"Will you shut up, man?" US Politics October 2020

to hell with pete, but this is the correct way to respond to trump's refusing to debate

It's too bad Trump is afraid to debate next week. pic.twitter.com/4juvdgPfE7

— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) October 8, 2020

He responded well to Fox drones questioning him on Kamala's being pro-Medicaid For All before joining Biden's ticket, too, asking instead why supposed Christian Pence would team up with a man "who gets caught with pornstars"

Oh god, I just realized who Buttigieg reminds me of

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/AncientLastBighorn-size_restricted.gif

Got to admit Buttigieg seems to have a good grasp of how to respond to a talking head in the way Republicans do... quick off the mark and never hesitate or pause so you can't be interrupted until you've nailed all your talking points

Just hits weird because everything he's saying is true and not complete horseshit

“Tomorrow we are going to be talking about the 25th Amendment,” Pelosi says

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 8, 2020

would have been nice 4 years ago, but ok

In the year 2525

The Democrats really need to find ways of stealing the attention and controlling the narrative right now. The Trump team is about to run with a bunch of utter scandal horseshit on Biden from these "declassified files." My hope is that the media doesn't even take the bait because it's too flimsy, but Trump is definitely going to be looking for ways to dominate the conversation. They always have tricks up their sleeves and I feel like the Democrats get caught sleeping. I'm really uncomfortable with the passive "let's just let Trump show everyone how awful he is" strategy. Trump may have looked crazy (TO US) in those videos, but he looked strong, and plus if he actually is "cured" a lot of people will think recovery is around the corner thanks to the Regeneron miracle drug. And, again, it will make him look strong. Don't underestimate how much people respond to that.

No idea whether the 25A thing is about that or not, and have no opinion on it without knowing more.

The Democrats really need to find ways of stealing the attention and controlling the narrative right now.

on the other hand, almost every indicator is that the Democrats are going to dominate.

and trump dropping out of a debate is cowardly - unless he reverts that dumb decision, it will dominate the next week

also - if trump doesn't show up, does biden just get a free 2 hours on tv?

in a town hall format?

xxxp pelosi loollllll

It's my impression the Dems are dominating because the lying sack of shit of a president is sick, and Biden-Harris have kept selling an alternative America.

I hope they just carry on with the debate as planned.

'Mr. President, sixty seconds for rebuttal.

...

Mr. President?

...

Mr. President, the clock is ticking.'

Don't underestimate how much people his base will respond to that.

It's my impression the Dems are dominating because the lying sack of shit of a president is sick, and Biden-Harris have kept selling an alternative America.

yeah. for better or worse, democrats aren't driving this election. it's an uncomfortable feeling, sitting back and letting trump continue to undermine his own campaign, because it places the control in his hands. but it's too late, at this point. the 2020 election is about trump, and it has been since january 2016.

I'm not sure what control he's got? Explain it to me. The White House is a petrie dish. He nixed the stimulus bill. He's likely to lose.

Don't confuse "control" with "making the news."

Besides, with the Michigan news today...

replace "control" with "strongly influence", maybe? no one has "control" in the literal sense, except our lord and personal savior jesus christ.

but he can strongly influence what the last month of this election is about, in a way that democrats cannot. he just chooses to use his influence in constantly idiotic ways.

Opting out of the debate would be a huge blunder to the degree that, so far behind, the two debates were literally the last legitimate (I stress "legitimate") Hail-Mary hope he had. There's nothing else left--turnarounds in COVID, the economy--in a 25-day window. Nothing.

Trump can fight his way out of a corner. He does it over and over again and people keep assuming he'll trip himself up. MAYBE this time it's different, I just wouldn't bet the farm on it.

I don't underestimate him, but neither do I think Biden's in a passive or losing position.

I know what you're saying, but I just can't see it. Three months ago, I thought everything was set up for a perfect storm in the last few weeks: a COVID breakthrough, the economy in clear recovery, some other bit of a good news for him. Those doors seem closed. Outside of interference, I can't see anything.

Thinking of Alaphillipe on the LBL the other day, need to keep focussed until the last moment. Sure Biden won’t be complacent but I won’t relax until after the election.

and people are voting already

oh yeah, for sure. i am the opposite of relaxed, i assume everyone else is too

xp

As time ticks down and the stupid and reckless moves cascade and snowball, it's getting increasingly difficult to see how Trump can possibly fight his way out of the massive hole he's dug for himself, especially when he is showing zero inclination to correct course whatsoever. I know Biden's passive strategy is frustrating, but it's worked remarkably well, and nothing has happened that suggests he needs to change it up.

And this is happening in Florida.

Biden should debate Clint Eastwood's chair.

I think if anyone in the WH outbreak dies that might seal things. If everyone clearly recovers and Trump seems fine it might make it look like his approach is vindicated. Although it's so down to the wire in terms of timing that it may be too late for something like that.

Besides, with the Michigan news today...

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, October 8, 2020 10:51 AM (eleven minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

i assume you're speaking of this news?

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/08/feds-thwart-militia-plot-kidnap-michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer/5922301002/

The FBI says it thwarted what it described as a plot to violently overthrow the government and kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and federal prosecutors are expected to discuss the alleged conspiracy later Thursday.

The alleged plot involved reaching out to members of a Michigan militia, according to a federal affidavit filed Thursday.

"Several members talked about murdering 'tyrants' or 'taking' a sitting governor," an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit. "The group decided they needed to increase their numbers and encouraged each other to talk to their neighbors and spread their message."

I hate to play Save-a-Sleepy, but how has Biden been passive? He gave a thorough and (for him!) solid speech on Tuesday that didn't ONCE mention the president, he answered questions in Miami at a town hall, and Harris last night did the anti-Trump stuff for him.

I just don't what you guys want Biden to do!

It's more specific: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/08/feds-thwart-militia-plot-kidnap-michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer/5922301002/

and people are voting already

― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, October 8, 2020 11:03 AM (one minute ago) bookmarkflaglink

at this point there must be a historic number of votes already cast right?

:O at that Michigan news

definitely i saw the numbers last night somewhere xp

I'm still on edge, but only because of the prospect for interference, not that he's going to suddenly rally. So, like most of the rest of the non-American world, I'm hoping--and confident--that Americans will stay vigilant with regards to interference.

Including mine!

xxxpost

dang
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-early-vote/more-than-4-million-americans-have-already-voted-suggesting-record-turnout-idUSKBN26R1LR

(posted two days ago)

With four weeks to go before Election Day, more than 4 million Americans already have voted, more than 50 times the 75,000 at this time in 2016, according to the United States Elections Project, which compiles early voting data.

got mine mailed off yesterday, minnesota has a good ballot tracker site so you can check to see if it was received and counted

figured best to get if off now in case there is a problem

I'd like to see Biden lift up the White House with his bare hands and shake it until Trump falls out like lunch money out of a nerd's pocket.

Estimated voting population of the US is around 200 million, I gather -- be interesting to see what the overall percentage of that group ends up early voting in the end.

Now, see, this is good stuff: politico.com/news/2020/10/08/progressive-agenda-2021-joe-biden-427673

story from a day later says 5M
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/07/politics/ballot-returns-early-voting-2020-election/index.html

would imagine the daily number of early votes cast/absentee ballots received will grow at a fast rate every day from here until the election

So, trying to catch up. Is the sequence

1. Commission on presidential debates says the debate will be virtual

2. Trump says he won't participate

3. Biden camp says (or strongly implies) Trump's a coward who is afraid to debate virtually

?

Or is it more like

1. Biden camp refuses to debate unless it's virtual

2. Trump says Biden's a coward for not being willing to debate mano a mano

3. Commission on presidential debates says the debate will be virtual

4. Trump says he won't participate in a virtual debate

5. Biden says Trump's a coward who is afraid to debate virtually

6. Trump camp accuses Biden camp of having inappropriately influenced (excuse me, RIGGED) the Commission to set the debate on Biden-friendly terms

?

The outcome will likely be the same but the optics are different

The prof at Florida who studies this surely has his reasons but I'm not getting why the surge of early voting is thought to indicate high turnout. Why isn't it just a sign that more people are voting by mail than ever have before? My vote's in, and I never voted by mail before, but I always vote.

Yeah I don't get that either.

xxp it's both depending on who's reporting