The Race For 2024

[GenesisNemesis]

Much like the Trumpian attitude of "everyone who wants free healthcare is an evil Marxist".

Completely non-responsive to what I wrote.

Completely relevant because you continually bash people like Bernie Sanders for being "Marxists".

 

[Derec]

Completely relevant because you continually bash people like Bernie Sanders for being "Marxists".

Whom did I call "Marxist" other than actual Marxists?
Please show specific citations.

And it still has nothing to do with my comment to Elixir's claim that if Republicans win, they must have cheated.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

Completely relevant because you continually bash people like Bernie Sanders for being "Marxists".

Whom did I call "Marxist" other than actual Marxists?
Please show specific citations.

And it still has nothing to do with my comment to Elixir's claim that if Republicans win, they must have cheated.

It has everything to do with your fake posturing about "not being Trumpian".

 

[Derec]

It has everything to do with your fake posturing about "not being Trumpian".

I said that Elixir is echoing Trumpian attitudes. Both seem to think that if their side loses, the other guys must have cheated.

It has nothing to do with Marxists or healthcare - and even there you have failed to offer any backup for your claims.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

It has everything to do with your fake posturing about "not being Trumpian".

I said that Elixir is echoing Trumpian attitudes. Both seem to think that if their side loses, the other guys must have cheated.

It has nothing to do with Marxists or healthcare - and even there you have failed to offer any backup for your claims.

And you continually echo Trumpian attitudes.

 

[Derec]

And you continually echo Trumpian attitudes.

Useless ad hominem.
You neither engaged meaningfully with my criticism of what Elixir wrote, nor did you offer any evidence for your derail about Marxism and healthcare.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

And you continually echo Trumpian attitudes.

Useless ad hominem.

So by the same token you're engaging in ad hominem with Elixir? Not a ton of logical consistency going on here.

 

[Derec]

Not a ton of logical consistency going on here.

On your part perhaps. This is getting tiresome.
And if you make a claim, better back it up. Whom did I call "Marxist" unfairly?

 

[blastula]

Trumpworld scrambling after ex-president’s angry texts to megadonor

Those close to the former president privately told reporters he has acted out of anger recently

www.independent.co.uk

Donald Trump’s inner circle is working to clean up the “mess” the former president created after he reportedly instructed an aide to send a string of angry text messages to a megadonor in the heat of an angry moment.

The former president has apparently engaged in some “erratic behavior” recently, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, in part due to the stress of the atypical presidential race.


That includes having his aide send texts to Miriam Adelson, the widow of casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson and eighth richest woman in the world, complaining that the super PAC she funds, which has poured millions of dollars into supporting Trump, was being run by RINOs – Republicans in name only.


“This caused a lot of concern that she was going to scale back her giving,” Haberman told CNN host Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday.

Haberman reported for The New York Times that Trump’s decision to rattle off angry messages at Adelson was partly encouraged by Ike Perlmutter, the former chairman of Marvel Entertainment and a Trump megadonor, who hoped Adelson would contribute to a super PAC he backs.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Maybe that's why he's stroking her now, by making a knuckleheaded comparison.

 

[Ford]

Trumpworld scrambling after ex-president’s angry texts to megadonor

Those close to the former president privately told reporters he has acted out of anger recently

www.independent.co.uk

Donald Trump’s inner circle is working to clean up the “mess” the former president created after he reportedly instructed an aide to send a string of angry text messages to a megadonor in the heat of an angry moment.

The former president has apparently engaged in some “erratic behavior” recently, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, in part due to the stress of the atypical presidential race.


That includes having his aide send texts to Miriam Adelson, the widow of casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson and eighth richest woman in the world, complaining that the super PAC she funds, which has poured millions of dollars into supporting Trump, was being run by RINOs – Republicans in name only.


“This caused a lot of concern that she was going to scale back her giving,” Haberman told CNN host Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday.

Haberman reported for The New York Times that Trump’s decision to rattle off angry messages at Adelson was partly encouraged by Ike Perlmutter, the former chairman of Marvel Entertainment and a Trump megadonor, who hoped Adelson would contribute to a super PAC he backs.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

The "really? You'd just noticed this?" line at the beginning:

The former president has apparently engaged in some “erratic behavior” recently,

Don't know if this is the "cleanup" they're talking about, but if it is, it ain't going well. On Thursday at an event at his NJ golf club, he basically said that the Medal of Freedom he gave to Miriam Adelson (apparently those were for sale during his administration) was much better than the Congressional Medal of Honor that's the highest honor in the nation, or at least equal in his addled mind

The VFW had some thoughts:

“On Thursday, former President Donald Trump spoke at an event where he made some flippant remarks about the Medal of Honor and the heroes who have received it. In the video that has circulated online and in the media, the former president was recognizing Miriam Adelson in the audience who he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his time in office. As he described the medal as the civilian version of the Medal of Honor, he went on to opine that the Medal of Freedom was “much better” than the military’s top award, because those awarded the latter are, in his words, “ … either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead.” He continued by comparing Miriam to MoH recipients saying, “She gets it and she’s a healthy beautiful woman. They are rated equal.”


These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation’s highest award for valor, but also crassly characterizes the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty.


When a candidate to serve as our military’s commander-in-chief so brazenly dismisses the valor and reverence symbolized by the Medal of Honor and those who have earned it, I must question whether they would discharge their responsibilities to our men and women in uniform with the seriousness and discernment necessary for such a powerful position. It is even more disappointing when these comments come from a man who already served in this noble office and should frankly already know better.

Looks like the campaign's desperate attempts to reign in the shitstorm of stupid coming out of his mouth are failing spectacularly. I can hear the debate question now: "Mr. Trump, you recently said that the Presidential Medal of Freedom you gave to a campaign donor was better or at least equal to the medal bestowed upon our greatest soldiers. Do you still believe that someone giving you money is as equally brave and selfless as someone who is severely wounded or dies in combat defending their fellow soldiers at all costs?"

 

[bilby]

Trumpworld scrambling after ex-president’s angry texts to megadonor

Those close to the former president privately told reporters he has acted out of anger recently

www.independent.co.uk

Donald Trump’s inner circle is working to clean up the “mess” the former president created after he reportedly instructed an aide to send a string of angry text messages to a megadonor in the heat of an angry moment.

The former president has apparently engaged in some “erratic behavior” recently, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, in part due to the stress of the atypical presidential race.


That includes having his aide send texts to Miriam Adelson, the widow of casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson and eighth richest woman in the world, complaining that the super PAC she funds, which has poured millions of dollars into supporting Trump, was being run by RINOs – Republicans in name only.


“This caused a lot of concern that she was going to scale back her giving,” Haberman told CNN host Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday.

Haberman reported for The New York Times that Trump’s decision to rattle off angry messages at Adelson was partly encouraged by Ike Perlmutter, the former chairman of Marvel Entertainment and a Trump megadonor, who hoped Adelson would contribute to a super PAC he backs.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

The "really? You'd just noticed this?" line at the beginning:

The former president has apparently engaged in some “erratic behavior” recently,

Don't know if this is the "cleanup" they're talking about, but if it is, it ain't going well. On Thursday at an event at his NJ golf club, he basically said that the Medal of Freedom he gave to Miriam Adelson (apparently those were for sale during his administration) was much better than the Congressional Medal of Honor that's the highest honor in the nation, or at least equal in his addled mind

The VFW had some thoughts:

“On Thursday, former President Donald Trump spoke at an event where he made some flippant remarks about the Medal of Honor and the heroes who have received it. In the video that has circulated online and in the media, the former president was recognizing Miriam Adelson in the audience who he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his time in office. As he described the medal as the civilian version of the Medal of Honor, he went on to opine that the Medal of Freedom was “much better” than the military’s top award, because those awarded the latter are, in his words, “ … either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead.” He continued by comparing Miriam to MoH recipients saying, “She gets it and she’s a healthy beautiful woman. They are rated equal.”


These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation’s highest award for valor, but also crassly characterizes the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty.


When a candidate to serve as our military’s commander-in-chief so brazenly dismisses the valor and reverence symbolized by the Medal of Honor and those who have earned it, I must question whether they would discharge their responsibilities to our men and women in uniform with the seriousness and discernment necessary for such a powerful position. It is even more disappointing when these comments come from a man who already served in this noble office and should frankly already know better.

Looks like the campaign's desperate attempts to reign in the shitstorm of stupid coming out of his mouth are failing spectacularly. I can hear the debate question now: "Mr. Trump, you recently said that the Presidential Medal of Freedom you gave to a campaign donor was better or at least equal to the medal bestowed upon our greatest soldiers. Do you still believe that someone giving you money is as equally brave and selfless as someone who is severely wounded or dies in combat defending their fellow soldiers at all costs?"

When a candidate to serve as our military’s commander-in-chief so brazenly dismisses the valor and reverence symbolized by the Medal of Honor and those who have earned it, I must question whether they would discharge their responsibilities to our men and women in uniform with the seriousness and discernment necessary for such a powerful position. It is even more disappointing when these comments come from a man who already served in this noble office and should frankly already know better.

Seriously? Seriousness and discernment? From Trump??

Are these guys thinking of a different Trump?

 

[Elixir]

This is a Trumpian attitude: "if I lose, they must have cheated".

Yes, that is their deal. They say it out loud, but thanks for pointing out the obvious. Heads they win, tails you lose.

Trump DID “win” (with much help from Putin) in 2016. And Democrats attacked and sacked the Capitol, threatened to kill the VP and …
Oh, wait, no they didn’t.
That was your Party that did that. (I know you don’t think of the Trump Party as your own, but you support and defend it exactly as if it was, so I don’t pick that nit)

 

[Elixir]

Both seem to think that if their side loses, the other guys must have cheated.

Only one side has announced their intent to cheat. They use a foghorn because their acolytes are all for it.

 

[Elixir]

 

[Elixir]

 

[TomC]

I said that Elixir is echoing Trumpian attitudes. Both seem to think that if their side loses, the other guys must have cheated.

Except that Elixir and I have facts on our side.

Trump has never won a popular election. He's run twice and lost both, by millions. But the US doesn't elect POTUS. It's an appointed position. One time, Trump got appointed.
That's it.

When he failed to get the appointment the second time, he tried to take down the government.

Sorry dude, your "both sides are the same" crap doesn't fly with people who believe in American values. We find it anti-democracy and dangerous.
Tom

 

[Elixir]

"both sides are the same" crap doesn't fly with people who believe in American values.

Insecure people tend toward authoritarianism. And with RW fearmongering in high gear, there are LOTS of them.

 

[TomC]

View attachment 47269

This is really important.
Trump is almost literally fighting for his life. If he loses, it's not just to some random brownish Californian chick. It's to an experienced prosecutor.

Given his behavior and ethics back when it was all kind of a lark, I shudder to think about the depths he would sink to this time around.
Fortunately, Harris and the team are aware of that and will (I hope) plan accordingly.
Tom

 

[Janice Rael]

Sorry dude, your "both sides are the same" crap doesn't fly with people who believe in American values. We find it anti-democracy and dangerous.
Tom

Maybe that "both sides are the same" crap doesn't fly with people who have different ideas, too.

I sure do know that the GOP has manipulated evangelical Christians into supporting their endless white Supremacishet agenda. They have been chipping away at the social safety net since FDR first set it up. Catholics and evangelical Protestants teamed up with oligarchs to write The Wedge Document, then Project 2025, and it's been Teabagger nonsense this whole time, and all the way back to the Jim Crow era. They're not into sharing.

I'm so glad that Kamala Harris, not Joe Biden, is the (presumptive and expected) Democrat candidate for President, I mean, thrilled, in a lot of ways. I am disgusted by her $6000 per child income tax credit, because the poorest people, and disabled parents, do not have taxable income, and have no reason to file an income tax return. These families struggle more. I am the disabled mother whose Social Security insurance payments were not taxable as income, yet, represented a dollar amount high enough to exclude me AND MY TWO KIDS from paying less overall than our better-off peers who had taxable incomes, and received tax returns.

ANYWAY. I am also very very very very happy and in 100% agreement with the Harris campaign's choice of Tim Walz, not Josh Shapiro, to be the Democrats' Vice-Presidential candidate. He's great! omg he's awesome on all the issues I've heard so far. AND NO SCHOOL VOUCHERS.

Josh Shapiro, aka Governor Cotton Candy, aka Governor Yellow Lines (the MIDDLE of the road), would have been a terrible pick, for so many reasons that I'm surprised but not surprised that he was even being considered. Fact is, there is no guarantee that having Shapiro as Veep would help the Democrats win Pennsylvania, aka Pennsyltucky.

BUT, but, what scares me is Shapiro's support from Republicans. I don't agree that it's desirable to "meet them halfway;" I never did. I've always been appalled by the Democrats who loudly insist that it's important to appeal to "the Right," I use that term loosely. Like, what the heck, discotheque? What's the deal, Castille? WHY NOT try to appeal to, you know, the LEFT?? oh gosh, what an idea.

So, I feel super-confident that Trump and Vance will dig their own little shallow dirt-holes, while Harris and Walz do that unity thing that Barack Obama had abandoned by his 6th month in office. I remember it was 6 months because that's when I tore Obama's picture off my wall.

I do not feel confident at all that Trump will ever see the inside of a jail cell. I have $5 on Not Gonna Happen.

 

[Swammerdami]

I don't know if she's changed or what, but when I hear Kamala Harris speak these days, I am filled with admiration, joy and optimism!

The first few minutes of this interview help explain the change in Kamala's televised persona.