Paul:  ISIS is America's fault.

Paul: ISIS is America’s fault.

“ISIS exists and grew stronger because of the hawks in our party who gave arms indiscriminately, and most these arms were snatched up by ISIS.”  That’s what G O P Presidential Candidate Rand Paul said in a recent television interview and it’s caused something of a firestorm.

Jindal:  Paul not fit to be Commander and Chief

Jindal: Paul not fit to be Commander and Chief

Louisiana Governor and presumptive presidential candidate Bobby Jindal issued a statement saying quote:  “This is a perfect example of why Senator Paul is unsuited to be Commander-in-Chief…It’s one thing for Senator Paul to take an outlandish position as a Senator at Washington cocktail parties, but being Commander-in-Chief is an entirely different job.  We should all be clear that evil and Radical Islam are at fault for the rise of ISIS, and people like President Obama and Hillary Clinton exacerbate it…Senator Paul’s illogical argument clouds a situation that should provide pure moral clarity.  Islam has a problem.  ISIS is its current manifestation.  And the next President’s job is to have the discipline and strength to wipe ISIS off the face of the earth.  It has become impossible to imagine a President Paul defeating radical Islam and it’s time for the rest of us to say it.”

Santorum:  Pounds Pauls understanding of Islamic threat

Santorum: Pounds Paul’s understanding of Islamic threat

Republican Presidential contender Senator Rick Santorum, in an interview yesterday, said he’s expect to hear what Paul said from Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders.  Said Santorum quote:  “ISIS didn’t come about because of … the arms that America left behind.  ISIS came about because they hate everything that we believe in and we stand for.”  Santorum added, “I think the idea that we accept now that this tripe from the left that it’s our fault that ISIS exists — go back to the thousand-year history of Muslim expansionism, and look at some of the horrible things that were done to spread radical Islam. That is not something that America had anything to do with.”

Whatever your take on this, the G O P nomination race just got a whole lot more interesting.  We’ve linked to video of Paul’s comments, Jindal’s statement and Santorum’s reaction so you can come to your own conclusions.

News from our own backyard continues after this.

Manchester refusals continue to grow.

Manchester refusals continue to grow.

At our request, the Manchester School District has released a update of the number of students whose parents refused their participation in the Smarter Balanced Assessment.  As of May sixth, that number had swelled to eleven hundred sixty.  As of yesterday, it stands at one thousand one hundred ninety one.  That’s almost thirty percent of the number of students subject to the assessment.  On Tuesday night, Assistant Superintendent David Ryan was uncertain whether or not all of the city’s schools had completed the Smarter Balanced Assessment, but said he’d hoped so given the testing window closes on June fifth.  Since the document we received said “Final Tally,” we’re thinking this is the end and that a notable number of Manchester’s parents took stand policy makers might want to take note of.

Gibson:  Kentucky voter, too

Gibson: Kentucky voter, too

Carl Robert Gibson, the man charged with voter suppression for pretending to be G O P state rep. candidate Yvonne Dean-Bailey and issuing fake press releases saying she’d dropped out of the special election race in Candia, Deerfield, Northwood and Nottingham, has turned up as a registered voter in yet another state, this time Kentucky, where it appears he’s been registered for a while, overlapping his registrations in New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Connecticut.  Ed Naile, Chairman of the Coalition of N H Taxpayers, who provided this information, will join us for a special installment of A Question of Voter Fraud this morning with all the details.  We can only wonder when the Attorney General’s Office will take this information and bring charges for dual voting as well.

St. Thomas MoreThe Catholic Lawyers Guild of NH is currently seeking nominations for the St. Thomas More Award, which is presented to a practicing Catholic lawyer or judge who embodies the spirit of St. Thomas More in his or her courage, dedication, integrity, civility, and compassion toward others.  If you know of a lawyer or judge who you think is deserving of the St. Thomas More Award, please submit the nominee’s name, along with a brief description of the contributions the nominee has made to your parish and/or to the community, to Bob Carey at rcarey@orr-reno.com, or mail to Orr & Reno, P.O. Box 3550, Concord, NH 03302-3550, before June 5, 2015.

St. Michael

St. Michael

The Guild is also seeking nominations for the St. Michael Award to recognize a practicing Catholic member of law enforcement who has demonstrated uncompromising integrity and moral character, displayed an outstanding degree of professional competence while always seeking justice, and served his or her community with distinction.  If you know of a member of law enforcement who you think is deserving of the St. Michael Award, please submit the nominee’s name, along with a brief description of the contributions the nominee has made to your parish and/or to the community, to Brian Quirk at bquirk@preti.com, or mail to Preti Flaherty, PO Box 1318, Concord, NH 03302-1318 before June 5, 2015.

That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next