Category: Media Watch

* There was no lack of media tributes over the passing of John McLaughlin, 89, who presided over The McLaughlin Group of political pundits that ran on select CBS and PBS stations for more than 30 years. McLaughlin, a former Roman Catholic priest, will be best known as a journalistic pioneer for helping to reinvent the talk-show format by injecting major measures of political partisanship and more than a hint of entertainment.

His over-the-top style has often been cited as a key factor in bringing larger audiences to public affairs programming. McLaughlin’s unsurprising take: “Journalists can get very pompous, especially in the formalized days of Meet the Press, when they took themselves so seriously. This show demythologizes the press, and I think people like that.”

If ratings are any indicator, McLaughlin has been proven correct. But he has also been proven ironic in his success. He’s a forerunner of what we now see played out daily on cable TV.

Bar room debates can, of course, be entertaining. But you don’t have to wax nostalgic for Lawrence Spivak or Howard K. Smith to appreciate the value of reasoned discussion of really important issues without interruptions, partisan put-downs and personality shticks. Arguably, too much is at stake–nationally and globally–to let reasoned exchanges devolve into show business as usual.

Thankfully, we still have PBS.

* It will be intriguing to see what results from Roger Ailes, the ousted Fox News chairman, giving debate-prep advice to Donald Trump. Whatever the particulars–stay on script, remember your newly nuanced positions on immigration and what name-calling you now regret, etc.–the key variable is Trump. At some point the scorpion candidate will revert to form by blustering and insulting his way through an answer or a follow-up response. The result will not be a net plus for the Trump brand, even if the Deliverance crowd was utterly impressed.

For the record, Ailes was a key adviser to George H.W. Bush during the 1988 presidential campaign–and had his way in limiting debates, which were not a Bush strong suit, with Michael Dukakis.

And this just in. Guess who is Ailes’ lawyer? It’s Susan Estrich, who once helped run a presidential campaign for–Michael Dukakis. What goes around… .

* “Among topics that are recent grist for the editorial-page mill: “Is terrorism getting worse?” As in high-profile attacks and 24-7 media are constant reminders of Western victims in the new normal. But sheer numbers–globally–in the 1970s and 1980s were actually higher.

I think such comparisons–based on quantifiers–are well shy of a full picture. The most relevant variable is perverted religion, the most pernicious of all ideologies. This isn’t a “power to the people,” classic anarchism or an updated civil warfare era. When “enemies” are characterized as “apostates” and “infidels,” that’s worst-case material.

Back in the Cold War days, when atomic doomsday scenarios loomed, the ultimate resolution was available. Nobody wanted to die–on either side. The missile crisis was solved diplomatically. Those were the days.

Today, when you say to your adversary, “I’ll kill you,” the response, in effect, is more than likely to be: “Thank you.” There is no leverage, let alone a common, human bond with a martyr mentality.

Yes, terrorism is getting worse. The ground rules don’t apply to the after-life oriented.

* If you’re a movie aficionado, then summer time is not typically your season. Understandable. Pop-culture piffle is predominant.

But don’t pass on “Don’t Think Twice,” currently playing at the Tampa Theatre. It weaves in universal themes around the unlikely forum of an engaging, improv ensemble. The ultimate challenge: Trying to plan a show-biz career–and a life–amid the oxymoronic nature of creatively winging it. Clever. Funny. Empathetic.

And you just know a chunk of this was off script.

* “People are dying, and we run toward death.”–Mahmoud  Fadlallah, a leader of Syrian Civil Defense first responders known as the White Helmets.

* “In the Cold War, we had an ideological screening test. The time is overdue to develop a new screening test for the threats we face today. … I call it extreme, extreme vetting.”–Donald Trump.

* “Union decline has left the working class politically and economically vulnerable, and it’s this vulnerability Mr. Trump has been able to exploit.”–Neil Gross, author and professor of sociology at Colby College.

* “It’s very hard to find someone to mimic the reckless temperament and the hateful instincts and divisive instincts of Donald Trump.”–Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook, on the challenge of finding anyone to play Trump for debate practice.

* “The country today doesn’t need the first female president. It needs the first president in a long time who can govern with a center-left, center-right coalition, and actually end the gridlock on fiscal policy in a smart way.”–Thomas Friedman, New York Times.

* “I’ve stood by everything I ever said in my campaign, and that said, we’re in a different place now.”–Sen. Marco Rubio, in answer to the Miami Herald editorial board question: “Do you still think (Donald Trump’s) a ‘con man’?”

* “It’s transparently hypocritical.”–Florida Republican strategist Mac Stipanovich’s assessment of Marco Rubio’s position of trying to balance party loyalty with antipathy toward Donald Trump.

* “Marco Rubio, not strong enough to stand up to Trump.”–Tag line from an online ad launched by U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, Rubio’s likely senatorial rival.

* “Given the convenience of e-commerce, the consumer needs a really good reason to go to a store and park their car.”–Edward Yruma, managing director at KeyBanc Capital Markets, after Macy’s announced that it would close 100 stores, saying they were more valuable as real estate.

* “I want to reach the goal I set when I was first elected nearly12 years ago to create a paperless office.”–Clerk of the Circuit Court Pat Frank.

* “I think we’ve got to explore light rail, and we have to explore using the CSX lines. That doesn’t mean it’s the only answer, but it does mean it’s something we need to strongly consider.”–Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik at the first “State of Transit ,” sponsored by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority.

* “I think it’s unnecessary, I think it’s redundant, and I think it goes against the spirit of the (city) charter that was passed and has worked successfully.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, on city council scheduling a referendum ordering internal audits at City Hall.

* “The generation that would have supported community theater is disappearing.”–John Collins, director of the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance.

* “This area is what the Hamptons are for New Yorkers.”–Alona Dishy, listing agent for Premier Sotheby’s International, in reference to Pass-a-Grille beach.

* “Trump’s lack of self-restraint and his barrage of ill-informed comments would make an already perilous world even more so.”–Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

* “ISIS is honoring President Obama. He is the founder of ISIS. … I would say the co-founder is crooked Hillary Clinton.”–Donald Trump.

* “Hillary wants to abolish–essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”–Donald Trump.

* “I’m not a big believer in man-made climate change.”–Donald Trump.

* “You aren’t just responsible for what you say; you’re responsible for what people hear.”–Michael Hayden, former director of the National Security Agency and the CIA.

* “If the disgusting and corrupt media covered me honestly and didn’t put false meaning into the words I say, I would be beating Hillary by 20 percent.”–Donald Trump.

* “It is disqualifying for a modern-day presidential nominee to refuse to release tax returns to the voters.”–Mitt Romney.

* “It’s tough being a high-profile Republican these days. People are always demanding to know what you think about your candidate’s latest horrific remark. But unless you come up with an alternative, disavowing a candidate is more like a sulk than a solution.”–Gail Collins, New York Times.

* “If the country is lucky, Trump will continue to do an excellent job of defeating himself.”–E.J. Dionne, Washington Post.

* “Very dicey.”–Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s assessment of the GOP’s chances of keeping control of the Senate after the November elections.

* “I think it is true that maybe it took him a little while to realize that we’re moving from a primary campaign to a presidential campaign.”–Rudy Giuliani.

* “There is more bad news for the Republican nominee. Mr. Trump has divided his party, while Mrs. Clinton has united hers. She is expanding the Electoral College map, forcing Republicans to spend time and resources defending states such as Georgia, Arizona and even Utah, while Mr. Trump’s effort to challenge Mrs. Clinton in the Rust Belt is falling short.”–William A. Golston, Wall Street Journal.

* “I’ll just keep doing the same thing I’m doing right now. And at the end, it’s either going to work, or I’m going to, you know, I’m going to have a very, very nice, long vacation.”–Donald Trump.

* “Extremism thrives amid ignorance and anger, intimidation and cowardice.”–Hillary Clinton.

* “The party has always had a vigorous, a very vigorous incumbent protection stance. So we protect our incumbents.”–Florida GOP Chairman Blaise Ingoglia, when asked if the state party was neutral in the U.S. Senate primary.

* “For those people who are in circumstances where their continued cash flow is not ever going to allow them to get out of debt, why wouldn’t they buy (Lottery) scratchers?”–Alan Cooke, University of Florida marketing professor, on the pattern of Lottery scratch-off tickets being purchased disproportionately by the poor.

* “It’s the right thing to do. It’s time to get our feet wet.”–Pinellas Commissioner Ken Welch, on the commission’s decision to approve the proposed ferry service that will connect downtown St. Petersburg to downtown Tampa.

* “As with many events in history, what was once old is new again. Automobile traffic, which prompted the demise of the cross-bay ferry system, has become so congested that ferry service may again become practical.”–Rodney Kite-Powell, Saunders Foundation Curator of History at the Tampa Bay History Center.

* “Cuba is the most important economic development opportunity Tampa Bay will experience in our lifetime. There will be billions of dollars in foreign investment in Cuba. That trade should be going through Port Tampa Bay.”–Bill Carlson, president of Tucker Hall, a Tampa-based, international public relations agency that has supported business and humanitarian missions in Cuba since 1999.

* “I think experts would tell you we don’t have a parking issue; we have a walking issue. People do not want to walk, so we’re going to offer some options.”–Bob McDonaugh, Tampa’s Administrator of Economic Opportunity, on the city’s plans to start a free downtown shuttle.

* “The position I want to be in, frankly, when my peers hear Tampa is competing, is I want them to get very nervous. I want them to know that when Tampa is on the short list, they will face stiff competition ahead.”–Craig Richard, new CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp.

* “It’s the right thing to do for the residents of this county.”–Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, on the county’s new Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion program.

* “Ridesharing is happening all around the world; everyone is coming to the conclusion that fingerprinting is not required.”–Lyft attorney Steven Anderson.

* “This is our way to communicate with the fans and with the stakeholders not just to push information out but to bring information in. It will be a living, dynamic website.”–Melanie Lenz, Rays senior vice president of strategy and development, on the team’s launch of ballparkreimagined.com. to elicit more fan feedback.

* “(Donald Trump) would be the most reckless president in American history… and would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being.”–Excerpt from an open letter from a group of 50 former national security officials, all of whom served Republican presidents.

* “The central issue in this election isn’t Trump’s ideas, such as they are. It’s his character, such as it is.”–Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal.

* “From Team Bush, it’s a bitter pill to swallow. But you know what? You get back up and you help the man that won, and you make sure that we stop Hillary Clinton.”–Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, son of Jeb Bush.

* “Whatever one thinks of Clinton, her nomination is a milestone, and a lesson of history is that when women advance, humanity advances.”–Nicholas Kristof, New York Times.

* “I’m not new to this area or its concerns.”–Hillary Clinton, at a campaign appearance at the Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg.

* “Independence Day is coming early this year.”–Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, in predicting a Trump victory in November.

* “Trump has gone amazingly far without having done an ounce of homework in preparation for the presidency, relying instead on feeding tweets to an anxious Republican base. His candidacy should be over by now. But it isn’t.–Thomas Friedman, New York Times.

* “You will see them by early to mid September now.”–Scott Reed, senior political strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in predicting when voters will see GOP ads that will distance congressional candidates from the top of the ticket.

* “Putinism is bitter nostalgia on the march, and Putin is as interested in the U.S. presidential election as Trump and some of his aides are in Russian wealth. … Speculation about the nature and scale of Trump’s financial entanglements with Putin and his associates is justified by Trump’s refusal to release his personal and business tax information.”–George Will, Washington Post.

* “In the United States, most top economists agree that ‘past major trade deals have benefited most Americans’ and that ‘trade with China makes most Americans better off.’ But those aren’t sentiments we will be hearing anytime soon from Mr. Trump or Mrs. Clinton.”–N. Gregory Mankiw, Harvard University professor of economics.

* “If you’re pregnant and you want to get a free (Zika) test, you can do that.”–Gov. Rick Scott.

* “We brought the Baptists and the bootleggers together.”–State Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, on the eclectic group of conservative business groups and liberal environmental interests that support the solar power-promoting Amendment 4.

* “I’m voting for the Republican nominee, and (Trump) is the nominee.”–For Tampa Mayor and Florida Gov. Bob Martinez.

* “This is a time when country has to take priority over political parties. Donald Trump cannot be elected president.”–Sally Bradshaw, top adviser to Jeb Bush, in announcing that she was leaving the Republican Party and would vote for Hillary Clinton if the Florida race is close.

* “It’s a no-brainer for me. I think (Clinton’s) a crook. … It takes a lot of moxie to be able to build a company like Trump built.”–Tampa businessman and GOP fundraiser Dick Beard.

* “The container business is an area of growth for Tampa. Tampa serves a huge consumer market with its connection to Orlando. Container business will contribute to the warehouse and distribution centers there.”–Marianela Dengo De De Obaldia, manager of strategic relations for the Panama Canal.

* “To say that I’m not engaged isn’t an accurate statement. I’m not for it, and I’m not against it.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, on the possibility of a Cuban consulate for Tampa.

* “The airport runs as efficiently as ever even with this project going on, and that’s a tribute to his leadership and the culture he’s built behind this team.”–Brig. Gen. Chip Diehl, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority treasurer, on the decision to draft a new contract for TIA CEO Joe Lopano.

* “This is so significant–connecting two cities and really stop talking about the word ‘regional’ and actually becoming regional.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman, after the county commission backed the proposed cross-bay ferry that would link St. Petersburg and Tampa.

* “Our vision is to create a fellowship between the Tampa Bay area, Cuba and the entire yachting world.”–Richard Winning, commodore of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, on the announcement that it will relaunch its once-annual regatta to Havana in February.

* “A lot of people say you need an African-American officer to work in an African-American community. Bull. You need to teach officers mutual respect.”–St. Petersburg Police Chief Tony Holloway.

* How ironic that the Trump campaign should accuse the Clinton campaign of wanting to “rig” the upcoming candidate debates. As in trying to limit their prime-time appeal.

Several points.

First, a one-on-one debate surely should play to Clinton’s advantage. She’s uber experienced, better informed and absolutely wonkish about key details. Her primary objective is to look presidential and, in so doing, out Trump as a pop culture, fact-challenged fraud in over his pompadour when it comes to issues such as national security and the U.S. and global economy.

Second, the onus is on the media to actually “moderate” an actual “debate.” Follow-up–yes, gotcha–questions to ambiguous, incorrect or bluster-filled answers must be at the ready. This is about assessing a candidate for president–not enabling a ratings bonanza for a network.

Third, viewing voters–who aren’t hard-core hero-worshippers who will always see what they want to see–can’t be lulled into grading on a curve. Exceeding low expectations worked for George W. Bush. History must not be repeated. Common sense and the common good must prevail.

* Fox’s coverage of the Democratic convention included a couple of prominent omissions. The well-noted presentations of Khizr Khan and Gen. John Allen were not carried live by Fox. Both, interestingly enough, were emotional, direct, patriotic outreaches to more than Democrats. The obvious begged question: What would Roger Ailes have done?

* While the subject of Russian hackers was a Democratic Convention story line, there was also a literal Russian presence in Philly. RT, the state-run, Moscow-headquartered news agency, was among the myriad media outlets covering it. Its U.S. arm has about eight million weekly viewers and features familiar American TV personalities such as erstwhile CNN icon Larry King and former CNBC talk-show host Ed (“The Ed Show”) Schultz.

* When you get right down to it, isn’t the DNC hacking about sausage making? Political plotting is never nice. It is, by definition, big-stakes, partisan politics with winners, losers and whiners.

Imagine the RNC when Tea Partiers were challenging the Romney establishment. Or the push-back when John McCain signed off on Sarah Palin as his running mate. Imagine what was being said about George W. Bush’s veep choice–who happened to be the guy who was doing the VP vetting. Or those weighing in on how to handle Bill Clinton’s “bimbo” problem. Or go back to the John Kennedy-Lyndon Johnson subplots before the 1960 convention or to Barry Goldwater vs. the GOP establishment in 1964. It’s all ugly insider stuff. Only now–there’s a hackable trail.

* “Fear cannot be the guide for political action.”–German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

* “As we have anticipated, Zika is now here.”–Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

* “The U.S. economy is in far better shape than most countries and is therefore seen as a safe location for investment.”–Christopher McCarthy, director of the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.

* “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.”–Donald Trump.

* “This is an attack not on one party but on the integrity of American democracy. … It is not unthinkable that those responsible will steal and release more files, and even salt the files they release with plausible forgeries.”–The Aspen Institute Homeland Security Group.

* “There’s a dissonance in (Trump’s) bleak dystopia and his brass diss-topia as he switches from Dr. Strangelove to Don Rickles.”–Maureen Dowd, New York Times.

* “(Donald Trump) is devoid of feeling the pain of a mother who has sacrificed her son.”–Ghazala Khan.

* “Donald Trump said he has made a lot of sacrifices. He doesn’t know what the word sacrifice means.”–Khizr Khan.

* “It is easy to boo. But it is harder to look your kids in the face who would be living under a Donald Trump presidency.”–Bernie Sanders.

* “America has not elected an angry president since Andrew Jackson, long before television brought presidents into everyone’s living room, where anger is discomfiting.”–George Will, Washington Post.

* “What Richard Nixon (in 1968) understood is that when the world is falling apart, people want a strong leader whose highest priority is protecting America first. … I am the law and order candidate.”–Donald Trump.

* “He (Trump) has already done damage, just by running for president. He has undermined our fight against ISIS by alienating our Muslim partners. He has weakened our standing in the world by threatening to walk away from our friends and our allies.”–Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

* “I think for Trump to win this election, four things would have to happen: historically bad Democrat turnout, historically good Republican turnout, Trump overperforming even Ronald Reagan in some rural areas and Clinton underperforming in suburban areas. I don’t think any of those things are going to happen.”–David Plouffe.

* “Does Trump have to run the table of the top three (Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania) targets? Absolutely. The fact that we have to worry about winning Pennsylvania to win the presidency tells you it’s a difficult task.”–Republican strategist John Brabender.

* “We have the bench that people complain about and it’s at the municipal level, where we have not been gerrymandered.”–Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Allison Tant.

* “We’re going to win in 2016, we’re going to break their barrier, and then we’re coming back in 2018 and we’re taking our state back.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

* “Make no mistake, Rick Scott and Donald Trump are cut from the same wing of the Republican Party–not the conservative wing, but the con man wing.”–Florida Congresswoman Gwen Graham.

* “The Tampa Bay region may not yet have evolved into a Silicon Valley-style technology hub. But now, with this direct flight, we have been ordained as a shiny new spoke.”–Tampa lawyer Brent Britton, a high-profile, tech-community leader, on TIA’s announcement that it had finally won a non-stop from Tampa to San Francisco.

* “With the right vision, this could be the new crown jewel of our skyline.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, on the city’s invitation  to developers to submit proposals for a mixed-use project on a city-owned, N. Florida Avenue parking lot across from City Hall.

* “We traveled a lot and learned a lot about what works. But we had to come up with something that was authentic to Tampa. Having this building was a hell of a head start.”–Chas Bruck, Soho Capital partner, on the significance of the historic brick Armature Works building to their plans for The Heights.

* “We are delighted to welcome Linea Peninsular to Port Tampa Bay. Linea Peninsular enjoys a well-deserved reputation as the premiere ocean carrier between Mexico and the United States.”–Paul Anderson, CEO of Port Tampa Bay, in announcing a deal to begin a container shipping service between Mexico and Tampa.

* Regardless of his well-documented flaws and faux pas, I’ll take Brian Williams for convention–or breaking news–anchoring. He that’s professional, that smooth. One suggestion to MSNBC: Don’t let Rachel Maddow, who’s really perceptive, smart and often annoying in delivery, in the same frame with Williams. She simply stares at him, as if awaiting a resume update.

* When it comes to movie sequels that aren’t “The Godfather Part II,” we pretty much know what we’re going to get: exploitative, action-packed, up-dated variations being marketed to pop-culture audiences. I just saw pre-“Infiltrator” trailers that featured “The Magnificent Seven” and “Ben Hur.” No thanks. But, yes, “The Infiltrator” is worth checking out, especially if you’ve lived around here for a while.

Now I see where there’s a “Blair Witch Project” sequel hitting the big screen in September. Honest. More hand-held-camera and amateur-looking-“found footage” gimmicks for those who missed the low-budget, highly-successful original in 1999.

*  Call it Smartphones and dumb people. We’ve been seeing Pokemon Go players become a nuisance or worse in a number of public venues. Last week somebody was Tasered and cuffed by a TPD officer for after-hours trespassing and resisting arrest. Cops, unfortunately, already have a world increasingly fraught with “new normal” societal threats. Goofball gamers need to get a life.

* “By the way, a Mexico that has a healthy economy, a Mexico that can help us build stability and security in Central America, that’s going to do a lot more to solve any migration crisis or drug trafficking problem than a wall.”–President Barack Obama.

* “(The International Olympic Committee) failed to confront forcefully the findings of evidence of state-sponsored doping in Russia corrupting the Russian sports system. … (it is) a sad day for clean sport.”–Joseph de Pencier, chief executive of the Institute for National Anti-Doping Organizations.

* “I confess, it’s true I can be a little wonky. But I have this old-fashioned idea: If you’re running for president, you should say what you want to do and how you will get it done.”–Hillary Clinton.

* “Do you want a ‘you’re fired’ president or a ‘you’re hired’ president?”–Tim Kaine.

* “Just remember, love trumps hate.”–Hillary Clinton.

* “Don’t let anyone ever tell you that this country isn’t great. That somehow we need to make it great again. Because this right now is the greatest country on earth.”–Michelle Obama.

* “Everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not.”–Hillary Clinton referencing vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine.

* “Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton presidency–and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen. Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president.”– Bernie Sanders.

* “Bernie has cauterized the wounds.”–Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

* “America’s for Trump. And so am I.”–Pam Bondi.

* “I haven’t had a partner in the White House for more than five and a half years. I’m looking forward to that with Trump.”–Rick Scott.

* “Vote your conscience.”–Ted Cruz.

* “This is less a party than a personality cult. Law and order is a strange theme for a candidate who radiates conflict and disorder.”–David Brooks, New York Times.

* “I’ve never heard of an American leader, or at least someone who wants to be an American leader, claiming that he’s all we need. That’s not a democracy, my friends. As I recall, we had a revolution to make sure we didn’t have someone who said, ‘I can fix it alone.'”–Hillary Clinton.

* “For the first time since at least 1952 … Democrats probably will win a majority of voters with college degrees–a large and growing group.”–George Will, Washington Post.

* “I have the means, I have the mouth and the common sense to know when I’m getting screwed.”–Joe Redner’s rationale for why he is running for the new District 18 state Senate seat.

* “We are excited to establish our newest office in Tampa, a growing market for information technology that offers us the skilled workforce, business climate and quality of life we sought for our East Coast presence.”–Sanjay Bhasin, global head of human resources for Sagitec Solutions, which is expanding its software presence into the Tampa Bay market.

* “The city of Tampa is structurally and fiscally sound.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, in proposing a $905.0 million 2017 budget that does not dip into city reserves.

* “We created a fan base that made hockey a lot of fun to play there. If you talk to players around the league, everybody would love to play in Tampa now.”–Recently retired former Lightning player Brad Richards.

* Note that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg did, indeed, express regrets for her less-than-circumspect comments about the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump. As well she should have.

Also note that Ginsburg hasn’t apologized. Nor should she have.

* Can we declare a moratorium on polls? It’s only July. And this is no longer the Gallup generation. It’s faux news.

This is about news organizations and PR-hustling universities making their own snapshot news in an era when polling has never been more problematic.

Variables include land lines vs. cell as well as sampling issues–from the ever-escalating percentage of hang-ups to a protean definition of “likely” voter. Then there’s the matter of who’s actually asking the questions and what script they are reading from.

And the margin of error is, typically, about 3 percent. How self-servingly specific for something so increasingly imprecise.

* And, BTW, who the hell are these “undecided voters.” Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton? Donald Trump or anybody. But still needing time to mull this over?

* “We will not give in to the terrorist threat. The times have changed, and France is going to have to live with terrorism.”–French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

* “Executor of the deadly operation in Nice, France, was a soldier of the Islamic State.”–The Islamic State.

* “Erdogan is going to come out of this more paranoid and more authoritarian.”–Ilan Goldenberg, former Pentagon official and Middle East specialist for the Center for a New American Security, on the impact of Turkey’s failed coup on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

* “Following the (Brexit) referendum, we face a time of great national change. And I know because we’re Great Britain we will rise to the challenge.”–New British Prime Minister Theresa May.

* “I will miss the roar of the crowd. I will miss the barbs from the opposition.”–Recently resigned British Prime Minister David Cameron.

* “Part of what’s creating tensions between communities and police is the fact that police have a really difficult time in communities where they know guns are everywhere. I’m not going to stop talking about it.”–President Barack Obama.

* “Donald Trump’s campaign adds up to an ugly, dangerous message to America. A message that you should be afraid–afraid of people whose ethnicity is different, or whose religious faith is different, or who were born in a different country or hold different political beliefs.”–Hillary Clinton.

* “We know the battlegrounds are going to be close until the end. That’s why we need to keep working so hard. Trump is a serious danger, folks.”–Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon.

* “The campaign is not really about Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders, or any other candidate who sought the presidency. This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face. “–Bernie Sanders.

* “It’s unprecedented. You have a Republican convention without former Republican nominees in attendance. I think that is an indication of the hard path that Trump has ahead.”–Miami-based Republican adviser and pollster Dario Moreno.

* “If Trump were a more disciplined, focused candidate, this could be his moment to win over Americans because the desire for a strong leader is great in moments of turbulence. But look at his record.”–Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.

* “We’ve been dying on the Republican side for this transformational figure like Obama at the 2004 convention. In some ways, Trump is that transformational character. If he had just used his powers for good, he’d be unstoppable. Instead, he uses his power for these divisive messages. … He knows who he’s appealing to.”–Ohio Republican Chairman Matt Borges.

* “Both these (Mexican wall, Muslim ban) pledges got Trump airborne and still sustain him. As long as non-college, blue-collar whites like the sound of those promises, Trump will keep repeating them.”–Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

* “Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is a campaign of violence: violence against individuals and groups, against memory and accountability, against historical analysis and fact.”–Excerpt from “Open Letter to the American People” from Historians Against Trump.

* “Our job is not to preach to a shrinking choir; it’s to win converts.”–House Speaker Paul Ryan.

* “We’re a 1 percent state. It will absolutely come down to the wire and we believe we’re going to outorganize and get those extra two or three points we need to win.”–Scott Arceneaux, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party and senior adviser to the Clinton campaign.

* “The sad reality of autonomous car technology is that the easy parts have yet to be proven safe, and the hard parts have yet to be proven possible. … No one has come even close to demonstrating a completely driverless car that could do the work of a Manhattan taxi driver on a rainy day.”–Lee Gomes, Wall Street Journal.

* “The traditional press sees itself as a counterweight to government, as the founders intended. Social media platforms aren’t having any of that.”–Margaret Sullivan, Washington Post.

* “Warning: Too much news consumption can cause depression, cynicism, anxiety and anger–especially if you’re turned in to Fox, the conspiracy channel.”–Former Republican Florida legislator Paula Dockery.

* “For years, blacks have been loyal to the Democratic Party and cast their votes based just on the ‘D’ next to a candidate’s name on the ballot. We need to command something in return. We need to make these politicians accountable.”–Robin Lockett, president of the Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus.

* “The senseless killing on the streets of America needs to stop, no matter who is pulling the trigger. It’s not about hashtags and catch slogans. Life is much more than a hashtag.”–Tampa Assistant Police Chief Brian Dugan.

* “This isn’t about justice for the next shooting. It’s about preventing it in the first place.”–Pam Keith, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, in addressing the Black Lives Matter protest march in Ybor City.

* “It’s insane to think there is some positive benefit to open carry.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

* “We cannot hand the transportation challenge to the next generation or provide them with a halfhearted solution. A community that cannot move is a community that cannot grow.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman.