If anyone out there was watching the GOP convention July 18, we’re sure you were struck by the emotional speech by Patricia Smith, mother of Sean Smith, who died in the 2012 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi. She pointedly blamed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for not providing the necessary security that fateful night. She said Clinton “looked me squarely in the eye and told me a video was responsible” for the attack. We now know that’s not the case; clearly, it was a terrorist attack. We couldn’t help but feel the anguish and pain Smith still is suffering in the wake of her tragic loss. We, too, can feel the betrayal she experienced after being lied to by Clinton. Wanting the last word, Clinton then accused Smith of lying. Can you imagine? It really gets one thinking: After all we hear about Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s polling deficit among women voters, this incident is telling – enormously so – as to what Clinton really thinks of women. To lie to a grieving mother is beyond the pale. While politics can be a brutal game, we believe strongly that this incident fully demonstrates once and for all that the only woman Clinton cares about is herself.
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Maybe the time is right for U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-5th District) to succeed Gov. Mike Pence if he goes to Washington. The Carmel resident is in a two-term congressional career bereft of headline-making highs and lows, and her temperament, not unlike Pence’s, might be perfect for the job. But what we’re really anticipating are the possibilities for the Carmel mayor’s office if Jim Brainard succeeds Brooks.