STOP CODDLING DOMESTIC ABUSERS

The shooting death of Poughkeepsie police officer John Falcone on Friday as he came to the aid of a three-year-old girl who had just witnessed her father kill her mother in a parked car was another example of extreme domestic violence becoming the new normal. The killer had recently been released on bail after assaulting his wife twice in January. The woman had moved out with her children but had agreed to meet her estranged husband to get the family car back. Instead the husband shot her dead in a parking lot before killing Officer Falcone and eventually himself. This incident is part of a disturbing trend with people using guns instead of lawyers when resolving domestic disputes. It's time the judicial system began treating these situations at least as seriously as we now treat drunk driving. These things are no longer "family matters." Like all criminal activity, the criminal needs to know there will be a heavy price to pay for crossing the line. No more low bail or suspended sentences for first-time offenders. Take guns away from abusers. Have real hot lines where women can get immediate help. If we have to take money away from some feel-good social program, so be it. People are dying out there. Deal with it.

CHELSEA CLINTON MARRIAGE KAPUT

After all that hoopla and all that money, it appears money and fame can't buy you love. I'm hearing from a number of sources that Marc Mezvinsky has flown the New York coop he has shared with wife Chelsea Clinton since their July 31 marriage. Some Clinton flacks are trying to spin it as a trial seperation but don't buy it. As was true during our reporting of the marriage, the fact that nobody in the Clinton camp will confirm or deny the report tells me it's true.

TIME FOR GIFFORDS HUSBAND AND DOCTORS TO SHUT UP

Feel free to call me an insensitive slob but could someone tell Mark Kelly, husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords to step away from the hot lights of the TV cameras and just shut up. We get it. Your wife was shot, it's unfortunate but when did it become about you? Don't you get enough attention as a shuttle commander? Stop emoting with Diane Sawyer and all those other phonies looking for ratings. I won't even bring up the fact you met your wife when you were quite married and Giffords was in a relationship. You both dumped your significant others and got married. I'm sure Kelly's ex is gagging every time she sees you blabbing on about love and committment. I'm also telling you here first, Mark Kelly is already thinking about running for his wife's seat because she won't be going back to Congress at the end of the day. Mark my words.
Then there's Dr. Peter Rhee, the ER doctor who just happened to be on call when the shooting happened. This guy is giving more interviews than Chuck Schumer. Now he's moved his wife and family into a hotel next to the hospital to "care" for Congresswoman Giffords. I wonder if he does that for every shooting victim? I can already see him on Oprah and shortly thereafter with his own show on her network.

ARIZONA SHOOTINGS WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING

Judging by the obscene politicizing of the shootings in Arizona, does anyone really believe anything's changed? The left tried to make it about talk radio and Sarah Palin and refused to concede this was simply a nut job with no political agenda or the intellect to form one. The Tea Party, while totally without blame in all this, spent the last ten days spinning its agenda in a furious defense. Then you had another leftie lunatic who managed to get himself shot along with Congreesswoman Giffords, decide to threaten some Tea Party leader at a media sponsored Town Hall. He was arrested and now is whining about the stress he's been under. This will go on and on and don't kid yourself about a kindler and more gentle political discourse. It just isn't going to happen.

HILLARY CLINTON'S OUTRAGEOUS LIE

Just in case anyone forgot, failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton showed her true colors the other day while speaking to an Arab audience. Referring to the Tuscon shootings, the current Secretary of State attributed the muderous rampage to an "extremist." This was an outright lie intended to curry some kind of positive response from the Muslim community similar to what we've seen with Obama's constant apologies for America's dominance over the years. To call the shooter an extremist is to imply he had a political agenda. We know for a fact he didn't. His best friend told ABC News, the shooter had no interest in politics and didn't listen to talk radio or watch TV. He was and is simply bonkers. But that knowledge didn't stop Hillary from using the tragedy to make points with radical Muslims and American leftists. Remember, this is a woman whose career is littered with lies and half-truths. Using the forum of Secretary of State to spread inflammatory rhetoric throughout the Middle East is beyond irresponsible. I for one am thrilled we weren't dumb enough to put her in the White House.

SARAH PALIN DIDN'T SHOOT ANYBODY

Poor Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords hadn't gotten to the emergency room before all these TV blowhards had put the gun in Sarah Palin's hand. Is she over the top annoying at times? You betcha. But holding her or her political ideology responsible for Jared Loughner's act of insanity is really reaching. The last time I checked, crazy isn't an ideology or political party. Sometimes nuts is just nuts. Everyone needs to calm down.

NOT BUYING HOMELESS GUY STORY YET

I know everyone is gushing over the feel-good story of Ted Williams, the homeless guy with the great voice. On the surface it appears to be a great tale of redemption and happy endings. But we need to know a lot more about this guy before we have him hosting the Academy Awards. This is a guy who ran out on his wife and four kids and jumped down a rabbit hole of drugs and crime. He claims he has been clean for two years but already reports are surfacing about him using and being arrested last July. Remember, a lot of street people are by definition hustlers and con men. They have to be to survive. Now I don't want to hear a lot of liberal hand-wringing about what drove him to bail out. He made a choice and old habits die hard. Just because he popped up on YouTube and the morning chat shows doesn't mean he isn't a deeply troubled man or his troubles are over. He had a wife and a good job 20 years ago and he chose drugs and the street. That impulse doesn't go away chatting with Jimmy Fallon.
There was a drug-addled homeless woman living on a subway grate in Manhattan years ago named Billie Boggs. When the cops tried brooming her from panhandling in front of a restaurant, the ACLU and other assorted do-gooders adopted her and made her their poster girl for the nobility of the streets. They cleaned her up, put her on talk shows and even took her to Harvard where she delivered some absurd "lecture." Where is Billie Boggs today? No one knows because as soon as the TV lights went dark so did Billie. Her drug habit and diminished mental capacity had her back on the streets in short order. Her liberal supporters dropped her like a bad habit because she wasn't playing the role they envisioned for her. I hope I'm wrong but Ted Williams could be the next Billie Boggs. If he is, they'll desert him just as fast.