NATIONAL

“It gets very easy for me to say Let It Burn given my assumption that we’re doomed anyway and need a dramatic loss to shake anyone’s brain up. Never let a crisis go to waste — if you’re going to lose, lose in such a profound way that it disrupts the current Loser’s Trajectory and leads, a decade hence, to a win. Then a poll like this comes along, and I start thinking about supporting a candidate. It sure would be nice to not elect Hillary Clinton.” – Ace of Spades

“Well, I’m not voting for Donald Trump in the Georgia primary. I don’t think he’ll even be in the race by that point. But I would support him were he the nominee. That the establishment guys won’t is deeply hilarious to watch after years of them lecturing all of us about not taking our football home. The meltdown is delightful to watch and after years of putting up with pompous, preening members of the Establishment telling conservatives they have to suck it up, it is wonderful to be reminded that the Establishment is incapable of sucking it up.” – Erick Erickson/RedState

“Greetings, Donald Trump super fans. I am a member of the GOP establishment. I’m writing to tell you that, no matter how much you wish it otherwise, the Donald Trump candidacy is almost over.” – Rick Wilson/POLITICO

“Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry ratcheted up his assault on rival GOP hopeful Donald Trump another notch during a speech in Washington, D.C. today, calling the ex-reality TV star ‘a cancer on conservatism,’ comparing his views on Mexican immigrants to that of the Know-Nothing Party, and saying his political tactics were reminiscent of Joe McCarthy.” – National Review

“From Machin’s perspective, it would certainly be a Cuban spy-handler’s dream,” says retired Lt. Col. Chris Simmons, who helped nab both Montes and Machin along with 14 other Cuban spies and is widely hailed as America’s top Cuba spycatcher. “Hundreds of media, politicians, academics and Castro apologists all in one place at the same time. The DI (Cuba’s Directorio de Intelligencia) staff embedded within the Interests Section/Embassy will certainly be working overtime – I expect they also brought in temporary help within the “30-member delegation of diplomatic, cultural and other leaders” that arrived for the Embassy opening.” – Humberto Fontova/Front Page Mag

“The videos are, if not horrifying, certainly troubling. The sale of various baby organs–livers and brains, for example–is discussed in the most callous manner, over lunch, mixed with business and social chatter. The virtue of intact organs is recognized, and abortion methods are tailored to preserve them to the extent possible, given the necessity of killing the baby. In that connection, Dr. Gatter refers to using a “less crunchy technique.” Just about anyone not already immersed in the world of abortion on demand would be appalled by the callousness on display, which is why Planned Parenthood, the New York Times and their allies are anxious to denounce and suppress the videos.” – Power Line

“The organizers of Free Pride Glasgow in Scotland have hit a snag in their mission to plan a totally inclusive event: Some activists think drag queens are offensive to transgender people, others think banning drag queens is offensive to transgender drag queens, and still others think allowing only transgender drag queens is offensive to cisgender [straight] drag queens.” – Don Surber

“I’ll bet those 35,000+ might have found air conditioning being available to be lifesaving? We certainly lose a few to heat each year, but I’ll be honest, if I’d lost 35,000+ to heat in a single summer, I wouldn’t be smug enough to bring up America’s affection for air conditioning in a negative way.” – Bruce McQuain/Hot Air

“The blood of the likes of Charles Martel no longer runs in the veins of today’s café-dwelling Europeans. They sip coffee and their (excellent) wine and, in Spain, drink their bizarre cerveza/lemonade and rioja/Coca-Cola combinations, oblivious to what’s coming. Perhaps it’s mere ignorance, perhaps it’s a choice. It will end the same way regardless—in blood. When the time comes to choose between picking up a rifle and dying, we’ll find out if the human instinct for self-preservation has successfully been bred out of the men of Europe. I know where I’m putting my money.” – Kurt Schlichter/The Federalist

“The lefty mayor traveled to the Vatican to meet the lefty pope yesterday, but failed to learn anything new. Count that as another missed opportunity to be a better mayor. Had Bill de Blasio done his homework, he would have copied Pope Francis’ recent confession that he, the pontiff, was wrong to ignore the middle class.” – Michael Goodwin/NY Post

LOUISIANA

“With just three months to go until the primary, the only number that matters in the race for governor right now is $9.3 million. That’s how much U.S. Sen. David Vitter and his allied super PAC, the Fund for Louisiana’s Future, collectively have in the bank. To put that figure into perspective, that’s more cash than some presidential candidates have behind their bids. And it’s a guarantee that Vitter’s opponents won’t come anywhere close to raising that kind of dough.” – Jeremy Alford/Ouachita Citizen

“Gov. Bobby Jindal draws the support of 8 percent of likely Republican caucusgoers in Iowa, according to a recent internal poll by his 2016 presidential campaign — a rate twice that of his best showing in independent surveys.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“The report ranks Baton Rouge as having the nation’s 11th-highest share of roadways in poor condition—38% of all roads here are deemed as such—among mid-sized U.S. metro areas with populations between 250,000 and 500,000. The Shreveport metro area is ranked No. 12, with 36% of its roadways in poor shape. And New Orleans is ranked No. 25 among U.S. metro areas with populations at 500,000 or more, with 42% of its roadways rated poor.” – Baton Rouge Business Report

“The Metro Council took the first steps Wednesday to rezoning land along River Road that would make it impossible for a controversial barge-cleaning facility to locate in the area. The council asked the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider the rezoning request and to compile a report on how the land nearby is occupied.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“Oil and gas jobs in Louisiana have continued to plummet in Louisiana, sinking to the lowest level in almost a decade.” – Alexandria Town Talk

“As the Republican candidate with the least statewide name recognition, Scott Angelle’s early campaign spending surpassed that of any of his rivals.” – Baton Rouge Business Report

“Even as the Red River drops a foot a day and flood waters that raged in mid-June recede, people whose homes were ravaged by the deluge continue to clean up.” – Lake Charles American Press

“Baton Rouge Area Foundation Executive Vice President John Spain told Rotary Club members Wednesday about the possibility, and likely public support, for a short-term millage to help pay for the restoration and improvement of the Baton Rouge lakes.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“A man shot a burglary suspect at his New Orleans East home moments after receiving a phone call from his daughter about the intruders, according to the police department.” – WWL-TV

“State health officials say a potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba has been discovered in the St. Bernard Parish Water System at the site of a leaking sampling station that serves more than 44,000 people.” – Houma Courier