Bullet Points

The Globe has reached out to editorial boards nationwide to write and publish editorials this Thursday, August 16 denouncing what the newspaper called a ‘‘dirty war against the free press.’’ Pritchard said the decision to seek the coordinated response from newspapers was reached after Trump appeared to step up his rhetoric in recent weeks. It is reported that nearly 100 U.S. newspapers are joining this “War by Editorials.”

Here’s the rub: President Trump is misquoted daily by dozens of newspapers as saying “Newspapers and News Broadcasts are Fake News and the enemies of the people.” He has never said that. What he DOES say and says repeatedly is “Fake News is the enemy of the people.”

The fact that this is lost on those in the news world illustrates the dire danger to Americans regarding “Fake News.” No one knows what stories are real and what stories are fake. No one knows if quoted sources are real or contrived since most negative stories about Donald Trump and his administration usually come from “anonymous sources.” In fact, recent polls tag Americans’ approval rating of American News Media lower than that held by Americans about members of Congress! This fact has not even nudged the mainstream media to move away from “gossip reporting” toward simple “news reporting.”

Wednesday, August 15th (the day before the Globe editorial conspiracy) we will offer up a solution to Fake News. You will want to look closely at it. It makes sense, is totally responsible, fair, and reasonable. And most important of all is that it is doable.

Omarosa Omarosa Manigault-Newman, the ex-reality star and former Trump aide who has since accused the president of racism, on Sunday released what she claimed was a secret recording of White House Chief of Staff John Kelly “threatening” her in the White House Situation Room. In the recording, Kelly purportedly calls for Manigault-Newman’s “friendly departure” from the administration without any “difficulty in the future relative to your reputation.” According to the tape, Kelly continued by saying that things could get “ugly” for her and that she was “open to some legal action” for conduct that would merit a court-martial if she were in the military.

It may surprise you that Omarosa shared this on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” and appeared to promote her soon-to-be-released tell-all book.

Several members of the press and current and former members of the Trump Administration that Omarosa quoted in her book as supporting her claims of the President using the N-word have denied her claims. In fact, they have lambasted her for blatantly lying and for her obvious breach of security and contractual violations in even recording a conversation in the White House.

We certainly have not heard the last of this. The former star of the NBC show “The Apprentice,” produced by the President, heard those deadly words from Mr. Trump on national television: “You’re fired!” She was famously disliked by her fellow contestants on the show. She was loud, demanding, and verbose in every episode they claimed. Apparently, those traits accompanied her to her short stint in the Trump Administration. She was terminated for continued “illegal and unauthorized use of federal vehicles.”

The Mainstream Media, of course, are and will continue to have a field day with us. More Trump non-political noise that makes for good soap opera fodder!

Turkey on the hot plate “I have just authorized a doubling of Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum with respect to Turkey as their currency, the Turkish Lira, slides rapidly downward against our very strong Dollar! Aluminum will now be 20% and Steel 50%,” Trump tweeted Friday. “Our relations with Turkey are not good at this time!”

President Trump ratcheted up tariffs on the NATO ally because of their refusal to release American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been detained in Turkey for 21 months on “terrorism” charges along with alleged espionage accusations. The actual charge by Turkey is “Christianization.” There is no law against Christians or Christianity in the Turkish Constitution. In fact, at least in writing, freedom of religion is constitutionally guaranteed. Though the pastor has been moved from prison to his house, “house arrest” for him consists of 12 armed guards surrounding his home 24/7 to make sure he does not leave nor anyone unauthorized to goes in.

It remains to be seen how long Turkish President Erdagon who, by the way, has named himself the unofficial leader of Islam, will continue to illegally hold Brunson. It is expected that foreign investors and holders of Turkish debt will quickly force the Middle Eastern country into bankruptcy if Erdagon does not set Brunson free.

Bill and Hillary The pair must really be sweating this latest blockbuster: Thursday of last week, a Boeing 757 landed in Little Rock and off-loaded a group of reported Justice Department employees who left the Little Rock airport in Suburbans. Later that afternoon, they returned and loaded a large number of document boxes on the plane, boarded and took off.

A Little Rock Radio station — KARN — heard about the plane and photographed it at the airport along with those DOJ employees re-boarding. It was confirmed via the tail number on the plane it indeed belongs to the Justice Department. It’s Thursday publicly visible flight plan confirmed its departure from D.C. for Little Rock early Thursday and its return flight back to the D.C. area that afternoon.

Surprisingly the same plane made a return trip to Little Rock early Friday, loaded more boxes, and then again returned to D.C. Friday afternoon.

It was released in early July that the Department of Justice was re-opening their case into alleged financial wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation. Though the “official” headquarters of the organization is listed as New York, much of its activities have been orchestrated by the former President and foundation employees who headquarter at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, which is where Bill spends most of his time.

We will watch this matter closely and bring further details as received and confirmed.

Democrat Leadership Domestic Abuse Charges The co-chair of the Democratic National Committee, Rep. Keith Ellison, was accused of emotional and physical abuse by an ex-girlfriend who said: “You know you did that to me.” The allegations surfaced Saturday night from Karen Monahan after her son alleged in a Facebook post that he had seen text messages from Ellison threatening her and video of the congressman screaming obscenities at her as he dragged her off a bed by her feet.

“My brother and I watched our mom come out of pure hell after getting out of her relationship with Keith Ellison,” 25-year-old Austin Monahan said. On Sunday, Karen Monahan said that what her son posted was the truth.

Ellison responded to the allegations Sunday, issuing a brief statement that said, “I never behaved in this way.”

It will be amazing to watch how Democrats respond to these charges. Dems have made themselves the “keepers of the right to banish men they think are sexists.” Will they do so with Ellison?

Remember: Keith Ellison is not only a member of Congress, he is African-American. Not only is he African-American, he is the first Muslim elected to serve in Congress. Not only is he Muslim, he is the co-chair of the Democrat Party.

Seems like a conundrum to me. Will Dems treat Ellison as they have treated other offenders — or at least “alleged” offenders? Who reading this thinks Dems care at all about making fair and impartial decisions about anything?

Summary

This is already a busy week. The midterm elections around the corner, the Mueller investigation and questions surrounding the President sitting down with Mueller for a one-on-one interview filling the air, and — just in case you forgot — NFL players are kneeling or raising a fist in the air or just not coming to the sidelines before the National Anthem is performed! And Americans are really mad about that. As one journalist who is a friend of mine told me Friday: “NFL protesting players don’t care what Americans think.”

Stay close this week! We’re plugged in for you. And if you have not, please log in your email at the space bottom-right on the home page to receive an email every day a new podcast or story goes up to make sure you do not miss a story. We don’t give your email to anyone; we don’t sell anything here so will not email you anything other than that link, and we do NOT let anyone access your private information.

Thanks for looking in to start your week!