SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

NUTS – Reader Thomas B. Nast, of Seattle, refers us to the latest offering from his politically ultra-correct city, which is vying with San Francisco for nut capital of the United States.  From the Washington Post:  "So, perhaps in keeping with the city’s strange reputation, Mayor Ed Murray took a decidedly vegan spin on the Thanksgiving tradition of pardoning a turkey: He pardoned a Tofurky...Actual line from the press release: ‘I, Mayor Murray, pardon Braeburn the Tofurky,’ the mayor proclaimed in the atrium of Seattle City Hall. Provocative and moving.  For the uninitiated, Tofurkey is a brand of vegetarian food made of wheat protein and tofu that’s supposed to taste like turkey. It looks like a meatloaf, but, well, it’s not."  We thank Seattle for its latest contribution to American theology  Every Tofurkey is sleeping more soundly tonight.

WE ARE NOT SHOCKED – From the Daily Caller:  "Members of the militant New Black Panther Party have been arrested and charged with making straw purchases of two handguns and are believed to have conspired to detonate pipe bombs during protests in Ferguson, Missouri, according to several reports.  Brandon Baldwin, who goes by the name Brandon Muhammad, and Olajuwon Davis, who goes by Olajuwon Ali, were indicted on Wednesday for making false statements in order to purchase two .45 ACP pistols at a Cabela’s in Hazelwood, just outside of Ferguson, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports."  One of the first acts of the Holder Justice Department was to drop voter intimidation charges against the New Black Panthers, despite overwhelming evidence that they were guilty.  They are a bad bunch, and I wouldn't be surprised if these new charges are true.  But they are innocent until proved guilty.  That is a standard we will maintain, even if our opponents don't. 

ON THIS DATE – For those of my generation, today, November 22nd, is a defining date.  We mark the 51st anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy.  He was the last president to die in office.  As we think back, it is apparent how low his party has sunk in the years since.  Jack Kennedy, whether one agreed with him or not, represented the national-defense liberals of his time.  In the 1960 presidential election he actually ran to the right of Richard Nixon on military preparedness.  Kennedy couldn't get near a presidential nomination of his party today.  Indeed, there is some chance he'd even be a Republican.   The Democrats would regard him, as they later regarded his allies like Henry Jackson, as a warmonger and militarist.  The bad guys won in the Democratic Party, and gave us Barack Obama.  I'm afraid they're getting even more powerful, putting the burden of responsible leadership on our side. 

November 22, 2014