Jesus H.'s to-do list:
* Sneak into Mary's uterus, all stealthy-like (check)
* Bread/fishes for all the bros (check)
* Get crucified for the sins of man (check – harsh!)
* Think up a purpose for John Delaney (next Monday)
* Help the most devout team win the Super Bowl (ASAP!) https://t.co/RzelkTZKla— Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud) January 31, 2020
Pointing & mocking is the only reasonable conclusion. Ed Kilgore, at NYMag, “Delaney Was First In, and Now Is Finally Out”:
Every presidential election cycle, there are vanity candidates: pols or wealthy business people who have the determination, the resources, the ego to persist in the difficult task of running for president despite abundant signs that it’s not working. Many observers accuse 2020 candidates Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer of running that kind of campaign, wasting tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars better spent on promoting the Democratic Party or down-ballot candidates.
But before either of these men got into the fray, there was another wealthy candidate who launched a presidential campaign long before anyone else, made a brief but not necessarily positive mark on the contest, and then hung in through thick and mostly through thin before abruptly leaving the race just three days before the Iowa caucuses: former Maryland congressman John Delaney.
A three-term congressman from a gerrymandered district running from the D.C. suburbs into western Maryland, and before that a successful (and largely self-made) banker, Delaney emulated another Marylander, 2016 candidate Martin O’Malley, in following the “book” by getting into the race early and focusing obsessively on Iowa. Indeed, nobody was going to beat Delaney to the starting post: He announced his candidacy on July 28, 2017. Unlike O’Malley, Delaney was rich enough to self-fund (loaning over $20 million to his campaign), and by declining to run for reelection in 2018, he was able to run full-time. By the end of 2018, he had completed the so-called “full Grassley,” with appearances in all 99 Iowa counties, a feat many presidential candidates never accomplish. By the autumn of 2019, he had spent a total of 80 days in the state, holding 229 events. From the get-go, he identified himself as a member of the moderate, “pragmatic” wing of his party. But his early start didn’t do much for him in terms of early popularity…
From the Cosplay Socialists — d/b/a ‘dirtbag leftists’ — pushing their own vanity candidate:
This was probably the last question John Delaney was asked at the end of his two year plus presidential campaign pic.twitter.com/lddY3cq4h5
— Chapo Trap House (@CHAPOTRAPHOUSE) January 31, 2020
At least Delaney wasn’t being propped up by the Russians and the Republicans. Assuming there’s a difference between those two groups any longer.
NotMax
Two and a half years to achieve historical asteriskdom.
WaterGirl
Is this about football?
Ohio Mom
Are there any more white men I could never remember the name of/could never tell apart still running, or is he the last one? I think he’s the last one, just making sure.
if Trivial Pursuits was still a thing, those guys would be an answer.
John Revolta
Who?
zhena gogolia
@Ohio Mom:
Chris Murphy has been tweeting about the impeachment trial. He tweeted that it was really nice to see all the Senators who are running for president — Elizabeth, Bernie, Amy, and Michael — chatting in a friendly way during the breaks. Almost every tweet in response said, “Michael????”
Michael Bennet is still in. I had hopes for him as the young version of Biden, but he didn’t get any traction. He’s a good man.
chris
He spent $20 million? Cheapskate.
The Washington Post compares Bloomberg’s money to yours. Apparently an $11 million dollar Superb Owl ad is the same as you buying a crappy medium pizza.
Another Scott
ICYMI, Many white men — be they billionaires or mayors — believe they can not only win the presidency but effect sweeping change without any practical experience.
She’s going places.
Cheers,
Scott.
Kent
My only memory of Delaney is seeing him get disemboweled by Elizabeth Warren on live TV and watching his face as he realized his campaign died at that exact moment.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/07/30/elizabeth-warren-john-delaney-cnn-democratic-debate-vpx.cnn
Ohio Mom
Zhena, Thanks for that. I do remember Bennet, vaguely. My favorite candidate who never gained any traction was Inslee.
dr. bloor
Biden will presumably get the majority of Delaney’s twelve supporters.
dr. bloor
@Ohio Mom: My exploration committee will let you know next week as to whether there’s another one to keep an eye on.
Ohio Mom
Another Scott, I saw the video of Stacey Abrams predicting she’ll be president in 20 years, tops, and started doing some quick arithmetic.
If it takes her that long, I’d be in my mid-80s, and who knows, maybe I won’t still be around. She needs to tighten up her time line.
Old Dan and Little Ann
I know most people here hate Bill Maher. He drives me nuts. Still watch every week. The end segment is usually the best part. Tonight included a perfect campaign ad against trump. Clips showing his verbal diarrhea. Then he ended with a fake pee tape video. A perfect trump look- alike. 2 naked hookers peeing on bed. trump ordering one to pee on the bible. Brutal. It made my Friday night.
James E Powell
@Kent:
I never saw that before. He said the same stupid shit that people were talking in the 90s. Public private partnerships? Detroit coming back? I cannot throw up enough.
The Dangerman
Would it be wrong of me to admit I couldn’t pick John Delaney out of a lineup?
Kay
@Kent:
I really disliked him in that debate. I’ve really come to loathe that battering ram way of talking. So, so sick of the phony power posturing. The dominating with volume and sheer number of words. It’s not clever or interesting – it’s just a barrage of sound and more and more I think it’s used to cover the fact that there’s nothing really there.
anarchoRex
Does bringing up Perez’s hypocrisy in not changing debate rules to get more POC candidates on stage, but then doing it so Bloomberg can, go against the spirit of a respite thread?
West of the Rockies
@Another Scott:
Is the black hedge fund guy still in? And what is Tulsi waiting for? Pete’s numbers are dwindling, too. He should check out. Above all, I wish BS would cash out.
guachi
I don’t know why Bloomberg got in the race unless his goal is a Sanders nomination. He’s taking valuable votes from a non-Sanders candidate.
Another Scott
@anarchoRex:
HTH!
(sigh)
Cheers,
Scott.
Jay
anarchoRex
@Another Scott: That’s in reference to a Politico story about some rando DNCers wanting to bring back super delegates on the first ballot. It’s not related to what I’m talking about.
mrmoshpotato
@Another Scott: I love that post’s title.
hilts
A musical sendoff for John Delaney, better luck next bucko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_37WNrX3Hw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVjToYOjbM
mrmoshpotato
@The Dangerman: Really? You’ve never seen even a picture of John Mulaney?
debbie
Anyone else getting a full-page ad on mobile? It’s freaking my iPad out. And it’s annoying.
Another Scott
@anarchoRex: Ok. But still, meh.
From [another] Politico story:
FWIW.
Cheers,
Scott.
West of the Rockies
@West of the Rockies:
Deval Patrick is still in the race. At least Schultz got out. Wouldn’t it be great if the billionaire boys all threw some of that cash at green energy or college tuitions or cancer research? I hope Bloomberg is sincere about dropping $1,000,000,000 to defeat Lump.
Another Scott
@West of the Rockies: I’d be much, much happier if the billionaires were spending money on voter IDs, fighting voter suppression, and GOTV. Nothing else much matters if we can’t pick sensible leaders in fair elections.
Cheers,
Scott.
The Dangerman
@mrmoshpotato:
I see a cartoon at that link; was John Delaney a member of the Scooby Doo gang? Else, I got nuthin.
Jay
A small win,
mrmoshpotato
@debbie: I sometimes was getting a full page Obama ad.
Obligatory
Jay
mrmoshpotato
@The Dangerman: You should see John Mulaney’s IMDB page.
Leto
John Delaney, otherwise known as Canned Ham in the Avalune and Leto household. He also looks like the generic fish character from Sponge Bob Square Pants. Either way, totally forgot that he was alive and still somehow attached like a parasite to the Dem party.
lamh36
Lakers tribute to Kobe before the game tonight.
I don’t even know how the players can play the game tonight after the entire tribute was done. Both sides were emotional.
Cant believe it’s just been less than a week. RIP all the 9 victims and sending light and prayers for comfort and peace to the families they left behind.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1223451756534910976?s=21
opiejeanne
A little tranquility, from three weeks ago. The snow was gone five days later.
Chilly
Another Scott
BlueVirginia.us:
Every election matters. Voting access matters. We need to never forget this, and fight for it always.
Cheers,
Scott.
opiejeanne
@Jay: Only 13 1/3 years?
James E Powell
@Another Scott:
I was wondering why #RiggedDNC was top trending on my twitter page.
Another Scott
@James E Powell: My J could have given you an earful about it tonight!!
:-/
With luck, it will blow over soon.
But, man, Vlad knows how to pick a nerve, doesn’t he?!
:-( :-(
Cheers,
Scott.
NotMax
@Jay
Time is short for Dolt 45 to issue a pardon and implant him as a featured guest at the SOTU.
//
Steeplejack
@opiejeanne:
Nice.
The Dangerman
@lamh36:
Nicely done. Represented really well.
LA is a basketball town. LA didn’t give a shit that the Rams left and didn’t much care they came back. Gave even less a shit the Chargers moved a bit north. Dodgers are the Boys of Summer, but ball here is year round. Hell, try to get on the court in Venice, or for a real challenge, Laguna Beach (legendary).
Citizen Alan
@The Dangerman: I was quite certain that John Delaney was the guy who played Frazier and Niles’s dad, but apparently I was wrong.
Jay
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/29/greece-turkey-standoff-france-send-warships-east-mediterranean
mrmoshpotato
Twitter sometimes suggests good things. I give you Toilets with Threatening Auras!
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
This is an improvement, at least Bernie and Company didn’t call her a “whore” this time.
Mnemosyne
@Citizen Alan:
True Story: John Mahoney (from “Frasier”) was a friend of my late father-in-law. Very nice guy. They drifted apart when my FIL started dating a woman who didn’t fit into their friend group, unfortunately.
Yutsano
@opiejeanne: My friend in Lynnwood endlessly complained about it. I enjoyed what we got over here.
Eljai
@David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch: Their outreach efforts are going well I see.
mrmoshpotato
@David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch: Well that’s a great plan to get Hillary voters to vote for you in the primary!
Fuck Bernie!
Mnemosyne
@Eljai:
Didn’t you know? They don’t need Hillary’s voters to win the primary, and then we’ll all be forced to bend the knee in the general to
General ZodBernie. ?I still haven’t heard an explanation of which orifice they’re expecting to pull 20 million brand-new primary voters from, but that’s their plan.
mrmoshpotato
@Mnemosyne: Nice to see Michigan elected children to Congress.
NotMax
@Mnemosyne
Appears to have been having a grand time shilling for a play for which he won a Tony as Best Featured Actor.
:)
Eljai
@Mnemosyne: “Bend the knee. Bernie 2020” It fits on a bumper sticker, but I’m not sure how it will play in the suburbs.
Mnemosyne
@NotMax:
We saw him and Lindsay Crouse in a production of “The Weir.” Excellent and spooky night at the theater.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Eljai: Two, count em, Two Bernie commercials on the 11pm news here tonight in LA.
JWR
Oy! Just before Colbert, my first Bernie! ad, in Southern California. I also just read on Politico that The Bern! spent $50 million on ads. Too bad he’s not spending all that moolah to elect a Democrat.
anarchoRex
@Eljai:
@mrmoshpotato:
@Mnemosyne:
Looking forward to the whining about low youth turnout in the general after the year+ of shitting all over the candidate with the highest youth support by far.
JWR
@?BillinGlendaleCA: You too, huh? I think it’s a sign of the End Times.
Felanius Kootea
Okay, I hate watch Bill Maher, but some of his bit tonight on Democrats fighting dirty against Trump was funny.
Yutsano
@Felanius Kootea: Ye gods Bill looks terrible.
smike
@Yutsano: @Felanius Kootea: Ye gods Bill looks terrible.
Eh, he always looks that way, but I guess you’re right.
JWR
Felanius Kootea: If anyone would like to watch Maher’s demo anti-Trump ad without putting up with Maher, it starts at about the 2:30 mark, and lasts about a minute. Not great, but good. And now I’m really starting to wonder whether any Dems will openly challenge Emperor Trump in any way during the SOTU.
John Revolta
@mrmoshpotato: I enjoyed that much more than I like to admit. Led to a couple amusing side trips as well.
mrmoshpotato
@John Revolta: Thank the Twitter algorithm. :) (Never thought I’d type that!)
mrmoshpotato
@anarchoRex: Let’s wait until a few primary results anarchoTroll.
opiejeanne
@Yutsano: It was really pretty. Now it’s just raining and raining.
The neighbors kitty-corner from us has what could be called a vernal pool at the corner of their lot. It becomes a small pond if it rains enough, and now it is a small lake. With ducks.
opiejeanne
@NotMax: Oh my gosh, and Swoozie Kurtz!
eclare
@mrmoshpotato: That was awesome and scary!
opiejeanne
@mrmoshpotato: Oh, but isn’t he the one who told us he doesn’t care a fig whether Bernie gets the nom?
I swear, one of the earlier threads tonight was crawling with new names.
Chris Johnson
@opiejeanne: Yeah it was. I think Balloon Juice gets it from both sides: dirtbag lefty trolls, and then also neoliberal flagwaver trolls to rile up the lefties, or just weird little presences ‘mole’ing it up like Bill Haydon out of Le Carre novels. It’s hard to tell between that sort of thing, and your classic DougJ good ol’ american trolling for sport.
Does make me uncomfortable about Putin’s known tactic to seed BOTH sides of the argument. It’s easy for us to see the dirtbag left trolls when it’s that obvious (like Reddit and its vote-brigading mandating a ‘Russiagate’ narrative) but we’re not supposed to see the ones herding us into blindly obedient bandwagoning for Joe Biden, or teaching us that the American people are irredeemably sexist and racist beyond all belief. And that would be the trolling aimed at us: discouragement.
zhena gogolia
@David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch:
We have her to thank for one of the Repubs’ favorite talking points throughout the hearings and trial.
zhena gogolia
@NotMax:
We just watched Moonstruck on TCM last night. Great film, a master class in acting by the secondary players.
Just Chuck
It’s cool that the Dem primary field is finally starting to narrow down to “people for whom I have some vague recollection of them existing”.
WaterGirl
@Just Chuck: That’s kind of a low bar, but kudos for the positive spin. :-)
Mnemosyne
@anarchoRex
I’ll believe in your massive youth turnout when it actually happens. IIRC, statisticians say that a mere 17 percent would do it, but we’re all still waiting for those Joe Rogan fans to show up.
Believe it or not, the way to prove us wrong is to actually fucking SHOW UP, not to stay home whining that you totally would have shown up if everyone wasn’t so mean to you.