Austin Bay: Turkey’s Erdogan applauds Hamas’ terror: Is Erdo’s ‘middle man’ sham kaput?

Praising Hamas tests the Ego-Actor tightrope Turkey President Erdogan walks. Will the tightrope hold, or has Erdo's verbal extremism already snapped the frayed NATO tightrope?

Froma Harrop: What do we think of the new speaker?

I don't want Rep. Mike Johnson to fail. I want him to change. And there are hints that some of his Jurassic-age views may evolve.

Where’s the United Nations in all this? Oh, right, nowhere.

In times of crisis such as now, the General Assembly and Security Council turn into a Babel in which everybody distrusts everybody else and finding common words becomes impossible.

Paul Mills: Maine should be known as ‘the amendment state’

Maine physicians call for a meaningful public policy response

Maine has now witnessed the true horror of mass gun violence.

Elliott Epstein: Rearview Mirror: Jared Golden risking his political future in calling for assault gun ban

The easiest and least risky way for him to have handled the tragedy would’ve been to resort to anodyne words about “thoughts and prayers” for victims and their families, praise for first responders, and suggestions of increased mental health funding to help prevent future occurrences. Instead, he headed for the most dangerous spot on the political battlefield.

Cal Thomas: Matthew Perry and the cult of celebrity

The national debt, the next presidential election, tax-and-spend policy, the open border, the loss of faith and so many other things are being ignored or de-prioritized by large numbers of us in favor of who’s dating who in Hollywood.

Bob Neal: The Countryman: Finding the truth will take time

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry may have been the most forthcoming official so far. On Wednesday, he said in the Sun Journal, “We should never be afraid to challenge ourselves. Can we do better? Was there anything we missed?” He added, “We need to answer those questions.”

Cal Thomas: Dracula and spending cuts

Among the top priorities for newly selected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was his announced intention to form a bipartisan panel to cut massive spending that has led to an unsustainable $33 trillion national debt. The pragmatist in me cheers, but the cynic in me says asking Congress to cut spending is like asking Dracula to cut back on his consumption of blood.

Clarence Page: Conspiracy culture has more of us thinking violence may be needed to fix America

Nearly a fourth of Americans (23%) agree that “things have gotten so far off track” that “true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country.”