August 23, 2017


News and Views


EITHER THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT HAS NO CLUE WHO THE PERPETRATORS ARE, OR THEY ARE COMPLICIT IN THE MATTER. I HOPE WE AREN'T GOING TO HAVE A BASICALLY BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO NEAR OUR BORDERS FOR THAT TO BE A GOOD THING. I ALSO THINK THAT IN MANY OF THOSE CASES, THE PEOPLE OF THE COMPETING NATIONS ARE NOT HOSTILE TO EACH OTHER, BUT IN PLACES LIKE CUBA THEY DON'T HAVE THE FREEDOMS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO "BUCK THE SYSTEM."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/some-u-s-diplomats-in-cuba-diagnosed-with-serious-health-conditions-medical-records-show/
CBS NEWS August 23, 2017, 11:05 AM
Some U.S. diplomats in Cuba diagnosed with serious health conditions, medical records show

According to medical records reviewed exclusively by CBS News, a U.S. doctor who evaluated American and Canadian diplomats working in Havana diagnosed them with conditions as serious as mild traumatic brain injury, and with likely damage to the central nervous system.

The diplomats complained about symptoms ranging from hearing loss and nausea to headaches and balance disorders after the State Department said "incidents" began affecting them beginning in late 2016. A source familiar with these incidents says officials are investigating whether the diplomats were targets of a type of sonic attack directed at their homes, which were provided by the Cuban government. The source says reports of more attacks affecting U.S. embassy workers on the island continue.

The doctor, one of several who reviewed their cases, included a warning in the medical records about the health risks of future exposures. The diplomats underwent comprehensive audiological evaluations and a battery of other tests.

An American doctor also visited Havana in the spring to assess U.S. embassy workers, according to the source.

A number of diplomats have cut short their assignments in Cuba because of the attacks.

The source says American diplomats have also been subjected other types of harassment including vehicle vandalization, constant surveillance, and home break-ins.

Ailments in Cuba could be result of intel operation gone wrong, expert says
Play VIDEO
Ailments in Cuba could be result of intel operation gone wrong, expert says

Although the State Department says it hasn't identified a definitive source of the attacks, it has reminded Cuban authorities of their international obligations to protect diplomats. The U.S. also expelled two Cuban embassy officials in Washington May 23.

"We hold the Cuban authorities responsible for finding out who is carrying out these health attacks on not just our diplomats but, as you've seen now, there are other cases with other diplomats involved," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters earlier this month.

Cuba has denied any involvement in the attacks.

"We remain in regular contact with the Cuban government to emphasize that we take these incidents very seriously and to resolve this matter in a satisfactory manner," a State Department spokesperson for Western Hemisphere Affairs tells CBS News.

But as the U.S. pledges publicly to hold Cuba accountable for the protection of its diplomats, there are signs the U.S. may be privately moving forward with plans to make it easier for Americans to visit and do business with the country.

On Tuesday, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control removed hundreds of internet domain names primary focused on travel to Cuba from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list. The people, groups and entities on this list are restricted from doing business in the U.S.

"While there may be a legal basis for the removal of the domain names from the SDN/BP list, to remove so many at one moment has optical significance," says John Kavulich, president of the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. It "is demonstrative of the distance between political rhetoric and practical implementation of policy."

The Treasury Department has not responded to numerous requests from CBS News for comment.



CLAPPER QUESTIONS TRUMP’S BASIC ABILITIES FOR THE OFFICE, AND HIS MOTIVATION FOR WANTING TO DO IT. I’VE THOUGHT FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW THAT HIS MOTIVATION IS THE SCARIEST THING ABOUT HIM. THE THING THAT PEOPLE FROM THE MAN ON THE STREET TO PEOPLE IN THE HIGHEST POSITIONS IN THE COUNTRY ARE NOTICING ABOUT TRUMP IS HIS LACK OF PERSONAL JUDGMENT AND HIS LACK OF PERSONAL CONTROL. IT IS CLEAR THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/clapper-fears-trumps-access-to-nuclear-codes/
By KATHRYN WATSON CBS NEWS August 23, 2017, 12:11 PM
Clapper fears Trump's access to nuclear codes after Arizona rally

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper voiced his concern about President Trump's access to nuclear codes, following Mr. Trump's campaign-style rally in Arizona.

"In a fit of pique he decides to do something about Kim Jong Un, there's actually very little to stop him," Clapper told CNN's Don Lemon, referencing North Korea's leader. "The whole system is built to ensure rapid response if necessary. So there's very little in the way of controls over exercising a nuclear option, which is pretty damn scary."

Clapper, who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations and has long been critical of Mr. Trump, questioned the president's fitness to serve in office after weeks of seemingly self-inflicted controversies in the White House. In the last month, Mr. Trump has drawn criticism for his response to the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, turnover of senior administration officials, and floating or pushing military options in North Korea and Venezuela, among other things. On Tuesday night, the president used his platform to insult reporters, complain about Republican senators and defend his remarks in Charlottesville. Clapper called the president's Arizona speech,* "extremely disturbing."

"I really question his ability to be -- his fitness to be -- in this office, and I also am beginning to wonder about his motivation for it," Clapper said.

Clapper shunned the president's "behavior and divisiveness and complete intellectual, moral and ethical void."

"How much longer does the country have to, to borrow a phrase, endure this nightmare?" Clapper said.

Clapper said Mr. Trump "should have quite [quit] while he was ahead," referring to Mr. Trump's Monday night speech on U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. In that speech, Mr. Trump stuck to the teleprompter, instead of going off script. Clapper said the "real Trump" came through in his Tuesday night rally.


WATCH THE ARIZONA SPEECH VIDEO, WHICH I TOOK FROM THE NEW TRUMP NETWORK. HE FEATURES ALL OR NEARLY ALL OF HIS SPEECHES THAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE SIGNIFICANT. HIS ENTRANCE INTO THE HALL IN THIS VIDEO IS ACCOMPANIED BY SOME WILD AND HIGHLY STIMULATING ROCK MUSIC – “ACID ROCK,” SOUNDED A BIT LIKE IT, BUT I’M NO SCHOLAR ON THE SUBJECT. THIS SPEECH AND AUDIENCE CERTAINLY SOUND LIKE THE RIOTOUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE “SECOND SPEECH” THAT CLAPPER SPOKE OF IN HIS COMMENTS.

I WONDER IF HE CHOSE THAT MUSIC BECAUSE HE PERSONALLY ENJOYS IT, OR BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IT WILL STIR UP AND EXCITE HIS MAINLY YOUNG AUDIENCE. PERHAPS IT SERVES THE SAME PURPOSE AS THE “RED MEAT” COMMENTS THAT ALL POLITICIANS USE IN THE CAMPAIGN SEASON, BUT THIS IS NOT A CAMPAIGN. I SUSPECT THAT HE FEEDS ON THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CROWD, AND KNOWS THAT MANY OF THEM WILL FOLLOW HIM AVIDLY. RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE CHANTING “USA USA USA.” MY FEAR IS THAT HE PLANS AN AGGRESSIVE MOVE TO INCREASE HIS POSITION TO THAT OF A DICTATOR BY ENFLAMING THEIR PASSIONS. I HOPE THAT’S JUST MY PERSONAL “PARANOIA.”

PLAY VIDEO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_0IIdsICKo
President Donald Trump Rally in Phoenix, Arizona 8/22/17 Trump Phoenix Arizona Speech
TRUMP TV NETWORK
1:18:08




THESE SINGLE PROPELLER PLANES WOULDN’T GO AS FAST OR AS HIGH AS JETS, BUT IF THEY CAN FLY LOW MAYBE IT WILL BE EASIER TO HIT TARGETS ACCURATELY. THE ATTACK HELICOPTER WOULD BE AN EVEN BETTER WEAPON FOR CLOSE ATTACKS, I WOULD THINK. HELICOPTERS CAN MOVE BACKWARDS AND SIDEWAYS AS WELL AS FORWARD, UP AND DOWN, AND CAN HOVER IN THE AIR. THEY CAN GET INTO TIGHT SPACES, LIKE IN CRANNIES BETWEEN MOUNTAINS. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FLY IN A HELICOPTER IN 1967 AT THE MONTREAL WORLD’S FAIR. IT FELT A LITTLE SPOOKY BECAUSE I’M USED TO THINGS FLYING FORWARD AND GAINING ALTITUDE GRADUALLY. A HELICOPTER GOES STRAIGHT UP AND DOES IT RAPIDLY. IT WAS LIKE A CARNIVAL RIDE. LOTS OF FUN!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-afghanistan-training-afghan-air-force-taliban-a29-propeller-planes/
CBS NEWS August 23, 2017, 8:36 AM
Could prop planes turn tide of 16-year Afghan war?

KABUL -- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the United States wants to force the Taliban to the negotiating table in Afghanistan. At a Tuesday press briefing, he contradicted President Trump's assertion that the administration's new strategy in America's longest-running war is about total victory.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani thanked President Trump and the American people for their continued support here this week. At the top of the list, he mentioned the development of the Afghan Air Force.

Commander says more U.S. troops to reach Afghanistan soon

CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata recently got the rare opportunity to watch U.S. fighter pilots training new Afghan pilots on how to wage war over Afghanistan's not-so-friendly skies.

ctm-23aug17-dagata-afghan-airforce.jpg
A U.S.-built A-19 Super Tucano aircraft, now a part of the Afghan Air Force fleet, is seen on the tarmac at a base where U.S. Air Force pilots are training their Afghan counterparts to battle the Taliban. CBS

The fleet they're being trained on doesn't necessarily resemble what most Americans would consider modern aircraft, but then, the Afghan military's long fight against the Taliban could hardly be described as a modern war.

Brigadier General Phillip Stewart tells CBS News the help in the air could just help the Afghan's break the stalemate with the Islamic extremist insurgents.

"This is a country that screams out for air power," Stewart said. "It doesn't have a whole lot of roads. It's mountainous."

That terrain suits the new Afghan fighter division, which consists of a 12 American-built A-29 Super Tucano planes and about two-dozen MD-530 attack helicopters, capable delivering a full payload, and equipped with heavy machine guns and guided missiles.

U.S. combat pilot Lt. Colonel Johnnie Green is in charge of handling Afghanistan's "Top Guns," and he tells CBS News the aircraft are fully equipped with communications equipment to enable Afghan Air Force pilots to get targeting information directly from their own personnel on the ground, "all in their own language. That is all on them."

So is the maintenance. The A-29s, single-propeller planes, use the same kind of engines found in planes like civilian Cessnas, so they're easy to fix.

The war Obama, Trump wanted to end to go on indefinitely
Play VIDEO
The war Obama, Trump wanted to end to go on indefinitely

It says something about the level of security in the country that the Afghan pilots who spoke to D'Agata didn't want to be identified, but one said it was the Taliban who have new reasons to be fearful.

At first, the pilot said insurgents mocked what appeared to them to be long-outdated aircraft. But then they found themselves on the receiving end of one in combat.

"After that, they said, 'we should hide.'" Now, if a group of militants hear the growl of an A-29 engine approaching, they try to get to cover.

The planes are also capable of dropping laser-guided 500-pound bombs, which makes them both cheap and deadly.

AFGHANISTAN-UNREST-AIR FORCE
An Afghan Air Force A-29 Super Tucano aircraft flies during an airstrike training mission on the outskirts of Logar province, in a Oct. 18, 2016 file photo. GETTY

"An aircraft like this is not going to hold its own against an air force like the Russians or China," Lt. Colonel Green told CBS News. It's not designed to, but in this war, it "suits the Afghan Air Force just fine."

Asked by D'Aagta whether that makes it an unfair fight with the Taliban, Green replied: "We hope so. In our favour… that's the desire."

And it's a mission on fast-forward; Afghan pilots come out of U.S. training and head straight into combat.

With the Taliban still gaining ground, the only advantage Afghan troops have is above it.

As recently as Tuesday, U.S. Air Force officials said they were not only examining ways to expand the training of the Afghan Air Force, but also looking at ramping up American air power and intensifying U.S. airstrikes in light of Washington's new military strategy in Afghanistan.



DEAR NEGATIVE COMMENTERS: BERNIE WAS SHAFTED AND ANY HONEST PERSON WOULD ADMIT THAT. THE 2016 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WAS A CORONATION AND NOT AN ELECTION. THE SUPERDELEGATE SYSTEM SHOULD BE BANNED. THEY DID THAT TO HIM BECAUSE HE WAS WINNING, NOT LOSING, AND HILLARY WAS DESPERATE TO BE PRESIDENT. TOO BAD A WORSE PERSON WAS RUNNING AGAINST HER IN THE ELECTION, OTHERWISE I WOULDN’T HAVE VOTED FOR HER AT ALL. HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THE DNC NOW IS (GRUDGINGLY) MOVING TO THE LEFT? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? DID YOU HEAR THE MASSIVE STANDING OVATION THAT BERNIE GOT WHEN HE WALKED OUT ON THE STAGE? THAT WAS OUT OF PURE RESPECT. YOUR HOSTILITY ISN’T GOING TO MAKE YOU RIGHT!!

http://freebeacon.com/politics/sanders-those-who-cant-win-elections-ideas-get-out-politics/
Sanders: Those Who Can’t Win Elections on Their Ideas Should ‘Get the Hell Out of Politics’
Senator lost 2016 Dem primary running on progressive ideas
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) / Getty Images
BY: Alex Griswold
August 23, 2017 11:04 am

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I.) had pointed words Tuesday evening for those politicians who are not running on the issues.

"If you cannot win an election based on your ideas, then get the hell out of politics, tweeted Sanders, a self-declared Democratic socialist.

In 2016, Sanders ran for the Democratic presidential nomination based on his ideas. He lost to Hillary Clinton.

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Bernie Sanders ✔ @SenSanders
If you cannot win an election based on your ideas, then get the hell out of politics.
8:29 PM - Aug 22, 2017
4,756 4,756 Replies 13,821 13,821 Retweets 63,661 63,661 likes

The irony of Sanders' statement was not lost on liberals or conservatives on Twitter.

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Sam Stein ✔ @samstein
i’m fully aware of the twitter incoming that i’m gonna get, but... he lost the primary. https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/900153026631139329 …
8:58 PM - Aug 22, 2017
330 330 Replies 535 535 Retweets 3,025 3,025 likes

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Stephen Miller ✔ @redsteeze
You lost the Democrat primary https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/900153026631139329 …
8:48 PM - Aug 22, 2017
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Alana Massey ✔ @AlanaMassey
Who is going to to tell him https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/900153026631139329 …
9:13 PM - Aug 22, 2017
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20h
Bernie Sanders ✔ @SenSanders
If you cannot win an election based on your ideas, then get the hell out of politics.

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Chris Seay @ChrisSeay104
Tweeted by a guy who literally lost a primary based on his ideas.https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/900153026631139329 …
8:35 PM - Aug 22, 2017
127 127 Replies 407 407 Retweets 2,496 2,496 likes

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Peter Daou ✔ @peterdaou
I get attacked for critiquing Bernie Sanders, but here he is slamming himself. https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/900153026631139329 …
10:05 PM - Aug 22, 2017
54 54 Replies 225 225 Retweets 873 873 likes

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Jon Ralston @RalstonReports
And throw a chair. https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/900153026631139329 …
8:52 PM - Aug 22, 2017
61 61 Replies 57 57 Retweets 233 233 likes

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Mary Elizabeth ✔ @mchastain81
Then why are you still in the Senate? https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/900153026631139329 …
9:33 PM - Aug 22, 2017
9 9 Replies 26 26 Retweets 47 47 likes

This entry was posted in Politics and tagged Bernie Sanders. Bookmark the permalink.

Alex Griswold Email Alex | Full Bio | RSS
Alex is a staff writer at the Washington Free Beacon. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2012. Before joining the Free Beacon, he was a writer for Mediaite and The Daily Caller. He is originally from Buffalo, New York, but regrettably now lives in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at griswold@freebeacon.com



ABOUT HAZING AND OTHER DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR, THE PARENTS OF YOUNG PIAZZA ARE DISCUSSING HERE, THE ISSUE OF WHETHER FRATERNITIES SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN COLLEGE LIFE AT ALL. I PERSONALLY THINK THEY ARE A WASTE, AND A DISTRACTION FROM THE REASON YOUNG PEOPLE ARE IN COLLEGE TO BEGIN WITH – TO LEARN! THEN WHEN THEIR DRUNKENNESS CAUSES SUCH A DEATH, IT INFURIATES ME. THE LAST STORY ABOUT FRAT HOUSE MISBEHAVIOR, WHICH WAS LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, WAS A RAPE, BUT IT’S JUST AS TERRIBLE FOR THE VICTIM, AND AS SINFUL/CRIMINAL AS THIS DEATH WAS. FRATERNITIES FOSTER THE WORST IN YOUNG MEN, WHO NEED SOME HELP TO ACHIEVE THEIR BEST.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/timothy-piazza-penn-state-hazing-death-parents-respond-to-greek-life-reform/
CBS NEWS August 23, 2017, 9:19 AM
Parents of Timothy Piazza: Penn State Greek life reform "a good start"

New oversight measures are now in effect for Greek life organizations at Penn State University. They were implemented in response to the death of Timothy Piazza in February. Prosecutors allege the sophomore was hazed into drinking excessive amounts of alcohol at a party. Piazza's parents pushed Penn State to make changes.

"I think they're a good start. We've been in contact with President Barron for the past six months about proposals that they need to implement, and many of the proposals they've put forth are our suggestions. But there's still more that they need to do," father Jim Piazza said, sitting alongside mother Evelyn, in an interview you'll see only on "CBS This Morning." "They really haven't implemented a lot of them yet, and at the end of the day, they need to implement and more importantly enforce."

0823-ctm-pennstatepiazzafamilyqa-1380822-640x360.jpg
Jim and Evelyn Piazza CBS NEWS

With the fall semester underway, Penn State President Eric Barron is implementing more than a dozen reforms to Greek life at the school. The university will take responsibility for oversight and discipline of fraternities and sororities. Social restrictions addressing alcohol use will remain in place as well as a no-tolerance policy for hazing.

"It can't happen to anybody else. It's just too awful," Evelyn said.

"We have a big stake in this. This is part of Tim's legacy. We have to make a difference," Jim added.

While they are "happy" Penn State has taken responsibility for the lack of oversight and disciplinary actions, they said they are still concerned.

"They have the same people involved and those people were ineffective, so I'm concerned about that," Jim said.

Piazza family says Penn State hazing hearings "have tried our patience"
Play VIDEO
Piazza family says Penn State hazing hearings "have tried our patience"
Preliminary hearings are underway for members of the now-closed Beta Theta Pi frat house. Eighteen of them are facing charges in connection to the death of sophomore Timothy Piazza.

Piazza died following an initiation ceremony that involved heavy drinking. He fell down a flight of stairs and hit his head repeatedly, often in view of his fraternity brothers. No one called for help until the following morning.

Evidence tampering suspected in Penn State hazing death
Play VIDEO
Evidence tampering suspected in Penn State hazing death

"We have a friend who's unconscious," a man could be heard saying on a 911 call.

During hearings in July, the prosecution presented apparently incriminating text messages sent from some of the frat brothers.

"I don't want to go to jail for this," wrote one member.

"The boys themselves knew what they did. The texts admit right after, before he even passes away. They say it's because of the hazing, it's because of the drinking, they caused this, we should have called 911," Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said.

But lawyers for the 16 defendants who appeared at the preliminary hearing claim the evidence doesn't warrant a trial. Some argue the brothers didn't force Piazza to drink and can't be held responsible for knowing the difference between intoxication and serious injury.

"I think it's just an absurd statement," Jim said. "I mean, he wanted to be part of this club. They fed significant amounts of alcohol into him. Your judgment immediately starts to go sideways, and they continued to force alcohol on him and all the other pledges."

Two of the brothers waived their right to a preliminary hearing.

The Piazzas agreed to watch surveillance video of the incident only if they watched it with the university president and the trustees.

"I only wanted to do that so they would do it, so they could see the severity of what happened, and we want them to watch it. We personally do not want to watch it, but if they make us, we will. But they need to watch it so they can implement these changes," Jim said.

Jim and Evelyn said they dropped off their older son at Penn State this past weekend. "We just couldn't stick around. It was hard knowing we should have been bringing two kids back," Evelyn said.

To parents who are sending their children off to college this fall, the Piazzas had this advice:

"Go in with your eyes open. Talk to your kids. This could happen to anybody. If it happened to Tim, it could happen to anybody," Evelyn said. "And if it doesn't feel right, if something makes you feel uncomfortable, if you feel pressured, don't do it. You're not invincible. You're so important to somebody somewhere."

"I also encourage all the parents that if they hear something, that they should also speak up and say something," Jim said. "We've heard a lot of stories about severe hazing at Penn State now from a lot of people. Some have written letters to the president, others just let it go. You need to speak up."



PROTESTOR’S AT TRUMP’S “SECOND SPEECH” AT PHOENIX GOT ROWDY AGAIN. THIS DOESN’T MENTION THE ANTIFA, SO PERHAPS THEY WEREN’T THERE. THE POLICE GOT TO USE THEIR “FLASH BANGS,” THOUGH, AND A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/protesters-trump-rally-phoenix-arizona/
By PETER MARTINEZ CBS NEWS August 23, 2017, 12:02 AM
Police fire gas, flash bangs on unruly crowd outside Trump rally in Phoenix

Police in Arizona fired gas and flash bangs to disperse protesters at a rally in downtown Phoenix following a campaign-style rally by President Trump on Tuesday night.

Play Video – Fury in Phoenix

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Officers are addressing criminal behavior near 2nd St & Monroe. Please follow directions to move from the area.
11:52 PM - Aug 22, 2017
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Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams says four people were arrested on charges related to the protest and one person was arrested on an unrelated warrant. Two officers were treated for heat exhaustion, she added.

CBS affiliate KPHO-TV reports that two face charges of aggravated assault and one faces criminal damage charges.

Pictures posted Tuesday evening by KPHO-TV show a chaotic scene, as police reportedly began deploying pepper balls and tear gas into the crowd because people were throwing rocks and bottles at police:

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Nicole Crites ✔ @NicoleCritesTV
That escalated quickly @phoenixpolice deploy pepper balls, tear gas on rowdy protesters outside convention center #azfamily @mikewatkiss3tv
11:48 PM - Aug 22, 2017
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"They had their own gas and they threw it at police. They didn't throw our own gas," Williams said according to how an employee recounted the incident.

Meanwhile, CBS News' Carter Evans was about three blocks away from the convention center and said his eyes and nose were burning. He said he saw a lot of flashes and heard bangs that seemed to disperse the crowd, but many were wearing masks.

Evans reported that demonstrators were trying to send a message that they wouldn't stand for racism or white supremacy and disagree with much of what Mr. Trump stands for.

Pro-Trump supporters phoenix protest
Pro-Trump supporters face off with anti-Trump protesters outside a Donald Trump campaign rally in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tue., Aug. 22, 2017. REUTERS

CBS affiliate KPHO-TV described the scene as a "battle zone."

"Your eyes are burning; you're choking," said KPHO-TV's Mike Watkiss, as he described how the gas affected him.

In the following tweet you can purportedly see police shoot a rubber bullet after a demonstrator kicked a canister of gas back at them.

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Tim Ring ✔ @timringTV
Protester kicks tear gas back at police. Police shoot him with a rubber bullet on live TV. VIDEO:
12:11 AM - Aug 23, 2017 · Scottsdale, AZ
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"It was just this thick cloud," KPHO-TV's investigative reporter Morgan Loew on the tear gas. "You really have a hard time breathing."

KPHO-TV writes that an organizer of one of the largest protests said his group did not start the violence.

"It was peaceful," Carlos Garcia of Puente Arizona told the station. "We started getting shot at by rubber bullets."

When asked if the use of force was justified, Williams said, "Absolutely," according to KPHO-TV.

KPHO-TV adds that Rep. Ruben Gallego was at the protest and said he needed to talk to protesters, community leaders and police to figure out what happened.

phoenix protest trump rally
A demonstrator taunts Police officials after a Donald Trump campaign rally in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tue., Aug. 22, 2017. REUTERS



THIS CBS FEATURE ON CLINTON’S NEW MEMOIR SHOWS TRUMP AS BEING AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT “UNBALANCED,” AND THE STORY BELOW RECOUNTS ONE OF QUITE A NUMBER OF BIZARRE HAPPENINGS SINCE HE HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. HE JUST DOESN’T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HE SHOULD BE DOING TO MAKE PEOPLE RESPECT AND TRUST HIM, OR DOESN’T LIKE THE CONSTRAINT THAT IT PLACES ON HIM. ONE COMMENTARY ONLINE CALLED HIM A “MAN BOY” AND I’M AFRAID THAT’S VERY ACCURATE. HE IS 70 SOMETHING YEARS OLD. I’VE SEEN HIM DO BETTER WHEN HE WANTS TO, (OR WHEN SOMEONE WROTE HIS SPEECH?) BUT HE OFTEN WANTS TO BE PLAYFUL OR ANGRY INSTEAD. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT TURN OF MIND, I DON’T WANT IT IN A PRESIDENT. OBAMA, IN MY VIEW, WAS A DIGNIFIED, MATURE, INTELLIGENT PRESIDENT. I REALLY DO MISS HIM.

ONE COMMENT ABOUT THIS ARTICLE, THE WRITER EMILY TILLETT SAID AT THE BEGINNING THAT “WHAT HAPPENED” IS A MEMOIR, WHILE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE SHE CALLS IT A “NOVEL.” IF SHE HAD EVER WORKED IN A LIBRARY, SHE WOULDN’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE. IF SHE IS MAKING A SLY DIG AT CLINTON, AND I HOPE SHE ISN’T, THEN I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE. I DID TRY TO FACT CHECK IT AND FOUND NO OTHER REFERENCE TO THE BOOK BEING INACCURATE OR FICTION. WHAT I HAVE INCLUDED HERE BELOW IS A BOOK REVIEW FROM AMAZON. IT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN SEPTEMBER.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-says-trump-made-her-skin-crawl-during-debate-book-excerpts/
By EMILY TILLETT CBS NEWS August 23, 2017, 8:21 AM
In book, Clinton says Trump's debate stalking made her skin crawl

Hillary Clinton's upcoming book "What Happened" is set to reveal her personal experiences over the course of the 2016 campaign, but in new excerpts obtained by MSNBC, the former presidential candidate gets candid about a memorable debate with her former challenger, President Donald Trump, a moment she said was "incredibly uncomfortable."

In excerpts of the highly anticipated memoir, Clinton recalls the October debate, the second time she faced off against Mr. Trump, just two days after Mr. Trump's infamous "Access Hollywood" tapes went public showing the then-TV personality speak openly about grabbing women, a hot-mic moment he chalked up to "locker room talk."

"Now we were on a small stage and no matter where I walked, he followed me closely, staring at me, making faces. It was incredibly uncomfortable. He was literally breathing down my neck. My skin crawled," Clinton wrote in the book excerpt. "It was one of those moments where you wish you could hit pause and ask everyone watching, 'well, what would you do?'"

Clinton went on, questioning her next move during the televised debate.

"Do you stay calm, keep smiling and carry on as if he weren't repeatedly invading your space or do you turn, look him in the eye and say loudly and clearly, 'Back up you creep, get away from me. I know you love to intimidate women but you can't intimidate me. So back up."

Clinton writes that she went with the first option instead -- keeping her cool, aided by what she referred to as a "lifetime of difficult men trying to throw me off." The former candidate said she gripped her microphone extra hard during the tense debate, conceding that perhaps she has "over-learned the lesson of staying calm, biting my tongue, digging my fingernails into a clenched fist, smiling all the while, determined to present a composed face to the world."

Following the stunning October debate, Clinton's campaign conveyed that Mr. Trump had "crossed a line", deflecting the negative criticism he received for this lewd 2005 video onto former President Bill Clinton, as Clinton sat watching in the front row.

"If you look at Bill Clinton, far worse. Mine are words, and his was action," Mr. Trump said.

Other notable moments from the debate included Mr. Trump threatening to investigate Clinton for her use of a private email server if he were to win the presidency, as well as referring to Clinton as the "devil."

The new excerpts show a more open Clinton, admitting her faults as a candidate but also providing her supporters a chance to understand what exactly went wrong during the contentious campaign.

"I don't have all the answers and this isn't a comprehensive account of the 2016 race. I want to pull back the curtain on an experience that was exhilarating, joyful, humbling, infuriating and just plain baffling," Clinton wrote.

She added, "Every day that I was a candidate for president, I knew that millions of people were counting on me. And I couldn't bear the idea of letting them down. But I did. I couldn't get the job done and I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life."

In the introduction of the novel, Clinton writes: "In the past, for reasons I try to explain, I've often felt I had to be careful in public, like I was up on a wire without a net. Now I'm letting my guard down."

"What Happened" will be published by Simon & Schuster, a division of CBS Corporation, on September 12.


HERE ARE A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF THE VIDEO OF THE TRUMP/CLINTON DEBATE OF OCTOBER 2016, SHOWING TRUMP HARASSING HER ON STAGE. HE GOAL WAS DEFINITE TO BREAK HER. I HATE TO BRING THIS UP, BUT IN ONE OF THE LAST GEORGE W BUSH DEBATES AGAINST AL GORE, WHO IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DEMOCRATS FOR THE ISSUES THAT HE STRESSES, GORE “STALKED” BUSH IN A VERY SIMILAR WAY (THOUGH HE DIDN’T “MAKE FACES,”) AND FINALLY BUSH PAUSED IN HIS TALKING, LOOKED AT GORE AND SMILED IN AN AMUSED WAY. GORE SIMPLY WENT BACK BEHIND HIS ASSIGNED PODIUM. I DIDN’T LIKE IT WHEN GORE DID IT ANY MORE THAN I LIKE IT IN TRUMP. WE NEED TO KEEP SOME DIGNITY IN THE BUSINESS OF THE PRESIDENCY. THE GUARDIAN VIDEO BELOW, SHOWING THE ONSTAGE INTERACTION BETWEEN CLINTON AND TRUMP, SHOULD BE VIEWED.

IN HILLARY’S CASE, PERHAPS SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING CONFRONTIVE ALSO. SHE JUST IGNORED TRUMP. IN THE FOOTAGE I SAW, TRUMP WASN’T GRIMACING OR ANYTHING, BUT HE DID HAVE A SCOWL ON HIS FACE THAT LOOKED DISTINCTLY ANGRY, AND HE WAS STARING AT HER. TRUMP REALLY IS A HOSTILE PERSON. I CAN SEE WHY SHE WOULD FIND IT ACTUALLY THREATENING. IN SO MANY PICTURES OF TRUMP, THOUGH, HE DOES HAVE SOME EXTREME AND ODD FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. I THINK THAT IN HIS HEART DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO BE, NOT THE PRESIDENT, BUT A STANDUP COMEDIAN. THAT’S WHY THE MEDIA LIKES TO TAKE SHOTS OF HIM AND PUBLISH THE FUNNIEST PHOTOGRAPHS. IF HE DOESN’T LIKE THAT KIND OF ATTENTION, HE SHOULD STOP MUGGING AND OTHERWISE SHOWING OFF FOR THE CAMERA, RATHER THAN CALLING OUR RESPECTABLE AND DEFINITELY BONA FIDE NEWS SITES “FAKE.” HE DID EXPLAIN ONCE EARLY ON THAT THE OUTLETS WHO “DON’T SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT HIM” ARE “FAKE,” AND THE ONES WHO DO ARE “REAL.” TOTAL NONSENSE, BUT THEN THAT’S OUR DONALD.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/23/hillary-clinton-book-what-happened-trump-creep
Hillary Clinton
'My skin crawled': Hillary Clinton recalls dealing with 'creep' Trump
In an excerpt from the former presidential candidate’s forthcoming memoir, she describes sharing a stage with Donald Trump ‘looming’ behind her
Edward Helmore in New York
Wednesday 23 August 2017 08.21 EDT

VIDEO -- 'Back up, you creep!': MSNBC reveals excerpt from Hillary Clinton's new book 1:36


I LISTEN REGULARLY TO MSNBC’S RACHEL MADDOW, WHO CLEVERLY AND HUMOROUSLY MOCKS TRUMP, AND DISCLOSES INFORMATION AT LEAST SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK WHICH IS “STRANGER THAN FICTION.” THIS MEMOIR IS ONE THAT I WANT, BUT I JUST DON’T WANT TO PAY $18.00 FOR IT. MAYBE I’LL FIND A DISCOUNTED COPY AT AMAZON IN SIX MONTHS OR SO. WHY AM I SO MEAN TO DONALD TRUMP? BECAUSE HE’S A SCOUNDREL AND TRULY DANGEROUS IN MY VIEW.

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=clinton+what+happened&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=181854317510&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16340076242691196546&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011538&hvtargid=kwd-340300106387&ref=pd_sl_1ob27dndfw_b_p19
What Happened Hardcover – September 12, 2017
by Hillary Rodham Clinton (Author)

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“In the past, for reasons I try to explain, I’ve often felt I had to be careful in public, like I was up on a wire without a net. Now I’m letting my guard down.” —Hillary Rodham Clinton, from the introduction of What Happened

For the first time, Hillary Rodham Clinton reveals what she was thinking and feeling during one of the most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections in history. Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. This is her most personal memoir yet.

In these pages, she describes what it was like to run against Donald Trump, the mistakes she made, how she has coped with a shocking and devastating loss, and how she found the strength to pick herself back up afterward. With humor and candor, she tells readers what it took to get back on her feet—the rituals, relationships, and reading that got her through, and what the experience has taught her about life. She speaks about the challenges of being a strong woman in the public eye, the criticism over her voice, age, and appearance, and the double standard confronting women in politics.

She lays out how the 2016 election was marked by an unprecedented assault on our democracy by a foreign adversary. By analyzing the evidence and connecting the dots, Hillary shows just how dangerous the forces are that shaped the outcome, and why Americans need to understand them to protect our values and our democracy in the future.

The election of 2016 was unprecedented and historic. What Happened is the story of that campaign and its aftermath—both a deeply intimate account and a cautionary tale for the nation.



“UNBELIEVABLE” IS KATY TUR’S DARKLY COMIC, FASCINATINGLY BIZARRE, AND OFTEN SCARY STORY OF HOW AMERICA SENT A FORMER REALITY SHOW HOST TO THE WHITE HOUSE.” I THINK I MAY INVEST A LITTLE MONEY ON THIS KATY TUR EXPOSE. DONALD TRUMP HAS TERMED IT “NOT NICE!” THAT MEANS I’LL PROBABLY LIKE IT.

https://www.amazon.com/Unbelievable-Front-Row-Craziest-Campaign-American/dp/0062684922/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=M42DT1X2Z42PZDMXCT4E
Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History
Hardcover – September 12, 2017
by Katy Tur (Author)

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Called "Disgraceful," "third-rate," and "not nice" by Donald Trump, NBC News correspondent Katy Tur reported on—and took flak from—the most captivating and volatile presidential candidate in American history. Tur lived out of a suitcase for a year and a half, following Trump around the country, powered by packets of peanut butter and kept clean with dry shampoo. She visited forty states with the candidate, made more than 3,800 live television reports, and tried to endure a gazillion loops of Elton John’s "Tiny Dancer"—a Trump rally playlist staple.

From day 1 to day 500, Tur documented Trump’s inconsistencies, fact-checked his falsities, and called him out on his lies. In return, Trump repeatedly singled Tur out. He tried to charm her, intimidate her, and shame her. At one point, he got a crowd so riled up against Tur, Secret Service agents had to walk her to her car.

None of it worked. Facts are stubborn. So was Tur. She was part of the first women-led politics team in the history of network news. The Boys on the Bus became the Girls on the Plane. But the circus remained. Through all the long nights, wild scoops, naked chauvinism, dodgy staffers, and fevered debates, no one had a better view than Tur.

Unbelievable is her darkly comic, fascinatingly bizarre, and often scary story of how America sent a former reality show host to the White House. It’s also the story of what it was like for Tur to be there as it happened, inside a no-rules world where reporters were spat on, demeaned, and discredited. Tur was a foreign correspondent who came home to her most foreign story of all. Unbelievable is a must-read for anyone who still wakes up and wonders, Is this real life?