For years, some of us have criticized President Trump for his reference to the media as the “enemy of the people.” While Trump has indicated that he adopted the attacks to appease his supporters, the danger is that many would believe it. Now a new Hill-Harris X poll shows that one-third of Americans say the news media is “the enemy of the people.” Not coincidentally, that figure matches Trump’s core base that remains firm in the polls. However, it shows that this mantra is believed by millions of Americans, who are now viewing the media as the enemy. Continue reading “One-Third of Americans Say Media Is “The Enemy of the People””
If Democrat Rep. Frederica Wilson wanted to deter people from “making fun” of members of Congress, she went terribly wrong. People are heaping scorn on her call for people to be “prosecuted” for making fun of members. Making fun of members is speech that is clearly protected under the First Amendment. Indeed, it is a practice going back to the founding of the Republic. Wilson (who has been long teased over her elaborate faux jewel-encrusted cowboy hats) appears to moving from making breathtaking fashion to constitutional statements. Continue reading “Democratic Rep Calls For The Prosecution Of People “Making Fun” Of Members Of Congress”
Voortrekker (“Pioneer”) is arguably the world’s most photographed and famous living elephant. Thousands of tourists would go to Namibia to see the massive elephant with its signature perfect ears and profile. One tourist however came not just to admire but to kill the famous elephant. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) agreed to allow the unnamed trophy hunter to shoot Pioneer for N$120 000. It was not hard. Pioneer was famous in part because of his gentle and friendly demeanor. It was like shooting a couch, but someone can now claim to have killed the most famous elephant in the world. The rest of us can look at pictures.
Continue reading “Killing Pioneer: Trophy Hunter Kills Iconic Elephant In Namibia”
Alabama police have finally apprehended Mickey Paulk, the man accused of feeding methamphetamines to a pet squirrel to create a vicious “attack squirrel.” Paulk denies the allegation and complained that his pet squirrel would likely die after being released into the wild. After all, he noted, if the squirrel were a meth addict, the release was a cruel act: “So they let a meth addicted attack squirrel go on the public. how you like that people?”
We have previously discussed how the controversial EU President Jean-Claude Juncker has dismissed the notion of national boundaries and called nationalists “stupid.” Various countries are faced with parties seeking to exit from the European Union as the EU exercised more and more control over every aspect of life in various countries. Rather than look for a figure to allay such concerns, the EU is moving toward a leader who has called for a United States of Europe with a single military. Ursula von der Leyen is Angela Merkel’s defense minister and was proposed by EU leaders to take over in October as the new leader in Brussels. Continue reading “EU Moves To Select Leader Who Has Called For A “United States Of Europe””
Rep. Duncan Hunter surprised many when he was able to secure reelection after being hit with major corruption charges. His wife has already pleaded guilty in a case involving such allegations as spending campaign funds on lavish dinners, private school for their children, and most notably plane tickets for their pet rabbit. Now Hunter has lost a major motion after U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan ruled that evidence of his extramarital affairs can be raised in his corruption trial. It was the correct ruling and makes an already tough corruption trial into a perfect nightmare for defense counsel.
Continue reading “Court: Rep. Hunter’s Alleged Affairs Are Admissible In His Corruption Trial”
This election is nothing if not interesting. One of the biggest surprises for me was the response to Marianne Williamson, the spiritual adviser to Oprah and self-help author. I considered her performance at the debate to be truly cringe-worthy but her polling numbers have risen and a columnist has declared that “Marianne Williamson is just what the Democratic Party needs.” Continue reading “Williamson’s Call For Harnessing Love Picks Up Support As A New Age Anti-Trump”
We spent our ninth and final day in Buenos Aires as we began the trip: enjoying the Feria de San Telmo, the massive outdoor fair where vendors sell paintings, leather product, tango lessons, antiques and more. Indeed, we opted to return to our favorite restaurant of the trip: the basque restaurant Sagardi, which is located just off the main street of the fair.
Below is my column on last week’s major developments on immigration and their implications for the 2020 election.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “Democrats and Trump Go “All In” on Immigration”
Our eighth day in Buenos Aires involved a visit to the “Pink Palace” and a return to Recoleta for wonderful food and shopping. Continue reading “Buenos Aires On Day Eight”
Below is my column in the Hill on the upcoming (and long-delayed) appearance of Robert Mueller, former Special Counsel, before Congress. It will be interesting to watch if Democratic members protect Mueller from having to address some of the glaring contradictions and problems in his report. However, in case there is a modicum of interest in delving into such areas by either party, here are 20 questions that I would ask Robert Mueller.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “The American Sphinx: 20 Questions For Mueller Before Congress”
I spent the seventh day in Buenos Aires in truly classic form: I was mainly in restaurants. After my lecture to journalism students, I went to a farewell luncheon with the wonderful faculty of the Univerisad del Salvador. I then walked around the city and ended up at the most popular pizza restaurant in the city.
Continue reading “Buenos Aires on Day Seven”
On our sixth day, we walked around the city and looked at some of the many leather shops. We also continued to daisy-chain restaurants and cafes in this food-centric city. We joined our friend Laura for a great day in the city.
Below is my column on the end of the Supreme Court term and the one outstanding piece of business: an apology to Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch. After this column ran, Gorsuch again voted with the liberal justices on a critical due process issue. He has already carved out a principled legacy on the Court that follows his convictions rather than the predictions of his critics.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “Washington Owes Neil Gorsuch An Apology”
We spent the fifth day in Buenos Aires walking the streets and enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. After I dealt with the Supreme Court cases issued that morning, we went for a stroll and ended up at one of the oldest cafes and eventually the tomb of Gen. Jose Martin. We also met up with an old friend from Chicago (originally from Buenos Aires) and went to a restaurant just listed among the top 100 in the world. Yes, more eating. Argentinians love to sit and talk and eat and drink until the wee hours of the day.
Continue reading “Buenos Aires: From Jose Martin To Don Julio”