This & That

IN IT TO WIN IT – The Republican elites and the main stream media continue to look down their nose at Donald Trump. Not a day goes by without speculation in the back rooms and the press gaggles as to when Trump will crash and burn. Are they right? Consider this…

Quinnipiac has just released polling results for primary voters in key swing states. The numbers suggest The Donald isn’t going anywhere soon.

Florida – Trump 28%, Carson 16%, Rubio 14% and Bush 12%

Ohio – Trump 23%, Carson 18%, Kasich 13%, Rubio 7% and Bush 4%.

Pennsylvania – Trump 23%, Carson 17%, Rubio 12% and Bush 4%.

In Florida Trump has double the support of a sitting state senator and has a 16 point lead over an extremely popular former state governor. In Ohio Trump leads the state’s popular sitting governor by 10 points. In Pennsylvania Trump leads the Party’s leading fund raiser and once presumptive nominee by 19 points.

Still not convinced that Trump is here to stay?

A just released Reuter’s national poll has Trump at 33%, Carson 16%, Bush 16% and Rubio 7%.

If any other “establishment” candidate were posting these numbers in key swing states the media and Party elites would be declaring “game over” and referring to him/her as the “presumptive nominee.”

Republican primary voters have a deep seething anger toward the Party establishment. Trump speaks to that anger. The folks in the Party penthouse and the main street media had better start taking Trump seriously…boring in on him for specifics…questioning his policies. Until the elites make a serious effort to expose Trump’s flaws, he is in it to win it. Those who scoff at his campaign do so at their own peril.

WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER – In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham voted against a bill authorizing the federal government to send $60 billion in relief to the state of New Jersey. Graham argued that of the $60 billion only $24 billion actually went to New Jersey for relief efforts. The remaining $36 billion was pork.

Now we have Senator Graham asking his colleagues to approve federal relief funds for those in his state who fell victim to Hurricane Joaquin. Before reaching a final vote this bill is certain to find itself loaded with pork in much the same manner as the Superstorm Sandy relief bill. Will Senator Graham vote “No” on this bill as well?

TRUTH OR POLITCS AS USUAL - The controversy over the motivations of the House Benghazi Committee continues to rage. Republicans have long believed that then Secretary Clinton understood that the embassy in Benghazi was under terrorist attack and did nothing to offer assistance. Some went so far as to assert that she ordered the military to "stand down" as the DOD scrambled to provide aid. The Benghazi Committee was allegedly formed to find the truth. But given the accusations from the right in the immediate aftermath of the attack the question remains: Is this a well-intended search for the truth or a politically motivated witch hunt to take down the presumptive Democratic nominee? "Fiscally conservative" Republicans have spent $4.5 million (and counting) tax payer dollars on the endeavor.

Presumptive Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy inadvertently answered the question when he proudly linked the committee’s work to the reduction in Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers. McCarthy has since walked back his assertions; saying that the committee has only the purest of intentions.

Unfortunately for Republicans recent events tell another story.

A week ago Secretary Clinton’s former Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills spent eight hours testifying before the committee. For some reason Committee Chair Trey Gowdy ordered that her testimony be held behind closed doors; secreted away from the prying eyes of CSPAN. The intrigue only heightened when Gowdy inexplicably refused to release the transcripts of Ms. Mills’ testimony. In spite of Ms. Mills protest that the entire transcript of her testimony be released to the public; the transcripts were sealed.

Democrats, furious over McCarthy’s revealing gaff and incensed over Gowdy’s refusal to release the Mills transcripts, leaked excerpts of the transcripts to the press. The excerpts show that Clinton did far more than nothing.

Ms.. Mills testified that Secretary Clinton was “very concerned” about safety and well-being of her good friend Ambassador Stevens and his staff. Mills testified that Clinton and President Obama ordered the military to “everything we can” to secure the embassy and its staff.

Democrats have promised to release the full transcripts in five days to allow time to redact any information that might violate national security interests.

It now seems pretty clear as to why Chairman Gowdy wanted Ms. Mill’s testimony taken behind closed doors; and why he refused to release the transcripts.

Truth or $4.5 million dollar tax payer funded political witch hunt? It’s almost Halloween!