Trump Supporters Go Ape Over Roseanne Cancellation

As you know by now, ABC has cancelled Roseanne after its star sent out a tweet likening former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to an ape.

The comedy reboot was a hit with Trump supporters after presenting its star as one of his own. Naturally, Trump supporters were quick to rationalize their new heroine's behavior. 

Enter Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA who tweeted:

Wait, Bill Maher makes comparisons to Trump being a gorilla all the time? They get classified as "jokes" by the media and he is of course allowed to keep his show and not have his life ruined The difference? Bill Maher is a liberal, Roseanne is a free-thinking Trump supporter.

If the former Ms. Barr wasn't a Trump supporter does anyone think Kirk would praise her free thinking?

Now if Maher had likened Trump cabinet member Ben Carson to an ape then he would have an argument. 

Roseanne's tweet about Jarrett was a racial epithet. Maher's joke about Trump isn't.

Of course, such facts don't matter to Trump supporters. Remember they deal in alternative facts.

However, this isn't to say that Maher's joke likening Trump to an ape isn't insulting.

It's absolutely insulting -- to the apes.

The Red Sox Should Hope The Yankees Don't Sign Hanley Ramirez

Despite winning 34 of their first 50 games, the Boston Red Sox saw fit to designate their number three hitter Hanley Ramirez for assignment.

It was argued by some that this was a cost cutting move as Ramirez would have earned $22 million had he made 497 plate appearances this season. Surely the Red Sox knew this would happen going into the season. If this was concern then why didn't they part ways with Ramirez prior to the season?But Red Sox President Dave Dombrowski said this was at the behest of Red Sox manager Alex Cora.  Could it be that Cora and Ramirez didn't see eye to eye? Whatever the reason, this move makes the Red Sox worse, not better and am in full agreement with the sentiments of Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe. 

This move might not prevent the Red Sox from making the post-season, but it could prevent them from advancing beyond the ALDS for a third year in a row. The Red Sox had better pray that Ramirez doesn't end up with an AL East team, namely the New York Yankees. The Yankees offense might be crowded, but Ramirez has done a lot of damage to their pitching and I'm sure they'd rather have him on their side. This was something not lost on John Healy of The New York Daily News.

Yes, Hanley Ramirez was 0 for his last 21 at bats. It's not like he's never been in a slump. This move seems reactionary and made in the heat of the moment. I believe the Red Sox will soon rue this decision.

Trump Can't Deliver on Summit with Kim

True to form, President Trump flaked out of next month's summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in a letter which could have been written by a 10-year old, but that would be an insult to 10-year olds everywhere.

Trump cited the "tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement" as the main reason for the cancellation. This from someone whose every tweet and utterance is full of tremendous anger and open hostility. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. With that said, why would Trump be surprised at Kim's own tremendous anger and open hostility? But Kim has been playing Trump like a fiddle and he didn't care for the sensation.

Naturally Trump defenders are calling the cancellation brilliant just as they called his summit announcement two weeks ago brilliant. Should Trump decide to reconvene the summit in two weeks time no doubt they will yet again proclaim his brilliance. President Trump could drop his pants and take a dump in the middle of Fifth Avenue and Jeffrey Lord would compare that with Reagan's Berlin Wall speech.

But chances are all we will be left with are a few kitschy coins which like many of his holdings are worth considerably less than promised.

Will a Canadian Team Ever Win The Stanley Cup Again?

This afternoon, the Winnipeg Jets fell 2-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the NHL Western Conference. Understandably, most of the attention has been on the fact that an expansion team is going to the Stanley Cup facing the winner of the NHL Eastern Conference series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals.

But it is also worth noting that no Canadian based NHL team has won the Stanley Cup in 25 years. In 1993, the Montreal Canadiens bested a Wayne Gretzky led Los Angeles Kings team to win their 23rd Stanley Cup. Since then the Cup has been on this side of the 49th Parallel. Until this present drought, the longest a Canadian team had gone without winning the Stanley Cup was between 1936 and 1941.

It must be remembered that the Stanley Cup was bequeathed to Canada by its sixth Governor General Lord Stanley, the Earl of Derby, in 1892. I don't think it's much of an exaggeration to say that the Stanley Cup is to Canada what the Declaration of Independence is to the United States.

This drought will end one day. But will that day come soon. The Chicago Cubs' rendezvous with the World Series came in 2016 after 108 years without a championship. The Cleveland Indians are entering their eighth decade without a World Series.

But here it isn't a single team going through a drought but seven teams. Aside from the Jets and Canadiens, there are the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs, of course, are in the midst of a 51 year drought themselves. Whichever of these seven teams wins the Stanley Cup not only guarantees a celebration in that city but in all of Canada from coast to coast to coast.

Thoughts on The Duke & Duchess of Sussex

I really don't pay much attention to Britain's Royal Family or tabloid material. Of course, when I was in the UK in 1995, they were unavoidable on TV and in the tabloids. I even saw them from a distance during the VE Day celebrations at Hyde Park. But, for the most part, I have done my best to ignore it. Whatever their good deeds much of the pomp and circumstance rubs me the wrong way.

Nevertheless, most people love a wedding, especially of the royal variety. Like his older brother, it appears that Prince Harry has married well and above his station. I saw Meghan Markle on Suits though I didn't care much for the show nor did I find her character particularly appealing. There has been some issue as to how well Markle has treated some members of her family. But in this day and age it is hard to know what is true and what isn't. Given their late mother's unhappy marriage, I think both William and Harry bided their time in finding the right person for them.

It is encouraging to know that some people are capable of growth and maturity. Prince Harry has come a long way from when he wore a Nazi uniform at a costume party. I wish the same could be said for our President.

I think it is fairly safe to say that children will soon follow as has been the case with William and Kate Middleton who now have three in just over seven years of marriage.

With that, I bid the newly christened Duke & Duchess of Sussex a matrimony full of joy and merriment.

MS-13 Gang Members Are Animals....But So Are Trump's "Very Fine People"

I don't have a problem with President Trump calling MS-13 gang members "animals", but I can see why other people might.

After all, Trump has painted people from non-white, non-English speaking countries with a very broad brush from the moment he descended from the escalator at Trump Tower nearly three years ago to when he decried people immigrating to America from "shithole countries" this past January. He has treated MS-13 and federal judges of Mexican heritage with equal disdain.

Again, I have no problem with Trump calling MS-13 gang members animals. I just wish he had referred to the white supremacists in Charlottesville as animals rather than as "very fine people".

Oh No, Robinson Cano

Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano has been suspended 80 games for testing for a banned substance used to mask PEDs.

The news comes 24 hours after being put on the DL after fracturing his right pinky finger. Cano sustained the injury when he was hit by pitch by Blaine Hardy of the Tigers on Sunday afternoon. Cano won't be eligible to return until August 13th. He will also be ineligible for the All-Star Game nor would he be eligible for the post-season should the Mariners play October baseball for the first time since 2001. As of this writing, the Mariners are 1.5 games back of both the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels in the AL West. Who knows where they will be in three months time? It will be interesting if Dee Gordon is moved back to second base after spending the off-season learning to play the outfield.

Already we are being treated to stories about how this will be a fatal blow to Cano's Cooperstown candidacy. It's funny because I had this discussion about Cano with a friend of mine a few weeks ago. He thought Cano was a slam dunk while I thought he was a borderline case. At 35, he has 2,417 career hits and is a .304 lifetime hitter. I told my friend if Cano got 3,000 hits that he would punch his ticket. Now Cano is under contract with the Mariners through the 2023 season. Even if Cano gets to 3,000 there's no guarantee he'll get in. Just ask Rafael Palmeiro. Although Cano wasn't bragging about never taking banned substances in front of a Congressional committee.

Indeed, Cano was contrite in his statement although he denied knowingly taking any banned substances which is bound to create skepticism. With that said should Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds be inducted by their final year of eligibility in 2022 then Cano has a fighting chance assuming he maintains his current level of play which, of course, could only serve to compound suspicion. Cano might be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

Tessa Jowell, R.I.P.

A short time ago, I learned that Tessa Jowell, the former Labour MP, cabinet minister and later Baroness, died on Saturday of an aggressive form of brain cancer. She was 70.

Jowell was probably best known for being the Secretary of State of Culture, Media and Sport in Tony Blair's cabinet from 2001 to 2007 playing the key role in London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympics.

In early 1995, I worked for her as a parliamentary intern. I'm sorry to say it wasn't a very good experience for reasons I shall not get into here. I subsequently interned for Jimmy Wray which worked out better for all parties concerned. He passed away almost five years ago and now she too is gone. My time in London was more than half a lifetime ago yet in many other respects it seems like only a fortnight ago. It is but a reminder that our time here is limited and that a quarter century can sneak up on you.

Our time is finite. Unfortunately for some when the end comes there is a great deal of pain and suffering that is endured and this appears to have been the case here. Whatever our differences I don't wish that kind of pain and suffering on anyone and can only hope she is at peace now. R.I.P.

Why I Don't Believe The IDF "Massacred" Palestinian "Protesters"

On a day when Israelis celebrated the official opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, the world spent this day condemning Israel for "massacring" Palestinian "protesters". As of this writing, 55 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with the IDF along the security fence with Gaza.

Today reminded me of the so-called Jenin Massacre in April 2002 in which 52 Palestinians were killed by the IDF. Initially characterized as a "massacre", the UN concluded it was nothing of the sort months later.

I strongly suspect the same conclusion will eventually be arrived at where it concerns today's events. The IDF simply isn't in the business of wantonly killing civilians whereas the Palestinians worship death and martyrdom and seek the destruction of Israel.

Margot Kidder, R.I.P.

I had a bad feeling that when I saw Margot Kidder's name starting to trend on Twitter early this afternoon. Indeed, the Canadian born actress passed away yesterday at the age of 69. The cause of death hasn't been made public as of this writing.

I was 6-years old when I saw her portrayal of Lois Lane on the big screen in Superman. It was the first I ever fell in love.

When I saw Superman on DVD nearly 20 years ago, the extras featured on-screen auditions for Lois Lane from other actresses -- Stockard Channing, Ann Archer, Leslie Ann Warren and then Kidder. While I adore Warren, the producers made the right choice in casting Kidder. She and Christopher Reeve had an instant chemistry and her beauty was balanced by a healthy measure of sass.

Of course, Kidder could never quite match her Superman success and had many setbacks in the intervening years. A serious car crash in 1990 left her unable to work for two years eventually forcing her to declare bankruptcy. By 1996, she was homeless and suffered a very public mental breakdown.

However, in recent years, Kidder had rebounded earning praise for her roles in the Superman TV spinoff Smallville and The L-Word before winning an Emmy in 2015 in R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour. 

Under the circumstances, I wish I could turn back time as Superman did when he brought Lois back from the dead. Alas, this can only be done in the movies. R.I.P.

Memo to John Kelly: Foster Homes Aren't Meant For Illegal Immigrant Childrren

Yesterday, I saw fit to call White House Chief of Staff John Kelly a national disgrace.

Here's one more reason why. When I made reference to his NPR interview earlier this week in which he said illegal immigrants "don't integrate well" and "don't have skills", I neglected to draw attention to this even more egregious statement.

When asked to comment on Attorney General Jeff Sessions' proposal that mothers be separated from their children if they cross the border illegally, Kelly replied, "The children will be taken care of — put into foster care or whatever."

Foster care or whatever?

In fairness to Kelly, placing children of deported illegal immigrants into foster homes was happening during the Obama years. So it didn't start with the Trump Administration, but it looks like they will accelerate the practice. But thsi practice isn't a good one.

Many years ago, I worked for the state child abuse hotline here in Massachusetts. Foster homes are intended for children who have suffered from physical beatings, sexual assaults or acts of neglect like starvation. They are intended for children whose parents have maltreated them. The mothers who illegally take their children across the border are seeking a better life for them. A foster home is no place for a child whose mother is devoted to them. If the Trump Administration sees fit to separate children from their parents for crossing the border is doing so because of their color of their skin and the language that they speak. That John Kelly wouldn't consider this cruel and the cavalier manner in which he speaks about it makes him perfectly qualified to serve in the Trump Administration, but still renders him a national disgrace.

Trump: When a Bad Man Makes Good Decisions

As much as I dislike President Trump there are times when he will make a good decision. Two decisions which immediately come to mind are his decision last week to end U.S. involvement in the Iran nuclear deal as well as his decision back in February to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The ceremony for this decision occurs tomorrow.

Where it concerns Israel and Iran, Trump is miles ahead of Barack Obama. Normally decisions like this would motivate me to vote for such a man. But despite these decisions, Trump is still a bad man.

He is still the man who said John McCain wasn't a war hero because he was a POW.

He is still the man who said Gonzalo Curriel couldn't preside over the Trump University case because he is a Mexican.

He is still the man who mocked Serge Kovaleski for his disability.

He is still the man who boasted about grabbing women by their pussies.

He is still the man who lied about thousands of Muslims cheering the 9/11 attacks.

He is still the man who said he didn't want immigrants from "shithole countries."

He is also still the man who has engaged in an unnecessary Muslim travel ban, initiated unnecessary trade wars and doesn't surround himself with the best people.

Being Donald Trump means never having to say sorry or make amends. And why would he? None of this stopped him from getting to the White House and it will probably keep him there.

There is no doubt that U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the presence of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem are consequential decisions which will outlive Trump's presidency. But so long as Trump's boorish behavior and lack of character remain his stock and trade in the White House, I cannot in good conscience see fit to support him in any way notwithstanding any occasional good decisions he might make along the way.

John Kelly is a National Disgrace....Just Like His Boss

Let's consider a few of White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's behavior.

There's his hostility towards Hispanics. He complained to NPR of Hispanics seeking asylum in this country, "They don't speak English. They don't integrate well, they don't have skills." As if they couldn't acquire skills. But what can one expect of someone who says DREAMERS are "too lazy to get up off their asses"?

Then there's his willingness to lie about Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson after she had criticized President Trump's disrespect to the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson who was killed in the line of duty in Niger last year.

Or how about telling the press that he fired Rex Tillerson while he was sitting on the toilet?

It's a shame Kelly doesn't see fit to discipline Kelly Sadler for joking about John McCain being dead soon and had no qualms about protecting wife beater Rob Porter.

If Kelly was in any other job he would have either been summarily dismissed or resigned in disgrace. But in the Trump White House this kind of behavior is considered an asset and is duly rewarded. John Kelly is just like his boss, a national disgrace. They deserve each other, but the country doesn't deserve them.

Trump Is No Truman

If an American President finds himself up against it there's a good chance he or his supporters will turn to Harry Truman for guidance. This was true of George W. Bush. It was also true of Barack Obama. It was even tried with Hillary Clinton.

So it was only a matter before Donald Trump's turn would come. Enter NRO's own Victor Davis Hanson:

It took a half-century for historians to concede that the feisty Truman had solid accomplishments, especially in foreign affairs. Even his vulgarity was eventually appreciated as integral to the image of “Give ’Em Hell” Harry. But if he’d had access to Twitter, or had a Robert Mueller to hound him, the loose-cannon Truman probably would have self-destructed in a flurry of ad hominem tweets.

An obsessed special prosecutor would have followed Truman’s checkered pre-presidential career all the way back to Kansas City to uncover likely unethical behavior.

Yet in the end, Truman proved successful because of what he did — and in spite of what he said.

The only thing Truman and Trump have in common is the first four letters of their last names.

Hanson describes Truman as "obscure" and "a non-entity" who was a product of Tom Pendergast's political machine. This is simply wrong. Although known as the Senator from Pendergast when he first came to Washington, he would earn his chops in the early 1940's as Chair of the Special Senate Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program which scrutinized war profiteering by defense contractors. Its work was so effective that it would soon be popularly known as the Truman Committee.

Hanson writes, "When Truman took office after Roosevelt’s death in April 1945, he knew relatively nothing about the grand strategy of World War II. No one had told him anything about the ongoing atomic-bomb project. But for the next seven-plus years, Truman shocked the country."

What Truman did was learn everything he could about the war including the Manhattan Project. Although Truman had no formal education after high school, he was a voracious reader. In her 2012 biography Citizen Soldier: A Life of Harry S. Truman, Aida D. Donald writes:

He was a great reader on his own, boasting that he read all 3,000 books in the local library. A centrally important work in his own private library was Charles F. Horne's Great Men and Famous Women. Of great men, Harry most admired Alexander The Great, Hannibal, Charles Martel, Cincinnatus, and Robert E. Lee....He read Caesar, Cicero, Plutarch, Marcus Aurelius, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Mark Twain. He later saw some merit to Lincoln, after discounting family prejudice....Harry's love of history stood him in good stead, as he referred to great men's affairs while discussing weighty issues when he was in the army, or when he was settling world problems with other leaders, including Joseph Stalin, who was impressed.

If Trump can't handle a one page written brief then how can we even begin to compare him to a man who read 3,000 books in the local library? Aside from Robert E. Lee, would Trump know Cincinnatus from Cincinnati?

"In the pre-Twitter age, Truman could not keep his mouth shut," boasts Hanson. One of the examples he cites is the firing of General Douglas MacArthur:

Truman liked to trash national icons — including the military that had just won World War II. He reportedly said of MacArthur’s firing: “I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch although he was, but that’s not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.”

The problem here is that Truman did not utter these words during his presidency. In fact, they were not revealed until nearly a year after his death with the publication of Merle Miller's Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman.

 

Truman may have occasionally used salty language, as he did when he commanded Battery D artillery brigade in WWI. Could you imagine Truman publicly saying a POW wasn't a hero because he was captured?

Truman may have dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but did he ever tell an audience he was going to bomb the sh*t out of the Japanese?

Truman may have threatened a music critic with bodily harm, but did he ever say demeaning things about Eleanor Roosevelt or Mamie Eisenhower's physical appearance?

Truman might have enjoyed looking at Lauren Bacall's legs while playing piano, but could you imagine him two-timing Bess Truman with Gypsy Rose Lee much less paying off her attorney?

Could you imagine Truman boasting about his wealth, crowd size or ratings? You couldn't because Truman had none of those things. All he had was his reputation. For all of Trump's wealth, crowd size and ratings, he will never have Truman's reputation. Put simply, Donald Trump is no Harry Truman.

Thoughts on Next Month's Trump-Kim Meeting in Singapore

President Trump announced that he will meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un on June 12th in Singapore.

The conservatives who are rejoicing today would have sent out words of condemnation had President Obama announced the same. No doubt liberals who would have celebrated an Obama olive branch to Pyongyang will dismiss Trump's efforts out of hand. So what else is new?

Any American President who meets with Kim is at a disadvantage. Trump will leave office, be it in 2021 or 2025. By 2025, Kim will be about 40 years old. Kim is President for Life and, chances are, it will be a long life.

Now that Trump has chosen to engage Kim, the North Korean strongman can play a waiting game with Trump or whoever sits in the Oval Office. In which case, I think Kim is going to play Trump on a very long string.

How Much Money Did The Trump Administration Pay To Secure The Freedom of Three Americans Held in North Korea?

Let me begin by stating that I am glad that three Americans - Kim Hak-song, Kim Dong-chul and Kim Sang-duk - are back in this country after two years in a North Korean labor camp.

I'm even glad they were greeted by President Trump & First Lady Melania Trump.

But somehow I don't think Kim Jong Un granted them amnesty out of the kindness of his heart. There is little evidence to suggest he possesses either. Nor do I think that President Trump, much less Mike Pompeo, threatened to launch nuclear missiles unless they were freed.

I think there is a very good chance the Trump Administration gave Kim a great deal of money, food and possibly other resources to secure their release. Was it more than the $400 million it cost the Obama Administration to secure the release of three Americans held in Iran in August 2016?

The conservatives who held Obama to account for his administration's behavior should be prepared to ask the same question of the Trump Administration.

After all, it is a question worth asking.

Mets Trade Harvey to Reds For Former All-Star Catcher Mesoraco

Four days after designating him for assignment, the New York Mets have traded pitcher Matt Harvey to the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Devin Mesoraco and cash. The trade occurred as the two teams faced each other this afternoon in Cincinnati.

If going from a pennant contender to the worst team in the NL in a city not known for it's night life isn't a wake up call for Harvey then nothing is.

Harvey's travails since the 2015 World Series have been well documented. But Mesoraco has had a similar fall from grace. After a breakthrough season with the Reds in 2014 in which he hit 25 home runs and drove in 80 runs including a NL All-Star team selection, Mesoraco missed nearly 400 games over the next three seasons with various injuries to his left hip, left shoulder and left foot.

At this point, the odds are long if Mesoraco, who turns 30 next month, can regain his All-Star form. This is especially true when you consider the position he plays. But perhaps Mesoraco can reinvent himself either at another position or as a pinch hitting specialist. Given that Mesoraco is a free agent at the end of the year, the Mets are taking little to no risk here.

The same could be said for the Reds as Harvey is also a free agent at season's end. The Reds might not have much a future, but this year will give Harvey an opportunity to start and to work on his stuff. It might not pay dividends this season, but it could with a new team next season.

Mariners Pitcher James Paxton No-Hits Blue Jays; 1st Canadian To Throw No-Hitter Since '45

Seattle Mariners pitcher James Paxton has thrown a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre en route to a 5-0 win. In 95 pitches, Paxton struck out seven while walking three in his first career complete game since making his big league debut late in the 2013 season.

Paxton is the first Canadian pitcher to throw a no-hitter since 1945 when Philadelphia A's pitcher Dick Fowler tossed one against the St. Louis Browns in September of that year. And yes, Paxton threw his no-hitter on Canadian soil.

Paxton's no-hitter comes only four days after four Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher combined for a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in Monterey, Mexico. It is the third no-hitter of the 2018 season. This is the most no-hitters this early in the season since 1969 which ended with six overall. The first came late last month in Oakland when Sean Manaea rendered the Boston Red Sox hitless. This is the sixth no-hitter in Mariners' history and the first since Hisashi Iwakuma no-hit the Baltimore Orioles in August 2015.

In case anyone is interested, Paxton was my pick for this year's AL Cy Young Award. We shall see.

Trump Should Have Ended The Iran Nuclear Deal The Day He Took Office

At last, President Trump has withdrawn from the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Frankly, he should have done the day he took office nearly a year and a half ago. Trump could have withdrawn at any time just as he did with the Paris Climate Accord.

Of course, Trump didn't withdraw because of the likes of John Kelly, James Mattis and Rex Tillerson who supported the Iran Nuclear Deal. One might ask why Trump would appoint people who supported the Iran Nuclear Deal, but this is Trump we are talking about. But Tillerson is gone and Pompeo has replaced him at the State Department. Throw him and John Bolton into the equation and the deal's days were numbered. So better late than never.

As much as I loathe Trump's character, I am in full agreement when he stated, “This was a horrible one-sided deal that should never have been made. It did not bring calm, never brought peace and it never will.”

Here is what then Senator Barack Obama told Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes after announcing his presidential candidacy in February 2007 with regard to talking with Iran:

I think that the notion that this administration has -- that not talking to our enemies is effective punishment -- is wrong. It flies in the face of our experiences during the Cold War. Ronald Reagan understood that it may be an evil empire, but it's worthwhile for us to periodically meet to see are there areas of common interest. And most importantly, those conversations allow the possibility that our ideas and our values gain greater exposure in these countries. The fact of the matter is that Iran currently is governed by an oppressive regime, one that I think is a threat to the region and to our allies, but there are a lot of people in Iran who potentially would like to be part of this broader community of nations.

Except that Ronald Reagan had his Mikhail Gorbachev. Who is Iran's Gorbachev? Certainly not President Rouhani never mind Khamenei. Is there a Persian perestroika? Not on your life. The people in Iran who might want to be part of the broader community of nations reside in Evin Prison. 

Needless to say, Obama is irate at Trump's decision. Of course he is. Frankly, Obama's statement might as well have been written by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. It was the centerpiece of his foreign policy. Trump's decision is the international equivalent of ending Obamacare. Obama is angry because what little of his legacy is now in ruin. 

Obama claims that without the deal "it could embolden an already dangerous regime; threaten our friends with destruction; pose unacceptable dangers to America's own security; and trigger an arms race in the world's most dangerous region." Well, nothing in the Iran nuclear deal was going to change its fundamental nature much less make it a peaceful regime. If the Iranian regime were of a peaceful disposition then why is Israel on high alert in the Golan Heights?

So as much as I don't like Trump, he did the right thing here. 

Why The Met Gala Will Never Do an Islamic Fashion Show

Yesterday, the Met Gala made much fanfare with its annual fashion show; the theme of which was "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination."

Gee, I can't wait for next year's Islamic themed fashion show.

I think I might have to wait a long, long time.

If such an idea ever got past the planning stages there would be apologies all around. Of course, it might not be enough to withstand a fatwa and the threat of impending violence.

For all the Left's edginess isn't it interesting that they pick targets who don't fight back?

Why On Earth Would McCain Want Trump at His Funeral?

It appears that John McCain's days on this Earth are few based on this New York Times article published yesterday.

Of course, McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer last summer and he is now largely confined to his ranch in Arizona. He has been receiving visitors like former Vice President Joe Biden with the understanding that this is goodbye.

The article discusses McCain's funeral plans. While current VP Mike Pence, President Trump is persona non grata. NBC News subsequently reported that both former Presidents Bush and Obama are expected to deliver eulogies at McCain's funeral.

Needless to say this was too much for Trump supporters who took to Twitter in their usual vicious, vile and vitriolic form.

I saw fit to reply to several such tweets:

Aaron Goldstein‏ @aargold24

Aaron Goldstein Retweeted Mike

Methinks Trump stating McCain wasn't a hero because he likes people who weren't captured is a disgusting thing to say.

Aaron Goldstein added,

Mike @mike_Zollo

John McCain doesn’t want President Trump to attend his funeral. What a disgusting thing to say, McCain is a bitter and jealous man. This man has spent his life siding with the left but bashing patriots like Trump.…

5:56 PM - 5 May 2018

Aaron Goldstein‏ @aargold24

Aaron Goldstein Retweeted Collin Rugg

President Trump is a miserable, bitter, pathetic old man for denigrating John McCain's service in Vietnam.

Aaron Goldstein added,

Collin Rugg @CollinRugg

John McCain says he doesn’t want Trump at his funeral. Imagine being such a miserable, bitter, pathetic old man that your dying wish is that the president is not at your funeral.…

5:59 PM - 5 May 2018

Aaron Goldstein‏ @aargold24

Aaron Goldstein Retweeted 'Sources Say' is Greek for 'Fake News'

Settling old scores, nursing grudges & thinking about tomorrow's news cycle instead of history in a petty & mean-spirited way is Donald Trump's stock & trade.

Aaron Goldstein added,

'Sources Say' is Greek for 'Fake News' @NolteNC

John McCain has chosen to go out in a petty and mean-spirited way: settling old scores, nursing grudges, thinking about tomorrow’s news cycle instead of history. Sadly, I’m not at all surprised.

6:29 PM - 5 May 2018

Truth be told these were some of the more polite tweets. Here are several others from Trump supporters:

CHIZ 🚂🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸‏ @CHIZMAGA

Sorry John McCain, nobody wants to attend your Funeral anyways since you’re already dead to us... Traitor!

Tyler Zed‏ @TyEducatingLibs

John McCain said he regrets having Palin as his VP & that he does not want Trump to attend his funeral. On his death bed & he talks about regrets & hatefulness. What a miserable life. I truly pity him. Just know, there’s a special place in hell waiting for you @SenJohnMcCain.

The Big Albowski🇮🇹🇺🇸‏ @yanks241

Replying to @LisaMei62 @Jensen_AFirst @nypost

I always knew that @SenJohnMcCain was a piece of shit. But I can’t believe he is THIS big a piece of shit! Regret not being “CROWNED” President much? It’s KILLING YOU, literally, to see Trump Get elected when you couldn’t. So now let’s blame Sarah right? Rot in Hell! #POS

Now I haven't always agreed with McCain. But disagreeing with someone on the confirmation of a cabinet member doesn't warrant wishing he was dead or for him to rot in hell. Then again these are Trump supporters we are talking about here.

The fact that Trump's candidacy didn't die after he denigrated McCain's military service says a great deal about the Republican Party and conservatism. Hell, The American Spectator wouldn't let publish an article in which I criticized Trump's behavior towards McCain. In retrospect, I should have left TAS right then and there. That act would take another year.

If Trump supporters cannot understand why McCain wouldn't want him at his funeral then it only reinforces they have no capacity for reason.

Four Dodgers Pitchers Combine For No-Hitter vs. Padres in Mexico

I've just seen the last few innings of a combined no-hitter by four Los Angeles Dodgers' pitchers - Walker Buehler, Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia and Adam Liberatore. Buehler, in his third big league start, tossed six innings while Cingrani, Garcia and Liberatore pitched an inning apiece en route to a 4-0 victory over the Friars.

The no-hitter comes less than an hour after Albert Pujols collected his 3,000th hit. This is the first time a no-hitter occurred the same day a player collected his 3,000th hit. It is also the second no-hitter of the 2018 season. Less than a fortnight ago, Oakland A's pitcher Sean Manaea tossed one against the Boston Red Sox. It is the first combined no-hitter in MLB since 2014 when Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman, Ken Giles and Jonathan Papelbon tossed one against the Atlanta Braves.

But perhaps the most unique aspect of this no-hitter is that it took place in Monterey, Mexico for the first regular season game south of the border since 1999. An evening which began with Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela (who had a no-hitter of his own to his credit) throwing out the first pitch. Not quite like Don Larsen and Yogi Berra being present at David Cone's perfect game at Yankee Stadium in 1999, but very, very close.

I do wish Buehler had been allowed to complete his no-no. But that's a no-no with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He notably lifted Ross Stripling after 7.1 IP of no-hit ball in his MLB debut in April 2016. I suspect there will be less of a backlash since we know Roberts' modus operandi, the near death of complete games and the fact the game not only didn't take place at Dodger Stadium, but took place in Mexico which is just happy to see big league action of any kind.

A no-hitter just doesn't have the same drama with multiple pitchers. Nevertheless, the San Diego Padres did not collect a hit tonight. Buehler, Cingrani, Garcia and Liberatore are to be congratulated on a job well done.

Albert Pujols Collects His 3,000th Hit....And It May Be Awhile Before We See This Again

A few minutes ago, I saw Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols lace an opposite field single off Seattle Mariners pitcher Mike Leake for the 3,000th hit of his career. The Mariners' fans graciously gave Pujols a standing ovation.

I hope baseball fans appreciate Pujols' achievement because it might be awhile before we see this again.

At 72nd on the all-time MLB hit list, Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera has the most of any active player after Pujols with 2,666 hits. But the 35-year old has just been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a right hamstring injury. Cabrera is at a stage of his career where his offensive output is declining and his suspectibility to injury is increasing.

After Cabrera, you have Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano who is tied with Sammy Sosa for 123rd on the all-time hit list with 2,408. Cano is also 35. He has a better shot at 3,000 than Cabrera but there is no guarantee injuries and declining productivity won't catch up with him too.

The other viable possibilities have less than 2,000 hits - Adam Jones (1680), Joey Votto (1614), Evan Longoria & Justin Upton (1497), Andrew McCutchen (1486) and Elvis Andrus (1474). If not anyone from this group then perhaps Mike Trout (1073), Manny Machado (905) or Bryce Harper (811).

All of the above players will probably have great careers without necessarily getting to 3,000 hits.

So let's savor Albert Pujols' opposite field single just a bit longer.

Matt Harvey Needs a Change of Scenery

The New York Mets have designated Matt Harvey for assignment after he declined a minor league assignment. The Mets now have 10 days during which to either trade or release Harvey. Given Harvey's poor performance on the mound it is far more likely to be the latter than the former.

It has been a quite a fall from grace for the former Mets' ace. Known as The Dark Knight, Harvey hasn't been the same since the Mets won the NL pennant in 2015. Over the past two plus seasons, Harvey has gone 9-19. Last month, Harvey was sent to the bullpen. In eight appearances in 2018, Harvey went 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA.

In the grand scheme of things, it is probably best that Harvey declined to be sent to the minors. I think Harvey needs a change of scenery. Staying in the Mets' organization simply isn't going to help Harvey's mental outlook.

The question is where Harvey ends up. Probably the best place for him would be a low key place like San Diego. But I suspect he'd like to stick it to the Mets and stay in the NL East with either the Phillies or the Braves. At this point, I can't see a contending club prepared to offer Harvey a spot in the starting rotation.

Then again we are also in the first week of May. There are bound to be pitching staffs depleted by injuries who would be desperate enough to take a flier on Harvey. So it may be late July or early August before Harvey finds a new employer.

An Awkward Send Off For Ichiro

On Thursday, the Seattle Mariners announced that Ichiro Suzuki would be "transitioning" from being a player to a special assistant to General Manager Jerry DiPoto. 

In the course of the announcement, DiPoto indicated that Ichiro would not play again in 2018, but that he was not retiring and the door was open to play in 2019.

This seems awfully ambiguous to me. If the door is open for Ichiro to play in 2019 then wouldn't it be for a team other than the Mariners? I don't see how he can be both a player and a member of the front office.

It could be the case that this move was a face saving measure for the Mariners to spare Ichiro the embarrassment of being unceremoniously released as he was only hitting .205 without an RBI in 15 games this season. Yet if Ichiro has taken his last swing then it seems to me that someone of Ichiro's stature in the game deserves a far grander send off. Baseball fans deserve to give Ichiro a proper goodbye. 

MLB Notes for March/April: D'Backs Take Charge of NL West While Dodgers Struggle

The defending NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers have won five consecutive NL West titles and were widely expected to win a sixth. However, NL Wild Card champion Arizona Diamondbacks led by manager Torey Lovullo are taking charge of the division with a 20-8 start. The D'Backs own the best record in the NL. A.J. Pollock has supplanted Paul Goldschmidt has the team's best offensive player while Patrick Corbin appears to have returned to his 2013 form when he earned a selection to the NL All-Star Team.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers find themselves in an unfamiliar position. They are in fourth place, 8 games back of the D'Backs. After losing 9 of their first 13 games, the Dodgers have gone 8-7 since. The Dodgers sorely miss Justin Turner who fractured his wrist late in spring training. Even if Turner comes back they will also miss Corey Seager who will miss the remainder of the season to undergo Tommy John surgery for a torn UCL. Kenley Jansen has been struggling out of the bullpen and Clayton Kershaw is 1-4 despite a respectable 2.84 ERA. This just might not be the Dodgers' year.

The San Francisco Giants are certainly doing better than they did after owning the worst record in the NL in 2017. Their 15-14 record is good enough for second place in the division, a half game ahead of the Colorado Rockies fresh off a NL Wild Card berth. The only team the Dodgers are ahead of is the San Diego Padres which everyone expected. However, no one expected the Dodgers to be only three games ahead of the lowly Padres.

The NL Central race is a competitive four team race with the Chicago Cubs leading the division by half a game over the Pittsburgh Pirates, a game over the Milwaukee Brewers and 1.5 games over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs have won five in a row and 8 of their last 10. Of these four teams, the Pirates are the most surprising considering the loss of their ace Gerrit Cole and one time NL MVP Andrew McCutchen. The NL Central is anyone's race. Anyone that is but the Cincinnati Reds. At 7-22, they own MLB's worst record and have already dismissed their manager Bryan Price in favor of Jim Riggleman. The Reds will have to do everything not to surpass the 1962 New York Mets 120 losses.

The 2018 edition of the New York Mets has rebounded from a poor 2017. New Mets' skipper Mickey Calloway has brought a sunny disposition to Citi Field and seems to have had a good effect on everyone save for Matt Harvey. But the Mets have competition in both the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies who are 1.5 and 2 games back of the Mets in the NL East. After an inauspicious first week in which new Phillies' skipper Gabe Kapler made a pitching change with no one warming up in the bullpen, Kapler vowed the team would make the post-season. Kapler might very well make good on that vow. The Washington Nationals, on the other hand, might regret firing Dusty Baker after leading them to back to back NL East titles. Aside from Bryce Harper, the Nats have not responded to new manager Dave Martinez. The Nats, who were widely predicted to win the NL East in their sleep, are 13-16 and are 5.5 games back of the Mets. As expected, the Miami Marlins are in the cellar after selling off Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna and Dee Gordon during the off-season. But the Marlins can take pride they have a better record than the Reds.

Over in the American League, the defending World Series champion Houston Astros have picked up where they left off winning 20 of their first 30 games with an astonishing team ERA of 2.54. The Astros lead the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West by 2.5 and 3 games, respectively. After treading water, the Mariners have won 7 of their last 10 games while the Angels finished April losing 7 of their last 10 games despite the presence of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Justin Upton and Japanese pitching and hitting sensation Shohei Ohtani. The Oakland A's finish April with a .500 record and could turn the division into a four team race with the Texas Rangers 9 games back with an 11-19 record through late March and April.

While the AL West has four teams at or above .500, the Cleveland Indians are the only team above .500 in the AL Central. The Tribe has a four game lead over the Detroit Tigers. Despite an 11-16 record, the Tigers are doing better than I expected. I think a lot of it has to do with new Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire who got the most out of many of his team in the Twin Cities. The same cannot be said for the current edition of the Twins. After earning an AL Wild Card berth, the Twins finished April losing 9 of their last 10 games and are a half game behind the rebuilding Tigers. At 8-18, the Chicago White Sox are mediocre as advertised while the Kansas City Royals hold the AL's worst record at 7-21. The Royals have come down a long way since winning back to back AL pennants in 2014 and 2015 along with a World Series title in 2015.

By contrast, the Boston Red Sox own MLB's best record at 21-7 under new manager Alex Cora. But the New York Yankees under new manager Aaron Boone are hot on their heels having won 9 of their final 10 games in April and are only three games back of the Bosox in the AL East. The Toronto Blue Jays wish they were in the AL Central because they would be leading that division. As it stands, they are five games back of the Red Sox. But the sleeper of this division is the Tampa Bay Rays. Don't let their 13-14 record fool you. After starting the season 3-12, the Rays have won 10 of their last 12 games including 9 of their last 10. At this point, the only team in the AL East who find themselves in trouble are the Baltimore Orioles. Although their 8-20 record isn't the worst in the AL, they are already 13 games back of the Red Sox. There are rumblings that longtime manager Buck Showalter is on the hot seat. The bigger issue is Manny Machado. A free agent at the end of the season, it seems a question of when rather than if they will trade Machado for prospects. And if they trade Machado will Adam Jones follow him out of Camden Yards? We'll see at the end of May.