Understanding the strategy behind President Trump's twitter slam of AG Sessions?

. . .  "but President Trump could have fired him anytime he wishes.  And he would have, if he really thought the prosecutions of his mortal enemies are going nowhere.

Thomas Lifson  "I have a strong suspicion that the current kerfuffle between President Trump and Jeff Sessions is part of a strategy, not merely – as the left has it – a rogue president shockingly, immaturely, and inappropriately attacking his attorney general on Twitter.

"By now, you have probably seen the tweet in question:

Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse. Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc. Isn’t the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2018

"Occam's Razor suggests that the president means it and that he really wants DOJ prosecutors charged with going after Comey and is genuinely angry at Sessions.  But I always see Donald Trump as a master of the video narrative, an expert crafter of story arcs that work to his advantage, and which often lure his opponents into positions that redound to his benefit once all the facts and drama have played themselves out before the nation's eyes.  Never forget that Donald Trump is the most successful reality television producer in the history of the medium.  And never forget that he played the media like a Stradivarius violin during the campaign, exploiting their predictable outrage." . . .

What if A.G. Sessions is already conducting serious investigations and has developed evidence that will result in indictments for misbehavior in the surveillance of the Trump campaign and in the FBI?  The very last thing Sessions (or Trump) would want is for Sessions to be seen as Trump's hit man, going after his political opponents.  Wouldn't it better, instead, for Sessions to be regarded by the mainstream media as someone sympathetic, because the POTUS has attacked him? This dispatch from Trump-hating CNN makes my point:

 Full article here.

On the other hand... NRO declares, "We’re with Jeff Sessions"

The president has a point in urging an investigation by Justice Department prosecutors, although nothing justifies his blunderbuss tweet and ongoing campaign of humiliation against Jeff Sessions.

School safety: Beyond gun control

Leftist progressive extremists push confiscation.  But since firearms and ammunition can be made in a basement with metalworking equipment, organized crime views gun confiscation as the biggest new business development opportunity since Prohibition.

Jeff Locke  "President Eisenhower was fond of saying that if you correctly define the problem, then you are 90% of the way toward finding the solution.

"The left defines the problem as weapons in the hands of civilians.  As always, leftists insist that the only solution is government (just pass a law, and the problem goes away).  The right defines the problem as mentally ill people having weapons (so keep them away from lunatics).  The correct definition of the problem is that society is threatened and vulnerable to many modern malevolent forces (insanity and Islamic extremism among them) intent on destruction via many weapon types.  The solution is a threat-solution matrix and an improved, layered defense, not a single solution like banning semi-automatic rifles or truncating magazines.

"One thing was apparent at the Florida school massacre: law enforcement failed us.  We learned that the FBI tip line was being managed not by James Comey or Christopher Wray, but by Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies.  If you think government or law enforcement alone is going to keep your school safe, think again, or you may die.

"It would behoove school boards, administrators, principals, and police to structure their thinking holistically, so that they have a robust security plan." . . .

Headlines most of the media don't want the public to see

"It is no wonder that Trump is around 50% approval in Rasmussen, which is around 7% higher than Obama at this point in his presidency.  And it is also no wonder that almost all the media ignore the Rasmussen poll while touting low numbers in Gallup and CNN polls" . . .

Jack Hellner  "I understand why most of the media are focusing on the fictional Russian collusion, Hope Hicks resigning, and rumors about Jared Kushner.  Since they hate Trump, they certainly wouldn't focus on how well the economy is doing, which shows up in the following articles on the Drudge Report on March 1.

• Jobless claims plunge to 49-year low...
• Incomes Up Most in Five Years...
• Manufacturing Expands at Fastest Pace Since '04...
• US crude oil output hits all-time high; Takes out 1970 record...
• Foreign Holdings of U.S. Securities Rise to Record $18 Trillion...

"I do find this article in the WSJ, also published on March 1, funny.  They state that foreign investors aren't buying as many government bonds, while the above bullet point says foreign investors hold a record number. 

"I also find the following funny: "Does Fed control Trump 2020 destiny?"

"Predictions about the  2020 election are absolutely nuts.  I will give the authors a clue.  If the economy continues to do so well that the Fed believes that it needs to continually raise rates, Trump will probably do pretty well against the leftists who want bigger government and who want more people to be dependent on government.  My guess is that the majority of people will be happier with better jobs, fewer regulations, and lower taxes, versus more food stamps, more regulations, and higher taxes. 

"Some other headlines that most of the media are virtually ignoring:" . . .

Related: Bloomberg reports Real Disposable Incomes in U.S. Increase Most Since 2015

UPDATED: Who's afraid of the little, bad Wolff?

"The media chose to go to war with Donald John Trump in 2017 rather than accept him as president. The media chose poorly."

Foreign press shames U.S. media for crying, "Wolff!"  "In January, the American media was all fire and fury in praising Michael Wolff's book which was touted as a tell-all expose of behind-the-scenes at the White House.
"A month later, even the Washington Post has thrown the towel in on the guy, with its Erik Wemple writing, "Michael Wolff should just apologize," after a BBC host called Wolff out.
"PolitiFact and others in the American press should apologize for promoting this fabulist's fairy tales." . . .

BUSTED: Anchor Releases Audio Proving Michael Wolff Faked Earpiece Malfunction After Trump Affair Question

• FORDHAM: “You said during a TV interview last month that you are absolutely sure that Donald Trump is currently having an affair, while President, behind the back of the First Lady. I repeat, you said you were absolutely sure.”
• WOLFF: “Hold on, I can’t–”
• FORDHAM: “Last week, you backflipped and said, ‘I do not know if the President is having an affair.’ Do you owe the President and the First Lady an apology, Mr Wolff?”
• WOLFF: “I can’t hear you. Hello?”
• FORDHAM: “Just last month you said you were absolutely sure that the President was having an affair, and now you say he is not.”
• WOLFF: “I’m not getting anything.”
• FORDHAM: “You are not hearing me, Mr. Wolff? Mr. Wolff was hearing me before, but he’s not hearing me anymore. So the interview may be over.”

"Later, Fordham released the audio of what Wolff heard in his earpiece when the author claimed the anchor’s question wasn’t coming through."

Mika Brzezinski Kicks Michael Wolff Off Set for Pushing Trump Affair Rumor

. . . " 'When Wolff continued his denial, Brzezinski became frustrated: “Come on, are you kidding? You’re on the set of Morning Joe. We don’t BS here.”

"She then gave him the boot. “I’m sorry, this is awkward, you’re here on the set with us, but we’re done. Michael Wolff, thank you.” Mika told the camera, “We’re gonna go to break now. Bye, everyone,” and the show cut to commercial."

UPDATE:  Foreign press shames U.S. media for crying, "Wolff!"

. . . "His stories about the White House and President Trump were too good to be true.

"The American media failed to check it out.

"The Vanity Fair headline read:

“I Was the Most Non-threatening Person in the Trump Universe”: Michael Wolff Takes a Fire and Fury Victory Lap.

At a Manhattan house party, Wolff and his publisher recount the genesis of the book that rocked the White House.

"The story was a disappointing story about a cocktail party for the book. Do they still hold cocktail parties? I thought they died before disco.

"President Trump, however, tweeted, "I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book.' " . . .

Asks Ivanka About Her Dad’s ‘Sexual Misconduct’ – Ivanka Blasts Them For Their Bias

Clash Daily  "Did anyone ever ask this of Chelsea Clinton?

"Nope.
"And it’s unlikely that they ever will.
"Despite Chelsea’s campaigning for her mother in 2016, she wasn’t asked this one time.
"The Media (D) has even allowed Chelsea to run from answering questions about donations from Harvey Weinstein to the Clinton Slushfund Foundation — whose board she sits on — and didn’t bother to follow up when she turned tail and ran.
"But NBC has decided that it’s a completely fair question to ask Ivanka — because her father is Donald J. Trump.
"In a pretty disgusting segment of an interview with Ivanka on the Today Show, NBC’s Pete Alexander queried her on what she thought of the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against her father.
"(Ironic that it was the Today Show — Matt Lauer’s former stomping grounds.)

ALEXANDER: Do you believe your father’s accusers?IVANKA: I think it’s a pretty inappropriate question to ask a daughter if she believes the accusers of her father when he’s affirmatively stated that there’s no truth to it. I don’t think that’s a question you would ask many other daughters. I believe my father, I know my father, so I think I have that right as a daughter, to believe my father.” . . 

Hollywood Billboards Hijacked!

Truth Revolt: "The conservative street artist known as Sabo has struck again in Hollywood days before the Academy Awards broadcast. This time, he has covered three large billboards around town in Oscar-themed red tarps with stinging messages about the hypocrisy over the sex abuse scandals plaguing the film industry."   Go see.    Hat tip to iOTWreport

Atheists Raise Unholy Hell About Congress Honoring Billy Graham

When you saw Rev. Graham's coffin in the rotunda, didn't you know this was coming? 

Todd Starnes

"The Freedom From Religion Foundation and other anti-religious groups are infuriated that Billy Graham lies in honor in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol – saying he was unworthy of such recognition.

" The Wisconsin-based atheist group wrote to Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to “emphatically object to the U.S. Congress arranging to have a man known purely for his ministry (in his case, an evangelical Christian ministry)” lie in honor.

“ 'Our membership is also highly concerned at the possibility of taxpayer outlay for the costs of transporting and displaying Graham’s casket in the rotunda,” the notorious atheists wrote.

"The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a vicious bunch of atheists, agnostics and free-thinkers who are on a crusade to eradicate Christianity from the public marketplace. They typically bully small towns and school districts with threatening letters and lawsuits.

“ 'Billy Graham believed fervently in Christianity and people listened to him. But that is not worthy of praise or a spot in the U.S. Capitol, however temporary,” the atheists wrote. “Graham in his own way sought to undo the only sure way to guarantee freedom of religion: a government free from religion. Graham is on the wrong side of history. You will be, too, if you authorize this unearned honor.” 

General Mattis Stages a Transgender Coup

Americans have already lost the Boy Scouts to the rainbow lobby. Now they’re losing their beloved Armed Forces to the gays and transgenders. They are looking to President Trump for leadership. But his betrayal on gun rights is not a hopeful sign.

Gulag Bound

. . . "In another curious development, Trump has issued an executive order banning transgenders in the military but has let Defense Secretary General Jim Mattis engineer a process to keep them in. Who’s the boss?

"With the late evangelist Rev. Billy Graham having been honored in the Capitol Rotunda, it’s appropriate to consider something from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association on the matter of homosexuality. The ministry notes that, “From Genesis on, the Bible praises the marriage of a man and a woman, but it speaks only negatively of homosexual behavior whenever it is mentioned.” In fact, it says the Old Testament states, “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable” (Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13), and the New Testament agrees, listing “homosexual offenders” among a list of people who “will not inherit the kingdom of God” unless they are cleansed through Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

. . .  "In short, former President Obama’s policy of accepting open homosexuals and transgenders was a dangerous risk to human health and even the blood supply that soldiers on the field of battle may depend on for survival.

. . . "Yet, the Center for Military Readiness says Mattis assigned Anthony Kurta, an Obama holdover with a record of LGBT activism before and after the Trump Inauguration, to chair the “panel of experts” that produced a report on transgender policies that includes underwear requirements and bathroom assignments. Kurta was a key speaker at the Pentagon’s gay pride celebration in June 2017.

"Despite the clear orders of the Commander-in-Chief, a transgender has been allowed to sign a contract to join the U.S. military."

The President tweeted against transgenders in the military, but General Mattis replied that a tweet is not an order. TD

The School-To-Mass-Murder Pipeline

Ann Coulter  "Nikolas Cruz’s psychosis ended in a bloody massacre not only because of the stunning incompetence of the Broward County Sheriff’s Department. It was also the result of liberal insanity working exactly as it was intended to.

"School and law enforcement officials knew Cruz was a ticking time bomb. They did nothing because of a deliberate, willful, bragged-about policy to end the “school-to-prison pipeline.” This is the feature part of the story, not the bug part.

"If Cruz had taken out full-page ads in the local newspapers, he could not have demonstrated more clearly that he was a dangerous psychotic. He assaulted students, cursed out teachers, kicked in classroom doors, started fist fights, threw chairs, threatened to kill other students, mutilated small animals, pulled a rifle on his mother, drank gasoline and cut himself, among other “red flags.' ” . . .

. . . "When he took over in 2011, the district had “the highest number of school-related arrests in the state.” But today, he boasted, Broward has “one of the lowest rates of arrest in the state.” By the simple expedient of ignoring criminal behavior, student arrests had declined by a whopping 78 percent.

FOOTBALL COACH: “When I took over this team a year ago, we were last in the league in pass defense. Today, we no longer keep that statistic!”

. . .

"When it comes to spectacular crimes, it’s usually hard to say how it could have been prevented. But in this case, we have a paper trail. In the pursuit of a demented ideology, specific people agreed not to report, arrest or prosecute dangerous students like Nikolas Cruz.

"These were the parties to the Nov. 5, 2013, agreement that ensured Cruz would be out on the street with full access to firearms:

• Robert W. Runcie, Superintendent of Schools
• Peter M. Weinstein, Chief Judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit
• Michael J. Satz, State Attorney
• Howard Finkelstein, Public Defender
• Scott Israel, Broward County Sheriff
• Franklin Adderley, Chief of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department
• Wansley Walters, Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
• Marsha Ellison, President of the Fort Lauderdale Branch of the NAACP and Chair of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board

. . . 

 

ICE chief blames mayor’s warning for 800 missed arrests

NY Post  . . . "Thomas Homan, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acting director, told Fox News that the mayor’s warning on Twitter was “beyond the pale” and compared her to a gang lookout who tells people when a police car is arriving. Homan said the Justice Department is looking into whether Schaaf obstructed justice."
. . . 
“ 'There’s over 800 significant public safety threat criminals, these are people who are here illegally and committed yet another crime, been convicted of a crime,” he told Fox. “She gave them warning, and there’s 800 that we were unable to locate because of that warning, so that community’s a lot less safe than it would have been.' ” . . .

Oakland Mayor Still Unapologetic Over Committing Felony, Obstructing Justice

. . . "But what does Libby Schaaf get out of all this? Well, for one thing, her national approval and name recognition on the left has just shot up by 1000% or more. She’s 52 years old, which leaves plenty of room for future political opportunities. For all I know, she’s actually put herself in position for a national office run, or perhaps a cabinet position in a future Democratic administration." . . .

ACLU Sues Kansas Over Law Making It Harder For Illegal Aliens To Vote…

"We moved in California so I went on the DMV website to change our address. It was almost impossible to leave the site without registering to vote. Just needed a driver's license and check a box you are a citizen and you are registered to vote.
The State monitors the registration process. The same State that encourages illegals to vote."   Carl Spackler, Jr.

Pelosi Slams ICE for Arresting ‘Hard-Working, Law-Abiding,’ ‘Patriotic’ Illegal Aliens  . . . "San Francisco, where Pelosi’s congressional district is located, is a “sanctuary city” that will not cooperate with the federal government in the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws." . . . From ICE's statement: “About half of the individuals arrested also have criminal convictions in addition to their immigration violations, including convictions for assault/battery, crimes against children, weapons charges and DUI,” ICE said.

"Pelosi described ICE’s enforcement of the immigration law in her region of the country as a “shocking abuse of law enforcement power.' ” . . .

Boycott the Oscars? Why Not Boycott Hollywood?

Jewish World Review

"Robert DeNiro, Hollyweird has-been, turned lib political activist."

. . . "It is very disconcerting to me, a former film buff to read past favorites indulge in hateful, spiteful and idiotic language that reveals the depth of their ignorance on politics. The biggest clue to their ignorance is that they actually supported Hillary Clinton, the worst candidate in ages, who had so much baggage she needed Pullman porters for security.

"The Oscars telecast will be next week, on March 4th, and will be hosted by nighttime host Jimmy Kimmel. He has demonstrated for the past few months that he can be extremely tearful about issues he hasn't bothered to research. He has been urged by the producers to tone down the politics but the star studded audience is filled with like-minded liberals, so it may be hard for him to avoid playing to them instead of the waning viewers.

" I remember when the Oscars were something to look forward to. A good show would have many clips from the nominated films and good comedic jabs from great hosts like Bob Hope and Johnny Carson. Beautiful and handsome stars would fill the stages and one came away from watching the show with an urge to see the movie winners." . . . (Emphasis added, TD)
Read More

Commanding officer initially ordered responding deputies to 'stage' not enter Stoneman Douglas, sources say

Fox News "has learned that in the critical moments as first responding deputies were searching for an active shooter on the property of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, a commanding officer on scene apparently ordered some of the initial responders to “stage” and set up a “perimeter” outside -- instead of immediately ordering or allowing officers to rush in to neutralize the suspect, Nikolas Cruz.
“ 'It’s atrocious,” a law enforcement source who was on the scene after the shooting told Fox News. “If deputies were staging it could have cost lives.”
"The law enforcement source said responding deputies and officers were called to an active shooter scene in which they are trained to immediately “go, go, go” toward the direction of the shooter. “Every second is another life,” the source said.
"The Broward County Sherrif’s Office policy on active shooters indicates responding deputies may enter the building to preserve life without permission. "That remains the priority until various objectives are met such as the shooter being detained. The policy does not appear to list staging -- setting up an area to keep first responders safe before police secure a violent scene -- or a perimeter as an immediate priority." . . .