Donald Trump said: “the Second Amendment people” might be the only group capable of stopping Hillary Clinton from appointing liberal judges if she is elected president." People are now debating whether he was suggested violence against Hillary. Seriously? Trump is an awkward guy who makes spontaneous awkward comments and has more than a touch of Joe Biden "foot in mouth" disease. He shouldn't be President. But not because of this comment.

I'm taking Trump's side on this one. He was obviously referring to the NRA and other gun rights groups' lobbying power and ability to influence the votes of millions of their members. He was not urging anyone use a weapon protected by the Second Amendment against Hillary. [More...]

The re-sentencing for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was held today in Chicago. He appeared by video from the Federal Prison Camp in Englewood where he is serving a 14 year sentence. The resentencing was the result of the appeals court vacating five of the most serious counts against him: the ones that pertained to the alleged "sale" of the Senate seat.

The judge refused to impose a lesser sentence. [More...]

Busy day here, time for a new open thread. All topics welcome.

Hillary is increasing her lead over Donald Trump, according to a new poll.

Hillary Clinton has emerged from the two major party conventions and their aftermath with an eight-point lead over Donald Trump, aided by a consolidation of support among Democrats and a failure so far by Republicans to rally equally behind their nominee, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Clinton and her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.), now lead Trump and his running mate, Gov. Mike Pence (Ind.), by 50 percent to 42 percent among registered voters, double the four-point advantage the Democrats held on the eve of the Republican convention in mid-July. Among likely voters, the Democratic nominee leads by 51 percent to 44 percent.

Here is the poll.

Through one of its FOIA lawsuits, the ACLU has obtained new documents concerning the Obama Administration's guidelines for targeted killings of suspected terrorists.

The primary document is the May, 2013 Presidential Policy Guidance, available here. [More...]

Has ISIS in Afghanistan captured a U.S. soldier? A statement today by ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq, accompanied by photographs displaying the Identification card of U.S. Army soldier Ryan Jay Larson, and what is purportedly his equipment, leaves that impression. But the statement stops short of claiming Larson was seized or killed

The statement says ISIS successfully repelled an attack by the Afghan army in the Tor Ghondi and Kha’stan Kamar areas in Nangarhar. It adds ISIS then conducted a counterattack and took control of three of of their points, killing two and injuring several others. It reports many fled. It says ISIS took “ghanimah” of weapons and ammunition. [More...]

They are starting to air the the Olympic Opening Ceremony on NBC. I wish Lester Holt could narrate the whole thing, he's got the best voice, doesn't dumb it down or hyperventilate or overly dramatize the small stuff.

I've had NBC on in the background for an hour, and so far, the coverage has been very good and interesting (except for the half hour the local affiliate had the air, what a difference between them and the big leagues.)

This is a thread for all things Olympics and Rio related only.

Here is the live stream schedule for the Olympics. Opening ceremonies are tomorrow but the games have already begun. The Torch has now reached Rio.

The media seems intent to run down Rio as host city to the Olympics. I'm seeing articles with headlines like No Game: The Olympics, Rio and Terror, Rio 2016 will be a Brazilian carnival of greed, doping and tear gas, For Olympic athletes in Rio, a lack of buzz over Zika concerns. There's even this Henny Penny articley: Freak 15-foot waves flood TV broadcasting building on Rio’s Copacabana Beach sparking fears it could collapse into the sea

I'm a big fan of Rio and Brazil, I was there in 1977. Yes, things change in 40 years, but the natural wonders of the country remain. [More...]

Here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.

President Obama today commuted 214 more federal sentences, bringing his total to 564, more than the previous 9 presidents combined.

67 of today's commutations went to those serving life sentences with no chance of release. To date, he has commuted 197 life sentences. (Some were commuted to 30 years, not time served.)

It seems no one can help [us] now
[we're] in too deep
There's no way out
This time [we] have really led [ourselves] astray
Runaway train never going back
Wrong way on a one way track

Republicans are having a conniption fit over their uncontrollable candidate. There are reports the campaign is in turmoil. Some Republicans are talking about an intervention.

Newt Gingrich says Trump is presently unacceptable: [More...]

A 10 year old attending a Trump rally with his mother, Pam Kohler, of Mount Vernon, VA, stood up twice and yelled out "Take the b*tch down" when Trump mentioned Hillary Clinton's name.

His mother identified herself to reporters as and stuck up for her son's remark. She said, “I think he has a right to speak what he wants to."

Ms. Kohler and her son were sitting in the media section of the rally and according to the Wall St Journal, both were holding signs that said "Hillary for Prison.....Asked where he would learn such a phrase, she said, "Democratic schools"

BS. He learned it from his mother. [More...]