SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

FLAKE COMES THROUGH – Jeff Flake, the eccentric Republican senator from Arizona, who had favored negotiations with Iran, has just announced that he will vote against the Iran nuclear agreement.  This means that no Republicans in the Senate have come out for it, and none are expected to.  The Obamans had hoped for at least a show of bipartisanship on the issue, but the GOP isn't buying into the deal.  We don't know yet if there will be Republican unanimity in the House.  Some Republican members haven't yet announced their decision.

JOE GOES ROGUE – Joe Biden used words normally forbidden by the Obama administration at a memorial service for the servicemen killed in Chattanooga.  From AP:  CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee — Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday called the slaying of four Marines and a sailor at a Chattanooga reserve center the act of a “perverted jihadist.”  Biden’s comments came at a memorial to the five servicemen killed in a shooting rampage by Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez.  “These perverse ideologues, warped theocrats, they may be able to inspire a single lone wolf to commit a savage act, but they can never, never threaten who we are,” Biden said. “When this perverted jihadist struck, everyone responded.”  The vice president’s strong words contrast with the official comments of investigators who have not yet been able to determine a motive behind the attack. The FBI has said it has not been able to determine whether the 24-year-old Abdulazeez was “radicalized” before the July 16 attacks and has been treating him as a homegrown violent extremist.  Biden is showing some common sense in going off the reservation and calling things as they are.  Running for president?

CRIME?  WHAT CRIME? – From Newsbusters:   All you need to know about the Associated Press's interest in accurately reporting current developments in the investigations into 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's private email server is this: A search at its national site on "Hillary crime" (not in quotes) returns nothing.  Ken Thomas's coverage of the former Secretary of State's "forceful defense" last night in "a speech before influential Iowa Democrats" is all too typical: Mrs. Clinton gets to say that all of this is "partisan games" involving "playing politics." All I see is substance-free whining. "My opponents don't like me" is not a defense.   It's Hillary being Hillary, and the amen corner in the press being the press.  Hillary is in serious trouble, but, as we've said before here, if she's the nominee the media will get behind her – even if the inauguration is held in a jail cell.

A REAL QUEEN VERSUS A MAN WHO THINKS HE'S KING – From Townhall.com:   LONDON, United Kingdom – Today HM The Queen attended a memorial service in central London to mark the 70th anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II. She was guest of honor despite the media having uncovered a plot to blow up the event and kill her.  Her attendance at St Martin-In-The-Field church was in sharp contrast to President Barack Obama, who did not appear to be commemorating American efforts to defeat the Japanese. Instead he chose to release a list of his favorite songs on the music website Spotify, a move that is likely be seen as disrespectful by veterans.  The President's Twitter account was silent for most of today, and he was reported to have been in Martha's Vineyard yesterday. At the same time, British Police were tightening security at the commemoration in London because of the terror threat from the Islamic State.  Elizabeth showed Barack how it's done, but Barack has no intention of doing it.  A little man in the White House.

August 15,  2015