Melania is one amazing first lady

Silvio Canto, Jr.  "Let me say a good word about Melania Trump.  She has turned into one heck of a diplomatic asset for President Trump.

"On Monday, Mrs. Trump spoke to South Korean girls, and she was just fabulous: 

Melania Trump used her visit to South Korea to encourage more women to take up sport as she met with her counterpart in Seoul on Tuesday. 

The First Ladies were pictured touring the ground of the presidential palace Blue House before Melania spoke with a group of schoolchildren who had been invited along for the day.

Melania used the occasion to promote her Girls Play 2 initiative, which aims to ensure that boys and girls have equal access to sporting facilities. She said: 'Sport teaches children about teamwork, dedication, discipline, and how to succeed under pressure. 

'When we assure girls and boys have equal access to sports we are ensuring they have an equal chance to gain these valuable skills.

'Girls Play 2 reminds people that girls love to play sport just as much as boys do. Girls wants to play basketball and hockey, and snowboard and ski. 'Some girls want to become Olympians and many girls simply want to be active and enjoy sport for the fun of it.

'The Olympics are just around the corner. I am sure you are all very excited about next year's games. It will be an amazing opportunity to bring the world together through our shared loved of sport.

'As we look forward to the Olympics I call on all of us to ensure girl and boys are given equal access to facilities equipment and to coaches. Let's remind the world that girls play too.'

"Again, what else can you say but super, Mrs. Trump?  Yes, she is a beautiful and elegant woman, but she is also extremely charming, especially with children.

"Years ago, I was having dinner with a businessman in Mexico.  His wife recalled the story of President Kennedy's visit to Mexico City.  She related that she and her school friends were in the crowd that waved at President Kennedy driving by.

"I asked her: What was it like?  And she said: All my friends were crazy about Jackie's dress.  Then the lady laughed, and the rest of us did, too.

"I guess the moral of the story is don't underestimate the impact of an elegant first lady with a beautiful dress!  They love that around the world!

When The Saints Of First Baptist Church Were Murdered, God Was Answering Their Prayers

The Federalist  . . . "When we pray these words, we are certainly praying that God would deliver us from evil temporally—that is, in this earthly life. Through these words, we are asking God to send his holy angels to guard us from those who would seek to destroy us with knives and bombs and bullets. It may seem, on the surface, that God was refusing to give such protection to his Texan children. But we are also praying that God would deliver us from evil eternally. Through these same words, we are asking God to deliver us out of this evil world and into his heavenly glory, where no violence, persecution, cruelty, or hatred will ever afflict us again.

"We also pray in the Lord’s Prayer that God’s will be done. Sometimes, his will is done by allowing temporal evil to be the means through which he delivers us from eternal evil. Despite the best (or, more accurately, the worst) intentions of the wicked against his children, God hoists them on their own petard by using their wickedness to give those children his victory, even as the wicked often mock the prayers of their prey.

"During Christ’s crucifixion, for example, the same chief priests, scribes, and elders who conspired to put Jesus to death mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God’”

"Yet God proved his son’s divinity by, three days later, lifting him up out of the death those men gave him. Despite the chief priests, elders, and scribes doing all they could to silence the one who claimed to be the savior of the world, God turned their hatred into the catalyst of the world’s salvation." . . .

Exiled Drexel prof blames 'whiteness' for Texas massacre

Campus Reform  "The Drexel University professor who tweeted “all I want for Christmas is white genocide” recently blamed “whiteness” for the Texas massacre that killed 26 people.

"George Ciccariello-Maher, who is currently in exile from Drexel’s campus and is only teaching online classes, argued in a Democracy Now! interview Monday that “whiteness” and white “entitlement” is the motivating factor behind mass-shootings.

"Whiteness is a structure of privilege...that, when it feels threatened, you know, lashes out."  

"Although he noted that mental illness is a factor, Ciccariello-Maher argued that “we can’t lose sight of these broader questions,” asking “[w]hat is happening with regard to not only white people, but white men, in particular?”

"Ciccariello-Maher argued that there is an “institutional apparatus” that trains white men “in violence and that encourages them to feel as though they’re on the losing side of history,” adding that many white males feel like “victims” of society.

"When white men feel like victims, he contended, they lash out.

" 'You know, Trump makes hay out of the fact that white men, in particular, feel as though they’re the victims of this society, despite being in absolute control of it," he said at the end of a lengthy statement regarding the Texas church shooting. "And this is something that is powerfully dangerous, and it’s why we’re not seeing only the rise in violent attacks, more generally, and the rise of far-right movements, but we’re certainly seeing, you know, clearly, sort of some very serious incidents of mass violence, as well."

Apparently There Was One Defender of that Horrid Latino Victory Fund Ad

Townhall

"The Latino Victory Fund is guilty of creating one of the worst, most disgusting ads in campaign history. Last month, the group, which has endorsed Democratic candidate and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, released a TV spot that depicted an angry, Ed Gillespie-supporting truck driver seeking minority children to run over.

"We're not kidding."

"The liberal group took the ad down shortly after the terror attack in New York City, in which the assailant used a truck to mow down several pedestrians.

"Asked to respond to the controversial ad, Northam insisted it did not originate with his campaign and he would not have approved it.

"Defending the ad would be a tall task for even the most liberal of Democrats, yet DNC Chair Tom Perez managed to do it." . . .

Brazile Blowback: Democrats Circle the Wagons and Defend Their Party

Jonathan S. Tobin

"They’re focused on their main goal: the ‘resistance.’ Republicans should emulate their discipline."

 "Donna Brazile probably wasn’t seeking to start a revolution in the Democratic party when she wrote her new book Hacks, whose excerpts published last week in Politico unleashed a bitter controversy about the 2016 presidential election. In telling her story, perhaps she was, like most authors of political memoirs, mostly interested in settling scores and making money. But the blowback from her dishing on the Clintons provides some important lessons for both Democrats and Republicans. 

"By revealing how the Democratic National Committee sought to steer the nomination toward Hillary Clinton at Bernie Sanders’s expense, Brazile set off a storm of bitter commentary about the 2016 race. Left-wingers such as Senator Elizabeth Warren were ready to accept the notion that the party establishment had cheated liberal insurgents and “rigged” the nomination process. At the same time, President Trump was happy to proclaim Brazile’s book as yet more proof that Hillary was “crooked,” as he has long described her. 

"Brazile’s willingness to further damage the already tattered reputation of her party’s 2016 nominee is rightly seen as proof that the Clintons are finished as a force to be reckoned with in American politics. But anyone who thought the story was going to lead to serious strife in the Democratic party was bound to be disappointed.  . . .   More...

Inside the Texas church, she thought it was her turn to die. Then outside, a man appeared.

 SF Gate

"As Farida Brown lay on the floor in the last row of pews in Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church, the 73-year-old woman felt certain she would be the next one killed.

"And she almost was.

"The gunman had fired numerous rounds into her legs. She was shot four times, but they all struck soft tissue. None of her bones were broken, and no arteries were hit, her son said. But the man was revisiting those he had shot to make sure they were dead and if they weren't, he was shooting them once more.

"Brown's recollections of the horror that she and others in the church experienced, as told to her son, are among the first offered by one of the 20 wounded Sunday in the rampage that killed 26 churchgoers. The son, David Brown, told her story to reporters Monday, including CNN and The Washington Post." . . .

Liberals' reaction to the Texas church shooting is not about gun control

Earick Ward

Democrats are framing the narrative.  They are the good guys.  We are standing in defense of guns and killers.  Neither the merit of their subsequent proposals nor the merit of our argument in opposition will mean a hill of beans.  Perception (that they craft) is reality.

"The current clamor for sensible gun control legislation is not about gun control.

Don't get me wrong – the left will take any and all advances against the Second Amendment, and our constitutional right to bear arms, but that is not what is advancing the current narrative.

"No, division and deflection are fomenting the current gun control narrative.  By getting out in front of the narrative, and the facts, leftists are attempting to secure the moral high ground.  They, and they alone, care about these victims. 

"Republicans, by deduction and assertion, are responsible for the deaths.  This is a despicable political ploy, but sadly, we need to come to terms with the fact that nothing is below the Left.  Nothing.  (See this story, for example.)

"Within minutes of the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Chelsea Handler tweeted:

Innocent people go to church on Sunday to honor their God, and while doing so, get shot in killed. What country? America. Why? Republicans.

. . . "The (real) reality, though, is, as evidenced by this shooting, Steve Scalise's shooter, Rand Paul's attacker, and almost certainly the Las Vegas shooter, that the divisive narrative itself and not guns is what is motivating these almost exclusively leftist shooters to target those they've been convinced (by the media) are the enemy of the people.  Aren't these activists justified if Republican policies are killing people?" . . .

Poll: Views of Democratic Party hit lowest mark in 25 years

Trump's record unpopularity, now down to just 36% approval, also bleeds into the midterm elections: Roughly the same number, 35%, say they'd be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports Trump over one who opposes the president, down from 41% in April.

CNN  "Washington (CNN)Favorable views of the Democratic Party have dropped to their lowest mark in more than a quarter century of polling, according to new numbers from a CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

"Only 37% of Americans have a favorable opinion of Democrats, down from 44% in March of this year. A majority, 54%, have an unfavorable view, matching their highest mark in polls from CNN and SSRS, CNN/ORC and CNN/USA Today/Gallup stretching back to 1992.

"The rating includes low favorable ratings from some core Democratic groups, including nonwhites (48%) and people under 35 years old (33%). The numbers come amid recent feuds and divisions in the Democratic Party, as former interim chair Donna Brazile's new book has unveiled new questions about infighting during the 2016 presidential campaign.

"But the Republican Party isn't doing any better, with just 30% of Americans holding a favorable view. That's essentially the same as September, when the rating hit its lowest point in polling back to 1992, but down from 42% in March. A broad 6 in 10, 61%, have an unfavorable opinion.

"Read the full poll results

CNN Publishes Op-Ed Over Racist Fear-mongering In Virginia Race, Targets Only Republicans…

 Weasel Zippers  "Of course they did. When the Democrats have been guilty of a ridiculously offensive race-baiting ad.

"Via Daily Caller:

A CNN op-ed lambasted Virginia Republicans for “fearmongering” during the state’s gubernatorial election Tuesday, but offered no criticism of Democrats for doing the same.

Author S. Karthick Ramakrishnan, a public policy professor at the University of California, railed against Republican candidate Ed Gillespie’s campaign for airing ads about MS-13’s gang presence in Virginia, but he had no criticism for Democrat candidate Ralph Northam. While supposedly critical of “fearmongering,” the op-ed was devoid of any reference to the infamous pro-Northam ad which portrayed Gillespie supporters as confederate-flag-toting Nazis who want to run over minority children with trucks.

Gillespie has centered his campaign on Virginia’s violent crime and high number of members of Latino gang MS-13. And while it is true that police in Virginia’s wealthiest county are equaled–if not outnumbered–by MS-13 members, Ramakrishnan nevertheless pounced on the ads, claiming Gillespie was actually pushing hatred of Mexicans and residents of South America.

Keep reading…

Fox cancels Steyer 'Impeach Trump' ad

Rick Moran  "Fox News canceled an ad by Democratic mega-donor Tom Steyer that called for the impeachment of Donald Trump, citing negative viewer reaction to the ad."

"The Hill:

"Due to the strong negative reaction to their ad by our viewers, we could not in good conscience take their money," Fox News told Stelter.

Steyer said Friday in a statement that Fox News informed him on Oct. 31 that it was refusing to air the ad entitled "Join Us."

Steyer said the decision "shows no respect for democracy."

Steyer launched his $10 million "Need to Impeach" ad campaign in late October, drawing the ire of Trump, who called Steyer "wacky & totally unhinged."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Sunday downplayed the idea that Democrats will seek to impeach Trump if they take back the House in next year's midterm elections.

She suggested Democrats will allow the various investigations of Trump to play out in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union."

"I believe that whatever we do, we have responsibility first and foremost to unify the nation," she said. "Second of all, you can't go down any path without the facts and the law. If that's there, perhaps it will come out in these investigations."

"Democrats like Steyer and Rep. Maxine Waters who have been beating the drums to start impeachment proceedings against Trump appear to have forgotten one vital ingredient to successfully remove the president.

"We call it "evidence."

"You need more than hatred for a president to kick him out of office.  This makes Steyer's charge that Fox News has "no respect for democracy" laughable.  The Constitution says you can remove a president only after proof of "high crimes or misdemeanors."  Steyer wants to forgo that small detail and kick Trump out anyway, in direct contravention of the Constitution." . . .

Sutherland Springs church shooting victims identified

Entire Statesman article quoted below:
"Some of the 26 people killed in Sunday’s shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, including family members spanning three generations, have been identified in multiple media reports.

Here are some of their names:

• Annabelle Renee Pomeroy, 14, daughter of Frank Pomeroy, First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs pastor, and Sherri Pomeroy, who were out of town at the time of the shooting, according to the Associated Press. Pomeroy was a seventh grade student at Briesemeister Middle School in the Seguin school district,according to district’s superintendent.

“ We have had a long night with our children and grandchildren we have left,” Frank Pomeroy said during a news conference Monday.

Sherri Pomeroy said that the church was a close-knit family. “As senseless as this tragedy was, our sweet Belle would not have been able to deal with losing so much family yesterday,” she said.

• Bryan Holcombe, associate pastor at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. According The Washington Post, he was filling in for Frank Pomeroy and about to lead the congregation in worship when Devin Kelley started to shoot. Holcombe also participated in prison ministry where he would sing and play the ukulele for prisoners, according to the AP.

Bryan Holcombe’s Facebook profile picture shows a faded photo of him when he was young, holding hands with his wife Karla, perhaps sometime around 1972 according to a comment by Bryan. His previous four profile pictures boast his grandchildren.

“ We knew when he was born, that he was going to be a preacher,” his father Joe Holcombe told the Post. “His first word was ‘God.’”

• Karla Plain Holcombe, Bryan Holcombe’s wife of about 40 years, according to The Washington Post. On Facebook, Karla Plain Holcombe posts pictures of her grandchildren baking in the kitchen. Her last post shared First Baptist Church’s Fall Festival event. Strangers have begun to comment on the post giving their condolences to the Holcombe family.

"The Fall Festival was the last time family friend Jenna Brown saw Karla Holcombe, Brown told the Daily Beast.

“ She was joking and just as happy as always,” Brown told the Daily Beast.

• Marc Daniel Holcombe, 36, Bryan and Karla Holcombe’s son

• Crystal Holcombe, Bryan and Karla Holcombe’s daughter-in-law and wife of their son John Holcombe; she was pregnant. She home-schooled her five children, The Washington Post reported.

• Noah Holcombe, 1, Marc Daniel Holcombe’s daughter

The Holcombe Family

• Emily Hill , Crystal Holcombe’s daughter

• Megan Hill , Crystal Holcombe’s daughter

• Greg Hill , Crystal Holcombe’s son

• Joann Ward, survived by her husband and two children who were in the church.

• Brooke Ward, 5, Joann Ward’s daughter

• Emily Garza, 7, Joann Ward’s daughter

Lula White

• Lula White, grandmother-in-law of shooter Devin Kelley, according to CNN. The network reported that White volunteered frequently at the church.

• Tara McNulty, attending church with her children, who were injured, according to a Facebook post about a fundraiser in her honor.

Kevin Koenen, manager at The Aumont Saloon, told the American-Statesman Tara McNulty worked for him for three years.

“She was a great person – a great mother,” Koenen said. “She just had a big heart. She was willing to do anything and everything.”

• Haley Krueger, 16, loved babies and wanted to become a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit,according to a GoFundMe page.

• Dennis Johnson

• Sara Johnson, Dennis Johnson’s wife.  The Johnsons’ son-in-law confirmed their deaths on social media." End quote.

Former NRA Instructor Used AR-15 To Shoot Texas Church Gunman As He Was Reloading His Weapon

Weasel Zippers   Video at the link.   Via KBHS:

Stephen Willeford shot and chased the man who killed 26 people in a Texas church on Sunday. He spoke to 40/29 News in an exclusive sit-down interview on Monday.

Willeford was at home when his daughter came into his bedroom to tell him she heard gunshots at the First Baptist Church nearby.

Willeford, a former NRA instructor, got his rifle out of his safe while his daughter looked outside again. She ran back in and told him she saw a man in black tactical gear shooting up the church.

“I kept hearing the shots, one after another, very rapid shots – just ‘pop pop pop pop’ and I knew every one of those shots represented someone, that it was aimed at someone, that they weren’t just random shots,” Willeford said.”

Willeford loaded his magazine and ran across the street to the church, not even taking the time to put on shoes. When Willeford saw the gunman, he exchanged gunfire.

“He saw me and I saw him,” Willeford said. “I was standing behind a pickup truck for cover.”

“I know I hit him,” Willeford said. “He got into his vehicle, and he fired another couple rounds through his side window. When the window dropped, I fired another round at him again.”

The gunman then sped down the highway.

Willeford spotted a pickup truck at a stop sign. He ran to the truck and asked the driver for help.

“That guy just shot up the Baptist church. We need to stop him,” Willeford told the driver.

Willeford and the driver chased the gunman down the highway. On the way, they called 911 to give a description of the gunman’s vehicle and where they were.

Eventually, they caught up to the gunman’s truck. The gunman slowed down before speeding up and hitting a road sign. The gunman’s truck flipped and went down into a ditch.

Keep reading…

Both photos from Stephen Willeford, 55, embraced Johnnie Langendorff, 27, in an emotional hug on Monday night at the vigil for the victims of the tragic shooting at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.