Voices of 9-11 "The thing that bothers me the most about the deceased from the towers is that they all just kinda vanished without a trace. The force of the collapse vaporized most and there are many people who don’t have a single remain of them. It’s one thing to square yourself around the loss of a loved one; when you have a body to bury, look at and process through grief. It’s quite another when they left for work in an ordinary desk job on an ordinary day and literally disappeared, never to be see or heard of again. To this day it’s gotta be agony dealing with that." Comment to this post.
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Woodward and Bernstein’s take on anonymous sources reveals media incompetence
"Woodstein"?
BPR "Famed Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (“Woodstein”) have recently weighed in on the use of anonymous sources in the reporting of President Trump’s alleged slurs of deceased soldiers. While they use their iconic status to support the “truth” spoken by such unnamed witnesses, they unwittingly prove the profound incapability of modern journalism in its assumed role as the arbiter of truth.
"There can be no better example of this than Woodstein’s discussion of their use of anonymous sources in Watergate. These sources, Woodstein argues, were all proven truthful and brought down a sitting president. Therefore, they contend, the present anonymous sources must be telling the truth. But this jejune reasoning shows precisely how modern journalism got out over its skis in Watergate and continues to careen wildly downhill.
"It is better to be lucky than good, and the reporters were fortunate that their witnesses in Watergate were speaking contrary to their own interests against a White House to which they were otherwise loyal. And the reporters knew from the employment of the witnesses that they knew whereof they spoke. To litigating lawyers, these factors are critical, that is, competence (basis for knowledge) and lack of motive to falsify. But to journalists, such analysis is foreign, and when attempted, usually is performed amateurishly.
"Moreover, all of Woodstein’s “anonymous” witnesses were not unknown to the FBI, on whom the reporters tailgated. That they had been willing to speak to the FBI on formal interview was another indicium of truth. " . . . More
Dr. Fauci disputes alleged quotes from him in Bob Woodward ... . . . "Woodward wants us to believe that Trump intentionally deceived the American people. He knew how serious the virus was, but wanted to hide its seriousness from the public to avoid a panic. That’s the line.
"Dr. Fauci, who ranks even higher than Woodward in the esteem of liberals I know, isn’t buying it. Fauci, who had the advantage of being there, says:
I didn’t get any sense that [Trump] was distorting anything. I mean in my discussions with him, they were always straightforward about the concerns that we had. We related that to him. And when he would go out, I’d hear him discussing the same sort of things. . . .
Laugh or Cry? Reporter's Defense of Atlantic's Anonymously-Sourced Anti-Trump Hit Piece Is Cringeworthy . . . “So, please, by all means, tell me why a journalist would risk ruining their career and tarnishing their industry by making up a source,” she added.
"Well, I bet you can imagine the responses. Many are inappropriate and totally out of line, but what is this? Is the liberal media bubble that dense, or does Ms. Krauth simply not know about past events where the liberal media did invent stuff out of thin air? Maybe it’s a little of both, but Dan Rather peddling fake documents to smear George W. Bush’s Air National Guard service during the 2004 election is certainly a prime example. Why was Brian Williams yanked off of NBC’s Nightly News? Have we forgotten about Richard Jewell and the 1996 Summer Olympics? Oh, yes, and The New Republic dealing with Stephen Glass, one of the most successful fakers out there—some people cited these examples in the replies. The New York Times had to deal with the lies of former reporter Jayson Blair." . . .
Kamala Harris's embrace of Jacob Blake is the latest blow to #MeToo
Tiana Lowe, Commentary WriterWashington Examiner "It's been quite a week for Kamala Harris. In addition to promulgating anti-vaccination conspiracy theories about any coronavirus vaccine released during the Trump presidency, she met with the family of Jacob Blake, a man famous for fleeing from the police with his children in tow when he violated an existing restraining order after being charged with sexual assault.
"Blake has been famously lionized by the Left after being shot by the police when officers tried to arrest him as he reached in his car (telling them after the shooting that he had a knife, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). Unlike the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, both of whom did not pose a semblance of deadly threats to officers and were preventable, it's unclear if any feasible policy change would have prevented Blake's shooting. After all, Blake subverted multiple nonlethal attempts to subdue him, and by all available evidence, the police in question only resorted to shooting him when the officers had reasonable suspicion that he was reaching for a knife.
"Yet, it's not just the radical Left that has embraced Blake. Harris decided to wade into the active criminal investigation and take the side of a man charged with sexual assault and domestic violence.
" 'I mean, they're an incredible family," said Harris after meeting with his family while Blake called in. "And what they've endured, and they just do it with such dignity and grace. And you know, they're carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders."
"To recap, Blake broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend back in May, digitally raped her while one of their children slept in bed beside her, and stole her car keys and debit card prior to fleeing the scene of the crime. Wisconsin issued both an open warrant for Blake's arrest for third-degree sexual assault and a restraining order for the victim. Blake violated the restraining order, triggering the police encounter in question.
"So, one has to ask Harris, really? An incredible family? Not just the man who knowingly endangered his children by evading arrest for sexually assaulting their mother, but also his father, Jacob Blake Sr., who has spewed the sort of anti-Semitism that wouldn't be out of place on the Daily Stormer?" . . .
Some FB posts by Jacob Blake, the guy is planning to meet with.
He’s a vicious antisemite.
If the investigation finds that his son’s shooting was unjustified those responsible should be held accountable, but there is no excuse for Biden to meet with a Jew hater.
Clinically Deranged Adam Schiff Mounts His Dead Russia Horse Again
“We’ve received a whistleblower complaint alleging DHS suppressed intel reports on Russian election interference, altered intel to match false Trump claims and made false statements to Congress,” Schiff, D-Calif., tweeted Wednesday afternoon. “This puts our national security at risk.”
PJ Media . . . "Yes, the polls have been tightening, but the Dems have been in a sort of flop-sweat panic mode since the Republican National Convention ended. There is, of course, the fact that every public appearance by der Bidengaffer since then has been hovering in the neighborhood of “unmitigated disaster.”
The Democrats do seem to be trying to get to their October surprises early this year. That reeks of desperation.
Speaking of reeking, California’s little impeachment pitbull Adam Schiff is back. Guess what, kids? He’s got another whistleblower!
The House Intelligence Committee received a whistleblower complaint claiming Trump administration officials at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security suppressed intelligence reports related to Russian election interference, Democratic Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said Wednesday.
In a statement, Schiff said former Intelligence and Analysis Acting Under Secretary Brian Murphy filed the whistleblower reprisal complaint on Tuesday with the DHS Office of Inspector General.
Exiled from the kingdom by the Queen of San Francisco
San Fran Nan Tried to Destroy Salon Owner; Now, There’s Some Awesome News
And while there’s no word on whether Kious will take Gov. Noem (R) up on her offer to relocate her business to South Dakota, at least she has a chance now to take back control of her salon’s future thanks to the generous support she’s received.
"When we last checked in with the Saga of the Covert Blow-Out, longtime, San Francisco salon owner Erica Kious had spoken to Tucker Carlson about it, including revealing how House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) words and actions essentially destroyed her salon — and inspired people in the community to fill her phone with hateful text messages and death threats. Kious also shared how destructive the shutdowns were for her business.
"Meanwhile, my colleagues reported that a group of ladies in the congresswoman’s district put up a unique display in front of Pelosi’s home, in protest of her ornery outburst at salon owner Kious for turning her in for breaking coronavirus masking rules. And the Mayor of San Francisco mixed it up, too, defending the Speaker’s need for beauty services because “she’s fighting a terrorist.” And by ‘terrorist,’ Mayor Breed meant our President, by the way.
"Of course, President Trump used the situation as an opportunity to take a dig at San Fran Nan:
"Crazy Nancy Pelosi said she was “set up” by the beauty parlor owner when she improperly had the salon opened (and didn’t wear a MASK!). Does anyone want a Speaker of the House who can be so easily SET UP?"
. . .
Remember, Nancy Pelosi, it’s always those little things that bite . . . "For Pelosi and her Congressional Democrats, this is one of those embarrassing coronavirus rules-for-thee-but-not-for-me moments that drive Americans crazy, especially now, during COVID-19 restrictions.
"Most people are stuck in their homes, losing their jobs, bored, sick of TV, only to see the political elite flouting the rules.
" 'This salon owes me an apology,” Pelosi told reporters, using the old Marion Barry defense. But unlike the former mayor of Washington, D.C., caught on FBI tape with a prostitute and a crack pipe, Pelosi didn’t use the “B” word." . . .
Hair Salon Owner Smeared by Pelosi 'Afraid to Go Back' to San Francisco . . . "But it's Kious who feels more entitled to an apology, because the Democratic leader may have singlehandedly ruined her livelihood. In the wake of the controversy, Kious says she's been receiving nasty Yelp reviews, emails, and text messages saying they "hope I under and that I fail." In some cases, she's even received death threats.
"In fact, Kious is "afraid to go back" to San Francisco, the city she's lived in for 15 years, she said. "Because of the emails I've been getting. It's a little scary and sad." . . .
Pelosi Says Trump Downplayed COVID Threat, but Backed Chinatown Visits Amid Early Virus Fears "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has criticized President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers for "downplaying" the threat of COVID-19 after it was that the commander-in-chief was already aware it was more harmful than the flu in early February.
"But critics of the top Democratic lawmaker have pointed out that she encouraged people to visit Chinatown in San Francisco as fears of the novel coronavirus grew in late February.
"Posting on social media on Wednesday evening, the House speaker's campaign team said Trump and Republicans had "downplayed the deadly threat of the #coronavirus" and said their "failure and denial" had cost lives.
" 'The President's own words spell out the devastating truth: Trump was fully aware of the catastrophic nature of the coronavirus but hid the facts and refused to take the threat seriously, leaving our entire country exposed and unprepared," said another tweet." . . .
Babylon Bee finds a way to parody the parodical:
"Pelosi showed up for the appointment but felt uneasy from the beginning since the salon owner wore a shirt saying "I HATE NANCY PELOSI." But despite her misgivings, she continued on, really needing to get her hair done and her skin tightened.
"Just as her head was being dipped in the bowl, Pelosi noticed one of the hair stylists pressing a button labeled "SUMMON POLICE TO FRAME A POLITICIAN" under the counter. The Speaker of the House leaped to her feet and made a break for it, screaming for her chauffeur to start the car.
""Step on it, Bugsy!" she shouted at her getaway driver. "It's a setup! The popo's comin' in hot!" The hair stylist almost nabbed her, but Pelosi pushed over a rack of shampoos and conditioners, slowing down her pursuers just in time for her to leap into the back seat of her car.
"A police car came screaming around the corner just as she and her driver peeled out, taking a hard right down a nearby alleyway. The police officer riddled the back of her car with bullets from his Tommy gun before Pelosi narrowly managed to escape by driving off the end of the docks, where her car turned into a steampunk submersible and she got away scot-free." . . .
That invisible Durham investigation
What’s going on with the Durham investigation, if anything? "Ever since Attorney General Barr appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia collusion probe, Trump supporters have been waiting for the bomb to drop. And waiting. And waiting. But nothing ever happens.
Judicial Watch’s founder Tom Fitton thinks that conservatives are being scammed. Instead of an investigation, it’s just another Washington cover-up. I suspect (or, maybe, hope), though, that Barr and Durham are holding their fire because of the election.
Tom Fitton, whose organization doggedly uncovers documents the Swamp wants to hide, was on Fox News’ Lou Dobbs Tonight. He is concerned that the John Durham investigation is a sham:" . . .
More Durham probe charges possible, Barr says "Possible"? "Attorney general declines to say whether any charges would be announced prior to Election Day"
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Megyn Kelly Hammers Kamala Harris for Her Visit to Indicted Sex Offender Jacob Blake
RedState "On Sunday, Democrat Vice President-nominee Kamala Harris visited Kenosha, WI, to hold court at the bedside of Jacob Blake.
"Blake, if you recall, is the man shot in the back seven times by Kenosha police. While his shooting, based on a very incomplete video and accounting of events, set off days of riots in Kenosha by Antifa thugs LARPing as outraged Black people, we have since learned a lot more about the affair.
. . .
"And, extensive background was omitted:
According to the police association, the initial call that brought officers there was that Blake was trying to steal the keys to the caller’s vehicle, and that the SUV Blake is seen entering in widely shared video was not Blake’s vehicle. It also says the responding officers were aware Blake had an open warrant for third-degree felony sexual assault before they were on the scene. When officers tried to speak to Blake, he wasn’t cooperative.
The police association says Blake got one of the officers in a headlock during a confrontation on the passenger side of the SUV. Two officers fired stun guns and neither of them stopped Blake.
The attorney says Blake was armed with a knife at that time. Although police initially weren’t aware of the knife, they saw him holding it before he walked around to the driver’s side of the SUV and were ordering him to drop the knife as he walked away from him. He ignored repeated verbal commands to drop the knife.
“The officers involved gave Mr. Blake numerous opportunities to comply,” the statement reads. “He chose not to.”
"In addition, Blake had a previous arrest for threatening bar patrons with a pistol.
"So, as a recap, Blake essentially invaded the home of a former girlfriend whom he had sexually assaulted. He was the object of a restraining order and an outstanding arrest warrant. He had demonstrated violent behavior in the past. He took his ex’s keys and was trying to take her car. He fought with police, and Tasering him proved ineffective. He was armed. He tried to escape. He got shot." . . .
ACLU Official Attacks Transylvania University for Admitting Nick Sandmann as a Student
“Does anyone else think it’s a bit of a stain on Transylvania University for accepting Nick Sandman?” Said a woke critic
"Nicholas Sandmann, the young man who was smeared by the media for the sin of wearing a MAGA hat, and ended up speaking at the 2020 Republican National Convention, has been accepted as a student at Transylvania University in Kentucky.
"As a result, an official at the ACLU is now attacking the school. This is unreal.
"Remember when the American Civil Liberties Union defended people’s civil rights? They don’t.
"Professor Jonathan Turley writes:
ACLU Staffer Attacks University For Admitting Nick Sandmann While Professor Denounces His “Anti-Intellectual” Views [Updated]
I have previously written, as a long supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), about my concern over how the venerable group has changed under its current leadership, including a departure from its long robust defense of free speech. Recently, the ACLU has abandoned its famed neutrality and has not supported some on the right while supporting those on the left. Now, the ACLU’s Samuel Crankshaw in Kentucky has targeted Transylvania University for admitting Nick Sandmann, who was falsely accused of abusing a Native American activist in front of Lincoln Memorial.
"This is what Crankshaw wrote on Facebook:
Does anyone else think it’s a bit of a stain on Transylvania University for accepting Nick Sandman? I’m sure it’s a “both sides” defense, but it’s pretty counter to their mission and another instance of there not actually being equal sides to an issue. I think TU should accept anyone willing to have an open mind and engage in debate, regardless of their views. That’s how we all learn. That’s Transy’s mission.
But this kid clearly is a provocateur in training with no intention of learning. . . .
ACLU employee slams university for admitting defamed Covington teen Nick Sandmann . . . "Transylvania University Assistant Professor and Diversity Scholar Avery Tompkins responded to Crankshaw’s post and called Sandmann’s behavior and rhetoric “atrocious and uninformed” and vowed to monitor his conduct on campus.
“If he were to cause problems by being disruptive, trolling, or engaging in unethical behavior of any kind, I would immediately document it (just like I would for any student doing the same thing)," Tomkins wrote." . . .
Once again, the leftists are going after Nick Sandmann . . . "Sandmann, who we hope has enough CNN and Washington Post settlement money to buy and sell Harvard, has decided to attend Transylvania University, a small private liberal arts university in Lexington, Kentucky. Sane people will wish him good luck on his intellectual journey. Insane people will try to destroy his educational opportunity or promise to spy on him."
The Atlantic story is not helping the media's reputation
Silvio Canto, Jr. "A year ago, Gallup reported that trust in the media is down. This is the report:
Americans remain largely mistrustful of the mass media as 41% currently have "a great deal" or "fair amount" of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news "fully, accurately and fairly." This latest reading represents a four-percentage-point dip since last year and marks the end of improvements in back-to-back years after hitting an all-time low.
"Yes, it was a year ago but I doubt that much has changed. In fact, it may have gone down further.
"Why is the media dropping in the minds of many Americans? Take a look at this story in The Atlantic. According to Deroy Murdock, Jeffrey Goldberg, the author of the story, has four anonymous sources behind the story. On the other hand, President Trump has 21 named ones who've denied the story.
"Furthermore, Americans have a sense of fairness. They don't think that a person should be accused of something like this without a source willing to go public. In other words, every American knows that something like this could happen to them or an anonymous source who tries to destroy a reputation.
"In the end, The Atlantic won't change a single vote. It will give the Trump haters more material to post on Facebook. On the other hand, it will go in one ear and out the other for most voters who see it for what it is."
Are Antifa led by behind-the-scenes masterminds? Perhaps, but their actions don’t seem anywhere near as clever as, say, those of Hong Kong demonstrators. They seem to mostly succeed by having Democratic politicians on their side.
. . . "On the other hand, the press is positively salivating over the prospect of getting some Horst Wessel-type Antifa lowlife, or, ideally, some angelic black youth killed so they can blame it on Trump. If Biden can’t get the job done, the deep state very much wants a Color Revolution in Washington this November and it will gladly sacrifice a few BLM or Antifa thugs to accomplish its ends." . . .
When it comes to attacking Trump, the Atlantic can’t control itself
Our modern reporter class in the mainstream media is the worst of all worlds. They’re hopelessly biased but insist that they’re nonpartisan, and they’re incapable of investigating anything. Watching them at work, it’s a miracle that they can make it from their bedrooms to their kitchens every morning.
Chicago’s leniency for murderers ends as well as you’d think it would
The report illustrates perfectly the wisdom behind Dennis Prager having said over the years, “If you are kind to the cruel, you will be cruel to the kind.” . . .
"I’m a big believer in remorse, repentance, and redemption. This means that people who are genuinely contrite – and who have paid for whatever wrongdoing they did – can be forgiven. The left, which always likes shortcuts for those it characterizes as oppressed, prefers instantly to forgive these downtrodden anti-heroes, no matter how heinous their conduct, without expecting anything from them.
"That attitude may explain why Chicago’s Cook County prosecutors gave a pass to Steven Davis in 2019 when he was charged with murder. It was a surprise only to leftists that Davis later murdered another person in cold blood this July, a story that’s now getting reported.
"The report illustrates perfectly the wisdom behind Dennis Prager having said over the years, “If you are kind to the cruel, you will be cruel to the kind.” The Chicago Sun-Times tells the tragic tale of the pointless death of Be-Rasheet Mitchell, 21, an up-and-coming architect who wanted to make the world a better place:" . . .
. . . "It’s an unbearably tragic story. I think that the appropriate way to end it is with a reminder from Dennis Prager about why the death penalty is a way to respect, not demean, human life:" . . .
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
#WalkAway Founder Chased By BLM Mob: “This was the most terrifying moment of my life”
Mob was shouting anti-gay slurs and allegedly threw bottles at Straka and his group
"Back in 2018, I wrote about Brandon Straka and the #WalkAway movement that urges people to walk away from the Democratic Party. His movement’s success has inspired other Dem Party exit groups such as #Blexit.
"Since then Straka has been very active in getting his message out to disgruntled Democrats and has caught the attention of leftist activists. Last month, he was accosted by BLM activists in DC, and this weekend, he and his group were chased by BLM activists in Dallas, TX.
This was the most terrifying moment of my life. My team &I went to the police to check on detained security agent. 30-40 BLM began throwing bottles at us & chasing us. They stole my employee’s phone & smashed it. We had to run for 4-5 blocks. All Dallas news stations were there. . . .
Colin Kaepernick nominated for NFL Hall of Fame, columnist slammed for backing decision: 'A slap in the face'
Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide.
Kaepernick was nominated as a contributor by Bob Birkett of Vermont, who decided to submit an application for the same after discovering that there was no criteria in place restricting him from doing so
. . . "According to the Hall Of Fame, a contributor is defined as "an individual who has “made outstanding contributions to professional football in capacities other than playing or coaching." In his letter, Birkett made it clear as to why he thought the athlete deserved to be inducted into the prestigious position. “Mr. Kaepernick has shown exceptional courage in highlighting the
damaging effects of racial injustice on black people and on our society as a whole. His respectful kneeling posture has created a powerful symbol for those who are oppressed by our society," he wrote.
(Is America made better by people like these?)
"Backing Birkett's view, 
Armour wrote in the article, "It’s hard to argue that Kaepernick, who sacrificed his career because he wanted to make his country better, doesn’t at least deserve a debate." However, not many agreed with her viewpoint and took to social media to express their criticism of the move. Here are a few of the reactions:ue that Kaepernick, who sacrificed his career because he wanted to make his country better, doesn’t at least deserve a debate." However, not many agreed with her viewpoint and took to social media to express their criticism of the move. Here are a few of the reactions:
" 'If any of u claim your boycotting the NFL & really don't, your disgusting as well, this is a slap in the face to true Hall of Famers, if you're okay with this you're the problem USA Today Columnist Supports Kaepernick's Induction Into NFL Hall of Fame' " . . .
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