The Patriot Post Digest 9-9-2016

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The Patriot Post Digest 9-9-2016
From The Federalist Patriot
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As with all things Clinton, you have to parse the term “press conference” in order to describe it as such — Hillary set up on an airport tarmac with an awaiting plane and deigned to answer a grand total of six questions from the assembled media. So the long streak “technically”24 came to an end, but you can bet Hillary endured the entire affair — which barely took 10 minutes — only because she had to.

Still more telling is the fact that not only did this availability lack a sufficient quantity of questions, but the quality was lacking as well. (That’s reminiscent of the last time she met the press25.) Among the queries were ridiculous softballs about her position in the polls, the “double standard” in her treatment on the campaign trail (along with a companion question about whether the media is too easy on Trump), and reaction to the “what is Aleppo?” comment made by Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson about the Syrian situation, and a piece by Matt Olsen, the former head of the National Counterterrorism Center, who remarked on Wednesday that the Islamic State was supporting Trump26. That last howler was asked by longtime Clinton sycophant Andrea Mitchell as Hillary was departing, and she dutifully praised Mitchell for being “indefatigable” about asking questions.

The most substantive questions were deflected by Clinton, who refused to discuss her intelligence briefings (at least with the press) and reiterated her comments from the night before regarding her refusal to commit ground troops13 to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria — you know, where our ground troops already are fighting.

“This could barely be called a press conference,” wrote commentator Ashe Schow27. “Clinton probably gets asked more questions by coffee baristas.”

In this era of 24/7 media, it’s fascinating how more and more press coverage reveals less and less about certain candidates. In March, we learned that during the Republican primary season Trump was the recipient of nearly $2 billion worth in free media28, almost eclipsing the rest of the GOP field combined. (By comparison, second-place Hillary received just shy of $750 million worth.) Coverage of all things Trump led off newscasts for months, which allowed him to develop his own narrative against the remaining Republican field.

Yet while we have a good idea why Trump has dubbed Clinton “Crooked Hillary,” reporters seem reticent to do much digging. (Perhaps they worry about the undertaking leading them to the undertaker29.) No one dared ask these obvious questions at the brief press conference, and it’s doubtful that the subject will be broached at one of the upcoming Presidential debates. It’s more likely the most damaging revelations will conveniently come out in the months after the election.

Pundits dismissively speak of “low-information” voters, but it’s not the lack of information that’s the problem. Instead, it’s the shortage of useful information provided to them by the lapdog press. In terms of a legitimate press conference, Clinton sparing 10 minutes on the tarmac to field a few softballs doesn’t even pass the giggle test.

Gary Johnson wasn’t asking, he was answering a Jeopardy question.

MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST

The Coast Guard Needs a Boost30 — U.S. maritime borders should be secured, too.
Finally, Something Worthy of Obama’s Name31 — The president lends his name to a new parasite.
ObamaCare Support Still on Life Support32 — Majority of Americans are fed up with the health care law.
Dem Scheme Would Mandate Abortion Funding33 — A backdoor proposal would stifle abortion adversaries.
Unadulterated Love34 — The Leftmedia’s cozying up to Hillary Clinton is a lesson in true devotion and adoration.

OPINION IN BRIEF

Rich Lowry: “[Julian] Assange is now treated as a respectable figure by some elements of the right because he detests Hillary Clinton and promises to torpedo her campaign with new email exposures. Never mind that he has done everything within his power to damage the interests of the United States, in league with his quasi-ally, Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Rarely has ‘strange new respect’ been stranger. … The enemy of my enemy (or more properly, my domestic political opponent) can still be a reprehensible creep, and that’s what Assange is. … It is Hillary’s own fault that she is vulnerable to the likes of Assange. Her secrecy, corrupt practices and dishonesty make her an ideal target. Yet there is a world of difference between Tom Fitton, the head of Judicial Watch, who has done so much through litigation in the U.S. courts to expose Clinton, and Assange, a certified America-hater whose work is likely enabled by Russian intelligence. There was a time when everyone could see the distinction, but that was before 2016, a year of strange, not to say loathsome, bedfellows.”

SHORT CUTS

Insight: “The real rulers in Washington are invisible and exercise power from behind the scenes.” —Justice Felix Frankfurter (1882-1965)

Sexism card, part I: “I think there will be a lot of PhD theses and popular journalism writing on that subject for years to come.” —Hillary Clinton when asked, “Do you think that you’re treated differently in this race because you’re a woman?”

Sexism card, part II: “I’ve been somewhat heartened by articles recently pointing out the disparate treatment of Trump and his campaign compared to ours — I don’t understand the reasons. I find it frustrating, but it’s part of the landscape we live in and we keep forging ahead. I’m not asking for any special treatment. I know the road that I’m on. I’ve been on it for 25 years and I just get up and keep moving forward.” —Hillary Clinton

Upright: “I was part of the IRS investigation in my last job here in Congress, and I would say it’s a very, very similar story [to that of Clinton’s]. It’s a story of stonewalling. … We see more misleading. We see that the claims that were made, you know, six months, a year ago, about servers and emails and devices are now, were false when they were made, knowingly false. So we clearly see that she’s not being truthful.” —Paul Ryan

Non Compos Mentis: “It turns out that Hillary Clinton, when you look at the fact checkers, she’s one of the most honest politicians in America.” —Van Jones (It helps when those “fact checkers” are leftist lemmings.)

And last… “Hillary using multiple cell phones is not unusual for someone who talks out of both sides of her mouth.” —Twitter satirist @weknowwhatsbest

Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis!
Managing Editor Nate Jackson

Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families.