2016 Presidential Race

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 5:35 pm

He's an openly strange, Tea party favorite, criminal. His election, and reelection, as FL governor is strikingly similar to Trump. I don't know anyone who likes him, but he won the governor's race twice. His continued rein is a major indictment of the Florida democratic party.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 8:10 pm

This is a big deal, apparently. But I honestly have not heard of her until today.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 9:24 pm

I thought Jeb! was still gov.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 9:50 pm

Nothing says "Presidential" like a dick joke...

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 9:59 pm

Wow!

Scary times for the party of Lincoln and Reagan when the Republican bigwig who has made the most sense recently is a drunk Lindsay Graham making jokes at a roast.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 3:04 pm

This is a bit shocking to me. This is a video at a Trump rally. I don't understand exactly what is occurring but the person who tweeted this says that the guy assaulting the photographer is a secret service agent assigned to the Trump campaign.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 3:24 pm

That other photographer, assuming he/she is still alive, got a heck of a shot of that.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 3:46 pm

John Oliver is a legend.

http://donaldjdrumpf.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 9:40 pm

Johnnie wrote:John Oliver is a legend.

http://donaldjdrumpf.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That was real anger as well. Amazing stuff.

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:36 am

sancarlos wrote:This is a bit shocking to me. This is a video at a Trump rally. I don't understand exactly what is occurring but the person who tweeted this says that the guy assaulting the photographer is a secret service agent assigned to the Trump campaign.

In the Twitter feed is another video showing the camera guy choking the agent, so I can't hold that one against Drumpf.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:55 am

The lack of self-awareness from the right that they wrought Trump as a logical conclusion to years of race-baiting and Fox newsifying and congressional obstruction is what amazes me.

Hoping like hell for a major series of Trump wins today to further drive the point home that party of assholes.

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:34 am

I have all the best words.

Seriously...who says that?

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:37 am

I generally agree about the cause of this (I mean there's never just one cause, but talk radio and the like herding mouthbreathers into the GOP is a clear #1 here), but I cannot agree that it is right to wish for a Trump win for any reason, be it strategic, entertainment, or whatever. (And treating politics as entertainment, which the left and right do in equal measure, is the #2 cause in my opinion). Anyhoo, I had to do my part and go vote in the Republican primary this morning, cast maybe the most unenthusiastic vote of my life (at least until November when I have to vote for HRC). I'd do the same for the Democrats.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:39 am

Jerloma wrote:
I have all the best words.
Seriously...who says that?

Teddy KGB if he took up Scrabble

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:41 am

Rex wrote:I generally agree about the cause of this (I mean there's never just one cause, but talk radio and the like herding mouthbreathers into the GOP is a clear #1 here), but I cannot agree that it is right to wish for a Trump win for any reason, be it strategic, entertainment, or whatever. (And treating politics as entertainment, which the left and right do in equal measure, is the #2 cause in my opinion). Anyhoo, I had to do my part and go vote in the Republican primary this morning, cast maybe the most unenthusiastic vote of my life (at least until November when I have to vote for HRC). I'd do the same for the Democrats.

Rubio is just as bad. Worse, frankly, because he comes with veneer of establishment approval and I think spineless and will be led around by who knows what. But also very electable.

Trump, I am willing to walk that line because I still think he loses in the general, even to Hillary.

And, sweet Jesus, the right has earned what they have wrought here.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:52 am

Good read.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:23 am

tennbengal wrote:The lack of self-awareness from the right that they wrought Trump as a logical conclusion to years of race-baiting and Fox newsifying and congressional obstruction is what amazes me.

Bingo. You don't often in a lifetime see such chickens come home to roost.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:30 am

Rex wrote:…but I cannot agree that it is right to wish for a Trump win for any reason, be it strategic, entertainment, or whatever. (And treating politics as entertainment, which the left and right do in equal measure, is the #2 cause in my opinion).

I see your point, but I want to defend my opposite behavior. (Just 'cause I have some time to kill at work.)

My rooting for Trump has no more or less influence on the outcome than my rooting for the Warriors in OT vs OKC the other night. And the reason for my treatment of politics as entertainment is twofold. First, because I see the whole thing completely divorced from the actual forces (money, corporations, MIC, et al) that determine what this country does (more war, more money for those interests above, less freedom privacy and bill of rights). Second, both the left and right treat it as entertainment because it is; an entertainment that functions to distract us from the reality, to make us think we have a democratic-based system. And I get tired of the reality, and the failure of almost everyone to see it; sometimes you just say fuck it and tune in the Kardashians.

Post by **brian** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:44 am

Speaking of which, Charlie Pierce brings it today.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:00 pm

For the sake of completeness, the Dems will face a similar fate (with a different flavor), at some point in the future, in my estimation. Long overdue.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:06 pm

howard wrote:For the sake of completeness, the Dems will face a similar fate (with a different flavor), at some point in the future, in my estimation. Long overdue.

Didn't they already go through it, with McGovern in '72?

Of course, you could say the Republicans have been down this road before as well, with Goldwater in '64.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:11 pm

I haven't read the Pierce column yet, but I'm talking extinction event. Although, regarding the morphing of the Dems to Republican Lite, if you want to call that extinction, you could well argue the process began that November Wednesday morning in 1972 (and ended with Bubba Clinton, but i digress).

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:13 pm

howard wrote:
Rex wrote:…but I cannot agree that it is right to wish for a Trump win for any reason, be it strategic, entertainment, or whatever. (And treating politics as entertainment, which the left and right do in equal measure, is the #2 cause in my opinion).
I see your point, but I want to defend my opposite behavior. (Just 'cause I have some time to kill at work.)

My rooting for Trump has no more or less influence on the outcome than my rooting for the Warriors in OT vs OKC the other night. And the reason for my treatment of politics as entertainment is twofold. First, because I see the whole thing completely divorced from the actual forces (money, corporations, MIC, et al) that determine what this country does (more war, more money for those interests above, less freedom privacy and bill of rights). Second, both the left and right treat it as entertainment because it is; an entertainment that functions to distract us from the reality, to make us think we have a democratic-based system. And I get tired of the reality, and the failure of almost everyone to see it; sometimes you just say fuck it and tune in the Kardashians.

Totally agree with this. I hate it, but I am totally watching the Republic campaign trail as if it was a reality show train wreck. I have barely followed anything out of the Democrat race. I just know I have to vote against whichever nutjob the GOP puts up, and the less I hear from Bernie or Hillary, the less likely I turn against them. Plus, I know what Bernie stands for, and I don't trust a word that comes out of Hillary's mouth, especially when I like what she says.

I always expected the Tea Party to destroy the GOP, and I think it opened the door for Trump to get away with all of the shit he spews, but I find it interesting that I haven't hear the Tea Party mentioned in any way for months. Is the media just ignoring the Tea Party, or did the Teabaggers trade in their 3 cornered hats with dangling tea bags for their red Make America Great Again hats?

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:13 pm

Are we sure that a guy getting all the votes for saying gross things is going to ruin the party of politicians who've wished for quite some time that they could say gross things and get all the votes?

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:14 pm

I think the most poignant thing Oliver said in that rant was "There's almost a part of me that likes the guy, but it's the part of me I hate." I feel the same way.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:15 pm

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:23 pm

Ryan wrote:Are we sure that a guy getting all the votes for saying gross things is going to ruin the party of politicians who've wished for quite some time that they could say gross things and get all the votes?

There is a sizable contingent of Republicans who are turned off by the anti-intellectual, mudslinging race to the bottom. A lot of those people aren't religious fundamentalists, but tolerated the pandering to the Fundies in order to have a chance at winning elections. Pandering to the Fundies was a political strategy done because the GOP knew their platform was falling out of favor to the point of losing power, and they needed to court voters with issues outside of those the party actually cared about. The religious nutter wing is extremely vocal, and taken a substantial amount of power within the party. Then they tried to turn the focus on attacking Obama in every way possible, fear of Muslims and terrorists, fear of the impending race war, fear of redistribution of wealth, fear of their money going to healthcare for lazy losers who don't deserve help... Trump latched on to the fear and anger the GOP created and stoked, and now the lunatics have taken over the asylum. I just don't see how intelligent, rational people can continue to identify with the GOP and loyally vote for nutter candidates.

Post by **brian** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:27 pm

Ryan wrote:Are we sure that a guy getting all the votes for saying gross things is going to ruin the party of politicians who've wished for quite some time that they could say gross things and get all the votes?

If you never had to win a national election, then sure.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:29 pm

The Sybian wrote:
Ryan wrote:Are we sure that a guy getting all the votes for saying gross things is going to ruin the party of politicians who've wished for quite some time that they could say gross things and get all the votes?

There is a sizable contingent of Republicans who are turned off by the anti-intellectual, mudslinging race to the bottom.

Well they better check between the cushions for their Voter ID cards because they're being outsizabled. And McCain and Romney didn't do so hot either.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:55 pm

I think basically there was a bubble, if that term works, in which people with a high F-scale score (that's a nicer term than mouthbreathers) flocked to the GOP regardless of whether they actually agreed with the GOP platform. Those in the pro-business and conservative base either ignored or misinterpreted this as a sign that their message was winning. Now we are seeing that it was not.

bapo! · Post by **bapo!** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:06 pm

Rex wrote:I generally agree about the cause of this (I mean there's never just one cause, but talk radio and the like herding mouthbreathers into the GOP is a clear #1 here), but I cannot agree that it is right to wish for a Trump win for any reason, be it strategic, entertainment, or whatever. (And treating politics as entertainment, which the left and right do in equal measure, is the #2 cause in my opinion). Anyhoo, I had to do my part and go vote in the Republican primary this morning, cast maybe the most unenthusiastic vote of my life (at least until November when I have to vote for HRC). I'd do the same for the Democrats.

I appreciate this post, but I fall more in line with Syb. I can't see any of those guys winning a general election, so I'll choose to be entertained by them. And that's factoring in the 49% of the country that HATES Hillary. (And I'm not looking forward to a Hillary presidency, either.)

I don't need The National Review to explain to me why this is all wrong. I know it's wrong. The only people I want to hear from are John Oliver, Charlie Pierce, and Matt Taibbi. I don't watch much tv anymore, so this is my entertainment.

It's possible that, by 10:00 tonight, I'll have some sort of epiphany and will be really depressed. But right now, I'm feeling pretty good.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:25 pm

brian wrote:Speaking of which, Charlie Pierce brings it today.

"I love the smell of reckoning in the morning"

Nice.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:26 pm

Oh, man, this is so good, thanks for the heads up on this column:

The Republican Party was born of panic. It was a child of the regular economic panics that afflicted the American economy. It was a child of the blind panic produced by the general perception that the country was reeling toward destruction. It was a child of the panic afflicting the Whigs, who had been for decades the other party in a two-party system, but which disintegrated almost overnight in the aftermath of the presidential election of 1850, left in smithereens by the acceleration with which the country was hurtling toward disunion. The Republican Party was born of panic, and the Whig Party died of panic. And, somewhere in what admittedly must be a very boring corner of Valhalla, the old Whigs must be chortling at the panic now afflicting the Republican Party, which has fallen for the most pretentious disorganizer of them all. What goes around comes around, even if it takes 156 years to do so. Somebody pour old Zach Taylor another flagon of mead.

On Tuesday night, Donald J. Trump is odds-on to win at least seven of the 11 contested Republican presidential primaries. If he does so, he is better than odds-on to be the Republican presidential nominee. The facts are as stark as the slopes of Lookout Mountain in the early morning light. It is a consummation devoutly to be wished, especially by those of us who see the Republicans as having been cruising for this particular bruising ever since it so greedily ate the monkeybrains in the 1980s. But, from the people who make their living at being Republicans, we are seeing the kind of existential panic that you only see once or twice in a century. It's Watership Down, with Super PACs and Mitch McConnell.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:29 pm

Now giggling and agreeing:

(And, please, let us have no more handwringing from putative liberals like Peter Beinart, who thinks that it is a strategic move for liberals to vote for Young Marco Rubio in order to slow down He, Trump. First, Young Marco Rubio is a big bag of feathers whose economic plan is a pile of magic beans, and who has been programmed for the kind of neoconservative adventurism that Beinart once cheered in its Iraq iteration. And, second, if the current Republican Party is falling to smithereens, the only sensible and responsible move is for liberals to step back and watch it happen.)

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:39 pm

especially by those of us who see the Republicans as having been cruising for this particular bruising ever since it so greedily ate the monkeybrains in the 1980s.

Nice.

rass · Post by **rass** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:50 pm

I can't get that Esquire link to the Pierce piece to work. Can someone post the article?

rass · Post by **rass** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:50 pm

Oh, nevermind...

Jerloma · Post by **Jerloma** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:52 pm

Is that a Faces of Death reference?

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:56 pm

Jerloma wrote:Is that a Faces of Death reference?

He actually never brought up Cruz

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:19 pm