All Purpose News and Politics Thread Part IV: The Center Cannot Hold

[4saken1]

Comey's public stupidity, coupled with remaining silent about Trump (if he spoke about both or was silent about both I think the effect would have been blunted)

Yep. After Comey's statement, her lead in the polls closed by 4 points. These are the states that she lost by less than 4%: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina. Seems to me she was plenty electable before Comey made his statement!

Despite the fact that many Americans have a vitriolic reaction to her, I didn't consider her a bad candidate, though. Even though the population grows from Election to Election, candidates from both Parties only get more votes than the candidate in the previous Election about 50% of the time. She managed to get more votes than any candidate in history other than Obama in his first run for President. I think the barometer that many people use to say that she was a bad candidate consists of 1) She lost, and 2) I don't like her.

[Tendrin]

I think the barometer that many people use to say that she was a bad candidate consists of 1) She lost, and 2) I don't like her.

This is accurate for a great many people.

[Tendrin]

*sets up the WBE signal*

A quick google could not tell me if you've profiled Briscoe Cain yet, but I presume given his history of antics you've already got him in the queue if you haven't. You might need to bump him up in place because...

deaththreat.JPG

Yes, that's a TX state rep threatening the life of a presidential candidate out loud on twitter.

He also made news recewntly for wanting to abolish the city government of Austin because abortion.

Wingnuts already responding in force that this threat is okay because guns.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

4 Takeaways From The Third 2020 Democratic Debate

A temporary truce holds among the top-tier trio of presidential candidates in Houston.

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Trump Called Him ‘My African American,’ But Now He’s Ditching GOP To Run For Congress

Gregory Cheadle, now an independent, told “PBS NewsHour” that Republicans use Black men like him as “political pawns” in a “pro-white” agenda. Took long enough for that clueless stooge to figure that out.

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Trump Gives A Rambling Mess Of A Speech At The GOP’s Baltimore Retreat — And He’s A Hit

The takeover of the Republican Party is complete. Yup, just call it the Trumpublican Party.

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Trump’s Air Force Nominee Won’t Commit To A Ban On Stays At Trump Hotels

Barbara Barrett wouldn’t say whether it is inappropriate for the service to spend tax dollars at the president’s properties. Well, of course she didn't, otherwise, she'll lose Trump's support.

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Trump Just Got Mike Pence’s Name Wrong, And Twitter Users Were Quick To Pounce

The vice president’s new nickname is already catching on. 'Mike Pounce'. Heh! I kinda like that handle!

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

This is why I don't think we want to see Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders get the nomination. You can see the battle lines being drawn already with the GOP painting them as socialists.

When Obama was running, they called him a socialist.

[Tendrin]

When Obama was running, they called him a socialist.

The label failed to stick because he did run as a moderate.

[Theleviathan]

The label failed to stick because he did run as a moderate.

That and Obama rarely talked policy specifics which makes it harder for labels to stick.

[Tendrin]

That and Obama rarely talked policy specifics which makes it harder for labels to stick.

He was a very good politician. I think people forget that frequently.

Unfortunate, then, that his conciliatory approach to the Republicans helped embolden them to the point we are now at.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

The label failed to stick because he did run as a moderate.

To a degree. He was successful enough to win elections. But his signature policy was labeled socialist and it was very unpopular his entire term and Republicans won back Congress running against it. Also Biden is not as articulate or charismatic as Obama. Biden Lost 3 primaries, Obama upset a massive favorite

[WestPhillyPunisher]

He was a very good politician. I think people forget that frequently.

Unfortunate, then, that his conciliatory approach to the Republicans helped embolden them to the point we are now at.

That was perhaps the single biggest gripe I had with Obama. For years he tirelessly extended his hand in friendship to the GOP in the hope of bipartisan cooperation, and every goddamn time, Moscow Mitch and company chomped down on it like a slab of raw meat. Obama knew the Republicans were hellbent on destroying his presidency, he should've just said "**** it!" and used the bully pulpit of the Oval Office to get things done, but nooooooooooooooooooooo! He kept trying to make nice-nice with those bastards who were only interested in a scorched earth victory against him, even if that meant wrecking the country in the process. Even today, Obama continues taking the high road instead of brutally torching the GOP for their dirty tactics which hurt not only his legacy but the country as well. That pisses me off no end.

[Iron Maiden]

Castro threw me for a loop. He's usually so calm so that lashing out left me stunned.

I didn't watch the debates but saw some of the highlight reel. Boy, they had better get their act together or they're going to lose to Trump. Warren just doesn't do it for me, Bernie looks like he should retire and Joe get's too confused at times. They need to stop attacking each other and focus on Trump.

[jetengine]

That was perhaps the single biggest gripe I had with Obama. For years he tirelessly extended his hand in friendship to the GOP in the hope of bipartisan cooperation, and every goddamn time, Moscow Mitch and company chomped down on it like a slab of raw meat. Obama knew the Republicans were hellbent on destroying his presidency, he should've just said "**** it!" and used the bully pulpit of the Oval Office to get things done, but nooooooooooooooooooooo! He kept trying to make nice-nice with those bastards who were only interested in a scorched earth victory against him, even if that meant wrecking the country in the process. Even today, Obama continues taking the high road instead of brutally torching the GOP for their dirty tactics which hurt not only his legacy but the country as well. That pisses me off no end.

He didn't for the same reason you guys keep asking/ thinking Impeachment will work. Because you want to believe in the system and believe it works.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

He didn't for the same reason you guys keep asking/ thinking Impeachment will work. Because you want to believe in the system and believe it works.

I can't speak for anyone else here, but I dismissed the impeachment fantasy after the Mueller Report came up woefully short thanks to the stooge Trump put in charge of DOJ. Obama should've realized early on that Republicans were intent on fucking him over like a five dollar whore and acted accordingly like I stated previously. The system as currently constituted doesn't work like it should, Democrats need to stop playing by the rules like the GOP had done and get down in the mudpit if they want to win next year.

[Tendrin]

I will point out that most people advocating impeachment aren't suggesting that it will pass the McConnel Senate. They are suggesting a moral argument. If you can't impeach Trump then congress is truly supine and fangless in the face of a lawless and corrupt executive. There are understandable reasons to slow roll it, but while they are, trump is packing the courts with lifetime appointments of some truly absurd ideologues and doing his level best to raze the future that future generations could have had.

The dude is eminently impeachable on a whole lot of grounds and if we had a Senate majority that cared about the rule of law more than they do packing the judiciary with conservative ideologues and authoritarian apologists it would be a done deal.

And don't give me 'oh, but then we'd get Pence'. We already have Pence. He's already writing the transphobic policies coming out of this administration that some people on this board liked to assure us was never going to happen because Trump was from New York.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

I didn't watch the debates but saw some of the highlight reel. Boy, they had better get their act together or they're going to lose to Trump. Warren just doesn't do it for me, Bernie looks like he should retire and Joe get's too confused at times. They need to stop attacking each other and focus on Trump.

It’s a primary. If they can’t handle it, they aren’t good enough. Everything you said could apply to the 2016 GOP race