SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 10:16 P.M. ET:

ANOTHER VOICE FOR MADNESS – Another Senate Democrat has pledged to support the Iran nuclear agreement.  From AP:  On Thursday, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., became the latest to declare her backing, saying in a statement: “This deal isn’t perfect and no one trusts Iran, but it has become clear to me that the world is united behind this agreement with the exception of the government of Israel.” Nobody expects Claire McCaskill to say anything intelligent.  She was elected after being written off, only because the GOP committed electoral suicide by nominating a nut case to oppose her.  Her statement is an outrageous slur, singling out Israel.  How can she say that the world is united behind the agreement with the exception of the Israeli government, when the entire Republican Party, presumably part of the world, is against it?  As are most Arab nations.  They may issue pro forma statements of support to stay on good terms with Obama, but virtually all the reporting from the Mideast reveals their true feelings.  McCaskill must be defeated next time around.

POOR HILLARY, THEY'RE ALL AGAINST HER – From The Politico:   A federal judge has added fresh fuel to the incendiary controversy over Hillary Clinton’s email, asserting during a hearing Thursday that she violated government policy by storing official messages on a private server when she worked as secretary of state.  “We wouldn’t be here today if this employee had followed government policy,” said U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, apparently referring to Clinton, during a hearing on one of the many Freedom of Information act lawsuits seeking access to her records as secretary of state.  This judge, a Bill Clinton appointee, is not on Hillary Clinton's short list for the Supreme Court.

IT'S COME TO THIS – From CNN: Jon Stewart has traded jabs with some of the biggest names in U.S. politics during his 16-year year tenure as host of "The Daily Show." Now, thousands want him to moderate a presidential debate.  Over 100,000 people have signed a Change.org petition that wants the satirical host to moderate a 2016 presidential debate.  One of those signers is Martin O'Malley, the former Maryland governor who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.  "Over the last 16 years, Jon Stewart has played an influential and iconic role in covering U.S. politics and media," the petition reads. "We believe he should continue that tradition as a moderator at one of the 2016 Presidential Debates."  Next we'll have Don Rickles as a commentator.  Might be an improvement.

FASCINATING – From AP:  WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Two men in Poland claim they have found a legendary Nazi train that according to local lore was loaded with gold, gems and valuable art and vanished into a system of secret tunnels as the Germans fled advancing Soviet forces at the end of World War II.
Historians say the existence of the train has never been conclusively proven, but authorities are not passing up this chance at possibly recovering treasures that have sparked the imaginations of local people for decades.
"We believe that a train has been found. We are taking this seriously," Marika Tokarska, an official in the southwestern Polish district of Walbrzych, told The Associated Press on Thursday.  She said her office has received two letters this month from a law firm representing the men, a Pole and a German who are remaining anonymous, saying they are seeking 10 percent of the value of the train's contents for revealing its location.  Utterly fascinating.  We'll follow the story.  I'm surprised the men are only asking 10 percent.  They must have gotten their training in a Hollywood talent agency.

August 20, 2015