“Since the left and complicit journalists in the mainstream media cannot defeat President Trump on the issues or legitimate grounds such as dishonesty, they have resorted to a superficial collection of tactics,” points out Rachel Alexander, editor of the Intellectual Conservative and a Townhall columnist.

Those tactics follow a familiar pattern — which is to “nitpick, distort, exaggerate, omit and lie,” she says.

“The left and its complicit allies in the media have become extremely proficient at nitpicking Trump. His tweets are dissected and criticized every day. Since the media no longer get as much news about him from gotcha questions at White House press conferences, they are relegated to picking apart his tweets,” Ms. Alexander continues, noting that news coverage methodically omits and even lies about key facts and important news — particularly positive reports about Mr. Trump’s diplomatic victories or legislative gains.

“Americans should tune out this fake news that ignores real developments taking place during the Trump administration, which instead replaces them with dishonest pettiness. We are no longer living in an era where you can turn on CBS Evening News and trust most of what you heard from Walter Cronkite. Much of the mainstream news, from the major television networks and cable news to National Public Radio and large newspapers, has become shills for the Democratic Party. If you wanted news from The Democratic Party, you could go to their website,” Ms. Alexander advises.

FOR THE LEXICON

“Trump Panic Syndrome.”

This convenient phrase is from Washington Examiner columnist Byron York, who notes that the “entire politico-media complex had a nervous breakdown” over President Trump’s perceived “agreement” on Dreamers and DACA last week with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

The whole episode, Mr. York says, essentially changed very little on the political landscape when all the squawking was done.

“All that panic for nothing,” he notes. “A little skepticism is always in order these days. People are on hair trigger. They go off before they know what’s going on. The DACA fiasco should be a lesson.”

The ever-canny tactician Mr. Trump is a master at masking his true intent and neutralizing noisy diversions from his critics, rivals and the hostile press. And the Trump Panic Syndrome? Expect more of same from those who can’t quite figure out the president’s strategy.

A NOT-SO-DOCILE AMERICA

The American attitude toward North Korea appears to be evolving — and not necessarily in a docile direction.

“As North Korea continues to launch test missiles and issue provocative threats against the U.S. and its allies in the region, a majority of Americans appear ready to support military action against that country, at least as a last resort. More specifically, 58 percent say they would favor taking military action against North Korea if economic and diplomatic efforts fail to achieve the United States’ goals. This is significantly higher than the 47 percent in favor the last time Gallup asked this, in 2003,” reports Lydia Saad, a Gallup analyst.

“U.S. attitudes about striking North Korea are partisan, as they were in 2003. Eighty-two percent of Republicans in the Sept. 6-10 Gallup poll say they would favor military action if peaceful means fail, compared with 37 percent of Democrats. The percentage of Democrats who favor military action has hardly changed since 2003: 37 percent now vs. 41 percent then. The major shift has been among Republicans, whose support for military action is up 23 percentage points,” Ms. Saad notes.

Among independents, 41 percent supported military pushback against North Korea in the 2003 poll. The number has since risen to 56 percent.

NBC’S MEGYN JITTERS

It is an ever-changing business: Former Fox News panelist Jedediah Bila is leaving ABC’s “The View,” former Fox News contributor Meghan McCain could take her place, and Laura Ingraham has joined Fox News to anchor a prime-time talk show. But what about another former Fox News talent?

“Has Megyn Kelly’s star already been eclipsed? NBC’s $17 million anchor will begin her turn at the 9 a.m. hour of ‘Today’ later this month, but some are already managing expectations,” writes Vanity Fair correspondent Sarah Ellison. “The atmosphere among some of the rank and file at NBC was summed up by one staffer who told me: ‘We are just bracing ourselves and hoping it is less bad than the reception of the Sunday show.’”

The staffer is referring to Ms. Kelly’s appearances on NBC’s Sunday night programming during the summer months, which drew diminishing ratings as time passed.

“In a week, Megyn Kelly will complete her transition from right-wing cable-news provocateur to morning-show personality as the host of ‘Megyn Kelly Today,’ which will debut on September 25 and take over the third hour of the ‘Today’ show,” Ms. Ellison notes. “Kelly has promised that the show, which will air before a live audience, will highlight content that is focused on inspiring and empowering people.”

328,348 REMINDERS

A youth-friendly pro-life group has reissued the call to end taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, using some visceral symbols. On Tuesday Students for Life of America will launch what they deem the #SockIt2PP project at the National Press Club, to be followed by visits to 90 college campuses in a dozen states.

Accompanying the young activists: a truck filled with 328,348 baby socks — each sock representing “children aborted by Planned Parenthood this year,” say the organizers, who include Jeanne Mancini, president of the annual March for Life, and Kristan Hawkins, president of the student nonprofit group with chapters on 1,176 college and high school campuses.

“Planned Parenthood has lied to the American public, committed fraud with taxpayer dollars and has been proven to sell the body parts of babies they abort for profit. Yet Congress continually fails to defund Planned Parenthood. The pro-life generation is sick of being told to wait until another election season has passed. We are expecting Congress to uphold their promises and stop subsidizing America’s largest abortion vendor,” Ms. Hawkins declares.

POLL DU JOUR

• 80 percent of Americans have privacy concerns about data obtained from DNA testing for ancestry or health reasons.

• 74 percent are interested in DNA testing.

• 73 percent are interested in learning about health risks through DNA testing.

• 60 percent say diversity would be more accepted if “everyone knew their genetic ancestry results.”

• 8 percent have tried an in-home DNA test.

Source: A 23andMe/Kelton Global survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted July 5-12 and released Monday.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin

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