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US

Orlando-Nightclub-Pulse-Shooting-AP

Orlando Police officers direct family members away from a multiple shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on June 12, 2016. (Photo: AP)

BREAKING: The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida, which left at least 53 dead and another 53 injured. The group immediately claiming responsibility for an attack is a bit out of character, but multiple officials have told People’s Pundit Daily publicly and privately that the shooter did in fact have ties to the terror group.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack Sunday afternoon through its Amaq news agency, but it is not yet clear whether the shooting was actually directed by the terror organization or inspired by it. The declaration comes hours after a social media account known to belong to a senior Islamic State jihadist, which is monitored by PPD, quickly congratulated and celebrated the attack.

However, intelligence officials no longer find the distinction between the two significant. House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Schiff, R-Calif., said in a statement to PPD that the details of the attack indicated “an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism.”

“The fact that this shooting took place during Ramadan and that ISIS leadership in Raqqa has been urging attacks during this time, that the target was an LGBT night club during Pride, and – if accurate – that according to local law enforcement the shooter declared his allegiance to ISIS, indicates an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism,” Rep. Schiff said. “Whether this attack was also ISIS-directed, remains to be determined. I’m confident that we will know much more in the coming hours and days.”

Omar Mateen, 29, the Muslim U.S. citizen born to Afghan parents, “was on the radar before” he opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing at least 53 people. A senior law enforcement source told People’s Pundit Daily that Mateen was twice a person of interest in terror-related investigations, once in 2013 and again 2014.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said at a press conference on Sunday that intelligence committees believe Mateen, who was born in New York, had ties to Islamic State, or ISIS. He stressed that the information did not come from the FBI before trashing identity politics.

Chief John Mina of the Orlando Police Department said Mateen, who was armed with an “assault-type rifle” and a handgun, was shot and killed in the nightclub at around 5 a.m.

“It appears he was organized and well-prepared,” Chief Mina said, adding that the shooter had “some type of (other) device on him.”

Seddique Mateen, the shooter’s father, is allegedly running for office in Afghanistan. He said his son was angered recently when he saw two men kissing.

“We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren’t aware of any action he is taking,” Seddique said. “We are in shock like the whole country,” he said, adding that the attack “has nothing to do with religion.”

The attack now marks the deadliest single-person mass murder in American history. Prior to Orlando, the worse occurred in Bath, Michigan in 1927, when a man bombed a school, killing 44 people.

BREAKING: The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility

Politics

Donald-Trump-vs-Barack-Obama

Billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump, left, and President Barack Obama, right.

Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump said President Barack Obama “should immediately resign in disgrace” for refusing again to “mention the words radical Islamic terrorism.” The Donald sent out a tweet prior to the president’s remarks in the wake of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, which multiple intelligence agencies, law enforcement officials and lawmakers have conceded was an act of Islamic terrorism.

President Obama again blamed the Second Amendment for the Islamic terror attack, but said his motivation was not clear. In fact, Omar Mateen, 29, the Muslim U.S. citizen born to Afghan parents, “was on the radar before” he opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing at least 53 people. A senior law enforcement source told People’s Pundit Daily that Mateen was twice a person of interest in terror-related investigations, once in 2013 and again 2014.

Multiple witnesses have now confirmed he was yelling “Allah Akbar,” or God is Great, and police in the building during the shootout said he was praising the Islamic State and pledging allegiance to Abu Akbar al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS.

Worth noting, supporters began to pour in kudos on Twitter for his stance on radical Islam and curbing unfettered immigration until a vetting process could be established, but he somewhat rejected them.

Donald J. Trump said President Barack Obama

US

LA Pride

Courtesy of LA Pride

Santa Monica authorities have arrested a man in route to a Gay Pride parade who had rifles, ammunition and materials that could be used to create explosives inside his car. The arrest comes just hours after an Islamic gunmen opened fire on a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing at least 53 people and wounding at least 53 more before dying in a firefight with police.

While investigating a suspected prowler, as the result of a tipster, Santa Monica patrol officers on Sunday encountered an individual who said he was waiting for a friend. When officers inspected the man’s car, they found the weapons and ammunition cache as well as tannerite, a binary explosive that could be used to create a pipe bomb.

The man allegedly told authorities he was in town for Sunday’s pride parade in West Hollywood. The car had Indiana license plates.

There was no immediate link between the Santa Monica incident and the Orlando massacre, The Times reported, citing law enforcement sources.

The investigation was taken over by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The Los Angeles County Sheriff Office have increased security around the pride parade and other activities, West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath said in a statement.

Santa Monica authorities have arrested a man

Video

[brid video=”41384″ player=”2077″ title=”Elizabeth Warren Describes Hillary Clinton as a Donor Puppet (2004)”]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a favorite darling of the radical left, last week endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, calling her “a fighter.” That’s not what she thought of her in a previous interview.

In 2004, Sen. Warren told a story about a bankruptcy bill casting Mrs. Clinton as nothing more than a crony capitalist beholden to donors and big business. She had personally educated the former first lady on a Wall Street lobbyist-written law that she would pressure her husband and then-President Bill Clinton to veto.

However, as New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, who took money from Wall Street and financial sector big business donors, specifically consumer credit businesses that contributed to over-extended creditors that helped fuel the financial crisis in 2007, she voted in favor of the bill.

According to Sen. Warren, at least in 2004, it was because she was a sell out and donor puppet.

We were just wondering if something has changed, Sen. Warren.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren last week endorsed presumptive

Policy

concealed-gun-application It’s happened again. A nut went to a gun-free zone and engaged in a mass killing. In this example, the perpetrator apparently was an Islamic fanatic upset about gay people. But let’s set aside the question of motive and ask the important question of why politicians and bureaucrats don’t want innocent people to have any ability to defend themselves (they’ve even adopted policies prohibiting members of the militaryfrom being armed!). The invaluable Crime Prevention Research Center has already weighed in on the issue.

Since at least 1950, only slightly over 1 percent of mass public shootings have occurred where general citizens have been able to defend themselves. Police are extremely important in stopping crime, but even if they had been present at the time of the nightclub shooting, they may have had a very difficult time stopping the attack. Attackers will generally shoot first at any uniformed guards or officers who are present (the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris last year illustrates that point).  …In this particular case the police only arrived on the scene after the attack occurred. That illustrates another point: it is simply impossible for the police to protect all possible targets. It is hard to ignore how these mass public shooters consciously pick targets where they know victims won’t be able to defend themselves.

By the way, if you think that allowing guns in bars is somehow a recipe for carnage, consider the fact that it’s already legal in many states to have concealed carry or open carry where alcohol is served, yet we never read stories about mass shootings in these states.

Among the recent states that allow permitted concealed handguns in places that get more than 50 percent of their revenue from alcohol are:Georgia (2014), Louisiana (2014), North Dakota (2015), North Carolina(2014), Ohio (2011), South Carolina (2014), and Tennessee (2009).  Besides Florida, other states that prohibit them are: Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska,New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.  Many of the states that allow one to carry a gun in a bar still prohibit you to consume alcohol.  Here are some other state laws: Alaska, Idaho, Michigan (allows you to open carry if you have a concealed handgun permit), and Montana (allows you to openly carry a gun into a bar), and Oregon.

To be sure, it’s possible at some point that some moron with a gun will do something wrong in one of these states, so it’s not as if there’s no possible downside to having guns legally in places where alcohol is served. But the really bad people are far more dangerous, and their evil actions are enabled and facilitated by gun-free zones. For my safety and the protection of my children, I want there to be more well-armed law-abiding people, whether in bars or anyplace else in society. Including schools. Professor Nelson Lund of George Mason University Law School explains in the New York Times that gun-free zones on campuses simply don’t work.

…colleges pretend that disarming responsible adults makes their students safer. The university at which I work, for example, forbids faculty, staff and students to bring their weapons to school, even if they have a concealed-carry permit issued by the government. …The university police are unable to prevent violent crimes, and it is heartlessly arrogant to disarm potential victims, leaving them and those they could protect at the mercy of rapists and other predators. Armed citizens frequently save lives and prevent violent crimes, often without firing a shot. Nearly all mass shootings occur in “gun-free zones,” and some of these massacres have been stopped by civilians who intervened after retrieving a gun.

He points out that the evidence favoring concealed carry is overwhelming.

…states have adopted laws allowing law-abiding adults to carry a concealed handgun in public. About 13 million Americans now have concealed-carry permits, and 11 states do not even require a permit. As the number of armed citizens has skyrocketed, violent crime has gone down, not up, and permit holders almost never abuse their rights. In Florida, for example, where permits have been available for almost thirty years, they have been revoked for firearm misuse at an annual rate of 0.0003 percent; even the police have higher rates of firearms violations (and higher overall crime rates) than permit holders.

So what’s the bottom line? Professor Lund has an understandably low opinion of the “callous” school bureaucrats who think grief counselors are better than self defense.

When murders and even massacres occur, …university bureaucrats will undoubtedly absolve themselves of guilt, wash the blood from their demonstrably unsafe spaces, and call in the grief counselors. Some state legislatures have put a stop to these callous disarmament policies.

The moral of the story is that lawful people should have the right to defend themselves and others. The police play an important role, of course, but they generally show up after bad things have happened. Which is why the vast majority of cops oppose gun control(and even a growing number of police chiefs, who often are corrupted by being political appointees, now say private gun ownership is important to deter bad guys). That’s why legal gun ownership is important, particularly for communities that are targeted for violence, such as European Jews, or for people such as teachers who could be in a position to protect others who have no ability to defend themselves. The good news on this sad day is that more and more states are moving policy in the right direction. Hopefully something good will come out of this tragedy and there will be further moves to help law-abiding people defend themselves from evil. Of course, I won’t be surprised if the people who can’t pass this IQ test argue instead for more gun control.

It’s happened again. A nut went to

US

Omar Mateen, left, and survivors and first responders outside of Pulse Orlando, Fla. (Photos: Facebook/AP)

Omar Mateen, left, and survivors and first responders outside of Pulse Orlando, Fla. (Photos: Facebook/AP)

Omar Mateen, 29, the Muslim U.S. citizen born to Afghan parents, “was on the radar before” he opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing at least 53 people. A senior law enforcement source told People’s Pundit Daily that Mateen was twice a person of interest in terror-related investigations, once in 2013 and again 2014.

UPDATE: The FBI publicly confirmed this report at a press conference in Orlando a little after 3:05 p.m. EST.

“He’s a known quantity,” the source told PPD. “He was on the radar before, two times.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) publicly confirmed they are looking into Mateen’s prior ties to Islamic terrorism.

“There are allegations the individual made threats in the past to having ties to terrorist organizations,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Ron Hopper said when asked if the suspect had ties to Jihadist terror groups. “At this time we’re looking at all angles right now. We do have suggestions that that individual may have leanings toward [radical Islam], that particular ideology. But right now we can’t say definitively so we’re still running everything around.”

In 2013, the first of the occasions, Mateen was questioned by the FBI after he made threatening comments to a co-worker and bragged to have connections to terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State. Investigators could not verify those connections and he was free to go. In 2014, he again came up in connection with a suicide bomber.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said at a press conference on Sunday that intelligence committees believe Mateen, who was born in New York, had ties to Islamic State. He stressed that the information did not come from the FBI before trashing identity politics.

“We need to look deep within ourselves and ask what is happening to our people,” Sen. Nelson said. “We are Americans and have to stop hyphenating our names and identities.”

Florida law enforcement officials are already making the terror distinction, noting that the attack was well-coordinated.

“The attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism,” said Danny Banks, special agent in charge at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Chief John Mina of the Orlando Police Department said Mateen, who was armed with an “assault-type rifle” and a handgun, was shot and killed in the nightclub at around 5 a.m.

“It appears he was organized and well-prepared,” Chief Mina said, adding that the shooter had “some type of (other) device on him.”

Seddique Mateen, the shooter’s father, is allegedly running for office in Afghanistan. He said his son was angered recently when he saw two men kissing.

“We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren’t aware of any action he is taking,” Seddique said. “We are in shock like the whole country,” he said, adding that the attack “has nothing to do with religion.”

The attack now marks the deadliest single-person mass murder in American history. Prior to Orlando, the worse occurred in Bath, Michigan in 1927, when a man bombed a school, killing 44 people.

Omar Mateen, 29, the Muslim U.S. citizen

US

Orlando-Nightclub-Pulse-Shooting-AP

Orlando Police officers direct family members away from a multiple shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on June 12, 2016. (Photo: AP)

Authorities identified the gunmen who opened fire and killed at least 53 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando as Omar Mateen, who authorities say may have possible ties to terrorism. Mateen, 29, was a Muslim who lived in Forth Pierce, Fla., and was born in the U.S. to parents of Afghan origin.

At least 53 more were wounded in the attack reported minutes after 2 a.m. Sunday at Pulse, which bills itself as “the hottest gay bar” in the city. The nightclub was packed with more than 300 people and only ended hours later when police stormed the building and killed Mateen. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer asked Gov. Rick Scott to declare a state of emergency following the attack.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, families and all those affected by this horrific tragedy,” Governor Rick Scott said in a statement. “We are a strong and resilient state and we will devote every resource available to assist with the shooting in Orlando.”

Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., said during a Sunday morning press conference that Islamic ideology was the likely motive.

“It’s not coincidence the attack took place where it did and when it did,” Rep. Grayson said. “More likely than not that it was an ideologically motivated attack.”

Orlando Regional Medical Center called in six trauma surgeons, including a pediatric surgeon, as victims poured in, Dr. Michael Cheatham said. Many of the wounded are “critically ill” due to their injuries, Cheatham said, and the hospital is trying to reach out to their families.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Ron Hopper said when asked if the suspect had ties to Jihadist terror groups that the Bureau was looking into possible threats he made previously in connection to radical Islam groups. He said the agency is still investigating and has yet to confirm any role a terror group may have played in the mass shooting.

“There are allegations the individual made threats in the past to having ties to terrorist organizations,” Special Agent Hopper said. “At this time we’re looking at all angles right now. We do have suggestions that that individual may have leanings toward [radical Islam], that particular ideology. But right now we can’t say definitively so we’re still running everything around.”

Florida law enforcement officials have already made that distinction and note that the attack was well-coordinated.

“The attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism,” said Danny Banks, special agent in charge at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Chief John Mina of the Orlando Police Department said Mateen, who was armed with an “assault-type rifle” and a handgun, was shot and killed in the nightclub at around 5 a.m.

“It appears he was organized and well-prepared,” Chief Mina said, adding that the shooter had “some type of (other) device on him.”

Authorities identified the gunmen who opened fire

Video

[brid video=”41412″ player=”2077″ title=”Newt Gingrich Elites “Don’t Want to Tell Us the Truth About Islamic Terrorism””]

Jun. 12, 2016 – Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Sunday morning that the elites in the U.S. “don’t want to tell us the truth about Islamic terrorism.”

“Well, the elites in this country are intentionally dishonest. That’s part of why you have the rise of Trump and Sanders. People know that the game is rigged,” Gingrich said on Fox and Friends Sunday morning. “They don’t want to tell us the truth about the world, they don’t want to tell us the truth about trade deals, they don’t want to tell us the truth about who is getting payoffs in Washington, and they don’t want to tell us the truth about Islamic terrorism.”

Omar Mateen, 29, the Muslim U.S. citizen born to Afghan parents, “was on the radar before” he opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing at least 53 people. A senior law enforcement source told People’s Pundit Daily that Mateen was twice a person of interest in terror-related investigations, once in 2013 and again 2014.

The FBI publicly confirmed this report at a press conference in Orlando a little after 3:05 p.m. EST. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack Sunday afternoon through its Amaq news agency, but it is not yet clear whether the shooting was actually directed by the terror organization or inspired by it.

“That shouldn’t shock anybody — Why would you expect the Washington Post and New York Times to be honest about anything,” the former speaker added.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Sunday

Polls

Presumptive nominees Donald J. Trump, left, and Hillary R. Clinton in New York AP

Presumptive nominees Donald J. Trump, left, and Hillary R. Clinton, right, give victory speeches on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in New York. (Photos: AP)

In head-to-head polling this week, Donald J. Trump lost ground to Hillary R. Clinton yet leads the new presumptive Democratic nominee in bellwether battleground counties. Axiom Strategies is tracking a select group of counties that have historically been indicators for statewide presidential election results and found the 2016 presumptive Republican nominee is running well-ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Gov. Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, was of course defeated by President Barack Obama.

Mr. Trump leads Mrs. Clinton in five of the seven battleground counties in seven battleground states that have correctly predicted the statewide result in each of the last four presidential elections and most consistently matched the overall statewide result within a few percentage points.

State County June 6th Results Key Findings
Memo
Clinton Trump Spread
Florida Hillsborough County 39% 41% Trump +2 View
Colorado Jefferson County 40% 36% Clinton +4 View
North Carolina Watauga County 39% 43% Trump +4 View
Ohio Sandusky County 34% 39% Trump +5 View
Pennsylvania Luzerne County 34% 51% Trump +17 View
Virginia Loudoun County 45% 37% Clinton +8 View
Nevada Washoe County 34% 46% Trump +12 View

Hillsborough County

President Obama bested Gov. Romney in this demographically diverse county by a nearly 5-point margin, or 52.71% (286,467 votes) to 46.04% (250,186 votes). But Mr. Trump leads with 41% to Mrs. Clinton’s 39%. Libertarian nominee and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson is polling at 6% and 7% chose “someone else.” Mr. Trump holds a 7-point lead over Mrs. Clinton with independent voters and draws slightly more support from Republicans than Clinton draws from Democrats.

Year: 2012 2008 2004 2000
Office: President President President President
Candidate: Obama Romney Obama McCain Kerry Bush Gore Bush
FL STATEWIDE 50.01% 49.13% 51.03% 48.22% 47.09% 52.10% 48.84% 48.85%
FL Hillsborough 52.71% 46.04% 53.05% 45.94% 46.05% 52.81% 47.06% 50.17%
DIFFERENCE 2.70% -3.09% 2.02% -2.28% -1.04% 0.71% -1.78% 1.32%

Interestingly, the county is only 53.7% white, with Hispanics making up 24.9% and black voters 15.6%. Still, considering Mr. Obama only carried the state 50.01% to 49.13%, overall, based on the early polling, demographics and past voting results, Mr. Trump would likely carry the Sunshine State.

While both Mr. Trump (38%/50%) and Mrs. Clinton (38%/54%) are seen unfavorably by likely voters in Hillsborough County, the Republican is seen in a slightly more positive light. As far as scandals, more voters (47%) in Hillsborough County say Mrs. Clinton’s scandals are more damaging than Mr. Trump’s (41%).

Jefferson County

This once reliably Republican county in Colorado is one of only two battleground counties where Mrs. Clinton leads Mr. Trump. In 2012, the county went for President Obama 51.0% to 46.6% for Gov. Romney, while he carried the state overall by a 51.49% to 46.13% margin. Mrs. Clinton has a similiar 4-point lead over Mr. Trump in Jefferson County, which used to vote Republican before waves of legal and illegal immigrants turned it competitive. It’s now 14.3% Hispanic and 79.9% white.

Year: 2012 2008 2004 2000
Office: President President President President
Candidate: Obama Romney Obama McCain Kerry Bush Gore Bush
CO STATEWIDE 51.49% 46.13% 53.66% 44.71% 47.02% 51.69% 42.39% 50.75%
CO Jefferson 51.21% 46.36% 53.60% 44.61% 46.60% 51.79% 42.88% 51.02%
DIFFERENCE -0.28% 0.23% -0.06% -0.10% -0.42% 0.10% 0.48% 0.27%

Independents are breaking 36% to 32% for Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump seems to have some trouble consolidating Republican voters, earning just 66% of their support. Mrs. Clinton draws a larger 73% from Democrats.

Gov. Johnson polls at 10% and “someone else” receives 7%.

Again, Trump (33%/57%) and Clinton (36%/55%) are both seen unfavorably by likely voters in Jefferson County, but Trump slightly more so than Clinton. However, even though she leads on the ballot, more voters said that Clinton’s record (44%) was more scandalous than Trump’s (39%).

Watauga County

While Trump and Clinton are both seen unfavorably by likely voters in Watauga County, the former secretary of state is really disliked here. Mr. Trump is only slightly underwater (41%/50%), but Mrs. Clinton is at -24 (34%/58%). That’s why it was a little surprising to see Mr. Trump leading by only 4 points, 43% to 39%, while 7% chose Gary Johnson and 6% chose “someone else.”

Just 5% of voters are undecided. Still, Gov. Romney only carried the county by 2.5 points, or 50.1% to 47.5%, and the state by 2.2 points, or 50.6% to 48.4%. Again, Mr. Trump is running ahead of Gov. Romney in the Tar Heel State, the only one the vocal critic was able to flip back to the Republican column in 2012.

Year: 2012 2008 2004 2000
Office: President President President President
Candidate: Obama Romney Obama McCain Kerry Bush Gore Bush
NC STATEWIDE 48.35% 50.39% 49.70% 49.38% 43.58% 56.02% 43.20% 56.13%
NC Watauga 46.98% 50.10% 50.67% 46.44% 46.70% 52.64% 42.51% 55.75%
DIFFERENCE -1.37% -0.30% 0.96% -2.94% 3.12% -3.38% -0.69% -0.38%

With a demographic makeup of 92.5% white, we do not anticipate Watauga County to ever lean toward Mrs. Clinton in tracking conducted by Axiom Strategies or PPD. Even though he trails Mrs. Clinton by 5 points among independent voters in the county, Mr. Trump makes it up with strong support from his own party and by taking her own voters away from her.

When asked about scandals and which is more damaging, the two candidates are roughly even.

Sandusky County

Donald Trump lost Ohio to the sitting governor during the primary season with more votes than Hillary Clinton won it with over Sen. Bernie Sanders. Now, he leads his Democratic rival in the battleground county by 5 points, 39% to 34%. While both presidential candidates are underwater, image-wise Mr. Trump (-10) is seen more favorably than Mrs. Clinton (-22).

Year: 2012 2008 2004 2000
Office: President President President President
Candidate: Obama Romney Obama McCain Kerry Bush Gore Bush
OH STATEWIDE 50.20% 47.25% 51.50% 46.91% 48.71% 50.81% 46.46% 49.97%
OH Sandusky 49.42% 46.75% 51.36% 46.72% 43.72% 55.92% 43.30% 53.21%
DIFFERENCE -0.78% -0.50% -0.14% -0.19% -4.98% 5.10% -3.17% 3.24%

This county moved slightly more Republican in 2012 than in 2008, as is the case with the vast majority of battleground counties. But Gov. Romney failed to motivate enough voters to swing it back into his column. Mr. Trump is nearly running ahead of Gov. Romney by double-digits, which affirms our assessment that the Buckeye State, as well as much of the Rust Belt, is leaning toward Mr. Trump.

Demographically, the county is 86.2% white, 8.9% Hispanic and only 2.3% black. With a per capita income of $23,236, it is a typical working class county where we’ve seen Mrs. Clinton grossly underperform.

Luzerne County

Case in point. The results in Luzerne County are a bombshell and have Democratic strategists absolutely frantic, with good reason. The county has gone for the Democratic candidate in the last four elections, despite President George W. Bush doing his best to flip it.

Now, Mr. Trump is running way ahead with a YUGE 17-point lead. Mr. Trump leads Mrs. Clinton and Gov. Johnson by 51% to 34% and 4%, respectively.

Year: 2012 2008 2004 2000
Office: President President President President
Candidate: Obama Romney Obama McCain Kerry Bush Gore Bush
PA STATEWIDE 52.08% 46.68% 54.65% 44.30% 50.96% 48.46% 50.61% 46.44%
PA Luzerne 51.68% 46.87% 53.63% 45.22% 51.15% 47.75% 54.36% 42.66%
DIFFERENCE -0.40% 0.19% -1.02% 0.92% 0.19% -0.71% 3.75% -3.78%

Again, as is the case in several counties in Ohio, Illinois and Michigan, Mr. Trump’s overwhelming support from working class voters in this 88.2% white county is giving him an enormous advantage. Luzerne County is also the only county in the U.S. with a plurality reporting Polish as their primary ethnicity; the majority of Pennsylvanians report German or Pennsylvania Dutch.

Interestingly, Mr. Trump is above water with voters in Luzerne County, with 50% viewing him favorably and 39% viewing him unfavorably (+11). Mrs. Clinton, on the other hand, is upside down with 57% viewing her unfavorably and only 36% viewing her favorably (-21). His lead is fueled by strong support from Republicans, dominating among independents and more than a third of Democrats.

Loudoun County

Former Gov. Bob McDonnell, who was indicted and convicted on corruption charges, easily carried Loudoun County in his landslide win. Ken Cuccinelli lost it to Clinton ally Gov. Terry McAuliffe by roughly 5 points. Interestingly, Gov. McAuliffe is also under federal investigation for corruption, but was still able to give hundreds of thousands of felons their voting rights back in time to vote for his long-time politico buddy, who is leading Mr. Trump by 8 points.

Office: President President President President
Candidate: Obama Romney Obama McCain Kerry Bush Gore Bush
VA STATEWIDE 51.16% 47.28% 52.62% 46.33% 45.48% 53.68% 44.44% 52.47%
VA Loudoun 51.52% 47.03% 53.67% 45.42% 43.60% 55.69% 40.89% 56.12%
DIFFERENCE 0.36% -0.25% 1.05% -0.91% -1.88% 2.01% -3.55% 3.65%

The county is largely urban and suburban, but does have some rural areas that helped reduce Sen. Marco Rubio’s margin of victory in Loudoun. In fact, Mr. Trump’s strength in rural and other Virginian suburbs helped him overcome an overwhelming margin for Sen. Rubio in D.C. -dependent Fairfax County. Whether he can do something similiar in the fall against Mrs. Clinton remains to be seen.

With a median household income of $123,966, D.C. has made Loudoun County a very rich place.

Washoe County

In another once-reliably Republican county made up of 66% white and 22.2% Hispanic, Mr. Trump is out-performing expectations and prior GOP nominees. Being the second most populous county in the state, Mr. Trump’s 12-point lead could very well be enough to enable him to overcome Mrs. Clinton’s expected margin in Clark County.

Mr. Trump leads Mrs. Clinton and Gov.  Johnson by 46% to 34% and 9%, respectively.

Year: 2012 2008 2004 2000
Office: President President President President
Candidate: Obama Romney Obama McCain Kerry Bush Gore Bush
NV STATEWIDE 52.36% 45.68% 55.11% 42.69% 47.88% 50.47% 45.94% 49.49%
NV Washoe 50.79% 47.09% 55.22% 42.64% 47.05% 51.26% 42.59% 52.02%
DIFFERENCE -1.57% 1.41% 0.11% -0.05% -0.83% 0.79% -3.35% 2.53%

Mr. Trump’s image is just barely underwater in Washoe County (-1), while Mrs. Clinton is again deeply unpopular (-25). By a nearly two-to-one margin (58% to 30%) voters say Mrs. Clinton’s record is more scandalous.

While he isn’t very strong among Republicans he makes up for it by dominating the independent voter and taking from Clinton’s base, among which she is relatively weak.

Pundit’s Take

The bottom line interpreting these numbers is a case I’ve been making for a very long time. Political coalitions in American politics are ever-changing and, while demographics and data journalism do tell an electoral story worth hearing, we have to be open to political realignments. With Donald Trump at the helm, it would appear that the Republican Party has an opportunity to shift to a more populous Rust Belt dominant party in the future, while ceding states like Virginia.

Face it, the Old Dominion is now the New Dominion in many ways, a transformation the GOP not only didn’t prevent but actually allowed to happen. In other states, such as Nevada, they have the opportunity to claim back what was once very friendly territory. But the party needs to stop cannibalizing itself, which is something I’m not at all fully convinced they can do.

In head-to-head polling, Donald Trump lost ground

World

Russian-President-Vladimir-Putin-and-Israeli-Prime-Minister-Benjamin-Netanyahu

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks this week in Moscow and pledged to expand their cooperation in the fight against terrorism. (Photo: Associated Press)

The Obama administration’s treatment of Israel has been, in a word, deplorable. Everybody knows it. President Obama has enabled Israel’s archenemy, the Islamic Republic of Iran, to threaten its very existence. The White House has allowed Tehran to receive sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons systems from Russia, with more advanced weapons on the way, to frustrate proactive military strategies Israel uses to deal with threats she faces. Mr. Obama has even effectively set up a timetable for Iran to receive nuclear weapons.

All this while Iran’s leaders continue to call for the destruction of Israel and defiantly test ballistic missiles to deliver the eventual nuclear payloads. Heck, Bloomberg reports this week that Mr. Obama’s $1.7 billion bribe to Iran through last year’s nuclear deal is actually financing Iranian weapons purchases. In case you haven’t noticed, Bloomberg is not known as a right-wing news outlet.

The president has squandered American influence in the Middle East so badly that now Russian aircraft have been targeting Israeli aircraft, prompting hurried trips to Vladimir Putin’s court in Moscow by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice in recent months.

Changes in the “facts on the ground” in the Levant and the Fertile Crescent during the Obama presidency have been astounding, and not in a good way.

Hezbollah now has access to Russian arms depots in Syria and threatens to “turn its sight towards Israel” when the Syrian civil war is over. The Islamic State is metastasizing in Egypt and has its leaders garrisoned and protected in the Gaza Strip. Fresh acts of terrorism erupted in Israel just this week, with the White House offering little beyond words to its ally.

So can you hardly blame the Israeli government for looking north to the Russian Federation for a partnership with the new sheriff in town. Mr. Netanyahu travels to Russia for the third time in a year this September to kiss Mr. Putin’s ring. He has no choice.

Israel can no longer count on the United States for its ultimate security. America is no longer the protector of last resort. Israel simply cannot trust us, for yes, the United States of America, formerly Israel’s only true friend, is now conspiring for its demise through a policy that has simply enabled Iran.

Russia has a natural connection to Israel. Hundreds of thousands of Russian Jews are living in Israel, which is also a popular destination for Russian tourists. It’s a short flight, the security is good, the beaches and culture are fantastic. There are many dual citizens in Israel with Russian passports as well. Russians even serve in the Israeli Defense Forces.

“Russia is a global power, and our relations are getting closer,” Mr. Netanyahu said recently.

Don’t blame Bibi. He is simply acknowledging reality. The axis of Russia, Iran and Syria now dominates the Middle East. Perhaps Mr. Netanyahu is hoping Mr. Putin can control Hezbollah and prevent the terrorist group from following through on its promise to attack Israel. Perhaps he is hoping the Russian president will restrain Iran. Perhaps he is just acknowledging the red elephant in the room.

Yes, we still give Israel lots of military aid, but the special relationship is gone. Thank Mr. Obama and the Israel haters in the Democratic Party for that. And Bernie Sanders will see to it that that hostility is enshrined in the party’s platform at the convention in July in Philadelphia.

Remember the boos at the last Democratic convention when Israel was mentioned? A Hillary Clinton presidency will drive a stake into the heart of Israel’s special bond with America. Mr. Netanyahu is simply playing the cards he has been dealt.

Never forget: Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle East. It is the only place where Jews, Christians and, yes, Muslims worship openly and freely. I’ve been there many times. I’ve seen it. It is the only place where Arabs are really free. Isn’t it ironic that America, the former shining city on the hill, is actively weakening Israel’s security?

This article first appeared on Behind the Burtain with L. Todd Wood on The Washington Times

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The Obama administration’s treatment of Israel has

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