Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
Trump’s shortlist for VP, confirmed by the man-child himself: Byron Donalds, Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem, Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
DeSantis said he is not interested in the position.
Second news item
Florida bill banning social media use for under age 16 headed to governor’s desk:
The text of the bill creates a new section in the Florida Statutes that requires social media platforms to prohibit minors who are younger than 16 years old from creating accounts, to “use reasonable age verification methods to verify the age of each account holder,” and to provide a disclaimer warning about social media being “harmful to mental health” and using “design features that have addictive qualities.” Violations of the law, if passed, would be deemed “an unfair and deceptive trade practice” and the state government can collect a civil penalty of up to $50,000 per violation. If a minor account holder asks for their account to be deleted, or a parent or legal guardian asks for a minor’s account to be deleted, and the platform does not comply with the request within the statutory deadline (5 or 10 days, respectively), it would be liable for $10,000 per violation, plus court costs and attorney fees.
Concerns about First Amendment violations include: parents, not government should be making these decisions for their kids, parents are having the choice to decide taken away from them, the bill deplatforms young people.
Additionally:
The specific mechanism of HB-1 of requiring users to upload personal IDs, documents, and other information “would cause manifest cybersecurity vulnerabilities, it would violate the First Amendment many times over according to established precedent, and it would just waste taxpayer money,” she argued. “Preventing minors from accessing social media and requiring age verification means that all users in Florida will have to upload government IDs, face scans, social security numbers or other invasive means to endless platforms including TikTok, which many believe is a cybersecurity risk. Age verification is identity verification particularly when a parent needs to approve a child’s use. The parent has to prove they are not only an adult, but the parent to the specific child.”
Gov. DeSantis also thinks it has problems:
“I’m sympathetic to, as a parent, what’s going on with our youth,” DeSantis said at a press conference last month, according to WFLA. “But I also understand that to just say that someone that’s 15 just cannot have it no matter what, even if the parent consents, that may create some legal issues.”
Third news item
President Zelensky was interviewed by reporter Bret Baier, who asked the Ukrainian leader if he had heard Tucker Carlson’s interview with President Putin:
“I heard some messages in the media, and also my guys who are advisers told me. . .I don’t have time to hear more than two hours of bullshit about us. About the world, about the United States, about our relations.”
And on a serious note:
BAIER: So as you look at 2024 and those goals, what do you see? You know, one, if you get the funding from the U.S., what does it look like? And the other way, if you don’t, what does it look like?
ZELENSKY: Some journalist shouted, “Will Ukrainians survive without Congress support?” And this often the last months, as I often hear such question Will we survive? Of course, but not all of us. And if we understand this surprise, if the world is ready for this, okay, you will see it. But it’s tragedy. It will be tragedy for all of us, not only for Ukraine, not only for Ukrainians, for all Europe.
Meanwhile, frustrated by the GOP’s lack of vote to aid Ukraine, other avenues are being considered by Democrats:
House Democrats and some Republicans are preparing fallback plans to force a vote on Ukraine aid, with Democratic leaders drafting a special rule that could enable a narrow bipartisan majority to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) in the coming weeks.
The plans to use rare parliamentary procedures are in the early stages and might never come into play – Democrats preference is for Speaker Johnson to allow a vote on the Senate’s $95 billion bill. . .
According to Pascrell (D-N.J.), Democrats will indeed “bring Ukraine funding to the House floor”.
Fourth news item
No exceptions for girls under 13:
A bill that would have allowed physicians to give children under 13 years old abortion care, as long as the physicians are licensed and check the child’s age, failed in a House subcommittee on Tuesday.
The bill, HB 2603, was introduced by Rep. Gloria Johnson (D – Knoxville). The bill would have ensured physicians could not face prosecution if they gave abortion care to a pregnant child who was under 13 years old. They would have been required to verify the child’s age before giving abortion care.
“This bill, HB 2603, if passed would codify the right to potentially life-saving abortions for anyone under the age of 13. In current Tennessee law, no child under the age of 13 can legally consent to sex, so this bill simply protects these children, all of whom were impregnated by rape,” said Johnson.
Republican objections to the bill were summed up as follows:
Rep. Michele Carringer (R – Knoxville) said according to the language of the bill, children could get abortion care at any stage of pregnancy and for any reason, without the need for a medical emergency or necessity.
“The thing I truly have problem with is, this is any time during the pregnancy. This could be right up to the day before they would deliver the child, without any medical problems or anything,” said Carringer.
“This bill provides no exceptions of two 13-year-olds having sex and becoming pregnant,” he said. “It makes the assumption that every 13-year-old becomes pregnant from other means other than, I mean you could have two 13-year-olds having sex, or 13 and 14-year-olds having sex, or 13 and 15-year-olds having sex and becoming pregnant. Your bill provides no, I mean it’s just, I’m just taken back at how this bill reads.”
The concerns were addressed:
Johnson said the bill does not include 13-year-olds because she said 13-year-olds can legally consent to sex, but 12-year-olds cannot consent to sex in any way. In Tennessee law, age can mitigate statutory rape charges. It’s known as a Romeo and Juliet law, and several other states have similar laws.
“This just deals with a pregnant 12-year-old, 11-year-old, 10-year-old, 9-year-old,” she said. “This is just to allow a child and their family to protect that child from losing their childhood, and losing their life.”
As it stands, young girls – children -who have been raped will be compelled to go through with the resulting pregnancy, no matter how much it threatens their physical health, or emotional and mental well-being.
Fifth news item
Taking his colleagues to the woodshed:
Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) on Wednesday criticized his Republican colleagues for using a former FBI informant’s claims in their impeachment inquiry even though the statements hadn’t been verified.
“We were warned at the time that we received the document outlining this witness’s testimony. … We were warned that the credibility of this statement was not known,” Buck said on CNN’s “The Source.”
“And yet, people, my colleagues went out and talk to the public about how this was credible and how it was damning and how it proved President Biden’s — at the time Vice President Biden’s — complicity in receiving bribes,” he added.
Heh.
Sixth news item
Prime Minister Netanyahu said no:
Israeli lawmakers voted on Wednesday to back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of any “unilateral” recognition of a Palestinian state as international calls have grown for the revival of Palestinian statehood negotiations.
Issued amid the war in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, the symbolic declaration also received backing from members of the opposition, with 99 of 120 lawmakers voting in support, the Knesset spokesperson said.
…
The vote drew condemnation from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, which accused Israel of holding the rights of the Palestinian people hostage by forceful occupation of territories where Palestinians seek to establish a state.
“The ministry reaffirms that the State of Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations and its recognition by other nations does not require permission from Netanyahu,” it said in a statement.
Seventh news item
It is not possible to take the Republican Party seriously:
MAGA supporter Jack Prosobiec addresses audience at this year’s CPAC. I believe he is saying the quiet part out loud – and what he is proclaiming is worrisome, at the very least:
#JackPosobiec #CPAC "I just wanted to say welcome to the end of democracy. We're here to overthrow it completely, we didn't get all the way there on January 6th, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here, we'll replace it with this right here." pic.twitter.com/QfJe3CvypP
— Bryan Baca (@TheBryanBaca) February 21, 2024
And then there is this, which mocks the insurrection of Jan. 6:
There’s a Jan. 6-themed pinball machine at CPAC pic.twitter.com/9tVW3jzIwD
— Cate Martel (@CateMartel) February 22, 2024
The game can be played over several modes, including “Stop the Steal,” “Fake News,” “Peaceful Protest,” “It’s a Setup,” “Babbitt Murder” — a reference to the Jan. 6 rioter who was shot and killed by police after trying to climb barriers at the Capitol — “Have Faith” and “Political Prisoners.” As you play each mode, videos from the insurrection play on a screen above.
Eighth news item
Even in death, Putin fears the power and draw of Alexei Navalny:
A spokeswoman for the late Alexei Navalny said on Friday that Russian authorities had told his mother he would be buried in the penal colony where he died unless she agreed within three hours to lay him to rest without a public funeral…
His mother Lyudmila, 69, has been demanding for days that authorities hand over his body to be buried in a way that will allow his friends, family and supporters to pay their respects. Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh posted on X: “An hour ago, an investigator called Alexei’s mother and gave her an ultimatum. Either she agrees within three hours to a secret funeral without a public farewell, or Alexei will be buried in the penal colony.”
Yarmysh said Navalny’s mother was refusing and continuing to demand that his body be handed to her. There was no immediate comment from the authorities.
Keep bullying and intimidating an older woman who is grieving the loss of her son. It’s a great look before an election. You can almost hear Putin seething and smarting behind closed doors, “Will no one rid me of this hero to the people.” Keep on pushing Navalny’s mother like this and you just keep reinforcing to the Russian people what a hero and now martyr Alexei Navalny is.
Ninth news item
State Dept. overturns Pompeo doctrine in the middle of the war:
Secretary of State Tony Blinken said on Friday that Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank is “inconsistent with international law,” reversing a Trump-era decision that had overturned decades of U.S. policy on the issue.
…Blinken’s decision to reverse what has been known as the “Pompeo doctrine” comes as a response to the Israeli government’s announcement on Thursday that it plans to expand the settlements in the West Bank, a U.S. official told Axios. The move has been considered by the State Department for the last three years.
“We are disappointed with the announcement [of new settlements]. It has been a long-standing policy of both Democratic and Republican administrations that new settlements are counterproductive to achieving enduring peace. They are also inconsistent with international law,” Blinken said.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman criticized the decision:
Blinken is 100% wrong. I researched this for over a year with many State Department lawyers. There is nothing illegal about Jews living in their biblical homeland. Indeed, Undersecretary of State Eugene Rostow, also the Dean of the Yale Law School (who negotiated UNSCR 242),… https://t.co/7azWQGncsX
— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) February 23, 2024
Curious that President Biden has allowed the Pompeo doctrine to remain in place for three years until now. Also, how wise is it to antagonize one of our closest allies while they are in the…middle of a war??
–Dana
Hello. Happy Friday!
Dana (8e902f) — 2/23/2024 @ 11:07 amTrump will not pick Ramaswamy. He’s not controllable and he brings nothing to the ticket but an echo. It will be Tim Scott who knows how to be a docile second banana.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 11:24 amThe settlements are wrong and have always been wrong. They do not contribute to Israel’s security; quite the opposite actually.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 11:26 amFlorida bill banning social media use for under age 16 headed to governor’s desk
Not much different that Wertham’s “Seduction of the Innocent” in the 1950s.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 11:29 amI would give money to a fund that provided transportation to minors in absolutist states who were seeking an abortion. I think this is a better approach than trying to change laws piecemeal or nationally.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 11:33 amOut of Touch:
Haley retains national support among the Republican wine and brie (+22) and college educated crowds (+14, down from +41 in November) but not much else.
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 12:31 pmLet’s get all of the anti-democracy people together on one side of the room, along with all of the anti-capitalist people on the other side of the room (yeah, I know, there is some overlap between the two), flood the room with weapons, lock the doors, then see how things play out.
JVW (49ad10) — 2/23/2024 @ 12:43 pmHaley would win a 3-way election against those two losers, although duopoly laws might prevent her from running. It would help a lot if the RNC declared the primaries over as that would likely make sore-loser laws inoperative.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 12:54 pmI’m not sure if Biden-Blinken would’ve said anything about settlements, but it’s clear they don’t like Netanyahu, who has his own legal and political issues and has been too indiscriminate in striking targets in Gaza.
I agree with Israeli lawmakers about unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, particularly when the leader of one its territories not only won’t recognize the Israeli state, but prefers a one-state solution where Israel doesn’t exist.
Funny thing about the coverage of Israeli strikes on Gazan hospitals, where a handful of them have gotten hit, but hardly anyone takes notice of the hundreds of hospitals Putin has struck in the last years.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:13 pmDeSantis also crapped on many of the other VP prospects, stating he was told the search was focused on identity politics.
urbanleftbehind (d71e8c) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:19 pmKevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 11:26 am
But now the real problem is the Arab opposition to the settlements. They will not be dismantled. Not after what happened in Gaza after 2005. And many have been there 50 years.
If you want endless war, encourage the opposition to the settlements..
And remember, according to them, the additional extension of Jerusalem made in 1968 and East Jerusalem itself are locations of settlements.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:26 pmOoof…Fani, mani, foo, bani, Wade is in trouuuuble:
https://technofog.substack.com/p/new-cell-phone-records-prove-da-willis
The only thing I don’t like… is how the fark is it kosher for the defense to subpoena Willis’/Wade’s phone number meta data like this? Was this something Judge McAfee had to approve?
whembly (5f7596) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:34 pmHamas has moved a little in its negotiating position.
What’s likely to happen in Gaza:
There will be a temporary ceasefire, lasting for six weeks, that will take effect shortly before March 10.What is agreed to will have nothing to do with Israel’s negotiating position but only with time. The Arab states do not want Israel to invade Rafah. The ceasefire will be terminated by Hamas before all hostages are released or they will not negotiate the terms for all of them.
If Israel stops, the situation will be that Israel occupies 7/8 of Gaza and Gaza will not be rebuilt. However, that may prevent a wider war, as if Israel destroys Hamas Hezbollah will launch a big attack.
In any case, the Houthis will continue with their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea (except for allies like China )This will harm Egypt
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:35 pmr but not international trade as new ships are becoming available and the world will adjust to the extra travel time
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 12:54 pm
Perceptions of electability need to change. The last I heard, Nikki Haley was polling at 12% in a 3-way race. Nikki Haley needs to poll second in any state she hopes to carry.
They expect todo that on March 12, or if not, March 19.
How so?
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:39 pmTrump would’ve considered Stefanik if she looked more like Alina Habba and not fat, kinda like when Carrie Fisher said in the later Star Wars movies, that “They don’t want to hire all of me – only about three-quarters!”
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:40 pmInstead, the NY House member who replaced Liz Cheney is getting third billing, making sh-t up that Democrats unconstitutionally rigged the 2020 election.
Tulsi Gabbard would be a threat to biden if she was on the ticket with biden democrats praying nothing happened to trump. Item 8 I said this before The martyr’s power begins with his death and the tyrant’s power ends with his.
asset (87aa8e) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:42 pmCBS seizes Catherine Herridge’s notes including confidential sources after firing her for reporting on biden’s increasing senility. (ace) I report on both sides perfidery.
asset (87aa8e) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:49 pmA woman member of Congress from NJ said on a NPR or WNYC radio show that there are 300 votes in the House to aid Ukraine – it just needs to get to the floor.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:52 pm@16
I initially poo-poo’ed this idea that Trump may select the Sweet Aloha™, Tulsi Gabbard…
But… hear me out on this…
Would that get Trump more urban women votes? More non-Biden Democrat voters?
Forget what you know of Gabbard’s past political positions*. She’s a formidable politician in her own right, who has “evolved” and can still reach some traditional Democrat voters.
*I abhor her anti-gun positions, but other than that, she was a more centrist Democrat.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:57 pmThe best line about Trump’s soulless sneakers here.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:57 pmLOL!
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 1:59 pmMore Comedy Gold!
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:01 pm#12
I thought the cellphone data argument was familiar:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-team-questions-fani-willis-nathan-wade-romantic-relationship-timing/
Appalled (e73080) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:04 pmMore Comedy Gold!
More apocalypse cheering.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:07 pmWhatever Trump was being paid by whomever to make Kamala Harris the 47th President, the price just went up by $464,576,230.62.
nk (4a8578) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:07 pmPerceptions of electability need to change. The last I heard, Nikki Haley was polling at 12% in a 3-way race. Nikki Haley needs to poll second in any state she hopes to carry.
The $500 million she’d raise for the campaign would contribute to the perception change. She’s still getting money hand-over-fist for this doomed primary campaign. Some windmills just need to be fought.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:10 pmas that would likely make sore-loser laws inoperative.
How so?
Because those rely on their BEING a legitimate primary process. Sore-loser laws are suspect in presidential cont3ests anyway (Richard Winger says they are historically ignored) and not allowing her to compete would make even those barriers fall. It would be a quick federal injunction.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:12 pmAlso problematic are deadlines for independents that are earlier than deadlines for major party candidates. Printing ballots only happens after the last candidate is accepted.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:14 pmGabbard would be half of Russia’s dream presidential ticket. She is overtly pro-Putin, even going so far as to appear on Russian television with Tucker Carlson. At best she is a useful idiot, at worst an unofficial propagandist for Russia.
. Source
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:28 pmYour “prediction” is, as usual, without any basis in reality and unlikely to happen.
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:33 pmNo interest in Biden continuing to spit on the Constitution and the Supreme Court with his mass “debt forgiveness” vote buying schemes?
Guess that doesn’t matter anymore, but attacking the pro-life movement is.
NJRob (a8fad9) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:34 pmSource?
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:35 pmNot in the United States of America. Her supporters are a fringe movement who pretend they are better than the rest of America.
NJRob (a8fad9) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:36 pmHe’s not.
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:44 pmI suspect her voters see her as a better candidate overall. She is not facing 91 charges in 5 indictments, has not sexually assaulted anyone, has not fomented an insurrection, nor was she impeached when she was a governor. I don’t think her supporters pretend they are better than anyone else, I think they just have higher standards for the President of the United States. That does not make them better than anyone else, however, it does make them smarter than other voters who are voting Trump. I’m sure there are Haley voters who voted for Trump once upon a time, but have now realized how duped they were. It is a smart person who learns from their mistakes. But unfortunately, I think you are right her supporters are a fringe movement because MAGA *is* the Republican Party today.
Dana (8e902f) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:53 pmTrump’s shortlist for VP, confirmed by the man-child himself: Byron Donalds, Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem, Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Consider the source. The only one who may or may not be a fifty-fifty possibility is Kristi Noem. The rest are just Trump having nothing to say and saying it.
nk (3a4df0) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:58 pmFlashback March 2022:
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:59 pmGetting a strong vibe that Gabbard is the most feared choice.
lloyd (d2e75b) — 2/23/2024 @ 4:42 pmDemocrats using arcane parliamentary procedures to get Ukraine aid passed in the House, but won’t do that for a border bill. What a surprise. Oh wait… the Senate didn’t even pass it.
lloyd (d22f13) — 2/23/2024 @ 4:42 pm@23
Except cellphone data is commonly used in Fulton Co. murder cases.
Sure, it’s circumstantial evidence… but it’s a hell strong one.
My initial issue as to how the defense could even subpoena a prosecutor’s cellphone data is the fact that PIs can get certified in accessing such information in the same way has police investigators do.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/23/2024 @ 4:45 pm@31
I mean, weren’t we supposed to have norms and more “adults” in the Whitehouse with this administration?
whembly (5f7596) — 2/23/2024 @ 4:47 pmAsked and answered. Whether you choose to understand the answer, or are willfully ignoring it, is up to you.
IF Biden was defying the Supreme Court (he’s not) you would think conservative public interest law organizations would be challenging his subsequent student loan programs in court (but they’re not). That’s because the Administration has been using existing authorities to grant the relief.
The Supreme Court ruled that the Biden Administration could not use the HEROES Act (Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003) to grant student loan relief, but it didn’t forbid the Administration from using other laws and programs to do the same thing, only on a smaller scale.
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:30 pmNah Rip,
we know you’re fine with the leftist vote buying schemes. We know Biden has said repeatedly he’ll break the law and dare the Supreme Court to stop him. But carry on carrying water. It’s all good as long as you’re NeverTrump. Destroy it all to stop him.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:41 pmNothing on the never ending invasion of our sovereign territory either.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:42 pmhttps://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/02/democrats-congress-trump-january-6/677545/
Here’s something to give a thrill up the leg of NeverTrump as they pretend to uphold tradition and the Constitution.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:44 pmI’ll put you in the “willfully ignorant” category.
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:50 pmSource?
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:51 pmhttps://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2024/02/23/breaking-wade-cellphone-data-exposes-willis-testimony-as-false-n3783467
Trying to dismiss this evidence shows how deep down the NeverTrump hole some will go.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:55 pmRip,
you’re a waste of time.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:55 pmOuch!
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:58 pmFeel free to block me.
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:59 pmhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/biden-brags-supreme-court-didn-t-stop-him-from-canceling-student-loans-he-s-happy-to-break-the-law/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/1763880/biden-admits-he-is-proudly-and-deliberately-breaking-the-law/
And on and on.
For a guy who repeatedly spams the board with pages and pages of someone else’s thoughts, it’s amazing you couldn’t do a cursory amount of research.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 5:59 pmGALLUP: President Biden Job Approval
Approve: 38% [-3]
Disapprove: 59% [+5]
—
The Economy: 36-61 (-25)
Foreign affairs: 33-62 (-29)
Immigration: 28-67 (-39, new low)
[Change vs January]
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 6:01 pmhttps://twitter.com/WadeMiller_USMC/status/1761015125673222572
Leftwing MSDNC explaining why so many hate and are afraid of “Christian nationalists.” Explains how they and so many others truly think.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 6:05 pmI’m not interested in doing someone else’s research.
I’m surprised that the House Republicans haven’t impeached him just for that comment.
Rip Murdock (61a54b) — 2/23/2024 @ 6:06 pmNot in the United States of America. Her supporters are a fringe movement who pretend they are better than the rest of America.
Well, your mainstream candidate today said that he’d send the DOJ after Haley once he got into office. Do you agree that Trump should send the DoJ after Haley?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13119241/Trump-threatens-biggest-stock-market-crash-HISTORY-loses-Biden-claims-five-things-DOJ-investigate-Haley-wild-speech-MAGA-fans-South-Carolina-primary.html
He also told his supporters to dump all their stocks if he loses, to cause a crash.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 7:02 pm@31 So you agree with the alabama supreme court that a fertilized egg at ivf center is a child? Hope republicans run on that!
asset (caf925) — 2/23/2024 @ 7:04 pmAs a democrat a no labels Nikki Haley/Tulsi Gabbard would scare the you know what out of biden and the d.n.c. Nikki would counter Tulsi’s soft on putin.
asset (caf925) — 2/23/2024 @ 7:14 pmHe’s a loony. Ranting at random. He won’t make it to the convention.
nk (5fcdd7) — 2/23/2024 @ 7:16 pmHe doesn’t run the DOJ. He’d do the same thing he did with Hillary which is chant against her on the campaign trail then say she’s a nice women and we need to move on.
Unlike the left, Trump is all bark and no bite.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/23/2024 @ 7:34 pmMany seem to believe that if the GOP would only nominate someone the media and democrats like, media will recognize her intellect, opponents concede her decency, and voters will swarm to the polls for someone who stands for….well, fought for….. Not you NJRob, Loyd or Sammy, but a lot of people.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (dd05f6) — 2/23/2024 @ 8:28 pm@61 Biden won electoral collage in 2020 by 43,000 votes so it wouldn’t take much. Nikki Haley’s more moderate approach on abortion is keeping her in the race and donations forcing trump to moderate slightly. NJ Robb still waiting for you to say that a fertilized egg at a IVF center is a child.
asset (caf925) — 2/23/2024 @ 8:34 pmWell, when the Supreme Court demonstrates its political independence by declaring that Trump is an insurrectionist and therefore disqualified (9-0, decision by Thomas) there will be a lot of tears all around.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/23/2024 @ 10:44 pm@63 Can I take the other side of that bet and hope I lose and you win.
asset (caf925) — 2/24/2024 @ 1:23 amAsset,
federalism.It’s why our nation exists. I don’t live in Alabama. They have the right to decide.
You want to murder babies that are crowning on the delivery table. Don’t try and play moralist.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/24/2024 @ 5:00 am@47
Why are you purposely being pedantic?
To understand where folks like me and NJRob, Mr. Cooke pretty much nailed it here:
whembly (a43e5a) — 2/24/2024 @ 5:48 amhttps://www.nationalreview.com/2024/02/bidens-student-loan-lawlessness-must-not-go-unanswered/
But libtards will tard, nuts will wing, and the Fake News Media will have something to sell internet service and car insurance with.
nk (f755c4) — 2/24/2024 @ 6:38 amwhembly (a43e5a) — 2/24/2024 @ 5:48 am
Your demonstration of patience with the ignorant, while instructing them, is worthy of admiration, Whembly.
felipe (5045ed) — 2/24/2024 @ 6:39 amI support Haley, I’m not fringe, and I am a better American than those who support an unpatriotic, un-American piece of human garbage like Trump.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 6:55 amnk (f755c4) — 2/24/2024 @ 6:38 am
Y’know, if I were a lawmaker, I’d chose “human beings” over “children” when making law in order to acknowledge the truth that the spectrum of humanity spans many distinct stages, from embryo, fetus, infant, toddler, pre-teen, teenager – all the way up to Presidential vegetable and beyond.
The use of the vague term “children” has already been used as camouflage to make acceptable, the otherwise exclusion of deaths of young adults (sometimes gang-related), in order to increase the group size harmed by “gun violence” that inspire the greatest public sympathy. Y’know, “children.”
felipe (5045ed) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:03 amOh, and since IANAL, I’ve not touched upon the vocabulary choice of those who issue legal opinions.
felipe (5045ed) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:05 amThe ambulance chasers who sued the clinic on behalf of the prospective parents probably thought they could get more money under the state’s wrongful death statute than from negligent infliction of extreme emotional distress (if Alabama even recognizes such a cause of action), and the Alabama justices remembered when that one-third contingency fee gave them bacon to go with their grits when they were lawyers and they said “Shoah, wha’y not?”
nk (65c950) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:29 amI think that in this case “children” means the family relationship necessary for a cause of action under the statute.
nk (65c950) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:38 amnk (65c950) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:29 am
Oh, man, I feel like Imma burn in hell for laughing at that -I denounce myself!
nk (65c950) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:38 am
Thanks, nk, you complete me.
felipe (5045ed) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:42 amBecause I like dealing with facts, and when someone makes an assertion I want to know the source or the basis for it.
For example, I know Kevin M’s flat out statement in post 63 has no basis in reality, one just has to laugh out loud. Just not gonna happen.
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 8:34 am🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 8:41 amPresidents do control the Justice Department; it is a myth that it is independent. There is no constitutional or statutory prohibition preventing a President from directing the DOJ in its duties, just as the President can direct other cabinet departments. Any “independence” is merely tradition.
Being pedantic again.
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 8:53 amI’ll take those bets and win. Trump will be nominated at the convention (whether he’s physically there or attending a trial) and the Supreme Court will do no such thing. In fact, they might rule 9-0 in favor of Trump.
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 9:05 amDo tell. The Dept actively worked against Trump during his 4 years. They only work with the President when they push the same ideology like how they have jumped through hoops to protect Biden.
Do better.
NJRob (760867) — 2/24/2024 @ 9:27 am1. Based on the questions during the SC hearing, I doubt a majority of the Court will take that position; Trump’s responsibility for the insurrection was barely mentioned.
2. At best the vote would be 7-2 with Thomas and Alito dissenting. The two have consistently agreed with Trump’s arguments in the various investigation cases that have reached the Court, such as the appeals to obtain Trump’s tax returns from the Mazars accounting firm.
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 9:51 amTrump’s inability to control his own DOJ is on him. He had the authority to fire and replace its leadership, he just failed to use it. As I said, there is nothing in the law that would have prevented him from doing so.
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 9:56 amMatt Gaetz picks up the Kremlin narrative on Navalny.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 10:04 amI’m definitely a better American than this putz.
Trump could have ordered Sessions not to name a special counsel; and he could have fired Sessions for doing so and replaced him with someone who would remove Mueller.
It’s been done before.
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 10:04 amTwo years ago, Patterico’s pre-invasion entry and Dana’s post-2/24/2022 open thread on Putin’s invasion.
Trump didn’t condemn Putin’s invasion, nor Putin’s subsequent war crimes and assassinations. Nor did Trump call for Putin end his illegal, unprovoked invasion. Did he offer any solidarity or sympathy toward the victims of Putin’s land-grubbing aggression? None that I could see.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 10:38 amI’m also a better American than Trump. Waaaaay better.
Brothers under the skin:
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 10:39 amBecause I like dealing with facts, and when someone makes an assertion I want to know the source or the basis for it.
You primarily repeat polls, which are professional wishcasting. Don’t call them “facts.”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 10:47 am1. Based on the questions during the SC hearing, I doubt a majority of the Court will take that position; Trump’s responsibility for the insurrection was barely mentioned.
It’s interesting what they asked and what they did not.
Fir example, they did not really touch upon whether the acts on J6 were an insurrection and even Trump’s lawyer did not want to defend it. They focused mostly on whether a state could make this determination (as that was the actual case before them) and seemed to conclude that Colorado could not, but not with a great deal of conviction. Some wanted to duck it all entirely on cowardly grounds.
The real focus of what I hear was this: for a Presidential contest, this cannot be done state by state with inconsistent procedures; that would be chaos. Any disqualification would have to be through some national decision. Congress has not created any such process, but it was left as an open question whether Congress had to — the self-executing argument had weight.
Given all that, they will certainly strike down the Colorado court’s decision. But it is unclear if they will leave it at that.
If they address the national-disqualification portion of the problem (“a broad decision”) they could say A) that Congress needs to provide a procedure and has not done so, or B) there have been sufficient evidence-based adversarial procedures (the Senate trial, the Colorado trial court) and other fora (the House committee) and a preponderance of the evidence produced says that there was an Insurrection and that Trump instigated it and allowed it to happen. This would be the “self-executing” path and it is not unreasonable that the Supreme Court should be the adjudicator.
In the latter case they could find their way to a disqualification. No, I don’t expect it either. But I would not bet my house against it.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:01 amAs far as not talking about Trump’s responsibility, that is likely because they all knew he WAS responsible. No one on that court is in Trump’s cult.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:03 am2. At best the vote would be 7-2 with Thomas and Alito dissenting. The two have consistently agreed with Trump’s arguments in the various investigation cases that have reached the Court, such as the appeals to obtain Trump’s tax returns from the Mazars accounting firm.
Any disqualification would want to be unanimous. I could see Thomas recusing for personal reasons. The stuff with tax records is a different animal — I might well have voted with Thomas and Alito as the House was transparently lying to the Court about its reasons, as their immediate release of the records to the public made clear. The decision will come back to bite them.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:11 am@68
Appreciate the sentiments felipe.
I think this is how we teach each other our perspectives by extending as much patients as one can muster.
whembly (a43e5a) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:11 amTrump says Black voters like him more because of his indictments and mug shot
Racist much?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:13 am@81
I hope Trump does win, and then fires every top-line leadership positions in the DOJ.
If nothing else, that’ll spark the arguments that the DOJ truly only enjoys their position in the executive branch at the pleasure of the President.
whembly (a43e5a) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:15 am@91
tbf, there are plenty of blacks online attesting to that.
whembly (a43e5a) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:17 amDo tell. The Dept actively worked against Trump during his 4 years. They only work with the President when they push the same ideology like how they have jumped through hoops to protect Biden.
I have to agree with NJRob here, and it’s not just the DoJ. The civil service protects all but the very top jobs in each agency, policy-making extends well below those levels, and those policy-making officials are monolithically left-of-center in almost every agency. It has been self-perpetuating for some time now. When presidential appointees attempt to effect control of civil service positions the screaming is intense — see Alberto Gonzalez’s fights to support W’s anti-terrorist initiatives in a DoJ that was intransigently against.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:21 amtbf, there are plenty of blacks online attesting to that.
There are far more blacks online supporting BLM. Does that make BLM right?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:23 amI’m also a better American than Trump. Waaaaay better.
Trump’s mother wasn’t born here, so he’s not really American.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:27 amWhich so far have panned out.
Rip Murdock (807135) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:36 amIf you go to a blog to proclaim you’re a better American, you’re really not.
lloyd (83e6e1) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:52 amOh, but I am. Waaay better.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:58 amI don’t make Putin-fellating bogus equivalencies, and I don’t put my personal ambitions above my country.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 11:59 amThen why do you hide behind the “my vote doesn’t count in my state” skirt?
A better American would move to a state where they could make a difference and not just sit around and complain, IMO.
BuDuh (7da1a9) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:11 pmA basic fact is hiding? This is why you’re a liar, BuDuh.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:34 pmOdds are pretty good that Paul is a better American than Donald Trump. Just at random they’re pretty good.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:40 pmThere are two Mazars cases, both decided 7-2 with Alito and Thomas dissenting.
The first one (Trump v. Vance) involved a subpoena to Mazars for Trump’s tax records from the Manhattan DA’s office as part of the hush money payments investigation.
The second , Trump v. Mazars USA, involved a subpoena from the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform issued to Mazars. The Supreme Court ruled that Congress could not see the same records received by the Manhattan DA’s office at that time, but directed lower courts to examine whether Congress should narrow the parameters of the information it sought.
You may be thinking of the House Ways and Means Committee request for Trump’s tax returns from the Treasury Department under Internal Revenue Code Section 6103(f), which allows such disclosure. The Supreme Court denied, in an unsigned order and without any dissent, Trump’s request for a stay.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:41 pmLOL!
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:43 pmWhatever. All the same fishing expedition for the same political purposes.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:44 pmTrump says his prosecution is making him appealing to black men! (AP)
asset (9403ab) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:45 pm@65 You didn’t answer the question wither YOU believe a fertilized egg at a IVT center is a child. Do you find the question to difficult to answer?
asset (9403ab) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:49 pm@67 We our cutting the ads now. Thanks Alabama (Neil Young sings it) Looks like own goal.
asset (9403ab) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:54 pmMonday at the Court:
Social media content moderation laws come before Supreme Court
Given the high-handed way that some sites block comments or commenters, some regulation is justified. For example, the WaPo blocks commenters forever, without explanation or appeal other than a vague statement about violating community standards. The offending comment is never specified. That you must be a paying customer to comment should grant some basic courtesy, but it does not.
As control of the public square has moved to the corporate space, there is some danger that the 1st amendment right to free speech may become obsolete, or relegated to the most trivial and ineffective means while the corporate voice is unfettered.
I expect some very narrow decisions here. Little baby steps. But this is a matter that will need to be hashed out over the next decade or two. Those who espouse absolutist positions, on either side, are both uninteresting and wrong.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 12:57 pmThanks Alabama (Neil Young sings it) Looks like own goal.
As has been explained above, the actual decision was a narrow ruling on a personal-injury suit. Someone accidentally destroyed a couple’s stored embryos and they wanted recompense.
The megaphone of the corporate press has made this a huge issue, but it really is not.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 1:01 pmThe Florida and Texas “solutions” are in search of a problem. It’s not government’s role to referee the interaction between private media companies and their willing customers. The country needs to come to a consensus before any sort of regulation is imposed on social media platforms.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 1:16 pmDeclaring frozen embryos as “extrauterine children” under Alabama law would certainly imply that all laws that apply to born children would apply to frozen embryos. Just because the Alabama AG says no one will be prosecuted doesn’t mean squat. A local DA makes those decisions, and may interpret the law differently.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 1:24 pmIt’s not government’s role to referee the interaction between private media companies and their willing customers.
As I said, “Those who espouse absolutist positions, on either side, are both uninteresting and wrong.”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 1:33 pmDeclaring frozen embryos as “extrauterine children” under Alabama law would certainly imply that all laws that apply to born children
Only those laws that apply to torts. Do you think that lawsuits demanding compensation for the death of a fetus in a traffic accident implies that fetuses have all the rights of children?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 1:35 pmLife begins at conception. That’s a fact. An embryo is the beginning stage of human life. That’s a fact.
You believe abortion should be legal up to and including the child’s head crowning. That’s a fact.
I believe we should restrict abortion after 12 weeks like most civilized nations do and we should educate people to understand that abortion kills a life.
Not difficult.
NJRob (760867) — 2/24/2024 @ 1:41 pmCPAC is exhibiting a lot more tolerance at their 2024 convention…of Nazis.
I can see why attendance is way down.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 2:15 pmCPAC used to be about conservative ideas….now it’s about Christian Nationalism and fluffing Trump. Clean.Your.House.
Too many “conservatives” have blinders on. Your moral authority to persuade voters is compromised when you continue to associate with morally-questionable individuals. This used to be self evident.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/24/2024 @ 2:24 pmIf the state decides they are children, then yes. I’m sure they are under the Alabama personhood constitutional amendment passed in 2018 and their Wrongful Death of a Minor Act. As the Alabama SC said:
My emphasis.
What should be the answer if a couple divorces, and one parent decides they don’t want their genetic material to be shared with their ex-spouse? Or if a couple decides to destroy their “extrauterine children” if they have completed IVF treatments or decided to move out of state.
This concept can easily be applied to criminal law. I could see some enterprising DA deciding to charge those who seek to destroy their frozen embryos (sorry, extrauterine children) with manslaughter or murder. Under this decision, , this is not far-fetched.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 2:33 pmAnd as I said, the country needs to come to a consensus before any regulation of social media occurs.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 2:37 pmCatoggio on the Alabama IVF case.
Makes sense. Personally, it’s not clear to me if life can officially start in a test tube. A uterus inside a woman’s body seems the more convincing place to me, and Trump appears to share that opinion, for now.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 3:12 pmit’s not clear to me if life can officially start in a test tube.
Life starts when life starts. The Law cannot create life any more than it can set pi equal to 3.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 3:50 pmWhat is at stake is 1) whether donors have ownership rights to a frozen embryo and 2) to what degree custodians of those embryos are responsible for their continue viability.
I do think that calling a frozen embryo “alive” is technically incorrect since they are not doing anything to warrant that description. They are potential life, and can become non-viable, but as they are they are not alive.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 3:55 pmAt 6:58 EST it’s a TIE in S.C.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 3:58 pmThanks for the far left talking points guys.
Christian Nationalism is the new buzz word from the radical left to scare people and ostracize Christians. At least we know where some stand.
NJRob (760867) — 2/24/2024 @ 4:01 pmNikki’s problem is that she’s not white, barely Cristian and female. And the idea of a “White Christian Country” is neither new, nor from the Left.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 4:04 pmKevin with the leftist talking points now.
Getting really ugly on here
NJRob (760867) — 2/24/2024 @ 4:12 pm84: Paul, he sent arms to the Ukraine which Obama never did; he urged NATO countries to meet their commitments to a 2% of GDP military budget which they had declined to do for decades; that failure by NATO “Allies” is crimping their ability to help the Ukraine now, and entices Putin to be aggressive. He opposed Nordstream II, even as the Germans, lusting for Russian gas, went ahead with it. And even as unserious people here, anxious to slam Trump more than anything, praised Angela Merkel as she did deals with Putin’s evil regime.
As Trump called on NATO to rearm, and opposed the Nordstream 2, anti-Trumpers missed the serious, Grown-Up world urgency of these things. Instead, they had nothing but words–on websites, in newspapers, in magazines–endlessly objecting to Trump’s “harsh” tone with NATO allies, and hand-wringing lamentations on his lack of “experience” which turned out to have been a better base for policy than all the establishment’s worry over “alienating” NATO allies who won’t fund their own militaries. Even now, years after Putin moved against Ukraine, NATO powers are years–years–behind any real readiness. Someone was right before 2022. Sorry it wasn’t you.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (3bd47d) — 2/24/2024 @ 5:26 pmA complete blowout in South Carolina.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 5:37 pmAs much as it pains me to agree with asset, I would *love* to see Trump nominate Tulsi Gabbard for VP.
I’d much rather see her in office than either Biden or Trump, and given BOAR’s health, I’d bet she’ll be president sooner rather than later.
Plus as far as I can tell she is *not* a rubber stamp for BOAR, and if Congress is absolutely determined to send more money to Ukraine, they can do it without her approval.
qdpsteve again (0e5649) — 2/24/2024 @ 5:50 pmWith one or two exceptions (like American Research Group polls) most of the polling has been remarkably consistent (and correct).
Rip Murdock (eaad4d) — 2/24/2024 @ 5:58 pmHFM, Obama started the 2% thing in 2014, around the same time Putin invaded the Donbas-Crimean regions of Ukraine.
I’m not going to argue about Obama being too soft with Putin, because he was. His DoD people initially spun the Crimean invasion as an “uncontested arrival”, and Obama was months too late with sanctions and condemnations, and he was foolish to not deliver arms to the country.
I’m also not going to argue about Biden’s general ineptness before Putin’s invasion two years ago, because he was inept. But he’s been right about Ukraine since then (except for being too slow and not enough) and Trump has been wrong, and he’s galactically wrong in stonewalling aid today.
Trump was right to demand that other nations up their defense spending, but he kept stupidly referring to it as not paying their fair share, as if there was some sort of multinational defense fund they were obligated to pay into. Trump was also right to oppose Nord Stream, but the step he took wasn’t all that significant, just sanctioning the main contractor that was building pipeline after it was already 95% done, but it gave Trump a talking point.
Trump was right to provide military aid but, at the same time, he hamstrung Ukraine by delaying the delivery of Javelins with his quid pro quo, and then mandated that those weapons stay in western Ukraine, hundreds of miles from this fight. Again, Trump got his talking point, but his act was essentially meaningless
He also needlessly and wrongly said NATO was “obsolete”, which is ridiculous given that Putin was partially and illegally occupying two of his neighbors. To this day, he’s still downtalking NATO, despite their adding two members because of Putin, and encouraging Putin to invade NATO members who “aren’t paying” is beneath contempt.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 6:06 pmIt was a rigged and stolen election. Haley won in a landslide.
nk (317703) — 2/24/2024 @ 6:27 pmRip, Haley beat expectations, so her trendlines are favorable. It’s well enough to continue her campaign.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 6:44 pmTrump is basically an incumbent, but he only got 60%.
40% of SC Republicans see a former President with most of elected officials of the state supporting him….and say, nah, we prefer someone normal.
This is a primary waging normal against abnormal. Abnormal is sadly winning. People keep deluding themselves that abnormal can be checked. Abnormal didn’t crash the markets or create a security crisis its first term, so abnormal won’t do it this time. Abnormal challenges every institution and every barricade, but somehow nothing can shake their faith.
People keep imagining that abnormal is just not any more abnormal or corrupt than the current Oval Office occupant. They oscillate between brain-dead-dullard and crime-family-kingpin without struggling with the dissonance. “They all do it” so there just is not any abnormal. Abnormal = Normal with the new GOP math.
People rationalize that things will just be better under abnormal. Inflation will recede, illegals will be shipped, crime will lessen, and wars will cease. Flowers will bloom and global warming will cool….and coal will be shoveled proudly. This is the it-just-will-be religious devotion. There’s no proof or analysis required, the thesis statement is followed only by QED.
People imagine Abnormal as just strong and defiant and unapologetic. They fantasize that obnoxious, prevaricating, cheating, undisciplined, and ignorant define leadership and success. They are invested in abnormal because they’ve been grifted. They’ll send that $20 check because they can’t stop the grift. Abnormal has compromised the GOP.
I ride with normal. The smell is much better…
AJ_Liberty (dec9f3) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:10 pmHaley’s own expectations was to do better in South Carolina (currently at 40% of the vote) than she did in New Hampshire (43%), which she may or may not match.
It doesn’t matter if her trend lines are “favorable.” She didn’t win any delegates, which is the only trend line that counts. Right now she’s way behind in Michigan (Trump +62) which will be held on Tuesday.
I don’t care if she continues campaigning or not, but it looks like a futile effort. She needs to win primaries to receive any substantial number of delegates to be nominated. If she doesn’t win any Super Tuesday primaries, I’ll bet her money dries up.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:16 pmComing second in a two-person race is also called losing.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:27 pmState sen. tom woods when asked to comment on the killing of a 16 year old transgender at his high school said we don’t want that “filth” in our state. (DU)
asset (f88970) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:32 pmWhat expectations?
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:32 pmI don’t believe Haley expects to win, Rip, I expect her to be a safety valve in case Trump craters, either mentally or politically or legally or some combination. And she has the added bonus of being able to beat Biden.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:33 pm75% of Haley voters said they would not vote for trump. 60%+10% is 70% of republicans say they will vote for trump no the 90% of republicans trump needs to win.
asset (f88970) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:36 pm@111 Democrats and the media will make it a big issue wither you think it is or not. Again own goal.
asset (f88970) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:40 pm@116 I will take that as a yes.
asset (f88970) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:43 pmHaley is an ideological outsider in the current Republican Party. I really doubt a convention full of Trump-pledged delegates and controlled by Trump-appointed officials would turn around and select Haley as their nominee. They would be free to choose anyone else as their candidate-more likely someone from the Trump family or a MAGA governor or member of Congress.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 7:58 pmWinning the nomination should be the only thing on Haley’s mind-not wishcasting a Trump implosion. Republicans have been waiting for that since his second impeachment.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/24/2024 @ 8:00 pmHaley is doing more right now to defeat Trump in November than Christie and Hutchinson are. Their Kamikaze campaigns are all but forgotten.
Trump needs to be weak in November. 30% here 40% there….all erodes his electability. Every primary she shows up to means he has to show up too…and open his mouth…and the stupid naturally flows out.
Juxtapose normal with abnormal. Remind people they have a choice. The J6 case is coming. It’s better than 50/50 that the Court denies cert on the immunity case. Delayed but inevitable. The Justices understand that democracy needs a verdict on whether Trump broke the law on J6. There will be a tsunami….and it’s unclear what remains after it hits. I often wonder if the Democrats wished they had a just-in-case option. Biden doesn’t exactly exude vitality. One small stroke and…..
AJ_Liberty (169888) — 2/24/2024 @ 8:50 pmA complete blowout in South Carolina.
60-40 is not a blowout. Stop cheerleading for Trump. You say you don’t, but I watch your feet.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/24/2024 @ 10:09 pmhttps://www.newsweek.com/greg-abbott-won-over-gen-z-millennials-1871679
All those who claim we must give in to the left yet again, it seems the youngest voter base disagrees with you.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:55 amNo, she’s not, Rip. Except for Trump’s stand on NATO and Putin and Ukraine, which is not mainstream and absurd, her policies are in the same vicinity as Trump’s, unless or until Trump makes a seat-of-the-pants change or flip-flop.
If she’s an outsider, she’s a spiritual outsider from Trump’s cult, which is not a bad thing. It’s a great thing.
People have to think beyond what happens when Trump has his ultimate demise, because personality cults only last as that personality is in command.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:41 amAJ writes:
This is what I worry about. Trump not debating in the primaries allowed this to happen. The more Trump talks, the more voters are forced to deal with his nonsense. Without this, it is possible for attendants and talking heads to restate or sanitize.
Ditto, to the extreme, with Biden.
What I fear is a Trump-Biden rematch, with no debates.
Simon Jester (56fdcf) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:45 am“Trump not debating in the primaries allowed this to happen. The more Trump talks, the more voters are forced to deal with his nonsense.”
Trump’s legal team understands that he can’t face hard questions at an adversarial debate because there’s more downside than upside. He will either prematurely expose his defense or he will just give the prosecutors more ammunition to present against him. The other reality is that Trump doesn’t really debate. He performs. He lies, exaggerates, and hurls invective. It’s not like he lays out intricate and shrewd thinking on foreign policy, immigration, spending, or trade. He pushes buttons and excites hatred, fear, and the worst sort of partisanship. His rabid supporters eat it up and howl with glee. There’s no room for shame, and facts just get in the way of the theater.
When people claim that Trump’s rhetoric and gutter politics (like implying that Haley’s husband was somehow MIA from the campaign trail when in reality he’s serving the country at the Horn of Africa), my eyes rollback into my head. We are setting new thresholds for what is acceptable and we also see the style repeated by wannabees, media personalities trying to stand out, and in internet chats across the spectrum. Go to the National Review comments and prove me wrong. Where there is dialogue, it’s more often ignorant and unhinged….like our “leader”.
Biden is awful in his own right. He’s angry grandpa who’s perpetually trying to remember his lines and avoid foot-in-mouth. He fails any test of being a unifier and it took until this last minute immigration bill to truly see a moderate and a “great” compromiser. But when your poll numbers are sub Jimmy Carter and there’s universal dissatisfaction with the immigration chaos, the tack towards the middle is unsurprising. Watching Biden debate will be butt-clench city and in a way, elder abuse. Both sides continue to commit political malpractice. The Right may be worse but the Left is irresponsibly playing with fire. Debates should inspire and demonstrate admirable qualities of intellect, self-deprecating humor, thoughtfulness, and resolve. What we seem to be looking forward to in 2024 is awful…and neither side wants to get off the train tracks….
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 8:23 amWhat I fear is a Trump-Biden rematch, with no debates.
Debates won’t change who they are, or what the two parties have become. On the one side we have a nativist, radical populist white-identity party whose deepest desire is a national divorce. On the other side we have a socialist, radical elitist anti-white identity party whose deepest desire is central planning and control of all facets of life.
The vast majority wants neither of these, but the process has been hijacked by the extremes in both parties. The Democrats have a slight edge as their front man has some moderate views, but his party works around him — or forces his hand — and he’s nearly dead anyway.
The two-party system has failed. It is time for an independent challenger to bring them back to Jesus.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 8:28 am“It is time for an independent challenger to bring them back to Jesus.”
The system is stacked against an independent. Which states other than maybe New Hampshire are prime to be won? Would Alabama ever not vote for the Republican and will California ever not vote for the Democrat? From the perspective of sanity, I wholeheartedly agree. Put normal in there, but is our media geared to advocate for normal? Will any but a handful of current politicians go against their respective machine and endorse normal? Is there a normal independent with broad appeal and national reputation that radically changes this calculus? I don’t see a Perot-like personality that can catch fire and find the oxygen to put enough states in play to get to 270. At best a spoiler; at worst the wrong spoiler.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 8:43 amI don’t see a Perot-like personality that can catch fire and find the oxygen to put enough states in play to get to 270. At best a spoiler; at worst the wrong spoiler.
Perot lost badly, but he shook up the system. The ’94 midterms and the subsequent balanced budget were products of what Perot did, despite all his flaws.
Haley, with a move towards the middle, has the presence to make sanity and age an issue. She would be helped by the fact that no independent and only have of the party members are strongly for Trump or Biden. She would have plenty of money — something few independents have ever had — and a strong base going in. There is an incredible desire among voters for an end to this crazy divisive Crossfire world.
Yes, both parties would come for her, but running Biden and Trump their fulcrum would be weak. And the news media LOVES an underdog as much as it loves a loudmouth.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 9:05 am*
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 9:06 amhavehalfput enough states in play to get to 270
That is a goal, of course, but not the only goal. Dragging both parties back from the cliff and reminding them that most of the voters aren’t wingnuts is almost as important than winning.
If the election is purely Trump vs Biden, the system remains broken no matter who wins and the losing party has no incentive to change. Indeed, the GOP has doubled down on their loss and I see no reason to think that losing again will change anything. I’d expect more stolen election claims and deeper denial. Trump winning might be worse than Biden winning, but a Democrat loss would just embolden the hard Left, who would argue that they lost because they were too moderate (as they always do).
They need their nose rubbed in the pee. Maybe more than once.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 9:16 amI’m sure most politicians would consider winning by 20 points a blowout. It’s not cheerleading to acknowledge that the pre-primary polls have been consistently accurate.
Yes, the results show a significant number of Republican and Democrat crossover voters are voting against Trump, but the are still a minority. To deny this is to deny reality.
My feet are propped up on my sofa.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:22 am@157, I’m not convinced that the problem is extreme policy positions versus candidates with debilitating baggage (age and temperament). Republicans want the hammer thrown on immigration and Chinese trade. Everyone wants more attention being given to inflation…and their brand of election integrity. Democrats want more economic safety nets. I don’t think most Democrats are upset with Biden because he’s not moderate enough. The issue is Biden is too old and Trump is too unhinged. Neither side wants to admit it. I think moderates would give someone like Haley a look, but it’s not obvious to me that Haley is ready to buck her party….Ryan either. They’re both young enough to think they can outlive Trump and Trumpism. I suspect both will prefer to wait him out versus burning the bridges. Though it might be good for the electorate, the blowback of re-electing Biden or facilitating Trump is not something they want for the resume.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:25 amThey do-Gavin Newsom.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:26 amI suspect both will prefer to wait him out versus burning the bridges.
The last big-time politician to run 3rd party was Teddy Roosevelt, and he did not end up burning bridges in 1912 (and he beat the Republican). He would have been the nominee in 1916, but he declined to run, and he would have been the nominee in 1920, but he died in 1919.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:31 amIt’s still highly unlikely that a Trump-dominated convention would turn their eyes toward Haley to be their nominee.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:33 amWallace also did not burn bridges by running third party in 1968, but for a different reason: his bridges were already burned by being against the platform of the national party.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:33 amMy feet are propped up on my sofa.
Grinning from ear to ear, no doubt. Most of us are looking for boltholes. Enjoy your victory, Trumpist.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:34 amPresidential candidate fantasy camp. Trump-Biden was inevitable.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:37 amI would agree if they were practical and had evidence they would succeed. I just don’t see how they would work.
What if……. What if……. What if…….
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:44 amIf Rip was a football coach, down 14 points in the 4th quarter, he’d just give up.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:52 amIf my team (like Haley’s) couldn’t make into the end zone and only kick one field goal for every two touchdowns made by my opponent, you might be right. By the fourth quarter I’d be down by far more than 14 points.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:05 am“They do-Gavin Newsom.”
You told me it was too late…which is it?
Football requires actual skill. Winning political primaries in a cult-like environment is something else. SC voters believe that God wants Trump to be President. That’s a tough assertion to disprove. Sometimes good candidates lose. It’s not always about the resume, intellect, and demeanor. Not all voters are rational or accept evidence-based arguments. We’re stuck with a cult of personality that believe Trump is the best bet. Right-wing media failed the GOP. The GOP has failed the country.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:18 amRight-wing media failed the GOP. The GOP has failed the country.
The other camp is in no better shape. If Biden is the best they can do, they are also bankrupt — they don’t even have a cult to blame.
The two party system is now driven by the extremes. Bimodal distribution with a hard null at the center.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:29 amRigged delegate math
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:29 amI was responding to your “one small stroke…..” comment. Obviously the Democrats would replace Biden with someone. As previously noted, it is unlikely the Democrats could (or would) involuntarily force Biden out over his age or electability, but of course he could be replaced if he was demonstrably made infirm from a stroke or other health event.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:50 amhttps://twitter.com/RepMikeCollins/status/1761183160686047556?
Undeniably true. But Americans are not Biden’s or our current government’s concern.
NJRob (92a0c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:53 amHuge protests in Brazil today.
For geographic reference, here’s a helpful map.
Meantime, the conservative Argentine president is getting favorable feedback.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:11 pmHe’s trolling.
Trump didn’t get as many votes as Hillary, a widely detested, low qualification candidate, and that was at his surprise peak.
And Trump has never received the most votes in an election. And now he’s at his weakest, with a member of his own administration, Haley, who is a terrible candidate with no core values, has a huge chunk of the GOP despite Trump already being obviously the winner of the primary, and a former elected president.
Trolls can spin away, but we’ve never seen a former elected president have such poor outcomes in a primary. And of course the only reason Trump can’t claim to be an incumbent is he was soundly defeated by a guy who barely campaigned, in a year Trump wrecked the economy and opened up many wars his fans pretend he has no responsibility for.
The GOP decided it wanted to walk away from conservatives. Conservatism overlaps with the cult, so Desantis got nowhere, and that leaves the Romney-like Haley, who really isn’t worth the time of day. That such a pathetic candidate is actually challenging Trump says it all.
The right thing to do here is for conservatives to change parties and start seeking out conservative democrats, or moderates. Common sense folks. Ann Richards, Howard Dean (look at his budgets, way better than most republican governors). If all that accomplishes is totally drowning out the fringe left, that’s actually quite an accomplishment.
It is pointless to engage in the GOP. It’s like having a conversation with Rip or DCSCA.
Dustin (6ea8c2) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:23 pmI agree.
And it’s not trolling to point out the reality that Trump has consistently been the leading Republican candidate for president among Republican voters for the past 6+ months. Not one of the Lilliputians came close to his numbers.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:36 pmAnyone supporting Haley now probably can’t point to a comment they posted here a year ago enthusiastically pushing her candidacy. Instead, all we heard from Nevertrump was that no Republican candidate deserved support, mixed in with a reflexive defense of Biden at every turn. Now that her cause is lost, Haley fans are popping up out of nowhere.
lloyd (230595) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:40 pmRight now Haley is polling nationally (according to the 538 average) at 15.6% among Republican voters (Trump +61.1). More like a sliver than a chunk.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:41 pmThis MKH thread obliterates AP’s shoddy reporting and dishonest narrative about the murder of Ms. Riley. The issue isn’t about solo female joggers, it’s about immigrant felons endangering Americans.
The murderer, a Mr. Ibarra, committed multiple crimes before the murder, and his immigration status is questionable. He should’ve been deported after Crime #1 and, yes, this is on the Biden administration.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:43 pmYou can have a conversation with me if you have facts or numbers to back up your argument.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:43 pmWe agree on that.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:46 pmIt’s similar to Biden’s support when he soundly defeated Trump in 2020. Biden simply was the way to vote against Trump.
Haley is the way to vote against Trump.
We recognize the great threat Trump is to our way of life. It’s honestly a tough call for me, just because of my personal experiences and Biden’s administration, which is making decisions I strongly disagree with. But Trump represents a different category of threat to my values, and frankly Trump isn’t a reliable change to the issues Biden has with border security, spending, etc.
So respect that Nevertrump really is never Trump, a completely legitimate and wise perspective. Never means never. Trump was not a viable candidate, and he probably wants to lose, so he can run in 2028 and make more money.
Dustin (6ea8c2) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:53 pmTrump’s (alleged) poor performance in the primaries is irrelevant. So what if he receives “only” 60% of the vote? He still ends up winning the vast majority (if not all) of the delegates at stake. And most of those that vote for Haley will end up voting for Trump in the general election.
As I have said, most politicians would consider a 20 point win a landslide.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:58 pmDishonest BS. I’m as NeverTrump as anyone, and I preferred every Republican primary candidate over Trump, except Ramaswamy after he started talking.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:04 pmSource for this assertion.
Rip Murdock (eaad4d) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:08 pmKevin M has been pushing Haley for at least that long.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:11 pmSo far Haley has received roughly 38% of the votes but only 16%of the available delegates.
Rip Murdock (eaad4d) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:30 pmThe right thing to do here is for conservatives to change parties and start seeking out conservative democrats, or moderates.
You say this is the same comment you attack Haley for not having core values? Please explain.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:51 pmKevin M has been pushing Haley for at least that long.
Even before she entered the race.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:52 pmRight now Haley is polling nationally (according to the 538 average) at 15.6% among Republican voters (Trump +61.1). More like a sliver than a chunk.
Yet when they go to the polls in a state she campaigns, she gets 40%.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:53 pmAnd most of those that vote for Haley will end up voting for Trump in the general election.
Clearly you are not listening. Trump will lose by 20%, which I’m told is “a blowout.” And he’ll point to the margin as conclusive evidence of fraud.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 1:55 pmPartisanship is not a core value. Especially with the kinds of candidates the GOP has been nominating. As I pointed out in 2012, Romney represented a burning of bridges that even Mccain or W did not, and the party was probably going to be in for a difficult time. I didn’t anticipate it would be this bad, but a populist movement after the Tea Party was shut down by a romney ticket is not a surprise.
Does the GOP want to balance the budget? We’re in a different galaxy now. The most productive thing to do is to have at least one reasonable political party. The democrats cannot be that while the fringe left are often behind the wheel, but the democrats weren’t that kind of party, recently. Getting that fixed is more realistic, useful, and productive.
As for Haley lacking values… I mean come on.
Dustin (6ea8c2) — 2/25/2024 @ 2:07 pmOnly in states that allow crossover voting by Democrats. We’ll see how she does in closed Republican primaries.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:20 pmLOL! I doubt Trump will lose the general election by that margin-at least there is no evidence now of that happening.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:22 pmAmong voters 35% whose most important quality for candidate was “Fights for me” it went 90% to Trump 10% to Haley
32% had “shares my values” as most important quality and that went to Trump 64% to Haley 35% (I am assuming that does not mean the voters share all of Trumps values, it is more like a Venn diagram. They feel like Trump’s overlap is larger than Haley’s)
Wouldn’t hurt Haley to polish up her “I share your values and I’ll fight for you” pitch, but as much as I think she would be better for the US than either of the old guys, she has not connected at the gut level (fight for me) or on values level.
Haley
All of your values
All of the fight
None of the Bullshit
She’s fallen into the Never Trump trap of fighting over the wrong portion of the values in the diagram. Tip: stick to the “shared values” part nothing else matters. No need to elucidate about Trump bullshit, most if not all of his supporters can fill in that blank for themselves, so let them.
Haley also has not convinced voters she will fight for them anywhere near as vigorously as Trump by a margin of 90% to 10%. She needs to fix that and she should look into the “values” and realize those are what people are telling her what they need a fighter for.
The voters currently do not seem to believe she will represent their constitutionally congruent values wholeheartedly. Don’t be another like Mitt, who wanted to pick nits with his own people.
steveg (1374f8) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:24 pmHer master’s voice
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:29 pmThe winning margin in the general election will be <5%.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:34 pmThis is why Haley supporters who kept rolling their eyes at Desantis do not deserve any patience. They let Trump win, and therefore let the democrats have the presidency and further rendered the GOP worthless to folks like me. They were offered a realistic coalition, but with a social conservative who actually stands for something. They rejected that, and now here we are. Oh well, it was over the day Romney was nominated.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:53 pmDustin: “Desantis got nowhere, and that leaves the Romney-like Haley, who really isn’t worth the time of day. That such a pathetic candidate is actually challenging Trump says it all.”
I just don’t get the hate on Haley. Is she really worse than W, Dole, McCain, Romney, or Trump? OK, no one is worse than Trump.
But seriously when I hear someone say that “she doesn’t stand for anything”, I sit puzzled. Will she be much tougher than Biden on the Boder? Check. Will she support Ukraine and NATO? Check. Will she aggressively oppose Chinese trade dumping and currency manipulation? Check. Will she take deficits and debt more seriously than we have for the last two decades? Check. Will she attempt to improve the tone of debate in DC and facilitate compromise? Check. Will she soften the GOP’s stance on abortion while maintaining a pro-life disposition? Check. Maybe I’m just missing what policy she so concerns people over. What do you think is politically possible that she is so wobbly on?
I could have also easily voted for any other governor that was in the primary. I still think Hutchinson had the best resume and was the most serious. But at this point in time, the GOP house is on fire. It’s not really time to grouse about the crabgrass and what Haley has to say about the Civil War or Slavery. Those are neither dinner table issues nor foreign policy exigencies. If she is saying goofy things about Russia or trade, sure, roast her, but what I keep hearing is the theater of the small. People seem to be writing scripts in their heads about what she believes…or doesn’t believe.
I’ll confess that I liked her from the get go. She is certainly the most politically savvy of the GOP primary bunch. She is also probably the most likable. She understands how to work a room. DeSantis always looked awkward. Christie talked the game right but he always seemed angry that no one wanted to jump off the cliff with him. His strategy failed. And let’s be honest, it never had a chance.
The GOP is broken. She stands for normal. Most Republicans are not yet ready for normal. They are emotionally invested in Trump and Trumpism. Right wing media is invested. Evangelicals have gone out on the limb for him. We need an intervention and an exorcism. There’s no magic speech that will cause 60% of voters to abandon their orange calf. Slowly people come out of the trance. Let’s see what people do when Trump is convicted. That is the 800lb gorilla that no poll captures adequately. There’s no way people have completely processed that yet….or have heard gavel to gavel evidence of crimes. A tsunami is coming. Grab your life jacket….
AJ_Liberty (831c38) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:55 pmSo what? She is still coming in second in a two-person race, and receiving a fraction of the delegates had she won.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:57 pmShe was in the Trump administration and refused to run against him in this primary, spending more on Desantis ads and basically giving Trump a pass.
‘
I don’t need to distinguish Trump’s enablers from Trump.
She is not comparable to W, a legitimate leader, or Mccain, who at least was brave enough to take a stand.
Surprise, I guess! She is terrible.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 3:59 pmAgree 100% except I believe that Biden and the left have done so much harm that Trump has a chance of getting reelected.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:19 pmJust like in 2016 when Cruz could’ve won the election but the establishment hated having a social conservative at the top of the card that they kept Kasich in to give Trump the nomination thinking he’d be beaten by Hillary. They did the same to DeSantis.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:22 pmTick tock
There is a GoFundMe drive for Trump that has raised more than $1.2M.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:27 pmTrue, though Cruz really did a lot to lose my admiration since then. True. They tried to choose Hillary over Cruz, by way of Trump, and underestimated the populist anger and desperation.
I definitely understand that, if the election were held today. But those guys are sophisticated and realize Trump is more viable than he seems, almost like a biblical consequence of our times. They will muddy him up with his own mistakes, and the consequences will make it pretty hard for Trump, who sure seems weaker than ever given his performance against Haley.
I also doubt Biden is the candidate.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:31 pmRural voters crushed Haley. Over 80% resonated with Trump on values and fight. Haley can’t beat Biden without them. She’ll do fine with establishment, independents and suburban moms but in a general election she would need rural voters.
She also needs the RNC to pull a bunny out of the hat, which they will not be doing short of Trump going on a rampage, livestreaming himself shooting Alvin Bragg, Leticia James, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, and Judge Engoron.
steveg (1374f8) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:38 pmI’m kidding, but the exit polls show that 61% said Trump would be fit to be President even if convicted of a crime. My take on that means “of any of the crimes he has been accused of” which reflects the distrust people have in the judicial process.
For example I wouldn’t argue with anyone who felt that the $83M award after 3 hours of deliberation in the NY E. Jean Carroll civil case was so high due in part to the people of NY having bias against Trump. She’d be lucky to get $5M in Jacksonville, FLA.
Trump wouldn’t get fined $350M in Lubbock. Chicago, LA, NYC SF, Seattle, Portland- yes- absolutely. Personal political animus = disproportion; and it is celebrated by the elites
When DeSantis announced his presidential campaign on May 25, 2023 he was already 31 points behind Trump in national polls, and never led Trump in any state polls (not even Florida).
Besides being aloof and stiff on the campaign trail, his Florida policies were unpopular with voters. The nail in his coffin were Trump’s eviscerating attacks.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:40 pmI get your point, but Trump also did all he could to antagonize the process. A penalty needs to be sufficient to ensure respect for the law. For Trump that means a very high penalty.
It’s possible. Trump may not make it to the convention. And Haley may wind up on his ticket. She’s very careful in her weak campaign against him, especially compared to her campaign against the more viable Desantis, who ran an awesome campaign and outperformed polls (showing a good organization), despite what the trolls will repeat over and over, somewhat desperately given he already dropped out.
The GOP doesn’t want or deserve the support of folks like me. They can do whatever they want.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:46 pmI am noting a common thread among people who work professionally with a lot of Democrats finding new and creative ways to say “I am not like Trump; I am not a Republican” and then saying they are going to find conservatives in the Democrat Party. Where would you look? There aren’t any.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:47 pmPartisanship is not a core value. Especially with the kinds of candidates the GOP has been nominating. As I pointed out in 2012, Romney represented a burning of bridges that even Mccain or W did not, and the party was probably going to be in for a difficult time. I didn’t anticipate it would be this bad, but a populist movement after the Tea Party was shut down by a romney ticket is not a surprise.
Criminey but you need new glasses.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:48 pmAs for Haley lacking values… I mean come on.
Dustin, really, open your eyes and ears. She is the most principled person left in the GOP. Sure, she didn’t go full-Liz, but those that did are no longer part of the GOP. Becoming ineffective is not a way to change things.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:50 pmMore of the self-indulgent “my principles or the highway” litmus test posing.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:51 pmWhat’s the opposite of a tautology?
The GOP, by supporting Haley over Desantis, has insisted I leave. OK I left. Now I’m a conservative democrat. Where do I look for one? In the mirror?
It really wasn’t that long ago, the 1990s, that democrats dominated conservative power in Texas. Reagan kinda eroded that, and 9/11 cemented the GOP of the time, but we see how fragile the idea was. There’s a reason republicans are a very very poor fit for limited government.
Desantis isn’t more principled? He’s fighting the fight successfully today. She refused to put up a fight against Trump, only wanting to win the nevertrumper primary, not actually take Trump on. Haley is all over the map on most issues and barely can talk about obvious South Carolina gotchas because she’s so damn fake.
Suffice to say I simply will not support her.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:58 pmAnd I just want to be clear, I don’t even really like Desantis. He’s a good governor, but I don’t actually need to have this personality love for a politician.
that’s why when trolls laugh at how he’s just a serious, dull guy, I recognize they are not serious people. They aren’t voting for serious things.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:00 pmThat may be, but he still needs to put up the bonds in order to appeal.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:05 pmAlso, Kevin, an interesting point: locally in Austin a friend of mine is pretty competitive in a local election. He’s a democrat, has been for a long time, but he’s not a kook like many Austin politicians, and he’s challenging a very radical guy. MANY MANY of his supporters were republicans in years past who realize this election means more to their lives, and they can actually do something effective.
that’s actually the argument his opponent is using: that Republicans are crossing over to vote for a democrat. The radical lefties are horrified because this is the natural outcome of the GOP losing so many elections. When the moderates shift to the democrat party, they will overwhelm the fringe.
In 2008, Obama argued that marriage was only between a man and a woman. In the 1990s, Ann Richards used “Build Build Build” as a platform (to increase prison space as a way to make Texas safer). It hasn’t been that long.
Or I could hold my nose like I did for Romney.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:11 pmWhere?
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:20 pm“She was in the Trump administration and refused to run against him in this primary, spending more on Desantis ads and basically giving Trump a pass.”
She has hit Trump harder than DeSantis ever did. Heck, DeSantis endorsed Trump after gladly slinking into the gutter after Haley in the final debate. Some backbone. DeSantis could have gone full-Christie too but they both knew that was a single-digit winning strategy.
The reality is that DeSantis mismanaged his campaign…blew through $150M….and had internet meme after meme of his weird personal interactions and serial-killer-like attempts to smile during debates. He flopped because he came across as creepy in a party that admires the entertainment and showmanship of Trump. Why choose the imitation when you can get the real deal?
Do we really believe the job of the President of the United States is to bring culture warring to the federal level? Amplify our differences and make getting anything done even less possible? The GOP base wants a Talk Radio President who will give them 3hrs an afternoon of liberal-bashing schtick. George Washington would be aghast. The job is to be the adult in the room. DeSantis used to be a Tea Party conservative in Congress…wanting to cut spending and reform entitlements. Now he’s a populist and supposedly stands for something. Give me a break….
AJ_Liberty (831c38) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:30 pmNo man, that’s just absurd.
Desantis said that he would honor his pledge, and Trump’s better than Biden. There couldn’t be a weaker, more obliged statement that he is a partisan and therefore he will support the Republican like he promised.
Haley refused to spend a nickel on ads criticizing Trump, while Desantis hit him hard.
Yeah I realize that Trump hits people like that, and the Romney supporter types have decided this is the way they want to be.
Like I said, you guys have made it clear that folks like me have no place in your party.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:37 pmAt least you’re honest. You prefer Trump or Biden to a conservative. Trump is able to fake it well enough to evangelicals that we all know your position ensures Trump is the nominee. No one ever thought or currently thinks that the socially liberal guys who like Romneycare can defeat the Tea party Trump supporters. Desantis could have, had you guys wanted that, but as you said, you think Desantis’s political views are actually wrong.
I strongly believe he’s right.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:40 pmWay too little too late. She still promises to pardon Trump, which is an act of forgiveness. She should have said she would commute any punishment, which would leave Trump’s conviction intact but spare him prison.
In the end,I expect Haley to endorse Trump also, since she already promised to support the Republican nominee.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:42 pmAlso, what’s really sad here is that I believed a lot of you guys really thought Trump was a special threat to democracy for trying to steal an election. You saw the opportunity to beat him, but Desantis is a social conservative, and here we are, with Trump obviously going to trigger another crisis, further corroding our nation’s democracy.
I have no patience for folks who pretended they took this seriously.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:42 pmAs I pointed out (incessantly), none of the Lilliputians had a chance against Trump. All polled dozens of points behind him.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 5:50 pmThe murderer of Laken Riley had been arrested in NYC for child endangerment. He was let go and an ICE detainer was ignored. But he didn’t pay hush money to a hooker, so it’s all good. Good job all around.
lloyd (5852e0) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:10 pm@203
This is where I’m at.
I view this Biden administration and the current batch of Democrat politicians so much worse than any GOP candidate including Trump.
To date, if the border situation hasn’t resonated to voters… this murder of this poor GA, Athen college student will crystalize this.
whembly (20f8e3) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:13 pmI wonder if most voters ever even hear about these (plural) murders from illegals.
I understand the notion that the border issue alone is so egregious, with such permanent consequences, you prefer trump. If Trump hadn’t tried to steal the election, I would probably really struggle with the comparison, but he’s a non-starter for me.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:17 pmYou are correct. The truth is they aren’t conservative. At best, most are libertarian from the generic sense which is economically conservative and socially liberal. It’s unsustainable of course because socially leftist policies break society and cause the need for leftist economic policies … see single parent families and welfare.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:18 pm@220
Bruh…
As you’ll recall, I was a DeSantis honk, so much so, my family has considered moving to Florida (among other reasons) due to his policies.
You absolutely have a place in the GOP party.
Please don’t let other GOP-ers try to shame you into supporting their preferred candidate. You don’t owe them your vote nor should you feel like you cannot engage the political process.
For me… if Trump somehow drops out, and it’s Haley vs. “pick your Democrat”… I would crawl over broken glass just to vote for Haley.
I simply do not trust the Democrat party and I don’t think I ever will. So, I choose to stay within the GOP party and try my best to contribute, no matter how meager, to help guild this party in a direction that I can support.
whembly (20f8e3) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:27 pm@227
I never got hung up on Trump “tried to steal the election”.
I simply saw a sore loser and had the assurances that our constitutional order will prevail against such feeble attempt. As such, we got past that, and Congress even passed additional laws to buttress against another attempt like that.
However, these current Democrat policies has literally cost lives. There is simply no comparison, imho, between Trump crybaby sore loser-ism, to the damage and life by this current administration’s policies.
I know where I stand, and if some of you, including our esteemed host want to recognize me as a “civic disaster”?
So be it.
I know what time it is and I’m not afraid to confront what needs to be confronted.
whembly (20f8e3) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:35 pmIt’s really all academic, but I would’ve preferred Haley or DeSantis or Christie or Pence or Hutchinson or Burgum over Trump, because any one of them is less worse than Trump, and less worse than Biden, but that’s just not in the cards.
Since I’m NeverTrump and NeverBiden, it’s Door #3 for me, for the 3rd presidential election in a row.
In 2016 it was Gary Johnson, in 2020 Larry Hogan and in 2024 TBD. If Haley switches over to No Labels (which would most likely happen after Super Tuesday if it happens), I’ll vote for her, because I’m NeverTrump and NeverBiden, which makes her the least worst option.
Dustin, I get your dislike for Haley. I was of a similar opinion after reading this, but her performance in the debates turned me around somewhat. But in this political climate, we don’t get nice things, just bad choices and protest votes, so I’m sticking with a protest vote for lack of anything better.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:42 pmhttps://twitter.com/JohnStossel/status/1760765654884581597
Judith Curry being interviewed by John Stossel explaining how the hype and consensus over climate change is being driven by fame and fortune.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:48 pmWhen the democrats were a mix of conservatives and liberals, in the 1990s, when Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich kinda cheated but essentially balanced the budget, was the American political system better?
I think it was vastly better.
And I think it’s a trick that we don’t believe this is a realistic goal. By reducing our system to binary choices where we oppose the other extreme side, both parties kinda force it to be objectionable to the other side, and have purified their own sides into this stupid system we have today.
The fringe in the GOP is strong. I think it’s weaker in the democrat party, and moderates can change a lot of things.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:49 pmWell said Whembly.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/25/2024 @ 6:50 pm@233
Oh, I disagree with that.
Trump is popular within the GOP party. That’s it. That’s why he’s going to be the nominee.
The GOP party will survive Trump. There won’t be another Trump after him.
Yes, the party will have to pick up the pieces and figure out how to move forward.
The Democratic party is now held hostage by different fingers of various Marxist ideologies that isn’t going anywhere. It’s only going to get worse for that party.
I’d rather fight the good fight within the GOP party.
The other *good* thing in voting for today’s GOP candidates, even Trump, is that Judicial nominations would be solid, if not stellar. Having a Democrat pick judges in the same cloth as Justice Brown “what’s a woman?” scares the daylight out of me. The judges will outlast the hypo 2nd Trump administration.
whembly (20f8e3) — 2/25/2024 @ 7:04 pmHope you’re right, but I’m guessing if Donald Trump isn’t the nominee in 2028, one of his kids will be. Which is a bit amusing, as folks like Vivek didn’t seem to pay attention to what happens to Trump’s strongest supporters.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 7:26 pmDustin, I agree that DeSantis fits more the model of what the GOP is today than Haley. It wants smash-mouth confrontational politics. It would rather cast aside serious reforms of immigration to use the issue in November. It will sell out Ukraine because Trump and Carlson want us to. I disagree that that is how you win elections and take swing states but my side has been chased out.
I would have voted for DeSantis if he had been the last man standing. My thinking is along the lines of Paul’s, where Trump and Ramaswamy were my only hard no’s. DeSantis bet everything on Iowa and it came up snake eyes. An honest assessment of his campaign…not just the $150M but the implosion at his super-PAC and the disjointed themes….is he wasn’t winning over the MAGA voters….and the Never-Trump voters tended to prefer Haley or Christie.
I have yet to hear a persuasive argument for how to erode Trump’s support. If people don’t care that Trump incited a riot and sat back to see if those rioters would hang Mike Pence, then I don’t know what will make them switch. The modern GOP wants an authoritarian strongman who will break the rules as needed and subjugate norms at his whim.
Haley says he’s unfit, that his Putin/NATO talk is reckless, and that his pokes at her husband are grotesque for a wannabee “commander in chief”. The GOP base doesn’t care. Fifteen states vote on Super Tuesday, 60% of the voters don’t care that Trump flaunts the law, takes classified documents because he wants them. DeSantis would be in no better position because he doesn’t get them going like Trump does.
You mess with authoritarianism and this is what you reap. You put the culture war front and center and we end up with the loudest most obnoxious SOB. Doubling down doesn’t change the calculus…
AJ_Liberty (831c38) — 2/25/2024 @ 7:45 pmNow I’m a conservative democrat. Where do I look for one? In the mirror?
A walking talking oxymoron. Go down to the local Democrat Club and tell them you’re a DeSantis-supporting Democrat. Bwhahahahaha.
The first thing to do in recovery is stop lying to yourself.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 7:48 pmBTW, I am not a “conservative” as people use that term today. I’m for sanity and comity and a meeting of minds wherever possible. The only hard position I have is on the Bill of Rights (I support all of it).
So, call me a centrist, but DO NOT say I don’t have principles. Just not maybe yours and maybe not to the exclusion of sanity, comity and progress.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 7:51 pmAs AJ says. No one wanted MAGA-lite.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 7:56 pmThe fringe in the GOP is strong. I think it’s weaker in the democrat party, and moderates can change a lot of things.
Get back to me when the Squad starts losing primaries and Leftist DAs in places like LA, NYC and Austin are shown the door.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 7:58 pmThe only purpose of the WWE ahem, excuse me GOP primary was to give Trump a column of Wins. That’s the way he rolls, from his fake Man The Year Time covers, to his fake golf club champion trophies, to his fake property valuations, his ego being insatiable and his shamelessness unbounded.
And I suspect they are all in on the charade, not just La Sobrina (a/k/a Ronna McDaniel but I like to call her The Niece in Spanish), each of the bums for their own reasons, including Haley. Whatever their reasons, and no reason for us to take them seriously.
nk (165b5a) — 2/25/2024 @ 8:50 pmi’m not worried about a handful of goofs in congress. The laws ensure we get a few.
But DAs need to be changed. That’s why my plan makes a lot more sense than putting your nevertrump hopes in Haley, one of Trump’s own people.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 8:58 pmDesantis isn’t MAGA lite.
Rejecting Desantis because to you, he’s like Trump, totally redefines what I thought the problem with Trump was. A veteran who isn’t getting rich in public service, who wins his fights, stands up for things even when difficult, who follows the concept of liberty consistently and predictably (like Clarence Thomas to some extent). In this way, Haley is plainly more like Trump than Desantis was.
Anyway, I guess y’all aren’t that concerned about Trump, having put your efforts into trashing the one viable option you had.
Dustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 9:02 pmHey Dustin!
My view is that the border bill Biden would sign is the best bill in decades and would solve the crisis almost immediately, but the GOP will not pass it because Trump wants the problem to remain unsolved.
Anyone who really cares about the border and is not blinded by partisan goggles should be working overtime to defeat Trump, who thrills to see any bad news at the border because he cares only about himself.
Patterico (b9e870) — 2/25/2024 @ 9:09 pmApparently, that’s a popular misconception. Posting the bond is required to stay enforcement of the judgment, but he can appeal with or without it. If he appeals without posting the bond, he may have to pay the judgment while the appeal is proceeding. That’s no fun, but it has no effect on the appeal itself. Of course, if the judgment is reduced on appeal or remand, he gets those reductions back.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/25/2024 @ 9:39 pm@246: Three tweets in that thread and for some reason I linked to the least informative. Read all three and you’ll get the picture.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/25/2024 @ 9:48 pmNobody wants Trump crushed more than I do, yet I’d bet an irresponsible sum of money he won’t lose by 20%. In fact even if he were convicted on all 92 counts (IMO highly unlikely), all of which were announced prior to the election (virtually impossible), I’d be surprised if he lost by half that. As is, with one, maybe two of his four criminal trials likely to produce a verdict by election day, I give him an even chance of winning the election.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:35 pmRIP Chuck Mawhinney, (74); deadliest sniper in Marine Corps history:
Sgt. Mawhinney‘s awards:
Semper Fi!
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/25/2024 @ 10:42 pmHaley, one of Trump’s own people.
As were Mattis, Tillerson and John Kelly. I think it’s contemptible for you to denigrate those who tried to serve the country when people of courage were needed most. It’s easy to serve a capable president; much harder to guard the nation against someone like Trump.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:08 pmShould haley quit? Why? She is showing 40% of republican party don’t want trump. No labels may want her. She could help defeat trump giving you cons a chance to get back in the republican party.
asset (53e9de) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:10 pmAnyway, I guess y’all aren’t that concerned about Trump, having put your efforts into trashing the one viable option you had.
The man just could not dance. Don’t blame us for that.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:10 pmShould haley quit?
Haley should quit the GOP and run as an independent. If nothing else it would demonstrate to the two dinosaur parties that there is a Center and they shouldn’t ignore it.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:13 pmI certainly hope you’re right, but why do you believe it? If there’s one meme that’s been debunked over the last 8 years, isn’t it “this revelation is the one that’s finally going to bring Trump down?” Paying $25 million to the victims of his Trump University fraud? Having his foundation shuttered for self-dealing? The Access Hollywood tape? Paying porn stars to shut up about his affairs? Being adjudicated a sexual abuser and declared a rapist from the bench? Ridiculing McCain’s war record? Ridiculing our war dead generally? Fluffing Putin, Kim, Xi, Orban, Erdogan, etc., while demeaning and threatening our allies? The obstructions of justice detailed in the Mueller Report? Inciting and then gleefully watching the 1/6 assault on the Capital? Any one of these, and many more, would have ended any other political career, and each of them was predicted to end Trump’s. The GOP electorate has put Lucy to shame. Why should we believe… why do you believe… they won’t pull the football away this time?
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:20 pm@254, MAGA supporters process J6 differently than the rest for starters. They view his fraud cases and defamation cases as the price of doing business in a liberal city where liberals hate him. Move those trials to Wichita and they believe there’s a different result.
Certainly they draw an uneasy comparison between J6 and the BLM lawlessness in the northwest. Essentially, why do we have to care so much about one while liberals in the media and in Congress didn’t care about the other? But the J6 evidence is pretty damning and not technically complicated. The problem is that large swaths of the GOP just haven’t heard it.
Jack Smith does not equal Alvin Bragg.
Now you might argue that all of this will still be filtered and attenuated by Right Wing spinners. Hannity, Levin, Tucker, and Andrew McCarthy dressing it up more respectably. There will be a full-court press on what their lying ears are hearing. But the evidence will be coming from Republicans closest to Trump. People who worked next to him.
There will be a difference between contesting a close election legally and illegally. The awfulness of watching a President sit for 3+ hours as the Capitol is sieged and police are pummeled will be front and center. There is no blaming it on the liberal media.
There’s no arcane 14A interpretations, no 30-year old memories, no obscure escalation of misdemeanors to felonies, no close comparison to Joe Biden actions, no host of liberal accusers, no need to prove intent to insurrection, and no conspiracy theory that can survive the antiseptic of cross examination and the rules of evidence. Trump just can’t lie his way out of this one….and he rightfully faces a prison cell.
If Trump’s support craters down to his fervent 30% base, then the question becomes is the GOP simply ready to lose outright to humor those people? I’m not sure that it will be….
AJ_Liberty (831c38) — 2/26/2024 @ 3:37 am“Desantis isn’t MAGA lite.”
Four things bothered me about DeSantis
* Calling Putin’s invasion of Ukraine a territorial dispute
* Using the power of the state to attack Disney for a viewpoint difference
* Dismissing the value of Covid vaccinations
* Promising to bring anti-woke vendettas nationally
Now is he better and much smarter than Trump? Most certainly. Would I vote for him in a matchup with Joe Biden? Unquestionably. But as an alternative to Trump, I favored others more, including Haley, Christie, and Hutchinson. I haven’t gotten to vote yet, so I’m not sure how I’m responsible for knocking DeSantis out. DeSantis wagered he could woo MAGA supporters by being a more efficient and productive Trump without the baggage. That argument didn’t work. I’m not going to argue that Haley’s strategy has won either. 60-40 ain’t winning. My personal conclusion is that there was no strategy to defeat Trump once 60% of the GOP decided that felony indictments aren’t real and are just political persecution.
So whether it was DeSantis at 40% or Haley at 40%, what does it matter? Some here admire the Orbanesque illiberal approach to defeating liberals: forcing companies to adopt the right values, whether their employees and customers agree or not. Some of it I can appreciate, some I can’t. Still, I’m a believer in federalism to my core, so what states do, I give a wide swath. What the President should try to do is a bit different. I don’t look at Viktor Orban as a role model for our civic life. We need to improve the tone of our politics or we risk imperiling the whole experiment. We can’t continue with the level of hate and toxicity in how we self govern. DeSantis seems to want to take it to the next level. To each his own, but I don’t see Democrats gravitating toward conservative authoritarians. I wish Ron well but he never had a chance to dethrone Trump…and he didn’t have the staying power to last through his J6 trial. He’s probably the emergency backup, but it ain’t Haley’s fault that he’s sidelined.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/26/2024 @ 5:55 am@253
Haley won’t quit the GOP.
Here’s the primary reason why…
$$$
She’s still getting fat stacks from donors and will likely keep happening till the nomination.
Then, she can turn those campaign contributions into a SuperPAC or non-profit organization that she controls.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:20 amHere’s the recent motion from Trump’s document case that argued that Jack Smith is not a valid ‘Special Counsel’ prosecutor:
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:30 amhttps://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.326.0.pdf
Here’s the motion from Trump’s team saying he has immunity to these charges due to his actions amounted to ‘official acts’ to designate documents as personal presidential documents:
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.324.0.pdf
Say, if the court rules in favor of Trump on this one (humor me here), that doesn’t wipeout the Obstruction charge as well, right?
To me, it seems that the obstruction charge is where Trump is most vulnerable.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:34 amA separate motion to “dismiss the indictment based on the PRA”:
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:37 amhttps://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653.327.0.pdf
Looks like there’s more motions from last Friday…
The interesting thing here, is that it looks like Trump finally found a lawyer(s) who seems competent, and many of these motions has a decent chance to derail the government’s effort to have this tried before the election.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:40 am@JVW, as I’ve mentioned in past postings, playing the “what…if” and gaming out how a Tulsi Gabbard VP pick would work and I thought of you when I saw this article:
https://stream.org/tnt-why-trump-and-tulsi-could-be-dynamite/
Let’s set aside my distrust of our Sweet Aloha™ political ambition or whether her political “conversion” is genuine… but a few things here:
1) We know that Kamala Harris will be running here, as she’s not going anywhere. (whether as VP again, or top of the ticket if Joe steps down). It’s undeniable that having Gabbard as Trump’s VP pick would counter any head-to-head interaction with Harris.
2) It’s easy to see that she’d be Trump’s bulldog and would be effective. (her foreign policy stance is of concern, but she’d be VP and as such doesn’t have a role in that. Furthermore, she may “learn on the job” and change her tune after being in the Whitehouse. We often see politician says one thing on campaign trail, but does another when in office).
3) The author’s other points seem reasonable as to the “whys” Trump would pick Gabbard, but I think this fundraiser at MAL would be key to how the look/work together on the stage. We’ve yet to see anyone who’s able to make their “VP mark” around Trump.
Discuss. 😀
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:09 amhttp://politicsthatwork.com/voting-record/Tulsi-Gabbard-412532
Discuss…
BuDuh (4214e4) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:15 amTulsi Gabbard would be half of Russia’s dream presidential ticket. She is overtly pro-Putin, even going so far as to appear on Russian television with Tucker Carlson. At best she is a useful idiot, at worst an unofficial propagandist for Russia.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:24 amGabbard also equates the “suppression” of speech in the United States to that of Russia, blissfully unaware that had she said anything critical of Russia while visiting there she would have been imprisoned.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:38 amTulsi has as much chance to be Trump’s running mate as his sister had to be appointed to the Supreme Court. Ya’ll remember that, right?
When Trump has nothing to say, he says it anyway. (Not to use a more vulgar expression.) Noem may be under consideration. The others are “man, woman, person, camera, TV”.
nk (4bbcf1) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:41 am@263 http://politicsthatwork.com/voting-record/Tulsi-Gabbard-412532
Discuss…
BuDuh (4214e4) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:15 am
I’m well aware of her voting past, hence why I prefaced my initial statement of setting “aside my distrust” of her.
But the “righties” in my circle, Trump voters, listens to her podcast and swears she’s a convert.
I’m not sure I’d believe that, but hasn’t listened to her podcast either.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 9:01 amGabbard is a pretty political lightweight with not much bona fides in the GOP. She’s recognizable from Fox, so maybe that’s enough. Loyalty and alignment with Russia/NATO and aggressive deportation seem key. I would imagine that Trump’s VP will get a big tasking supervising something….re-staffing the DoJ? Purging civil service? Exciting times ahead.
I still lean toward Noem, who as governor has a bit more stature and gravitas while knowing the words to the MAGA greatest hits. In the end, who will be more simpatico with Trump. Who will take the bullet? Who will be able to fight off the media during the J6 trial? In the end, does it matter? It’s probably who polls as helping him more in the swing states while not costing him any red states.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/26/2024 @ 9:16 amBiden’s inflation line is that grocery costs are going up through price-gouging and greed, not inflation in the cost of producing goods. To prove their lie is good, the FTC is blocking the Albertsons-Kroger merger, claiming that it is an attempt to continue price-gouging.
https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/kroger-albertsons-antitrust-ftc-lawsuit-911514b4
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 9:44 amShe’s still getting fat stacks from donors and will likely keep happening till the nomination.
She can put that money into an independent campaign as well.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 9:47 amIt doesn’t matter who Trump’s VP is. He cannot win. He doesn’t have 40% of the GOP and he doesn’t have 80% of the independents. Game over.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 9:50 amNot gonna happen:
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 10:19 amThe Supreme Court has the power to disqualify him still. Odds are they won’t, but they still could.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 10:35 amNot that would help Haley. They’d just nominate someone worse than Trump. There are some.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 10:35 amYeah, but what if polling shows him down 6-8% in each swing state and in trouble in others (not preposterous given he will be on trial with everyone paying attention to daily updates of awful). Saying a majority will never leave Trump means that they are content with losing. It’s a cult, but is it a death cult? Maybe. Or maybe a conviction drives big donors and downstream Republican candidates to revolt. At some point the Titanic goes down. Who wants to be the one stuck conducting the band when the hull splits in half? Trump undoubtedly has no invested loyalty with the GOP and getting elected is his only sure-fire way to beat the federal charges and delay the state charges. It will be interesting to see what desperation brings from all involved.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/26/2024 @ 10:37 amhttps://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/president/general/2024/trump-vs-biden
Not sure what polling you guys are following, but Trump is consistently beating Biden in both swing state and national polling.
Guess you guys can root for the NY Times again and their Hillary has a 98% chance to win political bias.
NJRob (ba3b77) — 2/26/2024 @ 10:43 amRepublican delegates are bound to their candidate on the first ballot, so if Trump has an overwhelming majority of delegates, he will be nominated regardless of the polls or trials.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 10:46 amCan’t the rules be changed?
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:02 amCan’t the rules be changed?
Always. In 1976, Reagan tried to get the delegates released and narrowly failed. In 1980, Kennedy tried to get the delegates released and narrowly failed. But in both cases they had over 40% of the delegates going in.
The only way they will be released this time around is if Trump is unable to continue. As one person put it, there is always “the errant cheeseburger.”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:05 amYeah, but what if polling shows him down 6-8% in each swing state and in trouble in others (not preposterous given he will be on trial with everyone paying attention to daily updates of awful). Saying a majority will never leave Trump means that they are content with losing.
Goldwater was less likely to win — never polling over 36% — and that didn’t stop them.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:09 amMcGovern never polled over 38%.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:10 amHere is a summary of Trump’s arguments in his Presidential Records Act motion. For each assertion, there is a link to the appropriate section in his motion.
Discuss.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:17 amYes, with 2/3 of the delegates agreeing to a change. Unlikely.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:19 amKevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:09 am
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:10 am
Citing campaigns that occurred 60 and 52 years ago have absolutely no relevance to today’s political landscape.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:22 amThe only way Trump won’t be the nominee would be a physical disability.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:25 amYes, but some of the documents in question here are indeed classified documents, not created by Donald Trump for his personal use although their separation by a special master was stopped when a higher court overruled the judge.
Is this an argument about selective prosecution, or about precedent?
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:28 amIsn’t he is arguing that he had authority to dispose of them while president? And that many of them are his personal property? He’s not arguing that he had the right to “steal” them although in another place he does assert something that includes that.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 11:32 amDustin (6978cf) — 2/25/2024 @ 4:31 pm
I see no reason to suppose that he will not be the Democratic nominee.
I suspect that idea is being spread by people who do not want a third party candidate.
There’s never been a time when there’s been more time to organize more candidate when there were many people – possibly a majority – thinking both major party candidates were unacceptable to them, or close to that..
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 12:22 pmCiting campaigns that occurred 60 and 52 years ago have absolutely no relevance to today’s political landscape.
I guess you are doomed to repeat history then.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 12:30 pmNJRob (a8fad9) — 2/23/2024 @ 2:34 pm
He’s going to spit on the law – by trying something on immigration Donald Trump did, and got denied by the courts:
Denying all asylum claims by any people who crossed the border not at an established entry point.
He’s poised to announce that at the March 7 State of the union message.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/us/politics/biden-executive-order-asylum-border.html
If there is a strategy, it would be to prove that, contrary to what the Republicans are now saying, if you want to do that, you need to change the law.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 12:37 pm@287
He’s arguing that he can assert, under PLA, these documents as Presidential records.
As such, if true, then he didn’t “steal” those documents.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 12:52 pmIN California, Adam Schiff is trying to elevate Steve Garvey in order to make him come in second, while Katie Porter is countering by trying to elevate a different Republican so she can come in second – and possibly win in November. (the idea being that, even though she’s further to the left, maybe Republicans will prefer her because Schiff is notable for attacking Trump)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/schiff-porter-and-the-law-of-the-jungle-primary-november-election-california-8252f241
I didn’t know that Adam Schiff started out as a blue dog Democrat,and in the state Senate was notable for his anti crime stance and sponsored a 1997 bill that would have made it a felony to employ undocumented immigrants, punishable by up to four years in prison!
A little like Schumer with his national ID card/work authorization leanings..
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 12:52 pmHaley won about 39,5% in the South Carolina Republican primary and Donald Trump won just under 60% (59.8%)
Not that many non-Republicans took part. To do so, they would have had to skip the February 3 Democratic primary.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 12:56 pmDustin (6ea8c2) — 2/25/2024 @ 12:23 pm
She seems to say whatever is easy to say. She even described both Biden and Trump as 80 years old. But I don’t know that she is a terrible candidate.
People talk about the budget in abstract terms. The only good outcome is economic growth.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:02 pm@293
Weird fact.
Trump won more total primary vote in SC in history.
In a non-incumbent primary, Haley’s delta is the large in SC in history.
I’m trying to find it, but Haley’s “non-Republican” primary voters was pretty significant, and that’s due to the unique scenario where the incumbent is so unpopular.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:06 pmIt’s not just climate alarmism. It is accompanied by assertions that it is possible todo something about the levels carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, at least by what amounts to extreme measures, when it is not. And also by scientists who propose other remedies besides using less, apologizing in advance by saying that of course this is not a argument for burning less carbon.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/02/climate/sun-shade-climate-geoengineering.html
And they treat CO2 as the only variable that matters, when storms and variations in precipitation, high and low, are caused by an increase of the average amount of H2o in the atmosphere.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:09 pmThat would be because the field was not split, and turnout wss high, asit is in every election involving Trump.
What does delta mean here?
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:13 pmlurker (cd7cd4) — 2/25/2024 @ 11:20 pm
He didn’t incite it and he was not gleeful – he tried to draw some comfort from the fact that he had such dedicated supporters (nobody else around him had the same opinion) and made some attempt to use it in an argument with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
In reality, he was very concerned that the storming of the Capitol could put paid to all his plans to have objections to the certification (unlikely of success as they were)
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:21 pm@297
When comparing to sets of numbers, the “delta” means the difference between two values.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:21 pmhttps://twitter.com/mjuric/status/1761981816125469064?
NJRob (ba3b77) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:27 pmDid you know that Vladimir Putin, in 1996, plagiarized a ghostwritten dissertation? Mentioned in a book (The New Tsar, by Steve Lee Myers, pages 114-115) Putin only used it for a short time.
https://web.archive.org/web/20221129212320/https://www.brookings.edu/events/the-mystery-of-vladimir-putins-dissertation/
It seems like Steele dossier source Igor Danchenko was the person who brought it to everyone’s attention in 2006.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Danchenko
Was Danchenko fed this information by Putin to give him credibility?
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:32 pm299. whembly (5f7596) — 2/26/2024 @ 1:21 pm
Yes, Trump got close to a landslide in the South Carolina Republican primary (if landslide means 60%)
Over 20 percentage points more than Nikki Haley, his closest competitor.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:06 pmShe seems to say whatever is easy to say.
Example:
Trump, Biden, DeSantis: We will not change Social Security or Medicare.
Haley: We need to reform both, starting by raising the retirement age for SS.
See, the easy way.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:18 pmMr. Schiff and Ms. Porter are fighting over who is further to the left while resorting to gamesmanship.
Katie Porter is too far left for CA. Even her House seat was iffy.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:20 pmI guess you’re ignoring the sea changes in the electorate over past 60 years.
Rip Murdock (eaad4d) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:21 pmYes, Trump got close to a landslide in the South Carolina Republican primary (if landslide means 60%)
Over 20 percentage points more than Nikki Haley, his closest competitor.
When LBJ got numbers like that in 1968, he quit the race.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:21 pmLOL! This is the same state that elected Barbara Boxer multiple times and was described by the Cato Institute as more left than Bernie Sanders. No one can be too liberal for California voters. It just that Katie Porter and Barbara Lee lack Adam Schiff’s resources.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:29 pmI guess you’re ignoring the sea changes in the electorate over past 60 years.
I see no evidence that political parties have changed. Both are willing to nominate sure losers if that’s what their members want. Far more recently, Dole lost big and polls said he’d lose big (he only got to 40% in November). But they nominated him anyway.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:30 pmIrrelevant to today. What drove Johnson out of the race was opposition to the Vietnam War.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:32 pmI didn’t mention political parties; I was referring how the voting population has changed in the past 60 years.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:34 pmSchiff’s strategy is to choose his own opponent for second place finisher in California’s jungle primary. There are few policy differences between Schiff and Porter, mostly over a ceasefire in Gaza (Schiff is against, Porter and Lee are in favor, but Lee is irrelevant). And it’s working:
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 2:48 pmCNN South Carolina Primary Exit Poll
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 3:04 pmTrump may have won “only” 60% of the vote, but he won 94% of the 50 delegates at stake (47).
And Haley wasn’t Trump’s “closest” competitor, she was his only competitor.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 3:12 pmWhile Trump may be averaging 55-60% of the Republican Party primary vote so far, he has won 77.5% (110 out 142) of the delegates awarded so far, while Haley has won just 14% (20 out of 142). The remaining delegates were awarded to DeSantis (9) and Ramaswamy (3).
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 3:20 pmWhile Trump may be averaging 55-60% of the Republican Party primary vote so far, he has won 77.5% (110 out 142) of the delegates awarded so far,
He is also the club champion at all of his golf courses.
nk (45f708) — 2/26/2024 @ 3:41 pmHe doesn’t need to cheat in primaries, voters are more than happy to cast their votes for him.
Rip Murdock (5ab8fa) — 2/26/2024 @ 3:46 pmFrogs. Ponds. The two of them together got less than one-third of the total votes cast in the 2020 general election.
nk (45f708) — 2/26/2024 @ 4:15 pmhttps://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/02/tom-cotton-new-york-times/677546/
The leftist cult is real and it’s totalitarian.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/26/2024 @ 5:39 pmStill not looking good for Fani/Wade:
whembly (0e488f) — 2/26/2024 @ 6:20 pmhttps://twitter.com/PhilHollowayEsq/status/1762264341401792998
Zelenskyy…
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:11 pmBomb exploded out side Alabama attorney general’s office after he said he would not prosecute vtf clinics.
asset (037ea4) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:17 pmNY democrats join the gerrymandering game to take back the 4 house seats they lost and knockout to republican incumbents. Both sides and play that game!
asset (037ea4) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:20 pmNo labels interested in running a Nikki Haley and JFK jr ticket. Un-committed may take 20% of the vote tomorrow in Michigan democrat primary.
asset (037ea4) — 2/26/2024 @ 7:29 pm@320 A president who has suspended elections probably should stay out of ours. We’re well aware how much Democrats and their fellow travelers relish hearing foreign leaders smear Americans.
lloyd (16d2e1) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:10 pm1. Haley says she is not interested in No Labels.
2. JFK Jr. Is dead.
Rip Murdock (eaad4d) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:23 pmlloyd, you’re lying.
One, Ukraine cannot hold elections while under martial law, per their constitution.
Two, it was the Ukrainian parliament, not the president, that declared martial law.
Do better, man.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/26/2024 @ 8:53 pmJFK Jr. Is dead.
That’s what they want you to think.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 9:11 pmlloyd, you’re lying.
No, he’s just repeating something he read on the “Why Trump is right about Putin” talking point sheet.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/26/2024 @ 10:13 pmAnd let’s not forget that as the best-selling author of “Platonism In Eighteenth Century English Poetry”, Donald Trump has a built-in fan base of at least 20% of the rural South.
nk (5b5cf9) — 2/27/2024 @ 4:11 amEspecially the idea that all of reality can be derived from the pronouncements of “the One.”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/27/2024 @ 9:31 amLinks to audio of the arguments in the first paragraph.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 11:11 amI wonder what the limits of a site’s ability to block comments are.
* Could they block all comments from given commenters for unexplained and unappealable reasons? (WaPo does this)
* Could they block all comments from people with Jewish-sounding names?
* Could they block all comments supportive of Donald Trump (or Joe Biden)?
* Could they block all comments of persons whose names start with “P”?
* Could they charge some people for access to forums, and not others? Are their limits on this?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/27/2024 @ 11:56 amIn short, can they block comments for reasons other than the contents of the comments?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/27/2024 @ 11:58 amCould a state say that “political viewpoints” invoke a protected class, and not just with employment? WOuld that affect how social media companies operate in their state?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/27/2024 @ 11:59 amHere is what I get from the WaPo when I click on comments:
Contacting the “community team” results in a canned response that no appeals are accepted.
Where does this fall in the “editorial decision” space? Near as I can tell, I pushed back on an op-ed and someone took offense. But they’ve never said anything but the above.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/27/2024 @ 12:05 pmThe Texas and Florida statutes are targeted at social media platforms (X, Facebook, Instagram, etc.), not websites such as newspapers, EBay, or Amazon, all of which allow user comments or product reviews. They could do all those things, since they are private businesses who have the right to ban whomever they please (“no shoes, no shirt, no service.”) And since most commenters use fake names (unless Haley gets her way), it would very hard to identify the ethnicity of a poster.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 12:06 pmYou should listen the audio of the arguments-it covers a lot of your questions. There are also transcripts.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 12:09 pm(“no shoes, no shirt, no service.”)
“Whites only”
Kevin M (ed969f) — 2/27/2024 @ 12:18 pmSo the two are equivalent?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 12:46 pmThe Texas and Florida laws are more than just about people being banned from commenting. They also ban “viewpoint discrimination,” which means they must allow all messages, even invidious ones. From an exchange in the Texas case:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 1:05 pmI’m sure that the provisions are separable if some are unconstitutional. See Obamacare.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/27/2024 @ 1:14 pmThe question I have regard banning commenters, not removing comments. I agree with Mr Clement here, but I find the claims by his side to be overbroad.
The Florida law, for example, required that listed candidates for office have access to social media for their campaign messages. Within that it would be possible that some outrageous social media post might be pulled down (or even that some (prompt) moderation be in force) but the general access of that candidate remain.
I believe that a law requiring notification that a comment was removed/blocked is neither onerous nor a violation of the site’s content selection rights. I think Twitter did that most of the time, but not all sites do, and shadowbanning is a pernicious fraud. Even if a service is free and at-will, pretending to offer it falsely is fraud.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/27/2024 @ 1:22 pmI don’t think the Florida and Texas statutes are as complex as Obamacare (they seem pretty straightforward), but we’ll see. The Court may just punt them back to the district courts.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 1:23 pmIn the continuing adventures of Fani Willis, erring district attorney, another defense witness withers into dust:
https://www.ajc.com/politics/ex-wade-law-partner-testifies-he-doesnt-know-when-relationship-with-fulton-da-began/BYQNHPMNZ5AKNCMOP64K7OJ35U/
But the important question still remains — what’s more important — whether a woman can find love over 50 at the workplace? Or whether Donald Trump and his minions tried to steal the Georgia election.
Appalled (168f11) — 2/27/2024 @ 1:40 pm@344
Bruh, you need to watch the Bradley video.
He was terrible.
The Judge knows, the defense knows and the prosecution team knows.
Ms Merchant has a text string from Bradley where he stated Wade/Willis were having affair before Wade’s hiring.
The Trump attorney, forgot his name, had a hella cross when he asked Bradley “Did you lie to Ms Merchant?”
Bradley replied “I don’t recall if any of it was a lie or not”.
O.o
Yeah, the look on the Judge face was something else.
So, lets distill this down, either:
Bradley lied to Ms Merchant, who’s another officer of the court.
…or
Bradley lied in court.
I don’t see any other way to interpret this.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/27/2024 @ 2:31 pmI agree he is an awful witness, Whembly. He is one with no credibility at all. He was introduced to establish Wade and Willis were going at it before he was hired. He did not accomplish that because his story simply changed. You would argue he got pressure from somewhere to make him recant. I could argue that he wanted to get revenge on Wade, then got in over his head and has been floundering ever since. Both are good stories. You can’t prove either. And you can’t believe the witness.
Advantage, team Willis. This witness, plus the ex-friend who is dazzlingly non-specific about when Wade and Willis met, don’t give the judge any reason to find there to be a problem.
Appalled (faba4e) — 2/27/2024 @ 2:44 pmWe do agree the guy is lying. Even if he can’t remember whether he lied or not.
Appalled (faba4e) — 2/27/2024 @ 2:47 pmAppalled (faba4e) — 2/27/2024 @ 2:44 pm
It is not in dispute that they met well before she hired him. The question is, when did things between them become personal?
We’re left with: Did she really reimburse him? Was that for reasons other than ethics? (because if it would have been ethics, she would have wanted to document it, so goes the argument)
Reasons other than ethics would be that she wanted to maintain her independence, and that her father told her always to carry cash on a date (and he himself avoided the banking system I understand because he was involved in the civil rights movement and was afraid his money might be frozen or taken away.)
She is said to have been pacing around when she saw Wade’s testimony and wanted to testify herself, to the surprise of her lawyers – although she did not continue the next day
And we have cell phone data, but they only prove he was in the general area of where she was, and at least theoretically, Wade could have had other reasons for being in the vicinity.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/27/2024 @ 2:31 pm
He lied to Ms. Merchant. He wasn’t under oath. It would be more unlikely to be the other way.
Now why was he trying to frame Wade and Willis? Do we have aplausible reason?
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/27/2024 @ 4:34 pmI don’t seem to be able to access this content:
https://www.wcnc.com/video/news/verify/elections-verify/vfy-haley-ss-age-pkg/536-f88cabb1-54f8-452a-bc6b-e038161d8913
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/27/2024 @ 4:38 pmAs PP is powered by WordPress, this might be of interest.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 4:40 pmAppalled (168f11) — 2/27/2024 @ 1:40 pm
The case is more important, and what this would pertain to would be mostly the extra work, as she had political reasons for pursuing this in the first place. Now 2 grand juries, and numerous defendents that could in question.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/27/2024 @ 4:44 pmHey man!
Biden’s problem here is that there are great laws on the books, so this is a bit like gun control reducing the murder rate when the murderer obviously doesn’t care about his conduct being against a law. Biden has no credibility to follow a law like this. The border is a disaster by choice.
Trump’s problem here is that he had both houses of congress and instead of getting anything done on this issue, he wanted us to be sure his inauguration was the biggest, and other crap like that. It’s clear, at least, that we agree Trump wanted to keep a crisis where he had an advantage.
I don’t really like the bill. I really can’t speak more about it, but it’s disturbing that the millions of illegal aliens permitted in are such a useful political chip, and intentionally so.
As far as reasons to support or oppose Trump or Biden, horrific spending, family drama, and immigration hit my ears as strictly partisan whatabouts. If the GOP was concerned about these issues, they would have unified around the option they rejected.
The real reason to oppose Trump, for me, is simply that he’s a threat to peaceful transfers of power.
Dustin (53739e) — 2/27/2024 @ 4:44 pmOuch!
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/27/2024 @ 4:44 pmI haven’t read the statutes recently enough to recall their breadth. Ilya Somin agrees with you re: Texas, but says the Florida law may be broad enough to cover sites beyond social media.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 2/27/2024 @ 5:28 pmI may have been a bit harsh with lloyd, but I’ve seen this same talking point from far too many right-wingers, so I’ll just say that the claim that Zelenskyy is canceling elections is…
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/27/2024 @ 6:31 pmeasily (parliament has to approve martial law)
provably (their constitution says that elections cannot be held while under martial law)
false (there’s a whole raft of disinformation on Ukraine, much of it Putin-fed).
I was trying to keep the argument simple without getting too deep into the weeds.
Rip Murdock (abc23c) — 2/27/2024 @ 7:44 pmPekka has an informative Vatnik Soup entry on MAGA Mike.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/27/2024 @ 8:53 pmThe real reason to oppose Trump, for me, is simply that he’s a threat to peaceful transfers of power.
And I really hope that the Supreme Court, which has the ability to do something here, remembers that. It’s likely that this, too, will be another failure, but the point of the 14.3 was to prevent insurrectionists from having another go.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/27/2024 @ 9:49 pmI haven’t read the statutes recently enough to recall their breadth. Ilya Somin agrees with you re: Texas, but says the Florida law may be broad enough to cover sites beyond social media.
The two are quite different. The Florida law is more about protecting individual access and the Texas law is about rejecting editorial control. But “newspapers” today have quite a few “social media” aspects, so there is some commonality anyway.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/27/2024 @ 9:52 pmone of his main missions is to end the separation of church and state
What does that mean? He wants to establish some Christian sect as the state religion? Or he wants government to respect religious belief, even when it creeps into politics.
Mike is also a young-earth creationist, believing that the Earth is 6000 years old.
So, he’s stupid, innumerate and ignorant all at the same time. My party!
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/27/2024 @ 9:55 pmMike Johnson can believe the dinosaurs were with Noah all he wants.
Failing to support Ukraine is the bigger problem.
norcal (537d63) — 2/27/2024 @ 9:58 pmMichigan primary debbie wasserman schultz has melt down on msDNC over uncommitted michigan vote. This is why more then half the party loathes her! Uncommitted, williamson and phillips will end up with more votes then biden beat trump by in 2020.
asset (eef772) — 2/27/2024 @ 10:34 pmFailing to support Ukraine is the bigger problem.
But related.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/27/2024 @ 10:50 pmAmazing how comfortable some are on here to attack Christians over and over again, but are silent on the harm leftists are doing to society.
Very telling as well.
It’s easy to cite leftist sites to bash Conservatives. Any “true Conservative” would do so.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/28/2024 @ 12:55 amhttps://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/02/berkeleys-free-speech-movement-1964-2024-rip.php
The reporting that gets ignored because it’s about the indoctrination and violence taking place in our leftist enclaves, but spreading to the rest of society.
Much easier to insult Christians.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/28/2024 @ 3:07 amNJ Rob:
Please define “attack Christians”.
Appalled (1aac98) — 2/28/2024 @ 7:33 amRead the BS that Paul linked to. The guy attacked Speaker Johnson for having mainline Christian views on homosexual unions (filing a brief in Lawrence v Texas), practicing his faith, opposing pornography, that God created man, and so on.
It’s Christianity 101.
NJRob (dda0ce) — 2/28/2024 @ 8:19 amI have no problem attacking Young Earth Creationists as ignorant innumerate yokels. That is not the same as attacking Christians, any more than attacking wife-beaters is the same as attacking baseball players.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/28/2024 @ 8:19 amI wonder if it’s Christian to impede Ukrainians from defending themselves. Is it Christian to support and enable Trump as he lies, cheats in business, abuses women, cavorts with porn stars, and maligns his opponents? Rejecting Trump seems like Christianity 101….yet here we are.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:01 amRob, Which of those claims about Speaker Johnson’s are false or defamatory? Seems like they’re attacking him over his position on Ukraine while listing other positions he holds. Also, I don’t think YE creationism is a mainstream Christian position. YMMV
Time123 (92a6e2) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:13 amRejecting Trump seems like Christianity 101….yet here we are.
Teddy Kennedy was supported by almost all women’s rights groups.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:14 amAlso, I don’t think YE creationism is a mainstream Christian position
I’m not sure that Creationism of any sort is central to modern Christianity. It is, after all, a literal reading of Hebrew scripture not the teachings of Christ.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:17 amHey Dustin, I share your feelings that the GOP isn’t really a place for me anymore, although I may be coming at it from the other side. I value economic conservatism, strong national defense, and limited government. Doesn’t seem like that’s part of the mainstream thought anymore in the GOP.
I think you’re being a little hard on people who liked Haley over Desantis. Desantis dropped out very very quickly and many (myself included) didn’t get a chance vote in a primary before he left. He was far from my first choice because of his big government actions in Florida but I could have supported him in the primary if he was the logical alternative to Trump. I never got that chance because he didn’t make it out of Iowa.
Like it or not Trump is what most GOP primary voters want, regardless of his many many flaws.
Time123 (92a6e2) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:19 amI no longer believe that people in the GOP who talk about supporting Christianity are talking about Christ’s teachings. I think it’s pretty clear that they’re taking about Christianity as just another identity group. It’s sad really. I think the world would be better if Christ’s teachings had more influence on policy and living in accordance with his teachings were more valued by the electorate in selecting leaders. But here we are.
Time123 (92a6e2) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:23 amKind of like I no longer believe the feminists that supported Bill Clinton, and it’s somewhat refreshing to see how little respect he has among younger feminists.
Time123 (92a6e2) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:24 am@370. Let’s get real. Speaker Johnson’s crime in the eyes of Paul’s left wing Finnish critic isn’t anything that’s listed, but that Johnson puts America’s territorial integrity above Ukraine’s.
lloyd (e74b06) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:43 amMitch McConnell to step down as Senate Republican Leader in November.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:54 amlloyd (e74b06) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:43 am
There’s no cnaatural connection between the things, and they are not in competition unless he wants it to be, and the danger in Ukraine is something more than territorial integrity and the U,S., is not insisting on Ukraine’s territorial integrity or else it would not have tolerated what happened in 2014 as- it did.
They’re just looking for an excuse not to help Ukraine
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 2/28/2024 @ 10:00 amMitch McConnell to step down as Senate Republican Leader in November.
Unsurprising. I’d guess it’s his last term, too.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/28/2024 @ 10:36 amJohnson puts America’s territorial integrity above Ukraine’s.
Or perhaps he puts Putin’s agenda above Biden’s.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/28/2024 @ 10:37 amShining city on the hill hardest hit.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/28/2024 @ 10:57 amLet’s get a comment from Laken Riley.
lloyd (e74b06) — 2/28/2024 @ 11:02 amNext in line: Mike Crapo…because his name says it all
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 2/28/2024 @ 11:40 amMarriane williamson back in race as uncommitted, williamson and phillips gets as many votes as biden won michigan by in 2020.
asset (fb8f55) — 2/28/2024 @ 1:24 pmRIP comedian Richard Lewis (76).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2024 @ 1:35 pmThey generally don’t report immigration status when the victim is here illegally, but from what I read of their life, two widely covered murder victims in New York City (killed almost certainly by American citizens) were illegal aliens (one was planning to leave the country in a year or two, and the other had been here a long time and never left even for his parent’s funerals.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/02/14/bystander-obed-beltran-sanchez-bronx-subway-shooting-mexican-immigrant/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/nyregion/bronx-subway-station-shooting.html
What’s your reaction to this?
A. Serves him right for being present illegally in the United States, and the teenager should get consideration for more lenient treatment since the person he killed was illegal.
B. We need more foreign crime victims. Aliens can take the place of American victims, and victims are needed to put the criminals away. An American might have been the first person those juveniles killed.
C. It doesn’t matter who the victim was. The principle of equal justice should apply.
I don;t have aquick link foir the second case but here’s another case where immigration law affects things:
https://gothamist.com/news/parents-of-girl-killed-in-bushwick-hit-and-run-skipped-funeral-due-to-deportation-fears
The hit and run driver was probably an American citizen
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 2/28/2024 @ 1:45 pmMarianne Williamson should be committed, she’s a nut. I wonder if she will get anyone to work for her, she went through three campaign managers before she suspended her 2024 campaign.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 2/28/2024 @ 1:46 pmI see it is acceptable to be bigoted towards Christians. It’s more and more telling each day.
NJRob (dda0ce) — 2/28/2024 @ 2:17 pmI’m not attacking MAGA Mike for his Christianity (although his interpretation is oddball in some respects), I’m criticizing him for being a Trump lapdog, for putting the ex-president above his country, for stonewalling legislation that moves the ball forward on border security and helping our allies.
Paul Montagu (907d4d) — 2/28/2024 @ 2:37 pmFalse. I’m taking him to task for being a Trump toady who takes orders from Trump, even when those orders prioritize Trump’s self-interest above our country’s.
Paul Montagu (907d4d) — 2/28/2024 @ 2:39 pmThe irony here is that right-wing Trumpists wrongly believe that Putin is a Christian leader of a Christian country. Or that Trump is a Christian. False on all counts.
A Christian doesn’t murder tens of thousands of civilians (especially when he has precision munitions) and he doesn’t abduct tens of thousands of children for reprogramming.
Paul Montagu (907d4d) — 2/28/2024 @ 2:44 pmA Christian doesn’t lie so often and with such practiced ease, to name one small example.
I definitely want this story fact-checked, but, if true, it is, indeed, a problem:
Jim Miller (534f50) — 2/28/2024 @ 3:34 pmBridges have to exist between the Republicans who reject those things (Haley supporters largely) and the populists who like Trump.
That is the only path to the GOP getting back in shape. Desantis was the obvious option, and those who act like Trump is a cancer who also sneered at Desantis do not have any credibility.
Nah
Dustin (c1324d) — 2/28/2024 @ 6:15 pmMarianne williamson’s suspended campaign got more votes in michigan then dean phillips who is still in the race. The voters want her to keep running and I will be voting for her in the primary. Biden got over a hundred thousand democrats to vote un-committed in michigan last night.
asset (7cbff8) — 2/28/2024 @ 6:29 pmDesantis was the obvious option, and those who act like Trump is a cancer who also sneered at Desantis do not have any credibility.
It’s like Shane, where Alan Ladd first beats Ben Johnson (and he becomes his friend) and then guns down Jack Palance. But does Trump envision a cast of millions calling “Trump! Come back, Trump! We love you, Trump!” as he rides away in the dark?
nk (622f63) — 2/28/2024 @ 6:56 pmPekka also has a good summation of Trump and, like with MAGA Mike, he has the links.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 2/28/2024 @ 9:28 pmIt’s so obvious.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/29/2024 @ 4:34 am@396, It’s post hoc, but why was anyone willing to take the chance with this Russian influence? Are we dumb, deluded, or desperate….or all of the above?
AJ_Liberty (64e089) — 2/29/2024 @ 6:22 amSomeone on the radio claimed that New York State Attorney General Leticia James is the beneficiary of straw donors in 2023 (plus using campaign money to live like royalty – fine dining, hotels, travel.)
The straw donors a guest and someone who works with her found were foramounts like $50 – presumably nobody would check – real people but when contacted numerous people outside of New York State denied giving her money. I suppose the recipients of their donations could also be unclear to them.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 2/29/2024 @ 8:13 am@Appalled:
https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2024/02/29/bradley-texts-expose-fani-falsehoods-and-media-manipulation-n3783812
I don’t see how this judge is going to avoid disqualifying Fani/Wade and the Fulton Co. department.
whembly (5f7596) — 2/29/2024 @ 8:36 am#400 —
Yearties was a lousy witness — doing the same sort of thing Bradley did. Apparently, Merchant was told Willis and Wade actually lived together for a month by Yeartie’s attorney. On the stand — she lapsed into I don’t know mode.She did say she had seen Wade and Willis a hugging and a kissing. When? Well, in 2019 and 2020 maybe. An exact date? Well no. An exact location? Nope — she does not remember. HotAir is living up to its name.
All of this poor memory means there is no actual testimony that makes all this cellphone fuss worth admitting into evidence. (And it hasn’t been yet).
Final arguments are tomorrow.
Appalled (88a1a3) — 2/29/2024 @ 12:53 pmBiden may manage to lose both parts of the Arab vote and the Jewish vote because of Gaza
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 2/29/2024 @ 1:34 pmYes, it is. It perhaps explains why Trump cannot bring himself to condemn Putin, and why he seems so eager to get out of NATO, and is perhaps why he’s stonewalling military aid to Ukraine. Trump’s pledge to “end the war in 24 hours” has to mean that Trump will strong-arm Zelenskyy into a surrender.
I’ll say it again: Biden should lose and deserves to lose, but Trump must lose.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 2/29/2024 @ 1:56 pmPretty sure he does, in the form of super grifty donation requests, maybe some merch sales, and of course, he’s going to run in 2028 (or run his son).
The only solution is a bridge between these two awkward components of the Republican party.
Dustin (c1324d) — 2/29/2024 @ 5:10 pmMeanwhile, back at the ranch:
A third-party run for Nikki Haley with No Labels could face legal limits
Or not.
There is no indication that Haley would run on a No Labels ticket, but if the VP candidate was also a nominal Republican, maybe. From experience I’ll tell you that their ballot-access problems are mostly because they have no candidate. Haley would get the petitions moving.
Would they go for it (she IS a Reagan-conservative)? Well, it would pretty much hurt Trump to triangulate him like this. The only danger is that it would throw the election into a GOP-controlled House (with funny voting rules), although Trump couldn’t come in third and win and the House is not going to be GOP-controlled if Trump doesn’t win anyway.
I think it would be Haley’s choice, and her VP choice, too.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/29/2024 @ 5:35 pmI don’t see how this judge is going to avoid disqualifying Fani/Wade and the Fulton Co. department.
Watch.
Trump’s folks will of course appeal. His whole shtick has been clutter the courts up with motions, appeals and whatever else works to delay and burn money.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/29/2024 @ 5:40 pmThe only solution is a bridge between these two awkward components of the Republican party.
It’s only a solution if it burns.
Kevin M (8676e4) — 2/29/2024 @ 5:41 pmAs I very correctly warned in 2012, nominating Romney was burning that bridge, and would break the party… and it’s truly broken now.
By repeating the stupidity with Haley, who is actually worse than Romney, you guys sure stuck it to… yourselves.
Dustin (c1324d) — 2/29/2024 @ 6:09 pm“I would not love you so much, dear, loved I not the fame and glory of indicting and convicting a former President more.”
If the judge finds that Itchy Fanny Fani used the power of her office to catch herself a man, not only should she and her entire office be disqualified from the case, she and Wade should be referred for discipline. The chronology and duration of the relationship are just part of the res gestae that make up the totality of the circumstances. No single one of them determinative.
And I really don’t see how the relationship starting after Wade’s appointment helps them. It looks to me like it was her way of catching his attention. Like sending him flowers and candy, and baking him a pie.
nk (c3cfc9) — 2/29/2024 @ 6:45 pmOver 100 palestinian killed in food line waiting for food. Israel says they killed themselves.(cnn) The largest union in washington state has asked its member to join those democrats supporting a ceasefire in gaza and vote uncommitted in wa. state primary. (DU)
asset (6f9ce1) — 2/29/2024 @ 6:57 pm“By repeating the stupidity with Haley, who is actually worse than Romney, you guys sure stuck it to… yourselves.”
Like Haley, DeSantis had a ceiling of 40%, though probably less. Iowa was his place to show his strength against Trump and he withered. You’re probably too close at this point to acknowledge it, but his campaign organization was a sh*t sh*w. They burned money, burned through campaign people, ran a strategy that never broke through the Trump wall while antagonizing NeverTrump skeptics, and hemorrhaged donors. This was not exactly a tight ship to jump onto.
Most Americans believe we should aid Ukraine. DeSantis framed it as a territorial dispute. Most people believe Covid vaccinations both saved lives and lessened the severity of symptoms. DeSantis is a skeptic. DeSantis believes that government should punish companies that don’t act like he wants them to act (Disney, Budweiser, Air BnB, etc). Most conservatives recoil at this.
Dustin, you seem mad that conservatives are conservative. On most other questions there is little sunlight between Haley and DeSantis. He is more acrimonious; she is more Reagan-optimistic. He is a culture warrior that just couldn’t win over the MAGA voters…for whatever reason….though I suspect it was because he wasn’t as entertaining as Trump.
The GOP does not want normal….whether that normal is right-wing authoritarian or a more moderate squish. They want Trump because he’s abnormal…because he distorts, maligns, and crushes norms. They hunger for destruction and DeSantis is just too destruction-lite. Haley is just not entertaining enough. The GOP is a bunch of 6yr olds who can’t stop touching the hot stove. Sadly this will have to play out to some awful conclusion….
AJ_Liberty (b74646) — 3/1/2024 @ 4:02 am“As I very correctly warned in 2012, nominating Romney was burning that bridge, and would break the party… and it’s truly broken now.”
So Rick Santorum was the answer to a fairly popular incumbent?! Give me a break.
What broke the GOP is that we no longer demand statesmen or leaders. We want performance artists that appeal to our most nativist instincts. We want to act like there isn’t a narrowly divided electorate and that we can simply muscle through our agenda. Hence, we get 60-odd performance votes to repeal Obamacare and then, when we “win” in 2016, have no idea what to counter-propose. That’s a party in turmoil.
The ugly truth that rabid partisans and hardened ideologues refuse to acknowledge is that our government is based on a structure that requires compromise. Most policy victories are based on incremental change. Obamacare happened only because the DEMs secured a brief filibuster-proof Senate majority. But since they failed to compromise substantively, that over-reach cost them Congress and cost them a steady erosion of the financing of Obamacare. The GOP’s reaction to Obama….and the flourishment of right-wing bubbles….gave us a reactionary outsider candidate that talked just like the most extreme talk radio luminary. It’s more important to own the libs and stoke resentment than anything else.
Romney is a good man, a smart man, and a sober man. The right-wing ecosystem doesn’t want that. They want a bad man that will break the rules to get what they want. The GOP majority is completely transactional…and will imagine whatever conspiracy or lie required to justify it. Romney tried twice to get rid of the bad man, but the GOP is almost thoroughly compromised…with good people self-ejecting daily. The only solution is that it must lose sufficiently hard until the current batch of influencers lose enough money and influence to want a different path. Having been confounded by MAGA for 8+ years, I offer no guess at a timeline. An addict has to hit bottom to compel change. Not sure we’re there yet….
AJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 3/1/2024 @ 6:09 amHunter’s deposition yesterday finally admitted that his father was “The Big Guy™”.
Expect the screeching sounds of goal posts being moved.
whembly (5f7596) — 3/1/2024 @ 7:24 am#413
And the bridery accusation that launched the biden impeachment drive was Russian disinformation.
I am used to the noise of screeching goalposts in motion.
Appalled (88a1a3) — 3/1/2024 @ 7:41 am@414 Remember when the Steele Dossier was revealed to be Russian disinformation, was used to back up a FISA warrant, and Russia Collusion suddenly goalposts came down? I don’t.
lloyd (5d25c7) — 3/1/2024 @ 8:08 am@414
Can’t hear you over the moving goal post. There are a deluge of other evidence piling up that you’re handwaving away.
Just to give you a little insight. Your obstinance from acknowledging potential bribery/self-dealings by the Bidens renders any critique you may have of Trump impotent.
So…please hydrate…its a lot of work to tug them goal posts. 😉
whembly (5f7596) — 3/1/2024 @ 8:43 amWe’ve known that Joe Biden was the big guy for a long time (the laptop and Tony Bobolinsky) but the question is:
Was Hunter lying to his clients about how involved his father was and/or what he could do for them?
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 3/1/2024 @ 12:40 pmKevin M (8676e4) — 2/29/2024 @ 5:35 pm
Which means that more than a majority is necessary to elect anyone. Also the House will most likely not be Republican, but the Senate will be.
The VP is picked by the Senate in that eventuality, among only the top two choices.
McConnell may actually cease to be Leader only with the new Congress. I don’t know that we have it clear. Of course there may be no difference if the Senate is not in session after the election,
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 3/1/2024 @ 1:05 pm396.
That nobody is willing to challenge. But his opponents are not willing either to endorse except maybe Biden to some degree.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 3/1/2024 @ 1:07 pmhttps://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/gSev9HJ3q4BIsOGlZWONzq-VJN8=/1500×0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/low-angle-view-scarecrow-against-cloudy-sky-562838541-5aaf18adfa6bcc00360a609c.jpg
Dustin (c46757) — 3/4/2024 @ 7:10 pm