It Was God That Picked Trump To Be GOP Nominee...

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Michelle Bachmann, who is Donald J. Trump's evangelical adviser as well as a former Minnesota Congresswomen has recently proclaimed that Trump was picked by God to be the GOP nominee for president. According to Bachmann God raised The Donald up to win the general election. Bachmann, pointing to the Book of Daniel stated that it teaches "us" that the most high God lifts up who He will and takes down who he will.

Contemplating Bachmann's words must be difficult for the Evangelicals and other devout Christians who are considering whether or not to vote for Trump in November. For the Christians that have been paying close attention to Donald Trump's many xenophobic, misogynistic, sometimes racist, and often extreme nationalistic comments they must be wondering why God would lift such a person up. Instead of say someone who is more tolerant and loving of all of God's people. Just sayin...

Anyway here is the article published in THE HILL.

Former Minnesota Rep. and evangelical adviser to Donald Trump Michele Bachmann said that the GOP nominee was "raised up" by God to win in the general election.

“This is one thing I know from the book of Daniel, the bottom line of the book of Daniel is this: it teaches us that the most high God lifts up who He will and takes down who he will," she said in an interview with "The Brody File" that was released on Tuesday.

"I actually supported Ted Cruz. I thought he was fabulous but I also see that at the end of the day God raised up, I believe, Donald Trump, who was going to be the nominee in this election. I don’t think God sits things out. He’s a sovereign God. Donald Trump became our nominee," Bachmann continued in the interview, which was conducted on Friday.

"I think it’s very likely that in the day that we live in, that Donald Trump is the only individual who could win in a general election of the 17 who ran. Maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know but I do know that the Bible is true and that Daniel teaches the most high God which is one of God’s names is the one who lifts up who he will and takes down who He will."

Bachmann also lauded Trump's advisers, who she says are "solid as a rock" when it comes to upholding orthodox Christian values, unlike people surrounding Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"If you look at Barack Obama by contrast, if you look at Hillary Clinton by contrast, tell me where the strong people of orthodox Christian faith or orthodox Jewish faith who believe that the Bible is true, who believe that God is who He says who He is ... I don't know of any. Maybe [Clinton] has some, but I don't know of any."

Trump has made a strong push to rally evangelical conservatives behind him, after some speculation that he might struggle with the demographic earlier this year.

A Pew Research Center poll published in July found that 78 percent of white evangelical voters are likely to support Trump over Clinton come Nov. 8.

The cognitive dissonance within of the 78% must be great.


UPDATE 9/02/16:

Michelle Bachmann, doubling down on insanity, just proclaimed that if HRC wins the November 8, 2016 presidential election (which she will) it will be our last election.

In an interview with The Brody File, former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann says this will be the "last election" if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency. She says the GOP won't win another election if she's in The White House.

"Hillary Clinton will ensure it won't happen because she's going to change the demographics of the United States so that no Republican will ever win again," Bachmann tells me.

EXCLUSIVE: Michele Bachmann: 'God Raised Up' Trump to Be GOP Nominee

Therefore, Bachmann has a message for all the anti-Trump folks:

"I say get over it! All the 'Never Trumpers,' all the establishment Republicans that are out there saying,'We'll just take our chances and four years from now we'll have a better candidate, then we can take the White House.' It's not going to happen."

Republicans will win presidential elections again when and if the republican nominee is representative of the nation's political views. When the republican party and it's presidential candidate understands what the issues are, presents a rational action plan for addressing them, grasps that we have a diverse society, and shows sincere tolerance for, and acceptance of, our diversity we will have a republican candidate that can and will win the White House.

BTW, with individuals like Bachmann speaking for the GOP and on behalf of its presidential nominee (presumably) it is quite likely the GOP could lose the house as well.

Read full article with videoBELOW THE FOLD.

Franken On Trump U...

French PM On Naked Breasts Versus Burkas...

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People look at Eugène Delacroix’s 1830 painting Liberty Leading the People, which Manuel Valls appeared to be referencing. Photograph: Alamy

The French prime minister has drawn criticism for suggesting that naked breasts are more representative of France than a headscarf, in the latest flare-up of the bitter political row over the burkini.

Manuel Valls, who clashed with France’s education minister over his support for mayors who have banned full-body swimsuits from beaches, gave a rousing speech on Monday night in which he hailed the bare breasts of Marianne, a national symbol of the French Republic.

“Marianne has a naked breast because she is feeding the people! She is not veiled, because she is free! That is the republic!” he thundered at a government rally.

The inference that bare breasts were a symbol of France while the Muslim headscarf was problematic sparked scorn from politicians and derision from historians and feminists.

Ayup. If we were French we'd be with the PM. Full story BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum

Another Trend Going In Right Direction In America...

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Teen births are plummeting — and the reason is incredibly simple

The GOP Family Values Christian Evangelicals may want to take a good long hard look at THIS FULL REPORT.

Via: Memeorandum

Ah, Buyer Remorse...

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Purveyor of Truth

A new poll shows most Republicans appear to regret nominating Donald Trump

A majority of Republicans now want a do-over.

A new poll by the Huffington Post and YouGov shows that 54 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning voters now say that Donald Trump was not the best choice for the GOP nomination, up from 44 percent in June. Meanwhile, the number of Republican voters who say Trump was the best option fell from 44 to 35 percent.

In comparison, 53 percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters say Hillary Clinton was the Democrats' best option, compared to 56 percent in June. And 37 percent say she was not the best option, up from the previous 32 percent.

The numbers show Republicans are much more likely to disapprove of their candidate for president. Democrats do voice some discontent, but it’s not nearly at the Republicans’ level.

Suck it up GOP Tea Party malcontents. Ya got what ya paid (voted) for. Now the entire conservative movement will pay, as well as the GOP. Probably for the next 50 years. Be proud, hold your heads high. Ya nominated the yuuugest SCHMUCK you could possibly find to vote for.

Via: Memeorandum

The GOP's Humongous Problem... Donald Trump...

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Given the country's changing demographics and the GOP's small tent mentality it would have happened eventually. As the millennials come into their own, the older more conservative and less tolerant or understanding pass on, and the country becomes less white it would be inevitable the political landscape would shift leftward.

Enter Donald J. Trump, the GOP's most divisive, undisciplined, unknowledgeable, offensive, dishonest, inconsistent, and unpredictable presidential candidate of at least the last 60 years. By nominating Trump the GOP has insured acceleration of the party's eventual permanent minority status. Given Trump's many flaws and the very real danger he represents to our civil liberties, religious freedom, and national security to tick off a few the shift is a welcome one.

PHOENIX — Republicans in Western states fear that Donald J. Trump could imperil their party for years to come in the country’s fastest-growing region as he repels a generation of Hispanics, Asians and younger voters who have been altering the electoral map.

Mr. Trump, with his insult-laden, culturally insensitive style of campaigning, is providing fuel for the demographic trends that are already reshaping the political composition of this once-heavily Republican territory. And now many Republicans are contemplating the possibility that states like Colorado or Nevada could soon become the next California: once competitive but now unwinnable in presidential contests.

In few places are the party’s woes over their nominee more immediate than here in Arizona, a state that has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate only once in the last 68 years.

Recent polls show Hillary Clinton is close to tying Mr. Trump here. And her campaign has responded by teaming up with local Democrats on a statewide get-out-the-vote operation, which has grown to 160 staff members across 20 offices.

While flipping Arizona has been a Democratic fantasy for years — and one that Clinton supporters acknowledge remains quite difficult — their efforts to register and recruit voters are part of a longer-term plan to capitalize on the Republican Party’s vulnerabilities with younger and minority voters.

Read more BELOW THE FOLD.

Goodnight In Amerca...

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"Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson said it's "game over" on any chance of winning the White House if he does not make it to the debate stage.

Winning the election, yes, I would say game over," Johnson said on "Fox News Sunday" with Chris Wallace.

Johnson would need to be at a 15 percent threshold to join Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on the debate stage. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced that the five polls it would use to determine that threshold are ABC-Washington Post, CBS-New York Times, CNN-Opinion Research Corporation, Fox News and NBC-Wall Street Journal.

Johnson said he is at 10 percent in those five polls but has seen an increase of about 4 percentage points over the past six weeks.

Ayup. Game over. Precisely as the powers controlling the American system WANT it. And Stein? Forget about it.

There never will be true principled change in America. System is rigged so no other than a D or an R will ever stand a chance and the American voting public just doesn't seem to get it.

It is what it is. Stay used to it because it ain't going to change. Unless...

Never mind.

It Is What It Is...

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Hillary Clinton’s legal team took such painstaking efforts to delete the former secretary of state’s emails that “even God can’t read them,” according to Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi.

Maybe Gowdy knows this because he spoke with God?

And people wonder why our country is so screwed up?

Look no further than the looney tunes in the GOP who hold positions of responsibility.

What Kind Of America Do You Want?... It's Up To Us

HRC's Lead Continues To Hold... BUT

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Donald J. Trump, the chameleon GOP presidential candidate who is tripping all over himself in the effort to remake his shoddy image, continues to trail HRC in the race for the White House. A Reuters/Ipsos State of the Nation project out today shows HRC with a 95% chance of beating DJT if the election were held today.

If the U.S. presidential election were held today, Democrat Hillary Clinton would win the key swing states of Florida, Ohio and Virginia and have a 95 percent chance of beating Republican Donald Trump to become America’s first female president, according to the Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation project.

The project, which combines opinion polls with an analysis of voting patterns under different election scenarios, shows Clinton currently beating Trump in the popular vote by six percentage points and ahead in 19 states, including most of the larger-population ones that heavily influence the outcome of the election.

At the moment, Clinton would win at least 268 votes in the Electoral College, the body that ultimately chooses the next president, just two shy of what she needs to win the White House. On average, the former secretary of state would win by 108 electoral college votes.

Trump would win at least 21 states, many of them with smaller populations, giving him a minimum of 179 electoral votes.

The election is still 10 weeks away, and a great deal could change prior to Nov 8. The candidates are running about even in eight states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina, and the polling sample is too small to determine the winner in Alaska, Wyoming and Washington D.C. But Trump would need to win the 21 states currently in his column and sweep all of the remaining "toss-up" states to win the presidency.

THE REUTERS/IPSOS ESTIMATE OF TURNOUT

With indications the race is tightening a bit since Trump hired a new campaign management team and began his remake of himself, it is a possibility he could pull off a victory. Something that should send electric shock waves through all who understand the danger Trump is to our democratic republic.

Read the full Reuters/Ipsos BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum

Trump and the African American Community...

Rational Nation USA
Purveyor of Truth

Donald J Trump, the man with a track record of making xenophobic, misogynistic, racially divisive, and extreme nationalistic statements (think pro white western European immigrants) is now wooing the African American community. He likely has realized that without support of a greater percentage of the African American community his road to the White House will be much more difficult. Thus his now feigned concern for the conditions faced by many black families.

It is also very unlikely that the black communities will forget Mr. Trump's involvement in the whole birther thingy in an attempt to discredit the first African American presidential candidate who went on to legitimately win the White House, twice. People have long memories over these kind of things. Perhaps Mr. Trump believes the black community has forgotten his involvement?

At any rate the GOP presidential candidate has an odd why of asking for support. Instead of providing insight into any specific plan he may have he offered this...

“You’ll be able to walk down the street without getting shot.”

“Right now you walk down the street, you get shot. Look at the statistics — we’ll straighten it out.”

“Our inner cities are suffering like never before.”

“You could go to war zones in countries that we’re fighting, and it’s safer than living in some of our inner cities.”

He cites examples of problems as he obviously sees them but, and this is an important but, he fails to offer not one specific idea or solution he would pursue to reduce the problems or eliminate any of them.

He does however offer a very Trumpian sales pitch.

“What do you have to lose by trying something new, like Trump? You’re living in your poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed — what the hell do you have to lose?”

Hm. That may sound nice and play well with the base of GOP voters and Tea Party enthusiasts but it is certainly highly questionable that the African American community is going to buy his, in our opinion, rather insincere approach to gain more black support. Mr. Trump just seems to be more than a dollar short and a day late with his sales pitch.

Of course Mr. Trump has made it clear that he blames all of the African American communities problems on the democratic party and the policies and legislation. Could this be Mr. Trump speaking in code he knows his older conservative supports understand? Lust sayin...

In response to Mr. Trump's remarks Elon James White, the founder and editor in chief of the website This Week in Blackness had this to say.

“He doesn’t understand that people aren’t stupid, and they can clearly see what he’s doing and saying. Whether or not I have an issue with how Democrats have dealt with the black community, or with Hillary, I’m still not stupid.”

Mr. Morial, of the Urban League, responded to Trump's comments as follows.

“The idea that the entire community is in poverty, you’ve got 25 percent of the entire community that’s in poverty?” Mr. Morial said incredulously. “You do have broken schools, but have you seen the Olympics? Have you seen Congress?”

Mr. Morial also noted that the Unban League had invited Trump to attend policy concern briefings, the concerned GOP candidate declined.

All quotes above were excerpted from The New York Times with some edited for brevity. You may read the full text BELOW THE FOLD .

Via: Memeorandum

On The New Clinton E-mails, Trump, and Republicans/Conservatives...

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Clinton's Republican challenger, Donald Trump, is accusing the Democratic Party's nominee of “pay to play.” It's a narrative sure to continue after Trump hired Republican operative Steve Bannon, who wrote a documentary alleging the Clintons got rich from their connections with big business and foreign governments, as his campaign's CEO

As expected. Almost the moment news broke on the new e-mails discovered on Hilllary Clinton's private server by the FBI (15,000 of them) the Trump campaign, and conservative organizations, are claiming Clinton gave special access and favors to donors of the Clinton Foundation, the Clinton family's charitable organization.

What is true is that access was given to donors, what has not been proven is the allegation that special favors were granted during her tenure as Secretary of State.

“These new emails confirm that Hillary Clinton abused her office by selling favors to Clinton Foundation donors,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement.

According to experts, the emails confirm donors were gaining access to Clinton, yet there is no evidence she granted them special favors, an important distinction that may determine how damaging the controversy is to Clinton’s campaign.

Rather than simply acknowledging the facts that are known at this point, encouraging due diligence as the FBI continues investigating these new e-mails, and not jumping to conclusions or politicizing this for political gain, the Trump campaign and conservatives again show their true colors.

Trump has made a mockery of the democratic process, he has several so called "news network" as accomplices, and the republican party and its Tea Party Wing supporting his often incoherent and un presidential campaign for president.

Conservatives have been trying to destroy William J. Clinton and Hillary R. Clinton for 25 years with numerous bogus claims, all of which turned out to be unprovable and false. With the single exception of a intern, a stained dress, and a cigar. It is probable this recent attempt to destroy the Clinton credibility will end in failure as well.

Read the full US TODAY article from which the above excerpts were take BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum

Trump Avoids Networks Who Ask Hardball Questions...

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Donald J. Trump has never been a candidate of any real depth. He has failed to convinced Americans that take the time to check the veracity of his statements and claims that he an honest and trustworthy man. He has failed to show leadership qualities that make for a successful presidency. His often rambling and sometimes incoherent utterances are an extreme embarrassment to America, other countries do pay attention to American politics, especially presidential races. America being the mot powerful nation in the world and all that.

Donald J. Trump has shown time and again the thinness of his Trumpian skin. And now, according to The Huffington Post, Mr. Trump is shunning all networks but FOX News, which is no real surprise. FOX, and its line up of Trump cozily supportive "journalist" commentators, provide him the soft ball questions that feed into his narrative and give him cover from the serious scrutiny Americans deserve.

This is not the America of your grandparents and great grandparents, a time in America where journalists had actual integrity and politicians were concerned about the nation, and most important, the constitution as well as the people they were elected to serve. Today a reality show host and real estate developer who bilked 40 million from people can secure a major political party nomination and certain "journalists" and a certain network (mentioned above) run interference for him.

Only in 21st century America.

Read the full Huffington Post BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum

Deeper and Deeper...

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Purveyor of Truth

Just out as reported by BuzzFeed News.

Donald Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said former campaign chair Paul Manafort was asked to resign on Friday.

She noted that the decision was mutual, but said the last couple weeks on the Trump campaign had been tumultuous.

“He was asked and he indeed tendered his resignation today,” said Conway on WABC radio’s Drive at Five, being hosted by Rita Cosby. “Mr. Trump accepted his resignation and wished him well and thanked him for his service. I think it’s as simple as that.”

“The last couple weeks have been very rough at the campaign, and Donald Trump was to perhaps — the speeches, focusing on substance, getting into the last 11, 12 weeks, Rita, of a fought-out campaign — and he has every privilege of surrounding himself with the team that he wants,” she continued.

Earlier this week, the Trump campaign hired Breitbart News executive Stephen K. Bannon as his campaign’s CEO and promoted pollster Kellyanne Conway to campaign manager. The move was an apparent demotion for Manafort before he resigned on Friday.

Still, Conway said the decision for Manafort to resign was “mutual.”

“I think it was a mutual decision, to be frank with you,” Conway said. “In the conversations in which I participated, it was a mutual and a mutually respectful decision.”

Our best guess, this was a political decision possibly planned well in advance of this Friday's "mutual" decision. And yes. if you think we're implying something you'd be absolutely correct.

Great to be back, and, as far as we can see nothing has changed

Back Soon...

Republican insiders are more convinced than Democrats that Donald Trump is so far behind Hillary Clinton that he can't win in November.

Roughly half of Republican members of The POLITICO Caucus — activists, strategists and operatives in 11 swing states — believe that Trump’s path to 270 electoral votes is basically shut off after another week in which the GOP nominee appears to have ceded ground in national and most battleground state polls.

Democrats, however, aren’t breaking out the champagne just yet. Seventy-two percent of Democratic insiders said despite Clinton’s clear advantage at this stage of the race, the presidential election isn’t effectively over.

The Donald... (Updated 8/12/160

"I'm a truth teller. All I do is tell the truth. And if at the end of 90 days, I've fallen short because I'm somewhat politically correct even though I'm supposed to be the smart one and even though I'm supposed to have a lot of good ideas, it's OK. I go back to a very good way of life." .... Donald J. Trump

SOURCE


Update 8/12/16

Yesterday Trump asserted Obama was the founder of ISIS.

CNN - Washington (CNN)Donald Trump said Thursday that he meant exactly what he said when he called President Barack Obama the "founder of ISIS" and objected when a conservative radio show host tried to clarify the GOP nominee's position.

Trump was asked by host Hugh Hewitt about the comments Trump made Wednesday night in Florida, and Hewitt said he understood Trump to mean "that he (Obama) created the vacuum, he lost the peace."

Trump objected.

"No, I meant he's the founder of ISIS," Trump said. "I do. He was the most valuable player. I give him the most valuable player award. I give her, too, by the way, Hillary Clinton."

Hewitt pushed back again, saying that Obama is "not sympathetic" to ISIS and "hates" and is "trying to kill them."

"I don't care," Trump said, according to a show transcript. "He was the founder. His, the way he got out of Iraq was that that was the founding of ISIS, okay?"

Apparently what "The Man Who Tells The Truth" doesn't know, something even moderately knowledgeable people do know, is that ISIS was founded by a bloodthirsty religious zealot named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in 2004. Or maybe Trump does know this but he believes the American people are so stupid they really have no clue and will believe whatever a charlatan like himself feeds them. At any rate Trump (and anyone else who believe as Trump stated) should READ THIS.

Most recently Trump has started the backpedal and has tweeted that his statements were sarcasm.

The Hill - For the second time in less than a month, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is writing off a statement many found offensive — this time, that President Obama was the “founder” of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) — as “sarcasm.”

“ISIS is honoring President Obama,” Trump said Wednesday during a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “He’s the founder of ISIS. He founded ISIS."
“I would say the co-founder would be Crooked Hillary Clinton,” Trump added of his Democratic rival and Obama’s former secretary of State. Trump has previously referred to each as ISIS's most valuable player as well.

Trump doubled down on the claim Thursday in an interview with Hugh Hewitt, telling the radio host that "everyone's liking" the comments.

“I know what you meant. You meant that he created the vacuum. He lost the peace,” Hewitt said.

“No, I meant that he’s the founder of ISIS,” Trump replied. “He was the most valuable player. I gave him the most valuable player award."

But on Friday, Trump tweeted that he was being facetious:


Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
Ratings challenged @CNN reports so seriously that I call President Obama (and Clinton) "the founder" of ISIS, & MVP. THEY DON'T GET SARCASM?
6:26 AM - 12 Aug 2016

So Mr. "Truth Teller", which of your stories are we to believe? Essentially Mr. "Truth Teller" you're beginning more and more each week to look like a pathological liar. Either that or you're a cynical manipulator of the truth and people. Qualities only a person like yourself Mr. Trump would be proud of.

With Trump shooting himself in the foot almost daily, his declining poll numbers, key GOP donors falling away, and the RNC considering redirecting the focus and money to down ticket candidates the outlook for Mr. Trump is becoming bleaker with each passing week. We can only cheer these developments.



Just Out

Fox News Latino Poll

A Valid Observation, and, Some Good Advice...

Rational Nation USA
Purveyor of Truth

Yes sir. We find ourselves agreeing with Woodward.

When you're ahead, gaining ground almost daily, and hold the high ground, it's usually best not to become guilty of that your opponent engages in.

TPM - Famed investigative reporter Bob Woodward suggested Thursday morning that “excessive rhetoric” from Donald Trump’s opponents was feeding the bombastic billionaire’s increasingly controversial remarks.

Calling Trump’s campaign one that’s “off the rails,” the Washington Post editor also condemned “hyperbolic, ungenerous rhetoric” from Hillary Clinton’s allies.

“I think it's got to be said this is not just about Trump,” Woodward said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “A lot of the people who really are opposed to Trump, I think, are engaged in some excessive rhetoric also.”

He went on to cite a Wednesday column by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, who wrote Trump’s children “should be ashamed” of their father for his remark about “Second Amendment people” and called the GOP nominee “a disgusting human being.”

Friedman’s opinion of Trump as “disgusting” is a “reasonable opinion,” Woodward said, but said he couldn’t recall another time in 40 years of covering politics when someone violated the “zone of protection” generally respected for candidates’ children.

“That makes no sense. So, the excess is feeding both sides on this,” he said.

Via: Memeorandum

GOP Presidential Canmdidate Goes Beyond Overboard... (2 Update 8/11/16)

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Yesterday Donald Trump pushed the limits of anti political correctness beyond the boundaries any rational thinking person can accept. His judgement, often in question since he announced his candidacy last June, is increasingly becoming more bizarre and skirting the boundary between just a bit crazy and pure insanity.

We are of course talking about his remarks at a campaign rally in North Carolina when he said the following:

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, All the Second Amendment people — maybe there is."

What troubles me is the feverish frenzy the liberal left has worked themselves into over what is admittedly a very stupid statement, However, there is no credible reason to think Trump was suggesting or encouraging 2'nd amendment rights advocates to assassinate Hillary Rodham Clinton. Trump is many things that many people disapprove of, but, inciting or engaging in actual violence is not among them.

The following, my comments on two liberal weblogs, really sum up what is a more reasonable view and understanding of Trump's admittedly very foolish and unthought-out remarks.

Dumb statement by Trump. Extremely stupid in his wording. However his explanation is certainly plausible.

The "if Clinton gets to pick her judges" is hypothetical, possible only if and when she is elected. Trump was, as he said, speaking to 2'nd amendment rights advocates to encourage them to vote for him as he would select pro firearm conservative judges.

I very highly doubt Trump was suggesting assassination of Clinton. Trump has demonstrated time and time again his tendency to shoot from the hip and think later. A quality we can ill afford in the President of the United States.

Trump may be wealthy but when it comes to politics and government he ain't to bright.


Do we really believe Trump was suggesting the assassination of Clinton. Methinks not.

Trump's statement "if Clinton gets to elect her judges" is hypothetical at this point and can only happen if she is elected. It is not only plausible but very likely Trump was talking to 2'nd amendment rights advocates. He needs their votes and he was sending the message he would appoint conservative pro 2'nd amendment rights judges.

It was a stupid shoot from the hip statement, something Trump is prone to do. A quality we can ill afford in the President of the United States.

Stupid, yes. Presidential, absolutely not. Will it affect the avid Trumpian's viewpoint, nope. But did Trump mean to imply nefarious intent, highly unlikely and very improbable.

He likely pushed more undecided but Clinton leaning folks into HRC's fold.

A VERY STRANGE YEAR INDEED.

Trump has, without a doubt thrown his judgement into further question-- the resounding response should be to deny him the presidency by a landslide margin. But the liberal left's over heated hyperbole is a bit too much as well. Trump was not advocating assassination.

Just to make it very clear... This weblog does not support Donald Trump, is working for his defeat, and is encouraging folks to vote for HRC.

More HERE.


Update 8/11/16

Yesterday in a response to a comment by Flying Junior I said...

Rational Nation USA Thu Aug 11, 05:17:00 AM EDT

Frankly IMO the GOP nationally (and by state) should denounce his rhetoric and withhold financial support from the campaign. And, Faux "News" should cut off his near 24/7 freebeess. But, neither the GOP or Faux "News" is governed but common sense any longer.

Oh, I forgot to mention the NRA, Trump's biggest fan club should make a statement against Trump's rhetoric. They won't however.

Trump has bad judgement, is unfit, unqualified, and therefore does not, IMO, deserve to win the presidency. But he was NOT suggesting assassination.

This just out...

POLITICO - More than 70 Republicans have signed an open letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus urging him to stop spending any money to help Donald Trump win in November and shift those contributions to Senate and House races.

The letter comes as a number of Republican senators and high-profile GOP national security officials have come forward saying they cannot vote for Trump.

“We believe that Donald Trump’s divisiveness, recklessness, incompetence, and record-breaking unpopularity risk turning this election into a Democratic landslide, and only the immediate shift of all available RNC resources to vulnerable Senate and House races will prevent the GOP from drowning with a Trump-emblazoned anchor around its neck,” states a draft of the letter obtained by POLITICO. “This should not be a difficult decision, as Donald Trump’s chances of being elected president are evaporating by the day.”

SKIP

The letter ticks off a series of Trump actions that they believe have "alienated millions of voters of all parties,” including, attacking Gold Star families, positive comments about violent foreign leaders and encouraging Russia to find Clinton’s lost emails.
“Those recent outrages have built on his campaign of anger and exclusion, during which he has mocked and offended millions of voters, including the disabled, women, Muslims, immigrants, and minorities,” the letter states. “He also has shown dangerous authoritarian tendencies, including threats to ban an entire religion from entering the country, order the military to break the law by torturing prisoners, kill the families of suspected terrorists, track law-abiding Muslim citizens in databases, and use executive orders to implement other illegal and unconstitutional measures.”

It is good to see the RNC beginning to recognize and accept the disaster that Donald J. Trump is for their party specifically and the nation in general. Maybe there really is a chance, as slim as it may be, that the republican party will rebuild the party and pursue an actual sensible fiscally agenda and embrace a much more inclusive agenda and path for the future.

It is looking like Trump will be the star in America's Greatest Political Loser of All Time.

Read full story BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum


2'nd Update 8/11/16

The Washington Post - Some of the country’s wealthiest Republican donors are targeting Senate and House races around the country, hoping a financial firewall will protect the party’s congressional majorities on Nov. 8. Their investments — fuel for a record haul by super PACs this year — reflect a fear prevalent throughout the party: that Trump’s contentious candidacy threatens to trigger an electoral rout up and down the ballot.

Those worries spilled into public view Thursday, when a letter signed by more than 75 longtime GOP officials and party veterans asking the Republican National Committee to shift its resources to vulnerable Senate and House candidates was made public.

As the focus and funds are diverted to down ticket candidates the Trump campaign will need more free airtime from its biggest media support, Faux "News".

Read the full story BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum

Clinton Accepts Presidential Debate Schedule...

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Purveyor of Truth

Hillary Clinton on Monday night said she will attend all three general election presidential debates, in which she will square off against Donald Trump.

“Secretary Clinton looks forward to participating in all three presidential debates scheduled by the independent debate commission,” John Podesta, Clinton campaign chairman, said in a statement.
“With so much at stake in the fall elections, she believes these debates will provide the American people with an important opportunity to hear from the candidates on issues critical to the country's future.”

Podesta took aim at Trump in his statement, saying it’s uncertain whether the GOP nominee will follow through and debate the former secretary of State.

“The only issue now is whether Donald Trump is going to show up to debate at the date, times, places and formats set by the commission last year through a bipartisan process,” Podesta said. “We will accept the commission's invitation and expect Donald Trump to do the same."

SKIP

Late last month, Trump tweeted his opposition to the debate schedule, saying Clinton and the Democratic Party are “rigging” the debates by holding them on nights that coincide with two major NFL games.

Now we wait to see if Trump is man enough to debate an obviously superior female intellect.

Hopefully Gary Johnson achieves the 15% threshold in five national polls to secure a spot on the debate stage.

Full story BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum


UPDATE:

Hillary Clinton now holds a 10-point lead over Donald Trump, 51 percent to 41 percent, according to results from the latest NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking poll

Clinton's double-digit lead is up from an 8-point gap last week. The 10-point margin is the biggest spread in the tracking poll since the two-way general election match-up was first compared in early May.

Clinton also holds a 6-point advantage in a four-way general election match-up at 44 percent, with Trump at 38 percent, Libertarian Gary Johnson at 10 percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 4 percent.

Last week, Clinton's lead jumped from 1 point to 8 points following her party's convention, but the real question was whether this bounce would last. The latest tracking poll results indicate that Clinton's traction over Trump has not slipped.

Over the past four weeks, Trump has lost support from core Republican voters. In previous weeks, the Republican nominee dominated Clinton among men. This week, however, Trump's margin over Clinton among men is only 5 points, down from a 16-point margin two weeks ago. A large gender gap in American elections is common; although Mitt Romney lost the presidential election in 2012 he still won men by 7 points, according to NBC News Exit Polls.

Looking more and more like Americans are wising up to Trump and his seriously flawed candidacy and vision of divisiveness in his plan to "Make America Great Again". Looking forward to the debates. If they happen that is. We all know Trump is angling to find a way to back away from debating. Not that we don't understand why he would.

Complete story with graphs BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum

Giving Trump The Boot(s) He Deserves...

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Maker project from Makers4America kicks an image of Donald Trump every time he tweets.

Making (literally) Arduino great again. This machine responds to tweets by Donald Trump with a well-deserved boot to the head.

The Occasional Clinton Fib -vs- Trump's Yuuuge Lies...

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The New York Times - ONE persistent narrative in American politics is that Hillary Clinton is a slippery, compulsive liar while Donald Trump is a gutsy truth-teller.

Over all, the latest CBS News poll finds the public similarly repulsed by each candidate: 34 percent of registered voters say Clinton is honest and trustworthy compared with 36 percent for Trump.

Yet the idea that they are even in the same league is preposterous. If deception were a sport, Trump would be the Olympic gold medalist; Clinton would be an honorable mention at her local Y.

Let’s investigate.

One metric comes from independent fact-checking websites. As of Friday, PolitiFact had found 27 percent of Clinton’s statements that it had looked into were mostly false or worse, compared with 70 percent of Trump’s. It said 2 percent of Clinton’s statements it had reviewed were egregious “pants on fire” lies, compared with 19 percent of Trump’s. So Trump has nine times the share of flat-out lies as Clinton.

Likewise, The Washington Post Fact-Checker has awarded its worst ranking, Four Pinocchios, to 16 percent of Clinton’s statements that it checked and to 64 percent of Trump’s.

“Essentially, Clinton is in the norm for a typical politician,” says Glenn Kessler, who runs Fact-Checker, while Trump “is just off the charts. There’s never been anyone like him, at least in the six years I have been doing this.”

For many the truth about Trump and his yuuuge propensity for lying has been recognized for well over a year. In spite of FOX News and its talking bobble heads efforts to misinform and mislead American viewers. Truth however always has a way of winning. We can only hope truth wins in November, and, work very hard to do our part in spreading the truth.

More BELOW THE FOLD

Via: Memeorandum


UPDATE:

As the Trump difficulties build. An independent candidate has little to zero chance chance of winning the White House but another challenge to Trump is a good development. Defeating Trump is priority one for a yuuuge number of folks.

The Hill - Evan McMullin, a Central Intelligence Agency veteran and former chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, is expected to announce an independent presidential bid on Monday, according to multiple reports.

The bid, reported first by Joe Scarborough, a former GOP congressman from Florida and host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," highlights the angst in GOP circles over Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president who has fallen behind Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in polls.
Yet McMullin, who served for two years as chief policy director at the House Republican Conference, would seem to have little chance of garnering enough attention to truly challenge Trump or Clinton.

Scarborough said the independent presidential candidate would aim to get on 20 to 30 state ballots, adding that he personally thinks the campaign "has more to do with stopping Donald Trump than actually electing a president."

"Certainly they still believe they can go past the 270 [electoral votes] threshold so this person will be able to be in debates," Scarborough said.

To get into the presidential debates, a candidate must poll at 15 percent in five national surveys leading up to the three scheduled debates and show that they are appearing on enough state ballots to have a path to 270 electoral votes.

More BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memorandum

It's Only A Poll...

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Clinton's post convention bounce appears to be holding as Trumplestiltskin continues to stumble and swerve away from message. Polling results continue to show HRC with a comfortable lead and unless the GOP nominee settles down (a highly unlikely scenario) and hits his stride soon the likelihood of a Clinton blowout is a distinct possibility.

WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton has surged to a 15-point lead over reeling, gaffe-plagued Donald Trump, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll.

Clinton made strong gains with two constituencies crucial to a Republican victory – whites and men — while scoring important gains among fellow Democrats, the poll found.

Clinton not only went up, but Trump went down. Clinton now has a 48-33 lead, a huge turnaround from her narrow 42-39 advantage last momth.

The findings are particularly significant because the poll was taken after both political conventions ended, and as Trump engaged in a war of words with the parents of Army Capt. Humayun Khan, killed in the Iraq War 12 years ago.

“This is coming off the Democratic convention, where a bounce is expected,” said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in New York, which conducted the nationwide survey.

“What you don’t want is to have the worst week of your campaign” – a characterization many analysts use to describe Trump’s recent days.

Other polls have shown Clinton in the lead, though Marist’s is the largest so far.

Among poll respondents, Clinton was seen more often as a potential president. Fifty-three percent said they would find her acceptable; 39 percent felt that way about Trump.

In a four way race, Clinton retains her lead. She gets 45 percent to Trump’s 31 percent. Libertarian Gary Johnson has 10 percent and the Green Party’s Jill Stein has 6 percent.

More BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum

UPDATE:

This just in. Former senior CIA agent in the GWB administration and former CIA Director in the BHO administration Michael Morell has just endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for the presidency of the United States.

The Washington Post - Former CIA director Michael Morell endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and blasted GOP rival Donald Trump, accusing him of becoming an unwitting agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin in an op-ed on Friday.

Morell wrote that while he is neither a registered Democrat nor a Republican and has never made his preference for president public, he chose to publicly declare his support for Clinton in this election.

"First, Mrs. Clinton is highly qualified to be commander in chief. I trust she will deliver on the most important duty of a president — keeping our nation safe," Morell wrote in the op-ed published in the New York Times. "Second, Donald J. Trump is not only unqualified for the job, but he may well pose a threat to our national security."

Morell served as deputy director of the CIA and acting director of the CIA under President Obama. He served as a senior officer at the agency during the George W. Bush administration

More BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memorandum

Clinton leads Trump by 10 points, both seen as flawed... FOX News Polling Data

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FOX News, a news outlet that almost anyone paying attention knows is in Trump's hip pocket recently published polling data that shows HRC with a 10 point lead over Trump. While a majority believe HRC is dishonest they believe Trump is more so. On the issue of qualifications and temperament to lead HRC handily tops Trump.

FOX News -Sixty-one percent of voters think Hillary Clinton is dishonest, yet she’s opened up a big lead over Donald Trump in the latest Fox News Poll.

Here’s why: majorities think Clinton is nevertheless qualified to be president, and has the temperament and knowledge to serve effectively. It’s the opposite for Trump: over half feel he is not qualified, and lacks the temperament or knowledge to lead the country. And his 62 percent dishonesty rating tops hers.

After the conventions, the Clinton-Kaine ticket leads the Trump-Pence ticket by 10 points (49-39 percent) in the race for the White House. Clinton’s advantage is outside the poll’s margin of error. A month ago, Clinton was up by six points (44-38 percent, June 26-28).

This is the first time the Fox News Poll included running mates. Trump announced his vice presidential pick of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence July 15. Clinton told supporters she’d picked Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine July 22.

Since last month, Clinton’s position is improved with most groups, as she gained ground among men, women, whites, Democrats, young voters, and seniors.

The Democrat is winning among the so-called “Obama coalition,” the key voting blocs that secured his re-election. Clinton is favored among women by 23 points (57-34 percent), blacks by 83 (87-4 percent), Hispanics by 48 (68-20 percent), and voters under 30 by 18 (49-31 percent).

Given the apparent total disarray in the Trump campaign and the growing recognition how uninformed he really is (his personality aside) the idea of a landslide for HRC and possibly the entire democratic slate seems possible. Even likely.

Via: Memeorandum

As The Republican 2016 Nominee For POTUS Continues To Refuse To Release His Tax Returns...

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ABC News - Business magnate Warren Buffett took on Donald Trump over his refusal to release his tax returns -- issuing the real estate mogul a challenge to put his cards on the table.

Speaking at a Hillary Clinton rally in Omaha, Nebraska today, the multi-billionaire joked he would meet Trump "any place, any time between now and election" to go over each other's tax returns. The GOP nominee has claimed that he can't release his tax returns because he is being audited.

"Now I've got news for him, I'm under audit too," Buffett said. "There are no rules against showing your tax returns and just let people ask us questions about the items that are on there."

Buffett instead suggested that Trump is withholding his tax returns intentionally.

"You're only afraid if you've got something to be afraid about," he told to the crowd. "He's not afraid of the IRS. He's afraid because of you."

Buffett also challenged Trump on his claim that he's "made a lot of sacrifices."

Regardless whether ya love or hate Mr. Buffett he has a very valid point that should be of concern to all American's of voting age. Not that the dyed in the wool Trumpians will be any more concerned over this than anything else irregular or idiotic that Trump does or says. We do hope, and believe, the rest of Americans will be.

Rest of the story and video BELOW THE FOLD.

Via: Memeorandum