I was sitting here thinking, “ how could they think Trump is the one to beat Biden?” but I keep forgetting that more than half of Republicans truly believe that Trump already beat Biden once. These other candidates are lighting their money on fire but I’m here for it. Looking forward to my especially awful governor, Tiny D, getting his a** handed to him( even more). Enjoy your vacation, Dan!
I grew up around boats. The words “uncharted waters” can and should make any experienced boater cautious and a bit puckered. Proceed slowly, make few assumptions and be ready to react quickly.
We are in uncharted water’s politically. A leading opposition candidate under indictment. Maybe with a guilty verdict by election day. But still with a chance in the Electoral College, though he openly plans to dismantle our democracy. His closest rival, a clumsy politician but an equally committed fascist.
Frankly, I still grapple with the idea that 45% of the country wants to vote for any MAGA GOP candidate. Did earth pass through the tail of a comet sometime in 2015? The past eight years have been bizarre. I realize this doesn’t help, but sometimes you just have to sit back and say, WTF…
Remember the good old days when G W Bush was our worst president ever?
I do remember and I cannot give a pass to President GW Bush because the death toll and the level of global insecurity are too high to forget or forgive. GW also began as a minority President like Trump--and unlike Trump there are questions surrounding his entry into the White House. But--Al Gore did the gallant thing. Boy! Times were really different then, when the guardrails, though shaky, were still in place to some degree. I regret the poisonous way the Right--with the help of their Media Minions--controlled our political narrative. I regret the way the Tea Party swerved into becoming the toxic breath of MAGA. I deeply regret the way right-wing evangelicals and White Nationalists have dominated the national conversation and stripped away the limited protections the system possessed. I regret that Florida is the first state to proclaim itself the place where "Woke has come to die." They have bent the arc of history away from justice. I think of this as the culmination of an era of conservative derangement, where one Party/tribe forgot what governance is about, and that party sold the nation out out environmentally, economically and now democratically. The republicans have become an expression of the worst in us--the greedy expression of concentrated wealth, power and racial resentment. As Langston Hughes put it: "O, let America be America again--The land that never has been yet--And yet must be--the land where every man is free," (1935). I agree--sometimes you just want to sit back, throw up your hands, and make sure one hand has a cold beer in it.
I remember how aghast I was at the “Shock and Awe” bombardment of Baghdad. And equally aghast at Peter Arnett’s narration of the “decapitation strike” as though he was doing play-by-play for a video game, not watching people die. I remember seething at Bush’s Oval Office address at the outset, that moron trying to look presidential while announcing we had decided to start a war based on a latter day Gulf-of-Tonkin-type artifice.
But while the whole period was maddening (gritting your teeth at a Howdy Doody president, horrified by a Darth Vader Veep, ashamed that we were daily remaking the Middle East’s Middle Ages ethos into the hell that it remains today)… but while we put up with that, there was no sense that the administration wanted to replace democracy with authoritarianism.
Favor the rich, yes. Favor the privileged whites, yes. Horrible era. But establish a white nationalist christian democracy? No.
I remember two observations from that time. The first was that the US had clearly decided, since WWII, that fighting with predominantly white countries was a thing of the past. The second was that the Bush Administration secretly meant “Suffering Through” when using the name Operation ‘Enduring’ Freedom.
The rant was well worth the time. No apologies necessary. We can also add to GW's ledger the full blown assault on environmental policy--most important-- climate change. What a disaster. And yet--he wanted to be "legitimate." The system was left in good enough condition for Pelosi and Obama to help America out of a hole (largely of our own making).
I always appreciate pieces that help me understand polling better. But I think the moniker "anti-Trump candidates" is doing a lot of work here. Apart from Christie, Hurd, and Hutchinson, the rest of the candidates are Trump apologists at best. So it seems likely that if (when) the apologists drop out, their supporters will not be turning to Christie/Hurd/Hutchinson. Maybe we should think of this more populous segment of the pack as "non-Trump" candidates: MAGA through and through, and hoping to be seen as his heir, not his opponent.
Regardless, the petty person in me is looking forward to Christie on the debate stage taking a scythe to some of these bum-kissers as aggressively as he's going after Trump now.
It still baffles me why the anti-Trump faction has not gotten together to coalesce around and support a strong candidate, rather than this splinter mess they did 8 years ago. It’s like they have learned nothing.
Because Jenna, I am pretty sure they have no agenda, don't like each other, and cannot agree on a reason why any one of them should be President except their own "AMBITIONS." When I hear them start to say they need to unite to "save their party," then I will really be worried. Only Hutchinson and Christie seem capable of holding Trump accountable for anything.
I have a strong sense that many of the candidates (not Christie or any others critical of the Orange Menace) are auditioning for VP. And maybe except for Pence.
"...maybe except for Pence" is a mouthful. Ha! This means you believe that this is the measure of Mike Pence's moral compass and self-esteem. Well, if hanging won't scare him off then he can have the job!
I am no pollster. That said, the UNH poll suggested to me that combining %s for all the other far right/ maga candidates [possibly excluding, for ex., candidate WH] yielded a considerably higher % than the grifter's %. That begs the question: why are they all running? Is this I-n-t-e-n-d-e-d to benefit djt and shirk culpability at the same time? I am unable to see these candidates as "taking the high road", so I do not foresee any following B Sanders' primary 2020 example of withdrawing & endorsing another candidate [not djt in this scenario]. Does anyone else?
It's still early in the process. I think of most of the field as comparable to the "favorite sons" (and now daughters) that have long been part of the presidential campaign scene. Some of them may be angling to play deal-maker in their particular states. Some may have a vice-presidential or cabinet slot in mind -- though for the life of me I can't imagine why.
The only message that seems to broadly resonate is still "Own The Libs". For some voters, as President owning the libs from prison seems to be a delightful prospect rather than an abomination.
Most minds are made up on values to date. Period.
I just spent 2 days with some residents of deeply rural Eastern Oregon and they are SO angry. A white-hot anger just waiting for a release. The biggest problem of the day was not resources but that those resources might be tainted as "woke". They might literally deny helpful resources if those resources are painted in a "woke" brush.
That shit's insane.
We can't let up on positive messaging. We can't let up on being leaders WITH A FUCKING PLAN because THAT is what every single American is starving for.
Dan, enjoy the vaca and try to forget. Listen to the birds. Watch the clouds. Be human for a while again.
Thank you for breaking this down! I think it's overlooked the point you made about people just wanting to beat Biden, so choosing the "strongest" candidate. I wonder, if we were to get a stronger Democratic candidate in the race, one who could beat Biden-would any of those Republicans also shift their alliances?
I was sitting here thinking, “ how could they think Trump is the one to beat Biden?” but I keep forgetting that more than half of Republicans truly believe that Trump already beat Biden once. These other candidates are lighting their money on fire but I’m here for it. Looking forward to my especially awful governor, Tiny D, getting his a** handed to him( even more). Enjoy your vacation, Dan!
I grew up around boats. The words “uncharted waters” can and should make any experienced boater cautious and a bit puckered. Proceed slowly, make few assumptions and be ready to react quickly.
We are in uncharted water’s politically. A leading opposition candidate under indictment. Maybe with a guilty verdict by election day. But still with a chance in the Electoral College, though he openly plans to dismantle our democracy. His closest rival, a clumsy politician but an equally committed fascist.
Frankly, I still grapple with the idea that 45% of the country wants to vote for any MAGA GOP candidate. Did earth pass through the tail of a comet sometime in 2015? The past eight years have been bizarre. I realize this doesn’t help, but sometimes you just have to sit back and say, WTF…
Remember the good old days when G W Bush was our worst president ever?
I do remember and I cannot give a pass to President GW Bush because the death toll and the level of global insecurity are too high to forget or forgive. GW also began as a minority President like Trump--and unlike Trump there are questions surrounding his entry into the White House. But--Al Gore did the gallant thing. Boy! Times were really different then, when the guardrails, though shaky, were still in place to some degree. I regret the poisonous way the Right--with the help of their Media Minions--controlled our political narrative. I regret the way the Tea Party swerved into becoming the toxic breath of MAGA. I deeply regret the way right-wing evangelicals and White Nationalists have dominated the national conversation and stripped away the limited protections the system possessed. I regret that Florida is the first state to proclaim itself the place where "Woke has come to die." They have bent the arc of history away from justice. I think of this as the culmination of an era of conservative derangement, where one Party/tribe forgot what governance is about, and that party sold the nation out out environmentally, economically and now democratically. The republicans have become an expression of the worst in us--the greedy expression of concentrated wealth, power and racial resentment. As Langston Hughes put it: "O, let America be America again--The land that never has been yet--And yet must be--the land where every man is free," (1935). I agree--sometimes you just want to sit back, throw up your hands, and make sure one hand has a cold beer in it.
I remember how aghast I was at the “Shock and Awe” bombardment of Baghdad. And equally aghast at Peter Arnett’s narration of the “decapitation strike” as though he was doing play-by-play for a video game, not watching people die. I remember seething at Bush’s Oval Office address at the outset, that moron trying to look presidential while announcing we had decided to start a war based on a latter day Gulf-of-Tonkin-type artifice.
But while the whole period was maddening (gritting your teeth at a Howdy Doody president, horrified by a Darth Vader Veep, ashamed that we were daily remaking the Middle East’s Middle Ages ethos into the hell that it remains today)… but while we put up with that, there was no sense that the administration wanted to replace democracy with authoritarianism.
Favor the rich, yes. Favor the privileged whites, yes. Horrible era. But establish a white nationalist christian democracy? No.
I remember two observations from that time. The first was that the US had clearly decided, since WWII, that fighting with predominantly white countries was a thing of the past. The second was that the Bush Administration secretly meant “Suffering Through” when using the name Operation ‘Enduring’ Freedom.
Excuse the rant.
The rant was well worth the time. No apologies necessary. We can also add to GW's ledger the full blown assault on environmental policy--most important-- climate change. What a disaster. And yet--he wanted to be "legitimate." The system was left in good enough condition for Pelosi and Obama to help America out of a hole (largely of our own making).
Dan, enjoy time with family.
I always appreciate pieces that help me understand polling better. But I think the moniker "anti-Trump candidates" is doing a lot of work here. Apart from Christie, Hurd, and Hutchinson, the rest of the candidates are Trump apologists at best. So it seems likely that if (when) the apologists drop out, their supporters will not be turning to Christie/Hurd/Hutchinson. Maybe we should think of this more populous segment of the pack as "non-Trump" candidates: MAGA through and through, and hoping to be seen as his heir, not his opponent.
Regardless, the petty person in me is looking forward to Christie on the debate stage taking a scythe to some of these bum-kissers as aggressively as he's going after Trump now.
There's one thing certain about all of the Republican candidates… they're all losers!
It still baffles me why the anti-Trump faction has not gotten together to coalesce around and support a strong candidate, rather than this splinter mess they did 8 years ago. It’s like they have learned nothing.
Because Jenna, I am pretty sure they have no agenda, don't like each other, and cannot agree on a reason why any one of them should be President except their own "AMBITIONS." When I hear them start to say they need to unite to "save their party," then I will really be worried. Only Hutchinson and Christie seem capable of holding Trump accountable for anything.
I have a strong sense that many of the candidates (not Christie or any others critical of the Orange Menace) are auditioning for VP. And maybe except for Pence.
"...maybe except for Pence" is a mouthful. Ha! This means you believe that this is the measure of Mike Pence's moral compass and self-esteem. Well, if hanging won't scare him off then he can have the job!
I am no pollster. That said, the UNH poll suggested to me that combining %s for all the other far right/ maga candidates [possibly excluding, for ex., candidate WH] yielded a considerably higher % than the grifter's %. That begs the question: why are they all running? Is this I-n-t-e-n-d-e-d to benefit djt and shirk culpability at the same time? I am unable to see these candidates as "taking the high road", so I do not foresee any following B Sanders' primary 2020 example of withdrawing & endorsing another candidate [not djt in this scenario]. Does anyone else?
It's still early in the process. I think of most of the field as comparable to the "favorite sons" (and now daughters) that have long been part of the presidential campaign scene. Some of them may be angling to play deal-maker in their particular states. Some may have a vice-presidential or cabinet slot in mind -- though for the life of me I can't imagine why.
We mustn't assume anything about GOP voters.
The only message that seems to broadly resonate is still "Own The Libs". For some voters, as President owning the libs from prison seems to be a delightful prospect rather than an abomination.
Most minds are made up on values to date. Period.
I just spent 2 days with some residents of deeply rural Eastern Oregon and they are SO angry. A white-hot anger just waiting for a release. The biggest problem of the day was not resources but that those resources might be tainted as "woke". They might literally deny helpful resources if those resources are painted in a "woke" brush.
That shit's insane.
We can't let up on positive messaging. We can't let up on being leaders WITH A FUCKING PLAN because THAT is what every single American is starving for.
Dan, enjoy the vaca and try to forget. Listen to the birds. Watch the clouds. Be human for a while again.
Dan- appreciate the more nuanced view in this post away from Trump is a lock on the nomination from previous missives.
Have a wonderful break, Dan. Lord knows you (we all) are going to need it.
But, there is a real probability that Trump will be prosecuted and convicted of a felanie. There may be light at the end of the tunnel.
There are conflicting views as to whether he could serve from prison so the light is weak at best.
I hope the holiday is good for the spirit and the family. Have fun, Dan. The polling breakdown was really helpful.
Thank you for breaking this down! I think it's overlooked the point you made about people just wanting to beat Biden, so choosing the "strongest" candidate. I wonder, if we were to get a stronger Democratic candidate in the race, one who could beat Biden-would any of those Republicans also shift their alliances?
Makes me worry even more about no labels. What if all those Republicans decide about the Manchin?