BloggeRhythms

After a week of continually breaking story’s, most of them centered on the Republican National Convention, things have now come to almost a complete standstill today by comparison.

As far as the presidential race is concerned, Harper Neidig @thehill.com, reports: “Donald Trump is within 3 percentage points of Hillary Clinton nationally, according to a new poll released Friday, showing a bounce from the Republican National Convention.”

Although still trailing, the Republican nominee’s rebound was astounding, whereas: “The former secretary of State was leading by 12 points in last week’s Reuters poll, released days before the GOP convention began in Cleveland on Monday.”

On the Democrat side, their convention begins on Monday and it seems they’ve chosen the prefect setting to befit their presidential candidate and her personal history.

Catherine Lucy @hosted.ap.org, writes: “Philadelphia is ready for the Democratic National Convention. 

“Tougher to clean up and shine, however, is the state's political image, tarnished by recent political corruption cases that have implicated many Democrats across the state. 

“In June, a longtime Philadelphia congressman, Chaka Fattah, was convicted of laundering federal grants and nonprofit funds to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan and help family and friends. 

“Last year, former state Treasurer Rob McCord left office and pleaded guilty to attempted extortion in a campaign fundraising scandal. 

“Attorney General Kathleen Kane is awaiting trial on charges that she unlawfully leaked secret grand jury material to a newspaper and then lied about it under oath. 

While those are just the high profile cases: “The former sheriff of Philadelphia has been charged with conspiracy; traffic judges have been convicted of ticket-fixing; state lawmakers have admitted taking bribes.” 

In reaction: “Jeff Jubelirer, a communications consultant who has worked on Republican campaigns, said these cases send a message about this overwhelmingly Democratic city, which could provide grist for presidential nominee Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans as the general election draws near. 

"From a messaging standpoint, it lines up well for the Trump forces to say crooked Hillary and crooked Philadelphia," Jubelirer said. "I think we will absolutely see that as we head into the fall." 

At the same time, the POTUS held a joint press conference with Mexico's president. Speaking only one hour before the Munich carnage began, he criticized Trump for exaggerating terrorism threats and then wisecracked about daughter Malia leaving the nest for college, drawing laughter from the entire room

According to dailymail.co.uk, standing alongside President Enrique Pena Nieto, Obama said: “This idea that America is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn’t really jibe with the experience of most people.” 

“I think it is important to be absolutely clear here,' he added, unaware of the bloodshed about to begin an ocean away. 

“Some of the fears that were expressed throughout the week just don’t jibe with the facts.” 

And then 60 minutes later, the area around the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre was sealed off and a nearby electrical shop was being used as a makeshift hospital to treat the casualties. 

It was also reported that at least one gunman fled into the city's underground mass transport system, which was shut down while Germany's passenger rail authority also confirmed that Munich's main train station had been evacuated. 

Which leads to the natural question that, if this “vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn’t really jibe with the experience of most people,” as Obama suggests, what does? 

And then, a friend sent this one:

Bringing us to today’s update on Bill Clinton’s wife.wife

Mike Lillis @thehill.com, reports that by selecting Kaine as her VP she’s “hoping to send a message of unity — and highlight stark divisions in the Republican Party intensified by Donald Trump — on the tails of a boisterous GOP gathering in Cleveland.

“Kaine, for those purposes, is something of a gamble. 

“The moderate Democrat has backed abortion restrictions; supported fast-track authority for a controversial Pacific Rim trade deal; and just last week joined a push to deregulate some of the nation’s largest banks — all positions that are anathema to the liberals being wooed by the Clinton team heading into November.”

So, the question becomes that for a presidential candidate trying to pick up the votes now available with Sanders gone, why would she select someone as a running mate that those same voters consider an “anathema?”

Perhaps the answer is that when it comes to the Clinton’s, what others want is rarely, if ever, considered.

And although the DEmocrat nomination’s this coming week, there’s no time limit on several of the still ongoing investigation's. Which means the ongoing question can be asked again: Joe Biden, Jerry Brown, and Starbucks chairman and CEO, Howard Schultz; are  you guys reading this?   

That’s it for today folks.      

Adios