The good and the not-so-much about Martin O'Malley

Think Progress with these five things.

• Ended the death penalty in Maryland
• Raised the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour
• Legalized gay marriage
• Implemented stricter gun control laws
• Gave in-state tuition to the children of immigrants

Five Thirty Eight with at least these four things.  Maybe one more (click over).

1. Hillary Clinton.
2. O’Malley has essentially zero support from Democratic office-holders.
3. He’s garnering just 2 percent support in Iowa, New Hampshire and national primary polls — far worse than Barack Obama at this point eight years ago.
4. O’Malley made some noise about running to Clinton’s left, but Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is already occupying that ideological space. Meanwhile, O’Malley has been attacked from the left for his policing strategy during his time as Baltimore mayor.

O'Malley came to Houston and spoke at the Johnson-Rayburn-Richards dinner to Harris Democrats in 2013.   Even Matt Drudge likes him (that's a false flag).  The former governor of the Terrapin State does cut an impressive jib: tall, fit, handsome fellow.  And he's correct on many of the issues Democrats might be looking for in a presidential candidate in any other year but 2016.  But it's going to take lot more than good looks and good policy positions to gain some traction in the D primary at this point.

Update: The Onion with the candidate's profile. 

Armed protestors outside AZ mosque for Mohammed cartoon contest

More than 200 protesters, some armed, berated Islam and its prophet Mohammed outside an Arizona mosque on Friday in a provocative protest that was denounced by counterprotesters shouting "Go home, Nazis," weeks after an anti-Muslim event in Texas came under attack by two gunmen.

The anti-Muslim event outside the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix was organized by an Iraq war veteran who posted photos of himself online wearing a T-shirt with a crude slogan denigrating Islam and waving the U.S. flag.

The protest organizer won't be there, apparently; he claims he's been forced to lam it due to threats against him and his family.  Whether you prefer irony or poetic justice to describe it, it's no surprise.  The social media debate is happening at the hashtag #NotMyAmerica, if you want to check in on that.

Most of this reporting and pictures is from yesterday early evening; no reports of continuing strife during the night or this morning from what I can learn.  So let's hope the testosterone-poisoned rednecks got it all out of their system without bloodshed.

Update: More from the Daily Mail.