Patterico's Pontifications

6/26/2024

Country over political party

Filed under: General — Dana @ 8:34 am



[guest post by Dana]

In an unsurprising move, former congressman Adam Kinzinger announced today that he will be voting for President Joe Biden in the November election:

“To every American of every political party and those of none, I say now is not the time to watch quietly as Donald Trump threatens the future of America…Now is the time to unite behind Joe Biden and show Donald Trump off the stage once and for all.”

Trump will not voluntarily leave the public stage until the voters compel him to do so. Oh. Wait. But still, it’s better that the angry toddler caterwauls from the sidelines rather than with his hands on the levers of power.

Certainly President Biden will refer to this endorsement tomorrow night. It’s a perfect opportunity to remind voters that country is more important than political party. Especially now.

—Dana

47 Responses to “Country over political party”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (c3265c)

  2. He’s a fraud. Lost his seat due to being a fraud. But he sure knows how to grift.

    NJRob (609f80)

  3. MY problem is that Trump losing will not end Trumpism in the GOP. Only giving him enough rope to hang himself will do it.

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  4. Certainly President Biden will refer to this endorsement tomorrow night. It’s a perfect opportunity to remind voters that country is more important than political party.

    I’ll take that bet. I doubt >95% of Americans have any idea who Adam Kinzinger is and why his endorsement is important.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  5. And any anti-Trump Republicans will already not vote for Donald Trump.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  6. Just another reason to vote for Trump. Note the “former congressman”.

    David Longfellow (4843ff)

  7. It’s a perfect opportunity to remind voters that country is more important than political party.

    Name the last time the Democrat Party put country over party. Individuals have, but not often and they’ve paid the price.

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  8. But who do anti-anti-Trump Republicans vote for?

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  9. NJRob (609f80) — 6/26/2024 @ 9:18 am

    He’s a fraud. Lost his seat due to being a fraud.

    Adam Kinzinger lost his seat because of redistricting. He was waiting to see the new districts and when he saw them he decided not to run for re-election and running for the U.S. Senate was too ambitious.

    https://www.courthousenews.com/house-republican-calls-it-quits-after-approval-of-new-illinois-districts

    The Illinois Democrats were not going to help him. They don’t want never Trump Republicans.

    But he sure knows how to grift.

    ???

    He joined CNN and later moved last year to Houston, Texas, possibly with the idea of challenging Senator Ted Cruz. (it was maybe a joke)

    Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09)

  10. If you need more reasons to admire Adam Kinzinger, you can find many, here.

    Kinzinger chose not to run again, after an unbroken series of election wins, because Illinois Democrats gerrymandered him out of his district.

    Many Democrats prefer running against Trumpistas, rather than country-first Republicans — for obvious reasons.

    Jim Miller (301a58)

  11. But who do anti-anti-Trump Republicans vote for?

    Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/26/2024 @ 11:42 am

    Those that oppose the anti-Trump vote will vote for Trump.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  12. MY problem is that Trump losing will not end Trumpism in the GOP. Only giving him enough rope to hang himself will do it.

    Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/26/2024 @ 9:22 am

    Don Jr. and Eric are waiting in the wings.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  13. Just another reason to vote for Trump. Note the “former congressman”.

    David Longfellow (4843ff) — 6/26/2024 @ 11:17 am

    By this logic, I should vote for Biden, because Trump is an ex-President and Biden isn’t.

    norcal (f06e07)

  14. MY problem is that Trump losing will not end Trumpism in the GOP. Only giving him enough rope to hang himself will do it.

    Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/26/2024 @ 9:22 am

    Don Jr. and Eric are waiting in the wings.
    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 6/26/2024 @ 4:15 pm

    Yeah, I remember Mussolini Jr after the war.

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  15. If Kinzinger put Democracy and the Constitution above all else, he wouldn’t be voting for the candidate that ignores SCOTUS rulings, weaponizes the FBI/DOJ, throws his opponent off the ballot, and doesn’t answer to the public via press conferences and interviews.

    SaveFarris (99a679)

  16. Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/26/2024 @ 11:41 am

    Quite right. The world was doing better during Trump’s admin. The world could have done better after his admin, but they wouldn’t take Trump’s warnings seriously (I’m looking at you, Germany).

    felipe (e0a511)

  17. > throws his opponent off the ballot

    the US President doesn’t have the power or authority to do that.

    the attempts to remove Trump from the ballot have all been done by state level officials, usually elected ones, answerable to the electorate of their states.

    > If Kinzinger put Democracy and the Constitution above all else, he wouldn’t be voting for the candidate that

    This is the problem a lot of us have. Trump attempted to use the power of his office to pressure the government of Georgia into ignoring its own election results and supported people impersonating electors (to cause confusion by submitting multiple competing slates of electors). He’s absolutely disqualified.

    So what are the other options?

    aphrael (1797ab)

  18. Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/26/2024 @ 4:23 pm

    There are plenty of candidates who could carry the Trumpism banner after DJT leaves the scene-whomever Trump’s VP selection is (whether or not they win in November), JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Elise Stefanik, Mike Lee, etc. MAGA won’t disappear on its own, it’s the new Republican belief system.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  19. aphrael (1797ab) — 6/26/2024 @ 4:49 pm

    I agree.

    Nothing Biden has done (and I object to much of it) is as heinous as Trump trying to overturn a legitimate election and calling for the termination of the Constitution.

    The tribal blindness is stupefying.

    norcal (f06e07)

  20. So brave to announce this………………………………………………….

    Joe (d57c55)

  21. Felipe, it’s interesting to hear you say the word was doing better during Trump’s administration.

    That doesn’t seem right at all to me. Do you remember 4 years ago? Things were… pretty bad.

    There are always a few metrics you can find. But on the whole, you really think the world is worse off now than 4 years ago?

    Nate (ce9b02)

  22. But on the whole, you really think the world is worse off now than 4 years ago?

    There is very little in the world that a US President has the ability (or authority) to do anything about-he’s not responsible for how other countries behave, their economies, or how they treat their citizens.

    The world during the Trump Administration was a different place than the world today. To claim the “world” was a better place under Trump is unprovable. And since the MAGA philosophy is (by definition) focused on America First, it rejects a Pax Americana world view, thereby reducing American influence overseas.

    Rip Murdock (c27dcc)

  23. Nate, the world was better. It took a Chinese made virus to hurt the world and the world was still more peaceful and in better economic shape than we are now

    Policies matter.

    NJRob (8098f1)

  24. Nate (ce9b02) — 6/27/2024 @ 8:16 am

    Yes, Nate, I do. Someone should have been awarded a Nobel Peace prize for the Abraham Accords. Try starting with any of the signatories of the Accords and take your pick. Too bad Trump was remotely involved, so no one was “worthy.”

    felipe (e0a511)

  25. He’s a fraud. Lost his seat due to being a fraud. But he sure knows how to grift.

    He lost his seat because Illinois Democrats effectively eliminated it.

    Paul Montagu (95f5a4)

  26. Kinzinger saying “I am voting for Biden” really isn’t an act of courage at this point. His political career is done. The identity he has is being anti-Trump and this is a logical extension of that.

    Kinzinger voting for impeachment and serving on the 1-6 committee were acts of courage. It cost him and he knew it would cost him. It’s good to celebrate those acts.

    The question on whether announcing a vote for Biden is an act of courage or not for anyone is interesting. It might be for people who still have hopes to be Republican officeholders, because they are likely gving up on their ambitions. If Pence went beyond refusing to vote for Trump, but actively supported Biden, it could be courageous. But it could be against his stated principles on a lot of issues.

    Today, Brian Kemp made it clear he voted for someone else in the GOP primary, though he is still a vote for Trump in the general. Is that courageous? Good question. Trump wants to run for senator against Ossoff. Maybe this costs him; maybe this helps him with the Atlanta suburb crowd who is resistant to Trump’s charms. If the move is calculated, is it really brave? Random thoughts.

    Appalled (88a1a3)

  27. There are plenty of candidates who could carry the Trumpism banner after DJT leaves the scene

    My God. Can no one read?

    I said that beating Trump at the polls will not kill Trumpism. Trump dying will not kill Trumpism. Telling people that Trumpism is bad won’t do a damn thing until they get to experience it first-hand.

    It’s like kids not listening to their parents and going on to make the same damn mistakes.

    Trump has to actually DO these things and be removed from power by popular demand before his crap will be over.

    Assuming of course that what he does isn’t what the People want. IF it is, well, democracy!

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  28. Someone should have been awarded a Nobel Peace prize for the Abraham Accords

    The Peace Prize is a joke. Reagan and Gorbachev should have shared one, but they pointedly snubbed Reagan. Obama should never have gotten one, and don’t start me about Al Gore.

    It’s almost as if a cabal of warmongers has control and is trying to debase the idea of Peace.

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  29. Kinzinger saying “I am voting for Biden” really isn’t an act of courage at this point.

    It’s more of an act of courage than any Democrat decrying J6. It’s closer to a Democrat saying Biden is senile and urging a vote for someone else. Which, despite some claims about them policing their ranks, Democrats seem unwilling to do.

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  30. Trump wants to run for senator against Ossoff.

    I assume you mean “Trump wants KEMP to run for senator against Ossoff.” Although if Trump steps down in favor of Nikki, I’d donate to his GA senatorial campaign.

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  31. #30 —

    My Trump obsession strikes again…

    Appalled (88a1a3)

  32. #29

    Bowman’s defeat and Cory Bush’s likely defeat does show that certan kinds of left-madness can be chased away by moderates.

    Appalled (88a1a3)

  33. Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/27/2024 @ 11:06 am

    I completely agree!

    felipe (e0a511)

  34. Appalled (88a1a3) — 6/27/2024 @ 11:36 am

    Bowman’s defeat and Cory Bush’s likely defeat does show that certain kinds of left-madness can be chased away by moderates.

    But not easily, because people need to be aware of who they are, and they don’t expect it and a lot of votes are cast on the basis of familiarity or personal contact..

    In New York’s primary on Tuesday, all incumbents for the Assembly but one whether “progressive” or “moderate were renominated (except for one caught up in a scandal, who came in third in his primary)

    And in Albany County, the regular District Attorney David Soares got defeated by another “progressive” (What the New York Post in an editorial calls “soft-on-crime defense attorney Lee Kindlon.”)

    Three new non-incumbents endorsed by the Working Families Party were nominated. The WFP is sometimes considered to be a party for public employee unions, but that’s only half of it.

    Bowman, by the way, got just over 50% in a multi-candidate race in 2022, so his opponents were making some progress before. He will still be on the ballot this year as the candidate of the Working Families Party, but that’s not expected to amount to anything,

    To stop these kinds of people there really needs to be a political party or some other organization ho will point them out – and they must be honest also about whom they put on their DEFEAT list or else it will be spoiled.

    Sammy FInkelman (e4ef09)

  35. I see Maga types make various claims about state of the world. None of
    Them can ever point to anything that’s measured

    Time123 (0b98bc)

  36. 25. Paul Montagu (95f5a4) — 6/27/2024 @ 10:10 am

    He lost his seat because Illinois Democrats effectively eliminated it.

    It could be argued that eliminating his seat drew the least opposition from the Republicans. He may not even have been a Republican any more by their standards.

    Liz Cheney, on the other hand couldn’t be redistricted out of her seat, but Wyoming is about as heavily Republican as you can get and very heavily Republican areas contain a large percentage of pro-Trump people.

    She didn’t impress anyone as an independent thinker either, which possibly might have saved her.

    Sammy FInkelman (e4ef09)

  37. To credit Trump with the state of the world during his Presidency is to credit a rooster crowing in the morning with making the sun rise.

    There have been men of history who shaped the world during their lifetimes and past it. Trump is a snail leaving a trail across a boulder soon to be dried up and blown away or washed off by rain.

    nk (bb1548)

  38. Well, Trump had a good Secretary if State in the end, Mike Pompeo, and others who prevented him from doing (much) damage, and a few things just worked out. Like his warning to Jim Jong Un that he had a bigger button and his button works! That made Kim Jong Un realize something.

    Sammy FInkelman (e4ef09)

  39. Time123 (0b98bc) — 6/27/2024 @ 2:17 pm

    I know that you know that I am not a MAGA type. That said, What the Abraham Accords accomplished is, itself, a measure of Peace. A concrete fruit of the “peace process” that had eluded previous POTUS.

    felipe (e0a511)

  40. The only problem with the Abraham Accords is that as soon as it was inconvenient, they’ve punted on it. Withdrawing ambassadors and pushing out the Israeli delegations.

    So it was a nice headline, but unable to get over it’s first hurdle. You can blame Iran for forcing the issue, but they did.

    Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a)

  41. felipe (e0a511) — 6/27/2024 @ 2:50 pm

    What the Abraham Accords accomplished is, itself, a measure of Peace. A concrete fruit of the “peace process” that had eluded previous POTUS.

    The first Abraham Accords worked because the negotiations were conducted in secret and took Iran by surprise.

    The Biden Administration took its time in negotiating something with Saudi Arabia (and they were doing that so that Israel would not object to selling jets to Saudi Arabia)

    That gave Iran time to plan the October 7 attack upsetting the applecart.

    Sammy FInkelman (e4ef09)

  42. I’m still somewhat skeptical that the Iranian president’s helicopter magically crashed right after the big day out for the Iranian drones.

    I know their maintenance is terrible since they’re super old ex-US helicopters, but it happened to be his chopper?

    Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a)

  43. It’s more likely that it was internal Iranian opposition to his ascendancy to Supreme Ruler than it was Israeli action. Among other things, access.

    Kevin M (a9545f)

  44. Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 6/27/2024 @ 3:33 pm

    I’m still somewhat skeptical that the Iranian president’s helicopter magically crashed right after the big day out for the Iranian drones.

    This happens from time to time when flying a helicopter in foggy weather in the mountains where the pilot id not familiar with instrument flying and how your sense of balance can go wrong… Remember Koby Bryant?

    There was a somewhat well known naturalist who could recognize bird calls and frog sounds etc named Tom something who was flying somewhere around Ecuador in South America over a forest and mountains who was in helicopter with another ember of his team and another person and the pilot who all died in a similar crash sometime around 1989.

    Sammy FInkelman (e4ef09)

  45. 42. Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 6/27/2024 @ 3:33 pm

    I’m still somewhat skeptical that the Iranian president’s helicopter magically crashed right after the big day out for the Iranian drones.

    Let’s hope the Ayatollah believes it was divine intervention.

    Maybe it was.

    Sammy FInkelman (e4ef09)

  46. If you’re wondering how the Kinzinger endorsement is going, he just re-tweeted Scarborough’s call for Biden to drop out.

    SaveFarris (79ab12)

  47. Trump is a warty huckster and people fall all over themselves in congratulations for noting the obvious, but they can’t discern that Kinzinger and Cheney are obvious frauds too? Their “people picker” needs to go into the shop for a tune up. But lets start with this: What % of Kinzingers revenue stream is this nevertrump business? It is nearly 100%. Because to him nevertrump is a business. A “raising awareness” business that doesn’t move any needle but the one in his bank account. What kind of person does that?
    Cheney has other money, but she raises and spend millions of other peoples money doing the same as Kinzinger, another “raising awareness” business. “Bravely Sounding the Alarm TM” never mind everyone has already heard the alarm, seen the dumpster fire. nevertrump has paid all the bills since 2018 for her and her other income streams became gravy for her kids and retirement. Her nevertrump work doesn’t move the needle* and only a fraud would take money for something that does not move any needle beyond ones personal finances.

    *excludes needle on the decibel meter. periodically emerging to shout about a dumpster fire we all can see, that has firefighters on the scene, isn’t brave. Its honest though, give them that- a hucksters veneer- be honest about an obvious to encourage trust. Check

    steveg (71265a)


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