In direct contradiction to the current media narrative, most Americans support keeping historic confederate monuments and memorials in place.

NPR and PBS teamed up with Marist to poll Americans on their views of historic confederate monuments. [Full pdf below].  Despite the severe bias as presented within the Alt-Left poll the vast majority of Americans support keeping the monuments.

Obviously polling should never be used to determine whether historic monuments are removed; however, the intent here appears to be measuring the national sentiment against the backdrop of a heavily pushed media narrative.  Republican support for keeping confederate monuments is 86%, Independents 61% and Democrat 44%.
However, in order to facilitate the agenda of the narrative, Marist skewed the poll with a political sample of: Dem 36, Rep 26, Ind 37.  The national current party registration is Dem 28, Rep 28 and Ind 41.  As typical for polls intended to deliver specific ideological results, the Maris poll over samples Democrats by 8 points.
If the accurate national party registration numbers were used, obviously the support for the monuments would be significantly higher than NPR/PBS presented conclusion.
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This was not unanticipated.  Those who have read CTH in the past two months will have noted the writing was clearly on the wall.  Especially in the aftermath of the American Prospect article and the downstream consequence that Secretary of State Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Mattis were fielding questions from media about why Bannon was undermining them -and President Trump- on national security policy via North Korea.
In the American Prospect article Steve Bannon also undermined U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson directly, and was far out of line with this:

“I’m changing out people at East Asian Defense; I’m getting hawks in. I’m getting Susan Thornton [acting head of East Asian and Pacific Affairs] out at State.” ~ Steve Bannon

This type of statement was so over-the-top arrogant, and exhibits a ridiculous level of power-lust and expressed self-importance, I asked the question: ” Who exactly is Steve Bannon to think that he can marginalize the cabinet? And against the division narrative within the White House why the heck would he push that opinion publicly? Is he trying to push the envelope and get fired?“.
Well, the White House Press Office has confirmed that political strategist Steve Bannon is no longer working at the White House.

On timing, it makes sense Mr. Bannon would exit today given the full national security meeting in Camp David attendance by: President Trump, VP Pence, General John Kelly, HR McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Mattis, Secretary Mnuchin, ODNI Dan Coats, CIA Director Pompeo, AG Jeff Sessions, Ambassador Haley, Joint Chief Chairman General Dunford, etc.
Can you imagine the awkwardness of Steve Bannon being in the room, amid the administration team, given the nature of his public outline?  No way.

(Via Reuters) A source close to Bannon said he was not expected to resign on his own. “Bannon is going to make them fire him,” the source said. “He’s not going to officially resign. He’s still been doing the work. He’s been working on projects.”
The New York Times, however, cited a person close to Bannon as saying he had submitted his resignation on Aug. 7 and that it was to be announced this week, but had been delayed by the fallout from a rally by white nationalists in Virginia over the weekend.

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If you were to review how CNN and corporate mainstream media talk politics, well, according to their echo-chambered versions of President Trump, each week that passes is the worst week ever in presidential history.  Seriously, no joke. President Trump has been in office for 30 weeks, and 20 of those weeks have been called “the worst” by media.
However, if you actually engage with people living their lives and not focused on who the media blame for the latest round of horrid offenses; well, then you might recognize the scope of how over-emphasized and out-of-touch the media perspective really is.
CBS and The Associated Press each found themselves picking their corporate media jaws off the floor when they actually did ask people.  You know, ordinary people.  Folks like you and me.  The media didn’t anticipate the power of common sense to see through their BS.
With the president under fire voters have some things to say, and it’s not what the media thought. CBS Mark Strassmann begins by speaking to three women who voted for President Trump. Watch:

.
But it’s not just three random republican women that support President Trump. The media pile-on is so gobsmackingly over-the-top, it is only making Godzilla Trump stronger; as The Associated Press found out:
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Statement by The President –  I have directed that United States Cyber Command be elevated to the status of a Unified Combatant Command focused on cyberspace operations.
This new Unified Combatant Command will strengthen our cyberspace operations and create more opportunities to improve our Nation’s defense. The elevation of United States Cyber Command demonstrates our increased resolve against cyberspace threats and will help reassure our allies and partners and deter our adversaries.
United States Cyber Command’s elevation will also help streamline command and control of time-sensitive cyberspace operations by consolidating them under a single commander with authorities commensurate with the importance of such operations. Elevation will also ensure that critical cyberspace operations are adequately funded.
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More excellent advice from Stella as we get ready for the eclipse. Be prepared, be safe. Please take time to read her post for some excellent tips .

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Day two of Round One NAFTA negotiations continued today.
Round one is scheduled to run through Sunday August 20th.   Generally speaking the key negotiators are not presenting too much public information as the larger objectives of the first round are structured around the bigger issues of the agreement itself, and not the individual economic sectors which follow.
The potential for an agreement still appears around a level “3” on a ten point scale.
On the positive side for those who follow the U.S. Trade Team, you might enjoy hearing that the crony-capitalistic lobbying group, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has been significantly reduced.  U.S. CoC President Tom Donohue attempts to put his best face forward amid his diminished ability to influence actual policy:
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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

You can call this.. well, wait,… first we need the context….

President Trump, DHS and ICE have been cracking down on illegal aliens. As a consequence, in June of this year 884 illegal aliens fled the U.S. for asylum in Canada.  A month later, in July, that number skyrocketed over four hundred percent to more than 3,100. And now in the first two weeks of August it has doubled again to more than 3,800 flooding into Canada through August 15th. At this rate August will see over 7,000 illegal aliens fleeing the U.S. for safe-harbor in Canada.

Yes, we can officially call this supermagawonder-winning.   Heck, if we wait a little longer, pretty soon Canada might be paying us to build the Southern Border Wall.

TORONTO/MONTREAL (Reuters) – The number of asylum seekers who illegally crossed the U.S. border into Canada more than tripled last month, according to Canadian government data released on Thursday, as migrants worried about the U.S. administration’s immigration crackdown head north.

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Breaking and Ongoing – In a second related terrorist incident approximately 70 miles south of Barcelona, another terrorist cell -or additional members from the originating cell- in the coastal town of Cambrils Spain has been confronted by police.

According to most recent reporting (See Reuters) at least six civillians have been injured and up to four jihadists shot and killed.  Catalan police believe attackers killed in Spain’s Cambrils are linked to the earlier attack in Barcelona and an explosion in Alcanar Spain the prior evening.

(Via Daily Mail) […] The terrorists, who police say were attempting to carry out a fresh attack, were reported to have explosives strapped around their waists when they were gunned down. One of them has been arrested.

Reports suggested the group had attempted to carry out a similar attack to that in Barcelona by driving a van at pedestrians but their vehicle overturned and they were shot by officers.

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