Like Him or Not

Nine quick days ago tragedy struck a globally iconic figure-Kobe Bryant.  He was full of life and had much more to live.  Yesterday, another iconic figure, although a far more polarizing one, announced on his now 32 years and running AM radio talk show that he had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer-Rush Limbaugh.

What do the two have in common?  The answer is very little, save one thing.  Both rose to the very top of their very difficult and highly skilled professions and flourished for an abnormally long time.

In the mid-’80s Rush stopped trying to be what others wanted him to be on air and started being Rush.  By 1988 he was in New York and his conservative talk show entered syndication.  Soon radio stations coast to American coast picked him up and began revamping their station lineups around him.   The number of stations in his mid-’90s zenith was nearly 700.  Today it’s still 590 or so.  His listenership peaked at nearly 20 million per week.   It remains the #1 talk show today with over 16 million.  He single-handedly changed talk radio.

Along the way Rush made many new friends, made many new enemies, and found himself embroiled in more than a few controversies.

In 2003 he was extra busy.   He joined the ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown.  He didn’t last long.  He questioned Donovan McNabb’s ability as a QB.  “Sorry to say this, I don’t think he’s been that good from the get-go,” Limbaugh said. “I think what we’ve had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback does well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb.”

He also was extra busy in 2003 consuming way too many prescribed pain killers.  A court case was settled and one count of obtaining them illegally was dismissed.

His campaign to marginalize Sandra Fluke in 2012 was strongly worded and unrelenting.  It cost him and his show dozens of sponsors.

There is a softer side too.  His work leading charitable causes and his private monetary donations are numerous and generous in the many millions.

But, make no mistake about it, Rush has been Rush and has been great at it for a long time.  His appeal in conservative circles is unmatched.  He’s been at odds with the Republican Party more than once as well.  There’s a difference in being a conservative and a Republican.

His shtick is uncanny and unrelenting.  “Sitting high atop the EIB (Excellence in Broadcasting) Network Broadcast Building with talent on loan from God, it’s Rush Limbaugh at the Golden Mic, the center for advanced conservative studies.  I have half my brain tied behind my back just to make it fair.”  And on he pushes.

A colleague called him the Babe Ruth of broadcasting just a few weeks back.  Babe did it his way.  Legend has it that Babe once pointed to where he then hit the next pitch for a home run.  Rush has had a clear vision of the future cultural and political changes that few others could foresee.  Babe hit 714 in all and retired in 1935.  It took until 1974, or 39 years for Hank Aaron to break the home run record.  There is and has been no one on the radio that has come close to Rush’s combination of passion, wit, knowledge, and ability to convey the complex in a simple way for 32 years and counting.  Rush does it his way.

You can argue his political takes, but be prepared for the long game.  His work ethic is unparalleled.  Try being the solo host of a three-hour show, five days a week, and fifty-two weeks a year.  Now do that for 32 years and counting.

His show is his life.  And, now he is in the fight of his life.

 

The Under Card

  1. What’s on everyone’s mind on the national scene these days?  It’s Kobe Bryant and his daughter’s unfortunate passing.  It’s the threat of the coronavirus spreading in the U.S.  It’s the Senate Impeachment Trial.  And, it’s the dwindling field and the jockeying for position in the Democratic race to gain the 2020 party’s nomination.

What’s the goal of the trial?  It’s two-fold.  It’s an attempt to deny Trump a chance to run for reelection.  And, it’s an incessant campaign to weaken his campaign.  And, the goal of the nomination process is to get to the candidate that most from the left feel has the best chance to take back the White House of course.  Opinions vary as to what the ultimate success of any of these plans might be.

But what gets little national play until way closer to the November election is the undercard.  The undercard is comprised of all of the state by state races for the House and the Senate.  The Democrats regained the House in 2018.  They have their eyes on the Senate as well.  Defeat Trump, and voila!  The keys to all three kingdoms are yours.

However, Lee Corso might say, “not so fast my friend!”  A great source tells BBR that they feel quite confident that the GOP has a finely tuned strategic plan of their own.  And, they think regaining the House majority is well within reach.  Wowza.  Round one.  Ding. Ding.

Thirty House Democrats are up for reelection in districts won by Trump in 2016.  Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), is one of the 30.   He voted against both articles of impeachment. Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), who represents another such Trump-won district, voted for the first article, “Abuse of Power,” but against the second, “Obstruction of Congress.” Another now-former Democrat, Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, actually quit the Democrat Party and joined the elephants over his opposition to the impeachment push against Trump.

All great plans just need oxygen and money.   The Democrats seem to be providing the oxygen with their nonstop assault of the President inside the halls of Congress.  What about the money?  It sounds like the elephants are charging.

Across his four fundraising entities, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and his team raised $52.3 million in 2019. That is over $8 million more than the Republicans did during Paul Ryan’s previous record run up in the first year of President Donald Trump’s administration back in 2017.

Like him or not, Newt Gingrich is a wise political owl.  He likes what he sees.  “Kevin McCarthy’s tireless work ethic has produced a new dynamic, united, and aggressive House Republican Party,” Gingrich told Breitbart News. “Thanks to his efforts, Republicans enter 2020 from a position of strength—with the necessary resources, recruits, and message to win.”

Is it really possible that on their way to the Democrats’ House, Senate, and Presidential victory party a Republican sweep of the three got in the way?  Some folks sound pretty confident.

Where there is a will there is a way.  And, that way is being paved with lots of green cash.

If 2016 didn’t teach us that the impossible is possible, what will?

Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s get ready to rumble.

 

Yogurt Milk?

It’s Friday and it’s past time to lighten up a little.  But, BBR cannot just yet.  There’s work to do till the whistle blows (ask the Whistleblower if you can identify him or her).  And, Elizabeth Warren is up for the task at hand no matter how long it takes as well.

She said as much in an interview yesterday.  The esteemed Senator from the great state of Massachusetts is willing to skip the Iowa Democratic Primary in order for our Senate to do its job.  It’s job should be to hold a fair trial she said about the impeachment.  Fair enough.  In order to do so we need to call witnesses from both sides she went on.  Balanced.

Heck, she’s even willing to skip New Hampshire if it drags out that long to do the “right thing.”

The interview by a CNN reporter didn’t inquire into if it might benefit the Democrats to smear the presumptive Republican nominee, President Donald J. Trump, a bit further before he is acquitted of the two articles of impeachment.  But, in fairness, she did hint at it.  The reporter also failed to ask if it would help Warren directly if she were to gain the Democratic nomination and run against Trump as he was weakened by the process.  And, finally, the reporter failed to ask if it might be right for a Senator running for the highest office in all the land to recuse him or herself due to perhaps some obvious prejudice in the matter.

“It’s our duty to uphold the Constitution.” she concluded.

And, if you actually lasted the entire 7:03 of the interview you learned that she’s been enjoying some “yogurt milk that’s like the buttermilk I grew up on” during the endless Schiff and Nadler presentations.   That’s the balanced part of her diet to go along with the balanced interview.

Fair and balanced.

Business as Usual

It seems like business as usual for the great folks that run Washington DC.  In just the last 72 hours a lot of news (perhaps some fake) has emanated from a district some call “The Swamp.”

Donald J Trump was on the stump in Milwaukee, WI on Tuesday night trumpeting his latest accomplishments.  He even spoke to rescinding some of those silly energy efficient laws that his predecessor put into law.  One in particular would provide a greater volume of water pouring out of the shower head to help him wash his hair.  “But how about the shower? I have this beautiful head of hair. I need a lot of work. You go into the shower…drip, drip, drip. I call the guy and ask ‘is there something wrong with this?’ He says ‘no sir, it’s just a restrictor.'”

On another stage just one state over, the Iowa Democratic Presidential Debate droned on for two hours on Tuesday night.  When it was over the group that encourages inclusiveness, acceptance, and tolerance had a little tiff.  CNN mics captured the following exchange.   “What?” Sanders replied.  “I think you called me a liar on national TV,” she said again.  “You know, let’s not do it right now.  If you want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion,” Sanders responded.  Warren replied: “Anytime.”  That appeared to have irked Sanders who then said: “You called me a liar.  “He added: “You told me — all right, let’s not do it now.”  This all started after Sanders denied during the debate that he ever told Warren that he didn’t think that a woman could win in 2020.  Could Warren be misremembering the event like her heritage, her firing during pregnancy, or her father’s non janitorial occupation?  Nah.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch Nancy Pelosi and her seven or so of her impeachment managers signed the articles of impeachment last evening.  Before the first witness in the process ever testified she said that she was very prayerful and that this is a very somber time for our country. She also spoke to the urgency due to the threat that our president posed to our country. Last evening, after a four week delay in delivering the articles, she was all smiles and handing out commemorate pens to the signers prior to their orchestrated walk down the halls of Congress for the delayed handoff.

And finally, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called for the recusal of four Democrat presidential candidates from the impeachment process on Wednesday after Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the articles.  She stated in part, “these four Democrats, Senators Bennet, Klobuchar, Sanders, and Warren, cannot sit in judgment of the very President they seek to replace. To participate in this trial would be a failure of the oath they took to be an ‘impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.’

Her words “failure of the oath they took” ring so loudly and often in Washington DC these days that it’s not surprising that you hear them even while under the thick, dirty, boggy water that fills what is known as “The Swamp.”  At least the president has given us more fresh water out of the shower heads to rinse off.

Carry on.

 

Peace Through Strength

The year was 1980.  The month was November.  The day was the 4th.  That evening Ronald Wilson Reagan defeated sitting president James “Jimmy” Earl Carter to become the 40th President of the United States.  Reagan actually won in an electoral and popular vote landslide.

Some things have changed quite a bit in the last 40 years.  Other things have stayed the same.

Reagan was a Hollywood actor and former union leader turned Republican.  He served the great state of California as a Republican Governor for two terms that ended in 1975.  Carter was a peanut farmer, Georgia Governor, then as the Democratic nominee was elected as the 39th President in 1976.

Can you imagine a Californian Republican Governor today?  Arnold “the Govenator” Schwarzenegger aside there hasn’t been one in 24 years.  Can you imagine a Georgia Democratic Governor today?  There hasn’t been one in 20 years.

Carter was viewed as incompetent and weak in the year leading up to the election.  Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981, after a group of Iranian college students who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.  During a daring helicopter rescue effort one of the helicopters crashed into another leaving eight Americans dead.  The attempt failed from the go.

Reagan took office on that same January 20th day of 1981 that the hostages were freed.  Coincidence?  Sam Donaldson, ABC White House reporter, famously stuck his microphone between Marines holding their swords high to create the “roof” along the red carpet as the new President and First Lady strode back to the Capitol Building.  “Mr. President, Mr. President, there is a report that the hostages have been freed.   Do you care to comment?”  Reagan cocked his head as he was often want to do and uttered, “Well, God Bless America.”

Perhaps the Iranians knew there was a new sheriff in town.  He often acted in Hollywood movies as the sheriff who corralled the bad guys.  Maybe they wanted no part in a real life documentary with the same script.   Reagan later coined the phrase “Peace Through Strength.”

And, 40 years later Donald Trump the 45th President, and another actor, warned Iran that any loss of American lives would result in appropriate retaliation.  They decided to cross over The Apprentice’s line drawn in the desert sand.  And Trump didn’t say “you’re fired,” rather, he fired.  Soleimani was dead.  Iran was incensed, or so they said.  Just a few days later they retaliated sending several missiles at American bases in Iraq.  Word is they gave advance warning of the missile strikes and the strikes all but missed their targets.  No lives were lost, but inside of Iran face was saved.

Trump addressed America yesterday and all but said that now was a time to strongly consider peace rather than escalation.  He all but said that as if he read the diplomatic tea leaves that Iran wants no more.  He crowed about the 2.5 trillion spent to bolster the U.S. Military.  Peace Through Strength all over again?

Cali won’t vote for Trump in 2020 like they did for Reagan in 1980.  Georgia won’t vote for the Democratic nominee in 2020 like they did for Carter in 1980.  But Iran, 40 years later, understands that when lines drawn in the sand are in ink, not pencil, that it’s time to stand down.

 

Moore or Less.

So, what is far left documentary filmmaker Michael Moore up to these days you ask?  Well, you’ll be glad you asked.  Turns out that he made what he called an “emergency podcast” late last week.  That sounds very important.

What was it all about?  Well, you’ll be glad you asked.  It turns out that he was trying to save America from violent retaliation from Iran for the American drone strike killing of their chief of terror Major General Qasem Soleimani.  During his podcast he said  “I am asking you to try what Martin Luther King and Gandhi said requires the most amount of courage which is to respond with non-violence,” he continued. “I am asking you to leave this up to me, give me all of 10 months and I and millions of Americans will remove Trump from the White House.”

He actually said “leave this up to me” before he included millions of Americans in the cause.  Do the words “pompous” or “egotistical” come to mind?  Does the phrase “a deranged, bloated sense of self worth” come to mind?

He followed up on Twitter with “I have just sent the Ayatollah of Iran a personal appeal.”   And he concluded ““I recorded and DM’d him a message on my podcast, ‘RUMBLE.’ You can hear it on any podcast platform like Apple or Spotify for free. We need to prevent war, any war. Now. When the Ayatollah responds, I’ll post his reply.”   We wonder when “when” will be.  We wonder if this “need to prevent war, any war. Now” is more of a need for Moore to get more followers on Twitter and increase the listenership on his podcasts.  The need to stay relevant might be the biggest need of all for him.

What’s confusing about the appeal is that just last month, he predicted that Trump would win reelection for similar reasons that he famously foresaw his victory in 2016.  So, a month ago he wanted to remind you that he called the 2016 victory and that he was calling it again for Trump.  Now he wants the Ayatollah to hold off and “leave th is up to me” and a few million of his friends.

Moore is an avid, even rabid, supporter of “Crazy” Bernie Sanders.  Isn’t that crazy?  It is Moore or less.

 

 

Meathead Slays a Whopper

President Trump traveled back from Battle Creek, MI last evening after another one of his pep rallies and newly impeached.  The two Articles of Impeachment were voted on and were slated to travel over to the other side of our distinguished House of Representatives.  Madame House Speaker Nancy Pelosi contemplated holding them back for a few days to “insure a fair trial” over in the Senate.  And, the entire BBR staff is traveling this AM.  With all of this holiday travel going on, we’ll keep it very brief today.   

Nancy Pelosi and friends went from prayerful and solemn during the process to asking members of the House to not celebrate or gloat afterwards.  Apparently with both coasts very much in favor of Impeachment, the wise owl Majority Leader’s words of wisdom from the east didn’t resonate all the way over to the west, and times two in Hollywood.

Take a look and read the attached to see for yourself.  Noted academicians, scholars, constitutionalists, and deep thinkers ranging from Michael Moore to Alyssa Milano weighed in. Even “Meathead” himself Rob Reiner got even with the old, prejudiced Archie Bunker.  They all did a Twitter dance or two filled with glee.  One even called the President a MF.

The First Amendment guarantees them their right to do so.  Apparently from some of the tweets, though, that right doesn’t extend to “angry, old, white men” who “were the only ones” expressing the opposite side.

Like ordering a Whooper, it’s a great country we live in.  Especially if You Can Have It Your Way!

Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce, special impeachments don’t upset us.

It’s a Marathon, or Two.

Have you ever run a marathon?  It’s quite a feat to cross off of your bucket list we assume.  Accomplished runners will tell you that the only thing worse than the physical grind is the mental grind.  Surely you’ve heard of hitting the wall around mile 20 or so and having to really dig deep to will yourself to the finish line.

Did you feel like the impeachment marathon had at least reached the proverbial wall earlier this week when Nancy Pelosi (CA) stepped up to the podium to provide the encouragement needed for Adam Schiff (CA) and Jerry Nadler (NY) to get the articles drafted?  It worked.  Amazingly, just a day or so later, flanked by more two more New Yorkers and two more Californians, Schiff and Nadler announced that President Donald J. Trump’s high crimes and misdemeanors would be headed to a congressional vote.

If the Democratic Party controlled House vote has a majority in the “yea” column, the marathon concludes in the Senate in a full trial.  It seems like it’s taken forever to run this race.  It’s started on The Hill and has slowly wound it’s way to just six point two miles now from the very bottom.  The race is unique as each mile either shares a name with another or has a unique one all to itself.

Let’s refresh your three year, first 20 mile by mile memory.  1.  Tax returns.  2. The Steele Dossier.  3.  Session’s Recusal.  4.  Russian Collusion,  5.  Putin’s Turn,  6.  Obstruction (the toughest mile).  7.  More Russian Collusion.  8.  Obstruction of Justice.  9.   Schiff’s Got Proof.  10.  Comey, My Comey.  11.  Peter Strzok.  12.  Lisa(Lover’s Lane) Page.  13.  The Mueller Report (the slowest mile).  14.  The Whistleblower(you can not see the fans cheering you on, but you can hear them).  15. Ukraine.  16.  Quid Pro Quo.  17.  Bribery.  18.  Solemn and Prayerful (candles line each side of the road).  19. Abuse of Presidential Power.  And, whew, 20.  Obstruction of Congress.

With just six point two miles left the Senate joins the race.  Has America hit it’s own wall yet?

But just yesterday we learned that we might need to start training for yet a second marathon.  A second one wasn’t anywhere on the bucket list.

Rep Karen Bass (CA) said if Trump is reelected in 2020 there might be a second impeachment.  Here’s what she said.  “Because even though we’re impeaching him now, there’s still a number of court cases, there’s a ton of information that can come forward. For example, we can get his bank records and find out he’s owned 100 percent by the Russians.  The only thing I’d say slightly different is that it might not be the same articles of impeachment because the odds are we’ll have a ton more information.”

Californians and New Yorkers want to do away with Donald Trump and the Electoral College.  The middle of America wants to reelect Donald Trump and do away with Californians and New Yorkers.

At least all fifty states don’t want another impeachment marathon, do they?  It’s crossed off of their bucket list, isn’t it?

 

We the People

The original, unedited, wonderfully written Constitution begins  “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Now, nearly 250 years in, it has stood the test of time.  It’s what the nation’s forefathers hoped it would do.

It’s strongest part might be it’s first three words, “We the People.”  It’s very beginning suggests that a group met and collectively decided on a course.  That course took a brand new nation, now independent, from it’s birth to opportunities, freedom, safety, wealth, and health the likes of which have never been seen before on this earth.

Today, “We the People” are a very divided group.  Are we the most divided in our nation’s history?  Probably not.  And, despite the histrionics advanced, it’s probably not even close.  “We the People” were more divided before, during, and after the 1861-1865 Civil War.  And, the civil rights movement of the 1960’s was worse to significantly much worse than today.

Today’s “we” are three “we’s” and counting.  We love the disruption that Trump has brought to the status quo in Washington and when, where, and how the U.S. acts on the world stage.  Or, we are disrupters known as “never Trumpers” and we hate (yes hate) Trump.  A third, but growing we, embraces socialism, or even communism. Talk about disruption personified.

Don’t believe the socialism or communism part?  A published poll last evening on one of the major networks showed 27% of American millennials favored communism over capitalism.  These kids borrowed for college.  They owe a lot of money.  They believe that an entry level job isn’t a just reward for doing so.  They want a refund.  And they want it now.  The 1% crowd might be their ATM so they think.

We cannot even rejoice in the elimination of the top leader of ISIS, Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi.  Minutes went by and either the Democrats were offended for not being told prior, or Trump was acting like a bully about it on the bully pulpit, or the Washington Post was eulogizing the savage who ordered the killing of thousands as a austere religious scholar.

The never Trumpers, regardless of party affiliation, have embarked on a three year old campaign to unseat the man who ran the most unconventional campaign the country has ever seen to win the highest seat in all of the land.  That campaign won’t stop all the while Trump’s campaign for reelection is full steam ahead.   Hide in a basement, interview a self created whistleblower, scream “quid quo pro” enough times, and eventually impeach.  That’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

Meanwhile, surely it’s time to gas up Air Force One and rile up the base in a red state near you soon.  Stand in line, wear a red MAGA hat, and yell at the other side for 90 minutes.  That’ll make you feel better.  And, that’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

Meanwhile, Bernie and Elizabeth are promising those millennials the farm.  The farm might not have much left if Trump doesn’t solve the China trade wars, but we digress.  The farm might not have much left if Trump doesn’t fix that ole existential crisis of climate change, but we further digress.  The farm includes free healthcare, free tuition, tuition debt forgiveness, free flow of immigration, free healthcare for immigrants legal or otherwise.  Free, free, free.  That’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

The only problem is that makes for three teams.  It takes four teams for a good playoff.  How about Team Biden?  He’s the head coach of what’s left of the old Democratic Party.  He’s the head coach of what’s now right of the new Democratic Party.  He’s promising to, well, we’re not sure.  Ah yes, he’s promising to beat Trump, platform TBD.  Surely that’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

“In order to form a more perfect union” follows right after “We the People” in the Constitutions’ first sentence.  The problem is we don’t know who to follow right now in order to form a more perfect union.

Oh, and one more thing.  Nothing is free, not even freedom.  Nothing.

 

 

 

 

The Nationals Won. The Senators Lost.

If you didn’t get a chance to tune into the Democratic Presidential Debate broadcasted live last evening, worry not.   It’s roughly only the fourth of 12 scheduled debates.  You can catch the next one or the next one.   Maybe the same tired answers to the same tired questions will grab your interest then.  We doubt very seriously that last night’s did.  And, worry not because we have the winners and losers all sorted out for you below.  Schmeer the bagel while we schmeer the debate.

Winner — Elizabeth Warren.  She spoke for a total of 23 minutes which was a strong 7 minutes longer than the presumptive, but maybe no longer, favorite Joe Biden.

Loser —  Everyone.  Everyone who listened to Elizabeth Warren for 23 minutes must feel like they need to go to their happy place this morning.  There is no way that every second of every minute of 23 spoken can be so terribly important about things that are so terribly bad that she must use the octave of shrill that she incessantly does.  Take a breath every now and then.

Winner —  Joe Biden.  Biden spoke for 16 minutes and didn’t really have a memorable “gaffe.”  He said “expidentially” instead of “exponentially.”  He mistook Iraq for Afghanistan.  But, that’s a good night for him these days.   Win one for the old gaffer is still in play, barely.

Loser  —  Joe Biden.  If Uncle Joe thinks that his topline response to his son’s foreign dealings is the end of it he’s sadly mistaken. “My son’s statement speaks for itself.”  “My son made a judgment. I’m proud of the judgment he made.” His party will take Trump to the mat from now till 2020 for his foreign affairs and Trump will tweet about Papa Joe and Son Hunter along the way as necessary.

WInner — Tulsi Gabbard.  Every time Gabbard speaks she sounds well thought out and mostly logical.  It’s a breath of fresh air on a very stale stage.  She isn’t afraid to call out her party or the other one when she feels the need, but does so in a respectful manner.

Loser — Tulsi Gabbard.  Gabbard was afforded only eight minutes of oxygen to breathe new life in the old party.  She lashed out at CNN last evening after the debate for the lack of time.  This may be a reach, but if Trump reached out to her after her campaign gets snuffed out by the DNC, he could make major hay if she accepted a role in his administration.  She seems like the type that if she felt like she could make a difference regardless of their differences she would give it her all.

Winner —  Bernie Sanders.  Two weeks after having what is now being called a heart attack, Bernie was back on the attack.  With his hair out of place, his hands and arms flailing about, and with his far, far left ideas being bombastically presented, all seemed well again.

Loser — Bernie Sanders.  His campaign is boxed in.  His radical left perch has many birds of the same feather.  They all look stuck together.   His stint as the left ideas leader was further slowed by the need for a stent in the arteries.

Winner — Kamala Harris.  Harris used a good bit of her 12 minutes telling America, once gain, that she was plenty experienced as the AG for the State of California.  She reminded us that aside from the US Department of Justice, that department is the second largest in the US.  She also told us, once again, that she went to more funerals of slain innocent children and gunned down cops than she wanted to tell us about.   It was a great refresher course on who she is we guess.

Loser — Kamala Harris.  Harris used a good bit of her 12 minutes telling America, once gain, that she was plenty experienced as the AG for the State of California.  She reminded us that aside from the US Department of Justice, that department is the second largest in the US.  She also told us, once again, that she went to more funerals of slain innocent children and gunned down cops than she wanted to tell us about.  It was a great refresher course on who she is we guess.  Or, it wasn’t.

Winner — Tom Steyer. The retired billionaire who bought his way onto the debate stage had the bright lights shining on him for a full seven minutes.  It must have felt like he was running out of a tunnel onto a playing field for the first time with his favorite JV team.  Cost per minute was rather steep, however.

Loser — Tom Steyer.  Now the retired billionaire can go back to sending money to the candidates he stood next to.

Winner — The Washington Nationals.  The Nationals probably gained TV eyeballs by the minute as America switched the debate off, and their sweep in the NLCS of the St. Louis Cardinals on.

Winner — The Washington Nationals.   Once upon a time there was a team in Washington.  Their nickname was the Senators.  They moved to Texas in 1971 and became the Rangers.  When the DC area regained a team (the Montreal Expos) in the 2005 season they didn’t rename them the Senators.  After last night’s debate snoozer, who can blame them?

Winner — Donald J. Trump.  Regardless of your party affiliation, hopes, and dreams, you had to be disappointed in the debate.  It was a rerun of a rerun and it lacked any suspense, drama, plot twists, or excitement.

Winner — Adam Schiff.  If you are the DNC your best hope for now of beating Trump is impeaching Trump.