"Getting on knees" becoming most prevalent campaign theme

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Religion dominating Republican presidential race

Cruz and Rubio trying to “out-Christian” each other

As the race for the Republican presidential nomination veers sharply to the right, particularly in the days before the Iowa caucuses, it appears that the candidates are trying to outdo themselves in the quest to be the most Christian.

At the same Iowa rally in which an evangelical pastor called for the death penalty for gay people and said that the candidates need to accept Jesus as the “king of the president of the United States,” Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said, “Any president who doesn’t begin every day on his knees isn’t fit to be commander in chief of this country.” 

We are checking with the Cruz campaign to verify that the “on his knees” to which Cruz referred was for praying and not for one of the other things people do when they get on their knees.

Not to be outdone, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, at another Iowa rally said, “The presidency of the United States is an extraordinary burden and you look at some of the greatest presidents in American history. They were very clear. They were on their knees all the time asking for God, asking God for the wisdom to solve, for the strength to persevere incredible tests.”

Although Rubio said it was very clear, it is actually not very clear which of the “greatest presidents in American history” were "on their knees all the time” praying to God for wisdom.

When pressed to name some of the presidents he was referring to, Rubio, channeling one of Sarah Palin’s most famous interviews, said, “Most of them. All of them.”

We reached out to the Rubio campaign for clarification. Rubio’s spokesperson for Christian matters, Billy Bob "Bud" Powell said, “We are on our knees praying for guidance from above on this matter and will provide a list as soon as that guidance is received from on high.”

When asked to comment on the race’s hard turn to religion and Christianity, Donald J. Trump, recently endorsed by Jerry Falwell Jr., son of the late right-wing televangelist, said, “I can tell you, and this is the God's honest truth, I only go by what I learned by reading the two Corinthians.”

Camerota hasn't shed Fox tendencies

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CNN Anchor calls policing “God’s work”

Comments follow “Beyond the Call of Duty” segment

In comments following a segment of a new series called “Beyond the Call of Duty,” CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota called policing, “God’s work.” The segment told the story of New York police detective Joseph Lemm, one of six U.S. troops killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in December while serving in the Air National Guard. 

In her follow up to the piece Camerota said, “I mean, look, the sacrifice that our police officers and soldiers give every day, you know, cannot be overstated. He had the dual role and sacrifice and police are doing God's work every day, and we do try to feature that on the Good Stuff and I'm glad that we do.” 

While the work that Mr. Lemm did as both a police officer and soldier can be characterized in many ways… heroic, courageous, brave, valiant, noble, intrepid, among others come to mind…“God’s work” is probably the wrong description for a mainstream, secular news network.

Ms. Camerota joined CNN in mid-2014 after 16 years at the Fox News Channel. Clearly, in her time at CNN, Ms. Camerota has not lost all of her Fox predispositions.

Concern that McDonnell case may give special interests "frightening degree of control over the political process."

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Supreme Court: Will hear Va. Gov case; won't hear case on death penalty 

 No, this is no joke!

Among the cases the United States Supreme Court decided to hear or not hear this week, two stand out as a demonstration of what a disaster the Court has become.

The Court agreed to hear the case of former Virginia governor Robert McDonnell who was convicted of corruption for his efforts on behalf of a businessman who bestowed money and gifts on the governor and his family. Although McDonnell’s conviction was upheld by a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4^th Circuit, in deciding to hear the case at least four Supreme Court justices appeared to agree with McDonnell’s lawyer who argued that if his, “routine political courtesies” to Richmond businessman Jonnie R. Williams Sr. could be construed as felonies, it would make all politicians vulnerable and arm federal prosecutors “with a frightening degree of control over the political process.”

While it is not clear how the justices will rule in the McDonnell case, court insiders have hinted that since the court has already given corporations, unions and billionaires “a frightening degree of control over the political process” through their Citizens United decision, it was likely that they will overturn the McDonnell conviction so as not to give this frightening control to yet another group.

A week after the court agreed to hear the McDonnell case, it declined to hear a new case asking it to make a ruling on the constitutionality of capital punishment. The rejected case concerned an appeal by Shonda Walter of her death penalty sentence for killing an 83-year old Pennsylvania man in 2003. Walter’s lawyers argued that her court appointed defense lawyers provided no defense and offered no argument that might have spared her the death sentence. Pennsylvania appeals courts agreed that she had an incredibly bad defense but upheld the conviction and sentence anyway. The Supreme Court’s rejection of the case was made without comment.

So, this week the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case to determine whether a politician taking gifts from a businessman in exchange for intervening with state officials on the businessman’s behalf should be overturned, but declined to take the case of a convicted murderer who, everyone involved in the case agrees, did not receive adequate defense counsel and has been sentenced to death.

And, according to Marco Rubio, putting Barak Obama on the Supreme Court “would be a disaster for this country.” Huh?

GOP debates to become circus's third ring

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Ringling Bros. Circus to hold Republican debates going forward

To be “Circus within a Circus”

In a surprise move, Feld Entertainment, owners of the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus, announced a new venture with the Republican National Committee (RNC). The agreement calls for all future Republican Presidential debates to become the new third ring at Ringling Bros. three ring circuses.

The move by Feld Entertainment comes a week after the company announced that it would stop using elephants at its shows. Feld spokesperson P.T. Quartermane said, “Many people have told us that a circus wouldn’t be a circus without elephants.  Given that, and without our elephants, we believe the best way for our circus to continue to be a circus would be to integrate a real circus into our shows. After Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey, there is no greater circus than the Republican presidential debates."

The venture between Feld and the RNC will begin immediately. But, according to Rance Preibus, RNC chairman, “The elephants are not coming back. So, without them, and to help ensure the Ringling Bros. circus will continue to be the 'greatest show on earth,' we will monitor the reaction to circus goers and based on our polling consider continuing to hold our circuses as the third ring even after the presidential election ends.”

Dodgers seek help from unlikely source

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Yasiel Puig weighs on the mind of Dodgers 

Cuban overweight - hasn't spoken to new manager Roberts

The Los Angeles Times reported today that newly hired Los Angeles Dodger manager Dave Roberts and troubled right fielder Yasiel Puig have yet to talk.

Puig, the controversial Cuban outfielder, burst onto the American baseball scene two years ago but has had a difficult relationship with teammates and, most notably, former Dodger manager Don Mattingly, who was fired by the team at the end of the last season.

In view of Puig’s past relationship issues, new manager Roberts said he hoped to speak to Puig sometime over the next month or so in order to build a bond. In fact, Roberts blamed himself for the one missed connection between the two, reporting, “I tried to call him but I only had one bar, so the extent of the talk was my saying, ‘Can you hear me now?’ and my hearing something like, ‘Me gusta ropa vieja.’"

Puig’s allusion to “ropa vieja,” Cuba’s national dish, is telling, as it is reported that the outfielder currently weighs 280 pounds, 40 or so pounds over his natural playing weight.

Dodger management, concerned that the extra weight will limit Puig’s playing ability this coming season, is taking action to get Puig to slim down. It is reported that Dodger president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, has sought permission from the Boston Red Sox to have Puig train with Bosox third basemen Pablo (Kung Fu Panda) Sandoval who is noted for his disciplined approach to keeping his own weight down.