Trump's Carrier Deal is Good Politics But Raises False Hopes

President-Elect Donald Trump's deal with Carrier to keep "close to a 1,000 jobs" in Indiana is great politics, but raises false hopes.


It's great politics because the public perception will be that Trump kept his promise to keep jobs from leaving America and that he is a man of his word who gets results.


But it raises false hopes that Trump can rescue all American manufacturing jobs or that he can singlehandedly stop free markets and international trade.


The people at Carrier will be forever grateful to Trump, but if Trump can't save other plants from closing working people are going to feel let down yet again.


Even if Trump does intervene in other cases there is also the question of creating manufacturing jobs. Trump cannot create these out of whole cloth. His administration can try to create the conditions to attract manufacturing jobs, but those conditions could often at a heavy cost to the taxpayer. It's all well and good to give tax incentives to businesses, but someone has to pay that bill and invariably it is us.


Of course it remains to be seen what this Carrier deal will be like in practice. Close to 1,000 jobs could be 500 jobs or maybe 100 jobs. Those 100 or 500 jobs could also be at considerably lower wages. There is no guarantee that Carrier can sustain this deal. If Carrier doesn't meet its profit margins those jobs could easily disappear yet again. Naturally Trump would blame Carrier for not holding up its end of the deal and Trump will again be hailed a champion of the American working class. But it takes two to make a deal and Trump entered into it knowing full well it might not be worth the paper on which it is written.

Trump Raises a Red Flag

If President-Elect Donald Trump wants to lead a campaign to amend the Constitution to ban flag burning (much like President George H.W. Bush tried to do more than 25 years ago) I have no objection.

Should such a constitutional amendment pass, I would be in agreement with President-Elect Donald Trump's assessment that a year's imprisonment is a reasonable punishment.

But if President-Elect Trump wants to strip people of their citizenship for burning the Stars and Stripes then he is stark raving mad.

To state that flag burning is punishable by a year in prison or being stripped of one's citizenship would be like saying littering is punishable by a $100 fine or being stoned to death.

A choice between a year's imprisonment and a loss of citizenship is simply arbitrary and capricious. It is the sort of thing only a dictator or someone who aspires to be one would say.

They are not the words of a man who has the patience or the stomach for a constitutional amendment.

From "Active Shooter" to Car Ramming, Knife Wielding Somali Born Terrorist

No sooner than there was a report of an "active shooter" at Ohio State University in Columbus, up went the gun control articles.


Then there were tweets like this one:

Ohio State University has an active shooter. I'm so fucking tired of people rejecting background checks. We students have a right to be safe.

As it turns out, however, the assailant did not have a gun. He used a car and a knife to injure 10 people before being shot dead by police. The assailant in question was also an 18-year old Somali born legal resident of the United States. The chances that this attack wasn't motivated by Islamic radicalism are next to nil.

Yes, that OSU student has a right to be safe. But a background check is useless against cars, knives and a religious ideology bent on destruction.

I guess President Obama will spare us his easy access to guns lecture for today. That is unless he decides to whip out his lecture on police brutality.

Of course, President-Elect Trump will probably not spare us a lecture on the need to ban Muslim immigration to the United States. That's all well and good but it doesn't change the fact there are Muslims born and raised in this country and those who convert to Islam. Nor does it change the fact that most Muslims would never do what was done today at Ohio State University.

If Trump Appoints Petraeus as Secretary of State It Would Explain Why He Isn't Investigating Hillary

It appears that President-Elect Donald Trump is now considering General David Petraeus to become his Secretary of State.


There is no question as to Petraeus' qualifications for the position. But should Trump appoint Petraeus it would go a long way to explain his decision last week not to pursue any further investigation against Hillary Clinton with regard to her e-mails. You will recall that Trump told Hillary to her face during the second presidential debate that he planned to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate her.


Indeed, it would look bad if Trump were to appoint Petraeus and then turn around appoint a special prosecutor against Hillary. After all, Petraeus is under two years probation for passing classified information to Paula Broadwell, his biographer turned mistress forcing him to resign as head of the CIA in November 2012.


I do think this is the case of apples and oranges. After all, Petraeus was held accountable and will finish paying his debt to society in April. Hillary has never been held responsible for her actions with regard to her e-mails (nor anything else) and Trump is seeing to it.


Yet given that Trump is prepared to appoint Petraeus before he has fully paid his debt does make his criticisms of Hillary's conduct hollow. Oh well, politics as usual.

The Grey Cup Returns to Ottawa For The First Time in 40 Years

The Ottawa RedBlacks did it. In only their third year of existence, the RedBlacks won the Grey Cup with a 39-33 overtime victory over the Calgary Stampeders. It was the first time a Grey Cup championship game had gone into OT.

Rough Riders QB Henry Burris became the oldest QB to win a Grey Cup and the first to win one in three different decades. The 41-year old Burris won his previous Grey Cups with the Stampeders in 1998 and 2008, respectively.

Although the RedBlacks have enjoyed immediate success, it is the first time in 40 years Ottawa has celebrated a Grey Cup champion. In 1976, the Ottawa Rough Riders beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 23-20.

When I arrived in Ottawa in the early 1990's the Rough Riders were the laughing stock of the CFL. Twenty years ago, the Rough Riders disbanded. In the early 2000's, the Renegades came and went after four undistinguished seasons.

So I'm glad there is triumph in my old stomping grounds.

Romney Stands Nothing to Gain By Apologizing to Trump

Team Trump is demanding that Mitt Romney publicly apologize and repudiate his criticism of President-Elect Donald Trump as a precondition of being appointed as Secretary of State.

Mitt Romney stands nothing to gain by apologizing to Trump.

It says a lot about Trump's character (or lack thereof) that he is demanding Romney publicly humiliate himself. I don't recall Barack Obama demanding Hillary Clinton publicly apologize for the things she said about him during the 2008 campaign.

Even if Romney does apologize there is no guarantee that Trump will actually give him the job. It is not inconceivable that Trump would make Romney goes through these motions for nothing. This is Trump's standard operating procedure.

But if Trump were to appoint Romney as Secretary of State one has to wonder how much influence he would actually given this precondition. Who can say Trump wouldn't throw Romney under the bus as he has with Chris Christie?

Mitt Romney should not sully himself by associating with the likes of Trump. Under the circumstances, Romney should withdraw his name from consideration for Secretary of State or any other position in a Trump Administration.

Trump is Right to Call Castro "A Brutal Dictator"; Now Let's See Him Say The Same of Putin

I seldom agree with Donald Trump, but I think he's spot on in characterizing the recently departed Fidel Castro as "a brutal dictator." 

The President-Elect's remarks about Castro stand in sharp contrast to those of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's words of reverence. Trudeau the Younger called Castro "a legendary revolutionary and orator" who had "a tremendous dedication and love of the Cuban people".

It should be noted that Castro had a long standing relationship with his father Pierre and was a pallbearer at his funeral in 2000. Still, he could have paid his condolences without so much slobbering. No doubt there are many Cubans who do not believe Castro was so dedicated and loving.

While I am glad that Trump called Castro for what he was, I wish he would do the same for the likes of Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Erdogan, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong-un and the Chinese Communists. After all Trump has praised Putin's popularity, praised Erdogan's measures following the coup attempt , has repeatedly claimed Saddam killed terrorists (when, in fact, he harbored them), praised Kim Jong-un for "wiping out" his political opponents and, more than a quarter century ago, praised the ChiComs "show of strength" at Tiananmen Square.

Trump's admiration and praise of dictators is among the 10 reasons I could never vote for him. Given his history on the subject, I cannot help but think that his condemnation of Castro is an exception rather than the rule.

Ron Glass, R.I.P.

Actor Ron Glass has passed away of respiratory failure at the age of 71.

Glass was best known for his portrayal of Detective Ron Harris in Barney Miller. Younger fans are more likely to remember him as Shepherd Book in the cult sci-fi TV series Firefly. Glass would reprise this role in the 2005 film Serenity. Among his final screen credits were appearances on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and CSI.

There are two roles I remember for which I remember Glass fondly. I enjoyed Glass' portrayal of Felix Unger in The New Odd Couple which he co-starred with Desmond Wilson of Sanford & Son fame during the 1982-83 season on ABC. I also remember Glass in an episode of The Twilight Zone opposite Sherman Hemsley where Glass plays a T-shirt wearing devil whose come to collect the soul of a math professor played by Hemsley. You can play this episode in the video above. It is a fine testament to both actors.

Glass becomes the second Barney Miller cast member to pass away in 2016. Abe Vigoda who played Detective Phil Fish died in January at the age of 94.

Although Glass played a suave ladies' man in Detective Harris, he never married in real life. But he lived a happy life as a Buddhist and made others happy with craft. Myself included.

It Was Trump Who Normalized The Alt-Right (More Properly Known as White Supremacists) Not The Mainstream Media

David Harsanyi, senior editor of The Federalist, has a piece at NRO in which he blames the mainstream media for normalizing the so-called Alt-Right (who are really white supremacists):

Why does the March for Life, a rally that attracts tens of thousands of anti-abortion Americans to Washington, D.C., every year get less prominent media coverage than a fringe neo-Nazi gathering? Because institutional media and white nationalists have formed a politically convenient symbiotic relationship.

For Jew-hating racists, the attention means they can playact as a viable and popular movement with pull in Washington. In return, many in the media get to confirm their own biases and treat white supremacy as if it were the secret ingredient to Republican success.

Meanwhile, this obsessive coverage of the alt-right not only helps mainstream a small movement but it’s also exactly what the bigots need and want to grow.

Harsanyi is certainly correct that the mainstream media has its own agenda in its coverage of the so-called Alt-Right. It is an opportunity for them to make a blanket statement about conservatives and conservatism. If you talk to those who work in the mainstream media there is no meaningful difference between John Kasich and David Duke.


But let's put the blame where it belongs. It wasn't the mainstream media who normalized the so-called Alt-Right, it was President-Elect Trump.


It was President-Elect Trump who repeatedly refused to condemn David Duke last spring.


It was President-Elect Trump who saw fit to retweet messages written by the so-called Alt-Right.


It was President-Elect Trump who said a federal judge could not preside over the Trump University because of his Mexican heritage.


It was President-Elect Trump who has seen fit to appoint Steve Bannon to be his chief strategist, a man who was more than happy to turn the once brilliance of Breitbart into "the platform of the Alt-Right". What would have become of American conservatism had William F. Buckley, Jr. had welcomed the John Birch Society with open arms more than half a century ago?


Now I know that Harsanyi is no Trump fan. But just because Trump is to become the 45th President in eight weeks doesn't mean we should stop criticizing him. Blaming the mainstream media for the rise of the Alt-Right is to avoid the man who is now the elephant in the room. To avoid the elephant in the room is to avoid the so-called Alt-Right excretions of his own making. Who among us is prepared to clean it up?

 

Florence Henderson, R.I.P.

Actress Florence Henderson, best known for playing Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch, died suddenly at the age of 82.

Her career spanned more than six decades beginning on Broadway where she starred in the original production of Fanny. Henderson was working up to the very present with her talk show Who's Cooking with Florence Henderson. In recent years, she was seen on Dancing With The Stars, The Surreal Life and even once appeared on WWE RAW. She also became a fixture at the Indianapolis 500 singing "God Bless America" as she did in 2011.

In the video below, she is singing "My Love" during a 1967 appearance on The Hollywood Palace.

But everyone remembers Henderson as Carol Brady. Although The Brady Bunch went off the air more than 40 years ago it remains as popular today as it was in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Henderson was the most identifiable and beloved member of that cast. She was the ideal mother, TV or no TV. Her passing is yet another kick in the gut in what has been a year of full gut kicks. 2016 cannot end soon enough.

Dave "Boo" Ferriss, R.I.P.

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher & Delta State University head baseball coach Dave "Boo" Ferriss has passed away at the age of 94.

Ferriss began his big league career with a bang winning 21 games in 1945 finishing fourth in the American League MVP balloting (Detroit's Hal Newhouser won the second of his back to back AL MVPs). He probably wouldn't have reached the majors so quickly if not for the Second World War. But Ferriss was even better in 1946 winning 25 games as the Red Sox won their first AL pennant since 1918.

Unfortunately, Ferriss' meteoric rise would come crashing down on a single pitch he made while pitching a shutout against the Cleveland Indians in July 1947 sustaining a shoulder injury. It would to be his final big league shutout. Ferriss only won 11 more big league games after that injury and none after 1948. He threw his final big league pitch in 1950 but remained in the Red Sox minor league system through 1952.

When Ferriss' former teammate Mike "Pinky" Higgins was hired as the Red Sox manager prior to the 1955 season, Higgins tabbed Ferriss to be the team's pitching coach. Ferriss would remain in this capacity through 1959. Wanting to return to his native Mississippi, Ferriss was hired by Delta State University in 1960 and built its baseball program from the ground up. He coached the team for more than a quarter century before retiring in 1988.

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame established an award for the best collegiate baseball player from the state and named it the Ferriss Trophy. Current Red Sox pitcher Drew Pomeranz won the honor in 2010 while he pitched for Ole Miss.

Ferriss would have celebrated his 68th wedding anniversary on Monday. Here is Ferriss and his wife Miriam celebrating his 94th birthday in December 2015.

It's a Wee Bit Late For Trump To Now Say He Doesn't Want To Energize White Supremacists

Consider this exchange between President-Elect Donald Trump and New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet during Trump's interview with The Grey Lady:

BAQUET: As you describe it, you did do something really remarkable. You energized a lot of people in the country who really wanted change in Washington. But along with that — and this is going to create a tricky thing for you — you also energized presumably a smaller number of people who were evidenced at the alt-right convention in Washington this weekend. Who have a very …

TRUMP: I just saw that today.

BAQUET: So, I’d love to hear you talk about how you’re going to manage that group of people who actually may not be the larger group but who have an expectation for you and are angry about the country and its — along racial lines. My first question is, do you feel like you said things that energized them in particular, and how are you going to manage that?

TRUMP: I don’t think so, Dean. First of all, I don’t want to energize the group. I’m not looking to energize them. I don’t want to energize the group, and I disavow the group. They, again, I don’t know if it’s reporting or whatever. I don’t know where they were four years ago, and where they were for Romney and McCain and all of the other people that ran, so I just don’t know, I had nothing to compare it to.

But it’s not a group I want to energize, and if they are energized I want to look into it and find out why.

Let's call Trump's statement for what it is - complete and total horseshit, bullshit and any other excrement you can conjure in your mind.

Trump claims that he doesn't want to energize white supremacists (which is what the alt.Right really is), but that if he did he wants to find out why.

Give me a break.

Donald Trump deliberately energized white supremacists.

Donald Trump deliberately energized white supremacists when he proposed to build a wall along Mexico and deport all illegal immigrants.

Donald Trump deliberately energized white supremacists when he proposed "a complete and total ban" of Muslim immigration and travel to this country.

Donald Trump deliberately energized white supremacists when he refused to condemn David Duke after the former KKK Grand Wizard endorsed him.

Donald Trump deliberated energized white supremacists when he said that Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel was unfit to preside over the Trump University case because, notwithstanding his birth in Indiana, "he's a Mexican."

And now Donald Trump has deliberately energized white supremacists when he appointed Steve Bannon to be his White House Chief Strategist.

For Trump to now say that he doesn't want to energize white supremacists, well, that Trump Train left the station and the white supremacists got a first class seat.

Winning Isn't Enough for Trump

Donald Trump should be on top of the world.


Against all odds and breaking every political taboo in the book, Trump got what he wanted.


He's the most powerful man in the world.


But why is he so unhappy?


This is a man who is still angry at Jeb Bush for not keeping his pledge to support him during the general election. This would be the Jeb Bush that Trump absolutely humiliated during the primaries and effectively ended the Bush Dynasty.


Then earlier this week Trump summoned a group of top media figures to Trump Tower including the major network anchors and absolutely ripped them a new one. Trump reserved his greatest anger for CNN President Jeff Zucker. He told Zucker, "I hate your network, everyone at CNN is a liar and should be ashamed."


Everyone at CNN? Poor Jeffrey Lord.


Clearly, Trump is a sore winner. He could have just rubbed it in with Bush and with the media. But it goes well beyond that. Winning isn't enough for Trump. He wants complete and absolute blind devotion. This is a quality shared by dictators petty and otherwise.


Perhaps things won't be so bad if Trump keeps his dictatorial tendencies petty. But I have a bad feeling he will dictate otherwise.

Ralph Branca, R.I.P.

Ralph Branca, the Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher best known for giving up "The Shot Heard 'Round The World" to Bobby Thomson which gave the New York Giants the 1951 NL pennant despite having been down 13½ games in the middle of August, has passed away at the age of 90. Branca's son-in-law, former big league player and manager Bobby Valentine, broke the news on Twitter.


The home run to Thomson overshadowed what was otherwise a very good big league career which began when he was only 18 during the 1944 season. Branca probably wouldn't have cracked a big league roster so soon if not for the Second World War which saw most of the game's great players off to war. But it wasn't long before Branca proved he could play with the big boys. Between 1947-1949, Branca was one of the NL's premier pitchers for a Dodgers team that won two NL pennants and during that period Branca was selected to three straight NL All-Star Teams. His best overall season was in 1947 when Branca went 21-12 with a 2.67 ERA and 148 strikeouts. His win, ERA and strikeout totals that season were all career highs.


But Branca was never the same pitcher after surrendering the home run to Thomson. He would only 16 more games over his final four seasons in the majors. By the middle of 1953, the Dodgers released Branca who had undistinguished stints with the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees before returning to Brooklyn to pitch one last game in 1956. Branca finished his career with a 88-68 record with a 3.79 ERA in a career that was nearly evenly divided between the starting rotation and the bullpen.


Despite the infamy associated with giving up the Shot Heard 'Round The World, Branca and Thomson became best of friends until Thomson's death in August 2010. I recall that during Ken Burns' PBS documentary Baseball, Branca said he went to speak to a priest to ask why this has happened to him. The priest said, and I'm paraphrasing, that G-d knew Branca had he strength of character to get through it. Branca's long and happy life is all the evidence we need that our worst moments need not define us.

Will Nikki Haley Get The Chris Christie Treatment?

In what has to be his most interesting cabinet appointment to date, President-Elect Donald Trump has selected South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to be his Ambassador to the UN.


Less than nine months ago, Trump tweeted, "The people of South Carolina are embarrassed by Nikki Haley!"


It must be remembered that Haley supported Marco Rubio during the GOP primary and stated, "What I see in Marco Rubio is that he brings out the best in people, but what I see in Donald Trump is that he brings out the worst in people."


But if a week in politics is a lifetime, nine months bears a new child.


Indeed, I can't imagine Ann Coulter is too happy. Last year, I ended up getting into a row with white supremacist Peter Brimelow after I criticized Coulter for calling Haley an immigrant when, in fact, she is South Carolina born and raised.


But Coulter might have the last laugh.


To start with, Haley has no foreign policy experience to speak of. It makes one wonder if Trump appointed Haley to this post because of her heritage and to give the Trump Administration the appearance of diversity in international forums such as the UN. But if Trump's appointment of her is just window dressing I doubt she will yield much influence in the development of his foreign policy.


Above all else, I wonder if Haley is going to get the Chris Christie treatment.

Trump is a man who likes to humiliate his subordinates. Naturally, this won't be confined to Haley. Mitt Romney is vulnerable should Trump offer him the Secretary of State post. But, of course, Trump holds a special scorn for women not named Ivanka Trump or Kellyanne Conway.


Nikki Haley is an intelligent and capable woman who didn't hesitate to criticize Trump, but was prepared to make her peace with him and make the often ugly compromises politics demands. Politics is give and take. But I believe Trump's appointment of Haley is the extent of his give. I have a feeling Haley is going to need every bit of her intelligence and capacity to survive her stint in the Trump Administration.

The JFK Federal Building Does Not Do Our 35th President Justice

For the past two and a half months, I have been working in the John F. Kennedy Federal Building in Boston.

The building, of course, was constructed in his honor of the 37th President following his assassination 53 years ago today.

Sad to say while JFK was of the '60's, I don't think '60's architecture is a fitting tribute to the man who inspired Camelot. I would describe this kind of architecture as neo-Stalinist - cold, austere, foreboding and devoid of idealism.

Simply put, the John F. Kennedy Federal Building doesn't do justice to our 35th President.

What Will Trump Do if Hamilton Cast Refuses to Apologize to Pence?

As you well know by now on Friday night the cast of Hamilton headed by Brandon Victor Dixon (who plays Aaron Burr) publicly appealed to Vice-President-Elect Mike Pence who was in the audience. As Pence was about to leave the theater, Dixon, speaking on behalf of the cast, stated in part:

Vice President-elect Pence, we welcome you and we truly thank you for joining us here at Hamilton: An American Musical. We really do. We, sir, are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us, all of us

Dixon's statement raised the ire of President-Elect Trump who has now twice demanded the cast apologize to Pence.

First, Trump tweeted on Saturday night:

Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen! The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!

Trump would delete that Tweet. But then this morning, he demanded the cast apologize to Pence again.

The cast and producers of Hamilton, which I hear is highly overrated, should immediately apologize to Mike Pence for their terrible behavior.

I have three observations to make.

First, its obvious that Trump doesn't talk to Pence who took no offense at the cast's statement.

Second, it is a reminder of how petty Trump is. Will this happen every time someone publicly criticizes the Trump Administration. Trump would be better served to pay attention to ISIS instead of Hamilton.

Third, and most important, Trump takes office in exactly two months from today. What happens if Trump should demand an apology after he's sworn in and the cast of Hamilton refuses? Will he say there will be consequences? And what will those consequences be? Will Trump see to it that the play is shut down? Of course, it might be a lot of sound and fury. But Trump speaks like a dictator. It is only a matter of time before he acts like one.

Trump Could Have Settled The Trump University Case Months Ago & Spared Judge Curiel A Lot of Agony

There are two things that strike me about President-Elect Trump's decision to settle the lawsuit against Trump University to the tune of $25 million.

First, Trump repeatedly stated throughout the campaign that he could have settled the case anytime he wanted but wouldn't so out of "principle". Well, I guess that "principle" died once he won the election. Under the circumstances, Trump didn't want the lawsuit hanging over his head like the Sword of Damocles. It would have been as much of an albatross around his neck as Hillary Clinton being under FBI investigation. True to form, Trump claimed he would have won the suit had he not a country to run.

Second, had Trump settled the lawsuit during the election he could have saved Judge Gonzalo Curiel a lot of agony. Instead, Trump made a point of questioning Curiel's integrity by impugning his Mexican heritage despite being born and raised in the state his running mate governed.

Trump's criticisms were a crock and he knew it. If Trump was really concerned about Curiel's integrity his legal team could have filed a motion for Curiel to recuse himself. They did not have a shred of evidence that Curiel had said or written anything which would have compromised Trump's right to a fair trial. Had Curiel publicly criticized Trump the way Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg did this summer then it would be a different story. But no matter. Trump's tactics against Curiel had the effect of giving racism legitimacy.

Trump could have saved Curiel a lot of agony. But had he done so Trump wouldn't be Trump now would he?

Are Trump Supporters Aware That President Reagan Apologized For Japanese-American Internment?

Carl Higbie, a former Iraq war veteran and surrogate for President-Elect Donald Trump, raised considerable ire when he told Megyn Kelly that Japanese-American internment camps were a "precedent" for a potential Muslim registry.

Are Higbie and other Trump supporters aware that President Reagan formally apologized for the policy of Japanese internment in 1988?

Assuming they are aware of this fact are they now telling us to disregard it?

It's one thing to give heavier scrutiny immigration and travel from Muslim majority countries. It is quite another to base such a policy on Japanese internment which was directed at American citizens.

Now one could argue that Higbie doesn't speak for the incoming Trump Administration and is not likely to be a member of it. But let's remember that Trump himself likened his Muslim immigration and travel proposal to the internment of Japanese-Americans in an interview with Good Morning America in December 2015 and also refused to denounce the policy in an earlier interview with Time Magazine. So let's just say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Obviously it remains to be seen how Trump will act where it concerns Muslims, but if his surrogates continue to make favorable comments concerning the Japanese-American internment policy then there is cause for alarm.



A Weird Evening With Robbie Robertson

To mark the 40th anniversary of The Last Waltz, Robbie Robertson of The Band has put out an autobiography titled Testimony. 

Earlier this evening, Robertson took the stand at St. James' Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

I almost didn't make it because I needed to go to the bathroom. I tried going at the Shaw's and at Dunkin Donut's but they were occupied. When I arrived at St. James', I was told the bathroom was inaccessible to the public because it was part of "Mr. Robertson's Green Room." So I had run back down the street, found a Panera, ordered a plain bagel and then did my duty.

All our books were preautographed. Robertson would not let anyone take pictures, sign any books or records, questions had to be submitted in advance and that when the event was over we were to leave the church "quickly and quietly." Rock journalist Peter Guralnick didn't have a clue as to how ask a question. All this caused a lot of people to walk out of the event. They did so quickly, but not quietly.

It is a shame because Robertson had some interesting stories to tell up to and including seeing Howlin' Wolf play, getting booed on stage during Bob Dylan's electric phrase, collaborating with Dylan at Big Pink, his film soundtrack work with Martin Scorsese and burning down a club in Tulsa, Oklahoma that didn't pay them. But he added that they were careful to get Leon Russell's musical equipment out of the club beforehand. Robertson lamented the recent passings of Russell, Leonard Cohen and Mose Allison.

At 73, Robertson is buying with several projects. He is in the midst of scoring a new Scorsese film called Silence set in 17th Century Japan, recording a new solo album and planning to produce a TV documentary on the history of rock 'n roll featuring Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. Robertson says the time is right to do such a show really, really well. Well, I think he better do it really, really fast.

When Robertson discussed making The Last Waltz with Scorsese he made a point of saying the film there was no need to show the audience and didn't need one. Forty years later, it seems that Robertson still doesn't need an audience.

Bryant Wins NL MVP; Trout Beats Out Betts For AL MVP

To be surprise of no one, Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant won his first NL MVP. In the space of two seasons, Bryant has been NL Rookie of the Year, two NL All-Star appearances, a World Series winner and now a NL MVP. Bryant hit .292 with 39 HR and 102 RBI. At 24, the best is still yet to come barring injury.

However, Mike Trout winning his second AL MVP is a surprise. Don't get me wrong. Trout had the stats (.315 BA, 29 HR, 100 RBI), but the Angels finished 21 games out of the first place in the AL West. Trout becomes the first AL MVP winner from a non-pennant winning team since Alex Rodriguez won his first MVP with the Texas Rangers in 2003. I thought Boston Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts was, well, a sure bet. His stats were better than Trout (.318 BA, 31 HR, 113 RBI) and he earned a Gold Glove leading the Sox to an AL East title. Maybe the BBWAA felt guilty about giving the AL Cy Young to Rick Porcello. Perhaps Betts winning the AL MVP would have put Red Sox haters into a state of fever pitch.

Mose Allison, R.I.P.

Jazz and blues pianist and vocalist Mose Allison passed away on Tuesday only days after his 89th birthday.

Allison had a distinct nasally Southern voice which I first heard in 1978-1979 when our family lived in Victoria, B.C. during my Dad's sabbatical year. We traveled light. So the only LP we owned was Mose Allison's Seventh Son. It was a compilation album of material he recorded in the late 1950's including "The Seventh Son", "Parchman Farm" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore".

I had the privilege of hearing Allison sing and play piano at Sculler's Jazz Club here in Boston in 2000 shortly after moving to this city. My favorite song from that set was "Ever Since The World Ended". I love the lyric, "Ever since the world ended/I don't go out as much."

Mose Allison might not get out much anymore, but his music most certainly will.

Porcello Edges Verlander For AL Cy Young Much To Ire Of Kate Upton; Scherzer Grateful To Be NL Cy Young Winner

Normally a post-season baseball award doesn't permeate into pop culture.

But this has exactly what has happened after Boston Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello winning his first AL Cy Young Award. Evidently, Porcello's league leading 22 wins did not impress one Kate Upton. The supermodel's boyfriend, Justin Verlander, finished runner up in the AL Cy Young balloting. Verlander, who won the AL Cy Young and the AL MVP in 2011, had a renaissance season leading the AL in strikeouts with 254.

Upton took to Twitter and wrote, "Hey MLB, I thought was the only person allowed to fuck Justin Verlander?! What 2 writers didn't have him on their ballot?"

While Upton directed her ire at the BBWAA, I wonder if she has a dislike for Porcello who was teammates with Verlander in Detroit from 2009 through 2014. Perhaps there is bad blood between the two former Tigers.

Well, I'm sure one of Verlander's other former Tigers teammates is grateful to pitching in the National League. Max Scherzer, who won AL Cy Young honors for the Tigers in 2013, won his 2nd Cy Young with the Washington Nationals. Scherzer becomes the sixth pitcher to win Cy Youngs in both the AL and NL. The others include Gaylord Perry, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay. Scherzer led the NL in wins (20), strikeouts (284) and innings pitched (228 1/3) and also had a 20 strikeout game against his former Tigers teammates,

Tomorrow, the AL and NL MVP Awards are announced.

Francona & Roberts Named AL & NL Managers of The Year

It might have hurt not to win the World Series, but Terry Francona has won the AL Manager of the Year. This marks the second time Francona has won the honor. He previously earned it in 2013 during his inaugural season with the Cleveland Indians. Curiously, Tito never won the award during his days with the Boston Red Sox despite leading the team to two World Series titles.

Dave Roberts, who famously stole second base for Francona's Red Sox to start their improbable comeback against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS, won NL Manager of the Year during his inaugural season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Roberts' managerial skills turned heads as he guided the Dodgers to the NL West despite losing ace Clayton Kershaw for two months.

No doubt Francona and Roberts would trade in these awards for another World Series ring.

Tomorrow, the AL & NL Cy Young Award winners are announced.

Huffington Post Calls John Bolton an "Extreme Militant"

The thought of President-Elect Trump appointing former UN Ambassador John Bolton as Secretary of State is a terrifying thought for the mainstream media, particularly The Huffington Post. Their headline reads"


Donald Trump Leaning Toward Extreme Militant John Bolton As Secretary Of State


An extreme militant?


Let's put it this way. The Huffington Post never used the term "extreme militant" to describe either the terrorists in Orlando or San Bernardino. Far more generic terms were used to described Omar Mateen and Tashfeen Malik. The HuffPo described Mateen as the "Orlando nightclub shooter" while characterizing Malik as "Female San Bernardino shooter". The fact The HuffPo sees fit to describe Bolton in a way that they wouldn't describe people who, you know, actually murdered people says a great deal about The Huffington Post.


Now I've made my position about Donald Trump well known. I share The HuffPo's disdain for the President-Elect. But let's be honest. If America had elected John Kasich, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, hell, even Jim Gilmore then there was a good chance Bolton would be a top choice for Secretary of State. Rand Paul is the only GOP presidential candidate who is on record opposing Bolton. But Paul is flakier than a bowl of cereal.


Of course, Trump might very well not tab Bolton after all. Now speculation abounds that Trump will pick former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the job. This, of course, will bring its own set of hysterical headlines with The Huffington Post leading the charge.

Seager Winning NL Rookie of the Year is No Surprise; Fulmer Winning AL Rookie of The Year Is

The 2016 NL and AL Rookie of the Years have been announced.

It was no surprise to see Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Corey Seager named NL Rookie of the Year. In fact, he was the unanimous choice of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). In his inaugural campaign, Seager hit .308 with 26 home runs and 72 RBIs with an All-Star appearance.

Seager becomes the 17th Dodger to win this honor beginning with Jackie Robinson being bestowed with the inaugural award in 1947. But believe it or not, Seager is the first Dodger to win this honor since Todd Hollandsworth in 1996.

Now I was surprised to see Detroit Tigers starter Michael Fulmer win AL Rookie of the Year. I thought Gary Sanchez's 20 home runs in 201 at bats for the New York Yankees would sway the BBWAA. But instead Fulmer received 26 of 30 first place votes becoming the first Tiger to win AL Rookie of the Year honors since Justin Verlander did it a decade ago. Fulmer went 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 26 starts this past season. I'm not sure that outshines Sanchez's 20 dingers. But it could be that the BBWAA favored Fulmer because he pitched the entire season while Sanchez only played from August on. However, last year's AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa didn't make his big league debut until June.

Tomorrow the NL and AL Managers of the Year are announced.

Donald Trump Still Holds a Grudge Against Jeb Bush

There's one other thing that struck me from President-Elect Trump's interview with 60 Minutes - his incredible pettiness towards Jeb Bush. Here's the exchange between Trump & 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl. Before this exchange, Stahl indicated in her narration that former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush had called to congratulate him:


Lesley Stahl: What did the Bushes say when they called you?


Donald Trump: Well, it was very interesting. I got a call from Father Bush, who is a wonderful man. And he just said, “Congratulations. It was an amazing campaign.” And then I got a call from George and he said-- “Congratulations. It was great.”  And, you know, look, it’s-- it’s a tough situation. I went to war with Jeb. And Jeb’s a nice guy, but it was a nasty campaign. It was a nasty campaign. And, I mean, I’m disappointed in one thing. He signed a pledge and I don’t know how you sign a pledge and then you don’t honor it. It was a rough primary. It’s a rough primary. Although I think the general was probably just as tough. Probably as a combination, it was the roughest ever.


So let's think about it for a moment. Stahl asks Trump about his conversation with Bush 41 & 43 and makes a point of bringing Jeb into the conversation & blasts him for not honoring the pledge GOP candidates signed to support the nominee.

Let's get things straight. It was Trump who said he would not support the GOP nominee if it was anyone other than him at the very first GOP debate in August 2015. Check out the video above if you need to refresh your memory.


He would eventually change that position, but how often did he tease a third party run if he thought he wasn't being treated fairly? By the end of March 2016, he was back to refusing to support a GOP nominee not named Donald Trump. If you need to refresh your memory, check out the video below.

If Jeb Bush had been the GOP nominee, does anyone honestly think Trump would have supported him?


Not on your life.


Of course, Trump utterly humiliated Bush in the primaries and even insulted his wife. Honestly, Bush should have slapped Trump in the face and challenged him to a duel. Of course, had he done so, Trump would have shot him in the back. But if Trump had shot Bush in the back his poll numbers would have gone up.


Alas Bush did not slap Trump. Bush withdrew on the evening of February 20th after finishing a distant fourth and garnering 7.8% of the vote in the South Carolina GOP primary. This was Bush Country, but it was Trump who walked away with all 50 delegates.


Trump rendered Bush into a footnote. No one has given Jeb Bush a moment's thought in nearly nine months. No one, that is, except for Donald Trump. He just can't let it go. The grudge is as strong as it was a year ago and, unless Bush prostrates himself before Trump, it will likely continue until the day he dies. Trump is the very definition of a sore winner. This says a great deal about his character or lack thereof.

Trump Still Thinks He Knows More About ISIS Than The Generals

What I was most struck by from President-Elect Donald Trump's interview with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes was their exchange on ISIS:


Lesley Stahl: You have said that you’re gonna destroy ISIS. Now, how are you going to?


Donald Trump: I don’t tell you that. I don’t tell you that.


Lesley Stahl: Yeah, but what can --


Donald Trump: I’m not like the people going in right now and fighting Mosul and they announced it four months before they went into Mosul and everybody now is -- it’s a tough fight because, number one, the people from the --leaders of ISIS have left. What do you-- why do I have to tell you that?


Lesley Stahl: Troops on the ground?


Donald Trump: I’m not gonna say anything. I don’t want to tell them anything. I don’t want to tell anybody anything.


Lesley Stahl: Yeah, but what about—the American people.


Donald Trump: I wanna do the job. We have some great generals. We have great generals.


Lesley Stahl: You said you knew more than the generals about ISIS


Donald Trump: Well, I’ll be honest with you, I probably do because look at the job they’ve done. OK, look at the job they’ve done. They haven’t done the job. Now, maybe it’s leadership, maybe it’s something else. Who knows? All I can tell you is we’re going to get rid of ISIS.


What this tells me is that Trump is all talk. He doesn't have a fucking clue what he's going to do with ISIS beyond "bombing the shit out of them."


What's even more telling is that in one breath Trump says we have great generals and in the next says they haven't done the job.


Well, how haven't they done the job?


My guess is Trump would reiterate his main complaint that the advance into Mosul was announced months in advance. But that's a criticism he ought to direct to the Obama Administration, not the generals. The military is subject to civilian command and the generals work at the pleasure of the President. Surely he should be aware of it instead of bad mouthing the generals.


Then again maybe Trump doesn't think he needs the generals. Perhaps where it concerns ISIS, Trump believes, "I alone can solve."

Leon Russell, R.I.P.

Singer, songwriter, producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Leon Russell died in his sleep on Sunday morning. He was 74.

Millennials know Russell from Union, his joint 2010 album with Elton John, but his musical career dates back to his teenage years in Tulsa during the 1950's where rubbed shoulders with the likes of J.J. Cale and David Gates of Bread.

But when I think of Russell, I associate him with Joe Cocker and Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour which grew out of Russell's association with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. I particularly think of Russell accompanying Cocker on piano with their rendition of "The Letter".

Did you know that Russell played piano on Bobby Pickett's "Monster Mash"?

Did you know that Russell played xylophone on Brian Hyland's "The Joker Went Wild"?

And did you also know Russell played piano on Badfinger's "Day After Day"?

And did you further know he co-wrote Gary Lewis & The Playboy's "She's Just My Style"?

Quite honestly, I am merely scratching the surface. In his half century of music, Russell played rock, country, gospel and jazz. If he didn't cut a track with a musical superstar then a musical superstar recorded one of his songs like "A Song for You" or "Tightrope". On the surface Bob Dylan would have little in common with Doris Day as Barbra Streisand would with The Rolling Stones. But all four of them worked with Russell.

But it wasn't until his collaboration with Elton John that got Russell his well deserved place in The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. John began his career by opening for Leon Russell & he felt the need to return the favor. As such, I leave you with Russell and John's "If It Wasn't For Bad".

Robert Vaughn, R.I.P.

Actor Robert Vaughn, the last surviving cast member of The Magnificent Seven and for his role as Napoleon Solo on the 1960's TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has passed away following a brief battle with acute leukemia. Vaughn was 83.

In recent years, Vaughn had become a fixture on British TV with roles in Hustle as well as the long running soap opera Coronation Street.

Stephen Fry took to Twitter and declared, "Oh no. Robert Vaughn, such a fine actor, one of the best Columbo villains (no higher praise than that) & an utterly charming man, has died."

It is high praise indeed. In fact, Vaughn is the only actor to have played both murderer and victim in the Columbo series.

There were two special qualities Vaughn had as an actor. The first was his voice with that Mid-Atlantic accent. The second were those expressive eyes which were capable of both charm and terror often at the same time.

It was only a couple of years ago that I began watching The Man From U.N.C.L.E. on MeTV. But it has become one of my favorite TV shows and was dismayed that Guy Ritchie didn't have the courtesy to approach Vaughn or David McCallum (who, of course, played Ilya Kuryakin) for the big screen version. Even if they were to have turned it down, it would have been nice of him to ask.

Sadly, Channel D is forever closed.

But although gone, Robert Vaughn has much to offer. Half a century ago, Hollywood actors were of the liberal variety and Vaughn was no exception. But what separates Vaughn from today's Hollywood liberals is that the man knew of what he spoke. Vaughn was an early opponent of the Vietnam War and held his own with William F. Buckley on that subject in what could be described as a battle of the Mid-Atlantic accents. If today's liberals were to approach their opposition to Donald Trump in this manner they will be taken far more seriously. They would be wise to listen and learn.

At 0-10, The Browns Bring Cleveland Back Down to Earth

2016 has been a great year for Cleveland. The Cavaliers won the NBA Final, the Indians won their first AL pennant in nearly 20 years (and depending on your point of view) it also hosted the Republican National Convention.

But the Cleveland Browns are a reminder that you can't completely extract that city from its losing ways. Tonight, the Browns fell to 0-10 following a 28-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Of course, the original Browns moved to Baltimore 20 years ago. Since the second incarnation of the Browns was revived in 1999, they have had only two winning seasons and have made the playoffs once. Their only playoff appearance came in 2002 (they were eliminated by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card Game) and they last had winning season nearly a decade ago in 2007.

Cleveland just wouldn't be Cleveland if someone wasn't losing big.

Leonard Cohen, R.I.P.

While traveling by bus from Boston to New York on Thursday evening I learned that poet and singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen had passed away at the age of 82. Cohen actually died the day before the election, but this information didn't become public until last night.

When Bob Dylan was named the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, it occurred to me that a better case could have been made for Cohen who was a master of both the written and spoken word. Before turning his attention to music, Cohen was an accomplished poet and writer. His notable poetry collections included Let Us Compare Mythologies, The Spice-Box of Earth and Flowers for Hitler. Cohen also wrote two novels during the mid-60's - The Favorite Game and Beautiful Losers. 

But Cohen is best remembered for his music. His 1967 debut album Songs of Leonard Cohen spawned "Suzanne" (which would become a hit for Judy Collins and has been covered by scores of artists) and "So Long, Marianne". Cohen would release 13 more albums over the next half century. His final album You Want It Darker was released only last month.

Some of Cohen's other notable songs include "Bird on the Wire", "Everybody Knows", "First We Take Manhattan" and "The Partisan". If you're under 40 the song you associate Cohen with is, of course, "Hallelujah" courtesy of the late Jeff Buckley's cover from his 1994 album Grace. The song took on new meaning after 9/11 and was a staple of American Idol and its imitators and helped make Cohen a viable concert attraction well into The Millennium and one of Canada's most enduring artistic exports.

Cohen had an aura of mystery about him that made him an appealing figure to younger people. I remember a high school classmate of mine who absolutely idolized Cohen and then met him by chance at a bar in Winnipeg. A former co-worker of mine told me about running into him on the streets of Montreal while attending McGill. Evidently Cohen was looking for a house in his old stomping grounds in the Jewish neighborhood of Westmount. I also once knew a girl named Suzanne who needless to say loved the song with her name.

Cohen was one of those songwriters that could be beautifully interpreted by an array of artists. Have a listen to Fairport Convention's version of "Suzanne", Tim Hardin's take of "Bird on a Wire", Jeff Buckley's classic cover of "Hallelujah" and Jennifer Warnes' resonant rendition of "First We Take Manhattan". Tonight, I heard former Cohen backup singer Perla Batalla's version of "Came So Far For Beauty" and it just made me want to sigh eternally. I sighed even more when I couldn't upload it, but you can listen to it here.

I'm Sure Obama Would Rather Meet With Netanyahu Than Be Sitting Next to Trump

The look on President Obama's face says it all.


He would rather sit next to anyone else in the world right now than Donald Trump.


I'm sure Obama would rather spend the next 10 weeks sitting next to Benjamin Netanyahu than sit next to Trump for an hour.


Because every time Obama looks into Trump's face, it is reminder that his presidency has been a failure and that his legacy is dead and there's not a damn thing he can do about it.


I'm not looking forward to Trump taking office anymore than Obama is. But I am enjoying Obama having to eat a healthy portion of humble pie.

Jeffrey Lord & I Have Taken Very Different Paths Since November 2012

If you look at the front page of The American Spectator, you will be greeted by the goofy grin of Jeffrey Lord.


Frankly, he can look as goofy as he wants. He was arguably the first person aboard the Trump Train. Along the way and now there will be gravy for him to collect whether he gets back into the White House or stays at CNN.


Suffice it to say, we've taken very different paths since November 2012. A week after President Obama's re-election, I travelled to D.C. to attend The Robert L. Bartley Dinner which is the The American Spectator's annual gala. Then Oklahoma GOP Senator Tom Coburn was the keynote speaker.


In any case, it was my first time in D.C. & virtually everyone there was a stranger to me and I to them despite having written for them since 2009. But I saw a familiar face in the crowd. I struck up a conversation with Jeffrey Lord. Naturally, we spoke about the election and he commented on my election post-mortem "We're Not in 1980 Anymore". It was, in part, a critique of his assertion that Obama could be beaten handily in 2012. Jeff told me he had critiqued my assessment and argued(speciously in my view) that my argument was like saying the law of gravity is irrelevant because Newton has been dead nearly 300 years. Of course, the law of gravity is axiomatic and can be tested over and over again. People, however, are not so immutable. Despite the term political science, politics is more art than science. I told him this and added that he didn't fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.


As it turned out, we happened to be assigned to sit next to each other during dinner. Jeff was very pleasant company indeed. He told me there was a long way to go and plenty of time to determine where we would go from here.


Well, we've gone there and Donald Trump will be sworn in as President of the United States in 72 days. Jeff, of course, might be the most enthusiastic Trump supporter in the entire country and has become a major media figure. The sky is the limit for him.


Alas, I could not and still cannot abide Trump. My displeasure with Trump became a source of contention at The American Spectator until the publisher Bob Tyrrell told me back in August to stop criticizing Trump (something he did not do with Romney). I found edict unacceptable and I resigned as a matter of principle.


I have tried to hook on with National Review, The Weekly Standard and Commentary. But they are not interested. Certainly not now that Trump has won. But that's fine. If I never get paid to write again I can live with it. I wasn't about to go around telling people how great Trump is when I think he is a boil on the ass of humanity.


As it stands, I have begun a new career as a paralegal and that will keep me plenty busy. But so long as I have the freedom to speak my mind in some forum then that's alright with me. Perhaps my assessment of Trump will be vindicated and perhaps it won't. Right or wrong, I shall write on my terms and my terms alone.

Will Obama Skip Trump's Inauguration?

Does anyone honestly believe President Obama when he says we “are all on the same team” and politics as an “intramural scrimmage" as he did today in the Rose Garden in response to Donald Trump's election victory.


The Hillary supporters who assaulted Trump supporters with eggs, water bottles and fists in California last June see this as something more than an "intramural scrimmage."


President Obama certainly hasn't behaved like Republicans were part of his team. Three days after he was sworn into office, I seem to recall he made a point of telling Congressional Republicans, "I won."


Four years ago, the Obama campaign turned Mitt Romney from a milquetoast businessman to someone who killed people.


It was only 48 hours ago that Obama said of Trump, “Over the weekend the campaign took away his Twitter account. If your closest advisers don’t trust you to tweet, then how can we trust him with the nuclear codes?”


President Obama is due to meet President-elect Trump tomorrow. I'm sure Obama will make nice with Trump. But things are bound to get tense between the two teams. As such, I cannot help but wonder about Trump's inauguration in 72 days from now.


Will President Obama be there?


It's one thing for Obama to meet with Trump while he is still President, but it's quite another when he becomes an ordinary civilian once again.


Trump might have some choice words for Obama during his inaugural address. What with Obama's excoriation of Trump at the White House Correspondent's Dinner five years ago following the birther madness, Trump has been waiting to serve up a cold dish of revenge. It doesn't get any colder than Trump being elected President. I can't imagine Trump is going to pass up this opportunity to serve this revenge nor can I imagine Obama would be prepared to sit through this meal.


Yes, it would be a major breach of protocol, but everything about this election has been a breach of protocol. Why would it stop once Trump gets into office?

Trump Elected President: My God, What Have We Done?

I understand the country's repudiation of Hillary Clinton.


Hillary is a dishonest, elitist fraud utterly lacking in character who had no idea how to talk to people. Nevertheless, she believed she was entitled to live in The White House at taxpayers' expense and not subject to the laws constraining us mere peasants.


Hillary not only turned off people who never liked her in the first place, but she turned off portions of the Democrat constituency including African-Americans who turned out in record numbers for President Obama and Millennials and blue collar workers who turned out for Bernie Sanders. No doubt there were many people in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin who twice voted for President Obama who cast a ballot for Donald Trump last night. She did Herself no favors by calling half of Trump's supporters deplorable and irredeemable. Hillary Clinton has only Herself to blame for her downfall.


Yet for all of Hillary's dishonesty and lack of character, a critical mass of Americans accepted whatever Trump said at face value even if it was an outright lie whether it the Mexican government deliberately sending criminals to this country, thousands of Muslims cheering 9/11 or Ted Cruz's father being part of the JFK assassination plot. Let us also not forget his attacks on Judge Curiel's Mexican heritage, mocking a physically disabled reporter and suggesting there could be violence if he didn't win the RNC. A critical mass took what Trump said to be the gospel truth and didn't care about his cruel behavior. This does not bode well for our future.


There are those who suggest that now Trump will become President, he will moderate his tone and become more presidential. Yet this ignores the fact that Trump broke every political rule in the book and got away with it. Why would he change his behavior now?


Of course, we should hope for the best, but we must also prepare for the worst. What I fear the most about Donald Trump is that he is a man unaccustomed to being told no. At the moment, Trump is backed by a Republican Congress and will very likely have a conservative Supreme Court. But if these institutions see fit not to do his bidding and media insists on holding his feet to the fire, I fear that Trump might see fit to shut down these institutions or at the very least use the power of the federal government to punish those who dare to disagree with him. Above all else, I fear that Trump won't leave office if he is defeated in 2020 or if he has reached two terms on January 20, 2025.


This might seem like an outlandish scenario to some. But it wasn't so long ago that the whole idea of a Trump presidency seemed outlandish.


If the scenario I present does come to pass we will look upon November 8, 2016 and ask, "My God, what have we done?"

Trump On The Verge of Winning The White House UPDATE

It is now 1:42 a.m. EST.

As I write this, Donald Trump is closing in on becoming the 45th President of the United States.

Depending on who you watch, he's at 254 electoral votes (FOX) or 238 electoral votes (CNN sans Wisconsin). But the odds are not in Hillary's favor - Michigan, Pennsylvania and even Minnesota. There's also Arizona, Alaska, New Hampshire, the 2nd Congressional District of Maine to consider.

Assuming Trump prevails, the turning point was the reopening and subsequent re-closing of the FBI e-mail investigation against Hillary Clinton. It reminded voters of her inherent dishonesty. It also reinforced the idea there was one law for Hillary and one for everyone else. Throw in rising Obamacare premiums, the deluge of Wikileaks e-mails and resentment at being called deplorable and irredeemable by a lousy candidate and this country is in the midst of perfect storm with no sign of let up.

I'll have more when things get slightly drier. This might have to wait until sunrise. If there's no announcement in the next 15 minutes, I must get some sleep even if it means a rude awakening.

UPDATE: It's now 1:54 a.m. EST, Jennifer Griffin says John Podesta is heading to the Javits Center and Hillary Clinton isn't joining him.

I remember in 2004 when after a late night, John Edwards spoke to a tired crowd at Copley Square at around 2 a.m.and said there would be no concession. John Kerry would concede after the sun rose.

As a matter of courtesy, Kerry should have gone out and spoke to his supporters and thank them for their hard work win, lose or draw. He didn't and now Hillary is making the same mistake. These are the marks of terrible presidential candidates. They have only themselves to blame.

Is Glenn Beck The New David Brock?

What to make of Glenn Beck's newfound admiration for the Obamas?

In the pages of The New Yorker, Beck says President Obama made him "a better man" and Michelle Obama's words hit him where he lives.

Look, I understand Beck is angered and bewildered by the rise of Trump and how Cruz couldn't hold firm. He is bewildered and angered that conservatives have accepted what Trump says at face value.

But how does any of this make the Obamas any more virtuous than the Clintons?

This is still the President Obama who says rural voters bitterly cling to guns and religion.

This is still the President Obama who says we need to get off our high horse about ISIS.

This is still the President Obama who says if you like your health care you can keep it.

This is still the Michelle Obama who wasn't proud of her country until it elected her husband.

This is still the Michelle Obama who accuses women of racism who dare ask to get something off the shelf at Target.

This is still the Michelle Obama who tells black students they face the same kind of discrimination the Tuskegee Airmen did.

The Barack and Michelle Obama of 2016 are the same as the Barack and Michelle Obama of 2008. If many conservatives now accept the word of Donald Trump as the gospel truth, Beck appears to now be doing the same with the Obamas.

In which case, will Glenn Beck be to the Obamas what David Brock became to the Clintons?

Rockies Name Bud Black New Skipper

When I read the Colorado Rockies had hired Bud Black to be their new manager, I had to pause.

A year ago, Black had been tabbed to be the new manager of the Washington Nationals only for Mike Rizzo to do an about face and hire Dusty Baker instead.

But Black has nothing to fear. Black is back. He will be returning to competition in the NL West. Black, of course, managed the San Diego Padres from 2007 through the middle of the 2015 season. Black never reached the post-season with the Padres although he came close in 2007 and 2010. He will have his work cut out with the Rockies who have not been to the post-season since 2009.

Black nearly got a decade in San Diego. I'm not sure if he'll get that long a leash in Denver. Is the team sticking with Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez, DJ LeMahieu and Charlie Blackmon? What about the starting tandem of Jon Gray and Tyler Chatwood? The jury is out.

Comey Clears Hillary Again, But Hillary Isn't In The Clear

Nine days after relaunching the e-mail investigation against Hillary Clinton, FBI Director James Comey has seen fit not to recommend criminal proceedings against the Democrat presidential candidate for the second time in four months.

Nine days is awfully quick for an investigation. Of course, how often is it that the President of the United States publicly rebukes the FBI Director? No doubt there was enormous pressure to bear especially as Donald Trump nearly erased Hillary's massive lead in the polls.

Hillary Clinton might have been cleared yet again, but she is certainly not in the clear. Should she be elected President in 48 hours there will still be Wikileaks with which to contend particularly where it concerns The Clinton Foundation. This shadow will loom large from the moment she is sworn into office.

But as long as Hillary keeps the Elizabeth Warren wing of the party and the Sandernistas happy she should be fine. Just Trump can shoot people on 5th Avenue without losing support, Hillary can break the law with impunity and a majority of The Left isn't going to give a flying fuck about it.

Either way it looks like we will get the President we deserve.

Bob Newhart Praises The Cubs at Boston Show

For the second time in just over two years, I saw Bob Newhart perform at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston. You can read my observations about his 2014 performance here.

This time around I was accompanied by my roommate Christopher Kain who wanted to see Newhart in the flesh.

Newhart opened by singing the praises of the Chicago Cubs' World Series victory. He might have been in Boston, but Rd Sox Nation is fully sympathetic to the plight of Cubs. The Chicago native told the audience that he first saw the Cubs play when he was six years old (circa 1935-1936) and also saw the parade the team had when they won the NL pennant in 1945. Newhart noted that was the year the Second World War ended and that every able bodied man in America fought in that war...except for the Cubs. He feared that it was going to take another World War before the Cubs won the World Series again.

The remainder of his show was fairly similar to the one I saw two years ago including jokes about Vietnamese gangs, televangelists, meticulous drunks and, of course, women drivers. The jokes are still funny after the thousandth telling. He added a couple of bits about casinos and confession to keep things fresh.

At 87, Newhart's comic timing hasn't lost a step and is well worth your time if he comes to your town.

Torey Lovullo's Ship Comes In; Named New D'Backs Manager

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly named Torey Lovullo their new manager. He will succeed Chip Hale who was fired after two seasons.


His ship has finally come in after a very long journey.


I remember when Lovullo was a blue chip prospect with the Detroit Tigers in the late 1980's. Unfortunately, he couldn't hit a major league curveball. He bounced around with the New York Yankees, California Angels, Seattle Mariners, Oakland A's, Cleveland Indians and the Philadelphia Phillies mostly in their minor league affiliates. Indeed, I remember going to an Ottawa Lynx game in 1999 and seeing Lovullo play with the Phillies' Triple AAA affiliate in Scranton-Wilkes Barre.


After ending his playing career in Japan, Lovullo most of the 2000's as a minor league manager in both the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox organizations. When John Farrell was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011, he tabbed Lovullo as his first base coach. When Farrell was traded to the Red Sox in 2013, Lovullo followed him serving as his bench coach and would earn a World Series ring.


When Farrell was diagnosed with lymphoma late in the 2015 season, Lovullo was named acting manager and the Red Sox (who had been 52=62 under Farrell) went 28-20 over the final seven weeks of the regular season just missing the .500 mark. Many in Red Sox Nation wanted Lovullo to take over permanently and this sentiment did not change even with Farrell taking the Sox to an AL East crown.


It was only a matter of time before Lovullo would have a managerial job of his own. He came close to getting the nod with both the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Twins but he finished runner up to Jeff Banister and Paul Molitor respectively.


While some expected former major leaguer Phil Nevin (who has managed the D'Backs Triple AAA affiliate in Reno for the past three seasons) to get the nod, Lovullo's odds increased considerably when Mike Hazen became GM for the D'Backs. Hazen had been the Red Sox GM since late in the 2015 season shortly after Dave Dombrowski was named the club's president.


The D'Backs were expected to win last year with the signing of Zack Greinke and acquisition of Shelby Miller. But neither lived up to expectations nor for that matter did the usually reliable Paul Goldschmidt. But worst of all AJ Pollock was nearly out all of last year. This resulted in the firing of GM Dave Stewart. And who knows how long Tony LaRussa is going to stick around?


But the 51-year old Lovullo is widely admired and liked and believe he can turn the D'Backs into contenders in quick order.

London Police Tell Pro-Israel Groups They Must Meet in Secret

From Israel Hayom:

The Metropolitan Police in London have asked pro-Israeli organizations Reservists on Duty and Campaign for Truth not to disclose the locations of any of their conferences, citing security concerns.

 

Wednesday's warning followed the violent anti-Israel rally at University College London last week, when Jewish students attending a campus event hosted by UCL Friends of Israel were trapped in the hall by protesters.

Police officers called representatives from the Israeli organizations to tell them it would be best not to disclose the location of a conference scheduled for next week. At the same time, since the location has not been disclosed, the police will not provide security at the event. The organizations were told that if necessary they could summon police to the scene.

This represents everything that is wrong with Britain today. It's also why I don't think it makes a damn bit of difference whether Britain leaves Europe.

In the cradle of liberty and common law, the authorities have effectively declared that those who speak in favor of Israel must do so in hiding. This is the sort of thing that happens in totalitarian states.

Oh, by all means, these pro-Israel groups can call the police if there's trouble, but it would probably be best if they didn't exercise their right to assembly and speech.

The London Metropolitan Police shouldn't be issuing edicts against Jewish groups who support Israel, but rather against those who seek to disturb the peace and commit grievous harm against those behaving peaceably. The London Police ought to warn BDS groups they will not tolerate unlawful behavior and those engaging in it will be arrested and punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Reservists on Duty and Campaign for Truth have broken no law yet the London Metropolitan Police insist on treating them and other pro-Israel groups as criminals.

If London Metropolitan Police can tell pro-Israel groups to meet in secret today then they can do the same for synagogues tomorrow.

Britain may be leaving Europe, but I have a feeling that Jews will be leaving Britain.

It's Time to Put Theo Epstein Into Cooperstown

I want to expand a bit on what I wrote earlier this morning about Chicago Cubs President Theo Epstein.


The time has come to put Epstein into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.


At 42, Epstein might the greatest executive the game has ever known.


By the age of 30, the youngest General Manager in MLB history, Epstein guided the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years.


Now he has guided the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years.


In the space of a dozen years, Epstein erased nearly two centuries of misfortune for two of Major League Baseball's most beloved franchises and turned them into champions.


Simply put, Epstein could never work another day in Major League Baseball and his legacy would outshine men who had been in the game decades longer.


Perhaps the only thing left for Epstein to do is to bring a World Series title to Cleveland.

Cubs Win!!! Cubs Win!!! Cubs Win!!! Next Year Has Arrived!!! 108 Years of Suffering Ends!!!

The Chicago Cubs have done it.

Next year has arrived!!!

The Cubs won the 2016 World Series in Game 7 with a hard fought 8-7, 10 inning victory over the Cleveland Indians.

It was a game for the ages.

They didn't make it easy. They didn't make it nice. But they did it.

Dexter Fowler led off the game with a solo HR to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. The Tribe would tie it in the 3rd on a single by Carlos Santana.

The Cubs would take a 3-1 lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Addison Russell and a double by Wilson Contreras.

The lead would go to 5-1 in the fifth on a home run by Javier Baez and a double by Anthony Rizzo.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon lifted starter Kyle Hendricks in favor of Jon Lester. His personal catcher David Ross would replace Contreras. A throwing error by Ross and a wild pitch scored two runs to make it a 5-3 lead.

Ross, who played his final big league game, would hit a solo home run in the sixth to bring the Cubs lead back to 6-3.

In the bottom of the eighth, Lester retired to the first two batters before giving up a single to Jose Ramirez which skipped off Cubs shortstop Addison Russell's glove.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon removed Lester in favor of Aroldis Chapman. Last night, despite a five run lead, Maddon saw fit to put Chapman into the game. The decision seemed to bite him in the ass. Brandon Guyer doubled and Rajai Davis tied the game with a two run home run.

The game seemed to take on Biblical proportions when a rain delay began the 10th inning. As it turned out, Jason Heyward, despite his struggles at the plate, called a team meeting in the weight room and rallied his team.

Ben Zobrist hit the go ahead double in the top of the 10th & Miguel Montero provided insurance with a bases loaded single to give the Cubs an 8-6 lead.

Cubs reliever Carl Edwards, Jr. managed to retire the first two hitters in the bottom of the 10th. But Guyer worked a walk. After taking second on defensive indifference, Davis drove him in with a single.

With a 108-year old drought, triumph doesn't come easy. Cubs lefty Mike Montgomery retired Michael Martinez on a ground ball to third baseman and franchise player Kris Bryant. After throwing the ball to Anthony Rizzo, pandemonium ensued.

Cubs win!!! Cubs win!!! Cubs win!!!

Ben Zobrist, who won a World Series ring a year ago with the Kansas City Royals and was part of Joe Maddon's crew with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, was named World Series MVP.

Now the Cubs drought is over, the team with the greatest World Series drought is the Cleveland Indians. The Tribe had a 3-1 Series lead and couldn't put it away. The Cavaliers' NBA Title softens the blow, but the Indians now have the burden of waiting until next year. To put it into perspective, if the Indians suffered as much as the Cubs they won't win it all until 2056. But the 2016 Cleveland Indians exceeded all expectations and have nothing to be ashamed of including Chief Wahoo.

Having experienced first hand the Boston Red Sox triumph in 2004, I know how the folks on the North Side of Chicago feel right about now. If anything, coming back down 3-0 against the New York Yankees in the ALCS was the real triumph and the World Series was icing on the cake.

Whatever the feeling, Theo Epstein is at the center of both the Red Sox and Cubs breaking their curses. Reserve a plaque for him in Cooperstown right now.

For at least a little while we can escape the dredge that is this election and enjoy the Cubs' championship. It is a highlight in a year full of darkness.

And somewhere in Heaven, Ron Santo is clicking his heels and Ernie Banks is saying, "Let's play two."

And somewhere in a Chicago suburb, Steve Bartman has a smile on his face.