The Patriot Post® · Friday Short Cuts

Insight: “You say that freedom of utterance is not for time of stress, and I reply with the sad truth that only in time of stress is freedom of utterance in danger. … Only when free utterance is suppressed is it needed, and when it is needed it is most vital to justice.” —William Allen White (1868-1944)

Upright: “It’s time the media applied at least the same level of skepticism that they reserve for real terror attacks to fake hate crimes. Why? First, because their job is to report the facts. Second, because if they’re really concerned about not alienating or radicalizing American Muslims, they shouldn’t hype the propaganda efforts of the idiots who are doing exactly that.” —Jonah Goldberg

Parting shot: “I believe one of the failures of Democratic Party has been the Democratic National Committee. The DNC has been worthless. … So I would hope that they would choose a chair of the Democratic Party who is a full-time person. Not someone like we had with that congresswoman from Florida, who was a full-time congresswoman and a part-time chair of the DNC.” —Harry Reid

Sore losers: “Democrats are losing on every front and looking for people to blame everywhere. They need to learn to lose with dignity.” —Vladimir Putin

Fake News: “Usually [critics are] responding to this character that they’re seeing on TV called Barack Obama, or to the office of the presidency and the White House and what that represents. And so you don’t take it personally. You understand that if people are angry that somehow the government is failing, then they are going to look to the guy who represents government. And that applies, by the way, even to some of the folks who are now Trump supporters. They’re responding to a fictional character named Barack Obama who they see on Fox News or who they hear about through Rush Limbaugh.” —Barack Obama

Friendly fire: “I don’t think [Hillary Clinton] ever really figured it out. … She thought she had no choice but to run. That, as the first woman who had an opportunity to win the presidency, I think it was a real burden on her.” —Joe Biden

Late-night humor: “Amazon’s home assistance device, ‘The echo,’ is already sold out until after the holidays. In the meantime, if you want to yell at something to turn off the lights or music in your house, just try your kids.” —Jimmy Fallon