UPDATED: James Talarico Feels the Heat for Helping Tank Texas Bill That Targeted Criminal Illegals

 Jennifer Oliver O'Connell

In the midst of the former President's praise, Obama pronounced Talarico's last name as "Turico," butchering the state representative's last name.

Turico following n the back

"Barack Obama brought charisma, warmth and star power to the Texas campaign trail as he joined James Talarico for a series of candid interactions with voters in Austin, Texas, on May 12. From laughing with supporters to holding a child and greeting diners, the former president’s presence seemed to resonate with the public years after leaving office." . . .

"Obama and James Talarico moved from table-to-table speaking with patrons as supporters gathered around them inside the Austin restaurant. Obama spent nearly 30 minutes moving from booth to booth in a classic display of retail politicking, chatting with voters about issues ranging from data centers to voting rights while posing for group photos with an overwhelmingly younger crowd that erupted with excitement when the former president walked in.

"The images reinforced Obama’s continuing influence within Democratic politics as candidates seek to tap into his popularity and public appeal. The former president, however, did not make any public remarks or formally endorse either Democrat." . . .

Texas Democrat wins Obama's support despite name blunder

Why Won’t Barack Obama Go Away?   Unfortunately, the American people are suffering the consequences of Obama’s insatiable desire to insert himself into the national conversation. He has been vocal in criticizing the Trump-era GOP and boosting Democrats on the campaign trail ever since making the two-mile trek from the White House to Kalorama. Obama soared to the top of the political world after his 2004 Democratic National Convention speech vowed there was not a liberal America and a conservative America, but a singular United States of America. It’s a poignant sentiment. But once in power, Obama ruled as divider-in-chief.

"All these years later, he’s still acting the same way." . . .

Again; we will miss Obama...whenever.

Mayorkas: Man, Somebody Shoulda Done Sumpthin' About That Border

HotAir  

"Now we know he was just another dumb cluck ideologue dutifully carrying out the orders of the glitterati who ruled over him. Technically, he was the Director of the Department of Homeland Security. We just know him as Ray; Ray Mayorkas."

"So, I always feel heartened when I can end the evening on either a high note or one so insanely ridiculous that you can't help but laugh.

This is one of those.

And please don't cry.

Once upon a time in the legendary years of the reign of POTATUS, there was a man. As we now know, he was a very, very simple man.

At the time, we were all convinced he was a super ee-ville genius.

Now we know he was just another dumb cluck ideologue dutifully carrying out the orders of the glitterati who ruled over him.

Technically, he was the Director of the Department of Homeland Security.

We just know him as Ray. Ray Mayorkas.

He was perpetually beaten up once Republicans gained the House back.

Kash Patel Called Out This Sheriff Over the Nancy Guthrie DNA as Investigation Hits Critical 100-Day Mark

 Patriot Pulse 

Kash Patel Says the Sheriff Blocked the FBI From Nancy Guthrie Evidence

Kash Patel publicly embarrassed a sitting county sheriff over botched DNA evidence in a kidnapping case watched by the entire nation.

Now the FBI has the evidence the sheriff's office sat on for weeks – and 100 days later, Nancy Guthrie is still missing.

The question isn't whether the DNA will crack this case open.

Patel went on Sean Hannity's podcast May 5 and didn't mince words about Democrat Sheriff Chris Nanos' handling of the Nancy Guthrie abduction.

For the first four days after Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home on February 1, Patel said the FBI was shut out entirely.

"For four days we were kept out of the investigation," Patel told Hannity. "The first 48 hours of anyone's disappearance are the most critical."

When federal agents were finally let in, they immediately delivered – recovering doorbell camera footage by working directly with Google that showed a masked, armed man tampering with the camera the morning of the abduction.

"We could have gotten it days before," Patel said.

Then came the DNA.

Investigators recovered a strand from Guthrie's home that doesn't match her or anyone known to have been there – a potential gold-standard lead in a case that has produced virtually none.

Patel said the FBI offered to fly it to Quantico immediately.

"I had a fixed-wing aircraft on the ground ready to move it immediately through the night," Patel said. "And they said we're sending it to Florida."

The Florida lab held the evidence for weeks before it was finally transferred to the FBI." . . .

A RedState Photo Odyssey: The Devastation of the Pacific Palisades Is America's Wake-Up Call

 Bob Hoge

"The California Dream has turned into a dystopian nightmare. Karen Bass, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer, and all their union cronies want to bring this socialist hallucination to you, the American people." 

. . . "We here at RedState have extensively documented the disastrous failures of the one-party Democrat rule here in the Golden State, helmed by the governor with the worst record of failure arguably in the history of the United States, Gavin Newsom. Meanwhile, LA Mayor Karen Bass jetted off to Ghana despite being warned that a looming catastrophe was on the way, a key reservoir above the Palisades was left empty by highly-paid, inept Department of Water and Power (DWP) officials, the LA Fire Department was more concerned with DEI and LGBTQ than fire prevention, the forestry service told firefighters to stand down because they cared more about plants than people… the list goes on, and on… and on.

"The notable increase in construction gave me hope, but there’s a caveat: there are many stories and rumors about foreign interests and investment bros snapping up properties and planning on radically changing what once were leafy, family-friendly neighborhoods. Some theorize that the real “progressive” plan is to turn the whole area into high-density urban housing — nothing like it once was.

"I’d say all that they were all just tinfoil hat conspiracy theories, except that the two links I provided in the above paragraph show that they are most certainly not. Meanwhile, I’ve lived in the formerly Golden State long enough to know that, however devilish you think the Left’s plans are for the failing West Coast progressive juggernaut, the reality is always worse. My fear is that the Palisades will never again be the idyllic, wonderful area that mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt grew up in. He watched as his own house and his parents' were incinerated beyond recognition, and that trauma has inspired his once unlikely but now increasingly viable run for mayor."

More ...

Spencer Pratt ad brilliantly trolls LA’s lefty leaders with hilarious City Hall stunt

Jamie Paige  "The viral anti-Mayor Karen Bass video that lit up social media is rolling through the streets of downtown Los Angeles in what may be one of the boldest political stunts yet in the city’s increasingly chaotic mayoral race.

"Two massive billboard trucks circled City Hall for hours Tuesday carrying the now-famous “Spencer, take out the trash” campaign message tied to Pratt and his rapidly growing online political movement.

"The phrase plays off the Spanish word “basura,” meaning “trash,” while taking direct aim at Bass and her administration." . . .

"Supporters behind the campaign have used the slogan to frame City Hall as bloated, corrupt and failing on homelessness, crime and basic city services.

"The trucks looped around government buildings and busy downtown streets while displaying graphics tied to the viral campaign that has already spread nationwide across TikTok, Instagram and X.

"The campaign’s videos have leaned heavily into aggressive internet-style political messaging, mixing AI-generated imagery, animation and rapid-fire attacks on City Hall leadership.

"Several clips depict dystopian scenes of Los Angeles collapsing under homelessness, graffiti, trash and crime while portraying Pratt as an anti-establishment outsider promising to clean up the city." . . .  More...

Hilarious viral AI ad depicts Karen Bass as Darth Vader

"Sky News host Rita Panahi claims Spencer Pratt has gained momentum in the Los Angeles mayoral race after supporters released a viral AI-generated campaign ad. “The Spencer Pratt campaign to be Mayor of LA got another book when supporters put together this latest ad,” Ms Panahi said. “He seems to be closing the gap very quickly with the incumbent Karen Bass.” "The AI artists turned Spencer Pratt into a Jedi sent to save a destroyed and burning city run by an AI depiction of Karen Bass as Darth Vader." . . .

Douglas Murray: Tech firms must crack down on mad conspiracy theories destroying society

 Douglas Murray  

"The traditional media would be in a whole world of legal pain if we ran and boosted claims that were knowingly untrue. Yet Meta, Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok and the rest of them actually make money off this model. They incentivize people by rewarding those who advance the wackiest claims imaginable."

"If you need more proof of how deranging our times have become, just consider this: the number of times the word “staged” was used in the hours after the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner shooting last Saturday.

"This isn´t only a problem for social media companies. It is a problem for our democracy. And it is one we need to tackle.

"While hundreds of journalists were sheltering in place on Saturday evening, and the entire chain of command of the United States was being raced out of the room in DC, social media platforms were having a field day.

"Analysis shows that in the hours after Saturday´s attack, the term “staged” (as in that the latest attempt on the life of President Trump was “staged”) appeared in more than 300,000 posts on X (formerly Twitter). Other platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube were filled with the same claims. Many of these claims were unnaturally boosted — some by foreign accounts.

"In case there’s anyone reading this who does think that the most recent attempt on Trump´s life was “staged,” let me try to nip that in the bud. If anyone was going to try to fake an assassination attempt on the president, where would be worst place to do it? I would think it would be in a ballroom literally filled with the world´s media: outlets that compete with each other, vehemently disagree with each other, and that come from every spot on the political spectrum. All of which couldn’t wait to let their readers know if there was something suspicious going on." . . .More...

One is amazed at the professionalism of the plotters at Butler, Pa. Trump needed a shooter so skilled that he knew the gunman could come so close to his head yet only skin the ear, missing the head. Then he told Crooks after that to just shoot anywhere for effect. "I don't care if you hit someone else". You need good professionals to fake an assassination. TD

How Biden and Obama Failed in the Middle East

Democrats have been the wimpy kid who gave their lunch money to the school bully every morning so he wouldn't disturb them. TD

Victor Davis Hanson

" . . .Ten, the Obama and Biden teams -- Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Susan Rice, Leon Panetta, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, and Lloyd Austin -- were force multipliers of their presidents' naivete and incompetence."

"The short answer to why both the Biden and Obama administrations failed to achieve peace in the Middle East is that they took actions opposite to President Donald Trump's current efforts, which have led to a ceasefire.

"First, consider Iran.

"Iran was flush with cash, on a trajectory toward a nuclear weapon, and arming Israel's "ring of fire" enemies: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

"The radical Islamic world of the Middle East was convinced that Israel would be doomed eventually.

"Yet both Democratic administrations let Iran profit from oil sales.

"They talked of delaying, but not ending, Iran's nuclear program. And they feared that Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis were indomitable terrorist threats.

"Thus, the disruptors of peace were appeased rather than deterred.

"Two, both former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden pressured Israel in general and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in particular to make constant concessions.

"But neither offered any plan for how Israel was to survive when Iran sought its destruction, and Tehran's terrorist triad aimed to bombard it with missiles, rockets, and drones.

"Worse, once the larger Middle East saw Democratic presidents appeasing Iran and its terrorist appendages, they concluded it was unsafe to take risks by allying with a delusional United States.

"Three, both Obama and Biden despised and personally insulted Netanyahu, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and the Saudi royal family." . . .  More...

The Thing That Works

 John Stossel

They listen to people like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who says, "Capitalism ... is the absolute pursuit of profit at all human, environmental and social cost. That is not a redeemable system."

. . . "For thousands of years, everyone but the nobility was poor. Then, when some countries tried capitalism, wealth skyrocketed.

"When people are allowed to buy and sell things freely, everyone is better off.

"Socialists don't get that. AOC insists: "No one ever makes a billion dollars. You take a billion."

"But no billionaire showed up at my door demanding I give them money. Under capitalism, they can only get rich by offering people something we think is better than what we bought before.

"Yes, Amazon's founder is now absurdly rich, but consumers didn't lose. Jeff Bezos got rich by inventing a way for us to shop efficiently and pay less.

"And as Forbes points out, most billionaires weren't born rich.

                 Video: AOC "is why there are directions on a shampoo bottle"

. . .  "Maybe, but capitalism also lifted more people out of poverty, created more opportunities and improved more lives than any other system.

"Economist Thomas Sowell said, "I don't ask, 'What is the cause of poverty?' Everybody is born poor and ignorant. The question is, what factors allow some groups to get from that position?"

"'Sowell put it well," concludes Forbes. "What is the difference between people today and people in the Stone Age? Difference is -- we know more. That's how you get a higher standard of living, from experiments in the marketplace, the laboratory, always trying to find new things. That's why planning doesn't work, because if we already knew it, we'd already be doing it!"

"Only capitalism allows the experiments that create better lives." . . . More...

Humor: How many Democrats does it take … - Eric Utter

"How many Democrats does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

(Trick question. Many Democrats don’t know how to screw in a lightbulb and most have their servants do it. It should be noted, however, that hundreds of them in Washington, D.C. will debate what kind of bulbs should be legal, their maximum wattage, etc., etc.)" . . .

Fixing the Failures of the Pro-Life Movement -

  American Reformer; via Glenn Gaither   

"Defending the rights of the unborn is not enough. A pro-life party worthy of its name would defend motherhood, maternal character, and parenthood, too.

A Never-Before-Seen Look at Life’s First Moments | Baby Oliver

"Conservatives have long understood that abortion has fundamentally changed the sexual constitution of America, its system of honor and shame shaping relations between the sexes. But they have mostly underestimated the scope and nature of the abortion revolution.

"Abortion is usually seen only as part of the Left’s rights revolution. Pro-abortion activists see the “right to choose” as an expression of individual autonomy, providing “the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life,” as Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Advocates slip other “rights” into American life through this window, including access to contraception, obscenity, sodomy, same-sex marriage, and suicide.

“Pro-life” framing focuses on how the baby’s “right to life” limits female autonomy. Autonomy is thought to be a good, but only up to a point where it meets the baby’s personhood. A woman’s right to swing and punch is limited by the baby’s nose. Much ink has been spilled to prove that the baby is indeed a life—all to the good.

"Conservatives have also long emphasized how permissive abortion laws produce a culture of death. Life everywhere is cheapened when it can be ended in the womb. The old or ill, facing life’s inevitable end, will either be ushered out through physician-assisted suicide or shunted away. A culture of death is also callous to children generally, tolerating forms of child abuse and neglect. 

The emphasis on life more easily gains purchase in today’s environment because it exists within our rights framework. But, as the pro-abortion votes in most state referenda after the Dobbs decision show, the movement has not won the hearts and minds of the American people. Part of what the pro-life movement has missed is how abortion also affects the ethos of family life and shapes female priorities and character away from motherhood. Abortion exists downstream from feminist career ambitions and associated lifestyles. Once women adopt such lifestyles, they become, mostly, either softer on abortion or positively pro-abortion. Defending abortion means defending a way of life that depends, in many cases, on access to abortion." . . .  More...

Where on earth do these Democrats come from?

 The moral compass of Democrats and Gen Z [especially] women  I find rather terrifying. 

“These are not your father’s political assassins. Things have changed. For one thing, today’s assassins have popular support with the kids.”

After all, didn't many of them support the Hamas slaughter of Israeli families and their infants? 

AfterMath

Communists Are Winning Office Throughout the Country   . . . "The DSA is running the most radical people for political office, not just at the top but also at lower levels. They are working in cities and states that are already blue and woke, and even solid red states. Many Americans don’t realize what is going on.

"Zohran Mamdani is a DSA member and a communist Islamist. Ketanje Jackson was pushed forward by the DSA for the Court. AOC is a DSA plant." . . .

Stu Smith posted: "The California governor section is where DSA’s “lesser evil” logic gets especially funny. "They warn voters not to cast a left-wing protest vote because “the stakes are incredibly high” and “the chance of the top two candidates both being Republicans is still very real.” "Then they land on Tom Steyer. Yes, billionaire Tom Steyer. "DSA admits Steyer is “somehow running the most progressive campaign,” praising him for backing a billionaire tax, state-level Medicare for All, labor unions, and calling ICE a “violent extremist group.” "But they still cannot fully stomach him. The guide calls him the “most progressive” viable candidate, then immediately adds: “Time will tell whether he’s truly a class traitor.” "Even when they endorse the billionaire, the highest compliment they can offer is that maybe he will betray his own class." . . .

Michael Goodwin: Dems continue to wallow in denial and do the dumbest things – it's clear they haven't learned a thing “So Donald Trump, Republican Party: This is a new DNC. We are not going to sit back and not take you on when you fail the American people.” 

"If it really were a new DNC, Dems would have a fighting chance of winning back public trust. 

"Instead, they are living examples of the maxim that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." . . .

Watch: Bill Maher Calls Out The Left’s Selective Tolerance For Political Violence  . . . “These are not your father’s political assassins. Things have changed. For one thing, today’s assassins have popular support with the kids.” . . .

Exclusive | Dead voters' signatures appear on Dem candidate's forms: 'Our democracy nowadays' “'This is why people lose faith in government, because you have people running for office who are willing to lie and cheat because they can’t compete by following the rules,” McCreight said in a statement."

More at the Tunnel Wall blog

Spencer Pratt’s Mother’s Day Post is a Gut Punch to Democrats

 Daily Wire News

From the comments: "Virginia and the south is with you Spencer don’t be surprised if Miss Heidi is our first lady one day. I really see good things for you and your family and this country with you leading the way God bless you and you’re fight for truth, justice and the American way that has been hijacked from the REAL Americans that love this country and will fight for it till the end. You give ..us all hope.

"Make California California again!"

Another comment: "Looking at this reminds me of Newsom abandoning the needs of the people of California after the wild fires. The news failed to mention how Newsom was responsible for the Santa Ynez Reservoir sitting empty, in need of repair for a year, when Newsom knew the fire season was approaching. This was Newsom's way of having a fire sale but many are to dumb to understand the reality of the act of gross neglect and malicious conduct on Newsom's part."

The Four Horsemen of the New Antisemitism › Victor Davis Hanson

  American Greatness  

"Instead, what is left in the pathway of demonizing Israel and blaming Jews, here and abroad, is the supposed bigot Donald Trump and his “irredeemable,” “deplorable” MAGA movement—for now, the last dam holding back the rising flood." 

"Few predicted that blaming Israel and the Jews who support it would flare up in the early 21st century—and in America of all places, where there are nearly as many Jews as there are in Israel.

"After all, Israel is the only consensual society in the Middle East. It holds regular elections and maintains tripartite judicial, executive, and legislative checks and balances.

"Free speech is found in the Middle East only in Israel, where religious apostasy, criticism of one’s own country, gender equity, and tolerance of gays are guaranteed in marked contrast to all its neighbors.

"It was once common knowledge that Israel had survived the huge numbers of its enemies because its tiny population was better educated, freer, more adept at Western technology, more tolerant of dissent—and because it enjoyed the goodwill and bipartisan support of the United States.

"True, the recent affluence of the Gulf States has presented a thin veneer of Westernism that has fooled many in the new anti-Israel media. But just because Qatar did not censor a celebrity newsman’s broadcast from Doha does not mean Qatar is a free society. After all, no Western journalist would dare schedule a broadcast from Qatar with a Qatari who had condemned the regime for its intolerance or announced his religious apostasy from Islam.

"So why and how did millions of Americans begin to express hatred for Israel and, albeit more subtly, the Jews who support it?

"There are four converging fronts in this perfect storm.

Demography

"First, in demographic terms, the US Muslim population is expanding exponentially, due almost entirely to recent immigration and higher birth rates than the American norm (e.g., 2.5–8 versus 1.6–1.7).

"There are now nearly five million Muslim Americans. These numbers are anticipated by 2030 to surpass the Jewish American population." . . .More...