History regularly offers up events that turn out to be litmus tests for political courage, wisdom, and judgment. The last one was the Iraq War. The new one is the candidacy of Donald Trump.

At a Manhattan hedge fund conference this week, “A lot of attendees were scared” and panelists were “herded...off the stage to safer confines” when a group of protesters walked in chanting and waving signs about inequality. Damn—that does sound scary.

Ted Cruz, the Texas Hair Gel Depository, wants to train the full power of the world’s mightiest military on a lil bug.

Earlier this week, Duke University announced that it would allow a weekly three-minute long Muslim call to prayer to be broadcast from its campus chapel tower. Now they have reversed that decision, proving that Duke University's primary values are intolerance and fear.

You might think that right now, Bill Cosby would be an ideal interview subject. With a renewed interest in rape and harassment allegations, thanks in no small part to Hannibal Buress, on top of the fact that the 77-year-old is a complete and utter spectacle, he would be an ideal get for any interviewer worth her salt. To have him already booked on your show in light of these recent developments? Why that would be a dream come true!

Despite being an Obama delegate in 2012, Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Alison Grimes has repeatedly refused to answer the question of whether she voted for Barack Obama. Her bravery and forthrightness should fit right in in Washington.

At present, the debate about Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is an either-or exercise. Is he a Hero? Or a Deserter? As it's put like that, you can see that "deserter" for certain people has precious little relationship to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It is, for them, another way of saying "coward."

The tenth anniversary of the Iraq War was marked by a procession of mostly liberal pundits solemnly apologizing for supporting the ill-fated invasion in the first place. As the issue of gay marriage goes in front of the Supreme Court, we're treated to the sight of the former president who signed the Defense of Marriage Act arguing that it should be overturned. Let's talk about what courage and cowardice in politics really mean.

If you buy coffee at a Starbucks in the Washington, DC area today or tomorrow, do not be surprised to find the words "Come Together" scrawled illegibly on your cup. You can blame this on the fact that Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is a tepid showman masquerading as a bold visionary.

Time's Mark Halperin has made himself useful for once by obtaining, and publishing, a copy of the 21-page memorandum of understanding that the Obama and Romney campaigns negotiated with the Commission on Presidential Debates establishing the rules governing this month's presidential and vice presidential face-offs. The upshot: Both campaigns are terrified at anything even remotely spontaneous happening.

Francesco Schettino, the Italian cruise ship captain who caroused with his passengers before steering his ship dangerously close to shore and then fleeing immediately when it ran aground and capsized, leaving 11 (at last count) to die and thousands to flail in terror, sounds like a real go-getter. Here is a tape of an Italian Coast Guard official ordering Schettino, who was speaking by phone from a lifeboat, to get back aboard and help evacuate the women and children who were still on his boat. He said no.

University of Iowa professor and pretentious troll-journalist Stephen Bloom recently wrote an article in The Atlantic mocking Iowa as a backward, hick-filled state full of people smoking meth out of corncobs (paraphrasing). Which it is, probably! (Never been there personally, thank god.) But now Stephen Bloom has literally fled the state in terror to "an undisclosed location" after Iowans got mad at him. You're doing this all wrong, Stephen Bloom.

Apparently, John McCain—who helped block a vote to repeal DADT today—doesn't like explaining himself. When The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld and Metro Weekly's Chris Geidner asked McCain questions about the policy this afternoon, he got quite testy. Video inside.

Daniel Cowart, a 21-year-old white supremacist who was convicted of planning to assassinate Barack Obama, has asked a court to alter two Nazi tattoos before he is sent to federal prison. Apparently his personal convictions aren't so strong.

This is ridiculous. During the second overtime period of today's USA-Ghana World Cup match, a Ghana player "fell," softly and COMPLETELY BY HIMSELF, wouldn't get up (even after the referee insisted), and was carried away ON A GURNEY. Video inside.

Bronx Senator Pedro Espada Jr.'s incompetence continues to balloon to cartoonish proportions. This weekend he ran away from a television interview after a journalist asked him a question about the time he tried to hide from her behind a baby.

Phillip C. Garrido's one sick son of a bitch. He even puts sicko Austrian man Josef Fritzl to shame. For the past 18 years, Garrido spent his time tending to one Jaycee Dugard, whom he brazenly kidnapped back in 1991.

Yesterday we reported that Microtrend-spouting flack Mark Penn's PR firm was using his Wall Street Journal column to drum up PR business. Penn is ethically compromised. But today, the WSJ tells us they're keeping Penn on as a columnist. Cowards.

Yale University Press is publishing a book about the Danish Muhammad cartoon controversy of 2005. But Yale will not publish any images of the cartoons, or Muhammad, because Yale University Press is run by freedom-disregarding accommodationist pussies.

NPR's Tell Me More devoted a panel to the fact that Fox News created, sponsored, hyped, and otherwise bears complete and total responsibility for the tea parties. And Fox wouldn't come on the show!