US Politics - The Liar in Winter

[DMC]

Just now, Tywin et al. said:

my best guess is it would be returned to who paid it, so it depends if the donations were directly to him or a third party.

Yeah, mine too, which is my point.  I wouldn't really describe that as a "donation."  If they were paying his bond, then sure.

[Jaxom 1974]

Is a mass shooting still a mass shooting if no one actually dies?  At least 8 people shot at the mall no more than a couple miles from my house.  Apparently the shooter, white of.ourse, is still at large.  The mall was apparently going to be the location of a MAGA rally of some sort tomorrow...

[Lollygag]

35 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

I'm not sure where this should go exactly, but it does speak to our current state state of affairs:
 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/20/us/kyle-rittenhouse-kenosha-shooting-bail-release/index.html

This is how nuts the right is getting. They literally were willing to donate $2m to a murder. 

Turns out a good part of that was from Ricky Schroder (!) and the My Pillow guy.

-----------------------

You know, ever since I saw Mad Men, anything 50s seems rather sinister to me so I was really triggered by the My Pillow 50s jingle. Is this a dog whistle now?

[Mindwalker]

OMG, Little Lord Fauntleroy!

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

12 minutes ago, DMC said:

Yeah, mine too, which is my point.  I wouldn't really describe that as a "donation."  If they were paying his bond, then sure.

I understand the point you're making, but it's kind of a distinction without a substantive difference. He had a huge financial hole in his life, and people were willing to foot the bill. 

6 minutes ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

Is a mass shooting still a mass shooting if no one actually dies?  At least 8 people shot at the mall no more than a couple miles from my house.  Apparently the shooter, white of.ourse, is still at large.  The mall was apparently going to be the location of a MAGA rally of some sort tomorrow...

I don't believe there's a standard definition. I've seen it listed as three victims, four victims and multiple victims, but they don't have to be fatalities. 

7 minutes ago, Lollygag said:

Turns out a good part of that was from Ricky Schroder (!) and the My Pillow guy.

The two articles I read did say they contributed a lot, but it was unclear what percentage they make up. I've just seen it reported as them and other small donors, which could mean a number of different things.  I really hate that the Lindell is trying to get into politics here. 

[DMC]

Just now, Tywin et al. said:

I understand the point you're making, but it's kind of a distinction without a substantive difference. He had a huge financial hole in his life, and people were willing to foot the bill. 

It's undoubtedly a substantive difference between actually giving up $2 million as opposed to what would essentially be a $2 million loan with no interest.  He's incredibly unlikely to actually skip bail.

17 minutes ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

Is a mass shooting still a mass shooting if no one actually dies?

I dunno the literature on it, but an old friend wrote his MA thesis on mass shootings almost a decade ago and I proofread it.  His operational definition was simply multiple victims of GSWs.  I think three plus.

[Fragile Bird]

I’m watching a report on CNN from a hospital in South Dakota. To hell with Don Jr. and Andrew Giuliani, I actually want the Governor of SD to get Covid-19. What an honest to goodness  PoS she is.

[Sci-2]

2 hours ago, Kalbear Total Landscaping said:

I don't understand this. This isn't like GWB where he was massively underwater and Obama absolutely obliterated the next election. He got 72 million votes and came within 67K votes in 3 states of becoming re-elected. This is absolutely unheard of popularity for a Republican since, well, Reagan. Furthermore, he's pushing the narrative that he isn't a loser, but instead he is a wronged person who had his presidency taken away from him. He has his highest approval rating since he got elected, too!

Why would people turn away that level of support? 

@DMC said something similar, that he's just going to go away and people are going to shun Trump, but with that level of electoral, political, and personal support I don't see it at all. 

I think we're talking about two different things. I agree Trump has a lot of election potential and a strong hold on the Republican party.

That said, the hunger for the Presidency isn't something, IMO, that people like Ted Cruz have put aside. Republicans who want to be POTUS are going to try and anonymously reveal as many negatives about Trump as they can so as to make it acceptable to run in the [2024] primaries against him.

It may turn out that nothing sticks, that there are no truly damning recordings or other evidence of him mocking his base. Maybe he also doesn't get end up in prison either, or have a health scare. But I can pretty much guarantee a lot of Repub hopefuls are hoping for some or all of that to diminish Trump's star.

edit: And given how little loyalty Trump has, any staffer with a brain should have a valuable recording of him or some other higher up in the administration. My guess, or maybe hope, is someone has him saying something bad enough to get his base to partially turn on him.

[DMC]

1 minute ago, Fragile Bird said:

I’m watching a report on CNN from a hospital in South Dakota. To hell with Don Jr. and Andrew Giuliani, I actually want the Governor of SD to get Covid-19. What an honest to goodness  PoS she is.

Kristi Noem is my current pick as Trump's political successor, whenever that happens.

3 minutes ago, Sci-2 said:

Republicans who want to be POTUS are going to try and anonymously reveal as many negatives about Trump as they can so as to make it acceptable to run in the primaries against him.

Yeah this is certainly the case.  While he performed well enough to look good for another run if he wants it, doesn't change the fact those Republicans that had 2024 ambitions still have those ambitions and will be going for his knees over the next four years.  They're not just gonna kneel for Trump based on him outperforming expectations yet still losing.  Upon leaving the White House, he'll be back in the jungle.

[Lollygag]

Someone would need to do a deep dive to confirm for certain, but Barr resumed federal executions in July 2019 which is rather ominous from a wannabe fascist dictator.

In July 2019, Trump was having legal problems with taxes and Epstein. Now Trump is trying to bully electors to go for him instead, and 3 more executions have just now been scheduled.

Are executions being used as veiled threats?

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

31 minutes ago, DMC said:

Kristi Noem is my current pick as Trump's political successor, whenever that happens.

I'd still bet on Haley over her. 

[Lollygag]

@Zorral You seem to have a higher opinion of these people than I do.

[DMC]

3 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

I'd still bet on Haley over her. 

In spite of all her recent efforts, no way she gets that GOP establishment stink off of her.

[ThinkerX]

38 minutes ago, DMC said:

Kristi Noem is my current pick as Trump's political successor, whenever that happens.

I still say Hannity - or failing that, Carlson as the successor to Trump.   They have the fan base, They have the money.  It's also just barely possible they're smarter, better educated, and have more self control than Trump.  Plus, Hannity, at least was a Trump official...of sorts.

[Martell Spy]

1 hour ago, Fragile Bird said:

I’m watching a report on CNN from a hospital in South Dakota. To hell with Don Jr. and Andrew Giuliani, I actually want the Governor of SD to get Covid-19. What an honest to goodness  PoS she is.

A complete Piece of shit, or pile whichever you prefer, but completely safe politicially.

[DMC]

4 minutes ago, ThinkerX said:

I still say Hannity - or failing that, Carlson as the successor to Trump.   They have the fan base, They have the money.  It's also just barely possible they're smarter, better educated, and have more self control than Trump.  Plus, Hannity, at least was a Trump official...of sorts.

I'm willing to entertain the possibility of Carlson, but I still think it's absurd to think Hannity would have a chance or even would want to run.  There's a reason Rush has never ran for office, and it's certainly not because he's worried about the attacks or scandals due to the oxycontin or viagra or four marriages or whatever other disgusting things about his personal life.  Hannity has been on the air five nights a week for a quarter century.  Much much more than that counting his radio career.  The tonnage of oppo that's just..you don't even have to pay for, is daunting.  Carlson too, but to a lesser extent.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

12 minutes ago, DMC said:

In spite of all her recent efforts, no way she gets that GOP establishment stink off of her.

Perhaps, but four years is a long time. And besides, Noem is just another Palin type. Pretty face, can play the conservative talking points greatest hits and.... nothing more. Haley would carve her to pieces on the debate stage. Plus she'll benefit by having zero association to COVID. 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 minute ago, DMC said:

I'm willing to entertain the possibility of Carlson, but I still think it's absurd to think Hannity would have a chance or even would want to run.  There's a reason Rush has never ran for office, and it's certainly not because he's worried about the attacks or scandals due to the oxycontin or viagra or four marriages or whatever other disgusting things about his personal life.  Hannity has been on the air five nights a week for a quarter century.  Much much more than that counting his radio career.  The tonnage of oppo that's just..you don't even have to pay for, is daunting.  Carlson too, but to a lesser extent.

While each point is valid, I'd chalk it up to something simpler, they have easier jobs that pay insane amounts of money while having more influence than most Senators. 

[DMC]

2 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Haley would carve her to pieces on the debate stage.

It's cute thinking Haley's comparative policy knowledge would actually be a benefit during a GOP debate.  Noem has greater authenticity as an Trumpist "outsider."  Hell, even if it was for Trump, why the fuck did Haley bother being an ambassador to the United Nations?!?  

I will admit the possibility of some personal bias with Noem.  Psychologically, it may or may not have to do with the fact she beat Stephanie Herseth Sandlin - who a friend of mine worked for, I met on dozens of occasions, and kinda had a crush on during my time in DC - for SD's House seat in 2010.

9 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

they have easier jobs that pay insane amounts of money while having more influence than most Senators. 

Sure that's why I said "even would want to."

[Centrist Simon Steele]

4 hours ago, Mindwalker said:

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/11/montana-republican-flees-facebook-after-getting-called-out-for-referring-to-kamala-harris-as-a-hoe/

A Montana state lawmaker is apologizing for a Facebook post where he used a derogatory term to refer to Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, the Great Falls Tribune reports.

People are calling on Governor-elect Greg Gianforte to remove Rep. Kerry White from his Fish, Wildlife and Parks transition advisory team in the wake of his post, where he referred to Joe Biden and Harris as “Joe and Hoe.”

But White says he was the victim of a hit job.

(...)

According to White, when he referred to Harris as a “hoe,” he actually meant that she’s someone who had dug in or become entrenched in their ideology.

“If that offended anybody I am sorry,” he said.

It's kind of like when Cartman made a concentration camp joke to Kyle, then tried to play it off as "oh, I just learned about concentration camps and I thought, 'Omg, Kyle must have thought I was referencing those! I just meant you need to concentrate better." Or something.