The Politics Thread

[victoria foxton]

 

  

[marceline]

 

I want the same thing. This has me hopeful. She only won her last primary by 900 votes. My concern is how long it will take to get results.

 

 

[DRW50]

Thanks @marceline . I'll cross my fingers.

 

Anyway, there's a lot of push today about the great registration numbers for the GOP in swing states. This breaks down the reality.

 

 

[Juliajms]

Just get it done, man. I know this pick may be more important than usual, but it's past time.

 

[Faulkner]

 

[OzFrog]

 

Why though? Obama didn’t pick Biden as his VP until late August in 2008, so why does Biden have to do it any earlier?

[DRW50]

 

I think in this case it is more important as they have a huge chance of becoming VP, but I also feel there is a media narrative to try to drag Biden down (they are doing the same over debates). I do think it's getting close to time, but on the other hand, I'm glad they waited because with the pushback against both Kamala Harris and Susan Rice, Karen Bass may have been the choice a few weeks ago. If he had, then the announcement would have been completely overshadowed and ruined by the stories coming out about Cuba, communists, $cientology, etc. 

[OzFrog]

 

Your thinking on the media narrative is exactly what I’m thinking. I’m seeing a lot of hot-headedness from usually calm folk on Twitter calling for Biden to make his pick yesterday. Whilst polls can be wrong, etc etc, the polling averages right now are trending to a big margin nationwide for Biden over Trump, so he’s doing something right thus far. Beside, quite frankly if the US re-elects Trump after the s**tshow of the last four years, I’m sorry to say but they deserve everything that’s coming to them.

[DRW50]

 

People crave controversy and tension, and the GOP is happy to stir the pot. Some Democrats are happy to as well. I was not surprised to learn it was Joe Lockhart who set the boat out for the "Democrats say Biden shouldn't debate" narrative that is now dominating the media and helping Trump - Clinton-era strategists have done nothing but drag the party down over the last 20 years. Honestly the race is going to narrow, severely, barring some miracle, whatever Biden does or doesn't do. I just wish people who are so concerned would donate their time or money to candidates in need. Jaime Harrison is tied with Lindsey Graham in SC - they should go help him, not wear out their Twitter fingers. But that would mean actually giving a damn.

[Vee]

I think the race will narrow. Severely? I doubt it. I still think we should remain vigilant though.

[DRW50]

With the media already gaming the debates for him, trying to push the cognitive decline issue (just a little while ago they released a clip of him asking a reporter if he needs to take a test to prove he isn't a junkie to try to take attention away from Trump's disastrous interviews), Trump trying to sue states that allow mail-in voting and with his supporters killing themselves door-knocking in a pandemic to help him, I can't help thinking it's going to be very close, especially after 2016, but I certainly hope he will lose. Right now I'd say it's 50/50. 

 

Missouri passed an amendment to their constitution to expand Medicaid under the ACA. The rural areas voted against it (shocking, I know) and the cities prevailed. Hopefully they can keep their legislature from ruining everything. 

 

https://www.vox.com/2020/8/5/21353985/missouri-primary-election-2020-medicaid-expansion-results

 

Lacy Clay, whose family has held his Congressional seat in Missouri since the late '60s, lost his primary to a Ferguson activist and nurse, Cori Bush. Rose Twitter and saboteur sites like Intercept being so gleeful makes me wary, but she may have a lot of merit and will be an effective rep. I shouldn't judge her by them, I realize. Hearing that Clay supported a Republican-friendly gerrymander to keep his seat safer made me see why some were glad to see him go.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/05/cori-bush-missouri-primary-winner-beats-democratic-incumbent-clay

[Vee]

I think the media wants a horse race. But I don't think they've tried to cover for Trump much lately. He is a very entertaining rolling disaster for a lot of them. There are some that have also reported very soberly and not gossip-oriented, especially now. It depends on the situation and the journalist. Many others still just want the access and 'excitement.'

 

I'm not going to begrudge a progressive win if it's the right kind of progressive. I'll reserve judgment on Bush.

 

[Faulkner]

Being from STL, I remember the Clays were an absolute institution. End of an era.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Faulkner

[OzFrog]

 

Absolutely. The big poll lead doesn’t mean people should get complacent. Everybody over there still needs to GOTV, regardless of the poll margin.

[marceline]

 

I'm seeing that she's one of those "Kamala is a cop" types. Hard pass.