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This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by landline and cellular telephone Oct. 22-25, 2016, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 1,135 likely voters. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3 points, including the design effect. Partisan divisions are 36-29-29 percent, Democrats-Republicans-independents.

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Any questions??

As one who has not been on the Trump bandwagon, and one who could admittedly hop on, wave Trump's banner singing kumbaya, just to run with the herd, just to get along, may I point out something you may have missed in all your exuberance. This is not to take away from your exuberance, after all, your man won, your views have, in your own mind at least, been vindicated, and you've broken into your happy dance. Fine.

Lately, in social media, I have been inundated with a flood of, how shall I put this? …cretins who question my intellect, my patriotism, and my integrity based on, as near as I can translate from the Trumpwonese, "Neener, neener, our guy got more votes!", which is true, but to my point, irrelevant.

In a contest like the Super Bowl, two championship teams meet, play, and the one with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner, with all the appropriate bragging rights. In this analogy, Trump has an entire cadre of people to inflate his balls for him. But does scoring the most points always guarantee a superior champion?

Settling your arguments by saying, "I won" sounds remarkably like another politician we all know. If your whole raison d'être for being a jerk and harassing Cruz supporters is that your guy won, does this then vindicate Barack Obama, who garnered more votes at least four times as state senator, US Senator and POTUS for two terms. Did winning more votes vindicate Obama's intellect, policies and character? Is "Neener, neener, our guy got more votes!" really the standard you want to set in politics? Really?

I am no Trump fan, but I have generally given him the benefit of the doubt, but I doubt no longer. Trump from 2008:

“Bush has been so bad. Maybe the worst president in this history of this country. He has been so incompetent, so bad, so evil, that I don’t think any Republican could have won”

Does this guy’s judgment match your own? Or when, in his estimation, George Bush attacked Iraq

“…just because he wanted to do it”

But wait! There’s more! To Greta Van Sustern:

His (Obama’s) speech was great last night. I thought it was inspiring in every way. And, hopefully he’s going to do a great job. But the way I look at it, he cannot do worse than Bush.

 It may sound trite, Donald, but,

“You’re Fired!”

At the risk of piling on, Trump is also the ‘rodeo clown’ who said of Charles Krauthammer, whose books the Donald has not read, perhaps because they have insufficient pictures?

(Krauthammer’s) “a totally overrated person that dislikes me personally. I’ve never met him. He’s a totally overrated guy, doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

The Martin O’Mallard, (Baltimorus Mayortoasticus), is a dabbling duck which, in this case, dabbles in politics. The mallard was one of the many bird species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae, and still bears its original binomial name, not to be confused with metric, which is more characteristic of Lincolnae Democraticus.

The species is generally found west of the Chesapeake Bay area in the foggy swampland between Maryland and Virginia.

Mallards frequently interbreed with their closest relatives in the genus Anas, such as the American black duck, which accounts for a majority of the Baltimorus taxonomy. The rear of the male is black, with the dark tail having white borders. The bill of the male is generally past due.

 A noisy species, the male has a nasal call, not to be confused with a 3AM call.

A generally nondescript waterfowl, the Martin O’Mallard may not be all it’s quacked up to be, and may be easily decoyed with promises of cabinet positions.

Exotic Animals: Collect the whole set!
Chris Crizzlie
Joe Bydena
Donald Trumpetfish
Bernie Panders
Hillarymadillo
Mike Huccameleon
Jeb Bushbaby

The Jeb Bushbaby is a subspecies of Bushgeorgicus Americanae, or “little night monkeys” in Afrikaans, which can be found in Florida, Texas and occasionally as far north as Massachusetts. The typical Jeb Bushbaby migrates to a particularly cramped 3,000 sq. ft. lair in Kennebunkport during the summer months. Bushbabies have exceptional jumping abilities: into races, between positions, to conclusions and ‘the gun’.

Adult males maintain separate territories, which overlap with those of the female social groups, BushBarbarae Americanae. Males defer to the alpha female with surprising regularity.

Jeb Bushbabies learn largely by scent, communicating by marking their paths with urine. By following the scent of urine, they can land on exactly the same branch every time. This may explain their affinity for the unpleasantly malodorous Common Core. This may also explain more than one embarrassing press conference!

Affable and friendly, the Jeb Bushbaby is not unpleasant to have around, but the cumulative effect of their communication could gag a maggot.


Exotic Animals: Collect the whole set!
Chris Crizzlie
Joe Bydena
Donald Trumpetfish
Bernie Panders
Hillarymadillo
Mike Huccameleon

   Seen in its natural habitat on an approach to a George Washington Bridge toll lane   The Chris Crizzlie Bear, Ursus Omniverae Horribilis , is found in New Jersey, ranging from Cape May to Newark. Sometimes mistakenly called “big boned”, the Crizzlie could easily hibernate two winters in a row without breaking a sweat! Population estimates based on hair-snagging, DNA-based inventories, mark-recapture, and a refined multiple regression model put sightings of the Crizzlie as far west as Iowa and as far north as New Hampshire.

The mainland grizzly is widespread, and is representative and archetypal for the whole subspecific group. Even so, classification is being revised along genetic lines. The Crizzlie bear has evidence of rhino DNA in its ancestry.

On interspecies competition, the relationship between Crizzlie bears and other predators is mostly one-sided; after severe storms, however, the Crizzlie has been known to cozy up to such as the Mid Atlantic Weasel, Obamanicus Daemocratus, to mutually scavenge any carrion washed up by the storm.

The Crizzlie is known for its occasional surly interactions with humans. It is best avoided in the wild. In captivity, it is easily distracted with food.

Exotic Animals: Collect the whole set!
Joe Bydena
Donald Trumpetfish
Bernie Panders
Hillarymadillo
Mike Huccameleon

The Joe Bydena, (Cassanovae Plagiaristmus), commonly known as a “laughing’ hyena, is, in reality, more of a “laughed at” hyena. Although phylogenetically closer to weasels, Joe Bydenas are behaviorally and morphologically similar to canines in several aspects; in other words, the Joe Bydena frequently acts like a dog. Both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey from behind, sometimes massaging the shoulders of unsuspecting prey.

Hyenas groom themselves often, and are considered quite vain. They defecate in the same manner as other Carnivora, though they never stand when urinating, as urination serves no territorial function for them. Instead, hyenas mark their territories using their anal glands. In the wild, the Bydena has been known to imitate the calls of other alpha males, particularly the Welshae Coalminerimus

Hyenas are used for food and medicinal purposes in some areas, including Muslim nations under the Shafiite school, where hyenas are considered halal because of their omnivorous diet. This practice dates back to the times of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, who believed that different parts of the hyena’s body were effective means to ensure love and fertility. This differs somewhat from the Joe Bydena’s opinion that ALL parts of the hyena’s body were effective means to ensure love and fertility!

The Joe Bydena ideally sees itself as a pack animal, even leader of a pack, if it could only find a single pack that would accept it.

Exotic Animals: Collect the whole set!
Donald Trumpetfish
Bernie Panders
Hillarymadillo
Mike Huccameleon

The Mike Huccameleon, Rockandrollimus Wannabeae , is part of a distinctive and highly specialized clade of old world lizards. (Not to be confused with wizards, which the Huck’s church might frown upon.) Mike Huccameleons are distinguished by their zygodactylous feet; their very long, highly modified, rapidly extrudable tongues; their swaying gait and their ability to play bass guitar in garage bands.

Like snakes, chameleons do not have an eardrum. However, chameleons are not deaf: they can detect sound frequencies in the range of 200-600 Hz. Like I said…bass.

Smaller arboreal chameleons (both smaller species and smaller individuals of the same species) have recently been found to have proportionately larger tongue apparatuses than their larger counterparts, making them good for stump speeches and as talk show hosts.

Huccameleons are found in warm habitats that range from Arkansas to Iowa. As with most chameleons, the Mike Huccameleon is able to blend into his surroundings. His fiscal conservative coloration can be quite effective at a distance. Up close is another matter.

The Mike Huccameleon is a good natured creature and make an excellent pets. Although they have been known for decisions that come back to bite them.

Exotic Animals: Collect the whole set!
Donald Trumpetfish
Bernie Panders
Hillarymadillo

The Donald Trumpetfish, Apprenticus Televismus, is widespread throughout the tropical waters of western Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Brazil including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It is found as far north as the cooler waters around Atlantic City.

The gills are pectinate, oddly enough resembling the teeth of a comb. Trumpetfish swim slowly, sneaking up on unsuspecting prey, or lying motionless, swaying back and forth with the wave action of the water. They are adept at camouflaging themselves and often swim in alignment with sharks, or other, larger fishes. They feed almost exclusively on smaller fish.

Although some Trumpetfish have been known to mate for life, the Donald Trumpetfish does not do well in captivity.

The Bernie Panders (Socialismus fulgens), also called “Red” or lesser panda, not to be confused with the lesser pander, which is associated with the Clinton Foundation. The Bernie Panders is a small arboreal mammal native to Vermont.

The specific epithet fulgens is Latin for “shining”, which may refer to the path taken by the reds. Panda is the French name for the Roman goddess of peace and travelers, whereas the Pander is more amenable to fellow travelers. The species is generally quiet except for some twittering, tweeting, and Facebook communication. It has been reported to be both nocturnal and crepuscular.

 Results of phylogenetic research and party affiliation indicate strong support for its taxonomic classification in its own family Progressivae, along with the weasel, raccoon and skunk families. Primarily the former and the latter.

The Bernie Panders is considered a living fossil and only distantly related to the giant pander (Stainedbluedressicus embarrasae).

Hillarymadillos Showmethecashimus Serverblankimus, are New World Order placental mammals with a leathery armor shell. Because of this, Hillarymadillos prefer to be photographed only in soft focus. This armor-like skin ,although thin, appears to be the main defense of the Hillarymadillo, though some escape predatory reporters by fleeing, often into vans and prearranged photo ops, from which their armor protects them. When startled by honest questions, the species frequently roll up into a ball.

Hillarymadillos have been spotted in Illinois, as far south as Arkansas and primarily can be found in New York state. The Hillarymadillo has very poor eyesight and are prolific diggers. Many species use their sharp claws to grub for money, preferably gold and cash. Bearer bonds, Russian caviar and large speaking fees have been known to lure the species from its lair.

 Hillarymadillos are solitary animals that do not share.

I heard last night that Hillary stiffed the wait staff at Chipotle for a tip. What is with Democrat millionaires who don’t have enough empathy to help someone make more than minimum wage when they’re serving them? I understand Obama is famous for not leaving tips as well. That got me to thinking about a very telling story Hillary told on the campaign trail in 2008, about a child whose waitress mother got a raise in the minimum wage, but got her hours cut back, so she wasn’t any better off. Here’s the post I ran back in February of 2013. Doesn’t sound as if Hillary has learned anything since then (other than how to wipe a server!):

I was originally thinking of including this example in the piece earlier today, about Obama’s demagoguery on the minimum wage, but I was having some difficulty finding it and confirming the details. The video seems to have disappeared.

On April 3rd 2008, Hillary Clinton was on the Tonight How with Jay Leno, where she told this anecdote: (Cafe Hayek still has the transcript)

I was in Indianapolis the other day and I was shaking hands after I spoke. And there was this young boy about eleven years old and he’s trying to tell me something—you know the crowd was yelling—so I leaned over and he said, “You know, my mom makes minimum wage and even though it went up, her hours were cut. So we’re not making any more money. Can you help her?”

At which point Hillary launched into platitudes and bromides about fixing the economy, ‘we can do better’, etc., but she overlooked a very important lesson: When the cost of anything goes up, you tend to buy less of it. The employer of this little boy’s mother did not have a bottomless stash of cash to dip into every time the government decrees that his employees are worth more than the market warrants. To hold expenses in check, the employer reduced the number of hours worked at the new inflated wage.

 Mr. Obama, too, presupposes that if the minimum wage is raised that those making minimum raise will automatically receive more money, when in reality, not only will they be receiving dollars made less valuable through inflation, but there is no guarantee that their hours will not be reduced, as happened with this woman, or eliminated entirely through layoffs.

Mitt Romney will not run in 2016. Whew! One down, how many to go?

Let me say what I have said time and time before. I believe that Mitt Romney is a good man. I congratulate and thank him for his prescient withdrawal from the 2016 race. I would love to see Mitt participate in a Republican victory in 2016, and think he could serve the nation well in a number of different cabinet level positions.

We shouldn't let this good man's experience go to waste. Having said that, he was not my choice in 2008. Truth be told, neither was John McCain. McCain was lacking in conservative bona fides, particularly when it came to economics. I don't know if Romney was done in by his supporters, but there was one Romneybot in particular who frequented Internet discussions and tried to hijack every thread, whenever he came across any meager crumb that favored Romney, and then regaled us with the inevitability of Romney taking the nomination. So, he had the distinction of not only being annoying but wrong. On top of that, instead of challenging McCain's policies, which I would have probably echoed and applauded, he chose to attack McCain personally, his military service, and going so far as calling him a traitor.

God save us from our friends.