August 28-31, 2019
Aug 28 01:40 Maddow's ratings tank again Aug 28 10:35 Ilhan Omar's anti-transparency Aug 28 23:46 Democrat hubris vs. a real journalist Aug 29 10:12 Not fixing asylum laws isn't an option after this Aug 31 00:01 Becky Otto's final defeat Aug 31 09:03 Clapper, Comey: fellow felons? Aug 31 09:39 Consumers consume while Wall Street worries
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Maddow's ratings tank again
Rachel Maddow's TV ratings took another hit in July. While Maddow's show was the top rated show on MSNBC, it was still just 5th in the ratings, behind (in order) Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Ingraham Angle and The Five.
That's right. MSNBC's top show (Rachel Maddow) finished behind FNC's late afternoon show. The only thing more embarrassing is the fact that CNN's top primetime show finished behind MSNBC's best primetime show. This isn't good either:
Maddow's show averaged 2,327,000 total viewers in the month of August, with 361,00 coming in the crucial 25-54 age demographics, according to Nielsen Media Research. Those numbers are down from July when Maddow averaged 2,487,000 per night, and 384,000 in the 25-54 demographic.
It was the second straight month that Maddow failed to finish in the top three, something she had previously accomplished every month dating back to October 2018. Hannity led cable news, averaging 3,269,000 viewers a night, with 519,000 in the 25-54 demographic, while Carlson placed second, averaging 3,107,000 total viewers, including 500,000 in the 25-54 demographic.
What's interesting is the fact that Maddow's ratings have dropped pretty much ever since the Trump-Russia Collusion thing went bust. They haven't recovered since the narrative switched from Russia to Racism to Recession. Thad McCotter noted the R that's missing from the Democrats' Rs is Reality.
I'd add that the other R that's missing for the Democrats is Ratings. If they keep putting these losers on TV night-after-night, they'll be missing 2 W's: winning and the White House.
Posted Wednesday, August 28, 2019 1:40 AM
Comment 1 by J at 28-Aug-19 11:06 AM
Last paragraph is a winner
Ilhan Omar's anti-transparency
Apparently, Ilhan Omar thinks that public figures shouldn't be scrutinized . If she thinks that, then she'd fit right in as Commissioner of Minnesota's Department of Human
Do Minnesota Democrats think that they shouldn't be held accountable? DFL Chairman Ken Martin certainly didn't think that Keith Ellison should be punished for his alleged abuse of Karen Monahan.
After the UK Daily Mail and the New York Post broke the story that Ilhan Omar had allegedly had an affair with her chief campaign consultant, the Minneapolis Star Tribune said nary a word. In an interview with WCCO's Esme Murphy, Omar said she preferred not to talk about her "personal life." Esme Murphy quickly moved on rather than push her for answers.
Obedience is apparently a requirement to be a Twin Cities 'reporter' if you're a Democrat. Follow-up questions are apparently not allowed with controversial Democrats like Omar. When I tried finding Murphy's interview of Omar on Youtube, I got this response:
No results found
Thankfully, there are still real journalists left in the Twin Cities. Unlike WCCO, they'll actually dig into politicians' lives :
Government ethics watchdog Tom Anderson of the conservative National Legal and Policy Center said Omar may have violated campaign finance law if she used campaign funds to pursue a romantic affair.
"We believe Representative Ilhan Omar may have touched the third rail of campaign finance law: disbursing campaign funds for personal use," Anderson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. "It's a brazen act Representative Omar was caught doing before in Minnesota and all of the evidence we've seen tells us she's probably doing it again."
Brazenness apparently is what Rep. Omar specializes in, along with anti-Semitism. Rep. Omar hasn't followed the law too often. Thankfully, Minnesota Rep. Steve Drazkowski has persisted in tracking down the truth about Rep. Omar. He's even started this website that's essentially a one-stop shopping center on Omar's foibles. This is just one of the documents posted at Steve's website:
Rep. Drazkowski should be thanked for doing what the Star Tribune and other Twin Cities media outlets have done. (I won't call them newspapers because they apparently don't give a damn about investigative reporting.)
Posted Wednesday, August 28, 2019 10:35 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 28-Aug-19 03:13 PM
Gary, it seems to me that if Draz has such a bug in his bonnet to be jumping onto Omar with spurs, he should run against her next election. Remember from Bachmann being redistricted out of CD6, she did run again in CD6 because Reps do not have to reside in the district they seek to represent. Draz could do that, a direct CD3 run against Omar. At a guess you and many LFR readers would support him if he did so, contributing and volunteering.
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 28-Aug-19 05:29 PM
That's a tough district for Republicans. BTW- Omar lives in MN-05, not MN-03. Personally, I'm hoping that Rep. Drazkowski runs against do-nothing Rep. Angie Craig in MN-02.
Comment 2 by Chad Q at 28-Aug-19 05:09 PM
Why does Draz have to run against this vile woman to get her out of her seat? If the democrats had any morals, they would get rid of her themselves. If the media did their jobs, she'd be run out on a rail. Again, the ends justify the means for the democrats.
Comment 3 by eric z at 28-Aug-19 05:35 PM
Yeah Gary. Brain Cramp. Phillips holds the CD3 seat. Thanks for catching it. So you think Draz is gunning for Craig's seat. It would not be a surprise, but running against Omar when Craig would be the target is a bit of Alice in Wonderland. Has he expressed any complaints about Craig? I've not seen that.
Response 3.1 by Gary Gross at 28-Aug-19 10:25 PM
Actually, it makes a little sense going after Omar. She's higher profile & Drazkowski is hitting her hard. That'll sit well with CD-2 activists while raising his fundraising profile. Craig is a cookie-cutter Democrat. She isn't a good fit for the district either. Drazkowski is from the rural part of CD-2 so that'll help if he runs. Craig can't compete with him in rural precincts. If he runs up the margins in rural CD-2, he'll have a pretty good shot at toppling Craig.
Democrat hubris vs. a real journalist
Ilhan Omar isn't a nice person. As a Democrat legislator, she's virtually worthless. As a bombthrower, she's a high profile bombthrower. In terms of thinking she's accountable to anyone, she's disgusting.
Ilhan Omar is the portrait of Democrat hubris. This Fox9 article provides proof of Omar's hubris. Doing his worst impression of Esme Murphy, Fox9's Theo Keith tried questioning Omar about her alleged affair. When he tried asking those questions, Omar's bodyguard pinned him to the wall to prevent him from getting close to Omar. When Rep. Omar, a Democrat who represents Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, was asked by Keith about the alleged affair, Omar replied "They're stupid questions. Do you understand what 'no comment' means?"
That's the ultimate in hubris. Rep. Omar isn't just a headache to Democrats in DC. She isn't just the worst anti-Semite in Congress. She's a nasty person who apparently thinks that she can do whatever she wants without having to explaining herself. Check this out:
NEWS: U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar calls it 'stupid' to be asking her about alleged misuse of campaign funds.
An aide later boxed me into a door to keep reporters away from Omar as she left an event at a north Minneapolis grocery store.
- Theo Keith (@TheoKeith) August 28, 2019
It's shameful that Omar thinks that it's ok to have her staffers intimidate reporters. Democrats complain that President Trump bullies the press with his statements. Why won't Democrats call out their legislators who physically intimidate reporters?
This is a black eye for WCCO and Esme Murphy, too. She interviewed Omar but she didn't attempt to push Omar on the subject of the alleged affair. Keith pushed the subject so far that it took a staffer getting physical with him to stop him from holding Omar accountable. Keith did what a real journalist does. He demanded accountability.
At this point, it isn't difficult to see Murphy just mailing it in while she glides into retirement. It wouldn't surprise me if that's what she's doing. Then, too, she's always been known as a traditional interviewer. She interviewed me once in 2008 in the closing days of the campaign. She was ok then but she asked me very basic questions. She didn't go beyond one question per subject. I can't imagine doing an interview without asking a follow-up.
If WCCO and the rest of the high profile Twin Cities media want to be taken seriously, they need to ask hard-hitting questions, then ask hard-hitting follow-up questions, too. They need to follow this procedure consistently for Republicans and Democrats alike. That's what's required of real journalists. Then again, the chance of them doing that isn't high but it's a worthwhile goal to push them towards.
The chances of pushing the Twin Cities media into being actual news reporters isn't high. I'd say it's about the same as the chances of the DFL politicians getting rid of their hubris or of the DFL politicians thinking that they're accountable to anyone.
Posted Wednesday, August 28, 2019 11:46 PM
Comment 1 by eruc z at 29-Aug-19 03:17 PM
A formal FEC complaint has been made, if not multiple ones. The sensible approach is to let the system process it, and await findings and conclusions. Other complaints in other venues may be lodged, even federal or state litigation. But flogging away to gin up the base is excessive. At a guess the district's voters will reelect Omar, even if complaints remain pending into November, 2020. Not that anyone's voice in complaint should be silenced. Just that repetition gets stale. Remember the Wardlow-Andrew Parker-Monahan bit about the non-existent video and how that worked out. Patience is a virtue.
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 29-Aug-19 04:03 PM
Eric, this isn't about ginning up the base. We're already excited enough to run through walls for Trump AND for dethroning Queen Nancy. This really is about calling out Omar's hubris. The thought that she thinks that the rules don't apply to her is pretty galling.
Response 1.2 by Gary Gross at 29-Aug-19 04:05 PM
BTW, I wanted to take time & welcome you back. You went a long time without commenting. It's good having you back & offering your opinions, even though we disagree quite often.
Comment 2 by eric z at 30-Aug-19 03:52 PM
Thanks Gary. "Running through walls" is a figure of speech, right? They say Biden fans will run through a confetti drop, but their credit cards at fundraisers are Joe's target. He may fade, he may be the endorsed candidate at convention time. Either way, if you know anybody really excited about Biden possibilities, please let us readers know. Joe seems low energy [your guy's term] about Biden possibilities, but somehow he is gaining funds.
Response 2.1 by Gary Gross at 31-Aug-19 12:11 AM
Yes, it is, Eric. It's a different way of saying that they're highly motivated. As for enthusiastic supporters, one of the campaign trail correspondents at FNC was in Iowa for their state fair coverage. Lawrence reported that he interviewed dozens of supporters but they were about as enthusiastic as Jill Biden's endorsement.
Not fixing asylum laws isn't an option after this
Attention Lindsey Graham: you've got to beat your Democrat friends over the head with the information from this article . You know who I'm talking about. You told us that you couldn't find a single Democrat in the Senate willing to co-sponsor your legislation that fixes our asylum laws, fixes the Flores Agreement and closes the gaping loopholes in our immigration laws. We believed you, too.
Sen. Graham, what's in that article is disgusting. It's the type of stuff that Democrats should be forced to defend. Daily. When the crew at Fox & Friends asked you what it would take to pass your legislation, you were right in saying that we need fewer Democrats and more Republicans. I couldn't agree more. Especially after reading this:
Border Patrol agents at the FOB were contacted by Mexican government officials in July regarding two subjects wanted on kidnapping and homicide charges. One of the men was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol in November 2018 near Eagle Pass, while the other surrendered to Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in December 2018. Both men made credible fear claims, and were ordered removed by an immigration judge after those claims were denied.
Had those criminals not been rejected for asylum, they would've gotten released into the US, where they likely would've preyed on immigrant populations. That's totally unacceptable. Those asylum laws must be fixed. If Democrats won't participate in fixing them, then their decisions need to become the subject of negative ads against them the next time they run for re-election.
If Democrats think that security moms want these types of predators meandering through their streets, Democrats should think again. If Democrats don't get serious about fixing the border, they should expect a thumping next November. It won't be pretty.
The people know that the porous US border is where tons of illegal drugs that kill US citizens come from. They know that the porous US border is also where criminals enter the US. Anyone thinking that we're ok with this broken system must be a thick-headed Democrat.
If I hear another Democrat insist that "this isn't who we are" if we don't enforce the laws that Congress has passed and that the president has signed, I'll punch that Democrat. Ignoring laws that we don't like isn't who we are. Further, telling me that we don't have the resources to prosecute criminals tells me that those offices aren't run efficiently or that those people are lying to us.
Thankfully, President Trump's wall is getting built. That isn't the total answer but it's sure to help CBP. There's already reporting out there that the new wall is a force multiplier. That's because walls help funnel coyotes, drug smugglers and human traffickers into chokepoints, which increase agents' efficiency.
If the Democrats don't do anything to fix our immigration and asylum laws, they'll pay the price in states like Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Democrats are salivating at the possibility of flipping the Senate seat that Martha McSally currently holds in Arizona. Rest assured that a broken immigration system helps Sen. McSally.
Posted Thursday, August 29, 2019 10:12 AM
Comment 1 by Chad Q at 30-Aug-19 08:44 AM
The whole illegal immigrant issue is disgusting. You have socialists presidential candidates and our own government going down to these countries telling the people how to circumvent the process and allow themselves entry even though they are not really coming for the reasons they state. Shut the border down now!
Becky Otto's final defeat
It's great to hear that Becky Otto's final appeal fell on deaf ears at the Minnesota State Supreme Court in April. When the defeat was handed down, Otto tried her best to spin it as a partial victory, saying "Since the 2015 law change, certain counties have actively rejected the state auditor's authority to review county finances once a private CPA conducted an audit. The Supreme Court has now made clear that the state auditor has authority and responsibility over county finances, including the authority to conduct additional examinations of a county following a private CPA firm audit, and that the counties are responsible for the costs."
Rep. Eric Lucero and State Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer had the final say on that :
Rep. Eric Lucero (R-Dayton) and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake) authored a bill to reimburse Wright County for the costs it incurred to defend the Otto case. That bill passed, and Wright received its money back. "The lawsuit brought by former State Auditor Rebecca Otto was arbitrary and frivolous from the beginning and this was confirmed with former Auditor Otto losing her lawsuit at every level including a unanimous ruling against her by the Minnesota Supreme Court," Lucero said.
If Otto continues her political vendetta, Republicans should highlight her vindictiveness. Doing an additional audit after there's already been an audit is an exercise in vindictiveness. It costs the counties extra money without much of a change in audit results. That's the definition of vindictiveness.
Further, it isn't the definition when the Supreme Court repeats what I said about the case in the first place. I first said that the Constitution established each of the constitutional offices but that legislation established the constitutional offices' responsibilities. That's almost verbatim what Chief Justice Lorie Gildea said in her opinion.
Posted Saturday, August 31, 2019 12:01 AM
No comments.
Clapper, Comey: fellow felons?
It's virtually impossible to take Jim Clapper or Jim Comey seriously. A day after Michael Horowitz's DOJ IG report excoriated Comey, Jim Clapper attempted to come to Comey's rescue saying "I think he did what he thought was the right thing. Yeah, it violated the standard protocols and procedures of the FBI. I don't think there's a rule book, though, for this extraordinary situation involving potential, and emphasize potential, criminality of a president."
That's BS from Clapper and he knows it. It's sanctimoniousness, too. Pretending that the counterintelligence investigation was legitimate doesn't fly. People understand that the thing that got it started, the Steele Dossier, was utterly discredited over a year ago. That thing is a dead horse and there's no way to revive it like Jesus revived Lazarus. This is BS, too:
"So Jim did what he thought was the right thing to do for the country. Now, one man's leaker is another man's whistleblower. And in this case, I think he was whistle-blowing to the public. We would not have known what we've since learned, I think, were it not for the action that Jim took," he added.
Clapper knows that there's a procedure that whistleblowers follow. It's actually a pretty well-designed system. This is key to understanding whistleblower status :
Under this framework, intelligence community whistleblowers are not protected from retaliation if they raise "differences of opinions concerning public policy matters," but are protected if they raise violations of laws, rules, or regulations .
That's a pretty wide gulf between what's protected and what isn't protected. If Comey thought that President Trump was violating the law, then it's Comey's obligation to invoke whistleblower status.
It's clear that Comey's complaints fit into the "differences of opinion" category. Therefore, Clapper's statement doesn't pass the laugh test. Further, Clapper knew that the Dossier was trash. Anything built with that as a foundation was junk. This is mostly about people simply hating Trump on a deep personal level. This has nothing to do with saving the nation from a madman.
Posted Saturday, August 31, 2019 9:03 AM
No comments.
Consumers consume while Wall Street worries
After reading just a few paragraphs of this article , the first question that popped into my mind was whether consumers were wiser than Wall Street. I know that isn't a fair question but I think it's pointing to a simple reality.
First, it's apparent that the Trump/GOP tax cuts, aka the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, have really worked. As long as people see the extra cash in their paychecks, consumers will spend money. It isn't that Wall Street's jitters about President Trump's tariffs are unwarranted. It's that consumers worry more about whether their jobs are still they're paychecks keep growing.
Here's what's sparking consumer optimism:
Drivers hitting the road this Labor Day weekend will enjoy the cheapest gasoline prices in three years, a boon to consumers who have remained confident, while fears of recession grip much of Wall Street. Price-tracking firm GasBuddy predicts the national average for a regular gallon of gas will be $2.55 a gallon on Labor Day, down nearly 30 cents from last year and the lowest price on the holiday since 2016. The national average has fallen for six straight weeks to $2.58.
"Oh, Lord, people love these prices," said Susan Begnell, a cashier at the Murphy USA gas station on Interstate 20 in Meridian, Miss. At $1.89 a gallon, her station currently is among the cheapest in the nation.
With winter right around the corner, gas prices might continue to drop. President Trump's deregulation policies have made the US energy dominant, not just energy independent. That's why the economy is still strong. That's why consumers are still confident. That's why consumers continue to confound Wall Street.
Posted Saturday, August 31, 2019 9:39 AM
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