DID ANYONE NOTICE?

        Hey, did anyone notice? Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary vote on Tuesday in Nebraska by a sizeable margin over Bernie Sanders.
        Neither candidate won any delegates, as they had already been awarded on the basis of the caucus held on March 5, when Senator Sanders won by double digits.
        But this was an important “moral” and symbolic victory for Secretary Clinton, for it further confirmed not only that she does better than her opponent in primary elections, but that she was actually the more popular candidate in a state her opponent had won!
        Hillary’s win throws a bit of a wet blanket over Bernie’s bragging rights, as it raises the question of how much larger her already substantial vote margin might be if all of the caucus states he won had had primaries instead of caucuses.
        Bernie’s victory in West Virginia yesterday fueled his desire to keep his campaign going full speed, even though his path to victory got even narrower, despite the win. The chances of his winning all the remaining states by the huge margins needed to catch up to his opponent are practically nil. If he wins less than 65% of the vote in any state, he loses ground!
        But Bernie will get the headlines this morning and keep on fueling the false hopes of his supporters. Hillary won Nebraska yesterday, but did anyone notice?
        I bet Bernie did!

A TIME OF TESTING

        The integrity of Republican leaders is being tested, indeed that of all Republicans.
        How many of them are willing to put the good of the country ahead of their Party loyalty? Some have already failed the test. They know that to have Donald Trump in the White House would be a disaster for our nation. Yet they are switching their allegiance to him, in many cases despite their previous strong opposition to him.
        Meanwhile the Trump “reality show” roars on. The “Stop Trump” movement failed miserably. What a sad commentary on the I.Q. of today’s electorate that so many Americans can be completely bamboozled by such an unqualified, bullying braggart. It is disgusting to watch, and the consequences are frightening to consider.
        The media deserve a large share of the blame for the Trump phenomenon. Why have they not held this pompous peacock accountable for his wild words and baseless claims? Will they start doing so, now that he has become the Republican nominee and the danger to our country and to our reputation among the other nations of the world is frighteningly real?
        This is a time of testing for every political commentator, and indeed for every American. Our core values are at stake —freedom, justice, truth. It is a time of testing for our entire nation.
        And the rest of the world is watching.

CAN A LEOPARD CHANGE ITS SPOTS?

The Presumptive Republican Nominee

        There has been much speculation about whether or not Donald Trump will start “acting more presidential”and begin speaking substantively about his policies regarding the issues facing our nation, now that he has become the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party.
        I watched him make one unsuccessful stab at doing so, when he tried awkwardly to deliver a speech from a prepared manuscript with the aid of a teleprompter. He was out of his element, and he could not constrain himself from departing from the text and reverting to his usual blustering, repetitive style.
        But here’s the problem with Mr. Trump: even if he could “act presidential,” that’s what it would be —an act! Being presidential is not something you pretend to be. You are or you are not presidential, and he is not!
        Can he hide his vulgarity, his bigotry, his arrogance, his mammoth ego? I doubt it. Why should anyone believe he would stop insulting people, and telling lies, and revealing his ignorance about foreign relations and domestic affairs and how the Federal government works?
        Can a self-serving deal maker suddenly acquire the art of diplomacy? Can an incessant braggart reflect the grace of genuine humility? Can a man who sounds more like an aspiring dictator than a presidential candidate comprehend the meaning of SERVANT LEADERSHIP?
        Can a leopard change its spots?