Ziemke has voted for Democrats all his life, including twice for President Barack Obama. Not this year.

“"The whole country is going to hell,” the 66-year-old retired factory worker said, standing against the bleachers at a high school gymnasium while waiting for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to arrive. Ziemke’s fury is deep: Roads and bridges in the U.S. are falling apart, jobs are scarce and the U.S. border is wide open, he says.

“ 'We’re letting all these people into the country. No one even knows who the hell they are,” he said. “We don’t need any more Arabs. The United States, anymore, is just a dumping ground for everyone.”

"Ziemke plans to caucus for a Republican on Monday – [I was with this guy up till this next part. TD] and likely for Trump, “the only one with brains,” he said." . . .

If Obama’s 2008 campaign in Iowa and beyond defined the election as one of “hope and change,” this year may well be described as the politics of rage." . . . Via Drudge

This deep anger is fed by power lurching back and forth between Republicans and Democrats over the past decade, raising hopes among Americans who favor one side, then dashing them . . . 

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article57273748.html#storylink=cpy

Drudge

Tim Allen: "The Clintons are like herpes: Just when you think they're gone, they show up again."

Hot Air  " The man who made “more power!” a household grunt wants decidedly less power given to the federal government — and offers up a colorful metaphor about one family’s quest to grasp it for life. Tim Allen, star of the long-running sitcom Home Improvement and the new Last Man Standing, talked to the Hollywood Reporter about his conservative political orientation and its emergence in the show. Despite having a “liberal” writing staff, Allen pushes to express his own point of view, albeit somewhat more moderated than in real life:

Do you have more comedic leeway now than you did on Home Improvement?

Definitely. But you know what? I’ve earned it. I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been on a successful show and learned from the best. But I find Last Man Standing actually rougher thanHome Improvement. We’re getting away with a lot of stuff. I’m really shocked. This is a meaner, sharper comedy than I’m used to. There’s a lot of times our very liberal writing staff will come up with stuff that even my character would say, “I don’t know if I can say that.”

"When asked why Last Man Standing has taken slaps at Hillary Clinton but none at Donald Trump, Allen expresses skepticism about Trump’s staying power, which might make the jokes stale. The Clintons will never fade away, Allen argues memorably:" . . .

Full article here.

Introducing the website you never knew you needed: Trumplings.

Buzzfeed  "The concept is simple. You click the button and a dumpling that looks like Donald Trump appears, uttering one of his famous catchphrases."

On the Trumpless GOP debates

No Surprise: Fox Debate Ratings Destroy Pathetic CNN Trump Event   "CNN is actually trying to spin this in Trump’s favor, which is just sad." . . .  

. . . "Trump was boasting he’d win the ratings battle. There’s no way to save face with his disastrous stunt. Needless to say, other media are also desperately trying to spin Trump’s bombing.

Trump is likely to declare victory for the lower Fox ratings on Thursday night, though the debate still won more viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined as they showed Trump’s rally.

Four Big Takeaways From Last Night’s GOP Debate  To summarize:

FIRST: TRUMP WON IN ABSTENTIA . . .SECOND: FOX LOVES THE ESTABLISHMENT AND RUBIO . . .THIRD: SOME LOST BIG . . .FOURTH: EVEN WITHOUT TRUMP, THE LINEUP IS UNCHANGED  . . .

More on all these at the link.
¡Ay, caramba! Rubio's 'Gang of 8' vs. Cruz 'lies'   "Megyn Kelly launches immigration smackdown on GOP debaters."

After the debate

Candidates discuss anything but Trump   "The final debate before the Iowa caucuses gives GOP presidential hopefuls a breather from the theatrical front-runner"

ROUGH NIGHT! Des Moines Register RIPS Ted Cruz on debate performance  "The state paper endorsed Rubio a few days ago so take that into consideration as you read the stinging rebuke of Cruz's performance last night . .  . 

Rush Limbaugh: Heartland Viewers Say Fox News ‘Not Considered The Conservative Network That It Used to Be’

Enough, Donald!  "I have finally had enough of Donald Trump.  I have supported his presidential campaign for months based on his immigration policies.  However, his continued baiting, childish, crude, cruel, narcissistic behavior has caused me to question his fitness for command.

I am seeking a presidential candidate who will enact most of Trump's policies while being a full-fledged adult." . . .

The GOP debate minus Trump: who’s happy and who’s sad today?
"Last night’s GOP debate with Trump absent allowed for much more airtime for candidates, with varying outcomes for them. Rather than try to declare winners and losers, I am going to focus on who might be happy and who sad today, as they look back. Of course, this is only a guess."

"The happy club

"Happiest of all is Megyn Kelly, who was the object of all the talk about Trump not attending, and whose questioning was tough. She is now one of the most prominent TV news figures in the United States.

 "Two other happy campers must be Ron Paul and Chris Christie. Both men got ample time to make their trademark pitches, and both delivered their points well. More ...

"The unhappy club
"Marco Rubio had a tough night. Megyn Kelly took after him on immigration, his serious vulnerability with the base. " . . .
"Cruz shot himself in the foot early in the debate by complaining and got booed." . . .

"The Right Scoop put together a clip showing her debate questioning, and then her post-debate interview with Cruz, where she makes up with Cruz.  Go to 7:30 for that part of segment. The post-debate interview begins at 4:20" . . .

Megyn Kelly ADMITS to Ted Cruz the record shows he DID NOT SUPPORT legalization in 2013 Amnesty showdown

Much more commentary on the debates here:

• http://www.nationalreview.com/
• http://www.redstate.com/2016/01/29/mike-huckabees-desperate-loathsome-attack-ted-cruz/
• http://legalinsurrection.com/2016/01/live-reactions-fox-news-google-gop-debate/

Donald vs. Trump; Stephen Colbert highlights Trump's flip-flops.

Patriot Post  
“ 'I’d like to thank Donald Trump for being just as divided as this country is.” —Stephen Colbert"

Muslim Explains How To Fake Being a Syrian Refuge

Infidel Bloggers Alliance

Muslim migrants not as stupid and simple as politically-correct Europeans seem to believe

"Here's what I think is going on: The refugees are acting as they are, not because they see themselves as charity cases, but because they see themselves as conquerors. 

"They know perfectly well that one doesn't defecate in a pool in which people (especially children) are swimming. They're doing it because they are performing the literal equivalent of the expression "I don't give a s**t about you." 

"They know you're not supposed to rape women . . . that is, unless those women are the products of conquest, in which case raping them is one of Mohamed's commandments. " . . .

Fiery Fiorina goes after Clintons

Carly unloads on both Hillary, Bill

"She's escaped prosecution more times than El Chapo," Fiorina said. "Perhaps Sean Penn should interview her. The woman should be prosecuted."

WND  "Carly Fiorina once again found herself in the undercard debate for GOP presidential candidates but she made the most of her limited opportunity with a fiery attack on Hillary Clinton.

"After being accused of making a personal attack by Fox News moderator Martha MacCallum, Fiorina had a ready response.

" 'It wasn't a personal attack," said Fiorina. "I was pointing out the fact that Hillary Clinton will do anything to gain and hang on to power – anything. Listen, if my husband had done [what] Bill Clinton did I would have left him long ago."

Donald Trump: Thin-Skinned Tyrant

Andrew C. McCarthy  "Is Donald Trump the sharia of American politics? I’m having trouble finding much daylight between Islamic law’s repressive blasphemy standards and the mogul’s thin-skinned sense of privilege. 

"None of us wants to be insulted or smeared. But sharia forbids not only ridicule or slander against Islam; it bans any examination that casts Islam in an unflattering light. Worse, truth is not a defense: Even if one’s questions are based on undeniable past actions or verbatim quotes from scripture, tough questioning is considered blasphemous. Retribution, moreover, is often completely out of proportion to the scale of the perceived “offense.” 

"How is Trump different?" . . .

To Trump the mildest criticisms are “vicious” attacks.

 Read more.