Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
. . .a woman living in the city of Lyon. . .shared the reality of living with immigrants. According to the English translation shared by a self-described independent reporter. . . the woman and her friends were constantly harassed by foreigners.
I am 26 years old, blonde, with light eyes, and I have always lived in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon, which is thought of as the poshest area in Lyon, and my daily life has become unbearable," the woman wrote in a lengthy post sent to Rieu. "I write this because, ten years ago, I could go out with my friends in the evening, at any hour, without being bothered, insulted, followed, or stabbed. . .
The woman goes on to say that a "white man" has never behaved toward her in the manner that male foreigners have. "Is it racist to call out what my daily life has become as a woman, because of immigration? Is my reality, my daily life, racist?" she asked. "Am I not as legitimate as any other person to call out traumatising acts of violence, just because they are done by foreigners or immigrants?"
Second news item
No more money to Democrats until Biden steps down:
Abigail Disney, an heiress to the Disney fortune and donor to the Democratic Party, announced on Thursday that she would withhold donations to the party until President Joe Biden drops out of the race.
“I intend to stop any contributions to the party unless and until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket,” Disney told CNBC on Thursday, joining other Democratic donors who have also pulled support for Biden since his disastrous performance in last week’s CNN presidential debate.
She continued, “This is realism, not disrespect. Biden is a good man and has served his country admirably, but the stakes are far too high,” before concluding, “If Biden does not step down the Democrats will lose. Of that I am absolutely certain. The consequences for the loss will be genuinely dire.”
Jay Nordlinger asks:
So, should Biden, DeSantis-style, punish Disney, somehow? Especially now that he has all that immunity?
Third news item
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conceded defeat to the center-left Labour Party early Friday, which was projected to win by a landslide in the country’s general election — delivering a huge blow to the ruling Conservative Party after 14 years in power.
. . .
The British networks’ exit poll indicated Labour won 410 seats in Parliament, a majority of 170.
Keir Starmer becomes the new prime minister.
Fourth news item
President Zelensky challenges Donald Trump’s boast:
“If Trump how to finish this war, he should tell us today,” Zelensky said in a Bloomberg Television interview on Wednesday. “If there are risks to Ukrainian independence, if we lose statehood — we want to be ready for this, we want to know.”
This from Trump last week:
During the presidential debate last week, Trump criticized the amount of funding the U.S. has sent to Ukraine, adding that the country is “not winning the war.”
“I’m only saying, the money that we’re spending on this war, and we shouldn’t be spending, it should have never happened. I will have that war settled between Putin and Zelensky as president-elect before I take office on January 20th. I’ll have that war settled,” Trump said.
Put up or shut-up.
Fifth news item
This is how to do it:
I have given this job my all. But you have sent a clear message, and yours is the only judgement that matters.
This is a difficult day, but I leave this job honoured to have been Prime Minister of the best country in the world.https://t.co/EhNsfIaGWM
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2024
Have a great weekend.
—Dana
Hello.
Dana (8c9aac) — 7/5/2024 @ 9:15 amBiden is a good man and has served his country admirably
A good man would have not run again at his age with his difficulties.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/5/2024 @ 9:43 amKeir Starmer becomes the new prime minister.
Reform UK got 14% of the vote for 3rd place, but only 4 seats. Those votes came straight out of the Conservatives. Added together they would have beat Labour, but in opposition they let Labour candidates win pluralities.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/5/2024 @ 9:46 amIs question they ask in Latvia. I ask here now:
Is how come about Biden we hear from media how big money donor no longer give money and about Trump we hear from media how many more small donors give money?
Is Biden have no small money donors? Is Trump have no big money donors? Is which tree make sound when fall in forest?
nk (bad0e9) — 7/5/2024 @ 9:53 amI too would like to know Trump’s “secret plan” to end the war. Will it be like McClellan’s in 1864? Or like Reagan’s wrt Iran in 1980? It makes a difference.
I’m sure it’s well thought out.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/5/2024 @ 9:57 am3. That tends to happen to a party that promised low taxes but raised them; promised to stem the increasing flow of economic migrants, but instead, fecklessly allowed even more, causing rising rents, higher taxes to support them and more language and social issues; then fired the one minister that wanted to try to actually do something to stem the migrant influx of migrants.
During 14 years of indifferent rule, they picked a series of Haley-like leaders, pleasant but out of touch, that all knew better than the voters, and stood for nothing and acomplished nothing.
Reduced to chumming the election-time water with more promises no one expected them to keep. And weakly saying “well yes we blew off everything we promised to do, but “at least we’re not as bad as labor.”
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (0c349e) — 7/5/2024 @ 10:28 amThird news item:
The 121 seats won by the Conservatives is the lowest since 1912, when the modern party was founded. Liz Truss lost her seat to Labour.
The Lib Dems won 71 seats, a record high while defeating several ministers. They will be the third largest party in Parliament.
The Greens won 4 seats, a record high.
Rip Murdock (19ce52) — 7/5/2024 @ 10:38 amKevin M (a9545f) — 7/5/2024 @ 9:57 am
His “plan” probably is to do and say nothing and hope that Putin psyches himself out.
I guess that is a little like what Reagan did in 1980.
Trump didn’t only claim that, if elected, he would end the war before he becomes president, but he also said that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich would be released from prison:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/27/politics/read-biden-trump-debate-rush-transcript/index.html
Now Putin is not asking for money (not even in the form of sanctions relief or release of frozen assets) but is believed to be angling for a prisoner or two.
In fact, they think the reason Putin finally put him on trial is to facilitate a prisoner swap after conviction.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/as-gershkovichs-trial-begins-a-look-at-the-chances-of-a-u-s-russia-prisoner-swap
I think they’re trying to exchange Gershkovich for Russian FSB killer Vadim Krasikov, who is being held in Germany. He killed exiled Chechen commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in a Berlin park, plus he’s suspected by (western intelligence) of killing someone else in 2013 in Moscow.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/5/2024 @ 10:56 am“So, should Biden, DeSantis-style, punish Disney, somehow? Especially now that he has all that immunity?“
How silly. Democrats don’t need immunity.
lloyd (ba7900) — 7/5/2024 @ 11:13 amTrumps is talking through his ass like always.
nk (6583a9) — 7/5/2024 @ 11:13 amA possible “fact check” done in the media style:
Biden on Trump:
This requires context and contains several errors of fact or interpretation. Trump owes less than 1 billion in total civil lawsuits. He was ordered to pay $5 million in damages in May 2023 in a civil case brought by E. Jean Carroll. And $83.3 million in damages in E. Jean Carroll defamation trial. The big one [range of things] was the civil lawsuit brought by New York State Attorney General Leticia James for misvalueing his property and that still does not add up to one billion The molestation he was accused of was not witnessed or heard by anyone and so was not in public. The allegation of sex with a porn star. which Trump denies and for which he was not sued or charged criminally, involves a date after his wife gave birth not before.
The statement about the morals of an alleycat requires context. Biden uses the present tense, but the most recent allegation of promiscuity took place almost 18 years ago. This also is not consistent with other things Biden has said because this seems to be intended derogatively but his son Hunter did more and more recently and yet he says he loves him/
Lastly, all cats are, or were, alley cats. Cats became pets, a book says, about 100 to 150 years ago, and what happened t them is like what would have happened had it happened to squirrels.
https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/catland-review-a-furry-member-of-the-family-29a79942
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Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/5/2024 @ 1:38 pmItem 5 conservatives for the rich labor for the poor. Democrat party donor class money can’t buy you the poor’s votes. Trump has just about run conservative economic libertarian reaganomics out of the republican party running against the dwarfs with no cuts to soc. security and medicare.
asset (a82953) — 7/5/2024 @ 2:39 pmBiden’s new campaign strategy C-Pap machine!
asset (a82953) — 7/5/2024 @ 2:52 pmRussian Command and Control issues continue:
via Z-military blogger Romanov
“The Russian Armed Forces in Vovchansk lack coordination of actions: there are cases when Russian soldiers storm a building that is already under their control and suffer losses.”
“The offensive on Vovchansk is commanded by the Russian General Lapin, who distinguished himself by commanding the unsuccessful crossing of the Russian Armed Forces across the Siverskyi Donets River in 2022.”
Unsuccessful is overly kind and sarcasm is heavy. It was a catastrophe for those involved
The ominous news
steveg (b46859) — 7/5/2024 @ 9:54 pm“There are 7,000 former fighters of the “Wagner” PMC in Belarus.”
Hunter Biden is said to want his Dad to stay in it to win.
steveg (b46859) — 7/5/2024 @ 10:02 pmWondering why…. follow the money?
Hunter Biden is 53 and his only marketable skill at this point is selling his dads legal thus far influence
If it’s Trump vs Biden-Harris, Trump will run against Harris.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/5/2024 @ 10:43 pmBiden shows strength! Did you review your debate to see what you did wrong? Biden “I don’t remember.” You have sad trump is a threat to american democracy. What if you lose? “Well I tried!”
asset (3e592b) — 7/6/2024 @ 12:56 amGood point.
Same logic applies to Haley supporters who rejected any compromise candidate who would beat Trump and Biden.
The argument that losing means the end of civilization, that Trump is that big a deal, is totally undermined. Partly because they clearly are opposed to conservative policies, and partly because they obviously know they had an option that was a sure win, but wouldn’t compromise to have that option. So winning must not be that big a deal. Trump must be an acceptable risk, both in your example with Biden, and to the ‘nevertrump’ movement that I kinda thought I was part of.
Dustin (3a39df) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:43 am:beat-dead-horse:
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:53 amTaking a page out of Biden’s book, Starmer’s first decision as PM is to scrap the only plan to address the UK’s illegal immigration problem. There is no backup plan, of course. Only words. With Labour, just as with the Democrats, border security failure means success.
lloyd (f7ec2c) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:39 amIndeed, I warned about this problem, a refusal for compromise from the republicans who think of themselves as smarter and elite. In 2012, when they nominated Romney over the anger of the Tea partiers, they broke the party, leading directly to a populist movement that makes no effort to work with them (and was easily taken over by a dynasty of crooks).
We had a miraculous chance to fix it this year, and the same bozos refused to compromise, while they pretended beating Trump was the most important thing in the world. It wasn’t.
So this election is the least important election of my lifetime. It doesn’t matter. You guys agree with me, even if you won’t show us. You don’t mind if Trump wins, or you would have taken an easy step to help avoid it.
It’s much like Biden’s supporters pretending that beating Trump means saving the human race, planet earth, democracy, because a rather obvious supreme court outcome means the president has immunity for his actions. But with all that at stake, they can’t make a compromise like… running their VP for president, or picking someone else.
Regardless, I am quite confident the democrats had every intention to run someone else, that’s been the plan for a couple of years, and they like the attention and drama this is creating (much like Trump tends to create negative drama but benefit from it).
The losers here are the Haley supporters, who generally realized they were at a crossroads between Trump and Desantis, and chose the Trump administration candidate who was only running to shut down Desantis. You guys use words and actions that mean different things.
Dustin (3a39df) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:59 amand chose the Trump administration candidate who was only running to shut down Desantis.
Her and her time machine again. DeSantis was history when she entered the race.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 9:10 am@21, seems like this lament was asked and answered multiple times…months ago. The responses sat unaddressed. Now it just seems like trolling. For better or worse, GOP voters want Trump’s bombast as much as they want his world view. Indictments just raised his cred and gave them all something to whine about. In the end, Haley and DeSantis never really had a shot….
AJ_Liberty (11cbc2) — 7/6/2024 @ 10:21 am“If Trump [knows] how to finish this war, he should tell us today,”
Of course it means cutting aid to Ukraine and dividing up the country….while thumbing his nose at NATO. Sadly, that’s what a vote for Trump means.
AJ_Liberty (11cbc2) — 7/6/2024 @ 10:33 amIt’s about time for Harris to say she’s behind Biden “1000 percent”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 11:24 amBiden aides wrote questions for radio hosts who interviewed him.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 11:26 amRIP Oscar-winning screenwriter (for Chinatown) Robert Towne (89):
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 12:13 pmNo.
He’s not a “good man”.
A good man doesn’t leverage the death of his first wife and kids death for political purposes.
A good man doesn’t let it be known that his wife/kid was killed by drunk truck driver that was absolutely false.
A good man doesn’t use every scummy trick in the books to technically lynch Justice Thomas at his confirmation hearing.
A good man doesn’t lie about the circumstances of his son’s death in the military.
A good man… Biden simply isn’t.
His behaviors actually gives politicians a bad name by his deeds alone.
So. No.
I’ll not participate in the gaslighting that Biden is a good person.
whembly (41bf07) — 7/6/2024 @ 12:35 pmDisqualifying:
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 1:09 pmThe broadcasters should have immediately canceled the interviews, but apparently they did not. From your linked article:
(Andrea Lawful-Sanders, the Philadelphia radio host) said she didn’t find the request to be unusual. “The only caveat that I had was, ‘If I’m asking the questions you want me to ask, I’m going to do follow-ups.’”
In a subsequent email, Lawful-Sanders added, “When I was asked to do this interview it was most important to me to have the voices of the Black people heard. I never once felt pressured to ask certain questions. I chose questions that were most important to the black and brown communities we serve in Philadelphia.”
A second radio host who also interviewed the president this week, Wisconsin-based Earl Ingram, confirmed that he, too, was provided a list of questions.
………..
Biden needs to not only withdraw from the campaign, he also needs to immediately resign as President. He can’t be incompetent to serve as a candidate but competent to serve as President.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 1:26 pmCorrected formatting:
The broadcasters should have immediately canceled the interviews, but apparently they did not. From your linked article:
Biden needs to not only withdraw from the campaign, he also needs to immediately resign as President. He can’t be incompetent to serve as a candidate but competent to serve as President.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 1:29 pmBiden should withdraw from the race, but not resign. Rely on his staff to help him finish out, and let Harris dedicate her time to running. Pick Beshear or Mayor Pete for Veep, it would position either for a solid run in 28 if the worst happens. Beshear is term limited here, so he could dedicate his time, same with Pete.
Biden has fallen off the cliff in the last year, I know being prez ages you, but it was a drastic change in a year, but if they knew it was happening around the holidays last year, it’s political malpractice that his folks let it get to this point. Just having a conversation about this means he can’t run, period.
Trump is still a worse choice than a catatonic Biden, but since the turnout is going to be significantly lower this time, a candidate with a pulse might pull the 1% that it’s going to take.
Harris for prez isn’t what I signed up for, but I’m still 100% in on NoGDWayTrump. If Harris wins, we Conservatives have a great opportunity for a 2 term prez in 28.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/6/2024 @ 2:21 pmCan you imagine all the behind-the-scenes maneuvering and machinations going on this weekend among the Democrats? It has to be epic.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 2:27 pmAlso, Trump will be older than Biden at this point in a Trump admin, so whoever he picks for Veep is who you’re voting for in 26-27.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/6/2024 @ 2:29 pmWhen you have lost David Axelrod ….
Opinion: Biden’s defiant delusion
nk (5ad3ea) — 7/6/2024 @ 2:42 pmDumpster diver election.
nk (5ad3ea) — 7/6/2024 @ 2:45 pmNice link, nk. Thank you. From the same article:
Not being sure if he watched the debate afterwards is as bad as anything he said in the debate.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 2:50 pmExpecting Biden’s camp to put the country first, or even their party first, is putting naïveté before experience. If we had an opposition media, hiding Biden’s decline wouldn’t have been possible. The outlets that reported on his dementia episodes going back years are outside most people’s bubbles. Readers of the NYT snd WaPo only know now because the debate was live and couldn’t be edited. The media is suddenly giving Biden a beating only because he seemingly can’t win, and if they could hoodwink their readers and viewers into voting for a celery stalk, they would. They’ve just now come to the realization that they can’t.
lloyd (164e2f) — 7/6/2024 @ 2:52 pmRFK is of the “If I have no understanding of a subject, anything might be true” camp of intellectuals. AKA idiots.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:04 pmAlso, Trump will be older than Biden at this point in a Trump admin, so whoever he picks for Veep is who you’re voting for in 26-27.
Not everyone ages at the same rate. I have family members sharp as a tack in their 90s. Then again, there is always impeachment, so Trump will pick someone unqualified.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:08 pm“I’ll feel, as long as I gave it my all, and did as good a job as I know I can do … that’s what this is about.”
Hmmmmm … maybe the existential threat is oversold?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:09 pmNot being sure if he watched the debate afterwards is as bad as anything he said in the debate.
He should have been asked what he had for breakfast or lunch, or some other short-term memory question.
Perhaps: “Bird, zebra, toaster”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:11 pmThen ask him 3 minutes later to repeat those.
Trump’s been a demented idiot his whole life, do we think he’s going to get better?
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:12 pmRFK is of the “If I have no understanding of a subject, anything might be true” camp of intellectuals. AKA idiots.
Worse. Some people think that other people make stuff up because “nobody can be that smart.” So, they just make up stuff, too, and are upset when other people pretend like they actually know it’s made up.
I’ve met a few like that. Not in the deep end of the IQ pool.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:15 pmTrump’s been a demented idiot his whole life, do we think he’s going to get better?
I’ll spot you the “demented”, but I argue it’s acquired. If he’d been an idiot, or demented his entire life, his money would have been parted from him by Barnum’s Second Law.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:17 pmI don’t think Trump is stupid at all. He’s amoral and lawless, but not dumb.
Nobody can command a cult like he does without some cunning.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:23 pmTrump’s clever, not smart, he’s like a rat.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:34 pmSo RFK, Jr. is running for president, even though he doesn’t know what happened on 9/11. Or so he says.
And, as far as I can tell, doesn’t feel he should know that. Amazing.
Jim Miller (5db8e0) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:37 pmIf any of you have watched HBO’s excellent Succession, just think of RFK Jr. as the character Connor Roy. Once you see the connection, you’ll smile every time RFK Jr. is mentioned.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:41 pmAnd, as far as I can tell, doesn’t feel he should know that. Amazing.
Nor does he believe that anyone else really knows. This is a mark of true stupidity.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:55 pm“I’m ignorant, therefore you must be ignorant.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:56 pmStill, he may be better than the other two. I’m having a tough time here.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:57 pmSome good reminders why Kamala shouldn’t be the one:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/opinion-why-democrats-must-now-push-out-kamala-harris/ar-BB1pwnMu?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=6f62dc4b0daa49d5a450accec8de55d5&ei=5
I had almost forgotten that Kamala was put in charge of the border early in Biden’s term. I’m sure she would like everyone to forget that. I can guarantee you that Trump won’t forget.
Come on, Democrats. Put up somebody who can win. No Joe, Kamala, or Gavin. Please!
norcal (3a285b) — 7/6/2024 @ 3:58 pmGretchen Whitmer would probably be DEMs best bet. She is governor for a swing state that they need badly. Surround her with Warnock and that is a young and dynamic team (who might not be as ideologically rigid). Other options would be Beshear. I could more easily stomach Tim Kaine or Mark Warner…to provide some national security heft….but both are stuck in Virginia with a tight Senate.
AJ_Liberty (11cbc2) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:09 pmHarris did exactly what every Democrat wanted her to do on the border: nothing.
lloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:10 pmI want J. B. Pritzker. He even looks like Grover Cleveland, and if any Democrat can get the New Mugwumps behind him he can.
nk (36211a) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:18 pmThe big villain right now isn’t Joe. It’s Jill.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/it-doesn-t-get-better-abc-s-martha-raddatz-highlights-fallout-following-biden-s-first-post-debate-interview/ar-BB1pwaVU?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=619a8143b44b4f2d81c47df858e4a501&ei=13
I’m confident there will be a movie made someday about all the wrangling going on this weekend. Jill needs to ask herself if she wants to come across as Lady Macbeth in the movie.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:20 pmThis all sounds vaguely familiar to the stories about Nancy Reagan and the effect she had on Ronald. Maybe we should place this on Joe, where it belongs, and his poor judgment.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:23 pmAJ_Liberty (11cbc2) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:09 pm
nk (36211a) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:18 pm
Any of those. For the love of Mike!
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:25 pmMaybe we should place this on Joe, where it belongs, and his poor judgment.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:23 pm
I would, if he had any judgment. He doesn’t even know if he watched his debate performance after the fact.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:26 pmAs I pointed out on a previous thread, unless Kamala Harris heads the ticket as the presidential nominee, any other candidate combination will be unable to tap into the $91M raised by the Biden/Harris campaign.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:30 pmWhether it was Joe or Jill who picked Kamala, bad choice.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:38 pmRip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:30 pm
I believe a new nominee would receive significant donations very quickly.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:39 pmTrump is at least as smart as Biden, but not in the same ways. Cleverness takes the processing power down different neural pathways, but it requires intelligence.
I’d go so far as to say that Trump is the smarter of the two at this point in time.
Trump is a liar and had the morals of an alleycat 20 years ago and evidently so did Joe when he took out the wife of Bill Stevenson. Trump never libeled, smeared Curtis Dunn, a decent innocent man who was not drunk, who tried to save Joe’s wife and daughter
steveg (1549b0) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:47 pm$91 million is chump change to J. B. Pritzker. If I remember correctly, he sank $75 million of his own money in his first campaign for Governor of Illinois. In the primary!
nk (36211a) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:50 pm91 million is chump change to J. B. Pritzker. If I remember correctly, he sank $75 million of his own money in his first campaign for Governor of Illinois. In the primary!
nk (36211a) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:50 pm
Well, there you go.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:00 pmTrump never libeled, smeared Curtis Dunn, a decent innocent man who was not drunk, who tried to save Joe’s wife and daughter.
You’re not giving Trump enough credit, steveg. It’s a big world, and there must be a couple more people besides Curtis Dunn whom Trump has never smeared or libeled.
Probably the only Commandment Trump has not broken is “Honor thy father and thy mother”, and the one he has broken most often is “Thou shalt bear false witness against thy neighbor”.
nk (36211a) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:00 pmYikes! “Thou shalt NOT bear false witness against they neighbor.”
nk (36211a) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:05 pm@56 Pritzker is more William Howard Taft than Grover Cleveland. Though exchanging dementia for morbidly obese is probably an upgrade.
lloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:10 pmBill Stevenson is Jill’s ex and he claims the story of how and when Jill met Joe is a lie. I’m inclined to believe him
Imagine being the daughter of Curtis Dunn and knowing this
“The driver of the truck, Curtis C. Dunn of Pennsylvania, was not charged with drunk driving. He wasn’t charged with anything. The accident was an accident, and though the police file no longer exists, coverage in the newspapers at the time made it clear that fault was not in question. For whatever reason, Neilia Biden, who was holding the baby, ended up in the right of way of Dunn’s truck coming down a long hill.
“She had a stop sign. The truck driver did not,” Jerome Herlihy told me. He’s a retired judge who then was a deputy attorney general “A pal of Biden at the time asked Herlihy “to go out to the state police troop where the driver of the other vehicle was to make sure everything was going all right,” and so he did. “In the end,” Herlihy said, “I concurred in their decision that there was no fault on his part.”
But hearing this from Joe on the national campaign trail “It was an errant driver who stopped to drink instead of drive… hit my children and my wife and killed them.”
Joe said this even though he very likely knew his neighbor and friend, Deputy Attorney General Jerome Herlihy concurred in the state troopers decision of no fault of Curtis Dunn.
Everytime they go with “Straight talking, honest Joe” vs. Liar Trump, they are lying about Joe
steveg (1549b0) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:13 pmPritzker played the virtue signaling card by welcoming migrants and shaming border states, then begged for help when Biden sent too many. Sounds like the sort of leadership qualities Nevertrumpers look for.
lloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:16 pmLOL! You don’t see Trump spending his billions on his presidential campaign, why would Pritzker do the same?
More Biden replacement fantasies.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:27 pmWishcasting.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:29 pmAccording to this article from 2009:
Yet, he has chosen to lie about it since then.
lloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:30 pmI believe a new nominee would receive significant donations very quickly.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 4:39 pm
Wishcasting.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:29 pm
Hardly. There are big Democratic donors who are telling Biden to drop out. Do you really not think they would donate to someone else?
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:41 pmWhy? If his cognitive abilities have declined as it appears, why doesn’t that put the country in grave danger?
The alternative is for the House to quickly impeach Biden to remove him from office. The 25th Amendment process under Section 4 is too cumbersome and time consuming; and it is unlikely that two-thirds of the Congress would ratify a decision to remove the President, leaving an incompetent person in power.. The mere threat of impeachment could trigger a cascade of Democratic pressure on Biden to resign.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:44 pmThe party that is going to Save Democracy seems intent on tossing aside all that voting in their primaries like it never happened.
lloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:46 pmLOL! You don’t see Trump spending his billions on his presidential campaign, why would Pritzker do the same?
Because Prirzker is not a soulless conman like Trump?
nk (36211a) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:48 pmPritzker won’t use his own money if he can find a way not to, because yeah he’s not a conman.
lloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:59 pmAny change would need to ratified by a convention made up entirely of Biden delegates-they may not agree with outsider pressure; they could nominate Biden regardless what donors want. And it would depend on who the Democrats select-some donors may not like whatever choice is made. Finally, dumping Harris and replacing her with a white male candidate will alienate two of the core constituencies of the Party.
I just don’t see that happening.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:59 pmlloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:46 pm
Let me know when a violent mob storms the White House and tries to intimidate Biden into dropping his campaign.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:00 pmdumping Harris and replacing her with a white male candidate will alienate two of the core constituencies of the Party.
I just don’t see that happening.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 5:59 pm
I didn’t say it had to be a white male candidate. Hell, I’d be okay with Michelle Obama or Oprah.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:03 pmDems Stick With Biden As It Would Be A Real Pain To Reprint These Ballots They Already Filled Out.
lloyd (febe76) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:09 pmSunk-cost fallacy. Sometimes you just start over. Money will flow if there is genuine excitement. Harris may not be as bad as we imagine, but she has a lot of ground to make up. If she had IT, we’d have seen it by now.
AJ_Liberty (11cbc2) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:14 pmBecause Pritzker wants to keep the fortune he inherited. A presidential campaign will cost upwards of a billion dollars this election cycle, the $91M is what the Biden/Harris campaign has in the bank right now. As of April 2024 over $300M was raised by both candidates, not including the hundreds of millions raised by outside groups.
After the recent meeting with Biden, and along with other Democratic governors, Pritzker has said he is backing Biden. There is no evidence (outside of the pundit class) that any of the Democratic governors are angling to replace Biden.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:20 pmLOL!
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:21 pmNorcal,
have you given up any conservatuve principles and just become a lefty then?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:22 pmAnd who could generate that excitement?
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:23 pmRealistically?
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:28 pmlloyd @79
So the Obama sept was worried about Pritzker two years ago, eh? This has the smell of Democrat in-party dirty tricks that Axelrod excelled at and got him and Obama to the White House. I wonder if he regrets it now.
nk (47339e) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:34 pmNorcal,
have you given up any conservatuve principles and just become a lefty then?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:22 pm
Hardly. I just think the biggest threat right now is Trump. As I’ve stated before, I’ve been a Republican all my life, and I even voted for Trump in 2016. I now see him as an amoral and lawless thug who supersedes traditional concerns about right versus left policies.
Respect for elections results is a first-order concern. Policies are second-order concerns. If we can’t respect election results, then we don’t have a country.
norcal (9ed475) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:38 pmAll you are doing is naming leftists and saying you’re in full throated support of them. Doesn’t sound remotely conservative.
If you believed Trump was the threat you allege, then like Dustin said, you should’ve done everything possible to support DeSantis. Where’s the evidence?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:46 pmGiving leftists power doesn’t improve respect for election results.
But you know that, right?
Guess living in Cali does have some benefits though. Conservative politics doesn’t exist.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:47 pmhttps://nypost.com/2022/09/29/youtube-restricts-video-of-dems-critics-saying-2016-election-was-hacked/
Election results matter.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/6/2024 @ 6:49 pmJill needs to ask herself if she wants to come across as Lady Macbeth in the movie.
More Edith Wilson lately.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:29 pmAs I pointed out on a previous thread, unless Kamala Harris heads the ticket as the presidential nominee, any other candidate combination will be unable to tap into the $91M raised by the Biden/Harris campaign.
And as I pointed out, the FEC or some compliant judge could fix that long enough. Just like that NJ senate election got a new entrant despite laws to the contrary.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:31 pmYou think the NYP is an information source? Well it is, for the conspiracy and celeb gossip crowd.
Also you failed to fully quote the headline “— then backtracks” backtracks mean the automated removal process was reviewed and video was published. That they were actually talking about the Russian interference and not about actual vote counts kind of makes a difference if you care about facts. But if you close one eye and dance on your left foot, you can fool (who am I kidding, they know they’re f-ing liars) yourself into thinking that if those guys complained then that’s the same as actively conspiring to falsify the results after the fact and sending a mob to attack the capital.
Whatabout squirrel strikes again.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:36 pmWhat would be the legal argument to overturn the FEC regulations?
Claims that there’s a judge “somewhere” who would enforce your policy preferences is not an argument.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:44 pmAnd since the FEC commissioners are split 50/50 between Democrats and Republicans, I don’t see why a Republican commissioner would vote to give the Democrats a break.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:47 pmI remember when Activist Judges were a bad thing.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:48 pmAn assertion completely without evidence.
Rip Murdock (7bd5fd) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:49 pm@97 NYP had been reporting about Biden’s dementia problems for years. Good thing you didn’t fall for that.
lloyd (1168f0) — 7/6/2024 @ 7:59 pmBy any means necessary, huh? You would “cut down the laws” to achieve your preferred outcomes.
Rip Murdock (f2e670) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:10 pmYeah, they started 16 years ago. Predicting a 65 year old is going to get old is probably going to be right at some point.
30 years ago they reported that Trump was a lying philanderer, they were right.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:13 pmBy any means necessary, huh? You would “cut down the laws” to achieve your preferred outcomes.
Oh, please, politics and courts mix all the time. You should see the 3rd party ballot access fights. This, from way back in the misty days of 2002:
And the court went along.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:22 pmRip is certainly on a hand-wringing “nothing will work” kick today.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:25 pm“Even if Biden is not the nominee, he would have the authority to direct his campaign treasurer on what to do with the remnant funds — whether that is a transfer in full to the DNC, to a super PAC supporting the new nominee or parsed out up to contribution limits to various other campaigns with the balance to the DNC or a super PAC,” Steve Roberts, a partner at Holtzman Vogel and former general counsel on Vivek Ramaswamy’s 2024 presidential campaign, told The Hill.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4753737-biden-drop-out-rumors-campaign-funding/
AJ_Liberty (11cbc2) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:26 pmClaims that there’s a judge “somewhere” who would enforce your policy preferences is not an argument.
There’s a judge somewhere who would enforce ANY policy preference. Probably in Hawaii.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/6/2024 @ 8:34 pm@30 25th amendment anyone? Bueller? Over at DU its biden is great everything is wonderful report and toss anyone who disagrees! The party is always right! This is my side.
asset (633515) — 7/6/2024 @ 10:40 pm@48 what happened on 9-11? Dubya and the neo-cons got their second pearl harbor they said they needed before they could invade IRAQ! Dubya tells national security advisor on 9-11 now we can attack Iraq! No mr. president we were attacked by bin ladin. Rummy ;but their are no good targets to bomb in afganistan! History did not start on the morning of 9-11 2001.
asset (633515) — 7/6/2024 @ 11:00 pmKlink,
you didnt read the results. The backtracks was YouTube banning the video. The video itself was a perfectly accurate summation of leftists denying elecrion results which is what I stated.
You continue to misrepresent my statements and you continue to run interference for leftists. Why is that?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:36 amThe NY Post reported on the Biden laptop truthfully amd accurately. The leftist media colluded with Biden to supress the truth.
We know why.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:39 amI’ve been reading Ian Toll’s “Six Frigates”, and found it most interesting. Though it took me a while to realize that I needed a dictionary beside me while reading, to translate all those nautical terms, like “scantling”.)
There are tidbits like the incident of the wife of the British ambassador being insulted because Jefferson didn’t escort her into a state dinner, as was the rule in Britain at the time. (Jefferson explained that the US would follow its own rules, which meant escorting the wife of a cabinet minister.)
Or the detailed “shopping lists” that the Barbary pirates gave our ambassadors, when demanding tribute.
And, early in the book, I found a reminder from Jefferson which — in my opinion — is good advice for us, today. The 1800 presidential election was one of the most bitter in our history, but Jefferson did not want to continue that bitterness. In his inaugural address, Jefferson said: “Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names bretheren of the same principle. We are all republicans, we are all federalists.”
Jim Miller (b6ab01) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:32 am25th amendment anyone? Bueller?
Asset, the problem is that the 25th Amendment is harder than impeachment if the president disagrees.
Sure, he can be declared incapable by the Cabinet, which isn’t terribly difficult, but if he disagrees you have to get 2/3rds of the House AND 2/3rds of the Senate to vote to remove. Impeachment only requires a majority in the House.
The 25th Amendment only works if it is in the president’s interest, like the situation in the West Wing episode “25”, or if the president is so incapacitated he cannot object.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:04 amThanks for the link, NJRob. The Democrats were really mad when Trump won in 2016. They said the election was fraud, hacked, and Trump was illegitimate. Sounds like what Trump said in 2020 !! (except, of course, Obama peacefully transferred power and no one stormed the Capitol to stop it).
DRJ (f65e25) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:04 am(except, of course, Obama peacefully transferred power and no one stormed the Capitol to stop it)
I wonder if that will remain the same in Jan 2025. This election is going to be very bitter and if Trump wins narrowly there are those on the Left as willing to take to the streets as any Proud Boy. Still, Biden (or possibly Harris) isn’t likely to stand by, or leave the Capitol unguarded, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be violent mob action.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:12 amImpeachment means nothing if 2/3 of the Senate doesn’t vote to convict and remove.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:12 amOnly that fantasies won’t work within the context of current laws and political realities. . I’d rather depend on facts.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:18 amWhich would certainly be challenged in court by the Trump campaign and RNC, even if technically legal.
What candidate could generate that “genuine excitement”?
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:30 amI daresay your 2024 election predictions leave a lot to be desired-what happened to Republican presidential nominee Nikki Haley? She’s voting for Trump.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:34 am@119, the DEMs will be “excited” by any candidate who can think on their feet…and not stumble, grumble, and bumble about. I would see Gretchen Whitmer as satisfying the criteria while adding the potential of being the first female President. Her number 2 could be Raphael Warnock or Roy Cooper. Beshear is relatively green but has shown that he can win in a Republican state. Amy Klobuchar might be a reach, though an all female ticket might have some advantage. Jared Polis is fairly popular in his state, though it might not be the time to explore a national gay candidate.
Polling shows a deep dissatisfaction with Trump v Biden. The debate showed two old men each with deep flaws. Even though most Americans might not really know Whitmer, they want a different option, someone who can articulate positions and values without a teleprompter…and with some experience at governing. There is nothing optimal about introducing oneself to the country in a mere 4 months….provided both Biden and Harris give the thumbs up. But it would likely be better for America, than the present sad offering….and I applaud any effort to make it so.
AJ_Liberty (bd5cd1) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:19 amWhat we have had for 30 years is a government (at all levels) wringing their hands and saying “Nothing can be done.”
Surprise: Populists, who won’t play be the rules.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:14 amI’m going to say that a lot of that anger was due to absolute shock that a reality TV host was victorious over a Democrat whose hub had been president, and had a massive following herself, with oodles of years of experience in politics. People, even Republicans, were in utter shock that Hillary Clinton lost. They could not accept that, while not winning the popular vote, Trump nonetheless ended up in the Oval.
Dana (46b10b) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:25 amExcitement? The Democrat governors are dull as dishwater.
And all of the Democrat governors you mentioned (outside of Whitmer) are white males-how do you think that will play among progressive Democrats at the convention? They also have no national profile and would certainly alienate black voters.
I don’t see the convention rejecting Harris to lead the ticket. The political optics are all bad.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:26 amThis will irritate the Trumpist right-wing, but I agree with Somin, not an invasion at the southern border.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:37 amIf Biden withdraws/resigns from the campaign or presidency,, my (pretty safe) prediction is that there is greater than 50% chance Harris will be the presidential nominee.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:43 amGlad to do so. I also remember the “Summer of love” that was fiery, but mostly peaceful and Kamala bailing out the criminals.
I do not recall Trump telling people to storm the Capitol. Perhaps you’ve seen otherwise.
NJRob (259cb9) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:44 amLet’s see, 30 years takes us back to 1994, when the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives. That resulted in a balanced budget and welfare reform. Following Clinton, we had the overthrow of Saddam, PEPFAR, the most successful foreign aid program since the Marshal Plan, and family-friendly tax cuts. Recently, Roe was finally tossed, as it should have been, and affirmative action is now illegal, something I think will do much to reduce tensions among groups, in the long run, and perhaps even sooner.
Then, on the negative side, we have two presidents in succession who have run massive deficits.
I wouldn’t call any of those “nothing”, but others may disagree.
Jim Miller (80458d) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:46 am“But we’re going to try and give our Republicans, the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help, we’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.”
–Donald J. Trump, 1/6/2021
“Take back” doesn’t sound very democratic. Or peaceful.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:03 amLast I checked, Raphael Warnock is not white…and Joe Biden is. At some point, the election becomes about competence. It’s a minimal threshold that people will get excited for. Neither Trump nor Biden is competent. Harris has demonstrated meager competence. Those I mentioned all have higher ceilings. It will be difficult for our ossified system to make significant change. It needs to…
AJ_Liberty (bd5cd1) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:04 amThey also have no national profile and would certainly alienate black voters.
Democrats will vote for the Democrat even if it’s David Duke. What matters is who the center votes for, and right now they’re trending Trump.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:26 ammy (pretty safe) prediction is that there is greater than 50% chance
That’s utterly safe as it can never be proven wrong, even if someone else gets the nomination.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:30 amI wouldn’t call any of those “nothing”, but others may disagree.
None of those helped the white working class out of their depression until Trump actually cut their taxes and forced the money people to abandon China.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:32 amGood news. The Putin Party lost in France today, and the results were worse than anyone expected. Maybe LePen posing with terrorist regime members wasn’t a good idea.
Paul Montagu (ca7cff) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:50 amhttps://x.com/joenbc/status/1810015762137952395?s=46&t=Enscg8JjQytl9HJp0OtcWA
Hooray, the French antisemites won!
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:05 pmIn an attempt to avoid actual democracy, Macron and his centrists allied with the antisemitic far Left to stop what the MSM call the far Right. They continue to sow the wind.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:15 pmPaul cheering on the communists in France. I’m shocked
NJRob (259cb9) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:18 pmWrong again, Rob.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:32 pmI’m cheering against the Frog right-wingers who are in the tank for the Terrorist Thug-in-Chief of Russia, and the right-wing party that is led by fascist Marie LePen.
“Good news. The Putin Party lost in France today”
And the Stalin Party won. Good news for those who oppose the will of the people. Great news, actually.
From the left wing Le Monde:
France has two rounds of elections, so that these sort of electoral tricks can be played.
lloyd (ed9493) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:36 pmThere is more to the world than opposing Putin. Particularly for people who don’t have next year’s meals paid for already.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:40 pmMacron is left-of-center and still in charge, so it’s status quo, which is acceptable considering the Putin-sniffing right-wing alternative.
You’re right, Kevin, there’s “more to the world than opposing Putin”, but not in France today.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:47 pmI used to think that in the second round in France it was a runoff between the top two finishers, but evidently they changed it so that all candidates run again. France Unbowed may be worse than Le Pen.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:57 pm@141 Macron was not up for election. He was going to retain his position regardless. Macron wasn’t the alternative to the RN. Power has been handed to the Stalinist coalition, which is “good news” only to leftists.
lloyd (ed9493) — 7/7/2024 @ 12:59 pmLeading House Democrats are holding a Zoom meeting today to discuss next steps. This is a meeting usually held on Wednesdays. Senator Mark Warner is trying to get Democratic Senators to either meet with Biden or write him a letter about withdrawing on Monday.
Meanwhile evidently to head that all off, there is being arranged a poll of convention delegates in a week or two with the idea that they will support Biden staying.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:02 pmDictionary
nk (fb93ae) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:05 pmDefinitions from Trump University Languages
left·ist
/ˈleftəst/
noun
a person who has not been urinated on by a prostitute in a Moscow hotel room.
“these values are shared by many leftists”
Leading House Democrats will meet on Zoom today, a meeting usually held on Wednesday, Senator Mark Warner is trying to assemble a group of Democratic Senators to either meet with Biden on Monday or write him a letter about withdrawing.
Meanwhile, Donna Brazile said on ABC that she’s a member of the credentials committee and is helping compile a list of delegates to the conventi ballots to.on to mail ballots to.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:06 pmActually I will be proven wrong if Harris doesn’t receive the nomination.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:18 pmAt Trump University they also engage in first black woman president denialism.
lloyd (ed9493) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:20 pmMeanwhile, the “reformer” won in Iran. Perhaps the Ayatollah will take a lesson from that. Maybe he already has,
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:22 pmFrance’s Parliament will be split mainly into 3 incompatible groups. The left consisted of a coalition of 4 parties: Socialists, Communists, Greens and France Unbowed. Macron must hope to split it apart. One idea is a caretaker cabinet, with new elections in one year, he soonest he can call another,
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:27 pmUnder the French electoral system the vote did reflect the will of the people. It’s not like the French right was unaware how their system worked.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:30 pmNk ignoring the actual description of the commies that won in France according to exit polls. No surprise that a fraud like Macr9n would align woth the Stalinists. We see the same here in America.
NJRob (bfab53) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:33 pmYou’re pretending that Macron has no power, which is ridiculous and false, because it’s a center-left coalition. Macron keeps his job and is more or less status quo, and it’s a loss for Putin because his propaganda effort failed. Phillips O’Brien here.
Also, it was just a few days ago that Farage and his Putin-loving Tories cratered in their election.
I keep saying this, but right-wing ≠ conservative. Also, what’s called “conservative” across the pond isn’t traditional American conservatism.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:38 pmMarine Le Pen provided an incentive to the left to form an electoral alliance when she said her National Rally party would not lead a government without a absolute parliamentary majority in the second round.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:40 pmI keep saying this, but right-wing ≠ conservative. Also, what’s called “conservative” across the pond isn’t traditional American conservatism.
I agree. And not here, either, anymore.
nk (f319d4) — 7/7/2024 @ 1:45 pmKeep making the conservative case for Biden, Schiff, Bragg, Sotomayor, and the French communists. Anyone I left out? It’s all so very convincing, Paul.
Farage won his seat and Reform UK gained seats. This counts as cratering in the same news bubble that told you Biden was lucid.
lloyd (ed9493) — 7/7/2024 @ 2:08 pmFive seats out of 650 (.8% of the total) and fewer than the Lib Dems (72, 11%); Scottish National Party (9, 1.4%); Sinn Fein (7, 1.1%); and independent candidates (6, .9%).
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 2:27 pm@157 Don’t let the facts get in the way.
“Reform’s roughly four million votes translates into a 14% share of the total votes cast in the election, but only 1% of all the seats in the House of Commons. By contrast, Labour won 34% of total votes cast, but about 64% of the 650 seats.”
lloyd (ed9493) — 7/7/2024 @ 2:50 pmThe left consisted of a coalition of 4 parties: Socialists, Communists, Greens and France Unbowed. Macron must hope to split it apart.
Which of those 4 parties is he hoping to work with? (France Unbowed is hard Left antisemites).
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 2:55 pmSo, what do people think of the proposed Democratic “Blitz primary” game show? WIll there be a Lightning Round?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 2:58 pmFive seats out of 650 (.8% of the total) and fewer than the Lib Dems (72, 11%)…
That’s 5 seats with 14% of the vote versus 72 seats with 11%. What it shows is an electoral system that caters to regional parties with concentrated support.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:01 pmWishful thinking:
Biden replacement fantasy camp. I don’t see any serious Democrats participating in something like out of the fear of alienating any one of a number of Democrat interest groups.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:02 pmBecause “Jihad Primary” was already trademarked?
lloyd (ed9493) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:04 pmComedy gold!
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:05 pmHere are the basic numbers from the July 4th UK election.
The incumbent parties — the Conservatives in Wales and England and the Scottish Nationalist Party in Scotland — lost badly. Both were hurt by scandals, but especially the SNP.
The Conservatives would have done better had not Nigel Farage worked to expand Reform UK. He succeeded in votes, but failed in seats, winning only 5 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons. He helped, in short, to damage the conservative cause in the UK, and the world, generally.
(Northern Ireland is, of course, an entirely different world from the rest of the UK, still fighting over centuries-old religious quarrels.)
Jim Miller (50a86c) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:06 pmThose are great bragging rights, but the ability to make policy and laws is based on the number of seats a party holds in Parliament. Five seats out of 650 will show that Reform UK will have little influence on policy when Labour will have a 407 majority over Reform.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:17 pmI don’t see how Biden could withdraw from the race and then remain President until the end of his term. Everybody would know he withdrew due to his disastrous debate performance where he looked feeble-minded. If he’s too feeble to continue the campaign, then he’s too feeble to be President.
To make the argument that the people around him will run the country for the next six months is to argue that the President just isn’t that important, which is very ironic in an election year, don’t you think?
The only way it makes sense is if he withdraws AND resigns, making Kamala the President. I doubt she would be content to only be President for six months. No. She would vie for the nomination along with the other wannabes. I’m going to stock up on popcorn.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:20 pmI haven’t made a conservative or any case for any of them, lloyd. WTF are you blathering about?
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:21 pmHe helped, in short, to damage the conservative cause in the UK, and the world, generally.
Jim, I think you mistake Reform UK as “conservative.” Like other populist parties they call for significant change. Heck, “Reform” is in their name.
What Gingrich said of Dole: The tax collector for the welfare state.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:23 pmIn most of the world, there is a ratchet clicking Left. Conservatives want the ratchet to click more slowly, not go the other way. “Progressives” want it to click much faster. Populists want to get rid of the ratchet entirely.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:26 pmThe conservative case for Biden et al is Trump.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:26 pmI agree completely; those who want him to just withdraw but remain President are in denial.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:28 pmI want him to resign but stay in the race!
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:31 pmI want him to resign but stay in the race!
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:31 pm
🤣🤣
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:32 pmThe primaries are over; and the Biden/Harris team won the vast majority of delegates. I would expect a simple majority would pick her as the Democratic nominee for president.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:33 pmI don’t think of Reform UK as conservative, especially not in the US sense. Some of his followers, there and here, claim he is. But I think his attraction to Putin should make it clear that he is not a conservative by our standards, any more than Jeremy Corbyn is a conservative. (He also likes Putin.)
Jim Miller (50a86c) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:34 pmHad this crisis occurred during the primaries, an alternative candidate to Biden might have emerged with a significant number of convention delegates, but that didn’t happen.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:39 pmSo, there’s a bunch of people on a raft, heading down the Niagara River to the Falls. The oarsman has dropped the oar into the water and they can no longer control the raft and they are starting to panic. They talk about making a new oar, and ask each other why they picked this senile oarsman. Or maybe just jumping into the fiver and swimming for it.
Every new idea is shot down by a guy who thinks he’s the smartest guy on the raft. Swim for it? You’ll just drown. Make a new oar? Wishcasting. We were doomed when we let that idiot hold the oar.
So, they all tie the wiseguy to the raft and swim for it, while he’s still telling them they’ll drown.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:47 pmFortunately fables are just that.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:55 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:47 pm
Another good one, Kevin. I enjoy your comedic side.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 5:10 pmOut:
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 5:43 pmIf only Kevin M put as much thought and effort into supporting his arguments beyond “there’s a judge somewhere.”
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/7/2024 @ 5:45 pmKevin makes mistakes sometimes, but I like how he shoots from the hip and throws ideas out there. Some people edit themselves so much that they never say anything.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 6:04 pmThere’s always a judge somewhere. Between the 5th Circuit and the 9th Circuit there’s a lot of ideological room. One guy might rule the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional while another has no problem with Bible studies in classrooms.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 6:17 pmThe reason he’ll quit the campaign, if he does, is that he’s convinced he can’t win, or at least that others have a better chance. It would be an assessment of his popularity, not his competence. Can’t win ≠ can’t govern.
lurker (c23034) — 7/7/2024 @ 6:56 pmAndrea Lawful-Sanders, WURD Radio part ways after she used questions provided by Biden’s campaign
Yeah, sounds like bypassing Harris is going to go down well.
lloyd (ffd3a6) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:04 pmlloyd (ffd3a6) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:04 pm
I salute Andrea Lawful-Sanders for telling the truth.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:29 pm@185, that’s right. There’s nothing worse than quitting except losing to Trump and preventing someone from making it a close election. That fear will either move him or not. There are also no white knights waiting to roll in. Whitmer, Newsom, Cooper, all represent risk. Any of them could implode from lack of preparation and choking. I think Biden dropping out is the right thing to do.
AJ_Liberty (45564b) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:31 pmMsdnc ayman: Under supreme court ruling when fbi conspired with chicago police to murder Fred Hampton and Mark Clark if president ordered it it would now be legal. Seal team six better get ready!
asset (f10a85) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:35 pm@115 they were mad at jill stein too! Clintonistas didn’t believe democrats like me wouldn’t vote for what ever crap they threw on the wall that stuck. They also hate bernie sanders. Now they rightly fear RFK jr. if Biden isn’t dumped.
asset (f10a85) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:43 pmDemocrats tell joe its time to go! 1974 all over again. Then they go visit Michele Obama!
asset (f10a85) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:49 pmI think Biden dropping out is the right thing to do.
AJ_Liberty (45564b) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:31 pm
Another thing I wonder about is who would be willing to get in the race at this point. Trump was up even before Biden’s debacle of a debate. The top names could very well decide that their chances would be better in 2028.
Even Kamala might not like her chances, but her hand would be forced if Biden resigned. She would then have to run, wouldn’t she? If she retains presidential aspirations, I just can’t see her skipping the 2024 race as the incumbent President, and hoping she could jump back in come 2028.
These are interesting times.
Whatever happens in this election, I hope that at least one chamber is controlled by the party not winning the Presidency. There is too much potential for mischief otherwise.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:53 pm@127 You just found out that establishment corporate democrats are phony do as I say not as I do hypocrites? Nov.8 2016 clintonistas our elections are not rigged! Nov. 9 2016 rigged! ;but you said they were not rigged yesterday? Democrats that was then this is now!
asset (f10a85) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:55 pm@192 who would run? Don’t stand in the door way you would get run over by democrats running.
asset (f10a85) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:57 pm@188. I want whoever is likeliest to defeat Trump to run. If it’s Biden, leave him be. If it’s anyone else, even the execrable Kamala, dump him. If NJRob could beat Trump and would run as a Democrat I’d crawl over broken glass to vote for him. The thing is, I have no confidence I can predict who that optimal candidate is. My strongest intuition is that the election is lost, whoever runs, so I doubt any of the frantic activity we’re going to see between now and election day will be of much consequence.
lurker (c23034) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:00 pm@177 why do you think the dnc rigged the primaries and had no debates to keep out RFK jr.
asset (f10a85) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:02 pmMy strongest intuition is that the election is lost, whoever runs, so I doubt any of the frantic activity we’re going to see between now and election day will be of much consequence.
lurker (c23034) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:00 pm
I fear you are correct. If so, Democrats should try to mitigate the damage by doing whatever they can to enhance the prospects of down-ballot candidates. I guess it’s possible that some potential Democratic Presidential nominees, although destined to lose, would help down-ballot candidates more than other nominees.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:05 pmDon’t stand in the door way you would get run over by democrats running.
asset (f10a85) — 7/7/2024 @ 7:57 pm
I think Gavin Newsom is shrewd enough to know that this isn’t the time to jump in.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:16 pmIf the Democrats end up sticking with Biden, expect the media to suddenly find him lucid again. The media will herd to whatever they think will help Democrats.
lloyd (da29ad) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:23 pm@187 She went along with the request, which wasn’t the right decision, but yes she was honest about it after the fact. I salute the radio station putting their integrity first.
lloyd (da29ad) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:26 pmIf the Democrats end up sticking with Biden, expect the media to suddenly find him lucid again. The media will herd to whatever they think will help Democrats.
lloyd (da29ad) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:23 pm
It won’t work. We all saw the debate. We also saw the Stephanopoulos interview, where Biden wasn’t sure if he watched his debate performance after the fact. There is no un-ringing that bell.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:35 pm@197. Yeah, but I have no idea who’s likeliest to help down-ballot either. Just a hunch, but I’ll guess it’s the same person who’s likeliest to beat Trump. Which leaves us back where we started.
lurker (c23034) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:36 pmIf she retains presidential aspirations, I just can’t see her skipping the 2024 race as the incumbent President, and hoping she could jump back in come 2028.
Oh, I think she could, particularly with all the MSM could say in her defense.
“These are difficult times and I could use my position and claim the nomination. But it is more important that we have the strongest candidate to beat Donald Trump. So, it is a matter of integrity that I put my party and my nation ahead of my ambitions ….”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:44 pmWhatever happens in this election, I hope that at least one chamber is controlled by the party not winning the Presidency. There is too much potential for mischief otherwise.
I don’t advocate further stalemate. We have serious problems that we’ve not addressed for 20 years or so. After a while, any decision is better than no decision.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:48 pmI don’t advocate further stalemate. We have serious problems that we’ve not addressed for 20 years or so. After a while, any decision is better than no decision.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:48 pm
Both parties have had periods in the last 20 years where they controlled the Presidency and both chambers, so I’m just not seeing the need.
The last time we had a balanced budget was with Clinton and a Republican Congress.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:52 pmYeah, but I have no idea who’s likeliest to help down-ballot either.
Apparently, it’s Trump. He is taking a situation that has 7 Democrat seats up for grabs and has promoted candidates who are losing all of them. The only gained senate seat will be in WV.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:54 pmThe last time we had a balanced budget was with Clinton and a Republican Congress.
And Perot and his 19% of the vote scaring the crap out of them.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:55 pmBiden is mortally wounded. You don’t come back from “Beat Medicare” and the vacant stares. It’s just too easy to make the case that he’s simply not up to standing up to Putin, Xi, and the Mullahs. Add in inflation, immigration, and crime and he loses too many of the voters that propelled him in 2020.
So, it’s Kamala or the field. I’ll take the field because Harris inherits looking back at the inflation, immigration debacle, and Afghanistan. She must own it. Someone new gets to look forward and paint a more clear contrast with Trump. Can Whitmer do it? I’ve seen her on TV a handful of times. She’s struck me as brighter and quicker than Biden or Harris (ok, low bar…really low bar). Trump is a different animal which requires disciplined delivery and an ability to put him off kilter. Hopefully the strategists are earning their strategy and strategizing….and make it a fight.
AJ_Liberty (45564b) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:58 pmI like the cut of your jib, AJ.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:07 pmSo, it’s Kamala or the field. I’ll take the field because Harris inherits looking back at the inflation, immigration debacle, and Afghanistan.
AJ_Liberty (45564b) — 7/7/2024 @ 8:58 pm
She especially inherits the immigration debacle because she was delegated to handle the border. Trump will have a field day with that.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:24 pmThis is why I say Kamala should stay as VP running mate, and the DNC vote for a headliner.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:40 pmIt keeps Kamala’s foibles off the table, and also takes Biden’s feebleness and mental diminution off the table, and then the focus can turn back on Trump’s mental illness and unfitness.
But it’s likely to be Harris if she insists. Who’s gonna enter the race against Ms Intersectionality? It’ll be kit gloves at best. You thought Haley looked awkward running against Trump? Wait’ll you get a look at the white guys lining up to take on Miss Black America.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:41 pmMore attention is being paid on the lives Putin is sacrificing to keep his dirty illegal war going.
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:41 pmThis is why I say Kamala should stay as VP running mate
Sde’d be better off stepping off “voluntarily” as I suggested in 203. Then pick up her IOUs and run for CA governor where she can’t hurt anyone.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:44 pmPaul, that quote is missing words. Between what?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:46 pmPaul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:41 pm
Anytime I think I have problems, I just remind myself of all the people dying in Ukraine because some thug–who has the largest country in the world by land area–wants more territory.
Support for Ukraine is the number one issue in this election. As long as the Democratic nominee is supportive of Ukraine, he/she will get my vote.
norcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 9:55 pmKev, the Kyiv Post completed the rest…
Paul Montagu (169a51) — 7/7/2024 @ 10:15 pmYeah, the tweet said “Between mid-June …”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:12 pmSupport for Ukraine is the number one issue in this election.
To many it’s more a “would be nice…”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/7/2024 @ 11:14 pmHunter biden lets try A.I. president biden to keep me out of jail!
asset (f10a85) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:31 amFour more years! Four more weeks. Four more days?
asset (f10a85) — 7/8/2024 @ 3:05 amThe French invented communism. Look it up.
But it takes an exceptionally Orwellian cerebral short-circuit to call people of any political stripe who oppose Putin’s invasion of Ukraine Stalinists. The Stalinists are the ones who do not oppose Putin.
nk (8c10d3) — 7/8/2024 @ 6:21 am@78
Are you… for real?
You don’t get the Governorship in freaking Illinois by NOT being a conman.
whembly (477db6) — 7/8/2024 @ 6:39 amWhat can I say, whembly? Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.
Rip finally went hunting where the ducks are by finding out that Pritzker had joined the other governors in supporting Biden’s continued run.
Despite my wishes, darn it! I never said Pritzker was going to run. What I said was that I wanted him to run.
nk (0ba86c) — 7/8/2024 @ 6:55 am@171
Absolutely not.
You may have a “case” to justify your vote for Biden over Trump.
But, there’s nothing “conservative” about it.
Voting for Biden is voting for insane leftist/progressive policies that would be neigh impossible to reverse in the future. (see Obamacare).
whembly (477db6) — 7/8/2024 @ 7:04 am#208
So, it’s Kamala or the field. I’ll take the field because Harris inherits…
One thing Trump has been doing is making inroads with the black vote, the young vote and this hisapnic vote.
You don’t get that back by openly dissing Kamela.
Just sayin’…
I’m a yellow dog anti-Trumper, which means I will vote for a demented Biden as well.
#225
You may have a “case” to justify your vote for Biden over Trump.
But, there’s nothing “conservative” about it
What you are saying is that Conservatism is Trump in 2024.
Appalled (40fe59) — 7/8/2024 @ 7:23 am@226
No.
Not really.
I was really saying Conservativism was DeSantis in 2024… but, I lost that primary battle.
Trump’s “Conservativism” is accidental simply because of the nature that he brings in Republicans (generally) into his administration. And because conservative policies are popular amongst his voters, so he fans their adulations by hitching his policies to that. But, he’s certainly no Conservative™ advocate.
Perfect example to that is just Judge nomination from the Heritage Foundation.
Or, put another way. Instead of saying which politician is “x” political ideologies.
Simply ask yourself this:
Which candidate will advance your preferred policies?
IMO, that’s the only criterion one should vote for…because it truly should be distilled down a transactional enterprise.
Doing so otherwise, while claiming to be a righty/conservative… is a recipe for civic disaster.
whembly (477db6) — 7/8/2024 @ 7:34 amFrom the AP today:
“Biden tells Hill Democrats he ‘declines’ to step aside and says it’s time for party drama ‘to end'”
So, either Biden is truly stubborn in refusing to step down.
Or…
No one has made the Biden’s an offer they couldn’t refuse…
Yet…
whembly (477db6) — 7/8/2024 @ 7:37 am@222 No one is calling them Stalinists, nk. They self identify as such. There’s really no guesswork at play here. They’re anti-Semites as well. Take your pick. But they’re pro war, so it’s all good.
lloyd (c2d3a3) — 7/8/2024 @ 7:48 amWell, I did read that Stalin was “rehabilitated” in the USSR around 1984 (not kidding), so I suppose that could have also involved “erasing” the Holomodor as well. Still ….
nk (22f75e) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:12 amYou don’t get the Governorship in freaking Illinois by NOT being a conman.
Or, often enough, a felon.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:36 amIf Blacks thought Harris was such a great candidate, they would have voted for her in 2019. They didn’t. The choice is lose with Joe….or lose bigger with Kamala. If you don’t want Christian Nationalists whispering in the ear of the President, maybe there’s a different choice…
AJ_Liberty (45564b) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:36 amWhat you are saying is that Conservatism is Trump in 2024.
Biden is the “conservative” here. He favors continuing along as we are with as few changes as possible. Bloated government, rampant spending, more taxes to pay for continued rampant spending, a trillion-dollar military, complex tax policies, open borders, etc.
The radical is Trump, who would upend every apple cart. As usual with radicals, he’s kinda weak on what he’ll do after all the destruction and blood-letting.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:42 amIf Blacks thought Harris was such a great candidate, they would have voted for her in 2019.
I guess you say “voted” in some metaphorical sense.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:44 amBTW, the left-wing French PCF party threw off Stalin back in the 1970s. The only folks who still publicly admire the Soviet butcher are Putin and a few remaining communist dictators.
Speaking of Putin, today’s terrorist attack is brought to you by the Thug-in-Chief of the Russian Federation, who “liberated” the main children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Paul Montagu (6a638f) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:45 amIt takes a special kind of evil to deliberately murder children, but Vlad has been up to the task. The toll so far is 17 dead and 41 wounded.
To date, Putin has bombed nearly a thousand hospitals, churches and schools, terrorist attacks all. If only Ukraine had a fraction of Hamas’ skills at manipulating the media and playing the victim.
Ukraine may be the number one issue here, but most voters don’t care. A February 2024 poll shows “foreign policy” coming in at 1% as the “most important issue”, ranked 14th out of 15 issues (tied with criminal justice reform).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:46 amAnd I was trying to disabuse you of the notion that he would run.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:50 amThey didn’t have the chance to vote for her in 2019, since the primaries didn’t start until January 2020. She withdrew in December 2019, before the primaries began.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:55 amThere he goes again……What would be the legal argument to overturn the FEC rules?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:08 am#232
There is a world of difference between the 2020 primary and overlooking the sitting Vice President for — what exactly? The names I hear are all kind of wonderbread. Kamela isn’t that appealing, but who on the Dem side has much appeal? And do they have any time to break through the media and show it? What’s the theory that some Dem out of nowhere is going to salvage things, without alienating a lot of others?
The goal for any Biden replacement is to get the Obama minority vote. That way victory lies. That said, it does sound like the black establishment is rallying around Biden.
Appalled (40fe59) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:22 amRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:46 am
People who answered the survey could only pick one issue as the most important.
That was inflation/prices at 20%. (they probably got to pick the top three)
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:27 amRip Murdock @151. Than you for explaining the French electoral system. One thing is still not clear. What if the tp finisher gets under 50% but more than 12.5% and the next runner up gets less than 12.5% (unlikely)
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:32 amThere’s another place named after Stalin (sort of) where the members of the New Popular Front gathered to hear the results:
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/07/07/world/france-election-2024
They also gathered at the Place de la République in Paris.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:37 amWhat they are not doing is proposing any changes in the presidential nominating/election system.
If you need competitive primaries you need a threshold of over 50%, at least on the first ballot (I suggested 62% – not 2/3) and the ability of someone to jump in after the first primaries (that means the ability to raise money quickly in a=large donations but not in such a way that a candidate has few possible donors) and less obstacles to third party candidates.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:41 amhttps://www.nationalreview.com/corner/vote-for-biden-dont-worry-other-people-are-running-the-country/?utm_source=recirc-desktop&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=hero&utm_content=related&utm_term=second
Indeed…
whembly (477db6) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:43 amnorcal (a97e06) — 7/7/2024 @ 3:20 pm
No, who holds the office is important, because when the president changes the appointees and the nature of the appointees changes.
Eisenhower was almost out of it for several weeks..
https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/news/six-crises
This is a Nixon legacy website.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:59 am“I guess you say “voted” in some metaphorical sense.”
And by “voting” maybe I meant expressed their preference as evidenced by polling. If the Democrat Party must be so sensitive to black voters, it’s interesting that Harris and Booker never left single digits….and the party stuck with an all-white lineup to defeat Trump: Biden, Warren, Sanders, and Buttigieg topping out the list.
It’s looking less and less likely that Biden will drop out. He believes he can mumble his way through this like 2020. I think he’s wrong. I think he is not intellectually facile enough to prosecute the case against Trump while rationalizing his own deficiencies. He’s never been a great orator and mixed in with his doddery, he’s just not compelling. Trump wins. Having been a prosecutor, one would think Harris would be a more natural choice, but she’s never impressed as being a quick wit or especially organized. She will be saddled by the border and all the Biden missteps from Afghanistan to Inflation. They can try and run on that the country has turned the corner and that we need to push forward with the same policies. Trump will eat their lunch.
The DEMs gambled by not having a wide-open primary and introduce their rising governors. Dean Phillips was duly ignored. Is it too late to push a young and glib alternative? Weekend at Joe’s was mildly amusing in 2020. Now it’s just sad. This is how you get Trump 2.0….
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 7/8/2024 @ 10:16 amBreaking: Biden’s letter to Congressional Democrats today:
https://apnews.com/article/biden-letter-democrats-4562a72aa3a891e55261617d0d494d00
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24794149-biden-letter-to-congressional-democrats
Like Jimmy Carter said when campaigning in the Ohio primary in 1976, the candidate should be some one who ran in the primaries and a vote for anyone else there is a vote for Hubert Humphrey and Hubert Humphrey is not running in the primaries so you have to vote for him. He said that after getting Mayor Daley the first to say that the nominee should be whoever won the Ohio primary, thus ignoring California and New Jersey which voted on the same day.
While some Republicans proposed some cutbacks in Social Security, Trump has disavowed any interest in doing so.
Democratic immigration policy would be trickle down economics for the immigrants – and it would work
Trump has proposed either amending it or coming up with a better system – no details – but not a simple repeal.
[His father had that policy till 1973. He didn’t get rich because of it – it simply made his tenant selection process easier. He was trying to protect his buildings. Or what is Biden saying here about the utility or value of racial discrimination in housing?? It makes you rich? Donald Trump decided to stay out of middle income housing as a result of these legal complications and that’s why he only built expensive housing.
That’s an estimate of what a 10% tariff on all imported goods, which Trump has floated, would amount to
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 11:05 am213. Surrendering Russian soldiers being killed by foreign troops fighting for Ukraine and there’s nobody to stop that
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/06/world/europe/ukraine-russia-killings-us.html
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 11:43 amThere he goes again……What would be the legal argument to overturn the FEC rules?
The FEC just votes 3-2 to suspend them. Feel free to sue. Oh, wait, you don’t have standing. Maybe Trump does and they’ll get to it in 2027.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:20 pmThere he goes again……What would be the legal argument to overturn the FEC rules?
Who the F needs a legal argument any more? Just some argument and the right judge. Trump has East Texas or Louisiana judges to pick from. Biden has California and Hawaii.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:21 pmSurrendering Russian soldiers being killed by foreign troops fighting for Ukraine and there’s nobody to stop that
Russians routinely shoot captured foreign fighters as “mercenaries.” You don’t offer quarter, don’t expect quarter.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:26 pmLOL! The FEC has six commissioners, three Republicans and three Democrats. They are hopelessly deadlocked.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:38 pmWe have a plan to build 2 million new housing units in America.
Yeah, that doesn’t work so good. $800,000 studio apartments in Los Angeles, given all the palms they have to grease, starting with the construction unions. Grey-water treatment systems, solar panels, EV charging, on-site services, etc.
How about just get out of the way of people who know how to build stuff?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:38 pmLOL! The FEC has six commissioners, three Republicans and three Democrats. They are hopelessly deadlocked.
Then they’ll do nothing. EVERY time something like this comes up and one of the major parties needs a break, they get the break. EVERY time. Minor parties not so much.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:41 pmNothing prevented a governor running in the primaries, but they are all institutionalists.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:41 pmSo, to get rid of Biden, someone has to challenge him at the convention and table a motion to free the delegates.
Boy, that’s going to be one mean-spirited convention.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:43 pmNote the election in McCarthy’s district and how Fong got onto the ballot.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:44 pmGretchen Whitmer is not interested in replacing Biden.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:49 pm@248 Nobody who isn’t senile believes Biden wrote that letter.
lloyd (d7d2cc) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:51 pmIt would be a waste for a new Democrat candidate to spend the time and money litigating his candidacy, something the Trump campaign would like to see.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:53 pmIt’s entirely possible that Biden might pull out before the convention and free his delegates, but as of now it looks unlikely. As I said above, my prediction is that Harris has a greater than 50% chance of being nominated if that happens. To not do so would alienate major sectors of the Democrat base, and I doubt any of the previously mentioned governors would take on that task. I could see them being the VP, however.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/8/2024 @ 12:58 pmlloyd @160:
But that’s par for the course.
I wouldn’t believe that Biden (or just about any politician) composed that letter alone anyway, or just about anything that goes out under their name and that’s true for many presidents. Andrew Jackson didn’t write his own papers but maybe Martin Van Buren did.
The question is, who (or how many people) did write that letter, or contributed to it?
Did you notice the numerous lies about abortion policy?
It’s all designed to fool some of the people some of the time.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 1:13 pmIt would be a waste for a new Democrat candidate to spend the time and money litigating his candidacy, something the Trump campaign would like to see.
At this point, you are right. Biden is going to augur this in all by himself.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 1:19 pmPeople from certain countries (like Nepal) get tricked into joining the Russian army in combat roles – and have to pay for the privilege – and maybe to escape:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/world/asia/escape-from-russian-army.htmls.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 1:20 pmI don’t understand why so many Democrats find Gretchen Whitmer an appealing candidate To Republicans she is the Covid dictator of Michigan
who is issued irrational orders. (Later she became the object of an FBI sting operation that resulted in acquittals)
In the last election, they did flip the Michigan House and Senate from Republican to Democrat, but that was because of redistricting, and she was re-elected but maybe that’s because of the Republican Party in Michigan.
New York Times Magazine interview with Governor Gretchen Whitmer:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/22/magazine/gretchen-whitmer-interview.html
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 1:35 pmSammy,
Time123 (1abcd6) — 7/8/2024 @ 1:48 pm1. The charges related to her attempted kidnapping resulted in aquitals, convictions, and confessions. Ppl tend of focus on which outcome supports their priors.
2. Having seen her up close I think Whitmer is dumber than your average politician and a terrible leader. Would vote for her over Trump, but she lacks W’s and Obama’s intellect and leadership abilities and would be a terrible president.
The cross-tabs of that NY TImes poll last week are truly damning for Biden:
In a 2-way race, Trump leads among all age groups except 65+
18-29 Trump +8
30-44 Trump +10
45-64 Trump +20 (!)
65+ Biden +4
Undecided 8 to 12%
Biden leads 73-15 among blacks, but is down 9 points among Hispanics and down 17% among whites.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 2:08 pmTime123 (1abcd6) — 7/8/2024 @ 1:48 pm
She wanted to meet with an accused person to learn how he had been harmed personally.
They wanted to go after her because of general considerations – and encouragement by the FBI.
This is indeed dumb – or shows a lack of common
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 2:08 pmsense , or a swallowing of a stupid theory about crime.
But the (donors?) think that because she won a (tough?) election in 2022, and the legislature flipped at the d=same time, she’s good.
The people who confessed were indeed guilty of doing (or contemplating) something wrong. Except they never would have thought of the idea (and what a cockamamie idea or more it was too) if it wasn’t for the FBI.
The FBI is not supposed to be acting in the role of Satan.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 2:18 pmOr Iago in Othello.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 7/8/2024 @ 2:20 pmDemocrat party problem African-americans especially older women are biden’s loyalist supporters and want him to stay in the race. They do add harris is acceptable if joe drops out ;but no white men.
asset (b545d0) — 7/8/2024 @ 2:35 pm@270 what goes around comes around. Government agent provocateur terry norman fired the first shot over the heads of national guard troops at kent state. William o’nieal informant and fbi handler roy martin orchestrated the murder of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark. Conservatives turn now!
asset (b545d0) — 7/8/2024 @ 2:46 pmLooks like Trump is starting to.
Time123 (8555a0) — 7/8/2024 @ 3:08 pmMessed up the tags.
Time123 (130f45) — 7/8/2024 @ 3:08 pmThe thing about Whitmer, she’s not aged, she’s not Trump, and she’s governor of a battleground state, which means she’s better qualified as Donkey Party nominee than Biden.
Paul Montagu (ca7cff) — 7/8/2024 @ 3:20 pmAs of right now, Biden doesn’t lead in any recent general election polls (RCP). The gerontocracy needs to go.
@276 Sure but Biden only really selling points were “Not Trump” and “more conservative then Bernie/Warren”
Time123 (130f45) — 7/8/2024 @ 3:25 pmDoes anybody doubt that Trump is the only reason Biden was elected in 2020?
Biden was the only game in town in 2020 and if Whitmer is the only game in town in 2024, then it is what it is.
“You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.”
nk (b1434d) — 7/8/2024 @ 3:32 pmI don’t get the love for Whitmer, she doesn’t seem like a particularly smart or charismatic leader. I also don’t really see any other governors with the kind of gravitas to pull voters, maybe Roy Moore would keep the not-Trump voters and potentially sway a swing state. He’s term limited, so it’s less of a risk of his future. He’s 67, so he doesn’t really have a window to wait till 28.
Andy Beshear is in a similar situation, being term limited, but also has a few years left and may want to wait till 28.
Katie Hobbs wouldn’t be too bad, but again, I think she’d want to wait till 28, 6 years deep into the governors gig instead of 2. That’s about it for the govs.
I still feel that Sherrod Brown would be the best at the top of the ticket, but I don’t think he’d do it, he’d have been open to the Veep slot last time if he’d wanted it…he should have, I think he’d have been a shoe in as a Biden replacement.
Maybe drafting Claire McCaskill as a Veep could help Harris. I know she’s got some minor skeletons, but they’re a nit, and could bring some heft to the ticket.
Realistically, it’s Harris at the top of the ticket, or Biden, you’re voting for Harris either way as she’ll be prez regardless. Just pull the bandaid.
46% people are actively voting for not-Trump, so you don’t need that many people to vote for the people actually on the ticket, just a bare inkling of competence might be enough to tip the balance.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/8/2024 @ 3:58 pmTLDR: It’s 95% Harris at the top if there’s a change. Whitmer is fine keeping the not-Trump and maybe pulling a few wavering not-Trump, but is that any more likely Harris, meh..be.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/8/2024 @ 4:03 pmAnother candidate is Klobuchar, because Minnesota is close to becoming a battleground state, she’s already run for prez (so she’s more or less vetted), she has a stable level-headed mien (a good counter to Trump’s psycho personality), she’s a moderate Dem, she’s not an aged crone, and she has some law enforcement background.
Paul Montagu (cff05a) — 7/8/2024 @ 4:07 pmYeah, I forgot about Klobuchar. I still think a new top of the ticket won’t be anyone but Harris, but Klobuchar would work. In fact, roll in any one of the folks being bandied about and chances of a not-Trump go up.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 7/8/2024 @ 5:10 pm“You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.”
Something General McClellan never understood.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 6:26 pmMaybe drafting Claire McCaskill as a Veep could help Harris.
She at least knows how to troll her opponent, and Trump is amazingly easy to troll.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 6:28 pmBiden will have to die, or perhaps drool on camera, before they will force him out. So, it’s Trump versus Biden. I so wanted Haley or even DeSantis, so misery loves company.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 6:30 pmDo you mean “drool”, literally? Because that slack-jawed “25th Amendment face”* on the split screen as Trump was speaking at one point in the debate was only missing the wetness on the chin.
*h/t Jon Stewart
nk (69ab57) — 7/8/2024 @ 6:39 pmApparently so, as that wasn’t quite enough. I guess he could unzip and urinate instead.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 7:33 pmI agree, it smacks of entrapment; rather than placing undercover agents or seeking informants, the FBI should just monitor these alleged “conspiracies” (but not interfere), and arrest the perpetrators afterwards.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/8/2024 @ 8:08 pmThe italicized paragraph above should not have been block quoted.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:00 pmThe problem with the WSJ’s analysis is that there is no evidence that the VP selection influences how one votes
This is not a normal year. Both candidates are old and Trump is impeachment-bait. Who might follow them is important. Biden has already cast his lot with a bubblehead. I guess it can’t hurt since he’s counting on people voting against Trump anyway.
Trump’s choice is interesting. He cannot repel the independents who are gingerly considering voting R with someone like Ramaswamy, but it can’t be so strong as to upstage Trump, or to entice impeachment or the short-form thereof. I guess Rubio can be brought to heel, so he’s looking like Mr Intersectionality, GOP version.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:42 pmStudies of past campaigns are of little use here. The problem this time, with two repulsive candidates, is to get people to vote for one of them. There’s little chance of getting a Democrat to vote for Trump, and those erstwhile Republicans who will vote for Biden (or a cabbage) have drawn that line already.
But there are a lot of people who are currently planning to not vote, or write in Elmer Fudd. Those can be influenced by Trump’s VP choice.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/8/2024 @ 9:47 pm@292. You keep dangling impeachment in a second Trump term as if there’s any chance the required quantum of Republicans will vote to convict. If they didn’t do it after 1/6, I see no reason to believe they ever would.
lurker (c23034) — 7/9/2024 @ 12:52 am@279 The love for whitmer here is by conservatives not democrats other then elites/liberal media.
asset (57aeb5) — 7/9/2024 @ 3:35 am“I also don’t really see any other governors with the kind of gravitas to pull voters, maybe Roy Moore would keep the not-Trump voters and potentially sway a swing state”
I think you mean Roy Cooper…but it was amusing to read
“I still feel that Sherrod Brown would be the best at the top of the ticket”
Of course he’s never run anything. Governors at least do things a President will need to do. Even in 17yrs in the Senate, I don’t recall people racing to Brown for his views on national security matters. It’s not even clear he would win OH which is solidly Trump.
AJ_Liberty (93c6ca) — 7/9/2024 @ 5:22 amI don’t recall anyone running to Govs. Beshear, Pritzker, Whitmer, Newsom, or Moore either.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/9/2024 @ 6:32 amCorrection:
I don’t recall anyone running to Govs. Beshear, Pritzker, Whitmer, Newsom, or
MooreCooper either.Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/9/2024 @ 6:32 am
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/9/2024 @ 6:34 amIn any event, I don’t expect Trump will heed the WSJ’s advice to select a sober-minded VP, especially after his disappointing experience with Pence. He will pick someone who can do his dirty work for him, and carry on the MAGA legacy, which would eliminate governors like Youngkin or Burgum. Sarah Sanders of Arkansas might fill the bill, though I don’t know how ruthless she can be.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/9/2024 @ 6:46 amSenators are one of 100. They don’t get to run agencies, manage budgets, and make critical appointments. They talk…a lot; few pass major pieces of legislation. Some rise above party and can assume senior statesman status. We saw McCain and Dole on Meet the Press a lot because their opinions were valued and respected across the aisle.
Are we to pretend that Sherrod Brown is a senior statesman? The only thing he has going for him is that he’s been able to win in a red state…like Beshear….and like Cooper. What exactly are his excutive credentials? Is the Presidency REALLY entry level? Trump could fake it until he was confronted with crises. Experience matters. It’s why Obama will ultimatey be downgraded. He was in over his head but was able (lucky) to avoid crises. JFK at least had some military experience to demonstarte leadership.
Governors are executives. Bigger states make the job more relevant. Governors with international experience are better choices. The Democrats are stuck in a non-optimal situation. It might need to be Harris…but she’s not a very good choice. They will lose with Biden…and that will be his epitaph…
AJ_Liberty (93c6ca) — 7/9/2024 @ 6:53 amSarah Sanders would be a sure fire winner, but he doesn’t need her and she doesn’t need him. She’s a year and a half into her first term as governor and with all the time in the world — she’s only 41 — to built a solid foundation of her own.
nk (20c41e) — 7/9/2024 @ 6:56 amI’m not arguing the point about governors being more qualified as executives versus senators-look how few senators have become president. But they do lack national security experience.
But in any event I don’t think any Democratic governor will replace Biden or Harris on the presidential ticket. If Biden is replaced, it will be with Harris.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/9/2024 @ 7:14 amThe question should be about winning. Does Harris improve the odds of winning….or are we in a fait accompli? One more senior moment and we are in crisis. Do we care about loyalty or judgment?
AJ_Liberty (93c6ca) — 7/9/2024 @ 7:20 am@301
I think she’d be great VP… but, I suspect she’d want to flesh out her political career by completing her Governorship and then seeking a Senate seat.
I still think the smartest VP pick would be Younkin… but it probably won’t be a smart pick. It’ll be someone like JD Vance or some other “pitbull” who can tangle with the media with aplomb.
whembly (477db6) — 7/9/2024 @ 8:07 amThe choice will be up to a convention entirely composed of Biden delegates. Unless someone takes up Biden’s offer to “go ahead and challenge me” in Chicago, Biden (or Harris) will be the nominee. There will be no “blitz primary“; and it’s notable that no Democratic governor (or Senator) has come out and explicitly said that Biden must go or announced a challenge to Biden.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/9/2024 @ 8:31 amIt’s all Biden replacement fantasy camp.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/9/2024 @ 8:32 amIf they didn’t do it after 1/6, I see no reason to believe they ever would.
IF they prefer the VP and his behavior warrants it, I can see it. The J6 impeachment did get more votes than ever in a partisan impeachment trial, but there was no upside and plenty of individual downside to the vote.
Trump cannot afford to give them too much upside.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 9:41 amExperience matters. It’s why Obama will ultimatey be downgraded. He was in over his head but was able (lucky) to avoid crises.
I look back at Obama and while I object to some policy choices, he was a fairly good steward. The economy had a horrid shock to recover from, and it did so under his watch. At the time it didn’t seem like it was recovering fast enough, but it DID recover and we have not had a crash since.
I see him as ranking in the high 10s or low 20s (1 being best). Although I have some bones to pick with the people who do these rankings. Truman was a mediocrity, Wilson was terrible and Reagan was in the first rank. And the authoritarian radical FDR was saved by WW2.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 9:55 amSitting senators are unlikely to be elected president; only three have been (Harding, JFK and Obama).
But even less likely are sitting vice-presidents, as they have to defend the previous two terms with a public that may be tired of them. Only Van Buren and GHWB have succeded in the modern era (Adams and Jefferson did too, but the rules were different).
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 10:02 amRIP former Republican OK Senator James Inhofe (89).
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 7/9/2024 @ 10:09 amhttps://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1810394458334310744
Biden shows his priorities and it isn’t pro-American.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/9/2024 @ 11:36 amIt is now about 100 years since the start of radio broadcasting. This is when the big stations got their start. Before networks
This is for the 100th anniversary of WNYC (originally 830 AM, now 820)
https://www.wnyc.org/events/wnyc-events/2024/jul/08/wnyc-centennial-celebration/
Their 100th anniversary rebroadcast of their first program is an apparently shortened re-creation, using scripts of speeches and newspaper clippings as they lost their original recordings.
WOR in 1972 had many original recordings from 1922. They were made on records, for legal reasons,
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 7/9/2024 @ 12:08 pm299. I think it will be Doug Burgum, because Melania likes him, or his wife, and he has no big negatives, and he hasn’t dropped off the short list.
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 7/9/2024 @ 12:14 pmAnd Burghum will neither upstage Trump nor entice people to replace Trump with him. He also won’t scare anyone and won’t be a serious contender in 2028. A perfect Zeppo.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 12:25 pmThe NATO summit is coming up. Will Biden attempt to use it to change the subject, such as calling for NATO air power to protect “the citizens of Ukraine”?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 12:45 pmWagging the dog is a tried and true response to domestic problems.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 12:46 pmDidn’t you once suggest that Biden allow the USAF to be at the disposal of Zelensky?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/9/2024 @ 1:17 pmNATO, of course, doesn’t have its own Air Force, only the air forces of member countries. It’s a decision I could get behind, as it would be the only way for highly trained pilots in Western aircraft to make a difference in Ukraine. Ukrainian pilots with six months (or whatever) of training in Western aircraft will be sitting ducks for highly experienced Russians.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/9/2024 @ 1:22 pmOh, I’d be for it too. I just would think it cynical of Biden.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 1:25 pmMeanwhile, in the annals of “Criminals are stupid”, some 18yo thought it would be a good idea to carjack one of Sotomayor’s protective detail. He’s recovering in hospital.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/justice-sotomayor-bodyguard-shoots-suspected-175018137.html
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/9/2024 @ 1:27 pmThey could just give \Ukraine more air defenses or use it against any target actively involved in preparing to attack Ukrine.\\I think Russia attacked the children’s hospital in order to try to get Ukraine to defend it instead of more standard military targets because Kyiv does not have enough air defenses in place to cover all.
Ukraine had left the hospitals undefended.
Sammy Finkelman (51823e) — 7/9/2024 @ 4:42 pmDid they not prefer Pence? Did 1/6 not warrant it?
lurker (c23034) — 7/9/2024 @ 7:16 pmHospitals shouldn’t have to be missile-defended. Putin’s Russian Federation is signatory to the Geneva Conventions.
Paul Montagu (0dcb38) — 7/9/2024 @ 8:14 pmSammy, this was a terrorist attack, just like thousands of other terrorist attacks Putin has committed.
Mega church paster robert morris blames 12 year old for his sexual misconduct his lawyers say. (DU)
asset (2aacf5) — 7/9/2024 @ 9:26 pmTo me, the second most interesting thing about Kamala Harris is her religion:
(Links omitted.)
It’s a famous church.
I haven’t seen any news stories on how often she attends.
Jim Miller (0eab9d) — 7/10/2024 @ 5:39 amMega church pastor robert morris blames 12 year old for his sexual misconduct his lawyers say.
“The child tempted me, oh Lord?”
Good luck with that.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/10/2024 @ 8:30 amDid they not prefer Pence? Did 1/6 not warrant it?
Trump had left office, so Pence didn’t matter. The only effect would have been to keep him from future office. A noble goal, and 7 GOP senators voted to convict. But there wasn’t enough gain for the others, who would be committing political suicide, nor for the party which would remain subject to the votes (or non-votes) of Trump’s minions.
But let Trump do something wild in a new term, with a normal VP (Rubio or better) and the gain goes way up while the downside becomes manageable given Trump’s myriad legal problems at that point.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/10/2024 @ 8:39 amSpeaker Mike Johnson at the Hudson Institute
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/10/2024 @ 8:49 amToo bad a House Speaker who remains in power only by the grace of Democrats will have zero influence on the Trump Administration’s foreign policy.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/10/2024 @ 1:22 pmI doubt that the 2024 House elections will be a wash.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/10/2024 @ 1:45 pmSomething the Biden administration is doing right:
The average loss per policy for refis is under $25, MUCH less than on original loans, yet the policy price is the same.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/10/2024 @ 1:48 pmIt’s sad that this is even news:
Trio accused of killing New Zealand tourist to remain in jail without bail
Of course, this is Orange County, not L.A. County.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 7/10/2024 @ 5:50 pm