For Hitting Hillary, Media Blacks Out Tulsi Gabbard Campaign

Posted on February 16, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 16, 2020

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is not your typical Democrat. Sure, she buys into a lot of their socialistic nonsense. But then she wouldn’t be a modern Dem if she didn’t.

However, she has had some good words for the president/does not suffer from TDS, was not for impeachment, and, here’s the worst thing for Dems, she is in a running feud with Hillary Clinton on several fronts.

That is a sin her fellow Democrats and their lapdog media just can’t abide. So the media has spiked her, blacked her out, refused to cover her. Hence her dismal showings in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Now while I have no enthusiastic brief for the telegenic Gabbard, fair is fair. Also, any enemy of Hillary is an indirect pal of mine. Like Churchill said, “If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.”

Here’s what she said about it on Fox Business. Voters “really haven’t had a chance to hear my message or to learn about the background and experience I bring to serve as commander-in-chief because there’s been an almost total corporate media blackout since the day that I started running for president.”

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She continued.

“I am the candidate that’s bringing this unifying message that’s not based on hate, not based on hate for Trump or hate for the other party or hate for any one group or another but is building this coalition of support that’s centered around love of country.”

Wait. What?

Did she actually use the term “love of country?” And she’s a Democrat?! Can you see why many of her fellow Dems and the media loathe her and can’t let her message get out? She also said she doesn’t base every hour of her waking existence on hating the president? Oh whoa. Get the bonnie lass a GOP registration card! Granted, blue Hawaii variety.

Combine those words with the run and gun with Hillary and her persona non grata status with the media is not only understandable, but expected. So across the barricades, as it used to be before the Dems lost their minds, we can throw Gabbard a jaunty salute in recognition of her sanity and patriotism. Then we can get back to the business of beating her party to an electoral pulp.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Three House Dems On Judiciary Committee Hit With Ethics Allegations

Posted on February 13, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 13, 2020

Fox News reports that three Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee who voted against President Trump on impeachment are now under suspicion for unethical activities of their own.

Rep. Madeline Dean of Pennsylvania, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, and Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia all had ethics complaints filed against them by a watchdog nonprofit group on Wednesday. Americans for Public Trust asked for investigations as to whether the trio violated House rules and federal law.

“All three of these members have engaged in disturbing activities that appear to us to be violations of federal law and House rules. This is especially alarming given all three sit on the prestigious House Judiciary Committee, which has direct oversight responsibilities over the U.S. Department of Justice and, by extension, the nation’s law enforcement,” said Adam Laxalt, former Nevada attorney general and counsel to the group. “We’re calling on the Federal Election Commission and the Office of Congressional Ethics to immediately investigate these suspicious activities.”

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The charges against Dean are that she used funds from one campaign, for lt. governor of PA, in another campaign, a race for Congress. The law says only funds for federal races can be used for other federal races. The PA race was not federal, thus violating FEC rules.

Jayapal is charged with soliciting campaign funds connected with performing an official duty. She did so in a C-SPAN broadcast on healthcare where she used the time given to her as a member of the House to ask for campaign donations. That is a clear violation of House rules.

McBeth allegedly worked for a gun control group up to and during her congressional campaign. She did not report that employment when filing her papers to run and thus was making campaign appearances while both a candidate and an employee of a gun control group. Her non-reported double dipping is against FEC rules.

These three very possibly stood in ethical judgment of the president while they had broken rules of ethics and laws themselves. They repeatedly expressed horror at the president’s supposed actions and sanctimoniously conducted themselves as pure as the driven snow.

But with a little digging, their snow has turned to dark mush.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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New Trump Impeachment Push For Democrats Over Roger Stone Affair?

Posted on February 12, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 12, 2020

In the desire of Democrats to put the country last and their own pathological quests for power at the forefront, the Jerry Nadler-led House Judiciary Committee will bring Attorney General Bill Barr to testify in front of them on March 31st. Why?

As part of a story they will embellish between now and then. Democrats will make the case that President Trump pressured his Justice Department and Barr to lower the amount of time in jail federal prosecutors recommended for former Trump associate Roger Stone.

Silly?

These are the same guys who put the nation through a quickdraw impeachment over a phone call. Now going into an election year with no cudgel to bash Trump with they have hit upon this to start the hysteria all over again.

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The feds sought between 87-108 months in prison for the 67 year old Stone, who was convicted on seven counts of obstruction, witness tampering, and making false statements to Congress during the Mueller investigation. Normal federal sentencing guidelines in such cases call for 15-21 months. The federal prosecutors in the case contend that Stone’s actions post indictment, including violating a social media gag imposed by the judge, warrant the much harsher sentence.

AG Bill Barr and other top Justice Department officials did not agree and reversed the call of their own lawyers for the tougher penalty. At that, four of the federal prosecutors handling the case resigned. President Trump is said to be considering giving Stone a pardon.

The Dems may feature those four former feds as star witnesses. The lawyers know that national publicity like this will enhance their professional careers now that they have left federal service. So they, much like the witnesses in the last impeachment drama, would insinuate, but have no proof, that the president intervened to help Stone.

But lack of facts don’t ever stop Democrats.

They will make up stories of a cabal of Trump loyalists in the DOJ that conspired to pervert the course of justice to spare a Trump loyalist. As for the loyalist, Stone has a show pony reputation in DC. He goes out of his way to gain the spotlight every chance he gets.

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All this will be timed around the GOP convention and the fall campaign.

Is this a lock? Will it happen for sure? No.

But the chance of the U.S. having to endure another Democratic misadventure is enough to get ready for it.

Oh joy.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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The Nice Hillary? Klobuchar Surprises In New Hampshire

Posted on February 12, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 12, 2020

If Hillary had been more personable, not the shrew we publicly know and loathe, could she have pulled off the 2016 general election?

Well, probably not. However, she could have made it closer in the Electoral College.

The same is likely true for the surprisingly ascending Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. The senator landed an upset in New Hampshire with a very legit third place. She is nice, in a know-it-all kindergarten teacher sort of way. Her accent is just short of the cast of “Fargo” and she looks better now than she did at the start of the process.

Klobuchar’s midwestern twang gives her the patina of sincerity and her moderate appeal plays especially to women.

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But when America is at peace and the economy is firing on all cylinders we hardly ever throw a president out of office. Plus, if she tried the cuddly Nurse Ratched routine on Donald Trump in a debate he’d have her for a snack.

So, that’s where she may go. But how did she get here?

Given the modern Democratic party’s tendency towards sexism, only her gender makes her competitive if she doesn’t have too many other negatives that a Democratic audience would take issue with. She doesn’t.

She, like the rest of the Dem field, makes a fetish out of getting Trump. Some of them though are still whining about impeachment. Not her. She has exited the wambulance and moved on to other matters, like trying to convince the middle class life is hard when they are undergoing one of the biggest economic booms in American history.

Klobuchar wants to go back to Obamacare, like Buttigieg, and that puts her at odds with Bernie and Liz on the issue. So far that duo have concentrated their fire on Pete regarding healthcare. But if Klobuchar does well enough in Nevada and South Carolina, not to mention Super Tuesday, she may well come in for a lock on their radar. In fact, Liz may try an end run on the female vote and hit her on not seeming, as opposed to being, feminist enough.

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And oddly, Amy seems to have guy hands.

So we have a new player. An interesting one. And even though she would probably lose to the president, she needs to be taken seriously. The GOP “red tsunami” crowd should definitely take note. Lest their confirmation bias, play right into Dem hands. Again.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post The Nice Hillary? Klobuchar Surprises In New Hampshire appeared first on The Political Insider.

Tuesday Morning Recap: Buttigieg And Sanders In Dead Heat, Trump Secures Another Judge And Could Roger Stone Be Pardoned?

Posted on February 11, 2020 by LifeZette

By LifeZette Staff | February 11, 2020

The New Hampshire primary

Buttigieg and Sanders remain in a dead heat going into the New Hampshire today. A large turnout will favor Sanders. Buttigieg is counting on depressed college student turnout, in both senses of the phrase, and a moderate voter base. Biden has to finish in the top three or he is in serious trouble. Warren has to just not get completely clobbered. Our call is Sanders. Then it’s on for them to savage Mike Bloomberg.

Coronavirus update

World Health Organization officials traveling in China today called the coronavirus “a very grave threat to the rest of the world.” Over 100 have died there from the virus and 43,000 others have fallen ill from it round the world. 99% percent of the cases are in China. There have been no U.S. deaths as of yet. International monitors speculate China’s rudimentary socialized health system is not capable of handling the crisis. But national pride stops them from asking for significant outside help.

Trump secures another judge

The president gets another judge through the Senate. This time it’s the nomination of Judge Andrew Basher to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell got Basher his upcoming new job with a Monday 46-41 vote in favor. The official nod will be this afternoon.

Space war?

Two Russian satellites are tailing an American spy satellite, coming as close as 100 miles. In space, that’s nudging the guy next to you in the ribs. A U.S. Space Force ( so cool to write that) general says the Russian craft’s actions are “unusual and disturbing.” Not really, Just Vladimir Putin rattling his actually relatively puny sword a bit.

Could Roger Stone be pardoned?

President Trump is hinting he may pardon his former pal Roger Stone. In a tweet this morning he called Stone’s prosecution and upcoming sentencing “horrible and very unfair.”

Across the pond

Germany has been politically upended with the news that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s hand-picked heir apparent, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, has said no to moving into Merkel’s job. It’s like Mike Pence turning down the presidency after he won the 2024 GOP nomination for president. The Defense Minister made the move because she is upset that the political party of both she and Merkel, the Christian Democratic Union, allied with a hard core anti-immigration party, the AFD, in state elections.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Democrats Rush To Use Obama In Campaign Ads

Posted on February 11, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 11, 2020

Six of the Democratic candidates battling for the presidential nomination in New Hampshire have used old clips of the disgraced 44th president in campaign ads.

Joe Biden, Tom Steyer, Michael Bloomberg, Liz Warren, Deval Patrick, and Tulsi Gabbard have all utilized Barack Obama to prime the pump.

The quotes in the spots are from years ago when they were running for different offices or engaged in other activities. But the spots are cut to make it appear that Obama is endorsing them today. To date the former president has said kind words about several of them. However, he has officially endorsed no one.

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In fact, he may not endorse anyone until the convention or until there is a definite front runner with a clear path to the nomination. He and his wife are holding their fire so they upset no one, lest those not endorsed not endorse Michelle Obama for her possible upcoming statewide run in Illinois.

But the larger issue in using Obama highlights the fact that the Democrats are caught in a bizarre time warp/echo chamber where the hits from yesterday are playing to a much too appreciative audience.

Part of the reason is our old pal GOP political incompetence. Also bad timing was at play. The 2008 McCain presidential effort was shoddily run and it happened to coincide with national economic calamity. But the Democrats ignore those factors and think Obama pulled off an electoral miracle. Saying, for argument’s sake, that Obama did pull a nice stunt, it was over ten years ago. The nation has moved on.

And in 2012 they ran against Mitt Romney. Need we say more?

Do the Democrats really want to compare the economic and national security records of Obama and Trump? The Obama administration brought us a slow as molasses jobless uptick. Trump has brought economic boom.

In national security the prevailing Obama images are American sailors being taken prisoner by the Iranians and in response Obama flying billions in last minute pallets of cash to them just before he left office. The Trump defense record so far has an overriding image as well. Qassem Soleimani eating a hellfire missile.

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Given these examples, why in the world would the Democrats want Obama’s endorsement? Sure, it’ll play well in the primary season and especially well with black voters on Super Tuesday.

Nevertheless, by seeking it they go down a tone deaf and anachronistic path that will serve them ill in the fall.

Let’s hope they don’t realize it until next winter.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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AG Bill Barr Gets Tough With ‘Sanctuary’ Cities

Posted on February 10, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 10, 2020

Knowing such moves are popular with voters into the over 70 percentiles and that the Democrats are horribly vulnerable on the issue, late Monday afternoon Trump Attorney General Bill Barr announced tough new measures against urban Democratic bastions, so-called “sanctuary” cities, that regularly ignore or defy federal law on illegal immigration.

U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr revealed the news at a National Sheriff’s Association conference in DC.

Fox News reports Barr said, “The department is filing a complaint against the State of New Jersey seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against its laws that forbid state and local law enforcement from sharing vital information about criminal aliens with DHS.”

He continued.

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“Further, we are reviewing the practices, policies, and laws of other jurisdictions across the country. This includes assessing whether jurisdictions are complying with our criminal laws, in particular the criminal statute that prohibits the harboring or shielding of aliens in the United States.”

He concluded with, “…and we are meticulously reviewing the actions of certain district attorneys who have adopted policies of charging foreign nationals with lesser offenses for the express purpose of avoiding the federal immigration consequences of those nationals’ criminal conduct. In pursuing their personal ambitions and misguided notions of equal justice, these district attorneys are systematically violating the rule of law and may even be unlawfully discriminating against American citizens.”

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Manchin Takes Trump Bait, Engages In Twitter Spat

Posted on February 10, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 10, 2020

Like Lucy, the football, and Charlie Brown, it happens over and over again. It’s like watching that team who played the Harlem Globetrotters.

Some Democrat says or does something that upsets the president. So he hits back, but he does it over the top. Then the Democrat has two choices; they can raise the rhetorical stakes or they can call Trump’s bluff and ignore him. The former plays into Trump’s hands. The latter would deprive the president of his foil and Trump’s response attack would wither.

Since everybody already thinks the president loves hyperbole, he loses nothing with his initial response line to whatever offense the Democrat committed. We’re not surprised birds fly.

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But the Democrat, because Democrats don’t think-they feel, indulges in an emotional counter response to Trump. This gets them down in the dirt where the president wants them. If the Democrat is usually calm, everybody notes how Trump maneuvered them into hysteria.

The only winning move against Trump in these situations, to quote Joshua the computer in “War Games”, is not to play.

If you do play and do it in a deep red state, so much the dumber.

And that brings us to Senator Joe Manchin, Democrat of West Virginia.

After his impeachment vote against Trump you’d think he’d lay low for a bit to let the voters in a state Trump won by 40% (40%!) get over his move against the president. But nah, he couldn’t shut up.

Trump laid out the temptation with this, replete with a new nickname for Manchin.

They are really mad at Senator Joe Munchkin in West Virginia. He couldn’t understand the Transcripts. Romney could, but didn’t want to!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2020

And this.

…But, just like the people of West Virginia will no longer look at weak & pathetic Joe Manchin the same (I got the Pension Bill approved, Manchin couldn’t do it), the wonderful people of Utah will never look at “grandstander” Mitt Romney with anything but contempt & disgust!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2020

Joe can’t help himself and bites at the cheese in the trap.

I’ve read the transcripts thoroughly & listened to the witnesses under oath. Where I come from a person accused defends themselves with witnesses and evidence.

— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) February 9, 2020

Dear Lord. Mixed messages and self pity.

Now what happens? The exchange gets press, like this, and an issue Manchin needs to go away is still in the headlines. It also reminds the Trump-happy voters of West Virginia of Manchin’s apostasy in the president’s hour of need, thus bestowing the martyr’s crown on the guy who actually won.

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What in the name of all that is holy and profane are Manchin and his comms shop thinking? When you lose you change the subject, not refight the losing battle. The only possible logical pro-Munchkin scenario is that he’s trying to hit Trump to burnish creds with fellow West Virginia Dems because he often votes with the GOP.

But he already did that with his impeachment vote. And that vote is old news anyway. At least it was, until Manchin took the bait.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post Manchin Takes Trump Bait, Engages In Twitter Spat appeared first on The Political Insider.

Shields and Brooks on Trump’s acquittal, Iowa caucus chaos

Posted on February 7, 2020 by PBS NewsHour - Politics

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week's political news, including the Senate's decision to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment, Trump's State of the Union address, the messy Iowa Democratic caucus results and which 2020 Democrats have momentum going into the New Hampshire primary.

Lt. Colonel Vindman Escorted Out Of The White House – ‘Reassigned’ To Pentagon

Posted on February 7, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | February 7, 2020

U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, a disappointing star Democratic witness in the House impeachment inquiry, has been fired from his White House National Security Council post and will return to the Pentagon for assignment.

He was escorted off White House grounds mid Friday by security personnel. Numerous media sources confirm this.

Vindman gave contradictory and conflicting testimony in front of the House Intel Committee and was an easy witness to discredit. GOP committee member Jim Jordan was especially effective in challenging Vindman and highlighted the fact that during the Ukrainian phone call in question, and immediately after in swore deposition, Vindman stated he saw nothing wrong in the president’s conduct.

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The Democratic response to the firing has been swift and negative, as Democrats again accuse the president of abusing his office and breaking the law regarding “whistleblowers” by firing Vindman. The Pentagon termed it a mere “reassignment.”

Vindman’s lawyer, David Pressman, opined, “There is no question in the mind of any American why this man’s job is over, why this country now has one less soldier serving it at the White House. LTC Vindman was asked to leave for telling the truth. His honor, his commitment to right, frightened the powerful.”

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The president cited another reason early Friday.

“You think I’m supposed to be happy with him? I’m not,” Trump said, adding that a decision would be made soon.

It was.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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