The Clock Is Ticking -- Which Side Will Blink?

Fifty Years On: The Similarities And Differences!

Dan Cirucci as he appeared in Life magazine (circled) holding the McCarthy for President sign and campaigning with actor Tony Randall in Concord, New Hampshire in 1968. 

Those high-schoolers marching for stricter gun-control measures?

I wouldn’t dismiss them quite so easily. Nor would I underestimate the impact of a national youth-driven movement.

That’s because I was part of just such an effort exactly 50 years ago this spring.

In 1968, the media called it a “children’s crusade.” But those of us who participated were hardly children, even though many of us were novices to the pugnacious world of national politics. We were mostly college kids watching our contemporaries die by the thousands in a senseless war halfway around the world.

I lost four of my high school classmates in Vietnam. Multiply that figure out across the nation and over the decade-long war and you have more than 58,000 fatalities.

In the spring of 1968, we were in the throes of it. And I was a senior at Villanova University. I knew that I could not simply stand aside and watch the carnage continue. So, as a political science major, I decided to work within the system to bring about change.

I joined the campaign of the Democratic peace candidate, Sen. Gene McCarthy. The cerebral senator was the only Democrat who dared to challenge President Lyndon Johnson early on. Few people gave him any chance of dethroning an incumbent president. But that didn’t matter to me when I joined some of my classmates and went to work for McCarthy in New Hampshire, where he unexpectedly captured such a huge portion of the primary vote that he sent shock waves through the party establishment. By the end of March, Johnson bailed and announced he would not seek re-election.

I followed McCarthy through other primary states (New York, Indiana, Pennsylvania) and on to the infamous Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

By that summer, the nation witnessed horrific events. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April and Senator Robert F. Kennedy (who had entered the presidential race and may have been headed toward the nomination) was gunned down in June.

In August, the party convention was a veritable bloodbath. Still, our band of “neat and clean for Gene” loyalists played by the rules. We didn’t . . . . . CLICK HERE to read the rest of Dan Cirucci's recollection of 1968 and his warning for today's young activists, as published in the Courier Post.

No, He's NOT A Target And Never Has Been

From widely respected George Washington University Las School professor and legal scholar Jonathan Turley writing at The Hill:

In terminal medical cases, doctors often deal with patients who move through “stages” that begin with denial. These so-called Kübler-Ross stages can be a long road toward acceptance. A weird form of Kübler-Ross seems to have taken hold of the media. Rather than refusing to accept indicators of impending death, many journalists and analysts seem incapable of accepting signs that the Trump presidency could survive.
That painful process was more evident Tuesday night when the Washington Post reported that special counsel Robert Mueller told the White House last month that Trump was not considered a “target” but only a “subject” of the investigation. After a year of being assured that “bombshell” developments and “smoking gun” evidence was sealing the criminal case against Trump, the dissonance was too great for many who refuse to accept the obvious meaning of this disclosure.

Click here to read all of Turley's enlightening column.

He's Coming Your Way; What Else Can We Say?

He was an unlikely candidate for the role of high priest of fashion. But in the world of haute couture the new rule is: Anything is possible!
The documentary is set for release on May 25.

WOW! Still Trending Upward: How About That?

Not only is President Trump's job approval rating trending upward (now beyond the critical 50% mark) but President Trump bests Barack Obama who only achieved a 46% job approval rating at the same point in his presidency. here an excerpt from today's report:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Forty-eight percent (48%) disapprove.
The latest figures include 33% who Strongly Approve of the way Trump is performing and 38% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -5. (see trends).
This is the president’s best overall job approval rating since April of last year. President Obama earned a 46% job approval rating on April 4, 2010, his second year in office.
Regular updates are posted Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily email update).
Now that Gallup has quit the field, Rasmussen Reports is the only nationally recognized public opinion firm that still tracks President Trump's job approval ratings on a daily basis. If your organization is interested in a weekly or longer sponsorship of Rasmussen Reports' Daily Presidential Tracking Poll, please send e-mail to beth@rasmussenreports.com.

So Now, Make NO Mistake About THIS!

WOW! Four Beautiful Concerts And All FREE!

The Philadelphia Orchestra is expanding its presence at venues and neighborhoods off the Avenue of the Arts when it presents four Free Neighborhood Chamber Concerts. These concerts—part of the Orchestra’s ongoing commitment to community service—will feature ensembles of varying sizes performing at the Museum of the American Revolution in Old City (April 22), the Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church in West Philadelphia (April 29), Historic Strawberry Mansion in East Fairmount Park (May 6), and Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown (July 21). These events are FREE and open to the public but online RSVPs are encouraged.

Learn more…

'Catch And Release?' Here's What You Need To Know!

‘Catch and release,’ explained 

“A huge caravan of Central Americans is headed for the U.S., and no one in Mexico dares to stop them,” BuzzFeed News reported on Friday. A number of the caravan’s participants have said they intend to cross the U.S. border illegally once they get here, hoping to slip by American authorities undetected.

An immigration system that gives everyone a fair chance—including both newcomers and longstanding American citizens—requires respect for our Nation’s laws. Yet catch-and-release loopholes, which are the result of statutory and judicial obstacles, encourage illegal immigration and prevent the removal of these individuals once they arrive. That lawlessness helps no one.

President Donald J. Trump has called upon Congress to enact comprehensive reform that addresses this breakdown in the system. In the absence of lasting solutions, we can only expect the flow of illegal immigration into our country to continue in the years ahead.

Read more: What you need to know about ‘catch and release’

Meet Larry Kudlow 

President Trump met with senior staff of his National Economic Council yesterday, welcoming new NEC Director Larry Kudlow to the White House. Kudlow is a respected commentator on economic and financial issues, and his vast experience includes a stint of public service in the Reagan Administration.

With Kudlow as a part of his team, “Our Country will have many years of Great Economic & Financial Success, with low taxes, unparalleled innovation, fair trade and an ever expanding labor force leading the way!” President Trump tweeted last month.

The economy is booming under the President’s agenda. Nearly 3 million jobs have been created since Election Day 2016, and more than 4 million American workers have seen a pay raise, bonus, or other benefit from tax cuts. With Kudlow onboard, America’s economic future looks even brighter.

Read more about President Trump’s meeting with Larry Kudlow. 

Highlights from the 140th Easter Egg Roll 

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the 140th edition of the White House Easter Egg Roll yesterday, with thousands of families swarming the South Lawn for live music, children’s book readings, and other Easter-themed fun.

“Thank you all for being here, folks,” President Trump told an early group of visitors. “It’s an honor to have everybody. On behalf of the Trump family, many of whom are with us right here in the audience, I just want to thank you. This is a special year. Our country is doing great.”

The President thanked the White House Historical Association, the First Lady, and teams of volunteers who did “an incredible job” putting on the event and preserving the sacred White House grounds for all to enjoy.

Watch: President Trump and the First Lady host the 140th Easter Egg Roll 
More: Photos from this year’s Easter Egg Roll 

PHOTO OF THE DAY

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the 140th White House Easter Egg Roll | April 2, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

POTUS TODAY

Today, following an intelligence briefing, President Trump met with the Baltic States Heads of Government. The leaders then participated in a working lunch and later held a joint press conference.

And Now, All The Details You're Waiting For . . .

Dear Villanovans, Villanova is the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Champion! If you had told me two years ago that we would be celebrating another national championship today, I honestly don’t know that I would have believed you. In 2016, it had been 31 years since our last national championship for basketball, and now, just two years later, Villanova is once again the national champion! What a remarkable accomplishment for the players and for Coach Wright and his staff, and what a wonderful time to be a Villanovan! In the days leading up to the Final Four, I was frequently asked about how this team embodies who we are as a University community. It’s a question that is easy for me to answer, and one that I am fairly certain is not asked of other college and university presidents. This team and these coaches are truly unique. They are such wonderful ambassadors for our University because, both on and off the court, they demonstrate what it means to be a Villanovan. We often talk about the connection between heart and mind, and with each win they proved how powerful a combination that can be. They also acknowledged their success humbly, giving credit to the quality of their opponent and to their teammates and coaches—always placing the team before the individual. And most importantly, they are true STUDENT-athletes—with a commitment to academics, a 100 percent graduation rate and numerous academic awards. I couldn’t be prouder of how they’ve handled themselves and represented the University throughout this season. It was an incredible run that Villanovans, and countless others, won’t soon forget. They have made all of us in the Nova Nation very proud. To all the Villanovans who supported this team all season, THANK YOU. Your unfailing support and enthusiasm played a significant role in getting the team to this point in San Antonio. Thousands of you from around the country came out to cheer on the team. Villanova is fortunate to have some of, if not the most loyal fans in the country, and it was wonderful to witness you coming together to cheer on the team. To keep the celebration going, I invite you to join me in welcoming Coach Wright and the team home to Villanova this evening at Jake Nevin Field House. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and the team will arrive around 6:15 p.m. All are welcome. There will also be a parade to celebrate the team and the national championship, Thursday, April 5, in Philadelphia. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. at 20th and Market streets and will end at Dilworth Park. The University will be closed on Thursday for the parade festivities. Additional details will be posted on the Let’s March Nova site this week. Congratulations again to the team and, of course, go 'Cats! Sincerely, Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA President Villanova University

Today, More Than Ever, We Feel The POWER!