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You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / Open Thread: Mr. Pitiful

Open Thread: Mr. Pitiful

by Anne Laurie|  October 22, 20209:06 am| 121 Comments

This post is in: 2020 Elections, Open Threads, Trumpery

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I'll have more on this… but if you look at the PUBLICLY released GOP/conservative internal polls, they clearly point to a Biden win. I can only wonder what numbers are not getting released.

— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) October 21, 2020

One revealing fact of this moment with Trump's cash is the fact that he still hasn't cut his campaign a check, as he's suggested he might do if he needed it. He clearly needs it, but no check. https://t.co/UOxAXrawrh

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 21, 2020

"Any previous campaign in Trump’s circumstances—bad polls, behind in must-win states, coming after 4 yrs of low favorability ratings & steady midterm losses—would be facing coverage that would be the political equivalent of a hospital vigil"https://t.co/UfJ4bLwsAi

— Anne Helen Petersen (@annehelen) October 22, 2020


"Keeping an open mind is an essential journalistic trait that was underscored by the 2016 surprises. At the same time, so is the commitment to explaining to the audience what’s really going on — not diluted by timidity or ass-covering."

— Anne Helen Petersen (@annehelen) October 22, 2020

Analysis: Trump’s campaign is laser-focused on appealing to Donald Trump https://t.co/3lNeMTmZzG

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 21, 2020

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Reader Interactions

121Comments

  1. 1.

    Chyron HR

    October 22, 2020 at 9:13 am

    They have to cover Trump’s campaign as viable because he can still “win” by stealing it.

  2. 2.

    Tony Jay

    October 22, 2020 at 9:16 am

    @Chyron HR:

    That point is so sharp you could spear atoms with it.

  3. 3.

    hoosierspud

    October 22, 2020 at 9:18 am

    Love “The Commitments”, great movie, great soundtrack.

  4. 4.

    Spanky

    October 22, 2020 at 9:20 am

    Any previous campaign in Trump’s circumstances—bad polls, behind in must-win states, coming after 4 yrs of low favorability ratings & steady midterm losses—would be facing coverage that would be the political equivalent of a hospital vigil

    Any previous campaign was not conducted in the shadow of significant fuckery by native and foreign actors, which has not been convincingly addressed for this go-round.

  5. 5.

    Immanentize

    October 22, 2020 at 9:23 am

    If Biden wins, y’all realize it will be harsh criticism all the way down with the media bleating: “You criticized us for handling Trump with kid gloves!  So….”

  6. 6.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 9:24 am

    Biden campaign responds to GOP push to probe his Amtrak use: "Anyone can charter a train with Amtrak. Last time we checked, no one can charter the White House South Lawn for a political convention." https://t.co/ROqRgU5hAs

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 22, 2020

  7. 7.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 9:25 am

    Ratcliffe

    Leader Schumer says that DNI Ratcliffe shared different information in a classified briefing with senators than he did in the press conference last night. Ratcliffe told senators Iran election influence was not designed to hurt one candidate.https://t.co/hZF437kXT0

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 22, 2020

    He made it sound like all the election interference was designed to “make our president trump look bad.”

    Ratcliffe, your president doesn’t need any help with that.

  8. 8.

    Betty

    October 22, 2020 at 9:26 am

    It is a sad state of affairs, but we know Biden has to have an overwhelming victory for the bad actors to concede. Also love that movie.

  9. 9.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 9:31 am

    The more I think about it, the more I realize just how batshit insane Conservatives became from 2007 to 2017 (and gotten worse since) and I am absolutely convinced that where we are comes from their rage and fear over having a Black guy placed above them on the social scale.

    — soonergrunt 🇺🇸 (@soonergrunt) October 22, 2020

  10. 10.

    Crashman06

    October 22, 2020 at 9:31 am

    I was feeling good for a while, but read some things last night that have me freaking out about losing the legitimately through this hidden Trump vote that everyone’s going on about, or some kind of other big polling error, or having the SC stop ballot counting or overturning the results somehow. I know these all sound ridiculous but it’s driving me nuts.

  11. 11.

    Adrian Lesher

    October 22, 2020 at 9:31 am

    I prefer Otis Redding’s version. Redding wrote the song with Steve Cropper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alo7U0S_VPU

  12. 12.

    Amir Khalid

    October 22, 2020 at 9:32 am

    The post headline made me think of another song.

  13. 13.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 22, 2020 at 9:34 am

    @Immanentize:

    If Biden wins, y’all realize it will be harsh criticism all the way down with the media bleating: “You criticized us for handling Trump with kid gloves! So….”

    Let the bitches shove their heads up each other’s asses looking for scandals.

  14. 14.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 9:35 am

    Barack Obama: “[Trump] hasn’t shown any interest in doing the work”

    Ainsley Earhardt: “People who work in the White House would argue against that. They would say he does work. He works 24/7. He held nine rallies in the past eight days.” pic.twitter.com/kQoCexlswc

    — Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) October 22, 2020

    Do they even hear themselves?

    They’re saying Trump is a hardworking president because…. he’s holding campaign events.

  15. 15.

    FelonyGovt

    October 22, 2020 at 9:35 am

    Of course he hasn’t written his campaign a check. He’s broke and deep in debt.

  16. 16.

    Immanentize

    October 22, 2020 at 9:35 am

    @Crashman06: *Narrator’s voice*

    “There are no shy Trump voters”

  17. 17.

    MattF

    October 22, 2020 at 9:36 am

    On the notion that Donald Trump would write a check to cover the deficits in his campaign: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    On the notion that Donald Trump would tell the truth about his campaign’s expenditures: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    On the notion that Donald Trump has the cash on hand to cover the difference between his funding and Biden’s: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

  18. 18.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 22, 2020 at 9:36 am

    @germy: 24/7?  How much speed does he shove into his disgusting, orange face?

  19. 19.

    PPCLI

    October 22, 2020 at 9:37 am

    @germy: One thing the Biden administration has to do is undertake a systematic review of the thousands of Hatch act violations that have taken place.

    The fines are not so huge for individual violations, but if someone has committed a hundred or so, that could really add up. Also it will be a way of getting RWNJ political operatives out of career civil service jobs, since one of the penalties is exclusion from government service for a few years.

    Also, Trump and his campaign will need to be charged for all of the political trips he took on AF1. That will be a tidy sum, and the Treasury could sure use it right now, thanks to the exploding Trump deficit.

  20. 20.

    FelonyGovt

    October 22, 2020 at 9:39 am

    @germy: He’s holding campaign events directed only at people who are going to vote for him anyway. I’m sure they’re still screening out anyone but true believers from those rallies.

  21. 21.

    PPCLI

    October 22, 2020 at 9:40 am

    @germy: Indeed. I remember a month or so ago, when Mark Meadows wanted to sell those magic beans, and the best he could come up with was that Trump calls people at all hours of the night. As if whining to Hannity and Dan Scavino at 3am is presidential work.

  22. 22.

    Chyron HR

    October 22, 2020 at 9:40 am

    @germy:

    How Trump of her.  “Everybody says I don’t work, but I work.  I do works.”

  23. 23.

    Amir Khalid

    October 22, 2020 at 9:41 am

    @germy:

    Campaign rallies is the only part of politics that Trump is any good at. So in the Trumpistas’ book, campaigning is the president’s job.

  24. 24.

    What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?

    October 22, 2020 at 9:42 am

    @hoosierspud: Yeah I was just going to say that’s a fun movie. Wonder if it streams free anywhere? Wouldn’t mind catching it again. The soundtrack was my intro to Otis Redding, other than Dock of the Bay (I grew up in Michigan so I was already familiar with Aretha, and Wilson Pickett did better on the charts that Otis, so I’d heard his big hits too).

    Took until music streaming services emerged before I could figure out who sang the original popular versions of “Dark End of the Street” – a soul singer named James Carr – and “I Can’t Stand the Rain (Anne Peebles). James Carr seems to be mostly forgotten for reasons that I can’t explain, because I listened to his best of on Spotify and he’s very good.

    The movie soundtrack did a pretty good job of covering those songs but the originals are definitely on another level. Especially Aretha who was truly one of the greatest. But Otis wasn’t far behind and neither was Wilson Pickett. I read recently that Pickett was such an A-hole that the house band at Stax record told the studio never to have him come back after working with him. I don’t know whether there is any truth to that rumor.

  25. 25.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 9:42 am

    'UNFAZED': Voters waited in the pouring rain to cast their ballots early on Wednesday in central Florida. https://t.co/yEHj3kINKo pic.twitter.com/IDf1eooXGl— ABC News (@ABC) October 22, 2020

  26. 26.

    EmbraceYourInnerCrone

    October 22, 2020 at 9:43 am

    @germy: They aren’t even campaign events anymore, they are the “daily airing of the grievances/someone please like me” whine-fests.

    I personally know 3 year olds who whine less and blame other people less.   I want a president who doesn’t whine and isn’t a fascist.

  27. 27.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 9:44 am

    The thing that really struck me watching Obama dig into that speech with fury is how tired Trump's rally speeches are now. He seems barely interested, like a Vegas comedian doing a 1AM set where everyone is drunk anyway and he's just ready to go home.

    — Schooley (@Rschooley) October 21, 2020

  28. 28.

    PPCLI

    October 22, 2020 at 9:44 am

    One thing that is accepted all round is that Biden will win the popular vote, probably by a huge margin.

    Nobody seems to be thinking hard about what sort of constitutional crisis will result if Biden gets over 50% of the vote, by a margin of (say) 9 or 10%, and yet loses the electoral college because of margins of a few thousand in 8 or 10 states.

     

    ETA: Or even worse, if it is a tied EC with Biden taking the popular vote (say) 52%-43% and the House votes for Trump on a party-line vote.

  29. 29.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 9:51 am

    Today's edition of "you could reuse this article from 100 years ago in 2020"

    (The Seattle Star, Nov. 2, 1918) pic.twitter.com/zkE2ZxSGid

    — Amelia Frappolli (@AmeliaFrappolli) October 22, 2020

  30. 30.

    O. Felix Culpa

    October 22, 2020 at 9:54 am

    @Adrian Lesher: Agreed. Much better singing and styling.

  31. 31.

    PPCLI

    October 22, 2020 at 9:55 am

    @Adrian Lesher: Thanks for the reminder! I haven’t listened to that song in years. Among other things, listening to it right now reminds me of what a great bass line Duck Dunn would lay down.

  32. 32.

    Crashman06

    October 22, 2020 at 9:56 am

    @Immanentize: I think I know that rationally! But I can’t help but think that maybe we’re missing something.

  33. 33.

    Ian

    October 22, 2020 at 9:57 am

    @PPCLI:

    People have been thinking about that for some time.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact

    It is on the ballot here in CO.

  34. 34.

    LurkerNoLonger

    October 22, 2020 at 9:57 am

    @PPCLI: why would the house, which is democratic vote for Trump? Personally I think you’re scaring yourself for no good reason.

  35. 35.

    TS (the original)

    October 22, 2020 at 9:58 am

    @FelonyGovt:

    I’m sure they’re still screening out anyone but true believers from those rallies.

    I doubt they have to. Given the coronavirus, no-one other than trump deplorables would go to the no mask virus spreader events.

  36. 36.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 10:01 am

    Top official with the NY Catholic archdiocese says Pope’s comment urging civil unions is a “serious mistake” (the word “mistake” appears 10x in this) https://t.co/heQEKvhaQS

    — Michelle Boorstein (@mboorstein) October 21, 2020

    Catholic bishops are now more willing to criticize THE POPE than GOP lawmakers are willing to break with their authoritarian leader, Donald Trump. Let that sink in https://t.co/1Xl77D6oSc

    — Will Bunch Sign Up For My Newsletter (@Will_Bunch) October 21, 2020

  37. 37.

    Keithly

    October 22, 2020 at 10:03 am

    @LurkerNoLonger: The vote in the house, if it happened, would be by state delegation, and currently, the Republicans have majorities in more state delegations, although there are more Democrats overall.

  38. 38.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 22, 2020 at 10:03 am

    @germy:

    They’re saying Trump is a hardworking president because…. he’s holding campaign events.

    someone said yesterday that the WH and campaign staff are glad he’s doing rallies because otherwise he’d be focused on documents I mean watching TV and rage-tweeting about what he sees on TV.

    The “documents” moment still cracks me up, like the blank papers and empty folders in his hospital photo-ops. He doesn’t even know how to pretend to work.

  39. 39.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 22, 2020 at 10:08 am

    and speaking of not even knowing how to pretend to work:

    Donald Trump Jr. @DonaldJTrumpJr · 13m
    My father gave me an opportunity to work my way up in his company. Joe gave his son China.

    he beat out (checks notes) his brother Eric for (checks notes again) the part of standing a little bit behind Ivanka on their daddy’s game show

  40. 40.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    October 22, 2020 at 10:09 am

    Analysis: Trump’s campaign is laser-focused on appealing to Donald Trump

    So one man, one vote, and that one man is Donald Trump?

  41. 41.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    October 22, 2020 at 10:19 am

    @LurkerNoLonger: Because there’s a weird rule for that vote that each state gets one vote. And they have more empty land voting than we do.

  42. 42.

    LurkerNoLonger

    October 22, 2020 at 10:21 am

    @Keithly: What the fuck. Fucking Christ.

  43. 43.

    Gin & Tonic

    October 22, 2020 at 10:22 am

    @germy: I think the NY Catholic Archdiocese might need to brush up on its catechism.

    The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful – who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals.

  44. 44.

    Chyron HR

    October 22, 2020 at 10:27 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I’m genuinely uncertain if Junior thinks “Daddy made me the executive vending machine tester at the Trump Organization” is an epic mic-drop or if he’s just not nothing left to spin.

  45. 45.

    SFBayAreaGal

    October 22, 2020 at 10:29 am

    @Amir Khalid: I also love this version of Poor Poor Pitful Me

    https://youtu.be/srpwqf2MWAw

  46. 46.

    germy

    October 22, 2020 at 10:29 am

    @LurkerNoLonger:

    GOP House candidate: Cops shoot Black people who 'need to be shot' https://t.co/or8ckBqAjW

    — Oliver Willis (@owillis) October 22, 2020

  47. 47.

    There go two miscreants

    October 22, 2020 at 10:29 am

    @Gin & Tonic: Time for a new schism! That would prove amusing.

  48. 48.

    cain

    October 22, 2020 at 10:31 am

    @germy:

    They expected that the black man’s administration would be an epic failure and can be used as a ‘lessons to be learned’ type of thing – imagine how surprised they became that Obama flourished. Fuck them. Obama is the best thing for this country since Johnson in terms of impact.

  49. 49.

    geg6

    October 22, 2020 at 10:32 am

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Not sure this was actually a statement of doctrine.  I’ll have to read up on this further.  But I do know that there is a specific process for a pope to make an infallible statement of doctrine and I’m not sure this meets the criteria.  But I will try to do some more research to find out.

  50. 50.

    LurkerNoLonger

    October 22, 2020 at 10:32 am

    This is something that’s been bothering me about the coverage of the Trump campaign. It’s like the news media is ignoring the obvious fact that he’s losing. It’s frustrating, but—like I tell myself—it will be over soon.

  51. 51.

    randy khan

    October 22, 2020 at 10:32 am

    My attitude about the election, until it’s over, is that it’s a close race where every vote in every state counts.  That’s how you maximize your chance to win and how you maximize your margin if you do win.

    But objectively, the Trump campaign looks like a disaster.

  52. 52.

    clay

    October 22, 2020 at 10:33 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Hunter Biden owns China??!!?  Holy shit, that’s awesome!  I’m even more impressed with Joe now!!

  53. 53.

    Gin & Tonic

    October 22, 2020 at 10:33 am

    @geg6: Yeah, I know, I’m just being a wise-ass.

  54. 54.

    PJ

    October 22, 2020 at 10:33 am

    @What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?: in addition to standard record company problems, James Carr had mental health issues.

  55. 55.

    geg6

    October 22, 2020 at 10:33 am

    @There go two miscreants:

    The schism was already there, if not for public consumption yet.  It’s about to become a lot more visible.  The Benedict crew is frothing at the mouth over this.

  56. 56.

    randy khan

    October 22, 2020 at 10:35 am

    I voted yesterday in Fairfax County, Virginia, at one of the satellite early voting locations.  I got there 10 or 15 minutes before official closing time, and it took about an hour to get to the front of the line.  There were about 100 people in front of me, and maybe 10 to 15 more who joined the line after me but before the official closing time.  Tuesday I went by twice, but there were 150 people in line (give or take) the first time, and somewhere between 100 and 150 the second time.  This is a pretty blue part of the county, so it wasn’t really a surprise.

  57. 57.

    geg6

    October 22, 2020 at 10:35 am

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Oh, okay.  I took you too seriously.

  58. 58.

    MJS

    October 22, 2020 at 10:35 am

    @Gin & Tonic: Nah, let them go. The American Catholic Church needs to be put out of its misery anyway. Let it be by their own hand when they alienate the elderly (basically the last remaining parishioners) by telling them that the Pope is infallible only when he agrees with the GOP.

  59. 59.

    LurkerNoLonger

    October 22, 2020 at 10:36 am

    @germy: Yikes. That guy would give Stephen King a run for his money for monsters out of Maine.

  60. 60.

    Edmund Dantes

    October 22, 2020 at 10:36 am

    @PPCLI: oh they better make sure they send the collectors after Donnie boy for his food bill. You know he is going to stiff the US for it. Even though every president pays for their own food while living in the White House unless it’s a State dinner or other official government meal.

  61. 61.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 22, 2020 at 10:37 am

    @randy khan: I’m trying to avoid excessive optimism, but….

    The Hoarse Whisperer @TheRealHoarse 1h
    The worst of five recent polls has Biden up 5 in PA. Hillary lost PA by about 4 votes per precinct. If Biden takes PA conclusively, this election isn’t going to be a nail-biter.

    Also, Biden is starting to move up over 50% in swing-state polls, which is something people who make and read polls for a living say is significant.

    OTOH, fuckin’ Florida, man.

  62. 62.

    PJ

    October 22, 2020 at 10:39 am

    @PPCLI: Democrats have been thinking about this since 2016.  If you read the fundraising posts on this here blog, some of them are specifically directed to electing Representatives in purple states so that if it does get thrown to the House, there will be enough Democratic Reps in those purple states so that their state votes are for Biden.

  63. 63.

    dmsilev

    October 22, 2020 at 10:40 am

    @germy: (a) President Golfsalot doesn’t “work” 24/7. (b) Even if one counts campaign rallies as work, that’s campaigning, not Presidenting.

  64. 64.

    PPCLI

    October 22, 2020 at 10:42 am

    @Ian: I know that the general issue has  been discussed. And evidently enough people have been prepared to live with it that it hasn’t been a front-burner issue. My point is that we haven’t seen a case of the EC and popular vote differing when the difference in popular vote is as enormous as 9 or 10%.

  65. 65.

    Kristine

    October 22, 2020 at 10:42 am

    I hope someone tells @different-church-lady that TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY.

  66. 66.

    PPCLI

    October 22, 2020 at 10:43 am

    @LurkerNoLonger: It doesn’t go by total number of members. It goes by state delegations in the House.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m not actually worried about this. I don’t think it will happen. But even the non-zero possibility of it indicates something is wildly wrong here.

  67. 67.

    Ruckus

    October 22, 2020 at 10:45 am

    @germy:

    How hard working are the people working for shitforbrains? Any of them ever actually do any work, political or otherwise? And yes I realize that the level of lying, bullshit and misdirection that they generate is difficult but because the lying, bullshit and misdirection rational is shitforbrains is that work or strictly sucking up to someone who doesn’t give one fuck about them except if he can use them or needs to throw them away?

  68. 68.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 22, 2020 at 10:45 am

    The Comey letter dropped on October 28, 2016, which was 10 days before the election, and over a week after the last debate (Election Day was unusually late–most of the subsequent shitshow was in early November).

    10 days before the election is Saturday; the last debate is tonight. We have a somewhat compressed time scale.

    I figure the last thing they’ve got in their ratfuck bag is the child porn that, according to Rudy Giuliani, is supposedly on the laptop he gave to the authorities. If Trump can get the DoJ to make a splashy press announcement that Joe Biden is nebulously entrained in an ongoing investigation of child pornography, that’s probably the closest thing to a Comey letter they can get under the circumstances. You know he’s trying to do it. He keeps raging that Barr and the FBI won’t give him the goods he needs, so maybe they’re pushing back. But you noticed the DNI made a ridiculous announcement that this wasn’t a Russian disinfo op, even though it in every way exactly resembles a Russian disinfo op–maybe he’ll find someone to do it.

    It doesn’t tie into an existing big media story, but it does tie into QAnon and would get the Q folks tremendously excited and maybe convince a few low-info people there’s something to it.

    So… embarrassing Rudy Giuliani as much as humanly possible is important at this point. And just being ready. Don’t give this any more credence than it deserves, if it drops.

  69. 69.

    Urza

    October 22, 2020 at 10:46 am

    @LurkerNoLonger: Unfortunately, thats not how it works.  Each state gets 2 votes, not the full house.  Those 2 votes are generally thought to be determined by the current government of that state.  26 states have Republican governor and state houses.

  70. 70.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 22, 2020 at 10:48 am

    @PPCLI: What is the likelihood of the EC going against the popular vote when the difference is around 10%?  How does it work mechanically?  Note:  This is not a defense of the EC or a denial that it is technically possible for this scenario to happen.

  71. 71.

    Benw

    October 22, 2020 at 10:49 am

    @germy: what a charmer

    I guess by extension he could argue that cops kneel on the necks of black people until they are dead who ‘need to be kneeled on their necks until they are dead’

  72. 72.

    Baud

    October 22, 2020 at 10:53 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    What did Florida do this time?

  73. 73.

    Tazj

    October 22, 2020 at 10:55 am

    @LurkerNoLonger: Yes, sometimes I feel like if it were a Democrat who was behind in the polls by this much, at this point in the election they’d be more harsh towards that campaign. They would be calling it a looming disaster for the Democrats, and being more critical. However, maybe this will work to our advantage this time.

    On an different topic, I’m so far resisting the temptation to get into an entirely pointless Twitter fight. Conservatives are complaining that no Democrats showed up for the judicial committee vote for the Supreme Court, and about court packing.

    ”If you’re going to pack the court you can’t complain about people voting for Trump because of judges.” First off, of course we can he’s still horrible and incompetent in many ways beyond the court. Adding more judges is radical but blocking judges is perfectly fine.

  74. 74.

    LurkerNoLonger

    October 22, 2020 at 10:56 am

    @Urza: Yes, thanks. Now I understand.

  75. 75.

    LurkerNoLonger

    October 22, 2020 at 10:59 am

    @Tazj: I think they’re making such a big deal about “court packing” because they know it’s what they would do if the roles were reversed. They want to hit, but not get hit back.

  76. 76.

    ciotog

    October 22, 2020 at 11:00 am

    I understand that everyone’s traumatized by 2016, but there’s also no point in celebrating good polls or getting complacent about a victory.  That accomplishes nothing.

  77. 77.

    TS (the original)

    October 22, 2020 at 11:00 am

    @LurkerNoLonger:

    Given that there are 7 states with only 1 member in the house & five of these are republicans, they are off to a good start.

    So Wyoming gets the same number of votes as California. As in the Senate – great system for the small states.

  78. 78.

    Immanentize

    October 22, 2020 at 11:01 am

    @Gin & Tonic: Technically, Francis did not invoke infallibility when he suggested that there should be a civil marriage options ofr gays.

     

    That said, Francis speaks with the love of people and the Church in the voice of Jesus while the RWNJ Catholics (including Bishops) speak with the hate filled hearts of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin of that time.

  79. 79.

    Immanentize

    October 22, 2020 at 11:03 am

    @geg6: Taking G&T seriously, except regarding any time typing “THE UKRAINE,” is probably the first mistake.  I keep making that same mistake.

  80. 80.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 22, 2020 at 11:04 am

    @Baud: just cumulative frustration with close polls in a  state that could put trump away early

  81. 81.

    dmsilev

    October 22, 2020 at 11:04 am

    @Urza: As I understand it, the votes are entirely in the House. Each state gets a vote, and the House delegation of Representatives from that state decide how to cast it. So, nothing to do with the Governor or state legislature, but rather which party has a majority in each state’s delegation. Republicans currently have a (slight) majority of states; I’m not sure how plausible it would be to flip that if the national election is close enough to result in an Electoral College tie.

  82. 82.

    Immanentize

    October 22, 2020 at 11:07 am

    Cardinal Dolan of New York is just the Bishop of the NY Fraternal Order of Police.

  83. 83.

    Jeffro

    October 22, 2020 at 11:10 am

    That Politico headline is just totes awesome, as my 15-year-old would say.  “…helps trumpov avoid the stench of death” LOLOL

    And that WaPo analysis is spot-on: they ran the campaign the way the Chief Abuser wanted/told/made them, and this is the result.  Suckas!!

  84. 84.

    Jeffro

    October 22, 2020 at 11:13 am

    @germy: this is excellent pushback

    Dems fighting back – who knew?

    Along those lines, Jamelle Bouie of the Times is tweeting about the GOP’s reliance on double standards, noting that they’re simply using the power of stasis to ‘pack’ things their way…Dems are perfectly legit in undoing that stasis:

    “The larger point is that across the American political system Republicans are relying on stasis to maintain their power: A static House, a static Senate, a static judiciary, a static number of states.  There’s no reason to let them have that stasis.”

    TRUTH

  85. 85.

    Baud

    October 22, 2020 at 11:14 am

    @Jeffro:

    Dems fighting back – who knew?

    Me.

  86. 86.

    different-church-lady

    October 22, 2020 at 11:18 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Biden owns China. China owns Don Jr.’s father.

  87. 87.

    Kathleen

    October 22, 2020 at 11:20 am

    @Immanentize: Beautifully stated. And though I’m a long lapsed Catholic I can appreciate that. Side note: a group of  Catholics committed to social justice formed a “Catholic Democrats ” group in Cincinnati.  I’ve lived here 50 years and I’ve never seen Catholics form a group aligned with Democrats.  Interesting. Catholic Democratic candidates/office holders have tough time here if they support woman’s right to choose.

  88. 88.

    gvg

    October 22, 2020 at 11:21 am

    3rd day in a row of Florida early voting in my county (Alachua) where I have passed an early vote site with a line to the street.  Now its all socially distanced but the parking lots are full. Our early voting sites are the local branches of the library which are still pretty closed up and the parking lots are not normally FULL during early voting days.

    My parents gave up on in person voting yesterday. they decided their weren’t going to be any uncrowded times to slip in, and dropped their mail in ballots off instead. They are retired and watch a good bit of traditional news. they had wanted to do in person because of the mail and the other concerns, but changed their minds.  Maybe the screen shot I sent them of my ballot accepted this way influenced them.

    Several counties are already over 30% of the 2016 vote total.

  89. 89.

    Ian

    October 22, 2020 at 11:22 am

    @PPCLI: Yeah it is a pretty brutal example of the difference between the two.  I am not sure as it qualifies as a constitutional crises, as the rules allow it to be that way.  I remember doing a paper on this way back in high school, you could conceivably win the EC with like 20% of the total vote.  Wouldn’t ever happen, since our country doesn’t vote that way.

    Anyhoos, I think we both agree the EC is an old relic and should be replaced with a popular vote. The compact I linked to above is the best way to get there short of a amendment.  My 2 cents.

  90. 90.

    different-church-lady

    October 22, 2020 at 11:22 am

    @Kristine: EVERY DAY IS CHILDREN’S CAPS LOCK DAY!!1!

  91. 91.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 22, 2020 at 11:23 am

    @Jeffro: Dems fighting back – who knew?

    FFS!

  92. 92.

    Jeffro

    October 22, 2020 at 11:24 am

    @Baud: Ok, yeah that’s true

  93. 93.

    Jeffro

    October 22, 2020 at 11:24 am

    @Omnes Omnibus: I’m sorry but I’m still startled when I see it.

    Happy to get used to it, though!

  94. 94.

    Capri

    October 22, 2020 at 11:26 am

    @MattF:  Perhaps somebody should Habermansplain that Donald lies about everything and never spends his own money. The fact she reported that with a straight face does not reflect well.

  95. 95.

    Frank Wilhoit

    October 22, 2020 at 11:29 am

    @germy: No.  Nothing has changed since 1980.  Trump is a belch in a hurricane compared to Reagan.  Why does no one remember any of that?

  96. 96.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    October 22, 2020 at 11:31 am

    @TS (the original): If the reports are to be believed they are all the same people, they brag to reporters that they’ve been to x many number of rallies. In some cases people are being bussed in.  They are now just professional rally goers.

  97. 97.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 22, 2020 at 11:35 am

    @Jeffro: You are still doing it.  It reinforces a pernicious stereotype.  It is perfectly easy to praise Democrats for fighting back without expressing faux surprise that it is happening.

  98. 98.

    Another Scott

    October 22, 2020 at 11:38 am

    @LurkerNoLonger: In January (before we ‘officially’ entered a recession in February) an awful lot of the political reporting was that since the economy was “booming” with ~ 2% GDP growth (hardly “booming”) and low unemployment (but still far too much part-time-but-want-full-time and other bad indicators) then based on history Donnie was cruising for re-election.

    Ignoring his persistent and epically bad approval ratings.

    Ignoring his impeachment for his antics on aid for Ukraine and the quid-pro-quo.

    Ignoring everything people hate about his policies.

    Ignoring the massive turn of elections since January 2017 (Democrats typically up 10+% compared to 2016).

    Etc.

    It’s infuriating.  But it is yet another indication that most political reporting is lazy feeding of preconceptions.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  99. 99.

    Immanentize

    October 22, 2020 at 11:40 am

    @different-church-lady: You never disappoint.

  100. 100.

    lafcolleen

    October 22, 2020 at 11:44 am

    @Gin & Tonic:

    That is overstating the Pope’s infallibility.

     

    For a statement to be infallible,nit must be made ex cathedra as a formal statement.

     

    the second level.of authority is the papal encyclical which is a formal document setting out church teaching.

     

    I am RC and I am thrilled by this statement.  but I dont buy into the narrative that the bishops can’t critique a statement from the Pope.

     

    The hierarchical nature of the Church is both a blessing and a curse.  Active stifling of dissent (including the perception that permitting any criticism of an individual is attacking the authority of the Church) is a part of what lead to our current crisis of complicity/cover up in sex abuse.

     

    But what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.  If the bishops can push back up the Pope’s statement, then lay Catholics have to contribute to an atmosphere of supporting papal statements throughout Church institutions.

     

    This is the type of social issue that could fracture the Church.  But I’ll stake my claim to be part of the conversation.  And if we really are headed to schism, I’ll follow Pope Francis.

  101. 101.

    TruthOfAngels

    October 22, 2020 at 11:47 am

    Hi there. Speaking as a limey (Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK) I wish you’d all stop panicking. I’m not saying this to depress GOTV, but the fat orange fucker is done. Why not enjoy yourselves by jumping up and down on his corpse?

     

    Those who possess stiletto heels should go first.

    Go on! Give the puerile little shit a good kick. You know you want to.

  102. 102.

    Brooklyn Dodger

    October 22, 2020 at 11:50 am

    @Frank Wilhoit: We remember and thank you for bringing it up. It’s the polite, well-behaved SOBs that we have to fear more than the blustery fools. Loved the Souza movie but it bothered me that Reagan’s comportment was seen to make him more fit to be president than dump.

  103. 103.

    Nelle

    October 22, 2020 at 11:51 am

    It occurs to me that 45 is jealous of the attention Covid-19 is getting.  It is stealing the spotlight that belongs to him.

  104. 104.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 22, 2020 at 11:55 am

    @TruthOfAngels: You are obviously new here.  Panicking is a way of life, and complaining about it is tone policing.

  105. 105.

    J R in WV

    October 22, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    @germy:

    I am absolutely convinced that where we are comes from their rage and fear over having a Black guy placed above them on the social scale.

    — soonergrunt 🇺🇸 (@soonergrunt) October 22, 2020

    Many years ago I went to a black guy I had worked with looking for a job, after the contract I had been working on was completed. He came through for me, and the agency began to take IT seriously. I was the third hire. They made Rick the manager and brought on some contractors and other new hires.

    We were doing pretty well, all in all, but our relationship with the state personnel office was always terrible. Finally Rick told me that when he would hand deliver hiring paperwork to them, they were all smiles, and as soon as he was out the door, they threw the paperwork away, never going to help a black man.

    This was in the early 1990s. It really takes a cluster of bigots to pull that off, because everyone had to keep the secret, a single bigot would have to put that paperwork away and nurse it to death. Rick resigned as manager and became just another employee, so we could move forward as an agency. It greatly lessened the stress on him too. I found it hard to believe at first, but on the other hand, not so much.

    Racism may destroy the world, along with climate change and pandemic diseases. What happens when the cage has too many gerbils? They die off.

  106. 106.

    KenK

    October 22, 2020 at 12:03 pm

    @germy: @#9. “…having a Black guy placed above them on the social scale.”

    Wait until a Black gal is placed above them.

  107. 107.

    KenK

    October 22, 2020 at 12:05 pm

    @FelonyGovt: And, no sense throwing good bad money after bad.

  108. 108.

    J R in WV

    October 22, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    @LurkerNoLonger:

    When the house votes to elect a president after the Electoral College is tied, each state gets one vote. 50 votes, — not 435. So it comes down to how many states have a majority democratic delegation.

    One more way small states get to fuck with the democracy. A giveaway to get the small states to approve the constitution, like the Senate and the E.C.  And 3/5ths of a person for all those slaves on the plantations, although that went away after the Civil War.

  109. 109.

    zhena gogolia

    October 22, 2020 at 12:08 pm

    @TruthOfAngels:

    You’ve given me a smile.

  110. 110.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 22, 2020 at 12:12 pm

    @TruthOfAngels: After 2016 nobody here takes this stuff for granted. Nobody. The margins and the zeitgeist don’t matter.

  111. 111.

    different-church-lady

    October 22, 2020 at 12:17 pm

    @Immanentize: I’M NOT GETTING ANY HELP HERE, AM I??

  112. 112.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 22, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    @different-church-lady: no.

  113. 113.

    different-church-lady

    October 22, 2020 at 12:20 pm

    @TruthOfAngels: We had a little… trauma four years ago. We’re not anxious to repeat that experience.

  114. 114.

    zhena gogolia

    October 22, 2020 at 12:23 pm

    This is really good.
    https://thebulwark.com/victory-is-near/

    So to my Democratic friends: Let us go forward in this final stretch with the confidence that our mission is vital and our opponent is weak.

    Do not hesitate to swagger. These last two weeks belong to you. Years from now you will look back on these last days as some of the best in your lives. An evil was unleashed in the country you love and you rose to smite it. You will slay this dragon.

    Trump is collapsing and his allies of convenience are panicked.

    Now is when you turn a victory into a rout. We are all tired, but the other side isn’t just tired. They are frightened and confused. As they should be. Because they are losing the fight for the soul of this country. And they know it.

    Victory is near.

  115. 115.

    J R in WV

    October 22, 2020 at 12:25 pm

    @TruthOfAngels:

    WE ALL WANT TO KICK HIM, YOU KNOW THAT~!~

    BUT WE CAN’T WHILE HE IS STILL PRESIDENT~!!~

    AFTER BIDEN IS INAUGURATED, THEN THE KICKING MAY BEGIN~!!!~

    So just hang on and wait with the rest of us..

    And a tip of the baseball cap to Different-Church-Lady — it is surprisingly hard to type in upper case, I tend to want to de-capitalize names and the first character of new sentences.

  116. 116.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 22, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    @zhena gogolia: You’ll take that advice from former Republicans, but not fellow Democrats?  Okay.

  117. 117.

    smedley the uncertain

    October 22, 2020 at 12:37 pm

    @Ian: Back in the 50’s the topic for the high school debate teams was;  “Resolved : The President of the United States shall be elected by the direct vote of the people.”  I debated on the affirmative.

  118. 118.

    different-church-lady

    October 22, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    @J R in WV: YOU GET USED TO IT AFTER A WHILE!!!

  119. 119.

    zhena gogolia

    October 22, 2020 at 12:48 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    I’m not taking it from him either. I just thought it was well written.

  120. 120.

    Brooklyn Dodger

    October 22, 2020 at 12:58 pm

    @zhena gogolia: Just finished reading the whole thing and it is good.

    My polite question to these guys is – where do you think the “conservatism” they fought for all these years was headed? Is it dump’s bad manners that offend them, they were happy with other R leaders trying to destroy social security, voting rights, etc., it’s just that dump’s doing it in such a gauche way? Sorry for the rant, think I just need to get out and walk mr. snuggles in the (still) morning air!

  121. 121.

    Uncle Cosmo

    October 22, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    @different-church-lady: Biden owns China.

    No doubt. At least two sets – one for formal occasions, one for everyday use. Hey, when the Bidens got a new formal set after becoming VPOTUS they probably passed the old one along to Hunter. Y’think mebbe?

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