In this morning's Washington Post, they fact check Donald Trump's speech on foreign policy and terrorism yesterday. A lot of Pinocchios for one speech, and all of them have one thing in common: They are the kinds of things you hear repeated over and over on Fox News. Roger Ailes bears so much of the responsibility for the Trump phenomenon, but I suppose he has other things on his plate now.
At Politico, file this story under the heading "Why MSW dislikes Obama so much." Obama negotiates a lousy trade deal. It is wildly unpopular with his own party, both the elected members of Congress and the hoi polloi. But, following his mantra "good policy is good politics," he is out pushing for the TPP. And, in this instance, it is not even good policy. Yeesh. I feel the same way about the news that we are releasing more prisoners from Gitmo. I am no fan of Gitmo, but you do not hand a mad man like Donald Trump a good talking point at this stage of an election.
At La Stampa, a report on the rise of anti-Semitism and other prejudices in Italy. Alas, throughout the West, we are seeing people coming to believe they should start looking for scapegoats.
Here is a video of an organist playing Bach Fugue in e minor (BWV 548) on the magnificent organ at St. Cecilia's Cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska. This one of the few dual temperament organs in the country and, so far as I know, the only such organ in a Catholic church. Listening to Bach on a magnificent organ is always good for the soul, but today our thoughts are in Omaha for a different reason: It is the anniversary of the priestly ordination of Archbishop Blase Cupich 41 years ago. Ad Multos Annos!
