US Politics, August 2024 -- "Unburdened By a Has-Been"

xxp that's a great song

Yes, I'm also so relieved. Whoever would have thought that democrats could pull themselves together like this? It's very heartening

*who ever

i'm happy and surprised that charli xcx had a role to play in this, however small

They’re really a swingin’ party now

charli is actually cool unlike the celebs hillary tried to rope into her campaign. and it felt organic because it came from her

just clicked. brat girl summer

This is a deftly detailed, fair-sounding leftie consideration of Walz's transitional saga x mixed record, both pretty distinctive---and with some amazing testimonal ads he's recorded---can stream or read---here's the gist:

I think there has been a sea change in the American political landscape. Walz’s record, for all the flaws that there are to his record — and, believe me, there are definitely many flaws — it’s still a very robust progressive record. And in the past, that would have been considered a liability. But I think, according to reports at least, you know, one of the big reasons that Harris chose Walz, one of the things that she saw in him as a viable governing partner, was the fact that he was someone who had done a lot of the things that she wants to do on a national level, and she thought that he could help her do that. And by the way, the things that she wants to do, the things that she’s talking about, the things that Walz has already done in Minnesota, if you look at surveys, they’re overwhelmingly popular among the American public, across partisan lines. So, I think, you know, that has been true for a long time, but it’s taken a long time for the Democratic Party, for the kind of establishment in Washington, to realize it. And so, we’re seeing these things start to really change before our eyes now.

so, what i guess i'm wondering about that MSNBC clip above is...is it worth it to sue stephen miller for saying that "joe biden and kamala harris are the number one traffickers of children and girls into sex slavery on planet earth" on national television? or do you just let it slide?

You call it weird, my friend.

had a conversation with a coworker tonight that we may need to think about using “strange” and “sofa” instead of other words, because Hatch Act.

it’s still a very robust progressive record. And in the past, that would have been considered a liability....one of the big reasons that Harris chose Walz... he was someone who had done a lot of the things that she wants to do on a national level, and she thought that he could help her do that

One of the reasons I'm so motivated to win this, and plan on takin' a ride with a bunch of friends to flippable state legislative seats in Wisconsin to give our doorknocks double-power, is that I can't hardly wait to give these Beltway-brained pundits a dose of thunder to prove how fucking wrong they are. If we lose this one with a VP that progressives actually like, those fuckstick pundits will be emboldened to continue 'advising' the Dems to take the 'safe' choice - and the next Dem nominee might be willing to follow.

100%

note that a couple of my progressive friends are still mad about all this, but I can count them on one hand

It’s impressive how much this one bland-seeming dude has helped take control of the news cycle. We shall see how long it lasts

Gen X found a dad it can vote for indeed

trump is mostly out of it. that's the nice thing. other than his bitching about it.

Here is some better news from NYT: Kamala Harris reportedly met with the co-founders of Uncommitted before the rally and indicated that she was open to an arms embargo towards Israel, then introduced those activists to members of her staff.

These need to turn into commitments. pic.twitter.com/YtGAkMvBkj

— Emma Vigeland (@EmmaVigeland) August 8, 2024

:O

Wild that the electoral college actually amplifies Arab-American concerns under the current political math.

I think that might address the remaining concerns of 2 outta the 4 progressive holdouts I mentioned above

I feel like Charlie Brown clutching onto my sickly little Christmas tree, but: even though I don't like the Beyonce song anymore than I did five days ago (or that I will five years from now), if it's working for her/them, I'm 100% for it.

I was hoping I could live out my life without ever revisiting the subject (here, anyway), but since you've reopened the matter, I'll use that as an excuse to post this, one my friend and I put together soon after the Walz announcement (the friend again looking after all technical matters).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwgWhBoqpSY

― clemenza, Thursday, 8 August 2024 02:03 (one hour ago) link

Here Comes a Regular (Human)

― There’s a Monster in my Vance (President Keyes), Thursday, 8 August 2024 02:07 (one hour ago) link

if i were them i'd do whatever i can to get a promo going with "can't hardly wait" as the backing music. "Hurry up/Hurry up/Ain't you had enough of this stuff" could hit hard with some Trump old time faves playing in the background.

My second choice when we picked the song.

i'd also bet there's a lot of the generations that grew up watching "Cheers" and seeing a lot of Coach in Walz atm.

harris saying she's open to having a meeting discussing an arms embargo is nowhere near her actually supporting one and i'm not optimistic about actual movement there - i'll believe it when it happens

holding my breath as well but her just saying it is… in terms of long-standing us policy and rhetoric… wow

exactly

"He's a lapdog for the billionaire class!" just rolls right off his tongue. Brings a tear to my eye.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6iU9h66qGU

I disagree with Emma's characterization of that NYT info. It's the meeting that she's open to. An actual arms embargo is a long way off.

But I also agree that's a step. Biden wouldn't give them the time of day.

They should bring Shawn Fain with them to every rally. Harris and Walz don't ever really mention the working class in their stump speeches. Or the poor. Kamala mentions "the middle class and working people".

Thx for the clarification. That’s an important distinction

(xp)

xp to Scott. That's been my main gripe with all candidates, but especially Dems, for the last twenty years. The words "poor" or "poverty" have fallen completely out of the discourse. Shit, even Republicans paid them lip service when I growing up. As it stands, the last candidate who made it a central tenet of a campaign was John Edwards two decades ago (I mean, fuck that guy, but still).

Maybe ... this *is* happening?
50-42 Harris lead!?

New Marquette national poll among LV:

Harris🔵: 50%
Trump🔴: 42%
Kennedy🟣: 6%
Oliver🟡: 1%
Stein🟢: 1% https://t.co/uwvywtSbOp

— Dan 🥥 🌴 (@writcertiorari) August 8, 2024

Oliver? John Oliver?

Chase Oliver, apparently. Libertarian candidate.

Cousin Oliver from the Brady Bunch pulling 1%!

Oliver Anthony, the Fudge Rounds Dobro Bro

When Harris shut down the Palestinian rights heckler, I kinda wish she had somehow added a phrase to show that she has more interest in stopping what's going on there in Gaza, than Trump does

Amazing to consider that with the Harris-Trump margin so tight, 8% of the vote could go to third-party candidates. Wonder if/when the major candidates will overtly try to grab some of that share, and how so.

Bears glancing nervously around

I thought Chasten and Emhoff went to Fire Island not Provincetown?

Good morning!

I only recently discovered that guy’s name is not pronounced in he same way it’s said when its meaning is ‘admonish’.

Nor Hasten Down the Wind

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-rdecee92oy/products/50131/images/6109399/2mfsl1-319-large__39059.1714530527.500.750.jpg

Trump announcing a news conference for later today. That should go well!

Heloooooooo, look at me! I'm barely alive!

Stopped clock etc

“All Trump has to do is talk about his positions, like he did in 2016,” said Ann Coulter, the conservative commentator who broke with Mr. Trump some years back, largely because of his inability to focus on the issues she cared about. “But, no, he’s going to spend the first 20 minutes of every rally attacking the popular Republican governor of Georgia or trying out stupid nicknames for Kamala.”

Ms. Coulter added that “Republicans who expected Trump to run a smart, disciplined campaign are going to be sorely disappointed.”

Let me guess, he'll show up 90 minutes late, take two questions, call the questioners "nasty" and sulk off, thinking he is exiting the room but really walking into a closet where boxes of top secret documents fall over him.

the cori bush thing is just really sad. she seems like a good person and for the guy who ran against her to have told her (recently!) that he wouldn’t do so and then turn around and do it…really detestable behavior. I guess there are worse things in the world, but being a person whose word means nothing is just…I guess that’s what politicians are all about