This pointless Republican debate left us all feeling a little bit dumber

  Moira Donegan | The Guardian

"Every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber,” Nikki Haley said at the second Republican presidential primary debate last night. She was talking to Vivek Ramaswamy, the businessman currently polling at an average of about 6% among likely Republican voters. But she could have been talking about any one of the seven candidates: Haley, Ramaswamy, the Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, South Carolina senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former vice-president Mike Pence and the North Dakota governor, Doug Burgum. The debate was rancorous, chaotic and punctured by statements so hateful, outlandish and extreme that they made an impression even by the current Republican party’s very low standards.

"Worst of all, the whole thing was pointless: Donald Trump, who is leading in the polls by more than 40 points, was not there. The candidates, wannabes, also-rans and cynical self-promoters, spent much of the evening attacking each other. But for the most part, they did not attack him.  

"Donald Trump’s absence was, like in the first Republican debate, the most significant presence on the stage. As indictments, debts and civil judgements against the former president accumulate, and as his bluster and vulgarity lose their novelty and capacity to shock, there has been some suggestion that perhaps Trump will disqualify himself from running for president. Can a candidate make a credible bid for the presidency while also being charged with dozens of felonies? Can Trump persuade voters – of whom a majority have never voted for him, and who turned on him in large numbers just four years ago? These are legitimate questions, but they are questions for a general election: they are not relevant in the primary. Neither charges, nor convictions, nor legal judgments, nor mounting attorney’s fees will cause Trump to withdraw or lose significant support. His followers are immune to facts, and he is immune to shame. Barring his death, he will be the Republican nominee. His shadow loomed over the candidates onstage at the Reagan library like former Air Force One, which hung from the mezzanine above their line of gleaming podiums. One was tempted to imagine, more than once, what would happen if it fell." . . .

We're All A Little Dumber After Tv's Political Debate Survivor Show. Now What? - Bing News    "Dana Perino’s final question in last night’s cacophonous Republican debate summed up the whole sordid spectacle.

"Saying that Donald Trump would run away with the nomination if everyone on stage stayed in the race, she asked the seven candidates to vote one of their number “off the island” and out of the contest.

"This was a game show as far as the moderators were concerned.

"The candidates — led by Ron DeSantis, who objected first and loudest — refused to play along." . . .

Another classic Disney tale about to be destroyed; Bambi faces woke overhaul

Movie fans who have already seen Disney desecrate other classics like “Snow White” and “The Little Mermaid” with rebooted versions that are more compatible with left-wing cultural dominance took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their disapproval of tampering with the original, which has entertained generations of kids for over 80 years.

 BPR (bizpacreview.com)   "Another classic cartoon character is set to be overhauled to fit the modern “woke” times with the tale of Disney’s beloved deer Bambi next up on the chopping block.

"In the new and improved version, a critical plot element, the death of the young Bambi’s beloved mother who is shot and killed by a human hunter, could be left out so as to not risk offending the delicate sensitivities of modern audiences.

"Writer Lindsey Anderson Beer who is working on the script for the live-action remake of the 1942 big-screen animated film said that today’s more “sensitive” generation could have difficulty dealing with that particular element of the original and suggested that it could be scrapped." . . .

Six in 10 Americans feel less safe than they did when Joe Biden entered office and 14% think he is doing a good job tackling crime, Daily Mail poll reveals

 Daily Mail Online

"Last month, the U.S. also reached the grim milestone of 500 mass shootings in a year for the third time.

"Of 1,000 likely voters polled, just one in 10 said they feel more safe walking the streets since Biden was inaugurated in January 2021.

"Just 28 percent of independent voters - a group crucial for Biden to win in 2024 - gave the White House good marks for dealing with crime.

"The results will pile the pressure on Biden, who faces dire approval ratings and constant questions about his age.

"His gamble to convince the public that he has turned the economy around with 'Bidenomics' also doesn't seem to be paying off.

"Democrats are reportedly trying to pressure the White House to change its message as the U.S. gradually recover from historic inflation.

"The president has also kept up his war on firearms with the creation of a federal gun violence prevention office.

"But his moves are struggling to appeal to a skeptical American public who think violence is becoming more of a problem on their doorstgep. 

'There is no doubt that Donald Trump energizes the Democratic base to turn out in support of Joe Biden,' Scarlett Maguire, Director at J,L, Partners said

" 'However, it would be a mistake for the incumbent president to think he can rely on Trump’s divisiveness and extreme unpopularity with part of the electorate to deliver a second term in office.

" 'With doubts about Biden’s leadership continuing to grow, 2024 may well turn into a referendum on his presidential record." . . . 

Biden Selling out the U.S. UPDATED

 Clarice Feldman - American Thinker  The Biden impeachment investigation began this week. If your source of news is CNN,MSNBC, and the Big Four TV networks, you didn’t know about this, the fourth such inquiry in U.S. history, because they blacked it out. Here’s a handy source to the workings of the House Oversight Committee which you might want to keep for reference.

"It apparently wasn’t very significant to the press. Not like the round-the-clock coverage of the lie that Trump was colluding with Russia, a lie generated by Hillary Clinton and megaphoned by them. Have they noted that the FBI agent who helped launch the probe into this alleged collusion was ironically on the payroll of a Russian and an Albanian? He has admitted he was on the payroll of a rich Russian and is set to admit being the recipient of an Albanian payoff." . . .

Ten Reasons Why the Biden Impeachment Inquiry is Justified – JONATHAN TURLEY

. . ."Here are the ten developments that I cited as justifying an impeachment inquiry (a view with which my fellow witness University of North Carolina Professor Michael Gerhardt disagreed):" . . .

Turley

• Hunter Biden and his associates were running a classic influence peddling operation using Joe Biden as what Devon Archer called “the Brand.”[1] While this was described as an “illusion of access,” millions were generated for the Bidens from some of the most corrupt figures in the world, including associates who were later accused of or convicted of public corruption.[2]
• Some of the Biden clients pushed for changes impacting United States foreign policy and relations, including help in dealing with Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin investigating corruption.[3]
• President Biden has made false claims about his knowledge of these dealings repeatedly in the past, including insisting that he had no knowledge of Hunter’s foreign dealings which Archer has declared “patently false.”[4] The Washington Post and other media outlets have also declared the President’s insistence that his family did not take money from China as false.[5]
• The President had been aware for years that Hunter Biden and his uncle James were accused of influence peddling, including an audiotape of the President acknowledging a New York Times investigation as a threat to Hunter.[6]
• President Biden was repeatedly called into meetings with these foreign clients and was put on speakerphone.[7] He also met these clients and foreign figures at dinners and meetings.[8]
• Emails and other communications show Hunter repeatedly invoking his father to secure payments from foreign sources and, in one such message, he threatens a Chinese figure that his father is sitting next to him to coerce a large transfer of money.[9]
• A trusted FBI source recounted a direct claim of a corrupt Ukrainian businessman that he paid a “bribe” to Joe Biden through intermediaries.[10]
• Hunter Biden reportedly claimed that he had to give half of his earnings to his father[11] and other emails state that intermingled accounts were used to pay bills for both men, including a possible credit account that Hunter used to allegedly pay prostitutes.[12]
• At least two transfers of funds to Hunter Biden in 2019 from a Chinese source listed the President’s home in Delaware where Hunter sometimes lived and conducted business.[13]
• Some of the deals negotiated by Hunter involved potential benefits for his father, including office space in Washington.[14] At least nine Biden family members reportedly received money from these foreign transfers, including grandchildren.[15] For Hunter Biden, this included not just significant money transfers but gifts like an expensive diamond and a luxury car.[16]

GURVICH: Biden Tells Us How Great He Is As Everything Falls Down Around Him (thehayride.com)   . . ."Let us hope we are able to hear him out, because in truth he has much to answer for. According to the most recent available statistics, inflation has surged to 3.7% year-on-year in August, and remains more than twice the rate that it was when Biden took office.

"All told, inflation has gone up 17.4% during his term, so your saved dollars, if you managed to save anything at all, are worth 17.4% less today than they were on the day President Trump left office. If you have $10,000 in savings, Biden has cost you $1740 in purchasing power; if you have $100,000 or more in savings, you should have a few drinks before proceeding any further with this calculation.". . .

HOLTON: What Joe Biden Gave America On 9/11 (thehayride.com)  . . ."It’s tough to say but there is no way in the wide world that this was just a coincidence. Biden and Blinken are sending a signal to someone. To the American people. To the 9/11 families. To the Ayatollahs.

"Basically what this says is, “All is forgotten, we’re moving on. September 11th is so…2001. Besides, Iran is Shia and Al Qaeda is Sunni so there’s no connection there.”

"That last line especially angers me because, as someone who has worked in that area for years, none of what that statement says is true." . . .

Meghan Markle 'in running for Dianne Feinstein's Senator seat in bid for office'

  Mirror Online

The Duchess has made several Democrat friends since moving to LA including TV host Oprah Winfrey, who is a big donor to the party, and become friendly with the Kennedys, who remain one of the most well-connected Democratic families in America.

"Meghan Markle is reportedly "in the running to fill Dianne Feinstein's California Senator seat" as the Duchess considers a run for office.

"According to a major Democratic donor close to Californian Governor Gavin Newsom, who is set to choose Feinstein's replacement, the possibility of the Duchess of Sussex running is not impossible. Although a long-shot replacement for the 90-year-old pioneer, there is speculation Meghan could serve out the remaining 13 months of Feinstein's term.

"A source told the Mail on Sunday: "Meghan is definitely a long-shot but in the craziness that is US politics these days it's not an impossibility. Crazier things have happened."

"After the tragic [but expected] passing of Feinstein, 55-year-old Gavin Newsom can pick her replacement until the next election in November 2024. He was in a similar position in October 2020, when then-candidate Joe Biden chose California senator, [Kamala], Harris, to be his vice president." . . .

Viral video lays bare the haunting trauma of abortion, and the destruction reaped by one choice

God bless Ricky Caster Jr. for his calm and gentle spirit, taking abuse to rejoice in the truth.

 Olivia Murray - American Thinker  

I don’t regret it at all. They yanked the fetus out of my uterus, they yanked the fetus out of my uterus, and I’m so happy, I’m so grateful. And I’m a professor at this university, and I make more money than you, and what else….

 "There’s a lot to unpack in a two-and-a-half-minute video clip that’s currently going viral, which depicts a day of ministry at the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison.

"We’ve got a white kid lobbing tomatoes towards a black man all because he’s exercising his right to free speech, and the kid doesn’t like what the man has to say.

"There’s Rickey Caster Jr., the black man, a pastor who is telling the crowd that God loves them, and presumably, that abortion is wrong.

"Then, there’s the woman who identifies herself as a professor, who goes out of her way to engage the pastor in a conversation, which ultimately leads to her arrest. You can watch the video below:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1704916074850812284

There’s Only One Reason Why Donald Trump Turned on Nikki Haley

  PJ Media

Rather than see Haley as someone who can boost his ticket, Trump has decided to trash her instead. And that’s a shame.

"From the beginning of her candidacy, I’ve always seen Nikki Haley’s entry into the 2024 GOP primary as an audition to be Trump’s running mate. Watching her in the debate this week, I was impressed by her performance and was certainly convinced that she’d make a great running mate for Trump.

"Others have noticed her as well, and her stock is rising in the GOP primary, apparently a bit too much and too fast for Donald Trump. On the night of the second debate, minutes before it ended, the Trump campaign sent out an email attacking her. It was the first time the campaign ever sent out such an email. That’s no coincidence.

"Trump followed that up by blasting her on his Truth Social platform on Friday." . . .

WATCH: Chris Christie Concedes on MSNBC That His #1 ‘Job’ Is Attacking Trump For the Democrats – PJ Media   "This fraud is not running for anything.

"One might be forgiven for assuming the reason a presidential candidate is running for the nomination is to win the nomination and become president.

"This is not the case for nearly every candidate running currently in the GOP primary. They know they have no chance to win, and, furthermore, they are essentially doing nothing to change that fact, either out of cowardice or sleazy political calculus or both.

"There are two varieties of the current GOP crop of con-man: those who refuse to criticize Trump in any meaningful way so as not to upset the Big Guy or his base in the hopes of being selected as his VP or winning some cabinet position. This is the Vivek Ramaswamy breed.

"The other is angling for a CNN contract, a book deal, a Cato Institute think tank appointment, or all three after their candidacies inevitably peter out. These candidates aim to please the donor class, which despises Trump and desperately wants anyone other than him to win the nomination — the base’s preference be damned. This individual positions himself as the straight-talking, principled opposition — laughable — telling hard truths about Trump and generally modeling his campaign, to the extent that’s what it is, in the mold of any standard Republican from 1992.

"Chris “Kristy Kreme” Christie belongs to this category." . . .

The Ladies of ‘The View’ Deliver Their Most Cringeworthy Apologies

They're 'really, really sorry' for offending half the country on a regular basis

WATCH: The Ladies of ‘The View’ Deliver Their Most Cringeworthy Apologies (freebeacon.com)   "The ladies on ABC's The View probably wouldn't describe their show as a cesspool of shrill nonsense and liberal hackery, but that is precisely what it is. Why else would the New York Times describe it as "the most important political TV show in America"?

"In 2022 alone, The View cohosts were forced to issue nearly 40 apologies, clarifications, and legal disclaimers for statements they made on the air. So much for the "intelligent debate" the journalist Barbara Walters envisioned when she created The View in 1997.

"The list of statements for which Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, and their colleagues have apologized (or issued clarifications in response to threats of legal action) is nothing short of astonishing." . . .

• Comparing Christianity to a "mental illness."

• Claiming Supreme Court justices Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas have been "credibly accused" of sexual assault.

• Suggesting the Holocaust was "not about race."

• Asserting that neo-Nazi protesters outside a convention in Florida belonged to a conservative student organization.

• Repeatedly "misgendering" former male athlete Caitlyn Jenner.

• Using a racial slur—"gypped"—to criticize Donald Trump and his supporters.

• Offending nurses by suggesting nursing is "not a real talent."

• Falsely accusing Supreme Court justice Amy Coney Barrett of belonging to a "hate group."

• Defending accused rapist Bill Cosby by comparing him to the falsely accused members of the Duke lacrosse team in 2006.

Biden’s Press Chief Blurts Out Biggest Lie about Bidenomics -

"Let me be clear"...

  The Lid (lidblog.com)

‘How Many People Coming Into This Country Illegally Is Enough For President Biden?’ – Issues & Insights (issuesinsights.com)   "Questions like that are almost enough to make you feel sorry for White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Even someone qualified for that job – which she clearly is not – would have trouble coming up with new ways to tell bald-faced lies about the border crisis and what President Joe Biden is doing to stop it.

Her job got more difficult after U.S. Customs and Border Protection released data Friday showing that 304,162 people entered the country illegally in August – a new record.

For perspective, it’s as many as crossed illegally in all of 2017, and more than the entire population of Pittsburgh.  

Just a couple months ago, team Biden was crowing about a dip in the number of illegal border crossers, even issuing a press release claiming that “the administration’s plan is working as intended.”

Two weeks ago, Jean-Pierre declared that “The president has done more to secure the border and to deal with this issue of immigration than anybody else. He really has.”

Normally, the press would swallow such lies without blinking. But now Democratic politicians are rising up in protest around the country against the devastation Biden’s “secure the border” policies have brought to their cities and states.

The Daily Signal recently reported that “Democratic leaders in Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C., have declared states of emergency in response to the border crisis that occurred after President Joe Biden took office.”

The crisis has gotten so bad that the slavishly pro-Biden New York Times has started reporting on its scale and impact. In just the past few days, it’s run stories headlined:

• “Officials Scramble to Respond as Migrants Overwhelm Texas City”
• “Influx of Migrants Exposes Democrats’ Division on Immigration”
• “One Day on the Border: 8,900 Migrants Arrested, and More on the Way”
• “Unlawful Border Crossings Are Rising Fast”
• “Eric Adams Asserts Migrant Crisis Will ‘Destroy New York'”

Scared residents are fleeing Democrat-run cities

 Washington, D.C., Other U.S. Cities Becoming War Zones As Crime Skyrockets Under Democrat Control ⋆ Conservative Firing Line   

. . ."  "Residents of the city have said they are changing their routines in response to high crime, with homicides and robberies climbing 29 and 67 percent, respectively. One lobbyist said he stopped walking in his neighborhood after an attack near Dupont Circle, eventually relocating to Maryland to get away from the crime-ridden city. Other residents have reported taking measures such as using alternative entrances to their building and avoiding going to gas stations at night. The general consensus is that the city has taken a major turn for the worse; while crime was largely limited to those associated with drugs and gangs in the past, now innocent people are being shot in nice neighborhoods.

• Pandemic Of Retail THEFT: Democrat County Supervisor Now Regrets Stupidly Backing A Radical Crime Bill That Legalized Shoplifting In California

Donald Duck ‘Trumps’ Porky Pig

  American Thinker

"During the Republican presidential debate stage at the Ronald Reagan library in Simi Valley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie continued spewing his unbecoming insults toward former President Trump.

"Christie stands little chance of winning, but continues to debase the debate.  Perhaps he’s auditioning for a show on “Looney Tunes” legacy media.

"In a petulant, sophomoric quip, Christie labelled Trump as Donald Duck, for refusing to debate.  The collective, disapproving sigh from the audience was palpable. Many pundits, and co-moderator Stuart Varney, say it fell flat.

"But as long as we’re assigning the persona of cartoon characters to Republican presidential candidates, being Donald Duck is not the worst mantle to assume.

"Indeed, some of Donald Duck’s characteristics might benefit dysfunctional Washington D.C.  To wit:  while a bit irascible, Donald Duck is a beloved character known for perseverance and determination.  Sure, he’s a bit tempestuous, but Donald Duck always manages to overcome whatever challenges he faces.  Overall, Donald Duck has some remarkable traits that do mimic the real Donald, enabling him to shake up the porky political establishment." . . .

Joe Biden's nightmare coming to life: RFK, Jr. all but announces third-party run for the presidency

RFK Jr. renews calls for Secret Service protection after armed man arrested at campaign event - ABC News (go.com)

. . ."Kennedy's initial request for Secret Service protection was rejected after Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a July letter that, after consulting with a bipartisan congressional advisory committee, it was determined a detail was "not warranted at this time."

Kennedy has since been vocal in his desire to receive Secret Service, posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the rejection, "Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. But not me."

 Monica Showalter - American Thinker  "Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is again calling for a U.S. Secret Service protective detail to be assigned to him following an incident at a campaign event last week involving an armed man who now stands accused of impersonating a police officer.

"Since then, Kennedy's campaign has highlighted his family's history of assassination and the recent security scare as examples of the increased threat environment he faces amid his campaign to defeat President Joe Biden."