The SOTU

[Toni]

"an image of Hiden confirming his unhinged he is..." ...and you're complaining about Joe's unintelligibility?

Yes.

I never thought I would wish for Derec to join a thread to raise the level of right-wing commentary. But here I am.

I disagree quite emphatically with Derek on lots of issues, but he’s not dumb and he’s not ill-informed.

 

[Ford]

I was in a hospital for few days. So I watched Biden's SOTU speech on TV.
Biden most certainly is not senile or demented. Nor was he "sleepy" or
reading strictly from a teleprompter. He was fiery and to the point. Not
like a rambling Trump word salad. I feel good about his re-election chances.

Trump has announced he will debate Biden. This would be good. Biden would
beat him like a big bass drum.

First off, I hope you're doing okay. A few days in a hospital is not often a good thing.

As for a debate? It will only work if Trump sticks to the rules, and we all know that won't happen. It would be the same thing that's happened previously, with Trump shouting over his opponent and the moderator unable to simply cut his mic. His camp will never agree to give a moderator that power, or even have a mod that will challenge him in any meaningful fashion.

 

[BH]

Yes, it went pretty well as these speeches go (which isn't setting a high standard, especially relative to the last decade of them).

Kudos to the Speaker for keeping the more insane/juvenile elements of his party somewhat in line for most of it. It's embarassing to see, how much they struggle to sit still and close their mouths for an hour! Like a class of seventh graders, only with less tact.

The Speaker made me want to stand up and slap him. His eyes rolled like a petulant teen.

Actually I think the speaker was being very wise. There is an old proverb I think from the Bible that goes like "Even a fool can be considered wise if he keeps his mouth shut"

 

[Axulus]

I feel good about his re-election chances.

Unfortunately I don't. The past 10 years has really opened my eyes to how insanely stupid and deplorable so much of humanity is under present day circumstances. I won't be surprised one bit if Trump wins this one.

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

 

[cycomiko]

I feel good about his re-election chances.

Unfortunately I don't. The past 10 years has really opened my eyes to how insanely stupid and deplorable so much of humanity is under present day circumstances. I won't be surprised one bit if Trump wins this one.

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

It's not only that we're getting dumber and more deplorable, it's that we're fucking proud of how ignorant and shitty we are. Being called an "intellectual" is supposed to be an insult these days.

 

[Politesse]

I feel good about his re-election chances.

Unfortunately I don't. The past 10 years has really opened my eyes to how insanely stupid and deplorable so much of humanity is under present day circumstances. I won't be surprised one bit if Trump wins this one.

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

It's not only that we're getting dumber and more deplorable, it's that we're fucking proud of how ignorant and shitty we are. Being called an "intellectual" is supposed to be an insult these days.

It's fucking depressing. Claiming expertise in any field is nothing but an invitation to abuse these days. On order to communicate with sitting politicians these days on anything, we have to hide our credentials and translate everything into kid language, or we won't score so much as a multi-tasking listen over ZOOM.

 

[TomC]

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

Exactly.
I remember when Trump got the official nomination as the Republican candidate. I was so sure that put the POTUS in the bag for Clinton that I started a "Hillary Clinton Victory" thread on another forum.
Oops!
Tom

 

[Playball40]

Yes, it went pretty well as these speeches go (which isn't setting a high standard, especially relative to the last decade of them).

Kudos to the Speaker for keeping the more insane/juvenile elements of his party somewhat in line for most of it. It's embarassing to see, how much they struggle to sit still and close their mouths for an hour! Like a class of seventh graders, only with less tact.

The Speaker made me want to stand up and slap him. His eyes rolled like a petulant teen.

Actually I think the speaker was being very wise. There is an old proverb I think from the Bible that goes like "Even a fool can be considered wise if he keeps his mouth shut"

Except, he was talking LOUDLY without saying a word.

 

[Playball40]

I feel good about his re-election chances.

Unfortunately I don't. The past 10 years has really opened my eyes to how insanely stupid and deplorable so much of humanity is under present day circumstances. I won't be surprised one bit if Trump wins this one.

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

Agree. I'm terrified if T wins again, he will never leave. We're fucked at that point.

 

[Playball40]

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

Exactly.
I remember when Trump got the official nomination as the Republican candidate. I was so sure that put the POTUS in the bag for Clinton that I started a "Hillary Clinton Victory" thread on another forum.
Oops!
Tom

I still don't believe T won Florida. The counties that had not reported by the time I went to bed were three (two in the sparsely populated panhandle) and Broward (overwhelmingly blue). There was simply no way for him to get the votes to win....but alas, it's Florida and I haven't trusted our elections since Bush v Gore.

 

[TomC]

I still don't believe T won Florida. The counties that had not reported by the time I went to bed were three (two in the sparsely populated panhandle) and Broward (overwhelmingly blue). There was simply no way for him to get the votes to win....but alas, it's Florida and I haven't trusted our elections since Bush v Gore.

No kidding.
It was obvious Bush II did not win Florida in 2000. But his brother was governor and got things done, even if they went against state laws.
Tom

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

Exactly.
I remember when Trump got the official nomination as the Republican candidate. I was so sure that put the POTUS in the bag for Clinton that I started a "Hillary Clinton Victory" thread on another forum.
Oops!
Tom

I still don't believe T won Florida. The counties that had not reported by the time I went to bed were three (two in the sparsely populated panhandle) and Broward (overwhelmingly blue). There was simply no way for him to get the votes to win....but alas, it's Florida and I haven't trusted our elections since Bush v Gore.

The GOP have an issue with an abortion referendum in Florida. They also have a Senate seat with Mr. Cut Social Security running for re-election. The political storm in Florida is going to require a stronger attempt by Trump to hold it. The GOP isn't going to have enough money to manage the Blue Wall (MN, WI, MI, PA), the reddish Purple states (FL, NC, GA, AZ) and purple states (NV, NH), and possibly even Texas which Trump won by a relatively small amount. Any GOP dollar spent in Texas is a windfall for the Democrats. Trump has to win most of the listed states. The EV math is tough for Trump, the money game is even tougher, now that he is apparently in control of the GOP and the coffers which he is going to desperately want to enrich himself with.

 

[Politesse]

I feel good about his re-election chances.

Unfortunately I don't. The past 10 years has really opened my eyes to how insanely stupid and deplorable so much of humanity is under present day circumstances. I won't be surprised one bit if Trump wins this one.

If you asked me 10 years ago how much support someone like Trump would receive in an election given all the information we have on him today, I would've guessed maybe 10% maximum. The fact that it is at least four times that amount has radically changed my assessment of humans permanently in a very negative way.

Agree. I'm terrified if T wins again, he will never leave. We're fucked at that point.

About all we could hope for at that point is for nature to take her course regarding old men and cheeseburgers. I don't see our young people being able to organize an effective counter movement, if directly anti-democratic structures are being put in place with the blessing of the corporate oligarchy. Though I would be willing to be surprised.

 

[Copernicus]

Here is Jon Stewart's review of the SOTU and Republican response. I loved his riff on Republican patriotism. The video lasts almost 15 minutes:

 

[Elixir]

Trump has announced he will debate Biden. This would be good. Biden would
beat him like a big bass drum.

First off, I hope you're doing okay. A few days in a hospital is not often a good thing.

+1 Hope you're all good, CC!

As for a debate? It will only work if Trump sticks to the rules, and we all know that won't happen. It would be the same thing that's happened previously, with Trump shouting over his opponent and the moderator unable to simply cut his mic. His camp will never agree to give a moderator that power, or even have a mod that will challenge him in any meaningful fashion.

Of course he won't debate on a level playing field. He has no idea how to debate in the first place; all he can do is rant.
And Joe would be crazy to stand there and watch him rant, so no, there will be no debate.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Why dignify a debate stage by agreeing to meet with a Presidential candidate who's already been adjudicated guilty of all the shit on Trump's record? Bank fraud -- sexual assault -- defamation -- crooked charity -- CEO of a corp. with a long history of tax evasion -- that sex worker he drugged & decapitated in Boca Raton --

 

[Copernicus]

Trump has announced he will debate Biden. This would be good. Biden would
beat him like a big bass drum.

First off, I hope you're doing okay. A few days in a hospital is not often a good thing.

+1 Hope you're all good, CC!

As for a debate? It will only work if Trump sticks to the rules, and we all know that won't happen. It would be the same thing that's happened previously, with Trump shouting over his opponent and the moderator unable to simply cut his mic. His camp will never agree to give a moderator that power, or even have a mod that will challenge him in any meaningful fashion.

Of course he won't debate on a level playing field. He has no idea how to debate in the first place; all he can do is rant.
And Joe would be crazy to stand there and watch him rant, so no, there will be no debate.

Trump would probably be the perceived winner by the public simply because he is an experienced celebrity performer who is comfortable with playing to the cameras in public. Biden is more of a conventional politician who is less relaxed in such situations. I agree that there would be no genuine debate. Trump turns everything into a circus, and he doesn't know enough about political policies to debate anything. His specialty is verbal flamethrowing. He is now giving himself the nickname "Honest Don" as opposed to his opponent "Crooked Joe". I think "Dirty Donny" would be a better nickname for Trump, but it would be a mistake for Biden to drag himself down to that level.

 

[Ford]

He is now giving himself the nickname "Honest Don" as opposed to his opponent "Crooked Joe". I think "Dirty Donny" would be a better nickname for Trump, but it would be a mistake for Biden to drag himself down to that level.

I'm still trying to make "Fragilego Mussolini" a thing, but it's just not catching on.

 

[Patooka]

I'm still trying to make "Fragilego Mussolini" a thing, but it's just not catching on.

I prefer "Grown up Joffrey", myself. It encapsulates Trump and his personality perfectly

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I mean, you're here to present the "deplorable" defense of a guy who bankrupted casinos...a business where people just come into the building and hand you money. How do you screw that up?

Actually, it's surprising the financial trouble casinos have.

Building those fancy casinos is expensive. It's a narrow line between spending too much on the atmosphere and not spending enough to attract the customers. And they tend to fall off with economic changes.