Sunday Open Thread: Reversing Time

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 12:57:39 AM EST
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What if we could turn back the hands of time for two years instead of an hour? Would Trump have been elected if the public knew then what it knows now? I don't think so.

[More....]

Put another way:

Sometimes I wish I didn't know now
The things I didn't know then

As much as I love that song, I almost didn't include it because I remembered Bret Michaels was a big Trump supporter. (He won the 2010 season of Celebrity Apprentice). But he seems to be scaling that back now. When asked about it a few months ago, he said he's not really interested in politics, but in philanthropy, especially with diabetes (he was diagnosed with Type 1 at age 6 and still needs 5 injections daily), veterans and first responders.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You played some concerts for Donald Trump’s inauguration. Has your association with him effected you or your career in any way?

Bret Michaels: No. I go back to this. My thing is philanthropy. That’s where I’m at. I just want what’s great for our country. That’s what I want regardless of whether it’s Obama, whether it would’ve been Hillary, whether it’s Trump. We’re all going to have to voice our opinions.

Don't forget to exercise your voice on Tuesday and vote to take away control of the House and Senate from the Republicans. And vote for Democratic Governors. If you are in Colorado, please vote for Jared Polis for Governor. His opponent is just too dangerous to every American principle I can think of.

In Colorado you can register to vote as late as Election Day. You can even still do so online here. Here are the voting locations and drop-off boxes.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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Sunday Open Thread: Reversing Time | 122 comments (122 topical)

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One more day on the ground in SoCal. (5.00 / 3) (#1)
by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 12:27:07 AM EST

It's been a long month. I hope that my time here has helped to make a difference in Orange County, and that we're finally rid of the Russian-coddling Dana Rohrabacher after 30 years.

I return to Hilo Monday evening.

: SOCAL (5.00 / 3) (#2)
by jmacWA on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 04:33:15 AM EST

Thank you for your service.

: The Earth to Dana (none / 0) (#6)
by MKS on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 10:37:06 AM EST

t.v. commercials are really funny and good.
The rocket in the background labeled "Russia" is a particularly nice touch.

Twenty twenty twenty-four (5.00 / 1) (#60)
by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 07:14:31 AM EST

Hours to go

I wanna be sedated

: Well, really more like (none / 0) (#64)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 10:17:18 AM EST

36 hours until the votes are counted. I could use some Xanax for sure.

I really hope the optimists are right (5.00 / 1) (#66)
by CST on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 11:09:16 AM EST

I'm not an optimist. That said - Doug Jones has allowed me to hope in places I would never have hoped before.

Wednesday morning can't get here soon enough.

You probably (5.00 / 1) (#67)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 12:07:14 PM EST

won't have to wait until Wednesday morning as probably a good many will be called Tuesday night some soon after the polls close.

Here in GA it looks like tommorrow will not be the end if the polls are right. We are looking to have a runoff which means 6 more weeks of this nonsense.


After 2016, I have no optimism (5.00 / 1) (#73)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 01:53:51 PM EST

Wednesday will be what it is.


My fear is (5.00 / 2) (#79)
by smott on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 03:51:27 PM EST

Beyond actual results and of course hoping for a Blue Tsunami, that we will have real instability post election for who knows how long.
***holes like Kemp disputing results.
Recounts everywhere. No losing GOPer conceding.
Brooks Brothers riots in the Brett Kavanaugh model.

Serious, violent unrest. And of course Trump will magnify the problems with his disgusting tweets and rants, and likely calls for law enforcement to violently quell any protest. And the press will give him a megaphone and normalize it.

The mark of a functioning democracy is the stable, calm transfer of power.
We are not going to enjoy that. Because we're not a properly functioning democracy anymore.


: I need Dems to take the Senate too (5.00 / 1) (#84)
by Militarytracy on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 05:04:50 PM EST

And will probably be sick as the votes come in. But we are going to be okay. Unrest or not, we are going to be okay and we will right the democracy because there is no other choice.
There are many people who will not hurt others and will challenge their peers in harming others no matter what the President tries to make them do.

Yeah (none / 0) (#77)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 03:40:17 PM EST

I think 2016 did a lot of us in on that account. I will say thought the GOP mostly seems to have conceded that the house is gone and about 8 -10 governorships are gone. Past that who knows?


I was talking with my aunt last night ... (5.00 / 3) (#76)
by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 03:00:34 PM EST

... about the Watergate scandal and President Nixon's subsequent escape from justice, and I told her about Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski's scuttle of the grand Jury's attempt to indict Nixon in Feb. 1974 on four felony counts, which I wrote about here last week.

She asked how I knew that, and I said that after nearly 45 years under the late John Sirica's federal judicial seal, the grand jury's report to the House Judiciary Committee, aka "The Watergate Road Map," had been released by the National Archives on October 31. So we went online and I showed it to her. Turns out she stayed up until 3:00 a.m. this morning, perusing the material.

Anyway, I realized that I had forgotten to provide a link to that archival material in my earlier post from last week, so here it is -- just in case, you know, anyone has a desire to stay up until 3:00 a.m.: LINK.

I'm off to LAX in 15 minutes for my flight back to Hilo. It's nonstop, so I don't have to change planes in Honolulu, which cuts two-plus hours off the trip. I'll arrive tonight at 8:30 p.m. HST. It'll be great to be able to sleep in my own bed again. I've spent a lot of time in Southern California this year. We're staying home this Christmas, as everyone agreed to come here instead for the holidays.

Aloha.

: Thank you. (none / 0) (#89)
by Jack E Lope on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 06:47:28 PM EST

Thank you. Except the part where I will probably stay up until 3AM in lieu of sleep. I have recently been recording Watergate, in part to see if my memory has retained anything from the 1970s. (I remember feeling as if the country was going to implode. Kinda like now.)
When I saw your previous post, I wondered if that recently-unsealed info would make it into the script on the current series. (I have not found the time to start watching it...yet.)

Cook (5.00 / 1) (#91)
by Chuck0 on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 07:48:58 PM EST

Has flipped the PA-10 from leans Republican to toss up. I talked to at least 4 people at work today who are voting D in the 10. Hopeful.

: My high (none / 0) (#92)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 07:57:01 PM EST

school classmate lives in State College. He will be another vote you can count on and his family which depending on the age of his children along with his wife would add another 4 votes.

Wife and I (5.00 / 1) (#99)
by Chuck0 on Tue Nov 06, 2018 at 08:58:22 AM EST

just returned from our polling place. No line. But steady traffic into the township office complex. It's pouring rain here in the Susquehanna Valley. Hoping that does not affect turnout too much.

: Exactly the same here (none / 0) (#101)
by Peter G on Tue Nov 06, 2018 at 09:14:35 AM EST

in the suburbs just to the west of Philadelphia.

: Same here (none / 0) (#105)
by jmacWA on Tue Nov 06, 2018 at 01:05:42 PM EST

Just North of Allentown PA

SITE VIOLATOR (1.00 / 0) (#124)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Dec 13, 2018 at 12:09:11 PM EST

A really freakin persistent one

I just got back (none / 0) (#3)
by Repack Rider on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 07:17:37 AM EST

...from a month in the UK. They are as upset about Brexit as we are about Trump. They hate him too.

I had to spend a lot of time explaining how gerrymandering and manipulation of the Electoral College have resulted in minority rule. They know a lot more about the Democrat-Republican divide than I know about Tories and Labour and Conservative parties there.

Public transportation in the UK is awesome. In the "tube," the London Underground, trains arrive at the platform three minutes apart, and move incredible numbers of people. The tube is terrifying when you first use it, endless tile tunnels, stairways and escalators going who knows where and the roar of the trains, but now I have mastered it.

On the street, buses are so close together that the one ahead is two blocks from the one you are on. In London you have an electronic "Oyster" card that you purchase fares for at a coin machine, which are then deducted when you touch it to a reader when getting on a bus, subway or a train.

My Oyster card was not accepted for Dorking (none / 0) (#8)
by oculus on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 11:52:20 AM EST

to Waterloo on Southern. Privatization.


: cryptic oculus... (5.00 / 1) (#61)
by fishcamp on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 08:03:05 AM EST

I have 3 cousins in UK (none / 0) (#11)
by smott on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 01:32:21 PM EST

Who are all BIG Leavers.
Another cousin (Remainer) who quietly points out that Britain imports something like 40-50% of its food and nobody has any real clue what is going to happen.
The Home Office is already creating a group to advise people on food hoarding.

And should they really get to the March deadline without a proper deal, UK will be relegated to "third country" status, which automatically adds up to 40% tariff on all exports. So whole industries could literally dry up overnight. To say nothing of other industries (berry farms ) already drying up because, as we've seen here, the labor force (migrants) has disappeared.


Brian Kemp is losing (none / 0) (#4)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 08:16:16 AM EST

And he knows it. This is almost endearingly desperate

BREAKING NEWS
Kemp's office accuses Ga. Democrats of failed hack of voting system; opens investigation

The Secretary of State's office said Sunday they have opened a formal investigation of the Democratic Party of Georgia, accusing them of a "failed attempt to hack" the voter registration system

He let (none / 0) (#7)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 11:38:01 AM EST

the Russians in our voting systems and did nothing. I guess since the Russians are not running this election he has to find someone and it does sound like his internal polling is very bad for him to pull a stunt like this.


The Cheeto crowd (none / 0) (#16)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:37:51 PM EST

Is already gathering in Macon.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes him to get to the subject of this terrible terrible hacking of the democratic process


He's not (none / 0) (#30)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 05:25:10 PM EST

even in Macon. He's at the airport which is between Macon and Warner Robins. Why the heck is he having a rally there? It's an idiotic place to hold on when there is an actual civic center in Macon.


: Riots (none / 0) (#57)
by Steve13209 on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 06:50:06 AM EST

His limo might get turned around by "rioters" like in Pittsburgh.

Honestly (none / 0) (#9)
by smott on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 12:56:09 PM EST

I can't imagine a situation in which he would allow himself to lose. Would love to be wrong.
But this situation in GA is an embarrassment to democracy.

UN election monitors would never validate the results.

I find myself hoping Kemp has done something bad enough to end up in prison.


You have to try (none / 0) (#13)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 01:45:18 PM EST

To put yourself in his position. In the most important endeavor of his life, on the brink of achievement he is about to do what no one thought a white man in Georgia could ever do. Be publicly humiliated by a black woman. It must be just awful for him.

He should just end it all on the grave of white grievance as a political issue.

BAHAha

As far a him "allowing" himself to lose I don't doubt he may see it that way but the fact is Stacy Abrams is literally his worst nightmare. She has been in government her whole adult life. She is smarter that he is and she has prepared for this for years. His allowance is not required and that is dawning on him this weekend.


Yes, and, of course, (none / 0) (#17)
by KeysDan on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:41:16 PM EST

he is not running for re-election as Georgia Secretary of State, so his defeat as governor is a double public service. But, he sure will try..as it is reported to have been said by Joseph Stalin: "it is not the people who vote who count. It's the people who count the votes."


The people who count the votes (none / 0) (#20)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:48:54 PM EST

Are reps of both parties


True. (none / 0) (#26)
by KeysDan on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 04:30:19 PM EST

Sorry, my intention was to express my worries in the broader context of the absence of independent and impartial management of the election and the skulduggery so attached with Kemp's oversight as Secretary of State.

I, too, believe that Stacey Abrams will be the next governor of Georgia. Lawrence O'Donnell was over the moon with the presentation Oprah gave in support of Stacey's candidacy moving him to suggest the possibility of an Oprah run for the presidency in 2020.

While I also found Oprah's advocacy to be awe-inspiring, I did not warm to the idea of an Oprah candidacy as he did. Lawrence did not look hard enough at the other woman on the stage, Stacey Abrams, and her potential leadership in the Democratic party should she be successful. Similarly, Andrew Gillum , the next governor of Florida, will become a new and exciting light for the future.


Completely agree (5.00 / 1) (#34)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 05:46:46 PM EST

If Abrams and Gillum win, even Beto, all those freakin old people - Bernie, Biden, Warren, Hillary, can put on their spectator pants for 2020.

It would change everything. Everyone knows a governor is a way better bet for a presidential nominee than a senator


Hillary (none / 0) (#35)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:05:16 PM EST

has taken herself out of any consideration. So you can really not include her but you're right about the rest of them. Nobody was all that interested before in any of them.

I'm looking to see if Steve Bullock runs. He won the governor's race in MT in 2012 so he'll be term limited out in 2020. We have so few governors with experience at this point that I think he could take it.


Not really so much (none / 0) (#37)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:13:55 PM EST

six days ago

Clinton said: "I am not even going to think about it, until we get through this November 6 election, about what's going to happen after that. But I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we have a Democrat in the White House come January 2021

Please Hillary. Decide now. Speaking as someone who has been one of your most staunch supporters, please. Go away.


Naw (none / 0) (#38)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:18:38 PM EST

we went over all that on twitter the other day. And no, she's not running. After the midterms she is going to think about who to support in 2020 not run herself. If you don't believe her believe Terry Mac who said she is done running for office.


Hmm (none / 0) (#39)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:22:16 PM EST

Terry MacAuliffe. He might run though. Former governor of VA. Pulled another Democrat behind him into office. I don't know his age though.


Terrible terrible idea. (none / 0) (#42)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:25:53 PM EST

My opinion


But he probably will (none / 0) (#43)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:30:26 PM EST

There is going to be so many debates will have to be in shifts. Every one of the geriatrics, except maybe Hillary, every one of the senators, people like McCauliff, Steyer, Avenatti, Bloomberg. It's gonna be a three ring circus.


I don't (none / 0) (#44)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:35:48 PM EST

know if when it comes time if most of them won't end up running due to lack of funds. Bloomberg can self fund I would imagine. I remember in years past there were a ton that were going to run but after a few months of announcing an exploratory committee did not get enough money and dropped out.

I guess next week the announcements will start.


: If democratic money this year (none / 0) (#45)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:37:29 PM EST

Is any indication there will be plenty of money.

Gawd Yes (none / 0) (#58)
by Steve13209 on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 06:52:31 AM EST

We need new blood. People who know how to fight against an opponent that fights dirty and never compromises.


So true. My old friend Scott Wallace (none / 0) (#62)
by Peter G on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 09:37:46 AM EST

is running as a progressive Dem in PA-1, a very closely divided district with a so-called "moderate" Republican incumbent. He is being hammered with endless dark money negative TV ads riddled with lies. I have no idea how you respond to that. Polls show him 1% behind (margin of error, I realize), so the number of voters, however small, who are persuaded by the negativity could actually be the deciding factor.


Peter, we can relate (5.00 / 1) (#88)
by Towanda on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 06:44:08 PM EST

as my brother, running for our state legislature, was hit this weekend with his opponent's literature that is just lies. Example: My brother, a retired federal lawyer endorsed by the state police association, wants to "shoot legislators." And it goes on and on and on. . . .

How do you counter that level of crazy?

We do know that it's a sign of desperation by state Republicans, as this seat was supposed to be no problem for the incumbent. But my brother has waged a good campaign, and internal polls -- Republican polls, leaked by insiders -- suggest that a good campaign is working.

We will see. Tomorrow night's election party will be tense.

Oh, and we also will be waiting for word as to whether that brother also becomes a grandfather on election day! It was supposed to be two weeks from now, then a week from now . . . but my niece's visit to the doctor today suggests that grandchild may need to enter this world sooner. Well, that would be a welcome distraction from the election-night tension.


Pulling for your brother, and (none / 0) (#94)
by Peter G on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 08:17:56 PM EST

to be rid of Perp Walker.


: Thanks, and yes, we are cautiously (none / 0) (#95)
by Towanda on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 10:13:26 PM EST

optimistuc about Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes, the gov and lieutenant gov ticket.
The have run an excellent campaign, energetc -- we haven't seen that in a while from state Dems -- and downright fun. That is unexpected to many observes, as Evers is a white-haired, taciturn, Norwegian-bachelor-farmer type (it is a type in the upper Midwest, a former schoolteacher, while Mandela is a young, boyis, urban African American former legislator.
However, as it happens, I had met both several times -- Tony is state superintendent of schools so is a UW Regent, the only one to stand up to Walker for faculty, while Mandela was on our campus several times. Both are thoughtful, princepled, erudite, everything Walker is not.
Oh, let this finally be the end of the Walker era.

Lots of 'Scotts' in PA this election. (none / 0) (#63)
by Chuck0 on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 10:07:17 AM EST

Walter Scott is the Dem running against the very repugnant Scott Perry in the PA 10th. Scott Perry has appeared on stage in the past with Steve King (IA) and Geert Wilders.


How many on this thread (5.00 / 1) (#68)
by smott on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 12:12:26 PM EST

Read the David Axelrod piece on Politico? Full disclosure - dunno how he got the SuperGenious tag. But wevs.

Hillary isn't running, and McAuliffe would be a real surprise.

The intense media blowback on Warren for the DNA thing is instructive - ANY woman who dares to run will be subject to EMAILZ 2.0.

For those just joining, it wasn't just Hillary the press hated (though they loathed her) , the press will embody all the sexism that's out there, so get ready for ANY woman that dares to be a front runner, to get abused, badly.

Which begs the question - at what point do Dems begin serious pushback on the media? The Clinton campaign had a big debate about that in 16 - the media were slaying her, and there was a faction that wanted to hit back, HARD. Because the media would never present her fairly, but no one was saying so. So maybe the campaign/Dems in general should stand up and say, HEY - you're bothsiderism is BS. Your reflexive search for balance ignores Truth. Shape up.

Especially now, when the Caravan is Comey Emails II.
They're doing it all over again.
They've learned nothing.

Someone needs to shout it from the rooftops, and the Dems are the only ones left to do it.


I agree (none / 0) (#70)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 01:01:44 PM EST

with you even though I did not read the Axelrod piece. The Warren incident should be instructive to those that thought it was just Hillary 'cause it's not. It's any woman that is going to get that treatment.

And we do need to massively start pushing back against the media. Hillary should have done it simply because they were never going to give her a fair shake and she really had nothing to lose in that respect.


I can't recall all details but (5.00 / 1) (#71)
by smott on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 01:30:59 PM EST

I thought Clinton herself wanted to push back hard at the media unfairness but was restrained by advisors (Mook possibly?) God knows no one could blame her.

And I still don't get the Axelrod Supergenius tag. Picking ACA out the gate with 2010 census/redistricitng looming w Midterms was ....moronic. Jobs, jobs, infrastructure and Lily Ledbetter low-hanging fruit to run the clock and survive 2010 with House intact. But no. Then the 2010 red wave and insane redistrictng, for which we are still paying in blood.

Here in PA it's embarrassing how bad it is. Like 13-8 GOP districts when Dems won a state wide majority.
TG the PA Supes are throwing it out.

Census years MATTER, Axe. You dummy.

2020 next for re-districting Peeps.


Axe (5.00 / 2) (#72)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 01:45:03 PM EST

is no political genius. People talk about the Hillary supporters from 2008 that left the party. Axe was one of the driving reasons. Axe is terrible political consultant who has basically been hanging on Obama's coattails for years now. Hillary was smart not to hire him. He's the architect of Post Partisan Unity President that gave us Neville Chamberlain in the face of rising conservative and white nationalist violence in this country. Now I hear he wants to get behind Deval Patrick for president. No thanks. I think we can do better than a repeat. We need a Dem who is going to challenge what has happened not one who is going to beg for Republicans to vote for their legislation.


In fairness (5.00 / 1) (#75)
by smott on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 02:21:48 PM EST

Hillary hired Mark Penn in 2008. Ugh.

But yes I've always thought Axe was a moron.
In the Politico piece he exhorts Dems not to "escalate" Trump's rhetoric and call for blood, as if anybody in a Dem leadership position is doing that. And, no Avenatti doesn't count. His 15 mins are up.

If anything Dems at the leadership level are maddeningly supine (Schumer, looking at you).

Axe wants Dems to campaign on policies that will help people, which last time I checked, they were. Health Care/preserve ACA, Medicaid expansion , middle class tax relief....with great positive energy a la Beto, Gillum and others.

It was just an idiotic strawman from Axelrod, given megaphone by Politico. So annoying.


I don't (5.00 / 1) (#78)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 03:45:08 PM EST

know what campaigns he is paying attention to because here in GA that is definitely NOT the case. All the candidates are campaigning on things that help people.

Axe is looking for kudos from the beltway cocktail crowd by writing that article. It's what Amando coined "High Broderism" and the cocktail set worships at its altar.

Not only is he currently misreading what is happening in campaigns he also is misreading what D voters want. They want someone to stand up to the GOP not any more unity pony nonsense.


Frank Brun'si (NYT, Sunday opinion, November 4), (none / 0) (#81)
by KeysDan on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 04:15:48 PM EST

column presented views on what Democrats need to do to defeat Trump in 2020. Most, if not all, of the views seemed well past their shelf life, as were those who held the views.

Axelrod seemed to believe that the key was to understand the 2016 Trump voter and treat them with respect. "If Democrats are going to win in 2020 it can't be with the careless presumption that everyone who voted for Trump is a toothless and ignorant racist....voters disgusted by the paralysis at Capitol Hill viewed Trump as the kick in the a$$ that Washington needed."

True, not all Trump voters are toothless. And, of course, that paralysis was bothsiderism, (cf. Merrick Garland and Mitchel McConnell). So, Democrats, if they want to win, will have to do some interviewing of Trump supporters in diners, overlook their dental care and focus on their worries about gridlock; the NYTimes could help here.

And, of course, there is the annoying, center/right former senator, Bob Kerrey (D.NE), who believes we must inform the electorate that, somehow and for some reason, the country has become increasingly divided. The Democratic candidate will have to fix this happenstance, speaking with honesty: "you're going to get angry at me, because I am going to embrace a Republican idea if it feels good. Don't expect me to be 100 percent--100 percent may make you happy, but it won't pull this country together."

Agreed. I would be likely to be less than 100 percent happy with most of Kerrey's "feel good" Republican ideas, such as the one he subscribed to: "the Cat Food Commission Recommendations." The answer, it seems, is promise to cut social security and medicare so as to pay for those other Republican ideas: those that make us feel bad--literally, like eliminating ACA.

And, then there is Bruni, himself. Stop trumpeting Clinton's popular vote victory, blaming Russians, or combing the shadows for anything that absolves them of error, don't dismiss Trump as a fad or a freak. So, apparently, the answer is to accept the Trump Administration as normalcy, and run a mistake-free campaign. Got it.


: The last (5.00 / 2) (#85)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 05:24:12 PM EST

thing we need is lecture from the likes of Frank Bruni. Bob Kerrey wants us to fix people who don't want to be fixed. He really needs to realize that the hatred of the other is what makes them happy. I don't think any politician can fix that. I think these pundits just write stuff to make themselves feel better. Don't mention the popular vote? Uh, yeah, we definitely need to do that since it shows that Trump did not get the most votes. Don't mention Russia? We're not supposed to mention an odious creature like Putin interferring in our elections? Does Bruni not value democracy? He seriously needs to get out of his bubble.
My advice is the simplest. Just beat them at the polls over and over until they get the message that nobody likes their white supremacy and it's a losing issue.

Also (none / 0) (#14)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:24:09 PM EST

He is not the only republican SoS in charge of the election in which they are running. Kobach in Kansas is another. He is also going to lose.

And there is at least one or two others.


If I was Arya Stark (5.00 / 1) (#18)
by jondee on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:43:56 PM EST

that reprehensible worm Kobach would be right at the top of my list.


Truly (none / 0) (#21)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:50:21 PM EST

He is to voter suppression what colonel Sanders is to chicken.

The thing is it's also backfiring for him too.


: not so much backfiring (none / 0) (#59)
by Steve13209 on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 06:58:25 AM EST

but his voter suppression efforts are being overwhelmed. I heard on the radio that our county in Central New York has had a big spike in registered voters.
"So far, more than 14,000 new voters registered in Onondaga county this year.
About 5,600 of those new registrants are Democrats, 2,300 are Republicans, and 4,500 did not identify with a major party."

Check this out (none / 0) (#23)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 03:02:35 PM EST

5 polls over 8 days literally tied

The thing is no one in Kansas is undecided about Chris Kobach. And all those voters he's been working so hard to disenfranchise are crawling over broken glass to vote against him.

Rachel has been talking about Kansas a lot.


Monday (none / 0) (#5)
by ragebot on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 10:00:28 AM EST

seems to be solid as the start of the Guzman trial in NYC. The judge was not buying an attempt to delay the trial.

jury selection will be (none / 0) (#55)
by Jeralyn on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 01:32:33 AM EST

closed to public, Only 5 reporters are being allowed to watch, and they will be excluded from sidebars. This is likely to be the least transparent trial in recent memory.


: Not just the least transparent (none / 0) (#65)
by ragebot on Mon Nov 05, 2018 at 11:08:04 AM EST

but maybe/probably the most expensive trial in US history.
"It's probably set up to be the most expensive trial in the history of the US," says Rob Heroy, a North Carolina lawyer who has defended other Mexican drug barons. The price tag includes protection programs for at least some of the several hundred witnesses expected to testify.
I know Enron costs big bucks but I don't remember it having 'several hundred witnesses' or a lot of those witnesses going into a protection program.

NYT Magazine (none / 0) (#10)
by smott on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 01:03:17 PM EST

Has a long article on how law enforcement in the US basicallly completely whiffed on the increasing threat/rise of white supremacy .

It's actually embarrassing to read how little they know about groups and individuals that have been thoroughly followed and documented for decades by SPLC. And I recommend Dave Neiwart on Twitter for more. It's just as embarrassing that he hasn't been on TV talking about these terrorists for weeks, given the events lately.

But I have to wonder if LE's deliberate ignorance of domestic terrorism in the form of neo-Nazis/white supremacists is because those groups have a significant number of police officers in their ranks.

Trump keeps talking about the MS 13 (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by fishcamp on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:31:31 PM EST

gang members who are mixed in with the caravan, and how viscous they are, MS 13 has been here in the U S for years and are no different than the hundreds or thousands of other gangs. They are particularly bad in El Salvador with their murderous requruiting methods, but that's down there. I happen to know an MS 13 guy who fled to become a bus boy at a restaurant here in Islamorada, so he could become a normal person. He said down there you're either in with them or dead. Trump thinks he is up on the gang situation here in America, but he's not. MS 13 stupidly means save the trout in the ocean, and the 13th letter of the alphabet is M, for either murder or marijuana. The Hells Angels all had a little 13 emblem on their patches. It's nothing new.


: Nothing new: true enough. (none / 0) (#19)
by KeysDan on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:46:58 PM EST

But, since there is nothing else they care to talk about, Republicans have their mainstay: fear and racism.

: He keeps talking about MS 13 (none / 0) (#24)
by jondee on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 03:10:36 PM EST

but he somehow manages not to notice any of the groups on the Southern Poverty Law Center map. Amazing.

Did you get to see (none / 0) (#12)
by Peter G on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 01:37:35 PM EST

Spike Lee's "BlacKKKlansman"? It touches on that subject.


Having three relatives in local (none / 0) (#22)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 02:54:12 PM EST

Law enforcement, wonder no more.


Well, the New York Times has been whiffing ... (none / 0) (#33)
by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 05:32:22 PM EST

... for years on the subject of the growing and pernicious threat of white nationalist and neo-Confederate influence in the Republican Party.

Funny how our country's media elite often fail to notice the obvious shortcomings in their own professional behavior, and never more so than whenever they're accusing others of essentially doing the same thing that they've been doing.

Aloha.


: This is from the NYT Twitter feed: (5.00 / 1) (#40)
by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 06:23:07 PM EST

The New York Times | November 3, 2018
Opinion: Why aren't Democrats walking away with the midterms? - "Democrats miss Trump's gifts and the real threat he represents - the long-term political realignment of the country."

The New York Times | November 2, 2018
What happened to Lindsey Graham? He's become a rock star - "Once a fierce critic of President Trump, Sen. Lindsey Graham is now his close ally. Democrats want 'the old Lindsey back,' but he loves the conservative attention and limelight."

The New York Times | November 2, 2018
No one wants to campaign with Bill Clinton any more - "In an election shaped by the #MeToo movement, female voters and female candidates, Mr. Clinton finds his legacy tarnished by past allegations."
And then there's this latest mincing of words and pulling of punches:

The New York Times | November 3, 2018
Steve King, for a change, faces a battle for his House sete in Iowa - "Is Steve King in trouble? Convergence of the Pittsburgh synagogue Shooting nd his own racially tinged remarks have threatened a re-election bid that once looked assured."
"Racially tinged remarks"? Congressman King (R-IA) has openly trafficked in white nationalist rhetoric and neo-Nazi ideals for years. For years! And yet, the best the New York Times can do is call his most recent public statements "racially tinged"?
Are the words "racist" and "lies" now too much of a pejorative for Editor Dean Baquet and the rest of his staff to apply to Republicans? Or were they too busy hyping a phony email controversy in 2016, that they let the rise of white nationalism in the GOP go both unnoticed and unmentioned?
For obvious reasons, I tend to not pay much if any attention any more to the New York Times, which for the past quarter-century has been a far cry from its "The Paper of Record" days of yore. I cancelled my online subscription in 2016, and haven't looked back. Nowadays, I subscribe to the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post and Rolling Stone, and I contribute to The Guardian and Mother Jones.
Aloha.

There are a bunch (none / 0) (#25)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 04:15:53 PM EST

Of really important ballot measures this year that probably have not been covered enough because of everything else.
Several will get young voters to the polls. Four states have pot on the ballot. Utah and MO have medical marijuana, Michigan and North Dakota to go from medical to recreational. Arkansas and MO have minimum wage increases. There are several "tax the rich for various purposes". One in FL to restore the right to vote to felons.

here's a good summary in The Nation

Jus sayin (none / 0) (#27)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 04:35:46 PM EST

Just watching John King at the "big board"

He was taking about the six "toss ups". Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana and Florida.

He explains that it's "nearly impossible" for democrats to take control of the Senate because they would have to win all those states.

But here's the thing. if you look at RCP you can see that democrats are ahead in four of those and tied in MO. The only one where republicans are ahead in TN. And I personally think there is a very good chance the democrat will win there.

And that's not even considering Beto.

Just sayin

: So (none / 0) (#28)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Nov 04, 2018 at 04:47:20 PM EST

We might know reasonably early about Tennessee.
If Bredesen wins it might be time to start drinking.