Palin is what happens when a party decides the person chosen to be their presidential candidate is too close to the middle to fire up their base, so they "balance" that person out with someone whose main qualification is "really far to that party's side".

Saying that she wasn't "as bad as" is not the same as saying she wasn't bad.

I thought we all knew this, but, I guess not 😂 

posted by CenterBHSFan

Michigan is really un-guessable to me.

This is why the harris campaign is now launching attack ads against Stein.  

Desperation.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

As a candidate, she was a train wreck of the first order.

So would Kamala, if not for 90% of the media carry water for the Dems.

I didn't watch the interview, but not unpredictably one side thinks it sucked and the other thinks it was great.

Reality is any time Kamala has to talk policy off-script she only has word salads to offer.  I don't think she's stupid or inarticulate.  The inability to explain her positions comes down to one of two simple things: she's lying, and bad at it.  Or she really doesn't have grasp of her policies.  Likely a combination of both.

When you know and believe what you're saying, it comes pretty naturally.  Kamala and the media are trying to cover up her uber-liberal voting record that increasingly looks like political expedience.

So at the end of the day, you either think Kamala is a moderate who pretended to be a far left CA liberal most of her career.  Or something else...

posted by gut

So would Kamala, if not for 90% of the media carry water for the Dems.

I didn't watch the interview, but not unpredictably one side thinks it sucked and the other thinks it was great.

Reality is any time Kamala has to talk policy off-script she only has word salads to offer.  I don't think she's stupid or inarticulate.  The inability to explain her positions comes down to one of two simple things: she's lying, and bad at it.  Or she really doesn't have grasp of her policies.  Likely a combination of both.

When you know and believe what you're saying, it comes pretty naturally.  Kamala and the media are trying to cover up her uber-liberal voting record that increasingly looks like political expedience.

So at the end of the day, you either think Kamala is a moderate who pretended to be a far left CA liberal most of her career.  Or something else...

I agree with your position of Kamala and the media carrying water for her. It's not a difficulty to remember that between the two of them they pulled off one of the biggest hoaxes in probably 20 years. That is, of course, saying that there was nothing wrong with Biden's mental acuity. 

As for Kamala pretending she is a moderate, not even her compadres have denied it. In fact, even Bernie Sanders said that her ideals never changed but she was changing her positions in order to win the election. 

Also when Tulsi Gabbard exposed her for the sadist she is, Kamala said she was proud of what she did in about 8 seconds after Tulsi was finished talking.

And since Kamala and Tim Walz have started campaigning they've made it very clear that they want to infringe upon not only the 2nd Amendment, but the 1st Amendment as well.

And then we have the Dem voters shitting their pants when Trump talks about a blood bath in the auto industry. I mean, it's truly something to behold in real time.

posted by CenterBHSFan

And then we have the Dem voters shitting their pants when Trump talks about a blood bath in the auto industry. I mean, it's truly something to behold in real time.

Trump is a horrible candidate.

But anyone who says Kamala is anything other than "not Trump" (won't say "better" because I don't think that follows) is either grossly uninformed or delusional.

I don't know that Kamala is a worse candidate and would be a worse leader than Trump, but I don't think she's better.  Unless she goes the Obama route and talks a big game while deliberately dividing the country so she can blame the opposition for not passing her agenda (a.k.a. as being likeable worth as much, if not more, than being good).

She may be basically status quo, which is likely better than Trump.  But if she has a Dem House and Senate, A LOT of people probably aren't going to like the California version of "status quo".

posted by gut

She may be basically status quo, which is likely better than Trump.  But if she has a Dem House and Senate, A LOT of people probably aren't going to like the California version of "status quo".

This is what I want to happen. The average Dem voter isn't going to look at anything *Democrat* with a jaundiced eye until they "feel" what they vote for. I'm not being sarcastic when I say that I want Kamala to win. I have a whole list of reasons why I want her to win - and I'm not being coy to say that none of those reasons come from the goodness of my heart lol!

Everyone who I have talked to (lots of Republicans in my in-law family) have been appalled when I say I refuse to vote for Trump. And when I say I don’t like Kamala and don’t think her policies (what are they, exactly?) are great, they still get even more confused.

But as I said before, I’m never Trump. I think it will be horrible for our country to have a 5-2 majority for 50ish yrs in the Supreme Court, which will happen with Trump. I can’t reward someone who I genuinely feel tried to negate the people’s vote and stay in power. I won’t vote for someone who is divisive on purpose. I won’t vote for someone I think is a horrible human for President. 

There are a multitude of things I dislike about both, and a multitude of things I like about both. But Trump is a never for me. And I stand that majority of America feels this way and it will not be close on election night. 

posted by CenterBHSFan

This is what I want to happen. The average Dem voter isn't going to look at anything *Democrat* with a jaundiced eye until they "feel" what they vote for. I'm not being sarcastic when I say that I want Kamala to win. I have a whole list of reasons why I want her to win - and I'm not being coy to say that none of those reasons come from the goodness of my heart lol!

I think the ONLY way we get back to “normal” in America is by Kamala winning. That would be — essentially — 3 straight elections that the Dems win big. It will force the Republicans to get away from the far right MAGA bullshit and get back to what America genuinely wants. I think this country leans middle right. But the far right comes off as worse than the far left, because so much of the far right can be racist, cold, mean, etc. Where the far left comes across as compassionate, loving, etc (even if both are equally detrimental to the country as a whole). 

Get back to the middle, GOP, and start winning. Force the Dems back to the middle, and voila, we might actually start to have candidates we like on both sides and have tough time deciding! 

posted by Laley23

I think the ONLY way we get back to “normal” in America is by Kamala winning. That would be — essentially — 3 straight elections that the Dems win big. It will force the Republicans to get away from the far right MAGA bullshit and get back to what America genuinely wants. I think this country leans middle right. But the far right comes off as worse than the far left, because so much of the far right can be racist, cold, mean, etc. Where the far left comes across as compassionate, loving, etc (even if both are equally detrimental to the country as a whole). 

Get back to the middle, GOP, and start winning. Force the Dems back to the middle, and voila, we might actually start to have candidates we like on both sides and have tough time deciding! 

I agree with some of this, excepting a few things.

1.) I think right wing populism is not going to go away. There's nothing wrong with that. The premise of "We the People" is populist and that also includes left wing populism. MAGA might die out as a catch phrase, but the populism behind it won't.

2.) As more of the Boomers die off the younger generations will be less tolerant of The Establishment/status quo. Much of GenX, some of the  Millies and most of the Zoomers are already kicking up a fuss about busting that shit up. And I think it (establishment govt) knows this. Probably a good reason why the Dems sent govt spooks into the social medias to force them into censoring and banning the free flow of information about Covid and even the Hunter Biden laptop story. It's losing its grip.

3.) I've always questioned the idea that the right is racist because they like equal opportunity and duck away from  hyper-sensitivity, but the soft bigotry of low expectations on the left is not racist. I've yet to find anybody with a coherent and convincing reasoning for that. I'm one of those people who think that the political right and political left are closer to each other than they are to you or me. 

But I do agree that voters need to feel everything that the current Democrat party will give them before they ultimately decide to reject what the party is up to and force it to reform via neglect. 

posted by CenterBHSFan

This is what I want to happen. The average Dem voter isn't going to look at anything *Democrat* with a jaundiced eye until they "feel" what they vote for. I'm not being sarcastic when I say that I want Kamala to win. I have a whole list of reasons why I want her to win - and I'm not being coy to say that none of those reasons come from the goodness of my heart lol!

I was impressed with the statement if for no other reason to learn that you actually had a heart😂 

Calling out Trump for being old is the funniest shit I’ve seen yet. The current president is a vegetable, and everyone denied it until they couldn’t anymore. Absurd. 

posted by iclfan2

Calling out Trump for being old is the funniest shit I’ve seen yet. The current president is a vegetable, and everyone denied it until they couldn’t anymore. Absurd. 

Yeah. It's like I keep saying, every accusation is a confession. The Dems never had a problem with oldness until Biden got fully exposed. They were all in lockstep in their denials. Not just the politicians and media, but the average person. We saw it happen on this site, for example. 

I would like to see an age cap. We have an age limit to be eligible, so why not a cap?

posted by Devils Advocate

I was impressed with the statement if for no other reason to learn that you actually had a heart😂 

Shhh! Shhhh!

posted by CenterBHSFan

Yeah. It's like I keep saying, every accusation is a confession. The Dems never had a problem with oldness until Biden got fully exposed. They were all in lockstep in their denials. Not just the politicians and media, but the average person. We saw it happen on this site, for example. 

I would like to see an age cap. We have an age limit to be eligible, so why not a cap?

Okay.  But the Trumpers were all over the age issue when it was Biden.  Now that Trump is the only elderly candidate left, they are outraged about it.  

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Okay.  But the Trumpers were all over the age issue when it was Biden.  Now that Trump is the only elderly candidate left, they are outraged about it.  

Biden clearly had mentally declined, and it was obvious to everyone who didn't get their news from CNN.

The Dems are trying to make that same play with Trump.  Honestly, to me he's the same as he's always been.  Of course they're going to make that play, because despite the extreme media friendliness, acting lessons and Hollywood productions they STILL are struggling to make Kamala likeable and electable.

The best thing Trump has done is expose, perhaps unintentionally, how corrupt the media is.  Which, by the way, is why they have always attacked the Murdoch empire so much because he's been the only thing standing in the way of a 100% Democrat controlled media.  And it's also why they have tried to censor and control social media.  They don't believe in free speech, never have, and it's critical that they control media because they can't sell their ideas on merit and rationality - it's the party of identity politics and feelings, and if you don't agree they want to silence you.

Among many of Trump's shortcomings, the biggest is missing the softballs that they should be hammering (the cartoonish nature of his ads is another story).  While the Dems claim democracy is on the ballot, Repubs should be screaming free speech is on the ballot.

posted by Laley23

I won’t vote for someone who is divisive on purpose. I won’t vote for someone I think is a horrible human for President.

Then why are you voting for Kamala?

Yeah, Trump tried to overturn an election, and IMO that SHOULD be disqualifying.  But Kamala was a key player in the Russian Collusion thing.  Certainly extremely divisive, and not wrong to view that as a soft coup.  Then they ran a scheme to kick Biden to the curb and put Kamala on the ticket in rather un-democratic fashion.  Trump isn't the only one that's a threat to Democracy, but IMO the Dems are worse and there's your proof.

The Dems are also the party that has tended to rely on the courts to circumvent checks and balances to push their agenda.  That's another great thing Trump has done, because it's the liberals on the court that have tended to replace the context and text of law with feelings to legislate from the bench.  9 unelected judges SHOULD NEVER be making laws that Congress was unable to pass.

Kavanaugh, Gorsuch and Barret have been excellent.  They have NOT voted in lockstep with the two conservative justices or with MAGA.  They rule with reason and logic and not identity politics or feelings, which is how the liberal justices always vote.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Okay.  But the Trumpers were all over the age issue when it was Biden.  Now that Trump is the only elderly candidate left, they are outraged about it.  

Just a wild guess on my part, but, I think Trump supporters point out that there is still a world of difference between Trump right now and Biden right now. Both, I think, have age related issues, but they aren't close in the levels.

posted by gut

Biden clearly had mentally declined, and it was obvious to everyone who didn't get their news from CNN.

Morning Joe/MSNBC: "This Biden is the best version of Biden and F you if you can't handle the truth!"

Go right to the 2min. mark

posted by CenterBHSFan

Just a wild guess on my part, but, I think Trump supporters point out that there is still a world of difference between Trump right now and Biden right now. Both, I think, have age related issues, but they aren't close in the levels.

But neither should be remotely near a position of actual responsibility. And with Trump, there's no way he'd do the "hide away and let others do the actual running of things" thing that Biden seems to have done for the last however long. Which means that we'd have a declining old man (who will just be getting worse and worse, as that's how those things go) making all the calls. Or the Rs would eventually 25th Amendment him in favor of Vance, which would at least lead to the comedy of Online MAGA totally exploding since in their world, there is Trump and there is everyone else. Vance would immediately start getting called a Judas and traitor and Trump would be constantly sniping because there's next to no way he'd ever step down gracefully and admit he's lost his fastball.

I've been seeing various YouTubers showing all these different polls. In these polls, they are showing the data which says that the number of Democrats polled versus Republicans polled is usually +7 or so, some with D+5, with one I saw that said D+12.

So my question is what is the point of doing that? 

Is it because Republicans are less willing to be polled?

posted by Heretic

But neither should be remotely near a position of actual responsibility. And with Trump, there's no way he'd do the "hide away and let others do the actual running of things" thing that Biden seems to have done for the last however long. Which means that we'd have a declining old man (who will just be getting worse and worse, as that's how those things go) making all the calls. Or the Rs would eventually 25th Amendment him in favor of Vance, which would at least lead to the comedy of Online MAGA totally exploding since in their world, there is Trump and there is everyone else. Vance would immediately start getting called a Judas and traitor and Trump would be constantly sniping because there's next to no way he'd ever step down gracefully and admit he's lost his fastball.

I immediately saw a difference in Trump right after he got shot. I don't know if it's the proverbial 'fear of God'  thing or what. But he doesn't have the cut to his edge anymore. Or fire, or whatever it was that he had. But something is definitely gone since that day.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Okay.  But the Trumpers were all over the age issue when it was Biden.  Now that Trump is the only elderly candidate left, they are outraged about it.  

Good lord you can’t be serious…right?

Calling out the left being absolute hypocrites about it is not the same as “being outraged”

posted by CenterBHSFan

Yeah. It's like I keep saying, every accusation is a confession. The Dems never had a problem with oldness until Biden got fully exposed. They were all in lockstep in their denials. Not just the politicians and media, but the average person. We saw it happen on this site, for example. 

I would like to see an age cap. We have an age limit to be eligible, so why not a cap?

Seems like the most obvious thing in the world 

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Okay.  But the Trumpers were all over the age issue when it was Biden.  Now that Trump is the only elderly candidate left, they are outraged about it.  

Can you understand the difference?