Today, I had my second article published at NRO.
It is titled, "George W. Bush, Liberals' New Hero".
Enjoy!!!
Monday, March 6, 2017
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Who Told Trump That Obama Had Him Wiretapped? UPDATE
President Trump dropped a bombshell this morning when he accused President Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower during the election campaign.
Trump tweeted, "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"
So how exactly did Trump find out about this (assuming, of course, he isn't lying through his teeth)?
Here are my choices:
a) James Comey
b) The Russians
c) Kanye West
d) His hairstylist
e) The voices in his head.
Let's just say that when a sitting President accuses his predecessor of having his home and offices bugged those aren't the words of a man who has put trivial fights behind him.
UPDATE: Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post may have an answer. The Trump White House is evidently relying on a Breitbart article written by Joel Pollak about conservative talk radio host Mark Levin's demand on his show Thursday night that Congress investigate Obama.
If this is the case does this mean President Trump "found out" from Steve Bannon?
Regardless of how Trump found out what does this accusation accomplish? Very simple. It mobilizes Trump's supporters, a group of people who are already energized. Say what you will about Trump supporters. They will run through a wall for him and then build a new one in its place.
Trump tweeted, "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"
So how exactly did Trump find out about this (assuming, of course, he isn't lying through his teeth)?
Here are my choices:
a) James Comey
b) The Russians
c) Kanye West
d) His hairstylist
e) The voices in his head.
Let's just say that when a sitting President accuses his predecessor of having his home and offices bugged those aren't the words of a man who has put trivial fights behind him.
UPDATE: Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post may have an answer. The Trump White House is evidently relying on a Breitbart article written by Joel Pollak about conservative talk radio host Mark Levin's demand on his show Thursday night that Congress investigate Obama.
If this is the case does this mean President Trump "found out" from Steve Bannon?
Regardless of how Trump found out what does this accusation accomplish? Very simple. It mobilizes Trump's supporters, a group of people who are already energized. Say what you will about Trump supporters. They will run through a wall for him and then build a new one in its place.
Trump Is Still Fighting The Trivial Fight
Towards the conclusion of his Joint Address to Congress, President Trump drew derisive laughter when he stated, "The time for trivial fights is behind us."
Trivial fights are Trump's stock and trade.
Trump's address to Congress took place on the evening of February 28th.
Less than 48 hours later, Trump had accused Democrats of conducting a "witch hunt" against Attorney General Jeff Sessions concerning his less than candid response on whether he had dealings with the Russians during the election campaign,
By Friday morning, Trump said it was "pathetic" that Democrats hadn't confirmed all of his cabinet choices (last I checked Republicans are in firm control of the Senate). By Friday afternoon, he was demanding investigations of both Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi for their contacts with Russian officials. While I find both Schumer and Pelosi to be contemptible figures neither of them denied having meetings with Russian officials while under oath.
This morning shortly after 3:30, President Trump had accused President Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower. Two hours later, he was calling Arnold Schwarzenegger pathetic after he had announced his departure from The Apprentice claiming he had been fired.
Despite his words to the contrary, President Trump is still fighting the trivial fight.
Trivial fights are Trump's stock and trade.
Trump's address to Congress took place on the evening of February 28th.
Less than 48 hours later, Trump had accused Democrats of conducting a "witch hunt" against Attorney General Jeff Sessions concerning his less than candid response on whether he had dealings with the Russians during the election campaign,
By Friday morning, Trump said it was "pathetic" that Democrats hadn't confirmed all of his cabinet choices (last I checked Republicans are in firm control of the Senate). By Friday afternoon, he was demanding investigations of both Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi for their contacts with Russian officials. While I find both Schumer and Pelosi to be contemptible figures neither of them denied having meetings with Russian officials while under oath.
This morning shortly after 3:30, President Trump had accused President Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower. Two hours later, he was calling Arnold Schwarzenegger pathetic after he had announced his departure from The Apprentice claiming he had been fired.
Despite his words to the contrary, President Trump is still fighting the trivial fight.
Friday, March 3, 2017
There's More To This Wave of Anti-Semitic Attacks in U.S. Than One Crazed Left-Wing Former Journalist
Yesterday I asked who could be responsible for the wave of anti-Semitic threats and attacks in 2017. Today some light was shed following the arrest of former journalist Juan Thompson. Supporters of President Trump are having a field day. Thompson, a left-wing radical, used to write for Glenn Greenwald's The Intercept until he was fired for having faked his stories. The suspect was part of the media and has written fake news.
Of course, no one likes to be accused of anti-Semitism and it has been suggested that Trump's supporters are behind these threats as well as the desecration of several Jewish cemeteries. But Trump's supporters shouldn't gloat. Thompson is only believed to be responsible for a handful of these threats. The person and people responsible for nearly 100 other threats are still at large. Trump supporters should be more concerned about bringing the people responsible for this outrage to justice rather than lumping all who oppose them in with someone like Juan Thompson who appears to been motivated to do this after his girlfriend dumped him last summer. This guy appears to be a bonafide wacko.
While these threats appear to have been started overseas and are unlikely to have been committed by Trump supporters one cannot entirely rule out the possibility either given the President's popularity among white supremacists. Their laughter today might be short-lived.
Of course, no one likes to be accused of anti-Semitism and it has been suggested that Trump's supporters are behind these threats as well as the desecration of several Jewish cemeteries. But Trump's supporters shouldn't gloat. Thompson is only believed to be responsible for a handful of these threats. The person and people responsible for nearly 100 other threats are still at large. Trump supporters should be more concerned about bringing the people responsible for this outrage to justice rather than lumping all who oppose them in with someone like Juan Thompson who appears to been motivated to do this after his girlfriend dumped him last summer. This guy appears to be a bonafide wacko.
While these threats appear to have been started overseas and are unlikely to have been committed by Trump supporters one cannot entirely rule out the possibility either given the President's popularity among white supremacists. Their laughter today might be short-lived.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Who is Responsible For The Rising Anti-Semitism in The United States?
With all the threats against Jewish community centers across the country and vandalism in Jewish cemeteries we must naturally ask who is responsible for the rising anti-Semitism in the United States.
Given that much of this has taken since Donald Trump was elected to President and his initial refusal to condemn the violence, it is tempting to lay this at the feet of emboldened white supremacists.
But at least where the threats to Jewish Community Centers are concerned it appears these threats came from overseas and there just aren't that many Trump supporters outside the U.S.. Given the level of organization involved in these threats and the anti-Semitic violence outside the United States over the past two decades against Jewish institutions such as the Hezbollah bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, the attack on the Chabad-Lubavitch House in Mumbai, the terrorist attack against the Jewish Museum in Brussels, the shooting at the Copenhagen synagogue plus numerous attacks against synagogues in France, one would be foolish to rule out Islamic extremists as possible perpetrators.
Whoever is responsible for these acts and threats the sooner we can find out who is responsible the sooner we can combat it properly.
Given that much of this has taken since Donald Trump was elected to President and his initial refusal to condemn the violence, it is tempting to lay this at the feet of emboldened white supremacists.
But at least where the threats to Jewish Community Centers are concerned it appears these threats came from overseas and there just aren't that many Trump supporters outside the U.S.. Given the level of organization involved in these threats and the anti-Semitic violence outside the United States over the past two decades against Jewish institutions such as the Hezbollah bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, the attack on the Chabad-Lubavitch House in Mumbai, the terrorist attack against the Jewish Museum in Brussels, the shooting at the Copenhagen synagogue plus numerous attacks against synagogues in France, one would be foolish to rule out Islamic extremists as possible perpetrators.
Whoever is responsible for these acts and threats the sooner we can find out who is responsible the sooner we can combat it properly.
Ned Garver Was The MVP of The 1951 St. Louis Browns
Former big league pitcher Ned Garver passed away on February 26th at the age of 91. Garver pitched in MLB from 1948-1961 with the St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics and the expansion Los Angeles Angels.
Garver's 129-157 record was misleading as he was a good pitcher on bad teams. Despite a 13-18 record during the 1950 season, he led the AL in complete games with 22. But his career year came in 1951.
When one discusses the 1951 St. Louis Browns one invariably thinks of Eddie Gaedel, the dwarf who made one plate appearance for the team that August. Gaedel walked on four pitches and his uniform 1/8 walked into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Gaedel stunt was, of course, the brainchild of Bill Veeck who had bought the Browns earlier that year. Veeck needed all the publicity stunts he could use. The Browns were a terrible team and getting worse. At the end of the 1953 season, Veeck sold the team and it moved east and became the Baltimore Orioles.
Despite losing 102 games in 1951 and finishing 46 games back of the New York Yankees, the Browns could have been worse if not for pitcher Ned Garver. Somehow Garver went 20-12 with a 3.74 ERA. Garver is the only MLB pitcher in the last century who has won 20 games for a team that lost 100 or more games. His performance earned him a runner up status in the AL MVP balloting as he was narrowly beaten out by Yogi Berra. Garver might not have won the AL MVP, but he was certainly the MVP of the 1951 St. Louis Browns.
With the Browns losing money, Veeck traded Garver late in the 1952 season to the Tigers. Garver would pitch for another decade but was never the same pitcher again. The video above was filmed in 2011 and shows Garver reminiscing about the 1951 season. R.I.P.
Garver's 129-157 record was misleading as he was a good pitcher on bad teams. Despite a 13-18 record during the 1950 season, he led the AL in complete games with 22. But his career year came in 1951.
When one discusses the 1951 St. Louis Browns one invariably thinks of Eddie Gaedel, the dwarf who made one plate appearance for the team that August. Gaedel walked on four pitches and his uniform 1/8 walked into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Gaedel stunt was, of course, the brainchild of Bill Veeck who had bought the Browns earlier that year. Veeck needed all the publicity stunts he could use. The Browns were a terrible team and getting worse. At the end of the 1953 season, Veeck sold the team and it moved east and became the Baltimore Orioles.
Despite losing 102 games in 1951 and finishing 46 games back of the New York Yankees, the Browns could have been worse if not for pitcher Ned Garver. Somehow Garver went 20-12 with a 3.74 ERA. Garver is the only MLB pitcher in the last century who has won 20 games for a team that lost 100 or more games. His performance earned him a runner up status in the AL MVP balloting as he was narrowly beaten out by Yogi Berra. Garver might not have won the AL MVP, but he was certainly the MVP of the 1951 St. Louis Browns.
The Passing of The Intentional Walk
Today marked the noteworthy passage in the history of Major League Baseball.
All of this is supposed to quicken the pace of the game.
If MLB wants to quicken the pace of the game they would intentionally remove the number of commercials in between innings.
I think baseball loses something by taking the intentional walk out of the pitcher's hand.
Never again will we see Rollie Fingers and Gene Tenace trick Johnny Bench into striking out in the World Series.
Nor will we see Miguel Cabrera hitting a pitch that got a little too close to the plate for a go-ahead base hit.
For these reasons I shall not give the new intentional walk a free pass.
Pitchers will no longer be permitted to throw four pitches to issue an intentional walk. The signal will now be issued by the pitcher's manager subject to the approval of the home plate umpire.
All of this is supposed to quicken the pace of the game.
If MLB wants to quicken the pace of the game they would intentionally remove the number of commercials in between innings.
I think baseball loses something by taking the intentional walk out of the pitcher's hand.
Never again will we see Rollie Fingers and Gene Tenace trick Johnny Bench into striking out in the World Series.
For these reasons I shall not give the new intentional walk a free pass.
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