Sheesh, talk about the timing of two different articles.  Politico reported yesterday that CDC officials admit only 3% of eligible Americans have chosen to get the latest COVID-19 booster shot, although there could be some delay in reporting.

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration’s campaign to convince Americans to get an annual Covid shot is off to a very slow start.  Even so, the nation’s top disease-fighting official says the U.S. remains “on track” to hit last year’s uptake levels, which crested at just 17 percent of the U.S. population. (more)

Today, the FDA announces when COVID booster is combined with Flu shot, there is a slight elevated risk of blood clots causing stroke in people over the age 85.

CNN –  Vaccines for Covid-19 and influenza may slightly increase the risk of strokes caused by blood clots in the brains of seniors, particularly when the two vaccines are given at the same time and when they are given to adults who are age 85 and older, according to a new study.

The safety signal was detected by experts at the US Food and Drug Administration who analyzed data from Medicare claims.

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[NOTE: Unconfirmed reports identify the gunman as Robert Card, 40, (DOB 4/4/83) from Bowdoin, Maine; a former sergeant in U.S. Army with 20+ years of military experience. Again, this is not yet confirmed.]

UPDATE 11:30pm ET:  Robert Card (dob 04/04/83) has been officially confirmed as a “person of interest.”

(Fox News) –  At least 22 people are dead following a deadly shooting in a Maine city that spanned three locations on Wednesday night, Fox News has confirmed.

Fox News has confirmed that the active shooter incident occurred at three locations— Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant, a Walmart store and Sparetime Recreation.

Maine State Police said, in a Facebook post, that there is an active shooting situation in Lewiston, a city of 36,000, 35 miles north of Portland.

[…] The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office shared two photos of the suspect, who was wearing a brown sweatshirt, and holding a rifle.

Authorities told residents in Lewiston to “shelter in place” and to “stay inside your home with the doors locked.” (read more)

(NBC NEWS) –  At least 22 people were killed in the shootings, according to a Lewiston police source.

Fifty to 60 people were wounded after a man fired at several locations, including a Lewiston bowling alley, said four law enforcement officials briefed on the matter. The officials said the numbers were preliminary and could change.  There were no initial signs of terrorism. (Read More)

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Justice Arthur Engoron is truly one of the most ridiculous judges on the bench.

During a break in the courtroom theatrics, following testimony by Michael Cohen, President Trump told the media, “This judge is a very partisan judge with a person who’s very partisan sitting alongside of him, perhaps even much more partisan than he is.”  President Trump was clearly remarking about Michael Cohen who was on the witness stand.

However, Moonbat Judge Engoron then demanded President Trump take the witness stand so he could ask him who those comments were directed toward.  With Trump on the witness stand, the judge asked: “To whom were you referring?”  “You and Cohen,” Trump replied.

The judge then said he did not believe Trump, “as the trier of fact, I find the witness is not credible“, he decreed from his perch; preferring to believe that President Trump was talking about Judge Engoron’s clerk.    The idiot in a robe then levied another $10,000 sanction based on his wrongful assumption of President Trump’s thinking.

This is all far too ridiculous at this point.

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During a recess from the ridiculous Lawfare drama in New York City today, President Trump delivered brief remarks on Representative Mike Johnson becoming the new Speaker of the House.  Mike Johnson was on President Trump’s impeachment defense team.  WATCH:

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Mike Johnson is a big upgrade from Kevin McCarthy.  Johnson has a solid and stable disposition, is very grounded toward finding optimal solutions and was /is a strong ally and defender of President Trump and the MAGA movement.  Johnson arrived with the Trump ’16 wave, and he has earned the space to see if he can deliver great outcomes.

When compared to the alternatives, Speaker Johnson is a big step in the right direction.   Matt Gaetz delivered an exceptional outcome, albeit likely with a little 🙏 divine luck for the assist.

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Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson won the vote and has become Speaker of the House of Representatives.  This is a huge shift in momentum for the MAGA base, for common sense pragmatic voters, and for the overall direction of our national body politic.

Speaker Johnson delivered a humble, gracious and fantastic speech after the vote.  WATCH:

WASHINGTON DC – The fourth-term Louisianan sailed to victory with 220 votes, more than the 215 he needed to be elected speaker on the House floor. The final vote on the first ballot was 220-209.

Johnson’s win marked a stunning turnaround after more than three weeks of chaotic limbo in the House following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the demise of three other failed speaker candidates. He did not lose a single GOP vote from lawmakers who were present; Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) is in Israel and did not attend the balloting.

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This is deep weeds inside baseball, but boy howdy does it tell a story. Representative Matt Gaetz (MAGA, FL) goes through the details of yesterday’s House republican conference assembly as they select a Speaker nominee.

What Gaetz reveals in detail is how Kevin McCarthy has been working the conference to undermine any other Speaker candidate so that McCarthy would be renominated as the only possible alternative. The insight and details are really interesting. This is a must watch.

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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 JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

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

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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 †

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If Mike Johnson (R-LA) cannot carry the conference, look for the professionally Republican Kevin McCarthy wing to reassemble and attempt reinstallation.

WASHINGTON DC – Rep. Mike Johnson won a closed-door contest on Tuesday night to become his party’s fourth speaker nominee.

Now, the Louisiana lawmaker faces the much tougher task of securing the 217 votes he needs to win on the House floor. Earlier Tuesday, Johnson came in second to Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who then withdrew after former President Donald Trump publicly came out against him.

So, Republicans went back to the drawing board, and made Johnson the latest aspirant to a position the fractured and exhausted conference can’t seem to fill. He beat out a field of four other candidates, including Byron Donalds in the final ballot by a 128 to 29 vote. Some 44 other Republicans didn’t vote for either of the two men.

After winning the nomination, Johnson said he was “very confident” that he could get 217 votes and said “the intention is to go to the floor” for a vote on Wednesday. (more)

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State Representative Randy Fine is the only Jewish lawmaker in the Florida legislature and previously endorsed Ron DeSantis for 2024.  However, following the attack on Israel, Representative Fine now withdraws his endorsement and flips to Donald Trump citing the actionable results from Trump foreign policy.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s only Jewish Republican state lawmaker is dropping his endorsement of Gov. Ron DeSantis for president, writing in a scathing column that the Republican governor has not done enough to counter antisemitism in their home state.

State Rep. Randy Fine, previously a DeSantis ally, has pushed top priorities of the governor — including co-sponsoring legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors. He had such a good relationship with DeSantis that the governor at one point was backing him as a candidate for the presidency of Florida Atlantic University.

Fine, however, said that in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks on Israel, he is now shifting his support to former President Donald Trump. He touted Trump’s record in office, including his support for moving the United States embassy to Jerusalem and for brokering a peace deal between Israel and two Arab countries.

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