WASHINGTON — In the middle of Kamala Harris’ Fox News interview Wednesday night, anchor Bret Baier brought up the vice president’s failure to articulate how she would govern differently from President Joe Biden during previous appearances on The View and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Both times, Harris was asked how she would contrast herself. Both times, she fudged her answer. Asked if she would support government funding for gender transitioning among … inmates and detainees, Harris responded, “I will follow the law.” So when Baier asked Harris how her presidency would diverge from Biden’s, she should have seen it coming and been prepared with a brilliant answer. This is what she said: “Let me be very clear, my presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency. And like every new president that comes into office, I will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences, and fresh and new ideas. I represent a new generation of leadership. I, for example, am someone who has not spent the majority of my career in Washington, D.C. I invite ideas whether it be from Republicans who support me who were just onstage with me minutes ago and the business sector and others who can contribute to the decisions that I make about, for example, my plan for increasing the supply of housing in America and bringing down the cost of housing.” When Baier interrupted her less-than-enlightening remarks, Harris countered that he needed to “let me finish” — which is her way of reminding women voters of the moment in 2020 when she schooled then-Vice President Mike Pence for interrupting her during their debate. “If you don’t mind letting me finish,” Harris noted, “we can have conversation, OK?” It’s four years later, and “let me finish” is her best rhetorical move. And it’s followed by empty filibusters. Either Harris doesn’t want voters to know what she thinks on illegal immigration, or she doesn’t know what she thinks. When Baier asked Harris a simple question — “How many illegal immigrants would you estimate your administration has released into the country over the last three and a half years?” — Harris had no answer. Instead, she offered her usual stale rhetoric about “a broken immigration system that needs to be repaired.” When Baier pressed Harris for a real answer, she went where she always goes: She hit Republicans for rejecting a bipartisan immigration bill this year. Fun fact that you’ll never hear from Harris: Biden could have passed an immigration bill during his first two years in office, when Democrats also controlled Congress. It didn’t happen. Could it be that Democrats didn’t want to solve the problem because they wanted to use it as an election issue — the accusation she frequently tosses at Trump? Harris could have offered that she changed her mind on the border after millions entered the country illegally and blue cities had to deal with waves of unvetted migrants in need of housing and other services, but then she would risk alienating progressives who favor an open border. Harris offered that she does not support decriminalizing border crossings. But that doesn’t mean a Harris administration would treat enforcement as a priority. Asked if she would support government funding for gender transitioning among transgender inmates and detainees, Harris responded, “I will follow the law.” So again, voters are left with a guessing game. Does Harris still believe in policies she embraced as a typical California Democrat, or has she seen the light? I was pleased that Baier asked the question that other journalists have failed to pose: When did Harris notice that Biden’s mental faculties diminished? And I was not surprised at her answer: Biden “has the judgment and experience” to serve in office, and besides, Biden “is not on the ballot.” True, Kamala Harris is on the ballot. And she doesn’t want voters to know where she stands. READ MORE from Debra J. Saunders: Why I’m Voting for Donald Trump Who Wants to Increase the National Debt? Both Trump and Harris Contact Review-Journal Washington columnist Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com. Follow @debrajsaunders on X. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The post Don’t Interrupt Kamala Harris With Questions appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

There are two approaches to election prognostications. One is talked about ad infinitum as the election date approaches. The other is almost never mentioned, because it is not run by the media. The former group include the pollsters — the Gallups, Wall Street Journal, all legacy media outlets etc. — grand seers that predicate their results (and their paychecks) on statistics (data) that are at the heart of probability theory. Operating with a herd mentality at their toil — no one seems to want to climb out on that limb and run the risk of being wrong in their calculations (Hillary, 2016, remember?) — which of course brings us back to their paychecks. Given our two options … which one would you choose for accuracy, reliability, and honesty? That other group of fortune tellers are the “oddsmakers.” Their forecasting is not driven by polls. Rather, they listen to what people actually believe about who is more likely to win and are willing to put their money (their “paychecks”) at risk in doing so. No one calls and asks them what they think about this “elephant” or that “donkey (some prefer ‘jackass’).” No, it is the ones with the paycheck who call the oddsmakers and ultimately wager with their own money who they actually believe will win, not who they hope will. And they do this because they know there is no hype, spin, manipulation or agenda involved — just the odds which are derived from the preferred choices of those willing to wager their own money on — either this “elephant” or that “donkey.” The moment for choices is rapidly approaching. What is interesting is that if you compare these two camps of prognosticators, they yield vastly different results. Just remember, one is based on what someone wants to happen (with little at risk except perhaps their pride) and the other is a function of what an enormous number of people believe will happen — and are willing to risk hard earned money to underwrite their choice. It’s the specific knowledge of the “experts” against the cumulative knowledge of the crowd. The Election and the Pollsters The headline reads “US election ‘too close to call’ in swing states — Wall Street Journal poll.” According to the “probability gurus” at the Journal, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are locked in a dead heat in all seven of the battleground states that will decide the outcome of next month’s presidential election. Sampling 4,200 voters (“registered” voters, not “likely” voters), the poll found Harris with an “oh-so-slight” lead over Trump in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and Trump holding a slim advantage in Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The Journal noted, however, that no lead is wider than two percentage points, except in Nevada, where Trump leads by five points. Across all seven swing states, Trump leads Harris by 46 percent to 45 percent, the poll found. Republicans and Democrats alike support their respective candidates, with independents preferring Harris to Trump (40 percent to 39 percent). Voters surveyed by the Journal ranked the economy and immigration as their top two issues of concern. They favored Trump on economic issues by 10 points, immigration and border security by 16, while Harris beats Trump on the issue of abortion by 16 points. Let us not forget — these are the same “political experts” who had Hillary Clinton with an 85 percent chance of in 2016 against the former president. The Election and the Oddsmakers But then there is that other approach to prognostication – the one based on choices of the public driven by their own risk assessment denominated in dollars. Though they headlines are fewer, they tell the story. From an October 15 New York Times headline, “Prediction Markets Tell a Different Story From the Polls.” And this recently from Business Insider, “The Trump trade is back on as betting markets swing in favor of a win for the former president.” Both U.S. and international betting markets shifted this weekend towards a Trump victory, with prediction sites such as BetOnline, Polymarket, PredictIt, and Kalshi all predicting Trump’s presidential chances are stronger than the incumbent V.P. In case you hadn’t noticed — stemming from the vice president’s deafening silence refusing to give unassisted interviews (ala CBS) — some continue to take her seriously. How is this possible? As of this date — October 18 — according to an average of betting odds by news website and data aggregator RealClearPolitics, oddsmakers give the Republican nominee a 58.5 percent chance of winning, and Harris a 40.4 percent chance. The Republican nominee took a particularly sharp lead October 14 with oddsmakers BetOnline (140-120), Bet365 (138-110) and Bovada (135-115). Bet365 posts its latest — October 18 — U.S. presidential election odds showing Trump with (163) a 61.9 percent implied probability to win the election over Harris’s (130) a 43.4 percent chance. The blockchain-based election betting site Polymarket priced in — October 18 — a 60 percent chance of a Trump victory, breaking the 60 percent threshold for the first time since late July, days after President Joe Biden bowed out of the race. Today, after three assassination attempts and an opponent with no platform other than a failed Biden agenda and “abortion advocacy,” the election still remains Trump’s to lose. Given our two options regarding prognostications for the upcoming November election and what drives the results, which one would you choose for accuracy, reliability, and honesty? The one with the spin based on hope (and utter contempt for the other candidate) or the one where someone’s “paycheck” is at risk? The latter really do not care whether they like or dislike the other candidate — their only interest is in who is likely to win — and they are willing to “put their money where their mouth is.” READ MORE from F. Andrew Wolf Jr.: Tolerance Is Just One of Many Important Virtues Kennedy Endorses Trump, Media Endorses Kamala The post The Election Prognosticators: Experts vs. the Crowd appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Ozzy Osbourne (pictured), Foreigner and Peter Frampton were officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Cleveland (home of the Hall) on 10/19. Present to accept the Foreigner award were original singer Lou Gramm, keyboardist Al Greenwood, and bassist Rick Wills. Guitarist Mick Jones missed the event for health reasons while drummer Dennis Elliot passed because he had issues with the scheduling. “It’s always been driven by my passion for guitar playing,” Frampton said of his career in his acceptance speech, The singer/guitarist had been eligible as a solo artist since ’97. Blues legends Alexis Korner and John Mayall were inducted in the Musical Influence category and MC5 (inducted by Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello) were honored in the Musical Excellence category. Non-Rock inductees include Kool & The Gang, Mary J. Blige Cher, Dave Matthews Band, A Tribe Called Quest, Big Mama Thornton, Jimmy Buffett and Dionne Warwick. ### The post Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame’s Official Inductions appeared first on RockinTown.

from The HighWire with Del Bigtree: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

from The National Pulse: An independent panel investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has issued a scathing report, warning that similar incidents “can and will happen again” unless the Secret Service undergoes serious reforms. The 35-page report, commissioned by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, highlights critical errors […]

In an interview, California Gov. Gavin Newsom backed Elon Musk in his dispute with the state’s agency that blocked a plan to increase SpaceX rocket launches off the Pacific coast. “The California Coastal Commission rejected the U.S. Air Force’s plans that permitted SpaceX to launch up to 50 rockets per year from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County,” 100 Percent Fed Up previously reported. “I’m with Elon,” Newsom told the outlet. “I didn’t like that,” he added. "I'm With Elon": Gavin Newsom Unexpectedly Backs SpaceX In California Lawsuit Against Rogue Democrats  https://t.co/V8KRSsJ2Hv — zerohedge (@zerohedge) October 19, 2024 POLITICO reports: Musk sued the California Coastal Commission on Tuesday in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging it “engaged in naked political discrimination” when commissioners cited his support for former President Donald Trump in rejecting a Department of Defense proposal to expand the number of SpaceX launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base. “Look, I’m not helping the legal case,” Newsom acknowledged. He added, “You can’t bring up that explicit level of politics.” Newsom indicated he broadly agreed with the lawsuit and that the independent agency should have confined its debate to the merits of the permit rather than engage in a discussion of Musk’s political activities. “These are friends of mine that said that,” said Newsom, who appoints some of the members. “These are good commissioners. But you got to call balls and strikes. And trust me, I’m not big on the Elon Musk bandwagon right now. So that’s me calling balls and strikes.” ‘I’m with Elon’: Newsom sides with Musk over California agency on SpaceX launches https://t.co/IxEF0DjXXc — POLITICO (@politico) October 18, 2024 Per Zero Hedge: Newsom sided with SpaceX in the lawsuit and pointed out that an independent agency should have been involved, politics aside, in the decision-making process for rocket launches at the base. Newsom understands that, unlike many Democrats, SpaceX has become a critical part of national security rocket programs. In fact, Musk’s rocket company is quite literally America’s space program in terms of space launches and total mass catapulted into low Earth Orbit. SpaceX will even rescue Boeing’s stranded crew at the International Space Station early next year. Using data from BryceTech, SpaceX launched 525 spacecraft into orbit in the first quarter, far outpacing China and Russia. Musk is America’s rocket program: SpaceX launched about 429,125 kg of spacecraft upmass in the first quarter, significantly outpacing China’s rocket program (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation), which launched a measly 29,426 kg. Much of this is due to SpaceX’s Starlink deployment in LEO, as thousands of these satellites provide high-speed internet coverage to millions of customers worldwide. WATCH:

A ferry dock collapse on Georgia’s Sapelo Island has tragically killed at least seven people. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Georgia DNR), a portion of the Marsh Landing Dock on the island collapsed around 4:30 p.m. The freak accident caused up to 20 people to plummet into the water. One of the deaths reportedly was the chaplain of the state agency which operates the dock. “At least 20 people went into the water and they are working to determined injuries. This was shot by someone shortly before the collapse showing what it looks like,” FOX 5 Atlanta anchor Eric Perry said. WATCH: BREAKING: 7 people are dead after a dock collapsed on Sapelo Island(outside of Savannah). At least 20 people went into the water and they are working to determined injuries. This was shot by someone shortly before the collapse showing what it looks like ⁦@FOX5Atlanta⁩ pic.twitter.com/mii2Bz9ZTV — Eric Perry (@Ericperrytv) October 19, 2024 FOX 5 Atlanta reports: Multiple people were taken to hospitals, and crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, the McIntosh County Fire Department, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and others were searching the water, according to spokesperson Tyler Jones of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which operates the dock. Jones said a gangway at the dock collapsed and sent people plunging into the water. It happened as crowds gathered on the island for a celebration of its tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants. “There have been seven fatalities confirmed,” Jones said. “There have been multiple people transported to area hospitals, and we are continuing to search the water for individuals.” Jones said he did not know what caused the gangway to collapse, but officials believe there were at least 20 people on it at the time. The gangway connected an outer dock where people board the ferry to another dock onshore. Sapelo Island is about 60 miles south of Savannah and can be reached from the mainland by boat. Seven dead after ferry dock gangway collapses on Georgia's Sapelo Island https://t.co/6vKG0acqfN pic.twitter.com/Et4b9HwVmy — Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) October 19, 2024 Tragedy on coastal Georgia's Sapelo Island, where the dock's gangway collapsed Saturday, killing at least seven people. An annual festival of Gullah Geechee culture was happening on the island. Here's a photo of the dock that I took aboard a ferry last month on a reporting trip. https://t.co/f1R2yt7cRh pic.twitter.com/E0a0gYIpBT — Benjamin Payne (@benjaminpayne) October 20, 2024 From the New York Post: Three survivors in their 20s who got on the ferry said they heard the ramp collapse behind them and saw everyone who was standing on the dock fall into the water, including an elderly woman using a walker. The group was visiting from Florida to attend Cultural Heritage Day when they saw four bodies, floating face-down in the water, pulled out to sea due to the low tide currents. Members of the McIntosh County Shouters were also among those who were swept into the water, according to County Commissioner Rogert Lotson, adding that they have all survived, to his knowledge.“Many of those who were on the ramp and many of the injured and dead are elderly,” Lotson said. “It is a big tragedy for the county.” The fatal incident happened as crowds gathered on the island to celebrate its tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants for Cultural Day, according to ABC News. The annual event spotlights the island’s tiny community of Hogg Hummock, which is home to a few dozen Black residents and consists of dirt roads and modest homes founded by former slaves from the cotton plantation of Thomas Spalding, the outlet reported.

Mohamed Noor Iidow has been found guilty of orally raping a 37-year-old mother-of-three, Natalie Shotter, to death in Southall Park, west London.  Members of the jury wept and looked away as the horrific CCTV footage of Iidow raping Shotter in the mouth was shown to the room. Prosecutor Alison Morgan said, “By raping her again […]

Rep. Katherine Clark (Mass.), the Democratic whip, said if they win the House, they plan to resurrect their voting rights bills and pass legislation to counter Roe v Wade. That should strike terror in the minds and hearts. They say they want to preserve ‘democracy,’ starting with ‘voting rights.’ They will not call this nation […] The post Here’s Another Reason Not to Vote for Harris: ‘Voting Rights’ appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.