The Patriot Post® · Wednesday Short Cuts

Insight: “It is futile to fight against, if one does not know what one is fighting for.” —Ayn Rand (1905-1982)

Upright: “Unveiling the Hillary we supposedly don’t know has been the perpetual, elusive goal of Clinton’s handlers for decades, with the Democratic convention in Philadelphia the latest stab at it. … Hillary has made more reintroductions than should be allowed for a person who has never gone away.” —Rich Lowry

Contrasts: “Sen. Ted Cruz got booed last week for declining to endorse his party’s presidential nominee. This week, Sen. Bernie Sanders got booed for endorsing his party’s inevitable nominee.” —James Taranto

Delusions: “I do not think there’s any fracture in the party.” —Joe Biden

Non Compos Mentis: “I think that, so many times … non-college-educated white males have voted Republican. They voted against their own economic interests because of guns, because of gays, and because of God, the three G’s, God being the woman’s right to choose.” —Nancy Pelosi

Braying Jenny: “Until we deal with gun violence in this country, we can’t claim ‘home of the brave.’” —singer Alicia Keys before performing at the DNC

Alpha Jackass: “There has been a steady [stream of Israeli settlers], almost like termites can get into a residence and eat before you know that you’ve been eaten up and you fall in on yourself. There has been settlement activity that has marched forward with impunity and at an ever increasing rate to the point where it has become alarming.” —Rep. Hank Johnson complaining about Jewish settlers on Palestinian land — he later apologized for his “poor choice of words,” but doubled down on the core criticism

Late-night humor: “Hillary Clinton’s main task this week is to divert attention from leaked DNC emails and other negative press. Hillary’s going to begin her speech with the rousing first line — ‘Hey, look, there’s a Pokémon!’” —Conan O'Brien