Flotsam and Jetsam - Iran's President Dies In Helo Crash

Iran's President, Ebrahim Raisi, along with several other prominent Iranians, were involved in a "hard landing" in a helicopter in the fog in mountains on the way  from a meeting with President of Azerbaijan. Most of the yesterday, the outcome was still in doubt but late last night we heard there were no survivors of the crash. ALX@alx "BREAKING: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi declared dead after Helicopter crash." Stacy McCain, Biden Administration Loses Key Ally "The Biden administration gave $16 billion to Iran, but Joe Biden’s valuable partner is now missing and likely dead  . . ." Insty, DEVELOPING: Iranian President’s Helicopter Suffers ‘Accident’ or ‘Incident’ — Either Way, It Went Down. UPDATE:

My thoughts are with the @washingtonpost obituary team in this difficult time as they fiercely debate whether to call Ebrahim Raisi an “austere religious scholar”, a “patriotic anti-Zionist leader” or a “zealous anti-corruption crusader”.

— Gabriel Noronha (@GLNoronha) May 19, 2024

Althouse, Did Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi die in a helicopter crash? "And there's this in The Jerusalem Post: "Social media goes rampant with rumors of Iranian President’s helicopter going missing/While apologists of the regime expressed hope for Raisi’s well-being, others implied that the regime itself was behind an assassination attempt, and many others expressed joy at the unconfirmed news.""

Jon Gabriel at AZ Central swears As unhappy as Americans are, Biden-Trump debates may actually be a welcome break. "Opinion: Oldest democracy on the planet or 'Jerry Springer' promo: you be the judge." Dan Greenfield at Front Page notes Biden So Popular He Didn’t Want an Audience at the Debate. "When you're so popular even a CNN audience won't cheer for you."  From Da Caller, ‘They Want To See Proof Of Life’: Bill Maher Mocks Biden For Trump Debate Proposal. PM hears Bill Maher ADMITS Joe Biden is losing—that’s why he agreed to debates. "“Is it too late to switch out?” Maher asked." At the Free Bacon WATCH Joe Biden's Senior Moment of the Week (Vol. 94). 'Stand up kid, I like that dress.' At RedState, Nick Arama sees Biden Descends Into Confusion, Denial of Reality and the Polls in Atlanta, Biden Reveals He Has No Idea When He Was VP, and What He Called J6 People at NAACP Dinner Is Hilarious and Biden's Morehouse Speech Is a Mess With Pandering in Overdrive, As Students Turn Their Backs on Him. Hat Hair's KT, Biden Called for Immediate Ceasefire During Commencement at Morehouse College, and I'll bet he didn't mean Hamas. 'Bonchie' at Red State, UPDATE: Joe Biden Was Lying When He Promised 'Intelligence' to Israel in Exchange for Saving Hamas "According to a new report, the "intelligence" offered was known to be garbage. Shorter: Biden was lying."

Detroit Freep, I was Detroit's police chief. Joe Biden has failed our community. Althouse notes The NYT has 3 articles this morning about Biden cultivating the black vote. At PJM Matt Margolis wonders How Can Joe Biden Win With This Demographic Shift? WaEx reports ‘Never Biden’ voters more numerous than ‘Never Trumpers’ this election season. Da Caller, Forget ‘Never Trumpers’ — More Voters Now Say They’ll Never Vote For Biden. Salena Zito and Brad Todd at RCP think Joe Biden’s Problem Is in the Pews. Joe Cunningham at RedState says The Problem Is... They Can't Get Rid of Kamala Harris. Well, that's certainly one problem. 

Fox, Biden's 'privilege' claims sound like arguments Trump officials made before getting thrown in jail: attorney "'The same arguments were made during the Trump years as are being made now,' former Assistant US Attorney Andrew McCarthy told Fox News Digital." WaEx, Biden’s executive privilege over Hur audio, but not transcript, draws scrutiny and House GOP prepares alternative paths to gain Hur audio if Garland contempt effort fails "Another route that GOP members may take is to take up a long-dormant House contempt power under a resolution from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL). In May, she announced an “inherent contempt” resolution against Garland, which differs from the committees’ proceedings. Luna’s resolution relies on the power to allow the House to detain and imprison someone until they comply with the congressional demand. Under the process, which hasn’t been used since 1935, the person being held in contempt could be arrested by the sergeant-at-arms and brought to the House floor for trial, and can be imprisoned or detained in the Capitol." That would be a kick. 

At Flopping Aces, Inflation Wonderland: Where 1.4% Magically Becomes 9%. From ET, Trump Warns of ‘Death of American Dream’ as Inflation Persists. "‘High inflation means high prices, high interest rates, high mortgage rates, and death for the American Dream,’ President Trump said." The Peacock admits Soaring debt and deficits causing worry about threats to the economy and markets. PJM, Government Plots To Grab Homeowners' Private Properties In Florida.

 Althouse read the NYT, which worries "The Trump campaign believes it can capitalize on — or foment — a backlash to the leftward march of the Twin Cities and still-fresh memories..."  and "RFK Jr. is radical left. He reminds me of this fly that's driving me crazy up here. This fly is brutal. I don't like flies!" ""But RFK Jr. calls you a terrorist group. You know he calls you a terrorist group." Said Trump at the NRA convention — video. Brutal????!!!! Now I know that Trump knows the "insect politics" speech from "The Fly". . . " Matt Vespa at Town Hall is impressed with How Trump Reacted to a Dysfunctional Podium in Minnesota.

AP whines Noncitizen voting, already illegal in federal elections, becomes a centerpiece of 2024 GOP messaging. Translation, please don't look under the rug!  RNC Sues Georgia County over Zuck Bucks Records.

Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair, looks at the mess and says  Let's Pick Members of Congress at Random. We could do worse, and have. This idea was first floated, as far as I know by William F. Buckley Jr, who said he'd rather be governed by people picked out of a phone book. 

Vicky Taft at PJM says The Trump Trial Could Be Over Sooner Than You Think — Unless He Testifies. From TNP, EXC: Trump’s 2016 Campaign Staff Say Michael Cohen Was NOT a Surrogate, Suggesting He Perjured Himself AGAIN This Week. Da Hill whines Johnson’s Trump trip unsettles some Republicans: ‘Tell me this isn’t so’. At the WarRoom, The Constitutional Guillotine: The End of the Deep State Kash Patel, Former National Security Prosecutor and Deputy Director of National Intelligence. TNP, Biden’s Brownshirts Raid Giuliani’s 80th Birthday Bash to Serve Indictment.

Twitchy's Irony Meter busted as Bette Midler Asks Us to Imagine What Would Happen If Hillary Clinton Had Claimed Election Was Stolen.

Jewish World Review, A cynical Washington Post tells Biden: Nothing matters more than beating Trump. Seattle Times cited at Hat Hair, NYT Carrying Biden's Water - This 'Article' Is Like a Press Release. 

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: There Must Be Some Kind Of Way Out Of Here up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.