National

More on this when I update the Fantasy standings, but it looks like we are transitioning to the drop phase.

Jason puts great stock in this, pun intended: the political betting markets give Donald Trump 8-1 odds of winning the Republican presidential nomination, behind only Jeb Bush (8-5), Marco Rubio (7-2) and Scott Walker (4-1). Why is Rubio so high. He's running for VP and not President.

The News Journal reports that New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon "still isn't ruling out a campaign for governor in 2016." Why would he rule it out? The juggernaut that is John Carney is not that intimidating. Indeed, if Gordon gets in versus Carney, I have Gordon as the favorite.

"I have not made up my mind," Gordon said during a brief interview on Thursday. "It's still early. I haven't said no to it."

Nate Silver: “Despite what you may have read elsewhere — or heard from the man himself — Donald Trump is not all that popular with Republican voters. Sure, he’s in first place in many polls. But Trump is near the back of the pack by another important measure… Trump’s favorability ratings among Republicans are barely better than break-even: 47 percent favorable and 43 percent unfavorable. Among the 17 Republican candidates, Trump’s net favorable rating, +4, ranks 13th, ahead of only Chris Christie, Jim Gilmore, Lindsey Graham and George Pataki.” “And yet, in these same polls, Trump is the first choice of an average of 20 percent of Republican voters — the highest in the field, ahead of Scott Walker (14 percent) and Jeb Bush (12 percent).”

President Obama seriously trolled the right wing yesterday with his comments to the Africa Union that if the constitution allowed it, he could win a third term. He also said he thinks he is a pretty good president, which is of course an objective fact, but it was sure to still the pot on the right nonetheless. I say he was trolling regarding the third term talk because the right wing, what with all of their fantasy talk about conspiracies and birther nonsense and Jade Helm takeovers of Texas, believes that Obama will institute martial law and install himself as Dictator for Life. First off, yes, it is true that some on the left also believe Bush was going to start a war with Iran and declare martial law and install himself as President as a third off. So, touche. Second, I cannot image anyone who has served as President wants to stay in that job forever. 8 years in that job takes 20 years off your life. Just look at the before and after photos. Third, yeah, the Constitution is pretty explicit about this, and if you want to start a revolution against you, staying for third term is a good way to start it. Fourth, the President was illustrating a point to African leaders because Africa frequently deals with popularly elected leaders who then want to stay in power. The President was saying, hey, if I could, I would and I would win. But that doesn't mean he should. He was saying respect the rule of law and get off the stage when it is your time. Fifth, he is right. If President Obama could run for a third term, there is no doubt in my mind that he would trounce any one of the Republicans currently running.

Politico reports that "[f]Four leading GOP presidential candidates – Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Scott Walker – " were summoned.... SUMMONED... by the Koch Brothers "to a Southern California luxury hotel in coming days to make their cases directly to the Koch brothers and hundreds of other wealthy conservatives planning to spend close to $1 billion in the run-up to the 2016 election.” If these men had any guts, if they truly were men (and if Carly Fiorina or Hillary Clinton were involved in this story, I would say if they truly were women) of any integrity, any self respect, any honor at all, they would tell the Koch Brother to stick it where the sun don't shine. Summoned? In stories like this, these candidates have to know that they look like puppets, right? Well, not look like, they are.