Steve Bannon is ‘Fascinated by Mussolini’

Steve Bannon granted Nicholas Farrell an interview because he liked Mr. Farrell’s book on Mussolini:

“He was clearly loved by women. He was a guy’s guy. He has all that virility. He also had amazing fashion sense, right, that whole thing with the uniforms. I’m fascinated by Mussolini.”

Benito Mussolini was a populist tabloid newspaper editor before he became Italy’s fascist dictator, and Steve Bannon can relate to that. On the hand, Mr. Bannon isn’t exactly known for his fashion sense.

More:

“‘I’m fascinated by Mussolini,'” Nicholas Farrell, The Spectator

Related:

“Steve Bannon to French far-right: ‘Let them call you racists,'” Jakob Hanke, Politico

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NRA speaks 7 Days After Florida School Shooting

The National Rifle Association has been silent on Twitter since the Parkland school shooting, but NRA VP Wayne LaPierre is listed as a speaker at this week’s Comic-Con for Conservatives, the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference. CPAC is being held at the Gaylord Convention Center at National Harbor, near DC but closer to a casino. While Mr. LaPierre is a staunch foe of gun-free zones, the Gaylord is one.

Wayne LaPierre isn’t on the CPAC agenda, but since the NRA is CPAC’s biggest sponsor and the biggest donor to GOP campaigns, he’s certain to deliver his usual demagoguery. There’s a half-hour slot on Thursday’s agenda at 10 AM marked “Special Programming,” so that’s our bet. Mike Pence will bless the gathered wingnuts afterwards, at 10:30.

The rest of the 2018 CPAC is a cavalcade of conservative celebs, not just The Apprentice‘s Donald Trump, but disgraced former Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr., talk radio ranters Dana Loesch and Mark Levin, Fox flakes Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro, and Sebastian Gorka, and that guy from Pawn Stars.

But CPAC 2018 is not all “America First.” France’s holocaust denier and National Front pin-up person Mademoiselle Marion Maréchal-Le Pen and the UK Independence Party spokesmodel, and Brexiteer Nigel Farage will add European élan to the conservative conclave.

More:

“Less Intellectual and More Salacious”: Commercialized, Trumpified, CPAC Is Adrift.” Tina Nguyen, Vanity Fair

Related:

“Five types of gun laws the Founding Fathers loved,” Saul Cornell, The Conversation

“The NRA’s step-by-step playbook for responding to a mass shooting,” Heather Timmons, Quartz

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Shocker: Violence at Trump Rallies

There are reports of violence at political rallies for reality TV star and billionaire authoritarian thug Donald J. Trump. Who would think that a supporter of  the man who said he’d like to punch protesters in the face would punch a protester in the face? What could drive the campaign manager of a man who has threatened reporters to rough up a reporter?

When little Donny Trump was in second grade, he punched his music teacher in the face. He was so incorrigible that his family finally sent him to military school. Sounds like it’s time for him to re-enroll.

More:

“Donald Trump gives supporters permission to be violent at rallies: ‘I’ll defend you in court,’” Kellan Howell, Washington Times

“Cheers, a punch, a slur. What it’s like in the crowd at a Donald Trump rally.” Stephanie McCrummen, Washington Post

“Why All the Violence at Donald Trump Rallies?” Tom Jacobs, Pacific Standard

“Breitbart reporter is latest victim of the wild media environment created by Donald Trump’s campaign,” Callum Borchers, Washington Post

“Donald Trump and the press, a few notable scuffles,” Cox Media via KRMG