Friday Talking Points -- Only One Scaramucci To Go!
We are now only one Scaramucci away from Election Day. For those unfamiliar with the reference, a "Scaramucci" is a unit of time measurement equal to the time Anthony "The Mooch" Scaramucci spent as President Donald Trump's press secretary -- 11 days. And we're now only one Scaramucci away from the election.
Also of note, we are now exactly as far away from Election Day as we were four years ago when James Comey essentially threw the election by announcing there were more Hillary Clinton emails under investigation. Trump was saved by this revelation back then, but no matter how hard he's tried to equal this October surprise (by pressuring all those who work for him to create one out of thin air), it just hasn't materialized this time around.
Of course, being just one "Mooch" away from finally seeing the result of this year's long-anticipated election isn't a reason to pop the champagne quite yet. Even if Trump loses to Joe Biden, he'll still have a whopping seven Scaramuccis between then and Inauguration Day to cause all kinds of trouble. So our long national nightmare, sadly, still won't be over, for many Mooches to come.
Of course, time can be measured other ways as well. Yesterday, for instance, saw the fourth-highest number of new coronavirus cases in America since the pandemic began. As measured by Worldometers.info, we had 74,301 reported new cases yesterday, which was only topped by three days this past July (the highest number of new cases was 78,976 on July 24). But unlike back then, the slope of the curve is still heading upwards, not peaking. And today is on track (as of this writing) to top both of those numbers. Or we could have our worst day ever within the next couple of days, or next week. Welcome to the third wave, folks.
It was also announced this week that the budget deficit tripled from the previous year, and now stands at $3.1 trillion -- the highest number ever seen. So there are all kinds of ways to mark where we as a country now are.
Last night, the second and final presidential debate was held. Donald Trump's doctors have apparently adjusted his medication better than they managed for the first debate, or as John Heilemann put it on Morning Joe: "I think Quaalude Trump is better than Crystal Meth Trump, you know, from the last debate. That was, like, an improvement, I think." Although the dosage still isn't perfect, as Heilemann pointed out: "He needed one extra 'Lude to get him through the whole thing, and he wasn't quite there. Quaalude Trump was still not that great."
Trump was indeed calmer, perhaps chastened by the fact that the debate commission had been forced to announce a new rule: microphones would be muted while the other candidate gave their first two-minute answer. This rule has never been necessary before, because nobody's ever needed it. Trump, from the first debate, obviously did. So Trump -- for the most part -- didn't interrupt and make such a horse's ass of himself in front of the country (as he did last time). However, as Salon pointed out, this meant Trump was still what might be called a calmer, more-restrained psychopath.
Trump had a strategy for the night, and amazingly enough, he kept returning to it. He tried to paint Joe Biden as a typical politician who had been around forever and never gotten anything actually done. But his efforts to do so came off pretty ham-fisted at times, as in the following exchange, when Biden shrugged off a Trump smear about his son Hunter to speak directly into the camera:
My response is, look, there's a reason why he's bringing up all this malarkey. There's a reason for it. He doesn't want to talk about the substantive issues. It's not about his family and my family. It's about your family, and your family's hurting badly. If you're a middle-class family, you're getting hurt badly right now. You're sitting at the kitchen table this morning deciding: "Well, we can't get new tires. They're bald, because we have to wait another month or so." Or: "Are we going to be able to pay the mortgage?" Or: "Who's going to tell her she can't go back to community college?" They're the decisions you're making, and the middle-class families like I grew up in Scranton and Claymont, they're in trouble. We should be talking about your families, but that's the last thing he wants to talk about.
Trump then -- astonishingly -- belittled Biden's empathy for American families. Sneered at it, in fact:
That's a typical political statement. "Let's get off this China thing" and then he looks, "The family around the table, everything." Just a typical politician when I see that. I'm not a typical politician. That's why I got elected. "Let's get off the subject of China." "Let's talk about sitting around the table." Come on, Joe. You could do better.
On the biggest subject of the night, the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump once again tried to gaslight America into believing that the crisis simply does not exist and that "we're rounding the turn, rounding the corner -- it's going to go away." This, on the same day we hit the fourth-highest number of new cases in a single day, is nothing short of a delusional statement. Trump tried to wish away the initial wave of infection. That didn't work. Then he tried to wish away the second wave of infection, over the summer, telling all the governors to throw their states wide open again. That didn't work out too well either. Now he's trying to wish away the third wave, which (as Biden warned) could lead us all to "a dark winter" indeed.
The pandemic is the biggest issue on the minds of most voters. It is their biggest fear right now, to put it another way. And unlike just about every other subject Trump has gaslit the public on, the reality of the pandemic is undeniable to all sane voters. It is there. It exists. It is not a personal belief or a political position. It does not care about politics, it just is. And once again, it is on the news each and every night as hospitals in some very red states start to run out of beds. Infection rates are soaring. Death rates will follow, in the next week or so. And it's only going to get worse as the election gets closer. Donald Trump's insistence that we're "rounding the corner" is going to sound further and further away from the actual reality everyone can plainly see. And, as Team Biden just snarkily pointed out, Trump does not have a plan to deal with it. Why should he, when he thinks it's already going away?
That is why Joe Biden is leading this race, plain and simple. That, and Trump's utter lack of compassion or empathy for anyone affected and their grieving families.
Throughout the campaign, Trump has tried to gaslight America into thinking that Joe Biden is senile and simply cannot put two sentences together without reading them off a TelePrompTer or being fed the answers by an earpiece. This was always a fantasy, as anyone who had watched Biden in the Democratic primary debates could attest to. Team Trump refuses to let this fantasy go, even suggesting before the debate that Trump was going to brilliantly step back and let Joe talk, allowing Biden to embarrass himself by getting muddled and stumbling over his answers. But of the two men on stage, it was Trump who was the most muddled (or addled, maybe), as usual. In an exchange on race, Trump repeated quite possibly the funniest brag he's ever made -- that Trump had done more for African-Americans that any president of all time, with the only possible exception (although some people are saying -- many people are saying -- that Trump's actually better) of Abraham Lincoln. Whenever Trump makes this outrageous and outlandish claim, I keep expecting Lyndon Baines Johnson's ghost to arise from the stage and heartily kick Trump's ass around, Texas-style -- but (sadly) L.B.J. once again failed to materialize last night.
Instead, a few minutes after Trump bragged about his wonderfulness, Biden ridiculed him by saying: " 'Abraham Lincoln' here is one of the most racist presidents we've had." Trump exploded with umbrage, demanding to know why Biden was bringing up Abraham Lincoln. This was like two or three minutes after Trump had brought up Abraham Lincoln in the first place, mind you. And we're supposed to believe that Biden is the senile one?
Trump also accused Biden -- as he had done in the first debate -- of using a derisive term back in the 1990s ("superpredator") that was actually uttered by Hillary Clinton. At one point during the debate, Biden, out of sheer frustration, had to point out to Trump: "You're running against Joe Biden."
Trump seems monumentally unable to understand how he really appears to rational viewers. Earlier in the week he petulantly stormed out of an interview with Lesley Stahl from 60 Minutes, and then doubled down on the stupid by releasing his own copy of the tape before the show airs. His copy is unedited, which means there are quite likely even more embarrassing moments visible than will make it into the actual show. And all he's really doing is boosting the ratings for when the show does air. But Trump is now surrounded by yes-men and yes-women, without any sane adults in the room to tell him that maybe this isn't such a good idea.
Trump, at this point, is quite obviously flailing. It seems to have gotten through to him that he might not win this race, and he's just going to get more and more out of control as Election Day approaches.
Which, we can all take heart in, will appear in exactly one Scaramucci.
We have a Honorable Mention to hand to Barack Obama, for hitting the campaign trail for his former running mate this week. Obama has so far not been as visible as he might have been out there on the hustings, but perhaps they just held him back for the final sprint to the finish. He certainly isn't mincing words about the awfulness of Donald Trump, that's for sure.
But the obvious choice for Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week is Joe Biden, who turned in another strong debate performance this week. We only noticed one gaffe throughout the evening (Biden referred to "minimum mandatories" instead of the other way around), and Biden once again did an exemplary job of avoiding rolling around in the mud with Donald Trump. Biden truly does believe that his decency of character is his strongest asset as a politician, and he would have jeopardized that by directly engaging with Trump's bluster. For the most part, Biden brushed off Trump's attacks, while not failing to launch a few counterattacks on his own. The most effective of these was to point out the shocking revelation that Trump has a bank account in China that's never been revealed before, to which Trump flat-out lied by stating that the account was closed back in 2015 (it wasn't, it's still open) and that "everyone knows about it," when before this week the public most certainly did not know about it. As Obama put it, just imagine what the Republicans would have said if it had been revealed right before his own re-election that he had a Chinese bank account.
All around, Biden had a great night last night, and the debate was most definitely the political event of the week. Contrary to Trump's "fantasy Biden" (that he carries around in his head), the real-live Joe Biden didn't stumble in any major way last night, and was far more rational and coherent than Trump can manage even on his best behavior. Even with Trump being more subdued, the contrast between the two was stark and obvious.
Biden is maintaining his lead in the polls, which is the thing to watch over the upcoming Scaramucci's worth of time. Four years ago, the James Comey revelation absolutely tanked Hillary Clinton's numbers, which doomed her on Election Day. This time around, over 50 million people have already voted, and if Biden's numbers hold he could win in a landslide of historic proportions.
The entire campaign has been a long and winding road we've all travelled down for the past two years. It had twists and turns galore. Biden was seen as dead in the water for the nomination until he strongly took South Carolina. The coronavirus didn't even exist until the primaries started being held. Trump could have used the crisis to raise his stature with the public and be seen as a real leader conquering a crisis. If he had done so, he might now be on the brink of being re-elected. Since he was patently unable to do so, he is now on the brink of defeat.
We'll all have plenty of complaints and disappointments if Joe Biden is our next president, to be sure. He's not going to make all Democrats happy with all of his decisions. But we will all be able to relax and know that a sane adult is in charge of the nuclear codes once again. All other differences will pale in comparison to the four years we've just experienced as a nation.
So for this week and hopefully many to come, Joe Biden is easily our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week.
[Joe Biden is still technically a private citizen, and as a rule we do not link to campaign websites, so you'll have to seek his contact information out yourself if you'd like to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
Once again we are happy to report that no Democrat disappointed us at all this week. Or not to the level of winning the Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week award, at any rate. Oh, sure, we could quibble with this answer or that from Biden's debate performance, but it's pretty small potatoes at this point.
As usual in such circumstances, feel free to nominate your own Democrat for the MDDOTW award, down in the comments, if you feel I've overlooked somebody obvious.
Volume 594 (10/23/20)
Before we begin, we have a program note. Next week's column may in fact be our annual Hallowe'en column. We have not completely committed to the idea of doing one of these this year, however -- we could fit the whole thing on a tweet, really: "Dem nightmare: Trump wins. GOP nightmare: Biden wins, Dems take Senate." So we're not entirely convinced that it's even worth the effort this year. But if we do, we won't have another FTP column until after the dust has (hopefully) settled on the election, just to warn everyone in advance.
With that bit of housekeeping out of the way, let's move on to the talking points. All of our talking points echo the same theme this week: "Please, make it stop!" Which should be self-explanatory, by this point.
Steele endorses Biden
Point out how shocking this truly is.
"The former head of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, just endorsed Democrat Joe Biden for president. Just stop and think about that for a minute. When have you ever heard of a party's former leader endorsing the opposition party's candidate? To the best of my knowledge, it has never happened before. In his endorsement, he quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Junior: 'A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.' Steele also wrote: 'Character matters. Our vote matters. The leader we choose matters. I cannot be silent, and I hope neither can you because we know a vote for Joe Biden is what is best for our country -- because America matters.' Please remember, this is from the former national party chair of the Republican Party. This is absolutely unprecedented, folks."
Another four more years of this?
We've written about this one since last July (a fact we pointed out earlier this week at more length).
"The best argument for voting for Joe Biden is to simply ask yourself if you want another four more years of this. The lies, the narcissism, the pettiness, the tantrums, the slavish devotion to the least common denominator, the rejection of science, the absolute lack of leadership -- do you really want four more years of all that? Because I don't."
Somebody grab a fire extinguisher
A variation on the same theme.
"Please, America, a vote for Joe Biden is a vote to put out the biggest Dumpster fire in American politics, ever. We can never return to normal with this flaming pile of garbage in the White House. Everybody grab a hose -- or a ballot -- and help Joe Biden put this Dumpster fire out for good."
Almost over... counting the Scaramuccis
Or you can go with a historical reference instead.
"Get out there and vote, so our long national nightmare can finally come to an end on January twentieth. After all, if Nixon was a bad dream, then Trump is an apocalyptic raging dream-infesting demon from the depths of Hell."
Please, Joe, bore us all
Look for the word "normalcy" to spike in usage if Biden wins.
"You know what I want? I want to wake up in the morning and not cringe when I read the news. I want precisely zero tweets from the president in the middle of the night. I want to be able to ignore politics for long stretches of time once again. I want to be bored by politics. I don't want a hyperactive Tasmanian devil hopped up on diet soda sitting in the Oval Office anymore. Please, America, can we go back to that idyllic reality once again? Pretty please?"
Beating the buzzer
Of course, the final tally won't be known for years to come, most likely.
"One of Donald Trump's biggest donors -- a man the Republican Party hired as their national deputy finance chair, no less -- just pleaded guilty to being an unregistered foreign agent trying to influence Trump for Malaysia and China. I don't know about you, but I've actually lost count of how many Trump minions and henchmen have now gone to jail, been found guilty of federal crimes, and/or had to be pardoned. Whatever the number is, I bet it'll keep climbing after the election, that's for sure."
Just when you thought things couldn't get any sleazier...
...Along comes Borat.
"If anyone still has any shred of respect for Rudy Giuliani -- or, conversely, if anyone thought that he just couldn't get any sleazier -- they should check out the clip of him lying on a bed sticking his hand down his pants in a hotel room with a young woman, from the new Borat movie. Just like Trump himself, just when you thought Rudy had sunk as low as he could possibly go, he surprises you once again."
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
I like the new unit of time, the Scaramucci.
I also like the brevity of this week's Talking Points. Yes, we live in a sound bite culture but all things being equal short and sweet is more impactful.
Shouldn't you have some kind of PSA "Use Responsibly?"
I guess we're up to 9 Trump associates indicted and/or convicted.
Suggested subject matter for a future column:
How do the two sides in American politics reconcile after the Trump Dumpster Fire?
Or maybe,
How do the Progressive and Establishment wings of the Democratic Party reconcile and govern after the Trump Dumpster Fire?
Hey, is this microphone even on?
Re your comment:
"Four years ago, the James Comey revelation absolutely tanked Hillary Clinton's numbers, which doomed her on Election Day. This time around, over 50 million people have already voted,..."
More people are voting ahead of time this year, to be sure, thanks to the plague. But the news stories on early voting in 2016 are full of superlatives about how never before, etc. The pre-Election Day vote in 2016 was about 47 million, as far as I can see. Now, not all of them would have voted as early as ten days before the election, when Comey made his announcement. But your attempt to contrast that election with this, by saying that a Comey-level surprise can't possibly have the same impact, because this year 50 million have already voted, suggests that none of those 50 million had already voted in 2016 when Comey spoke up. Actually, it's likely that 30-35 million actually had voted by that time.
And as we know, Trump's victory boiled down to several hundred thousand votes in three key states, not the panicked changes of mind of 50 million voters who, thank God, have already voted this time around.
Like you, I'm thinking Biden will win this year, based on the polling and his long leads in the key states (I read EV.com every day). But the slightly higher number of early voters in 2020 does not really have anything to do with Trump's ability, or inability, to tilt just a bare minimum of states to achieve re-election in the final two weeks.
Chris,
Also of note, we are now exactly as far away from Election Day as we were four years ago when James Comey essentially threw the election by announcing there were more Hillary Clinton emails under investigation.
Hillary Clinton and her campaign recklessly mishandled sensitive information and, to this day, a thumb drive sent from her campaign office remains missing.
The FBI was fully aware of all of this carelessness, even if it wasn't criminal.
So, what was Comey to do when possible 'new evidence' materialized, knowing that he publicly testified before congress promising to let congressional leadership know if any new evidence was uncovered. Comey didn't announce publicly that there were new emails under investigation. And, it's not his job to worry about what congress will do when he does his job.
Hillary won the popular vote, as I recall.
She lost the electoral college because she was a bad candidate. And, Comey had no impact on that.
How would Comey have looked if he ignored the possible 'new evidence' and it turned out to be serious evidence. I'll tell you what - people would have been clamouring for his head - Republican and Democrat, alike.
We only noticed one gaffe throughout the evening (Biden referred to "minimum mandatories" instead of the other way around) ...
That was a gaffe?
If you're looking for fodder for your Halloween column, think smaller which is bigger. Not only does [candidate] win and his party controls the Senate, but...Redistricting and State Gov'ts, Federal Judiciary, and more.
Or, blow off the annual column and follow your joy or some such.
Agree wholeheartedly with the choice for MIDOTW award - Biden deserved it solely on the basis of the anger he displayed over the tragedy over Trump and Co. policies that resulted in 525 children who were taken from their parents' care and permanently separated from them and who now may not even know who their parents are, let alone where their parents are.
I often find myself thinking about these kids living in their own private Hell. The thought is quite enough to induce tears.
CW: Also of note, we are now exactly as far away from Election Day as we were four years ago when James Comey essentially threw the election by announcing there were more Hillary Clinton emails under investigation.
Yes, sir, and in clear violation of longstanding department rules that state otherwise. Full stop. But you will trigger Liz who keeps Canadasplaining how Comey had no choice... when quite obviously, Comey definitely had choices:
(a) follow longstanding bureau rules not to take any action that appeared to a thumb on the scale politically either one way or the other, or
(b) to put his own personal reputation before those of the longstanding bureau rules that are quite obviously rules for a reason.
Of course Comey had a choice, and he chose poorly when he chose himself over longstanding bureau protocol. I've finally got EM to admit Comey had a choice, but I had to drag it out of her.
Trump was saved by this revelation back then, but no matter how hard he's tried to equal this October surprise (by pressuring all those who work for him to create one out of thin air), it just hasn't materialized this time around.
So far. Unlike Comey, Wray has refused to fall victim to the Giuliani shenanigans of 2020, and Trump's publicly threatening to fire both Barr and Wray have thus far proven fruitless. Everything is always transactional with Trump, and Wray's refusal to be swayed by Rudy's "bullshit du jour" has resulted in his likely dismissal on or around November 4, 2020. Could Barr's dismissal be far behind? Trump is desperate so...
We once again have the President of the United States using a quid pro quo in an attempt to coerce an announcement about Joe Biden... you know, what he's already been impeached in perpetuity for doing. How is it a quid pro quo, you ask? It's an "either make the announcement or find yourself unemployed" -- this for that -- quid pro quo. And that is criminal. Full stop.
CW: And today is on track (as of this writing) to top both of those numbers. Or we could have our worst day ever within the next couple of days, or next week. Welcome to the third wave, folks.
Not possible. These rising numbers are simply the result of more testing being done. If less people were being tested, there would be less disease and less dying from coronavirus.
Tune in next week when we discuss the Trumpian theory of childbirth: There wouldn't be any babies born if there was no pregnancy testing.
/sarcasm off
[6]
Trump and his acolytes dilute the human experience in ways we can't yet fathom. It's obnoxious.
Trump IS the ubiquitous creepy relative that gets uninvited to family celebrations.
When Borat is the smartest least offensive person in the conversation, it's time for a new approach.
LL&P
CW: On the biggest subject of the night, the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump once again tried to gaslight America into believing that the crisis simply does not exist and that "we're rounding the turn, rounding the corner -- it's going to go away."
Yes, sir, and that continual gaslighting is pure unmitigated bullshit that is killing Americans:
*
Perhaps Trump has simply confused COVID-19 and coronavirus with the caravan scare-a-van of 2018. No, he hasn't. Trump knows how dangerous the virus and resultant disease is, as he told Bob Woodward in no uncertain terms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1uQpTAXaNk
Yet Trump continues to gather Americans together and suggest that it's a hoax. It's not a hoax, and the Trump gaslighting will cost thousands of Americans their lives.
If you think Trump cares a scintilla about how many Americans will die because of his continued misinformation and super-spreader events, you haven't been paying attention. Trump does not care how many people he kills.
[12] "Not possible. These rising numbers are simply the result of more testing being done. If less people were being tested, there would be less disease and less dying from coronavirus."
lol
I don't get Trump's non sequitur either, the logical mind shrivels when shit like that goes uncontested.
LL&P
In Memorium for Michale's input...
Star Trek: Discovery
Life after the 'Burn'...
Now that's rubbing it in.
;)
LL&P
Yep, I wonder if we'll see Michale in these parts again.
If the Repugs keep the Senate and stymie Biden (like they did effing Obama) and/or Biden proves to be too incrementalist (like Obama) maybe Michale will come out to crow.
Otherwise, if I were he I wouldn't show my face around here.
Solid work, Fellow Travelers! I really enjoy my Weigantia family.
CW: This time around, over 50 million people have already voted, and if Biden's numbers hold he could win in a landslide of historic proportions.
With the constant attention Florida brings, the fact that Georgia is in serious play in 2020 doesn't get a whole lot of airplay. So:
Georgia is in play!
Iowa too.
Ohio too.
Red states that should be sewn up for the GOP are in play.
Texas... we're definitely working on it. It's not a matter of "if it will flip" but "when it will flip," and voting records are being smashed all over the state.
Hat tip to Harris County where over one million voters have already voted early. For the record, that is 41% of the registered voters of Harris County.
Two of the key statistics coming out of the early vote (so far) from Harris County:
** 56% of them are women, up +9 from 2016
** 31% are young voters, up +11 from 2016
In conclusion:
$$$_______$$$_$$$$$$_$$$$$$__$$$$$$$$$$$_$$$$$$$$$$
_$$$_____$$$_$$$___$$$___$$$_$$$$$$$$$$$_$$$____$$$
_$$$_____$$$_$$$____$____$$$_____$$$_____$$$______
__$$$___$$$___$$$_______$$$______$$$_____$$$$$$___
___$$$_$$$_____$$$_____$$$_______$$$_____$$$______
___$$$_$$$______$$$___$$$________$$$_____$$$____$$$
____$$$$$_________$$$$$__________$$$_____$$$$$$$$$$
[17]
"Yep, I wonder if we'll see Michale in these parts again."
I have to assume the moral to this saga is, this space exists as a platform for the exchange of ideas, not the spamming of dubiously sourced fringe opinions.
LL&P
[20]
Agreed. Too bad Don Harris won't respond to the various issues some of us have with One Demand. I don't think that's because he can't read but rather because he won't read.
But if he's the worst (and only?) troll we have around here then we could be doing far worse.
[20]
...and on the exchange of groovy tunes on Sunday afternoons
John M from Ct.
6
But your attempt to contrast that election with this, by saying that a Comey-level surprise can't possibly have the same impact, because this year 50 million have already voted, suggests that none of those 50 million had already voted in 2016 when Comey spoke up.
You're reading some "attempt" in there that simply is not written there.
Enough with the Beetlejuice already! It will be back.
An October surprise has to be a surprise, no? A phony DOJ news conference wouldn't be one. Fat Donny has been demanding it for months.
There's nothing shocking about Michael Steele's endorsement if you've watched MSNBC at all this year.
In July 2016, Michael Moore appeared on Bill Maher's show and predicted that the orange one would win. He specifically mentioned MI, WI, OH, and PA.
He's singing a different tune now. He's talking about the GOP registration advantage in FL and PA as scary signs, but he's also expecting a blue wave. He's begging everyone to work on GOTV. Talk to those people who register, but don't regularly vote. Listen to Michael Moore.
Elizabeth Miller
7
Hillary Clinton and her campaign recklessly mishandled sensitive information and, to this day, a thumb drive sent from her campaign office remains missing.
The FBI was fully aware of all of this carelessness, even if it wasn't criminal.
You keep demonstrating your obvious contempt for Hillary Clinton and Canadasplaining what the FBI knew... as if. *laughs*
So, what was Comey to do when possible 'new evidence' materialized, knowing that he publicly testified before congress promising to let congressional leadership know if any new evidence was uncovered.
Simple answer: Follow the longstanding FBI rules regarding sensitive information.
Comey didn't announce publicly that there were new emails under investigation. And, it's not his job to worry about what congress will do when he does his job.
Yes, it was definitely Comey's job to contemplate what a member of Congress would do with any sensitive information he or the FBI disseminated. You obviously repeatedly hold Hillary in contempt for -- your words -- "recklessly mishandled sensitive information" while repeatedly and vocally giving Comey a pass for same.
Hillary won the popular vote, as I recall.
Not relevant to the discussion.
She lost the electoral college because she was a bad candidate.
Opinions are like assholes.
And, Comey had no impact on that.
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.
How would Comey have looked if he ignored the possible 'new evidence' and it turned out to be serious evidence.
Ding... ding... ding! You're almost there, EM; I'm so proud. Indeed, how would Comey have looked? How did Hillary look to you when she mishandled sensitive information? Now we're getting somewhere.
I'll tell you what - people would have been clamouring for his head - Republican and Democrat, alike.
Those longstanding rules are there for multiple reasons. Indeed, if Director Comey had simply followed those longstanding rules versus concerning himself with his own personal reputation and how he would have looked, he would have followed longstanding bureau rules and released no sensitive information regarding the FBI's investigation into either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.
Not rocket science, EM, to explain that the FBI (nor any employee thereof) makes no comments nor releases sensitive information regarding candidates of any political Party that is under investigation regardless of political ideology.
Here's hoping Director Wray is concerned less about his own personal reputation and threats from the President of the United States regarding his continued employment and more about protecting sensitive information because, yes, it is definitely in the job description... and in the oath. :)
Here we go.
...I'm the least racist person in the room.
That's like a dope dealer selling up their lousy product to a junkie.
It's toeing the line of 'every word in that remark is wrong'... It's exhausting, how many more stops does this crazy-train have before it reaches the ACME bridge and the beckoning canyon below?
LL&P
[28]
I'm only getting the creepy vibes that all Trump appointments seem to exude from Wray, I suspect he's a career man with boundless ambition.
Going about FBI business and not about Trump's dirty tricks may well be his hail mary...
It's eerily quiet in the 'appointed by Trump' civil service world.
Another tell from the fates that Trump's future has a bleak component.
LL&P
MtnCaddy [1] -
In these perilous times, I find I can only really focus on one major thing at once. Which has left a lot of things on the FTP cutting-room floor. Glad you like the brevity, it actually is a throwback to earlier times for this column...
[3] -
Hoo boy, that's a tough one. I promise to consider the subject a few weeks AFTER the election, how's that?
:-)
[4] -
That could be even more of a tough one.
John M from Ct. [6] -
Good points, all. I'll try to keep them in mind.
Speak2 [9] -
I'm thinking more along the lines of making it tough for myself. In other words, Dem nightmare stems from Biden winning, and GOP nightmare from Trump victory. Did I do this before four years ago? I have to check...
The trick is always what to do with the actual pumpkins, for me...
Kick [14] -
I had a moment of doubt when writing... is the past tense of "gaslighting" actually "gaslit" or "gaslighted"? I went with the former, but I honestly have no idea whether it is right or not. Any grammar police here? Please weigh in...
James T Caunuck [20] -
To be fair, he used to be a lot better, in the early days...
MtnCaddy [21] -
Amen to that.
Kick [28] -
"Canadasplaining"? That's a new one on me, I have to admit...
-CW
MtnCaddy
18
Solid work, Fellow Travelers! I really enjoy my Weigantia family.
Right back at you, MC, and you can add Brad Parscale to your running list:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/parscale-suicide-threat-abuse/2020/09/28/34644958-01aa-11eb-8879-7663b816bfa5_story.html
^^^^^ Bodycam footage of Parscale's arrest. ^^^^^
Fun Fact: Donald Trump's prior three campaign managers have all been arrested/indicted/convicted.
Grammar and spelling police (ret.) here: gaslight as a verb only dates back to the 50's and has only become common more recently, so whether it's a regular or irregular verb is still largely a matter of choice, i.e., what looks or sounds right, although I note that two dictionaries say regular, i.e. gaslighted.As an adjective, the gaslit street, the irregular form seems to be preferred. Spotlighted/spotlit behave in a similar way.
So I'm letting you off with a verbal this time. It's so much more pleasant to discuss the etymology of gaslight than the practice.
Kick, you get two gold stars from me this week.
[12] 'Tune in next week when we discuss the Trumpian theory of childbirth: There wouldn't be any babies born if there was no pregnancy testing.'
I almost spit out my morning tea laughing.
[19] The inclusion of statistics and the 'vote' banner are fantastic.
In the 'one Scaramucci' remaining, each and every Democratic candidate for Congress and every state and local office MUST include this 'talking point':
"The Republicans in power have shown their contempt for you and your fellow Americans. On average, 1,000 people are dying from coronavirus each day in the United States. That's 7,000 a week. When you vote for my Republican opponent, who has been complicit with his/her silence, you are voting for more than 350,000 empty chairs around the Thanksgiving table each year."
I nominate Nancy Pelosi for honorable mention once again this week. She has NOT caved in to the Senate Republicans in insisting on a 'skinny' coronavirus relief bill. Once more, she shows what a masterful negotiator she is *and* a powerful leader, keeping her fellow Democratic Representatives "shoulder to shoulder".
Each Democratic candidate for the U S Senate (and House) MUST emphasize that the Democratically-controlled House of Representatives has passed TWO bills to provide urgent economic relief to struggling families, state and local governments - that are already laying off staff due to lack of tax revenue - funds for testing and contract tracing, etc.
Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled Senate wastes precious time in 'urgently' packing the Supreme Court instead of passing legislation.
Survey after survey shows that healthcare, access and cost, is the top concern of American voters - 10 years after the passage of 'Obamacare'.
The MOST EFFECTIVE 'talking point' in the few days of campaigning remaining is to quote The Donald himself. Each Democratic candidate at the national level MUST emphasize that it was a Democratically-controlled Congress that passed this historic legislation (list 3 or four popular measures). Since then, the Republicans have come within a SINGLE VOTE of repealing Obamacare. Since they failed in this - "despite controlling all branches of the Federal government" - they are about to use the Supreme Court to do so.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/10/trump-supreme-court-obamacare/
Another 'talking point' for state and local candidates in any state that doesn't provide universal mail-in voting:
The assault by Republicans and the courts to suppress and deny the right of every American to cast a vote.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/18/us/supreme-court-voting-rights.html
More state-specific evidence of courts being complicit in thwart the vote:
'Evers, a Democrat, had delayed in-person voting in the state until 9 June and ordered the legislature into a special session on Tuesday to consider a new date for in-person voting. But in a 4-2 ruling, the state supreme court accepted a request from the Wisconsin legislature to allow voting to proceed. The legislature argued Evers lacked the authority to move the election.'
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/06/wisconsin-primary-election-in-person-voting-coronavirus
'
Ex-felons in Florida can't vote until they pay off fines, appeals court rules
September 11, 2020 / 3:59 PM / AP
Florida felons must pay all fines, restitution and legal fees before they can regain their right to vote, a federal appellate court ruled Friday in a case that could have broad implications for the November elections.
Reversing a lower court judge's decision that gave Florida felons the right to vote regardless of outstanding legal obligations, the order from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was a disappointment to voting rights activists and upheld the position of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and the GOP-led state Legislature.
Under Amendment 4, which Florida voters passed overwhelmingly in 2018, felons who have completed their sentences would have voting rights restored. But the legal dispute arose after lawmakers the next year moved to define what it means to complete a sentence.'
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-felon-voting-rights-pay-fines-fees/
More state-specific evidence of courts being complicit in thwart the vote:
'Evers, a Democrat, had delayed in-person voting in the state until 9 June and ordered the legislature into a special session on Tuesday to consider a new date for in-person voting. But in a 4-2 ruling, the state supreme court accepted a request from the Wisconsin legislature to allow voting to proceed. The legislature argued Evers lacked the authority to move the election.'
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/06/wisconsin-primary-election-in-person-voting-coronavirus
More state-specific evidence of courts being complicit in thwart the vote (part 2):
Florida felons must pay all fines, restitution and legal fees before they can regain their right to vote, a federal appellate court ruled Friday in a case that could have broad implications for the November elections.
Reversing a lower court judge's decision that gave Florida felons the right to vote regardless of outstanding legal obligations, the order from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was a disappointment to voting rights activists and upheld the position of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and the GOP-led state Legislature.
Under Amendment 4, which Florida voters passed overwhelmingly in 2018, felons who have completed their sentences would have voting rights restored. But the legal dispute arose after lawmakers the next year moved to define what it means to complete a sentence.'
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-felon-voting-rights-pay-fines-fees/
The Bush v. Gore-ization of this election has begun.
[31] Amerisplained, you'll get no argument from me. It was tiresome toward the end.
Not unlike an American election. With fingers on a scale, kinda tiresome...
Let's not kid ourselves, he was blown out an airlock for the egregious flaunting of established parameters...
Own it.
I should point out, I'm all in favour of censure followed by a dry slap. Sometimes it's not enough to ask someone to STFU and govern themselves accordingly, they that don't hear will miss the axe falling.
Aside. Scaramucci has really grown on me, intelligent, sharp, quick-witted and identifiably pragmatic. Almost a contradiction in terms for a Republican financier.
LL&P
Jesus F Christ All fucking mighty.
Seriously...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOyiY3c7aqM
This shit won't help dissuade the 25% of Amerisheeple there's no Qcrap truth to the Dem deviancy narrative... Not in the slightest.
What am I going to do with you lot?
You get the right-wing media down and administer a coup de grace, you don't fucking jerk off while you're doing it.
Hello.
Obviously this is no one's fault but Slap-happy Toobs, but wtf, this won't touch the election needle, but it sure as shit will careen around the right-wing fringe media as proof of Q...
Blood and sand.
I'm ashamed for America, but more importantly, I'm alarmed by the insipid growth of the right-wing conspiracy-class, and its ability to cross borders.
You guys are predisposed to shit not making sense, religion, heavily armed peaceful folk, elections where the popular vote is irrelevant, but the bulk of heavy lifting for democracy is in other western systems, what if a 'pandemic of stupidity' erupts out the likes of Q?
You have to snuff this out.
LL&P
Chris,
Canadasplaining"? That's a new one on me, I have to admit...
Ha! Huh?
Where have you been for the last very long while. Ahem.
:-)
I just thank God for small miracles that she's not really out on the stump, that I can plainly see, anyway ... :)
italyrusty,
I nominate Nancy Pelosi for honorable mention once again this week. She has NOT caved in to the Senate Republicans in insisting on a 'skinny' coronavirus relief bill. Once more, she shows what a masterful negotiator she is *and* a powerful leader, keeping her fellow Democratic Representatives "shoulder to shoulder".
Wow. Yeah, she deserves an award, alright. And, all of her Democratic colleagues, too.
I wonder how powerful they all seem to Americans who are suffering through an epidemic while their leaders show how masterful they are at not passing legislation to help them when they need it most.
Do you ever wonder about that?
I just thank God for small miracles, literally, that I don't live in a country where powerful leaders act masterfully to not help people who need it.
If Democrats in the Senate really cared about people, they would just do whatever they have to do to pass this much needed assistance, yesterday. And, then they can continue calling out the Republican nonsense and hard-heartedness and look to the near future when they may be in control of things. Let's get through Thanksgiving and the Holidays with some sense of caring for each other.
People need help now! I'm pretty sure they don't care much for the masterful shenanigans going on in Washington while they worry themselves to sleep at night.
Speaker Pelosi will deserve a month of FTP MIDOTW awards if she were to do this and Americans in need would breathe a sigh of relief.
Don't blame that on Pelosi or even Fat Donny. That belongs to McConnell.
Once again, it's not about the dollar amount. It's about where the dollars go. The senate bill was a stunt (with poison pills as always)intended not to pass because that's what McConnell wanted.
Who among us even thought of changing his vote in 2016 as a result of Comey announcing he was 'taking another look' at Hillary's emails?? Hillary seizes upon that factor in a lame effort to rationalize her loss to the moron, but I doubt that it was even a minor factor. Nobody else gave a dam about Hillary's emails on the first look, let alone the 2nd. Red state people simply disliked Hillary, period.
JFC,
Once again, it's not about the dollar amount. It's about where the dollars go.
Yes, I understand that. But, a lot of the dollars would be going where they are needed, right?
It's the old something is better than nothing if you are in desperate need. Time for Democrats to do whatever they can to help people.
JFC,
Don't blame that on Pelosi or even Fat Donny. That belongs to McConnell.
Is there really a place for the blame game here?
Just get some relief to people who need it now.
[50] I'm glad you said it, I'm getting nowhere with my blunt-force blithe approach... Singing to the choir while they whistle past the graveyard isn't universal, in fact here it's excessive, everyone gets the scene.
I end all my commentary elsewhere with 'Just go vote with your head'. A bland suggestion at worst, I've had more than one person respond, "why"...Nothing wakes up the boiler room faster than a stupid question.
LL&P
EM [53] Sometimes 'something' isn't better than nothing. Let's say a usually stingy relative asks you what you need and you say 'A basic cellphone [you know this relative is stingy], because there is no landline here.' And they give you-- a cheap landline handset. And then for the next 10 years, they complain that they gave you a wonderful phone when you asked for one, but you didn't like it, so they're not about to give you anything else.
Also remember that part of Mitch's deal was that employees would not be able to sue employers if they contract the virus due to unsafe working conditions.
The real blame goes to GOP senators refusing to pass any real relief.
Still, the blame game, while people suffer ... ?
Oh, well, they'll get through to the end of the year, alright, I guess ...
@crs,
hillary's loss has as many causes as there are stars in the sky. you're right about the general trends, but i'm sure comey's investigation moved a few votes here and there. blaming that alone is a lousy excuse, because it's a factor that was outside of most people's control, while there were so many factors that were within the campaign's control.
Here's an interesting piece in the New York Times by Dr. Christopher Murray, the amazing director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/opinion/coronavirus-data-secrecy.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
It really is outrageous that the Trump administration is not allowing outside experts like Dr. Murray to see all of the COVID-19 data being collected by the government in the middle of a worsening epidemic.
The question must be asked - why is that?
But, that doesn't mean that you still can't be doing everything that can possibly be done to get this very controllable virus under control.
There are countries - in Asia, South Asia and Western Pacific - who have been very successful in controlling transmission of SARS-COV-2 and they are not using any magic tools that the rest of us don't have access to.
What is the CDC doing to control and prevent COVID-19?
@liz,
one thing those countries have that we don't is more limits on certain personal freedoms. the US is a significantly more libertarian country than most, for better and for worse. in this case worse.
JL
LizM,
Is there really a place for the blame game here?
Just get some relief to people who need it now.
Yes, there is. McConnell is not going to allow that to happen. He has already written Fat Donny off and moved into "make Biden a one term prez mode". That means austerity.
From the Chris Murray piece linked to above,
"The C.D.C. provides data at the national level for cases by age and sex and race/ethnicity, but not for both together at the state or county levels. We have asked the C.D.C. for such data but have been told by officials that they cannot share it. These breakdowns are essential to make sense of what is happening."
What if the real problem is that the Trump administration has long ago mandated that this data not be kept, let alone released. Maybe the CDC won't provide this critical data because it doesn't have it. Sound familiar?
@jfc,
that's why the senate races are just as important as the presidential race. possibly even moreso.
JL
LizM,
It's the old something is better than nothing if you are in desperate need. Time for Democrats to do whatever they can to help people.
Forcing people back to work at low wage jobs while exposing themselves to the plague while shielding employers from any liability is not help.
JFC,
To be clear, I know very well who is to blame here. My point remains that that is small comfort if any comfort at all to all of the Americans who are in desperate need now, will be in desperate need through the Holidays and into 2021.
The blame game doesn't help them one iota.
Are you saying that even if senate Democrats say yes to the Republicans, nothing will pass?
Well, if that is the case, then I can't imagine the Republicans being able to hold onto their majority.
Actually, scratch that - I can imagine a scenario where Republicans hold their majority in the senate and it ain't a pretty picture.
I really do feel for you guys ...
Forcing people back to work at low wage jobs while exposing themselves to the plague while shielding employers from any liability is not help.
The legislation actually forces people back to work?
Your country really is in bad shape with no hope in sight.
JL,
Agreed. That's why senate Dems should not help the GOP pull off a sham relief bill. If it needs Dem votes, then it should include Dem priorities.
Are you listening to Jill Biden, she will be a wonderful first lady!
The legislation actually forces people back to work?
Go back to work or lose your unemployment check. That feels like force to me.
I do not believe that McConnell will be majority leader in January.
$1,200 checks with the orange one's name on them are not nothing, but ultimately are not much help.
Go back to work or lose your unemployment check. That feels like force to me.
Unbelievable.
I don't think I would survive in your country.
$1,200 checks with the orange one's name on them are not nothing, but ultimately are not much help.
If that comes in every month during the worst of an epidemic, then that is help in my book.
It would be one check and that's it. Not monthly.
Go back to work or lose your unemployment check.
Under normal circumstances this would be reasonable, but what we're talking about is implementing the GOP herd immunity project. Reopen everything 100%. Schools, bars, restaurants, everything w/o employer liability for the deadly results. There's no good reason for the Dems to go along with that. Doing so would validate the Death Harris argument that they are in cahoots rather in opposition. It's bad enough that they are in cahoots regarding war w/o end.
A question: On January 6th the Senate will certify the election results. Should Biden win the vote in certain battleground states the democratic governor and election commission will send a Biden slate of electors to Washington. The bright red state legislatures will send a competing slate of Trump electors to the Senate and on the sixth day of January the Senate will decide who will be our next president. But which Senate will make that decision? The current Moscow Mitch Senate or the new democratic Senate. When do new Senators take office? The fate of mankind could hang on that question. Does anybody know if there has ever been a case before when the Senate gave the presidency to the losing candidate?
SFBear,
In most states they have laws that say that the electors are selected by the voters. The legislatures can't just do what they want. They could change those laws, but I'm not aware of any states that have.
Short Fingers has been a mixed bag for the GOP to say the least. Your scenario requires them to go against the voters in order to extend their dilemma. He has a loyal death cult, but they don't.
Are you listening to Jill Biden, she will be a wonderful first lady!
Let's hope she gets the chance. It's hard to believe that we've sunk below Nancy Reagan, but here we are with Natasha. Jill's a lucky dog. The bar has been set really low for her.
It's a tough call, but these are tough times.
Do the Democrats feed the bulldog before the election?
No way.
Trump wants to run his old game plan, spend someone else's cash until another mark can be sapped.
Pelosi would (and I suspect is) be well advised to take a week off.
It's lunacy to give Trump a crowing point, regardless of who it helps, Trump will ensconce himself in the success and bask in the right-wing media sunshine.
No no no, that's not how you beat a slimeball, leave him twisting in the wind, the GOP won't complain, they can't agree on whether the sun will rise tomorrow, and if it does, will it be east or west. No no no.
In another Mooch, nothing more can be done, I'd leave it at that, too much has been suffered to blow it on one sentimental cash cow...
LL&P
If Trump really wants the best for America, Biden should place one of his famous calls and thank him for his support...
They really do write themselves.
LL&P
Lou Dobbs is really repulsive and he's one of Dear Leader's favorite sycophant's, but if you can stomach this, it's worth a look. It's only a minute and we can hope that the death cult zombies follow his advice.
Obama...
I miss his oratories, I mean, damn, he could teach a course on how to speak publicly...
I always liked the cut of his jib but forgot how likeable and refreshing he can be when he lets it all out.
Nah, he isn't pissed that Trump has tried to erase him from history like a fresh Nazi-hell on milkmaid.
The almost four years of Nutzy Fagan hasn't ground Obama down, it's fired him up, and he's still the man.
Stellar speech.
LL&P
Meanwhile, back at the delusion, Trump has this to announce...
'We're going to have a red wave'
I'm not making this up, lol.
He must be referring to the wave goodbye he's dreading.
LL&P
Joshua,
one thing those countries have that we don't is more limits on certain personal freedoms. the US is a significantly more libertarian country than most, for better and for worse. in this case worse.
That may be true. Not sure about Australia, Japan and South Korea but, I suppose there are no freer people on the face of the planet than Americans. Ahem. (no, I won't go there. heh.)
However, what all of those countries DO have that you guys unfortunately do NOT is a smart strategy for testing and isolating cases and for contact tracing and quarantining of contacts. If you don't have this during your epidemic, then I believe that Americans will have essentially - and, perhaps, permanently - lost their freedom ... to travel to any other part of the world. :(
[83] JFC
Dobbs' trashing of Graham is really interesting, and under-reported.
Lou Dobbs is one of Trump's biggest boosters, and definitely coordinates with his campaign. So it's hard not to read this as Donny trying to publicly punish Graham for not "delivering the goods" on the delusion of Obamagate.
So many Republican voters have a world-view that is completely dominated by "facts" as presented on Fox. Really has the potential to swing voters against Graham (although not in favor of voting for Harrison; but then a non-vote for Graham is like 1/2 a vote for Harrison).
It's a weird play, politically. Probably just a petulant revenge action by the Tangerine Disaster as he enters his death throes.
JFC,
Jill's a lucky dog. The bar has been set really low for her.
She doesn't resemble that remark. And, neither does her husband, for that matter. Sheesh.
Haven't been checking the local (Waterloo region) COVID-19 situation for a while - we still haven't come very close to crushing the curve but we're still below 2000 cases and it looks like the horrible situation in our long-term care facilities which accounted for about 90% of deaths has finally stabilized with few new cases being reported.
JFC,
I'm just tired of everyone saying that the bar has been set low for the Bidens with the thinnly veiled and wholly misguided implication that they couldn't get over it, otherwise. :)
I don't like him, but I have no opinion of her. I was just saying that she gets to look extra good in comparison even if she doesn't try very hard. Who wouldn't like that opportunity?
Yeah, I see.
My figures were a bit off in [89] ...
We have actually passed the two thousand mark with 2063 total positive cases since the beginning, for a population of about 600,000. Currently we have 109 active cases and a total of 120 deaths, 93 of those in LTC or retirement homes.
A + B = C
Time for an interesting round of A + B = C. Today's subject is the future makeup of the Executive and Legislative Branches of the United States and the White House current occupant's viewpoint and actions regarding same.
And away we go:
(A) Thursday, 10/23, Lou Dobb disparages Lindsey Graham on Fox News -- a.k.a. Trump Pravda -- by imploring and encouraging South Carolina voters to turn him out of office:
Lou also reminded his viewers of Donald Trump's original feelings for Lindsey Graham with a graphic of a Trump quote from the 2016 election season:
(B) Thursday, 10/23, in a closed door meeting, Donald Trump informed donors that he thought it would be "very tough" for the GOP to keep control of the Senate because some of the Party's senators are candidates he cannot support:
During the privately held meeting, Trump also informed donors that he thought the GOP would be taking back the House in 2020.
(C) Donald Trump has thrown Lindsey Graham under the bus.
So it seems (so far) Miss Lindsey has refused to break the law for Trump and announce an investigation into Joe Biden based on information Trump's own DOJ has determined to be Russian propaganda... you know, that thing Donald Trump got impeached in perpetuity over when he attempted to coerce the leader of a foreign nation into doing the same thing and that thing that (so far) Bill Barr and Chris Wray have also refused to do and have publicly (on Fox News) been threatened by Trump with termination.
Senate Spoiler Alert
Donald Trump is correct that it will be "very tough" for the GOP to keep control of the Senate, particularly when Trump is content to throw multiple GOP Senators under the wheels of the bus going round and round.
House Spoiler Alert
Donald Trump believes the GOP will win the House of Representatives in 2020 when, in point of fact, there isn't a snowball's chance in Hell that this will happen. In fact, barring no changes from right this minute (time below) until all the polls close on November 3, the Democratic Party is in good position to pick up somewhere in the range of 5-9 more seats in the House... give or take, of course.
[94] Kick
That [B], that'll really help him with the donors, I'm sure.
"Just want to emphasize, win or lose, I can't help petulantly dragging down a few Senators with me. And as proof of my political acumen, I also predict a Red Wave will sweep the House to GOP control. Please write me a big fat check!"
In addition, the president's spouse is not very interesting to me unless she is embarrassing.
As far as he's concerned, I think it's a good thing that the bar is set low. He's very third time lucky to have the worst president imaginable as his opponent.
We've already been through this playing footsie with insane Republicans with Obama. I'm not very optimistic. Fortunately for you, like you said, you don't have to survive in this country. You only have to deal with our dysfunction indirectly, so you have the luxury of indulging in his bipartisan fantasies.
chaszzzbrown & Kick,
Yep. That was my point to SFBear in [79]. The GOP seems unlikely to try very hard to save Fat Donny from losing. They're better off if he loses. They've already packed the courts and their tax cut spree is over with a Dem Speaker of the House.
I have responded to every issue anyone here has with One Demand.
By dismissing the question as childish trolling...
Seems like any question that is not heavily spiked with praise is just beyond your ability to answer.
Side note: I am still blocked from one demand by netgear armor as it is still listed as a malware site. I can reach it in other ways, but who knows how many other similar services also black list you and how long it will take to get one demand off the black list. Anyone running netgear armor can't visit one demand even if they wanted to without completely disabling it. Just shows how much of a f'up neglecting one's website is in the modern age.
italyrusty
34
I almost spit out my morning tea laughing.
Trumpian existential theory is infinitely hysterical. ;)
The inclusion of statistics and the 'vote' banner are fantastic.
You want statistics? ----> I got statistics, and I "crunches" numbers and I'll keep posting them.
You want pictures? -----> Don't encourage me. ;)
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I wonder if the true October Surprise is the surge of COVID-19. It's ramping up fast and does not look to be letting up especially in the red and battleground states. If the hospitals start to overflow and the news is full of over worked medical staff and deaths, people who planned to vote on election day might just stay home, especially if they have soured on Trump but still won't vote for Biden. This would be a pretty spectacular fail of Trump's election schemes since the left seems to be getting in the early votes in record numbers.
JFC,
Fortunately for you, like you said, you don't have to survive in this country.
What I actually said was, I couldn't survive in your country. And, that's not hyperbole.
You only have to deal with our dysfunction indirectly, so you have the luxury of indulging in his bipartisan fantasies.
I think you may have Biden pegged all wrong. When he talks about bringing the country together and bipartisanship, he is talking about the people and their voting practices, not congressional Republicans.
No one knows better than Obama and Biden that the congressional bipartisan ship has sailed. And, that is why Joshua is right that it is critically important that the House, Senate and White House be in Democrat hands come January 20th. Mostly because there will still be SCOTUS to worry about and deal with.
By the way and to be clear, as a global citizen, I have no luxury in indulging in any American fantasies.
Speaking of living in an American fantasy ... why is it that no one in the US - no doctor, no politician, no congressperson, no CDC official or head, certainly no president - has put forth a clear and comprehensive nationwide plan of action to fight COVID-19 and get this very controllable virus under control?
Anyone of us here could do it!
They all must think it's not worth the effort and that the virus will eventually go away.
Good luck with that.
Normally I don't get into mentioning much about my personal life here, but I thought it was worth mentioning:
A) Since we have been talking about surging covid cases so much lately.... I recently had my own scare this month. A friend of mine tested positive and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and on antibiotics and steroids. I had to go into quarantine myself for 2 weeks until I got a negative test result. I am in Florida. Just want to emphasize that it is indeed real and out there.
B) Being in Florida, I have also been trying to do my part politically. I have already voted early and dragged a friend of mine to the polls with me so he could vote early too also. I also contributed a monetary donation to the campaigns of two prospective Senators, one running in South Carolina and the other in Georgia. I also urge everyone to get involved and vote, whoever their choice may be.
Great stuff, John!
Very glad you went into quarantine and are okay. I hope your friend is okay, too!
italyrusty
35-40
Nailed it!
[37] Since then, the Republicans have come within a SINGLE VOTE of repealing Obamacare. Since they failed in this - "despite controlling all branches of the Federal government" - they are about to use the Supreme Court to do so.
This! Tune in tomorrow night to "60 Minutes" and see this back-and-forth dialogue:
Stahl: “It’s going to be ready, it’s all ready. It’ll be here in two weeks. It’s going to be like nothing you’ve ever seen before.” <--- [quoting Trump to Trump] And, of course, we haven’t seen it. So why didn’t you develop a health plan?
Trump: It is developed. It’s fully developed. It’s going to be announced very soon.
Sthal: When? You say that over and over.
Later in the interview:
Stahl: But if — if the Supreme Court ends this, Obamacare...
Trump: Well, we’re going to have to see what happens. It’s got a ways to go. I mean, we’ll see what happens... I hope that they end it. It’ll be so good if they end it... Because we will come up with a plan...
Stahl: Will?
Trump: Yeah, we will.
Stahl: But you said it would already.
Trump: [contradicting himself] We have large sections of it already done, and we’ve already come up with plans. Take a look at your various secretaries, various plans that we’ve already come up with. And also, you know, a large part of this country has private health insurance.
Trump: We may be stuck with it if we lose in the Supreme Court, in which case we’re wasting a lot of words. If we win, we will come up with a much — and we will do that — come up with a much better health care for much less money, always protecting people with preexisting conditions.
Question: Did no one tell Dumbass Donald that the President of the United States could show this fantastic plan that he claims is "all ready" and allow them to vote it up or down as a replacement plan?
Perhaps Trump just doesn't have the cojones to do it like Obama did. What an effing coward. Trump insists the plan is "all ready," but he won't show it to anyone because no balls, no plan.
John From Censornati
48
Don't blame that on Pelosi or even Fat Donny. That belongs to McConnell.
Yes, sir, and speaking of Moscow Mitch, WTF is up with his hands and face? He appears jaundiced and his upper appendages are black distally, one moreso than the other, with evidence of recent intravenous access.
Do I detect a liver condition, JFC?
C. R. Stucki
50
Who among us even thought of changing his vote in 2016 as a result of Comey announcing he was 'taking another look' at Hillary's emails??
That group of people who liked neither candidate and were "undecided" at the time the sensitive information was leaked in the exact fashion the FBI Director testified that he knew it would be leaked when he disseminated the correspondence. The "Undecideds" were a large group in 2016. The announcement was also a proven "get out the vote" killer.
Any more questions?
Hillary seizes upon that factor in a lame effort to rationalize her loss to the moron, but I doubt that it was even a minor factor.
Yes, Stucki, it was such a nonfactor in the eyes of everyone that Trump freely admits that he won the election in the final week, and additionally Trump is trying desperately to have somebody announce an investigation into Joe Biden. Trump got impeached in perpetuity for attempting to force a foreign nation to do it this election cycle and has recently publicly threatened the Attorney General of the United States and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with their jobs if they don't announce an investigation into Obama and Biden. Additionally, he has days ago thrown Lindsey Graham under the bus with the wheels going round and round because the Senator from South Carolina won't announce an investigation into Obama and Biden.
Clue in, Stucki. What more evidence do you need to understand the "plain truth" and "obvious fact" that announcements of criminal investigation are Trump's "thing" a.k.a. "modus operandi"?
Nobody else gave a dam about Hillary's emails on the first look, let alone the 2nd.
Incorrect. Russia hacked HRC and the DNC and posted the emails online, and trashing your opponent as a criminal enterprise and inventing the QAnon-sense conspiracy bullshit out of those emails has become a cottage industry for the GOP propaganda machine to feed their gullible minions.
Red state people simply disliked Hillary, period.
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan weren't Red states until 2016, Stucki... clue in. :)
Kick,
Trump got impeached in perpetuity for attempting to force a foreign nation to do it this election cycle
Yeah, well, impeachment doesn't really count unless you boot him out of office. Ahem.
If you'd like to discuss what are serious impeachable offenses, let's talk about how Trump knew just how serious and insidious SARS-COV-2 really was from the beginning of this crisis yet minimized the importance of proven public health measures and repeatedly downplayed the serious nature of COVID-19, knowingly putting American lives in danger - many of whom actually died!
Now, THAT was and is worthy of a serious impeachment proceeding.
As my other favourite political analyst wrote recently, "too bad the impeachment shot was wasted on an over-hyped issue even its promoters don’t talk about now."
But, wait, can a president be impeached twice? Heh.
nypoet22
59
hillary's loss has as many causes as there are stars in the sky. you're right about the general trends, but i'm sure comey's investigation moved a few votes here and there. blaming that alone is a lousy excuse, because it's a factor that was outside of most people's control, while there were so many factors that were within the campaign's control.
Exactly this. There were several factors involved, up to and including the orchestrated and maneuvered announcement of a criminal investigation into his opponent by the Trump campaign, which Trump and Giuliani are trying desperately to repeat in 2020 and for which Trump was impeached.
I have no idea why it is fashionable to make the claim that HRC is attempting to assign blame to everyone but herself when she isn't and she doesn't, and hindsight is generally always 20/20.
HRC's campaign made a shit-ton of mistakes, but Trump's campaign also made a shit-ton of mistakes. One of them will likely face criminal charges for their shit-ton while the other one will never be President of the United States. :)
John From Censornati
83
Lou Dobbs is really repulsive and he's one of Dear Leader's favorite sycophant's, but if you can stomach this, it's worth a look. It's only a minute and we can hope that the death cult zombies follow his advice.
I see that you see what I see; I'm just slow responding today because I'm busy doing Texas flipping with my big spatula while I fly back and forth from one thing to another thing.
Poor GOP Senators. *shakes head and laughs simultaneously*
James T Canuck
85
Meanwhile, back at the delusion, Trump has this to announce...
'We're going to have a red wave'
Have you perchance considered the fact that blood is red when it exists outside the human body and a bloodbath would constitute a metaphorical red wave?
He must be referring to the wave goodbye he's dreading.
Heh. If Trump weren't too much of a coward with no cojones to attend Biden's inauguration. No Balls Trump.
chaszzzbrown
87
Charles Brown, Esq.!
Lou Dobbs is one of Trump's biggest boosters, and definitely coordinates with his campaign. So it's hard not to read this as Donny trying to publicly punish Graham for not "delivering the goods" on the delusion of Obamagate.
This... this... this!
It's a weird play, politically.
It's a total Trump move; everything is transactional with him -- this for that -- and his loyalty goes one way only. He will always claim victory even when he loses. #SSDD
chaszzzbrown
95
"Just want to emphasize, win or lose, I can't help petulantly dragging down a few Senators with me. And as proof of my political acumen, I also predict a Red Wave will sweep the House to GOP control. Please write me a big fat check!"
Spew alert! :) *big grin*
I'm waiting for an overwhelming win for Biden on November 3, only to hear Trump say, "Not so fast, we must wait until all the votes are counted."
VOTE!
John M
104
Glad you are fine, John M. Stay well.
I have also been trying to do my part politically. I have already voted early and dragged a friend of mine to the polls with me so he could vote early too also.
Another voter! You know what this means, John M... you get a picture.
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Very nice!
Very nice.
Heh.
LizM,
No one knows better than Obama and Biden that the congressional bipartisan ship has sailed.
Then why is he talking about a 180 day bipartisan commission to decide what to do about the supreme court?
Kick,
Yes, sir, and speaking of Moscow Mitch, WTF is up with his hands and face?
I think he looks like he fell down a set of stairs. I've seen him walk down stairs and he has difficulty with them.
Fat Donny I don't find him funny
Sacha Baron Cohen Donald—I appreciate the free publicity for Borat! I admit, I don’t find you funny either. But yet the whole world laughs at you. I’m always looking for people to play racist buffoons and you’ll need a job after Jan. 20. Let’s talk!
There's no upside to warring with a comedian, but Donald is too dim-witted to ever learn that lesson.
Kick [108] - spot on.
The Comey 'October surprise' didn't change many votes, if any. But it dominated the news cycle - not just Faux News- and had a negative impact on voter turnout in the critical swing states. (Ironically, Comey closed the 'inquiry' after only three days, but the story circulated until election day.)
For some perspective, here's a fascinating article from Politico. It compares Biden's current standing in the polling of the "swing states" with Hillary's standing in those same states immediately BEFORE Comey's announcement.
At least one of the self-proclaimed Brahmans has repeated the lament "If only Hillary had campaigned more in Michigan!". It's easier to rewrite history than learn from it.
'Michigan (16 electoral votes):
FiveThirtyEight average: Biden +8.1
FiveThirtyEight “polls-only” forecast on Oct. 27, 2016: Clinton +6.6
2016 result: Trump +0.2'
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/22/biden-swing-state-polls-431287
JFC,
Then why is he talking about a 180 day bipartisan commission to decide what to do about the supreme court?
Do you imagine 'bipartisan' to be synonymous only with 'congressional'?
If Biden chooses his bipartisan commission from the US Congress, then he will not have deserved to be elected president. Ahem.
I think the only thing Biden wants to do with SCOTUS is make sure Republicans never again have the oppportunity to nominate another justice. Heh.
I'm thinking about a theme for tonight's music festival and dance party ...
Who's your favourite cover band?
Have you ever heard a band cover one of your favourite songs and say, Damn! ... that sounds as good or better than the original!!!
Well, I have discovered one such band and I will highlight their stuff tonight. Later ...
Do you imagine 'bipartisan' to be synonymous only with 'congressional'?
I do not.
I think the only thing Biden wants to do with SCOTUS is make sure Republicans never again have the opportunity to nominate another justice.
If so, he doesn't need 180 days or a bipartisan commission to figure out how to get there.
That' for sure! He'll need a whole lot more than a silly commission, bipartisan or otherwise.
He need to provoke a sea change in what makes voters tick.
In other words, he'll have to LEAD.
More than competently and for the duration.
He'll need to get his head on straight and realize that the rules have changed. There's no going back. No MAGA. That goes for the senate Dems as well. Short Fingers exploited the GOP. He didn't create it.
All of this of course assumes that the DOJ or Lindsey or somebody doesn't expose his extensive life of corruption tomorrow.
They got the murder hornets' nest!
Yeah, well, let's just see him get elected first. :)
Heh. Trump says the Biden family is a crime syndicate.
Projection, projection
I won't be fooled by projection.
Projection, projection
You thought you put something over me-e-e-e-e ...
With apologies to PRiSM ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTA8-0odWxI
Mezzomomma [33] -
Sigh. I just knew this was going to happen. Believe it or not, I asked two sources (one a grammar policeperson herself) about this while editing, and both preferred "gaslit." I kinda thought "gaslighted" was right, but thought about "light." "I light the fire... there -- I lit the fire!" Somehow "I lighted the fire" doesn't sound better.
Since gaslight was verbized due to a movie, it is (as you pointed out) recent. Irregular past tenses always are tricky for me. (I know "hanged" is only for people" while "hung" is right for objects, but the one I come across most is "plea." Is it "he pled guilty" or "he pleaded guilty"? Still foggy on that one.)
Anyway, I do ask those with more grammar sense than I (points for that "I," right?) when I get to the ones that are tricky, because I know I'll get called on it if I get it wrong...
:-)
-CW
CW [137]
There's probably still a lot of personal preference between gaslit/gaslighted. And of course, Muphry's law kicked in and I had a couple of punctuation typos I missed in preview. Some of these verb forms are in transition, but with pled/pleaded maybe one is general use and the other legal use? Just don't ask me which.
I have more Texas statistical news, but I'm busier than a one-eyed dog in a smokehouse.
New poll in Texas showing Biden with a +3 lead, within the margin of error (you know the drill). Crunching the numbers shows it's suburban women and specifically Hispanic women that are giving Joe the edge. If Biden wants to give his campaign a fighting chance to win the election on November 3, I'm just saying a visit to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas might be enough to boost turnout to shut this whole thing down for Trump.
So to recap: Joe Biden, please spend some time in Texas to boost your turnout, and it could be lights out on election night. Might I suggest you get your boney asses down to Brownsville, McAllen -- or send Obama's -- and it couldn't hurt to visit San Antonio and a couple big cities while you're here. Is this microphone on? (props to MC for that one). :)
[137]
'The prisoner will be hanged in the courtyard, and then hung in the prison until his burial.'
LL&P
Elizabeth Miller
109
Yeah, well, impeachment doesn't really count unless you boot him out of office. Ahem.
I'll take "Things a Clinton Would Say" for $500, Alex. *grins*
If you weren't trying to imitate a Clinton or a Trump with that nugget, you failed. Yes, I am infinitely tricky with words like Pete Buttigieg, the future of the Democratic Party, but I digress.
If you'd like to discuss what are serious impeachable offenses, let's talk about how Trump knew just how serious and insidious SARS-COV-2 really was from the beginning of this crisis yet minimized the importance of proven public health measures and repeatedly downplayed the serious nature of COVID-19, knowingly putting American lives in danger - many of whom actually died!
Herman Cain would agree... if he were alive to do it. I also agree, and I'm very much alive despite living in a state full of a lot of dipshits and redneck shits who won't keep their dumb asses out of my personal recreational space.
Now, THAT was and is worthy of a serious impeachment proceeding.
That is worthy of a criminal trial for reckless endangerment. Pause for definition:
*
As my other favourite political analyst wrote recently, "too bad the impeachment shot was wasted on an over-hyped issue even its promoters don’t talk about now."
This "favourite political analyst" of yours sounds blissfully unaware that its promoters do talk about it now because the person who was impeached in perpetuity for said issue is quite literally still using hacked emails by a foreign entity in an attempt to force an announcement of an investigation into his political opponent, Your Worship Joe Biden. Also, there's no "u" in favorite, but again, I digress.
But, wait, can a president be impeached twice? Heh.
You bet your ass he could, but if Joe Biden or somebody from the Biden campaign will get their boney asses into Texas and visit the Rio Grande Valley and a few 'burbs like San Antonio, Texas just might impeach the SOB on behalf of the entire nation on November 3.
Here's an interesting read from POLITICO Ocasio-Cortez Understands Politics Better Than Her Critics
People’s politics tend to determine their policy preferences, and not the other way around. In one example from the 1960s, as Christopher Achens and Larry Bartels write in Democracy for Realists, even southerners who supported racial integration left the Democratic Party. Once they became Republican, they then adjusted their views on race and affirmative action to fit more comfortably with their new partisan identity. Put another way, if a person with no prior partisan attachments decides to become a Republican, he is likely to become pro-life. If that same person, with the same genetics and life experience, decides to become a Democrat, he is likely to become pro-choice.
“One thing that [Ocasio-Cortez] has shown is that political leadership matters. Just proposing a 70 percent marginal tax rate has restructured a debate over taxes. Obama’s presidency was defined by self-imposed limits.”
John From Censornati
121
I think he looks like he fell down a set of stairs. I've seen him walk down stairs and he has difficulty with them.
Sounds like an episode of "The Sopranos." I'm not kidding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omNgeDME-cQ
Maybe Fat Donny had somebody pay him a visit.
*
Or maybe Mitch survived the wheels of the bus...
*musical segue way*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My God
In God we trust
But we'll never really know what got discussed
Click-boom then it happened
And no one else was in the room where it happened.
~ Hamilton
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kick,
if Joe Biden or somebody from the Biden campaign will get their boney asses into Texas and visit the Rio Grande Valley and a few 'burbs like San Antonio, Texas just might impeach the SOB on behalf of the entire nation on November 3.
That sounds like a job for Bernie unless the boney ass is actually essential.
[141] "Full Disclosure: I adore you, Canada. My posts in your direction are never meant to insult but to inform, but I think you already know that. :)"
We wouldn't be here contributing to the debate if we'd abdicated our moral imperative to help a close friend and ally. While I fall toward the 'if your next-door neighbour's house is on fire the least you can do is call 911' side of the conversation, both are a means to an end...
Biden's no friend to Canada (Alberta Tar sands), but at least he won't treat us like an enemy. Wartime tariffs have to be an aberration. After 9-11, America was paid in full by NATO, whether you like to believe it or not.
Also, if the world is to accept American leadership, it has to be its own movement and ultimately has to pony up the lions share of the imposition of its values on a global scale...
LL&P
I've been in music off and on for over 50 years, and I have years of experience as a semi-pro Bassist, playing Grateful Dead and other forms of Trash Rock and Roll Devil-worship music. What aided my bass playing was two years of Jazz Guitar with Jody Fisher a decade before I picked up the bass (and headed to the bar to help move alcohol.)
The trouble with Steve Vai is that he seems to be so good on electric guitar...SO good (IMO) that there's no point in me even trying. Nor anyone else.*sigh*
I love jazz meistro Joe Pass, Steve Howe (Yes), Stevie Ray Vaughn, the two Jimmies, Page (Led Zep) & Hendrix. I used to count Steve Howe as my fave axman. But no more.
At any rate, an early entry to this afternoon's Dance Party, For the Love of God.
Okay, okay!
Just ONE more Saturday Night Live clip.
Day-yam! There's a ton of good thinking in this robust pre election comments thread!
Congrats and thanks: on the whole youse Canucks are sooo much more aware of the outside world than are us insuler Yanks.
Okay, everyone ... C'mon, let's go!
Do you have a favourite cover band?
Spin it up at the CW Sunday Night Music Festival and Dance Party!
My all-time favorite cover band is The J Geils Band! They recorded many originals, but they also covered a whole lot of songs. Take your choice.
Where Did Our Love Go
Hold Your Loving
I Do
House Party
The Usual Place
Trying To Live My Life Without You
First I Look At The Purse
I’m Not Rough
Homework
Looking For A Love
Peanut Butter
I just this evening discovered a great cover band from western Canada - all over western Canada - called Toque. They perform classic rock tunes by (mostly?) Canadian classic rock artists.
Here they are doing a cover of PRiSM RTE (Ron Tabak Era) Armageddon and it is perfection,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRwsGB8HrX8&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3Irk3ohhJZypKc3j6gZwHZStV0xmVu1MrLvbqDBY1nA13o8oBkk5rtI-s
And, here is the original Prism RTE version,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkPhGRQzboE
Ron wins, hands down on the high notes!
Wow. That's a lot of links in one post ...
Gotta grab some dinner and then I'll go listen ...
[31]
I strongly vote for, "Joe wins equals Dems loses/Trump wins equals the GOP loses."
The opposite fairly writes itself and isn't worthy of your efforts, Sir. This would be more in keeping with your credo, "To go...where other pundits haven't thought to go."
Jes' sayin'.
Come to think of it, my suggestion fairly writes itself, as well.
Wanna take Halloween off and I'll cover it for you?
I mean, wouldn't that be "Looking into the future -- looking at the big picture," as you wrote at me in your "You, too, can be a Pundit" screed back in the day?
On a personal note, I printed up that reply and I sleep with it under my pillow every night! Okay, that's an exaggeration. But, I took it to heart.
C'mon, Daddy! I can do this! I can do this!
Sigh.
You are the proverbial fly in the ointment.
You, again?
[81]
You hit the nail on the head.
Pretending to "do good" is always worse than actually "doing good."
Prism fans everywhere truly appreciate the concept of cover bands because our favourite rock band was brought to a tragic end, not once but, twice. They produced a ton of first class material in just four short years, 1977-1980.
And, then, just as a reunion of original members was in the works by the end of 1984, Ron Tabak - the irreplaceable front man and lead vocalist for the band - was tragically killed in a cycling accident at Christmastime.
Anyway, we are so lucky to have so many talented Canadian musicians who love our old classic rock bands as much as we do and who we will be able to see perform live again when that becomes possible post-Pandemic ... fingers crossed!
So here is my current favourite cover band, Parallel 49 (United We Rock), from Thunder Bay, close to the Minnesota border, doing a early PRiSM hit and climate apocalypse tune, Take Me to the Kaptin ... even for a true blue Prism fan, this cover is beyond amazing.
In fact, why not listen to the original first ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv24gN27kRM
And here is the Parallel 49 version,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTZ1A8CY5B4&fbclid=IwAR2f3P78eGk33zjEwngIfJHRHBJG5xOLVT_tYScSmwrn9UvZfI-VRQrauQE
Still listening to the JGB ... I love this band, too.
ENOUGH, MtnCaddy, you're being a real you-know-what!!!
Wait a minute!
Are you talking to ME?
Are you TALKING to me?
Are YOU talking to me?
ARE you talking to me?
-- Taxi Driver
Help! I'm being oppressed by Elizabeth Miller!
Are there any April Wine fans here tonight?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG0HUm8f56A&list=RDecCdYIEAYwU&index=19
April Wine once did a cover of PRiSM's Open Soul Surgery. It wasn't a cover, really but, a whole other song. Wise choice by April Wine 'could nobody could ever touch Ron's brilliant vocals on this one.
April Wine first,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWAzlNe4j40&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1xTDZ1g6D7Deqkpf4faQNnyGNzU0PgJcL0r8V2KxASbPnMoeZgsTm0xHs
And here is the real deal, with Ron Tabak's soaring and brilliant vocals,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BYoQiI71jc
Anyone remember Looking Glass?
Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) is my favourite tune from 1972 ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfbvJ1H3ZRI
And, here's a real fine cover of it by the tribute band Candy Apple Blue,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTs-OKOFdAU
Don't miss Brandy by Looking Glass in 2019!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsPvsBGUnSA
Takin' a break for now but will be back later with a very fine cover by Burton Cummings ... you won't want to miss it!
Here's some poor sod trying to cover a 'Stone's tune.
[173] Elizabeth Miller wrote:
Anyone remember Looking Glass?
Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) is my favourite tune from 1972 ...
Great. I didn't even have to hit the link -- Brandy will now dominate my mind for the foreseeable future.
Cain't ignore that 24/7 jukebox in my noggin.
Okay, MtnCaddy! I warned you and I'm not gonna take any more ...
Oh, that Mick Jagger skit was a lot of fun! :)
MtnCaddy,
"Brandy, you're a fine girl; what a good wife you would be. But, my life, my love and my lady is the sea."
Heh.
Go ahead, rub it in. I'm busy trying to see if I can remember the lyrics to the whole song.
I can help you with that!
I'm gettin' tired so, a couple of things before I go ...
First, a Burton Cummings cover of When a Man Loves a Woman ... one of the best voices in rock'n roll, to be sure ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUv6GGY5S80&list=RDoUv6GGY5S80&index=1
Burton does a pretty good Mack the Knife, too!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLrom1EmrQ4
Burton covers Shiny Stockings - do ya like jazz? :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-CC_rsIs28
Aw, heck.
It's Sunday night. So how about a little Village People meets SNL?
Lay lady lay...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti9QHNvk2AY
LL&P
Steeleye Span - Cam ye o' frae France...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvnvoe-jVQ4
LL&P
And, I just wanted to let everyone know that there is going to be a very special, very fun live event happening up here in the Great White North.
If you're like me, then your craving live music. Well, one of my very favourite musicians/songwriter/singer, Gowan, will be performing live at the Empire Theatre in Belleville Ontarion this coming Thursday night, Oct 29th and he'll be live streaming it.
Gowan is an entertainer extraordinaire - he sure livened up STYX when he joined them in 1999 as keyboardist and vocalist after an illustrious solo career.
The concert on Thursday will be free but donations are being accepted in support of the live event community and venues.
You can watch here,
https://vimeo.com/471123888?fbclid=IwAR3IFi2rQmZUIcjPbSSNgcS6eB-OKeDdGkmUQYeL8JPf6EXzv_hqxJKBuY8
'Fairport Convention (L-R) Dave Pegg, Dave Swarbrick, Dave Mattacks and Simon Nicol perform "The Journeyman's Grace" on Ainsdale Beach nr Southport, England. Recorded for Granada TV.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFuDS5jQVKE
LL&P
Finally, here is Gowan performing A Criminal Mind at the Canadian Music Week in 2009 - I'm pretty sure he'll do this one on Thursday!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ceiyHuW-JQ
Take care everyone and stay safe!
Burton Cummings, eh?
Here's a 45-R.P.M. I bought of his, back in the day. It's called "Sour Suite."
G'Nite, Elizabeth!
PT2...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clRmQc4IjNE
LL&P
Lastly, best...
RWV's
"Bridge Over The River Ash"
LL&P
"Bridge Over The River Ash"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG7XKhay8KE
link helps
LL&P
I got the Led out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88b0OYxdtyM
LL&P
The hometown boys. Kingston, Ontario.
I love this town, I couldn't live anywhere else, my life would unravel.
I miss Gordie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6QDjDPRF5c&list=RDo6QDjDPRF5c&start_radio=1
LL&P
*Back Nov 2-3 ish.
my favorite cover band was "troubled waters," on colbert.
:)
https://youtu.be/4qsPBLCf6EM
of course, one of the intrepid youtube commentators pointed out that there's a new queen of corona, and his name is donald.
MtnCaddy,
That is a great Guess Who tune. One day I'll have to tell you all about how I got front row center seats for a Burton Cummings concert. It was pure heaven. :)
Joshua,
That was a lot of fun with Colbert and Simon.
Here is one just for you, my friend ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEgBMTMUanU
Joshua[200],
HA!
JTC,
I love this town, I couldn't live anywhere else, my life would unravel.
Kingston is a real hot bed for music. It took a while but, the Hip finally grew on me ... love their stuff, now!
What do you say we do a tribute to Gordie and the band next week!?
This was a ton of fun, everyone! Let's do it again next Sunday! :)
John From Censornati
144
That sounds like a job for Bernie unless the boney ass is actually essential.
Heh. Texas is winnable for Democrats, JFC... send them all!
Full Disclosure: Can Texas flip? Fact is, in every election for multiple decades, pieces of Texas have flipped toward the Democratic Party. Is this the year the Democratic Party gets it done at the federal level? If it isn't, it's on to the next one where more pieces will flip. Nine more seats to flip the statehouse because 2018 was a seismic shift/flip on the state level.
Now then, let's revisit why I insisted that those Republicans voting for Biden are important: Texas (also close states like Georgia, Florida, etc.); they could make the difference in a win or loss in 2020 in close states. My repetitive number crunching across multiple polls in Texas reveals Republicans voting for Biden to be in the range of 6% to 7% and Democrats voting for Trump at 1% to 2%, and that statistic combined with the GOTV effort could make the difference in 2020. If Texas can get a turnout of ~11,000,000, that turnout combined with the GOP voters for Biden might be enough to get it done. If we could get that turnout closer to ~12,000,000, the odds are better still. :)
Here's a little PSA to lighten things up!
Hey, Kick - what do you think of the idea of Biden sending Obama to Texas for a big speech this week?
[206] Kick wrote:
"If Texas can get a turnout of ~11,000,000, that turnout combined with the GOP voters for Biden might be enough to get it done. If we could get that turnout closer to ~12,000,000, the odds are better still. :)"
Looks like you are on track! As of yesterday, the total number of early votes cast in Texas so far was 7.4 million. Texas currently has the highest voter turn out in the nation so far, I do believe.
If the current pace keeps up nationwide, total U.S. turn out for a presidential election will hit 150 million voters, 65 percent of all registered voters, a level not seen in more than a century, not since the election of 1908!
[145] James T Canuck wrote:
"After 9-11, America was paid in full by NATO, whether you like to believe it or not."
This American appreciates it and won't forget. I just wish that more of my fellow Americans were aware of it also.
The only time in history that NATO as whole came to a member's defense was to support the USA after 9/11, and not the other way around, with America having to rescue a NATO member. It was our NATO friends and allies who came to OUR defense by invoking the mutual defense clause on their own in support of America!
One way or another, no matter what happens or which way it goes, this election is looking like it is definitely going to be the definitive voice of the American people speaking, and what direction they want to take the country in, for good or bad.
MtnCaddy
177
Here's some poor sod trying to cover a 'Stone's tune.
Heh. :)
well, barrett's on the supreme court. time to start drafting admission of new states to the union. DC, PR, USVI & guam (if they're interested), also six californias fully gerrymandered to crack and pack the state's conservatives.
come to think of it, why stop there? how about east and west texas? south florida? the new york islands? and because extensive litigation is certain to come out of the process, the supreme court will need at least twice as many members, y'know, just to handle the caseload and all...
Elizabeth Miller
209
Hey, Kick - what do you think of the idea of Biden sending Obama to Texas for a big speech this week?
This week, next week... on or before November 3. Bloomberg is sending multiple millions, and I hear Biden is sending Kamala on Friday. Send them all.
Flipping Texas from Red to Blue at the presidential level in 2020 would definitely be a bit sooner than anticipated, but what could it hurt to be early!? ;)
Indeed!
Indeedy do!