hotair--2020-12-24--Breaking: UK, EU reach Brexit trade agreement

The divorce between the United Kingdom and the European Union finally reached completion within the past hour .
Both sides have agreed in principle on a far-ranging trade agreement that will avoid tariffs and sanctions , but will require more bureaucracy and coordination , at least in the short term .
Reactions thus far have been largely positive , but perhaps none so positive as this from Prime Minister Boris Johnson , one of the leading authors of Brexit : Johnson followed up the tweet with a more traditional announcement : The deal comes in just eight days short of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade barriers to which some had resigned themselves , the two sides are looking toward a more cooperative than contentious relationship , reports the Wall Street Journal : Under the terms of the accord , both sides will continue to trade free of tariffs but there will be significant new bureaucracy for importers and exporters .
The free flow of workers between the two economies will end and trade in services will be much reduced .
London ’ s vast financial center will no longer have guaranteed access to European markets .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from EU regulations and sign free-trade deals with countries like the U.S .
But as the price for securing a deal without tariffs , the U.K. agreed that it wouldn ’ t seriously undercut EU standards on issues such as labor and the environment and would maintain similar constraints on the subsidizing of private industry .
The agreement must formally be ratified by the European and U.K. parliaments and signed off by EU leaders before the end of the year .
Capitals have insisted they need proper time to comb through the text @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely , France has warned it could veto a deal if some of its key concerns , including access to British waters for its fishing fleet , aren ’ t met .
That does look like a pure win for Johnson , whose tough line on Brexit had gotten much criticism on both sides of the channel .
However , buried in this agreement is a poison pill that might do more damage to Johnson in the long run : Failure to seal an agreement before Jan. 1 would have resulted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delays for basic goods such as food and medicines , and serious recriminations among Britain ’ s European allies .
The lack of a deal also would have likely intensified sectarian tensions on the island of Ireland , raising fears that the peace process there could be jeopardized .
After Jan. 1 , Northern Ireland , which is part of the U.K. , will in practice remain in the EU ’ s customs area and single market , meaning a customs border won ’ t be needed with EU member Ireland to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Irish PM Micheál Martin calls this a “ very welcome ” deal .
It basically severs Northern Ireland ’ s economy from London and forces the six counties to live under EU control .
In practice , that will eventually make them even more Irish than British over time , precisely the scenario that spooked the DUP .
The unionist party , which at one time forced Theresa May to avoid precisely that concession by contributing to her parliamentary majority , will feel betrayed — and culturally , those who identify with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
This deal is likely to accelerate a movement in the enclave toward the Republic of Ireland and add a whole other meaning to the term “ Brexit.
” The same will be true in Scotland , which already has a separatist movement that could well outpace that in Northern Ireland .
Ironically , the Scots will resent staying within the UK while the unionists in Northern Ireland will resent being economically expelled from it : That ’ s a bit farther down the road , of course .
In the near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unexpectedly balks , businesses on both sides can breathe a sigh of relief .
And then they had better start cramming for the tests to come eight days from now : Businesses will still have to wait to read the hundreds of pages of documents that will detail how the trading relationship will change in just a week , from rules-of-origins requirements ( to determine , say , if an item is truly “ British ” if it contains parts made elsewhere ) to the mutual recognition of qualifications ( to allow a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a project in Lisbon ) .
But the relief of actually reaching a deal , and the potential for future cooperation , will reassure many .
“ A deal can limit some of the damage ” of leaving the single market and customs union , economists at Berenberg , a private bank , wrote in a note .
“ By removing a major downside risk to the U.K. economy both in the near-term and long-term , a deal would unlock significant investment in U.K. and support the recovery once the ongoing coronavirus shock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stocks and the British pound next year , they added .
Without an agreement , the two sides would have ended up trading on World Trade Organization terms , the default set of trade rules between most countries .
That would have led to high tariffs on agricultural products like cheese and meat , making them more expensive .
Britons buying cars imported from Europe , and vice versa , would have faced costly tariffs , too .
Johnson ’ s correct in celebrating a return to national sovereignty , which the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
The European Common Market was a very good idea , but the super-national governance of the EU is bound to either end up in dissolution or stagnation in the long run , and perhaps the latter has become an issue already .
But breaking union bonds in this fashion while appealing to nationalism sets a very interesting precedent for a country that calls itself the United Kingdom .
And don ’ t think Scots nationalists and Irish reunification advocates won ’ t use it , either .

The divorce between the United Kingdom and the European Union finally reached completion within the past hour. Both sides have agreed in principle on a far-ranging trade agreement that will avoid tariffs and sanctions, but will require more bureaucracy and coordination, at least in the short term. Reactions thus far have been largely positive, but perhaps none so positive as this from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, one of the leading authors of Brexit:
The deal is done. pic.twitter.com/zzhvxOSeWz — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 24, 2020
Johnson followed up the tweet with a more traditional announcement:
“I’m very pleased to tell you, this afternoon, that we’ve completed the biggest trade deal yet, worth £660bn a year” UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the EU-UK trade deal takes “back control of our laws and destiny”
https://t.co/OmEeMh6LuI pic.twitter.com/GQ7YHTnPic — BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) December 24, 2020
The deal comes in just eight days short of the hard-Brexit deadline. Rather than erecting trade barriers to which some had resigned themselves, the two sides are looking toward a more cooperative than contentious relationship, reports the Wall Street Journal:
Under the terms of the accord, both sides will continue to trade free of tariffs but there will be significant new bureaucracy for importers and exporters. The free flow of workers between the two economies will end and trade in services will be much reduced. London’s vast financial center will no longer have guaranteed access to European markets. The deal gives Britain significant freedom to depart from EU regulations and sign free-trade deals with countries like the U.S. But as the price for securing a deal without tariffs, the U.K. agreed that it wouldn’t seriously undercut EU standards on issues such as labor and the environment and would maintain similar constraints on the subsidizing of private industry. The agreement must formally be ratified by the European and U.K. parliaments and signed off by EU leaders before the end of the year. Capitals have insisted they need proper time to comb through the text before approving it. Though their approval is likely, France has warned it could veto a deal if some of its key concerns, including access to British waters for its fishing fleet, aren’t met.
That does look like a pure win for Johnson, whose tough line on Brexit had gotten much criticism on both sides of the channel. However, buried in this agreement is a poison pill that might do more damage to Johnson in the long run:
Failure to seal an agreement before Jan. 1 would have resulted in the automatic imposition of tariffs, border delays for basic goods such as food and medicines, and serious recriminations among Britain’s European allies. The lack of a deal also would have likely intensified sectarian tensions on the island of Ireland, raising fears that the peace process there could be jeopardized. After Jan. 1, Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., will in practice remain in the EU’s customs area and single market, meaning a customs border won’t be needed with EU member Ireland to the south.
There’s a reason why Irish PM Micheál Martin calls this a “very welcome” deal. It basically severs Northern Ireland’s economy from London and forces the six counties to live under EU control. In practice, that will eventually make them even more Irish than British over time, precisely the scenario that spooked the DUP. The unionist party, which at one time forced Theresa May to avoid precisely that concession by contributing to her parliamentary majority, will feel betrayed — and culturally, those who identify with British citizenship will feel the same over time. This deal is likely to accelerate a movement in the enclave toward the Republic of Ireland and add a whole other meaning to the term “Brexit.”
The same will be true in Scotland, which already has a separatist movement that could well outpace that in Northern Ireland. Ironically, the Scots will resent staying within the UK while the unionists in Northern Ireland will resent being economically expelled from it:
#BREAKING Scotland's future as 'an independent, European nation': First Minister Sturgeon pic.twitter.com/IWbxzdImi9 — AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 24, 2020
That’s a bit farther down the road, of course. In the near term, unless an EU member country unexpectedly balks, businesses on both sides can breathe a sigh of relief. And then they had better start cramming for the tests to come eight days from now:
Businesses will still have to wait to read the hundreds of pages of documents that will detail how the trading relationship will change in just a week, from rules-of-origins requirements (to determine, say, if an item is truly “British” if it contains parts made elsewhere) to the mutual recognition of qualifications (to allow a British lawyer or architect to work on a project in Lisbon). But the relief of actually reaching a deal, and the potential for future cooperation, will reassure many. “A deal can limit some of the damage” of leaving the single market and customs union, economists at Berenberg, a private bank, wrote in a note. “By removing a major downside risk to the U.K. economy both in the near-term and long-term, a deal would unlock significant investment in U.K. and support the recovery once the ongoing coronavirus shock starts to fade.” This would benefit stocks and the British pound next year, they added. Without an agreement, the two sides would have ended up trading on World Trade Organization terms, the default set of trade rules between most countries. That would have led to high tariffs on agricultural products like cheese and meat, making them more expensive. Britons buying cars imported from Europe, and vice versa, would have faced costly tariffs, too.
Johnson’s correct in celebrating a return to national sovereignty, which the UK should never have surrendered in the first place. The European Common Market was a very good idea, but the super-national governance of the EU is bound to either end up in dissolution or stagnation in the long run, and perhaps the latter has become an issue already. But breaking union bonds in this fashion while appealing to nationalism sets a very interesting precedent for a country that calls itself the United Kingdom. And don’t think Scots nationalists and Irish reunification advocates won’t use it, either.


hotair--2020-12-24--Loeffler: I'll back $2000 relief checks -- if funded by eliminating pork

This might be the smartest play left to Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in Georgia after Donald Trump stunningly blasted Republicans over the COVID-19 relief package .
Both Republican incumbents had backed the relief plan passed by Congress after Nancy Pelosi capitulated on the HEROES Act , while their runoff opponents continued to complain about the low dollar amounts in direct relief for taxpayers .
Now that Trump has endorsed the positions loudly espoused by Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , Loeffler doesn ’ t have much choice but to move — albeit with a caveat that at least puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Kelly Loeffler will consider President Trump ’ s call for Congress to amend the $ 900 billion COVID-19 relief bill to increase direct payments to eligible Americans from $ 600 to $ 2,000 — if it “ repurposes wasteful spending.
” Loeffler ( R-Ga. ) , who is in the political fight of her life in a race that will help decide which party holds the Senate — and has previously said $ 600 was sufficient — made the comment while speaking to reporters Wednesday at a campaign event with black business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s call for the amount to be raised , the Trump ally replied that she supports “ redirecting any wasteful spending to be very targeted at families and businesses who have been impacted by this virus through no fault of their own.
” Pressed further on whether that meant she would back increasing the direct payments , she answered : “ I ’ ll certainly look at supporting it if it repurposes wasteful spending toward that , yes.
” Well … what else was Loeffler going to say ?
She can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boosted the populism behind Ossoff and Warnock , but she can ’ t reverse herself completely on the issue without looking like a mindless tool of Trump ’ s either .
This is the closest Loeffler can come to having it both ways , even if it ’ s still quite a reach .
But what wasteful spending does Loeffler want to cut ?
Most of that comes in the omnibus spending bill rather than the COVID-19 relief bill , which got pared down to the near-bone in its final form .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bills , and to some extent the aid exists because both sides traded pork to get it .
What Loeffler suggests would require going back to Square One as a multitude of safety-net programs in the pandemic crisis get shut down .
Of course , that also means the odds of Loeffler getting tested on this new position are about nil .
In that sense , Loeffler definitely can eat her cake and still have it as well .
But that ’ s cold comfort for Loeffler and Perdue , who now are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priorities , which don ’ t appear to include their elections .
The Wall Street Journal editorial board castigated Trump today for his mercurial approach to both the budget and relief bills as well as his veto of the NDAA , warning that it could cost Republicans the Senate and the last chance to restrain the incoming Biden administration : The NDAA isn ’ t perfect , but it extends hazard pay for U.S. forces that is set to expire at the end of the year .
Mr. Trump ’ s statement called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China and Russia .
But we doubt China will see it that way , since it establishes a Pacific Deterrence Initiative that authorizes $ 2.2 billion for , among other things , putting more military assets in China ’ s backyard and conducting exercises with allies .
The bill also includes an overhaul of the aging U.S. nuclear deterrent , as well as cybersecurity provisions to protect command and control of U.S. nuclear systems .
The House and Senate probably have the votes to override the veto , but the event could still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perdue and Kelly Loeffler as they try to win their seats in two weeks .
They ’ ll now have to flip their previous votes in favor of the NDAA or put themselves at odds with Mr. Trump .
The same goes for Mr. Trump ’ s threat to veto the giant Covid relief and omnibus spending bill that passed Congress this week .
If he objected to the bad policy in the bill , he ’ d have a point .
But Mr. Trump is griping that the $ 600 direct payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small ; he wants $ 2,000 , which would cost another $ 350 billion or so .
The President ’ s negotiators signed off on the $ 600 , and now Democrats are echoing Mr. Trump ’ s new demand and putting the Georgia Senators in a second bind .
Losing control of the Senate would let Democrats take a machete to his legacy , but only one man knows what is really going on in the head of Donald J. Trump .
The best outcome would be for the House and Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a supplemental over the next couple of days in order to get Trump to sign off on the bills and avoid the shutdown and the safety-net collapse .
That would also boost Loeffler and Perdue by allowing them to embrace both Trump and the overall result .
Something tells me , though , that Senate Republicans won ’ t cooperate , just as they have blocked direct relief for months and only grudgingly budged on that after the election .
That will turn this into a disaster that will get blamed on Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , the truth on direct aid is that Trump ’ s actually right on the politics of relief , even if he ’ s been disconnected and mercurial about it .
Trump should have taken an active interest in this point long before now , but this is one time that Mitch McConnell should listen to what Trump is saying .

This might be the smartest play left to Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in Georgia after Donald Trump stunningly blasted Republicans over the COVID-19 relief package. Both Republican incumbents had backed the relief plan passed by Congress after Nancy Pelosi capitulated on the HEROES Act, while their runoff opponents continued to complain about the low dollar amounts in direct relief for taxpayers.
Now that Trump has endorsed the positions loudly espoused by Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, Loeffler doesn’t have much choice but to move — albeit with a caveat that at least puts a little scrutiny back on leadership:
Sen. Kelly Loeffler will consider President Trump’s call for Congress to amend the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill to increase direct payments to eligible Americans from $600 to $2,000 — if it “repurposes wasteful spending.” Loeffler (R-Ga.), who is in the political fight of her life in a race that will help decide which party holds the Senate — and has previously said $600 was sufficient — made the comment while speaking to reporters Wednesday at a campaign event with black business owners. Asked about the commander-in-chief’s call for the amount to be raised, the Trump ally replied that she supports “redirecting any wasteful spending to be very targeted at families and businesses who have been impacted by this virus through no fault of their own.” Pressed further on whether that meant she would back increasing the direct payments, she answered: “I’ll certainly look at supporting it if it repurposes wasteful spending toward that, yes.”
Well … what else was Loeffler going to say? She can’t contradict Trump, who undercut her and boosted the populism behind Ossoff and Warnock, but she can’t reverse herself completely on the issue without looking like a mindless tool of Trump’s either. This is the closest Loeffler can come to having it both ways, even if it’s still quite a reach.
But what wasteful spending does Loeffler want to cut? Most of that comes in the omnibus spending bill rather than the COVID-19 relief bill, which got pared down to the near-bone in its final form. It took months of negotiations to produce both bills, and to some extent the aid exists because both sides traded pork to get it. What Loeffler suggests would require going back to Square One as a multitude of safety-net programs in the pandemic crisis get shut down. Of course, that also means the odds of Loeffler getting tested on this new position are about nil. In that sense, Loeffler definitely can eat her cake and still have it as well.
But that’s cold comfort for Loeffler and Perdue, who now are at the mercy of Trump’s priorities, which don’t appear to include their elections. The Wall Street Journal editorial board castigated Trump today for his mercurial approach to both the budget and relief bills as well as his veto of the NDAA, warning that it could cost Republicans the Senate and the last chance to restrain the incoming Biden administration:
The NDAA isn’t perfect, but it extends hazard pay for U.S. forces that is set to expire at the end of the year. Mr. Trump’s statement called the bill a “gift” to China and Russia. But we doubt China will see it that way, since it establishes a Pacific Deterrence Initiative that authorizes $2.2 billion for, among other things, putting more military assets in China’s backyard and conducting exercises with allies. The bill also includes an overhaul of the aging U.S. nuclear deterrent, as well as cybersecurity provisions to protect command and control of U.S. nuclear systems. The House and Senate probably have the votes to override the veto, but the event could still cause problems for GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler as they try to win their seats in two weeks. They’ll now have to flip their previous votes in favor of the NDAA or put themselves at odds with Mr. Trump. The same goes for Mr. Trump’s threat to veto the giant Covid relief and omnibus spending bill that passed Congress this week. If he objected to the bad policy in the bill, he’d have a point. But Mr. Trump is griping that the $600 direct payments to Americans in the bill are too small; he wants $2,000, which would cost another $350 billion or so. The President’s negotiators signed off on the $600, and now Democrats are echoing Mr. Trump’s new demand and putting the Georgia Senators in a second bind. Losing control of the Senate would let Democrats take a machete to his legacy, but only one man knows what is really going on in the head of Donald J. Trump.
The best outcome would be for the House and Senate to add the $350 billion as a supplemental over the next couple of days in order to get Trump to sign off on the bills and avoid the shutdown and the safety-net collapse. That would also boost Loeffler and Perdue by allowing them to embrace both Trump and the overall result. Something tells me, though, that Senate Republicans won’t cooperate, just as they have blocked direct relief for months and only grudgingly budged on that after the election.
That will turn this into a disaster that will get blamed on Trump, and not for no good reason. However, the truth on direct aid is that Trump’s actually right on the politics of relief, even if he’s been disconnected and mercurial about it. Trump should have taken an active interest in this point long before now, but this is one time that Mitch McConnell should listen to what Trump is saying.


hotair--2020-12-24--Another liberal fantasy of Pence removing Trump... on Sunday?

I don ’ t know University of Colorado law professor Paul Campos personally , but I ’ m picturing him as having been one of those kids who got on Santa ’ s naughty list by trying to sneak a look at his presents early because he couldn ’ t wait for Christmas morning .
One might think that with less than a month to wait until the inauguration of Joe Biden , most of the nation ’ s Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferers would be content to take a few victory laps and spend their time picking out what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual inaugural balls .
But Campos isn ’ t having any of it .
He wants Donald Trump gone immediately , or close to it .
With that in mind , he pitches a new plan in an op-ed for New York Magazine this week .
He would like Vice President Pence to remove the President from office via the 25th Amendment .
And he ’ d like him to do it on Sunday .
Why not today ?
We ’ ll get to that in a moment .
More than 50 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amendment to the Constitution foresaw the possibility of a president ’ s behavior becoming so unstable that it would prove necessary to have some constitutional mechanism to remove him immediately from office .
Section Four of that amendment provides a process for doing so : If the vice-president and the majority of the Cabinet decide that , for whatever reason , the president has become unfit to carry out the powers and duties of the office and they transmit a letter to Congress to that effect , then the vice-president becomes the acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress refuses to allow that transfer of power to stand .
Legal scholars who have studied the drafting and adoption of the 25th Amendment recognize that its framers intentionally drafted it to allow Section Four to be used to address a wide range of potential situations — very much including the sorts of circumstances in which the nation finds itself today .
While it is true that the amendment was created to deal with non-controversial instances of presidential unfitness , such as a president falling into a coma or being kidnapped , Section @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with controversial cases as well : specifically with instances where the president ’ s unfitness to hold office was contested by the president himself .
I realize that this isn ’ t the first time you ’ ve heard this particular fantasy tune being sung by liberals .
It ’ s been a favorite item on their wish list since before Donald Trump was even sworn in .
Under this fever-dream scenario , the Vice President would convince a majority of the members of the cabinet to go along with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House of Representatives declaring the President to be unfit for office .
He would then take over as acting president for the rest of Trump ’ s term .
In this case , the author is basing his claim of unfitness on allegations that President Trump has been talking about invoking martial law to overturn the election results .
This would apparently constitute proof of mental imbalance or something in Campos ’ eyes .
Frankly , I don ’ t doubt that the subject has come up , but I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump would actually attempt it .
But why Sunday ?
Why not immediately ?
Campos has clearly thought through this grand vision carefully .
You see , the specifics of Section 4 of the 25th Amendment would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress to allow Mike Pence to stay on as acting president indefinitely .
But a simple majority vote in either chamber would allow Pence to stick around for 25 days while everything gets sorted out .
Sunday is December 27th , which is 25 days before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a couple of minor exceptions .
First of all , Mike Pence has been the President ’ s most ardent and active foot soldier of anyone for this entire term .
His loyalty is beyond question .
If he was going to figuratively stick a knife in the boss ’ s back he ’ d have done it long before now .
Also , does anyone honestly think that Mike Pence wants to finish his long and successful political career by becoming a Trivial Pursuit bonus question answer after serving the shortest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bizarre of circumstances ?
( He would beat William Henry Harrison by six days under this scenario . )
Even if you could imagine Pence going along with this , you ’ d still need a majority of the cabinet to sign off on the plan .
And the cabinet is full of people that Donald Trump personally elevated to their current positions .
Particularly given the fervent loyalty of Trump ’ s base around the country , they aren ’ t about to line up to play Roman senators to Pence ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any advice to Paul Campos at this point it would be to turn the television off from cable news for a while .
Go take a walk in the brisk winter weather , particularly if you have a dog .
Mix yourself a nice cup of hot chocolate and consider asking your doctor to write you a quick prescription for Xanax .
More than anything else , just calm down .
You ’ ve got less than a month to wait .
The Bad Orange Man will be heading out of the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think is going to be so great about a Biden/Harris administration then .

I don’t know University of Colorado law professor Paul Campos personally, but I’m picturing him as having been one of those kids who got on Santa’s naughty list by trying to sneak a look at his presents early because he couldn’t wait for Christmas morning. One might think that with less than a month to wait until the inauguration of Joe Biden, most of the nation’s Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferers would be content to take a few victory laps and spend their time picking out what they’re going to wear for the virtual inaugural balls. But Campos isn’t having any of it. He wants Donald Trump gone immediately, or close to it. With that in mind, he pitches a new plan in an op-ed for New York Magazine this week. He would like Vice President Pence to remove the President from office via the 25th Amendment. And he’d like him to do it on Sunday. Why not today? We’ll get to that in a moment.
More than 50 years ago, the framers of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution foresaw the possibility of a president’s behavior becoming so unstable that it would prove necessary to have some constitutional mechanism to remove him immediately from office. Section Four of that amendment provides a process for doing so: If the vice-president and the majority of the Cabinet decide that, for whatever reason, the president has become unfit to carry out the powers and duties of the office and they transmit a letter to Congress to that effect, then the vice-president becomes the acting president and remains so unless and until Congress refuses to allow that transfer of power to stand. Legal scholars who have studied the drafting and adoption of the 25th Amendment recognize that its framers intentionally drafted it to allow Section Four to be used to address a wide range of potential situations — very much including the sorts of circumstances in which the nation finds itself today. While it is true that the amendment was created to deal with non-controversial instances of presidential unfitness, such as a president falling into a coma or being kidnapped, Section Four was made part of the amendment to deal with controversial cases as well: specifically with instances where the president’s unfitness to hold office was contested by the president himself.
I realize that this isn’t the first time you’ve heard this particular fantasy tune being sung by liberals. It’s been a favorite item on their wish list since before Donald Trump was even sworn in. Under this fever-dream scenario, the Vice President would convince a majority of the members of the cabinet to go along with his plan and deliver a letter to the House of Representatives declaring the President to be unfit for office. He would then take over as acting president for the rest of Trump’s term.
In this case, the author is basing his claim of unfitness on allegations that President Trump has been talking about invoking martial law to overturn the election results. This would apparently constitute proof of mental imbalance or something in Campos’ eyes. Frankly, I don’t doubt that the subject has come up, but I don’t know any serious person who thinks that Donald Trump would actually attempt it.
But why Sunday? Why not immediately? Campos has clearly thought through this grand vision carefully. You see, the specifics of Section 4 of the 25th Amendment would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress to allow Mike Pence to stay on as acting president indefinitely. But a simple majority vote in either chamber would allow Pence to stick around for 25 days while everything gets sorted out. Sunday is December 27th, which is 25 days before the inauguration.
Crazy? Crazy like a fox, maybe.
This scheme is absolutely perfect with a couple of minor exceptions. First of all, Mike Pence has been the President’s most ardent and active foot soldier of anyone for this entire term. His loyalty is beyond question. If he was going to figuratively stick a knife in the boss’s back he’d have done it long before now. Also, does anyone honestly think that Mike Pence wants to finish his long and successful political career by becoming a Trivial Pursuit bonus question answer after serving the shortest term of any president under the most bizarre of circumstances? (He would beat William Henry Harrison by six days under this scenario.)
Even if you could imagine Pence going along with this, you’d still need a majority of the cabinet to sign off on the plan. And the cabinet is full of people that Donald Trump personally elevated to their current positions. Particularly given the fervent loyalty of Trump’s base around the country, they aren’t about to line up to play Roman senators to Pence’s Brutus.
If I could offer any advice to Paul Campos at this point it would be to turn the television off from cable news for a while. Go take a walk in the brisk winter weather, particularly if you have a dog. Mix yourself a nice cup of hot chocolate and consider asking your doctor to write you a quick prescription for Xanax. More than anything else, just calm down. You’ve got less than a month to wait. The Bad Orange Man will be heading out of the White House and you can begin celebrating whatever you think is going to be so great about a Biden/Harris administration then.


hotair--2020-12-24--US now leads world on vaccinations -- but what about allergic reactions?

It ’ s not a show-stopper , but the number of allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer has definitely begun to raise eyebrows — epidemiologically , anyway .
Operation Warp Speed ’ s top scientist said the frequency of allergic reactions is still incredibly small , but it has crept higher than one would expect from other vaccines .
Pfizer might need more trials among higher-risk allergic populations , Dr. Moncef Slaoui suggested : The frequency of allergic reactions to Pfizer ’ s Covid-19 vaccine is greater than what would be expected for other vaccines , Dr. Moncef @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warp Speed said Wednesday .
… “ That frequency , as it stood yesterday , is superior to what one would expect with other vaccines , ” he said .
Slaoui said there are discussions between the vaccine makers and the National Institutes of Health to consider running clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines in very allergic populations , such as those who have to carry an EpiPen with them at all times .
What exactly does it mean that the frequency is “ superior ” ?
How many serious reactions have been reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN , the number stood at … six .
But six out of how many ?
Over a million and counting , which leads the world : The U.S. now leads the world in Covid-19 vaccine shots administered , with 1,008,025 doses given in the 10 days since the first doses were cleared for use , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
State-led vaccination campaigns are rolling out shots from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. , focused at first on hundreds of thousands of health-care workers around the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the front lines in hospitals .
The vaccines require two shots weeks apart to deliver the highest level of protection .
China , which has several home-grown vaccines , has vaccinated more than 650,000 people and says it has administered 1 million doses .
That figure could in fact be far higher , or at least higher than the U.S. total , since the country has provided infrequent updates on its effort .
Russia has vaccinated 440,000 people .
Both countries got a head start in August by authorizing domestically produced vaccines before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Six out of a million ?
That ’ s pretty small frequency rate , which is why it didn ’ t come up in Phase 3 trials .
That population would have been around 30,000 people in the active group ; had that even produced one unexpected allergic reaction , we would have seen dozens or scores of serious allergic reactions by now .
This is why the CDC and FDA have only granted emergency-use authorization to Pfizer and Moderna ; they will require more trials to settle the questions remaining about impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerge during the EUA vaccinations .
That ’ s no reason to stop now , however .
Compare the allergic-response frequency seen thus far to the virus ’ lethality rate .
At its lowest estimate of 0.4 % lethality ( the flu is generally around 0.1 % ) , you ’ d expect to see 4,000 deaths in a population of a million infections .
Six serious allergic reactions simply doesn ’ t compare on a risk basis .
An allergic reaction can be deadly , but clearly the numbers show it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the shot a much better gamble than remaining unvaccinated .
Finally , some are complaining that the US is going to miss its target of 20 million vaccinations by the end of the month .
That was always a bit aspirational , and logistics are proving complicated — as everyone should have known they would be .
Getting one million vaccinations in the first ten days is a pretty amazing pace , though , and we only just added the second vaccine from Moderna three days ago .
Once the states iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the pace should pick up considerably .
If it takes us until January 10 or so to hit 20 million , that ’ s still an amazing achievement .

It’s not a show-stopper, but the number of allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer has definitely begun to raise eyebrows — epidemiologically, anyway. Operation Warp Speed’s top scientist said the frequency of allergic reactions is still incredibly small, but it has crept higher than one would expect from other vaccines. Pfizer might need more trials among higher-risk allergic populations, Dr. Moncef Slaoui suggested:
The frequency of allergic reactions to Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is greater than what would be expected for other vaccines, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser for Operation Warp Speed said Wednesday. … “That frequency, as it stood yesterday, is superior to what one would expect with other vaccines,” he said. Slaoui said there are discussions between the vaccine makers and the National Institutes of Health to consider running clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines in very allergic populations, such as those who have to carry an EpiPen with them at all times.
What exactly does it mean that the frequency is “superior”? How many serious reactions have been reported? As of Tuesday, Slaoui told CNN, the number stood at … six. But six out of how many?
Over a million and counting, which leads the world:
The U.S. now leads the world in Covid-19 vaccine shots administered, with 1,008,025 doses given in the 10 days since the first doses were cleared for use, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State-led vaccination campaigns are rolling out shots from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., focused at first on hundreds of thousands of health-care workers around the country who have been battling the virus on the front lines in hospitals. The vaccines require two shots weeks apart to deliver the highest level of protection. China, which has several home-grown vaccines, has vaccinated more than 650,000 people and says it has administered 1 million doses. That figure could in fact be far higher, or at least higher than the U.S. total, since the country has provided infrequent updates on its effort. Russia has vaccinated 440,000 people. Both countries got a head start in August by authorizing domestically produced vaccines before they’d been fully tested.
Six out of a million? That’s pretty small frequency rate, which is why it didn’t come up in Phase 3 trials. That population would have been around 30,000 people in the active group; had that even produced one unexpected allergic reaction, we would have seen dozens or scores of serious allergic reactions by now. This is why the CDC and FDA have only granted emergency-use authorization to Pfizer and Moderna; they will require more trials to settle the questions remaining about impacts on specific sub-populations, especially as those emerge during the EUA vaccinations.
That’s no reason to stop now, however. Compare the allergic-response frequency seen thus far to the virus’ lethality rate. At its lowest estimate of 0.4% lethality (the flu is generally around 0.1%), you’d expect to see 4,000 deaths in a population of a million infections. Six serious allergic reactions simply doesn’t compare on a risk basis. An allergic reaction can be deadly, but clearly the numbers show it to still be an exceedingly rare event, and the shot a much better gamble than remaining unvaccinated.
Finally, some are complaining that the US is going to miss its target of 20 million vaccinations by the end of the month. That was always a bit aspirational, and logistics are proving complicated — as everyone should have known they would be. Getting one million vaccinations in the first ten days is a pretty amazing pace, though, and we only just added the second vaccine from Moderna three days ago. Once the states iron out the logistics and the priority rankings, the pace should pick up considerably. If it takes us until January 10 or so to hit 20 million, that’s still an amazing achievement.


hotair--2020-12-25--From all of us at Hot Air -- a merry and blessed Christmas to everyone!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled .
This was the first enrollment , when Quirinius was governor of Syria .
So all went to be enrolled , each to his own town .
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea , to the city of David that is called Bethlehem , because he was of the house and family of David , to be enrolled with Mary , his betrothed , who was with child .
While they were there , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child , and she gave birth to her firstborn son .
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger , because there was no room for them in the inn .
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock .
The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them , and they were struck with great fear .
The angel said to them , “ Do not be afraid ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good news of great joy that will be for all the people .
For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord .
And this will be a sign for you : you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel , praising God and saying : “ Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who walked in darkness have seen a great light ; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone .
You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing , as they rejoice before you as at the harvest , as people make merry when dividing spoils .
For the yoke that burdened them , the pole on their shoulder , and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed , as on the day of Midian .
For every boot that tramped in battle , every cloak rolled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuel for flames .
For a child is born to us , a son is given us ; upon his shoulder dominion rests .
They name him Wonder-Counselor , God-Hero , Father-Forever , Prince of Peace .
His dominion is vast and forever peaceful , from David ’ s throne , and over his kingdom , which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice , both now and forever .
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this !
— Isaiah 9:1–6 As I wrote last year at this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in victory .
Christ has come among us , at first in the form of a newborn , but has remained in us in the form of the Holy Spirit .
Christ has come for all of us who wish salvation , and not just collectively , either .
This is a victory for each and every one of us , personally and individually as well .
We know now that our God loves us , each one of us , because He sent His only begotten Son — the incarnation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us back into His love and His life .
Victory might be difficult to feel in 2020 , for lots of reasons .
We are a world under siege from a pandemic , divided against ourselves on many levels , and dealing with an economy on the precipice of a second collapse in the same year .
This is precisely why we need Advent and Christmas , though — to lead us out of the darkness of a fallen world and into the light of the Lord .
We celebrate the Light of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the darkness of this time but the darkness of all times .
The coming of the Christ child reminds us of God ’ s abundant love for us and His yearning for us to return to Him of our own free will in love , as sons and daughters .
And though the darkness seems particularly acute and frightening now , it serves to highlight the hope of Jesus Christ even more brilliantly .
From all of us to all our readers at Hot Air and across the Townhall Media Group , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For one last victorious look at the Nativity , I will leave you ( as I do most years ) with this beautiful scene from The Nativity Story .
The front page image is a detail from “ The Nativity ” by Fra Diamante , c.1465-70 .
On display at the Louvre .
Via Wikimedia Commons .

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” — Luke 2:1–14
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames. For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this! — Isaiah 9:1–6
As I wrote last year at this time, our Advent season has concluded — in victory. Christ has come among us, at first in the form of a newborn, but has remained in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Christ has come for all of us who wish salvation, and not just collectively, either. This is a victory for each and every one of us, personally and individually as well. We know now that our God loves us, each one of us, because He sent His only begotten Son — the incarnation of the Word — into the world to lead us back into His love and His life.
Victory might be difficult to feel in 2020, for lots of reasons. We are a world under siege from a pandemic, divided against ourselves on many levels, and dealing with an economy on the precipice of a second collapse in the same year. This is precisely why we need Advent and Christmas, though — to lead us out of the darkness of a fallen world and into the light of the Lord. We celebrate the Light of Christ piercing our darkness, not just the darkness of this time but the darkness of all times. The coming of the Christ child reminds us of God’s abundant love for us and His yearning for us to return to Him of our own free will in love, as sons and daughters. And though the darkness seems particularly acute and frightening now, it serves to highlight the hope of Jesus Christ even more brilliantly.
From all of us to all our readers at Hot Air and across the Townhall Media Group, we wish you a blessed and merry Christmas. For one last victorious look at the Nativity, I will leave you (as I do most years) with this beautiful scene from The Nativity Story.
The front page image is a detail from “The Nativity” by Fra Diamante, c.1465-70. On display at the Louvre. Via Wikimedia Commons.


hotair--2020-12-25--Ho, ho, ho. NY Governor gives Christmas pardons, commutations to illegal aliens, murderers

Hopefully , you all got what you wanted from Santa this year .
But even if you didn ’ t , you can take some comfort that there are 21 people in New York State who certainly did .
Their presents weren ’ t dropped off by a jolly old elf coming down their chimney , however .
Governor Andrew Cuomo decided to play Santa on Christmas eve and handed out nearly two dozen pardons and sentence commutations .
He put the announcement on the official New York Governor ’ s website , along with explanations of each person ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have on them .
Let ’ s start with the pardons .
There were fourteen of them in total , and they all had something in common .
I ’ ll post the first couple of them here and we ’ ll see if you can figure out the common thread .
Kaydian McKenzie , 43 , was convicted of Criminal Possession of Marijuana in the Second Degree and Criminal Trespass in the Third Degree in 2001 and 2002 .
Ms. McKenzie has been crime free for 18 years , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nursing home in New York State throughout the COVID-19 public health crisis .
In addition to her role as a frontline worker , Ms. McKenzie is the mother of three U.S. citizen and is active in her local church , where she has volunteered with a program that delivers food to older New Yorkers who are living alone .
A pardon will help Ms. McKenzie remain in the United States with her family .
Rosario Pena , 61 , was convicted of Petit Larceny and Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to commit these crimes by sex traffickers to whom she fell victim .
After a childhood marred by abuse , homelessness and years of victimization by traffickers , Ms. Pena has now been crime free for 34 years .
A pardon will allow Ms. Pena to remain in the United States , where she has lived for more than 50 years .
The next dozen follow the same format .
Touching stories , each and every one .
All of them appear to have relatively minor crimes on their record , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , theft or robbery .
Those aren ’ t exactly the sorts of things that land someone in enough trouble to need a pardon , however .
But if you look at the final sentence of each of the fourteen paragraphs you will find the same phrase .
“ Help ( or “ allow “ ) him/her to remain in the United States… ” In other words , these are all illegal aliens who have been ordered for deportation .
By wiping out their record of other crimes beyond illegal immigration , Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoiding being returned to their native countries despite the fact that they have all knowingly been living here illegally , some for more than half a century .
There were seven other names on Santa Cuomo ’ s nice ( as opposed to naughty ) list , and they all received commutations for their sentences .
Here are the first couple of examples .
Maria Ordonez , 26 , was convicted of Manslaughter in the First Degree in 2018 .
She has served six years out of a nine-year sentence .
Ms. Ordonez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and neglect .
At age 20 , she killed her abusive boyfriend during an incident where he was beating and choking her .
While in custody , Ms. Ordonez has participated in vocational training and computer repair and has taken college courses through Marymount Manhattan College .
Her professors have commended her dedication to her studies .
She has maintained a consistent work history while incarcerated and has received positive work reports from supervisors .
Upon release , she plans to live with her mother and brother .
Theresa Debo , 64 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Degree in 2006 .
She has served 16 years of a 22 years to life sentence .
As a child , Ms. Debo was removed from an abusive family environment and placed in foster care .
She cycled in and out of abusive relationships throughout her adult life , including a relationship with victim of the crime for which she has now been incarcerated for more than 16 years and who she maintains she killed in self-defense .
Ms. Debohad no prior criminal history .
While incarcerated , Ms. Debo has participated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms. Debo has earned certification as a hospice aid and has participated in several animal caretaker training programs , including Puppies Behind Bars as well as veterinary assistance , pet grooming , and dog obedience training .
There ’ s no indication that any of the people in this group are in the country illegally , but they were still clearly behind bars for a reason .
There were two others convicted of murder in addition to the two in that excerpt .
There was also a rather big-time drug dealer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for robberies combined with some other offenses .
The pardons for the illegal aliens was simply done to help thwart the immigration enforcement process , which is perfectly on-brand for Cuomo .
But the commutations were for more serious criminals .
Hey , Christmas is the season of forgiveness and generosity , right ?
But it ’ s worth remembering that each crime has one or more victims .
Particularly in the case of murder , we have to wonder how the families of those victims feel about this sudden burst of charitable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t qualify for parole by now if they were so deserving of early release I ’ ve seen plenty of complaints from some of our associates on the left this week about the pardons that the President has been doling out and there ’ s certainly room to complain about a number of them .
As we work our way through the holidays , I wonder if those same people will have anything to say about these .

Hopefully, you all got what you wanted from Santa this year. But even if you didn’t, you can take some comfort that there are 21 people in New York State who certainly did. Their presents weren’t dropped off by a jolly old elf coming down their chimney, however. Governor Andrew Cuomo decided to play Santa on Christmas eve and handed out nearly two dozen pardons and sentence commutations. He put the announcement on the official New York Governor’s website, along with explanations of each person’s crimes and what impact these gifts would have on them.
Let’s start with the pardons. There were fourteen of them in total, and they all had something in common. I’ll post the first couple of them here and we’ll see if you can figure out the common thread.
Kaydian McKenzie, 43, was convicted of Criminal Possession of Marijuana in the Second Degree and Criminal Trespass in the Third Degree in 2001 and 2002. Ms. McKenzie has been crime free for 18 years, is a registered nurse, and has worked at a nursing home in New York State throughout the COVID-19 public health crisis. In addition to her role as a frontline worker, Ms. McKenzie is the mother of three U.S. citizen and is active in her local church, where she has volunteered with a program that delivers food to older New Yorkers who are living alone. A pardon will help Ms. McKenzie remain in the United States with her family. Rosario Pena, 61, was convicted of Petit Larceny and Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree in 1981 and 1986. Ms. Pena was forced to commit these crimes by sex traffickers to whom she fell victim. After a childhood marred by abuse, homelessness and years of victimization by traffickers, Ms. Pena has now been crime free for 34 years. A pardon will allow Ms. Pena to remain in the United States, where she has lived for more than 50 years.
The next dozen follow the same format. Touching stories, each and every one. All of them appear to have relatively minor crimes on their record, with many including drug possession in minor amounts, theft or robbery. Those aren’t exactly the sorts of things that land someone in enough trouble to need a pardon, however. But if you look at the final sentence of each of the fourteen paragraphs you will find the same phrase. “Help (or “allow“) him/her to remain in the United States…”
In other words, these are all illegal aliens who have been ordered for deportation. By wiping out their record of other crimes beyond illegal immigration, Cuomo is striving to increase their chances of avoiding being returned to their native countries despite the fact that they have all knowingly been living here illegally, some for more than half a century.
There were seven other names on Santa Cuomo’s nice (as opposed to naughty) list, and they all received commutations for their sentences. Here are the first couple of examples.
Maria Ordonez, 26, was convicted of Manslaughter in the First Degree in 2018. She has served six years out of a nine-year sentence. Ms. Ordonez’s childhood was filled with abuse and neglect. At age 20, she killed her abusive boyfriend during an incident where he was beating and choking her. While in custody, Ms. Ordonez has participated in vocational training and computer repair and has taken college courses through Marymount Manhattan College. Her professors have commended her dedication to her studies. She has maintained a consistent work history while incarcerated and has received positive work reports from supervisors. Upon release, she plans to live with her mother and brother. Theresa Debo, 64, was convicted of Murder in the Second Degree in 2006. She has served 16 years of a 22 years to life sentence. As a child, Ms. Debo was removed from an abusive family environment and placed in foster care. She cycled in and out of abusive relationships throughout her adult life, including a relationship with victim of the crime for which she has now been incarcerated for more than 16 years and who she maintains she killed in self-defense. Ms. Debohad no prior criminal history. While incarcerated, Ms. Debo has participated in numerous programs addressing the effects of abuse. Ms. Debo has earned certification as a hospice aid and has participated in several animal caretaker training programs, including Puppies Behind Bars as well as veterinary assistance, pet grooming, and dog obedience training.
There’s no indication that any of the people in this group are in the country illegally, but they were still clearly behind bars for a reason. There were two others convicted of murder in addition to the two in that excerpt. There was also a rather big-time drug dealer and a couple of people who went down for robberies combined with some other offenses. The pardons for the illegal aliens was simply done to help thwart the immigration enforcement process, which is perfectly on-brand for Cuomo. But the commutations were for more serious criminals.
Hey, Christmas is the season of forgiveness and generosity, right? But it’s worth remembering that each crime has one or more victims. Particularly in the case of murder, we have to wonder how the families of those victims feel about this sudden burst of charitable treatment and why these prisoners didn’t qualify for parole by now if they were so deserving of early release I’ve seen plenty of complaints from some of our associates on the left this week about the pardons that the President has been doling out and there’s certainly room to complain about a number of them. As we work our way through the holidays, I wonder if those same people will have anything to say about these.


hotair--2020-12-25--Christmas bombing in Nashville: Three injured, no motives yet; <span class='red'>Update: Warning on

Christmas bombing in Nashville: Three injured, no motives yet; Update: Warning on bomb? Update: Body found

Thankfully no one died , but it ’ s far from clear whether that was the intent of this Christmas Day bombing in Nashville , Tennessee .
As the CNN panel observers from drone footage , the extent of the damage indicates a powerful explosive was used in the “ intentional act.
” On the other hand , setting the explosive off in a business district on a holiday would be a strange decision if someone wanted to cause maximum casualties .
However , the targeting might have been more specific : Nashville Police responded to a call of shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s historic 2nd Ave .
Instead of gunfire , they found a suspicious RV that exploded as they called in a bomb squad .
The blast from the recreational vehicle knocked down an officer and left another with temporary hearing loss , according to MNPD spokesperson Don Aaron .
The blast shattered windows and damaged buildings for several blocks .
At least three people have been transported to hospitals with injuries .
The two taken to TriStar Centennial Medical Center were non-critical , according to a spokesperson .
“ Any other morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse story , ” Mayor John Cooper says .
Police do not know if anyone was inside the RV , but investigators believe the explosion was intentional .
People who were on the street at the time are being interviewed by the FBI , which is leading the investigation .
At the moment , this appears to be an act of terrorism of some kind , although the FBI will have to make that determination itself .
If it was an act of terrorism , it will be the most significant bombing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this was a terrorist act , it seems very unlikely to be foreign or foreign-inspired , as those attacks almost always target large numbers of civilians .
Given the sequence of events thus far , the target at least appears to be the police department in Nashville .
The so-far bogus call of shots fired would have drawn a significant response from the police , and in fact did .
Right now , the worry would be that the bomber might have set up a multi-level trap : As Campbell says , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know ” at this point .
But Campbell , a former FBI investigator himself , says that it ’ s clear that this wasn ’ t designed to be a mass casualty event , and it also doesn ’ t appear to have been designed to bring down buildings a la Oklahoma City 1995 .
It could be a statement bombing , although one in which no one has yet claimed responsibility .
It could also be a trap to take out some police officers in the line of duty .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of a vehicle should make it easier to track the perpetrators .
That ’ s how they caught Timothy McVeigh in 1995 and the World Trade Center bombers in 1993 .
If the RV used in this explosion was stolen , though , it might not be all that helpful — but they ’ ll also be able to find the parts of the explosive device used , and that might help track them down as well .
Let ’ s hope all of those avenues pay off .
If any more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ update this post .
Meanwhile , pray for the three injured officers , and have yourselves a merry Christmas .
If they were setting a trap for police , why have a recorded warning about a bomb ?
But if they weren ’ t setting a trap , why set off the bomb at all ?
One thing ’ s for sure — someone or some people went to a lot of trouble to conduct this bombing .
Update : Investigators tell CBS News that they found a body near the explosion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the perpetrator or an unfortunate victim : Keep ears open on that development .
Meanwhile , Nashville police hope someone recognizes the RV as it was when someone parked it for the attack :

Thankfully no one died, but it’s far from clear whether that was the intent of this Christmas Day bombing in Nashville, Tennessee. As the CNN panel observers from drone footage, the extent of the damage indicates a powerful explosive was used in the “intentional act.” On the other hand, setting the explosive off in a business district on a holiday would be a strange decision if someone wanted to cause maximum casualties.
However, the targeting might have been more specific:
Nashville Police responded to a call of shots fired early this morning on the city’s historic 2nd Ave. Instead of gunfire, they found a suspicious RV that exploded as they called in a bomb squad. The blast from the recreational vehicle knocked down an officer and left another with temporary hearing loss, according to MNPD spokesperson Don Aaron. The blast shattered windows and damaged buildings for several blocks. At least three people have been transported to hospitals with injuries. The two taken to TriStar Centennial Medical Center were non-critical, according to a spokesperson. “Any other morning, it would have been a much worse story,” Mayor John Cooper says.
Police do not know if anyone was inside the RV, but investigators believe the explosion was intentional. People who were on the street at the time are being interviewed by the FBI, which is leading the investigation.
At the moment, this appears to be an act of terrorism of some kind, although the FBI will have to make that determination itself. If it was an act of terrorism, it will be the most significant bombing in the US in years. Assuming that this was a terrorist act, it seems very unlikely to be foreign or foreign-inspired, as those attacks almost always target large numbers of civilians.
Given the sequence of events thus far, the target at least appears to be the police department in Nashville. The so-far bogus call of shots fired would have drawn a significant response from the police, and in fact did. Right now, the worry would be that the bomber might have set up a multi-level trap:
Nashville police say they were responding to reports of shots fired when they noticed a suspicious vehicle. As the police hazardous devices unit was en route to the scene, an explosion occurred. pic.twitter.com/LdVQ3RiG9u — Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) December 25, 2020
As Campbell says, “there’s a lot we don’t know” at this point. But Campbell, a former FBI investigator himself, says that it’s clear that this wasn’t designed to be a mass casualty event, and it also doesn’t appear to have been designed to bring down buildings a la Oklahoma City 1995. It could be a statement bombing, although one in which no one has yet claimed responsibility. It could also be a trap to take out some police officers in the line of duty.
One thing Campbell notes is that the use of a vehicle should make it easier to track the perpetrators. That’s how they caught Timothy McVeigh in 1995 and the World Trade Center bombers in 1993. If the RV used in this explosion was stolen, though, it might not be all that helpful — but they’ll also be able to find the parts of the explosive device used, and that might help track them down as well. Let’s hope all of those avenues pay off.
If any more developments come today, I’ll update this post. Meanwhile, pray for the three injured officers, and have yourselves a merry Christmas.
Update: Hmmmmmmm ….
JUST IN: Nashville police say they arrived at a “shots fired” call Friday morning and encountered an RV with a recording “saying that a potential bomb would detonate within 15 minutes.” Police sought to evacuate the area before the RV exploded. Latest: https://t.co/wi123oN0m1 pic.twitter.com/VjWOJJETfR — NBC News (@NBCNews) December 25, 2020
If they were setting a trap for police, why have a recorded warning about a bomb? But if they weren’t setting a trap, why set off the bomb at all? One thing’s for sure — someone or some people went to a lot of trouble to conduct this bombing.
Update: Investigators tell CBS News that they found a body near the explosion, but aren’t sure whether it’s the perpetrator or an unfortunate victim:
Law enforcement sources tell CBS News they have found what appear to be human remains near the site of the explosion. They have not indicated whether the remains are from someone connected to the explosion or from an innocent victim.
Keep ears open on that development. Meanwhile, Nashville police hope someone recognizes the RV as it was when someone parked it for the attack:


hotair--2020-12-26--Authorities identify person of interest in Nashville bombing

There have been a number of updates about the Nashville bombing in the past couple of hours since Karen wrote about some of the reactions .
When Ed wrote about this yesterday , he added an update with a photo of the RV that exploded downtown .
News 4 Nashville reports that vehicle has been connected to a 63-year-old suspect named Anthony Quinn Warner .
The home of a 63-year-old man is being searched by federal agents in connection with an explosion in downtown Nashville early Christmas morning , law enforcement officials told NBC News .
Multiple senior federal law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Federal Bureau of Investigation , and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives are searching the home of Anthony Quinn Warner .
The investigation is taking place at a home in the 100 block of Bakertown Road in Antioch .
A Google street view image of the location showed a RV parked in the driveway .
The Google street view image of the RV matches the RV that exploded as you can see below .
Today , federal law enforcement was seen pulling bags of evidence out of Warner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he has not been found and authorities now suspect that he may have been the person whose remains were found at the site of the explosion : There ’ s still no clear motive being discussed but the Daily Mail has some evidence that this was planned well in advance .
Anthony Quinn Warner , 63 , signed the property away via a quitclaim deed to Michelle Swing , a 29-year-old woman living in Los Angeles , for $ 0.00 , according to county records… ‘ I didn ’ t even buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me without my knowledge .
So this all very weird to me , that ’ s about all I can say.
’ Swing declined to say whether she had ever met Warner or whether she had family links to him , adding : ‘ I ’ ve been told to direct everything else to FBI.
’ So it ’ s looking like this was a carefully planned suicide car bombing but we won ’ t know for certain until DNA tests of the remains confirm Warner killed himself in the blast .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into this , it would be very strange if Warner didn ’ t leave behind some explanation of why he was doing this .
He was clearly trying to make a statement so maybe he left that explanation at his home , knowing that everything in the RV would be destroyed .

There have been a number of updates about the Nashville bombing in the past couple of hours since Karen wrote about some of the reactions. When Ed wrote about this yesterday, he added an update with a photo of the RV that exploded downtown. News 4 Nashville reports that vehicle has been connected to a 63-year-old suspect named Anthony Quinn Warner.
The home of a 63-year-old man is being searched by federal agents in connection with an explosion in downtown Nashville early Christmas morning, law enforcement officials told NBC News. Multiple senior federal law enforcement officials told NBC News Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are searching the home of Anthony Quinn Warner. The investigation is taking place at a home in the 100 block of Bakertown Road in Antioch. A Google street view image of the location showed a RV parked in the driveway.
The Google street view image of the RV matches the RV that exploded as you can see below.
Breaking: An RV can be in the google map search of the address linked to “Anthony Quinn Warner,” the person of interest in the #Nashville Christmas explosion. pic.twitter.com/mXm4QvwYJk — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) December 26, 2020
Today, federal law enforcement was seen pulling bags of evidence out of Warner’s house:
You can see agents going inside this door. We’re in Antioch just off Bakertown Rd. About 500 tips came in to help investigators. @WSMV #Nashville pic.twitter.com/NjJsaOIlbg — Joshua Cole (@JoshuaColeLive) December 26, 2020
As for Warner, he has not been found and authorities now suspect that he may have been the person whose remains were found at the site of the explosion:
Law enforcement sources told CBS News the suspect in the Nashville explosion on Christmas Day may have been killed in the blast. DNA tests are being conducted on the human remains found at the scene.
There’s still no clear motive being discussed but the Daily Mail has some evidence that this was planned well in advance.
Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, signed the property away via a quitclaim deed to Michelle Swing, a 29-year-old woman living in Los Angeles, for $0.00, according to county records… ‘I didn’t even buy the house he just deeded it over to me without my knowledge. So this all very weird to me, that’s about all I can say.’ Swing declined to say whether she had ever met Warner or whether she had family links to him, adding: ‘I’ve been told to direct everything else to FBI.’
So it’s looking like this was a carefully planned suicide car bombing but we won’t know for certain until DNA tests of the remains confirm Warner killed himself in the blast.
Given all the planning that apparently went into this, it would be very strange if Warner didn’t leave behind some explanation of why he was doing this. He was clearly trying to make a statement so maybe he left that explanation at his home, knowing that everything in the RV would be destroyed.


hotair--2020-12-26--Pakistan to release Daniel Pearl's killer... maybe

In January of 2002 , Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was lured to Karachi by a supposed informant promising information for a story that Pearl was working on .
This turned out to be a ruse , and Pearl was kidnapped by terrorists after he arrived .
Not long after , the terrorists decapitated Pearl in a gruesome fashion and sent a videotape of the execution to the United States Consulate in Pakistan .
The following month , Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh , a British national , was arrested along with three coconspirators .
Sheikh was sentenced to death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in prison for the killing .
But Sheikh was never executed and remained in prison .
Then , in April of this year , the provincial Sindh High Court overturned the convictions of all of the men on all charges except for kidnapping .
They then ordered his release .
Following objections , the country ’ s highest court ruled that Sheikh be kept in prison while the ruling was appealed , but now the Sindh High Court has overturned that order , stating that Sheikh must be set free while the appeals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent this , but the clock is ticking .
( Associated Press ) A provincial court in Pakistan on Thursday ordered the man charged in the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl freed , his defense lawyer said .
The Sindh High Court ’ s release order overturns a decision by Pakistan ’ s top court that Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh , the key suspect in Pearl ’ s slaying , should remain in custody , his lawyer said .
Sheikh was acquitted of murdering Pearl earlier this year , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family appeals the acquittal .
Sheikh ’ s lawyer Mehmood A. Sheikh , with whom he is not related , called for his client to be released immediately .
“ The detention order is struck down , ” said Faisal Siddiqi , the Pearl family lawyer .
Sheikh will be freed until the appeal is completed , he said , but will be returned to prison if the family is successful in overturning the acquittal .
This entire affair has been both confusing and dismaying .
As far as the Sindh High Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t a total exoneration of Sheikh .
They left his conviction for kidnapping in place .
But the maximum sentence for kidnapping over there is seven years and Sheikh has already done more than that , leading to the order for his release .
It ’ s still unclear whether Sheikh will be let loose or not , however .
The Wall Street Journal published a followup report on this story , indicating that the prosecutor general for the province stated that he would ensure Sheikh remained behind bars while the appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a previous supreme court ruling .
The provincial court that ’ s been tossing out all of these rulings favorable to Sheikh clearly seems to have a soft spot for the terrorists in their country .
Simply seeking to allow the killer to go free while the appeals process plays out is a huge risk .
Keep in mind that Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh isn ’ t some innocent bystander who suddenly got swept up in all of this action .
He was raised in Great Britain , but as a young man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel to Pakistan and join a jihadist group .
Not long after , in 1994 , he and his terrorist colleagues were arrested in India for kidnapping a busload of western tourists .
Unfortunately , he was released in a prisoner exchange in 1999 .
He returned to Pakistan to continue his “ work ” with his terror cell until he kidnapped Pearl a few years later .
If they cut this guy loose , he ’ s going to be in the wind before anyone can say “ boo ” and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to sneak him back out into the mountains for a hero ’ s welcome .
The Pakistani government officials are still talking a good game in terms of wanting to keep Sheikh locked up , but I ’ m not sure how strong their resolve is today .
They ’ ve never been reliable allies , though they have wisely sought to avoid incurring the ire of the United States where possible .
But consider the fact that bin Laden somehow “ mysteriously ” managed to live in comfort in their country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a lot more cautious about angering us when we were first busting into Afghanistan and had large forces near their border .
Perhaps that respect is eroding the closer we get to vacating the area .

In January of 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was lured to Karachi by a supposed informant promising information for a story that Pearl was working on. This turned out to be a ruse, and Pearl was kidnapped by terrorists after he arrived. Not long after, the terrorists decapitated Pearl in a gruesome fashion and sent a videotape of the execution to the United States Consulate in Pakistan. The following month, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British national, was arrested along with three coconspirators. Sheikh was sentenced to death and his three henchmen were given life in prison for the killing.
But Sheikh was never executed and remained in prison. Then, in April of this year, the provincial Sindh High Court overturned the convictions of all of the men on all charges except for kidnapping. They then ordered his release. Following objections, the country’s highest court ruled that Sheikh be kept in prison while the ruling was appealed, but now the Sindh High Court has overturned that order, stating that Sheikh must be set free while the appeals process plays out. Another motion seeks to prevent this, but the clock is ticking. (Associated Press)
A provincial court in Pakistan on Thursday ordered the man charged in the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl freed, his defense lawyer said. The Sindh High Court’s release order overturns a decision by Pakistan’s top court that Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the key suspect in Pearl’s slaying, should remain in custody, his lawyer said. Sheikh was acquitted of murdering Pearl earlier this year, but has been held while Pearl’s family appeals the acquittal. Sheikh’s lawyer Mehmood A. Sheikh, with whom he is not related, called for his client to be released immediately. “The detention order is struck down,” said Faisal Siddiqi, the Pearl family lawyer. Sheikh will be freed until the appeal is completed, he said, but will be returned to prison if the family is successful in overturning the acquittal.
This entire affair has been both confusing and dismaying. As far as the Sindh High Court ruling in April goes, it wasn’t a total exoneration of Sheikh. They left his conviction for kidnapping in place. But the maximum sentence for kidnapping over there is seven years and Sheikh has already done more than that, leading to the order for his release. It’s still unclear whether Sheikh will be let loose or not, however. The Wall Street Journal published a followup report on this story, indicating that the prosecutor general for the province stated that he would ensure Sheikh remained behind bars while the appeal plays out, basing his call on a previous supreme court ruling.
The provincial court that’s been tossing out all of these rulings favorable to Sheikh clearly seems to have a soft spot for the terrorists in their country. Simply seeking to allow the killer to go free while the appeals process plays out is a huge risk. Keep in mind that Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh isn’t some innocent bystander who suddenly got swept up in all of this action. He was raised in Great Britain, but as a young man, he dropped out of school to travel to Pakistan and join a jihadist group. Not long after, in 1994, he and his terrorist colleagues were arrested in India for kidnapping a busload of western tourists. Unfortunately, he was released in a prisoner exchange in 1999. He returned to Pakistan to continue his “work” with his terror cell until he kidnapped Pearl a few years later.
If they cut this guy loose, he’s going to be in the wind before anyone can say “boo” and his terrorist buddies will almost certainly find a way to sneak him back out into the mountains for a hero’s welcome. The Pakistani government officials are still talking a good game in terms of wanting to keep Sheikh locked up, but I’m not sure how strong their resolve is today. They’ve never been reliable allies, though they have wisely sought to avoid incurring the ire of the United States where possible. But consider the fact that bin Laden somehow “mysteriously” managed to live in comfort in their country for years without being discovered. Pakistan was a lot more cautious about angering us when we were first busting into Afghanistan and had large forces near their border. Perhaps that respect is eroding the closer we get to vacating the area.


hotair--2020-12-26--Tennessee Tough: Mayor, country music artists rally around Nashville after Christmas Day attack

The tragic bombing in Nashville on Christmas Day has brought out support from city leaders and country music stars .
The Nashville Chief of Police is publicly acknowledging six officers in praise of their bravery and dedication to the safety of those in the area at the time of the bombing .
The president of the FOP in Nashville also weighed in .
It ’ s been a tough year for police departments across the country and some public praise for those who performed their jobs in such a professional manner from the beginning of the impending attack until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers quickly began evacuating people from nearby buildings , according to the Tennessean .
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department released the officers ’ names on Friday .
The officers were identified as Brenna Hosey , James Luellen , Michael Sipos , Amanda Topping , James Wells and Timothy Miller .
“ Those officers saved lives today , ” Drake said , according to the newspaper .
“ They immediately began knocking on doors , not knowing if the bomb was going to go off immediately .
They didn ’ t care about themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , they cared about the citizens of Nashville.
” James Smallwood , president of the Fraternal Order of Police in Nashville , told “ Fox & Friends Weekend ” that the officers displayed “ nothing short of heroism and courageous actions.
” Mayor John Cooper spoke of them as heroes .
The blast knocked one officer to the ground .
The mayor , a Democrat , however , was criticized on social media for his odd laughter during a press conference about the bombing .
Perhaps it was a nervous reaction but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was noticeably out of place .
He appeared to be making a joke about the bombing being the only explosion to deal with that day .
Yikes .
As a side note , Mayor John Cooper is the brother of U.S. Representative Jim Cooper , who represents Nashville in Washington .
During the appearance on local TV , Cooper spoke about the work that investigators would be doing at the blast site .
“ They ’ re gon na be super-careful , ” Cooper said , “ and they ’ re gon na @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know , this is the only explosion that ’ s gon na happen in Nashville today.
” The 64-year-old Democrat , a Harvard-educated Nashville native who became the city ’ s mayor in September 2019 , then let out a laugh before talking about broken water mains near the explosion site .
The country music community is offering their support to the city and thanking the first responders , too .
Brad Paisley posted a joint guitar performance with actor Kevin Nealon .
Sports teams offered words of encouragement and support , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ east of downtown Nashville in Nissan Stadium .
The Nashville Predators play its hockey games in Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville , A motive is still being investigated .
As I finish writing this post , I am reading a tweet from CBS News that police have a person or persons of interest .

The tragic bombing in Nashville on Christmas Day has brought out support from city leaders and country music stars. The Nashville Chief of Police is publicly acknowledging six officers in praise of their bravery and dedication to the safety of those in the area at the time of the bombing. The president of the FOP in Nashville also weighed in.
It’s been a tough year for police departments across the country and some public praise for those who performed their jobs in such a professional manner from the beginning of the impending attack until the end deserve praise.
At least six officers quickly began evacuating people from nearby buildings, according to the Tennessean. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department released the officers’ names on Friday. The officers were identified as Brenna Hosey, James Luellen, Michael Sipos, Amanda Topping, James Wells and Timothy Miller. “Those officers saved lives today,” Drake said, according to the newspaper. “They immediately began knocking on doors, not knowing if the bomb was going to go off immediately. They didn’t care about themselves, they didn’t think about that, they cared about the citizens of Nashville.” James Smallwood, president of the Fraternal Order of Police in Nashville, told “Fox & Friends Weekend” that the officers displayed “nothing short of heroism and courageous actions.”
Mayor John Cooper spoke of them as heroes. The blast knocked one officer to the ground.
Mayor John Cooper called them “heroes” at a Friday evening news conference. “They ran to danger with uncertain outcomes ahead of them; they were responsible for so many innocents being saved,” he said.
The mayor, a Democrat, however, was criticized on social media for his odd laughter during a press conference about the bombing. Perhaps it was a nervous reaction but laughter during such a serious press conference was noticeably out of place. He appeared to be making a joke about the bombing being the only explosion to deal with that day. Yikes. As a side note, Mayor John Cooper is the brother of U.S. Representative Jim Cooper, who represents Nashville in Washington.
During the appearance on local TV, Cooper spoke about the work that investigators would be doing at the blast site. “They’re gonna be super-careful,” Cooper said, “and they’re gonna inspect everything and make sure that, you know, this is the only explosion that’s gonna happen in Nashville today.” The 64-year-old Democrat, a Harvard-educated Nashville native who became the city’s mayor in September 2019, then let out a laugh before talking about broken water mains near the explosion site.
Have no fear guys, the worst mayor in the city of Nashville’s history showed up to laugh about the bombing. pic.twitter.com/zoA1aoWHaP — Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 25, 2020
The country music community is offering their support to the city and thanking the first responders, too. Brad Paisley posted a joint guitar performance with actor Kevin Nealon.
Merry Christmas everyone! And a huge thank you to all the brave first responders in Nashville this morning. 🙏🏻❤ — Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) December 25, 2020
Our house shook here in Nashville. Following the info on socials and the news but just praying nobody was hurt. Seems like it was an explosion of some sort downtown. Fucking 2020 😔 — Cassadee Pope (@CassadeePope) December 25, 2020
Merry Christmas! Thinking of our beautiful hometown we love so much. We are beyond grateful to our first responders for your dedication and bravery. Our prayers and love are with all those serving our community. #NashvilleStrong — Little Big Town (@littlebigtown) December 25, 2020
Sports teams offered words of encouragement and support, too. The Tennessee Titans play just east of downtown Nashville in Nissan Stadium. The Nashville Predators play its hockey games in Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville,
Praying for our city and the first responders on the scene of the explosion this morning. Nashville has been through a lot this year. We'll bounce back together, stronger and tougher. #TennesseeTough — Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 25, 2020
Thank you to the first responders and everyone helping our downtown friends and neighbors this morning. #NashvilleStrong — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) December 25, 2020
A motive is still being investigated. As I finish writing this post, I am reading a tweet from CBS News that police have a person or persons of interest.