File this in the Wait And See category: The mayor of Little Rock, the Hon. Mark Stodola, held a press conference the other day to do a very mayor thing. He unveiled a plan. This one, to stem the violence in the state's capital city.
The city, as you'll recall, made national news earlier this month when we all woke up one Sunday morning to learn that 28 people had been shot at a downtown nightclub. And that was just the latest. Cops have been chasing shooters and emergency phone calls and innocent bystanders and possible witnesses all over Little Rock for months. So here's what the mayor says he'll do about it:
Hire more cops. And offer signing bonuses. And not insignificant signing bonuses. We're talking $10,000 a pop.
Hire a PR firm to help recruit cops.
Tap certain federal programs.
Expand job opportunities.
Put more cameras in convenience stores.
Increase outreach, whatever that is.
As bad as the shooting was at the Power Ultra Club, it was but one incident. So far this year, police in Little Rock are closing in on 2,000 reports of violent crime. This is much bigger than one shooting.
Our considered editorial opinion: No matter the snarky comments we're heard here and there, the mayor deserves a chance to tackle this problem. Yes, PR firms and "outreach" might not stop the next drive-by, but filling 70 vacancies at the Little Rock Police Department just might.
Besides, we can only imagine the criticism of Mr. Stodola had he decided to do nothing.
All the best, sir.
So, finally, Sean Spicer is out as the White House lead spokesman.
This is probably best for all concerned. Including Mr. Spicer's reputation. Or what's left of it.
When the Zeros appeared in the skies over Hawaii that day, at first the Americans on the ground and on the boats thought it was some sort of drill. The brass had painted up some planes and were trying to wake up the boys on a sleepy Sunday morning. But they soon found out, as the world would later, that this was no drill.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Joe George was ordered to cut loose from the USS Arizona. His own boat, the USS Vestal, was moored to the bigger craft, and when the Arizona went down, it would surely drag the smaller boat to the depths, too.
Joe George began carrying out his orders. Till he saw six men fighting fire aboard the Arizona. He saw he could help.
So he tried to throw them a rope. He missed. So he tried again. He missed again.
Eventually the men were able to catch the rope and shimmy on down to Joe George. When they did, they detached from the Arizona and made it to safety.
And now, in 2017, Joe George has finally been recognized for his valor. It comes too late for him to see it, as he died decades ago. But his family and a couple of men he saved were recognized in Washington last week. And it was about time. Way to go, sailor.
We don't understand everything we know about why this president gave an interview to the New York Times last week. We thought the paper of record was FAKE NEWS, or at least that's what the president has been saying for months. His actions when it comes to the press and social media get more bizarre every day. But of all the things he said in the interview--he wouldn't have hired Jeff Sessions as attorney general if he'd known Jeff Sessions had the decency to recuse himself when appropriate; tearing into the FBI leadership--the strangest thing, even stranger than the Napoleon comment, was this, about the deputy attorney general and his hometown:
"There are very few Republicans in Baltimore, if any."
You mean, sorta like New York City?
Our favorite political curmudgeon over the years has been John McCain. If there is a second place, he or she is running far behind.
The man was the Republican nominee for president in 2008, up against impossible odds as the nation was mesmerized by another. A war hero, a senator, a father, and from all reports, one of the hardest working men in Washington, D.C. The other day he was diagnosed with cancer in his brain.
He told his supporters that he'd "be back soon." And we wouldn't doubt it.
There's one thing people have learned over the years, from North Vietnam to The Beltway back east: Never underestimate John McCain.
Editorial on 07/24/2017