Politics

[ActionBob]

I won't really argue with what you're saying here Bob, but it still made no sense for Trump to have said what he did. How much will it hurt him? Maybe a bunch, maybe not, but perhaps just enough to make the difference between losing and winning.

True, and I've made that argument as well. But as it was pointed out to me, then Trump wouldn't be Trump.

Having said that, two other points I'd make. The way Presidential politics work in this country, first you need the endorsement of your party. And except for the Democrats taking a Politburo approach to their process this time around.... Winning the endorsement meant full on pandering to the base of the party. Or in Trumps case, building his own base and making that the base of the party.

Then typically a candidate must make the switch from pandering to a generally bit extremist base... To appealing to a much more moderate general electorate. In other words, they have to not be true to their beliefs either before or after the party endorsement.

In Harris’s case, she is obviously trying to moderate her stance but no one believes her. Her long track record is too strong to think she can or will change.

As for Trump, he has no long political track record but a very diffinitive 4 year track record of doing arguably much better than his rhetoric indicates. Trump fans would argue he is true to himself and to his supporters.

But yes it would be great if he could avoid those pits he loves to jump into. But that is not him.

There was a great argument that his unpredictable nature is what gives him a massive edge, especially on the World Stage.

 

[Wheels]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843657230786408639

 

[Tanks]

...

Anyone in the middle of those two vast differences is not being honest.

Or they are ambivalent between the two choices and will go with one that wants their vote. In the case of a lot of moderate Republicans the choice is between Trump when he is a lucid and sane candidate and Trump the narcissistic and unhinged candidate. If the latter Trump wins, then they will either vote for Kamala or stay home.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

True, and I've made that argument as well. But as it was pointed out to me, then Trump wouldn't be Trump.

Having said that, two other points I'd make. The way Presidential politics work in this country, first you need the endorsement of your party. And except for the Democrats taking a Politburo approach to their process this time around.... Winning the endorsement meant full on pandering to the base of the party. Or in Trumps case, building his own base and making that the base of the party.

Then typically a candidate must make the switch from pandering to a generally bit extremist base... To appealing to a much more moderate general electorate. In other words, they have to not be true to their beliefs either before or after the party endorsement.

In Harris’s case, she is obviously trying to moderate her stance but no one believes her. Her long track record is too strong to think she can or will change.

As for Trump, he has no long political track record but a very diffinitive 4 year track record of doing arguably much better than his rhetoric indicates. Trump fans would argue he is true to himself and to his supporters.

But yes it would be great if he could avoid those pits he loves to jump into. But that is not him.

There was a great argument that his unpredictable nature is what gives him a massive edge, especially on the World Stage.

The inner mental conflict is maddening isn't it? The idea of voting for Harris and the behind the scenes puppet masters is something you just can't even consider. But your alternative is one that drives you to the point of having to be an apologist for the man as much as actually being in strong support of him. At least that's how it is for me.

 

[Red Leg]

I don't know Joe? Chaney has probably got more negative personality traits than Trump. And if you wanted to see vindictive behavior to one's own political demise, look no farther than Liz Chaney. How many Republican voters care what the Chaney's do or say?

Trump having RFK Jr and Tulsi Gabbard on his side so solidly seems to have done much more good than losing Cheney.

And I would actually contend that winning me and several others on this site over might be much more indicative of what the actual voting masses are going to do. We are going to step up and be realistic about what our choices are. And we are going to vote for overal basic policy rather than personalities.

We are not going to stoop to being so trivial as to vote against our beliefs because of individual personality differences.

And we are going to look at the very obvious records of performance when we vote.

It really doesn't matter what you or I think Bob. I am merely reporting the poll - which unlike a supposition drawn from interactions on this site is based on actual interviews. It is a poll that indicates almost a 5% difference in favor of Harris among democrats and republicans who are not supporting the top of their respective party tickets. I do not know how many votes that 5% represents or where they are located, but I will again offer my opinion that Trump was/is a fool to do anything that alienates a single Republican that he could have earned with just a bit of outreach. And a lot of Haley supporters do not fall into the Cheney mold, and I suspect most of them are able to analyze the candidates as effectively as you or I can.

If the polls underestimate Trump support this time as much as they did in 20 or 24, he will come close to if not actually winning the popular vote, and he will win the electoral college. If, on the other hand, the majority of those polls have improved their methodology in the wake of prior fiascos, then this will go to the wire. In either case, why on earth alienate a single party vote that a bit of effort could win.

And I don't think Gabbard or Kennedy amount to anything, positive or negative, for either candidate.

 

[Hogpatrol]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843657230786408639

Electric chainsaws? you have to wonder about so called educated people. There was a local volunteer effort at a nearby airport. I offered a case of twenty four bottles of two stroke oil. One bottle did a gallon of gas for chainsaws. It wasn't that much weight but I was told no good. They were only taking what was on their "list". Being a flib driver for twenty two years, I thought they would have had more sense.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Harris just publicly blamed Hurricane Helene fema response on Trump…….. you can’t make this crap up…..

 

[Hunt anything]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843657230786408639

You have to remember that when dealing with most of the government your dealing with an organization that lost any common sense a LONG, LONG time ago. Common sense has become a super power!

 

[Boyd Brooks]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843657230786408639

Of course they sent electric chainsaws, gasoline chainsaw emissions caused the hurricane in the first place!