48 minutes ago, I Am A Swede said:

How the hell can anyone, anyone, think that this blithering, rambling idiot could be president?!

Because it's not about him. It's about what he represents.

8 minutes ago, marceline said:

Because it's not about him. It's about what he represents.

You're absolutely right, but still.... It just blows my mind that they are willing to let this complete moron be their leader, not to mention lead the entire country. It makes them look even more unhinged than he is.

The rift that will split our ticket:

 

4 hours ago, Vee said:

The music on the scene is currently playing (I am not making this up) The Doobie Brothers' "What a Fool Believes."

After Team Trump got nailed for playing Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" at their last rally, Eric Swalwell went on X to say he "believes" there's a saboteur working on their campaign.  I'm starting to think he might be onto something there (even if he wasn't entirely serious).

1 hour ago, marceline said:

Because it's not about him. It's about what he represents.

Exactly.

As I've said on multiple occasions, White America looked at Barack Obama and realized an existential threat.  To his supporters, therefore, Donald Trump represents their last stab at relevance in a country where their dominance is on the wane.  Even if, statistically speaking, white people will soon be in the minority, they want to ensure that their power over all our lives will be felt for generations to come.

Edited August 16, 20241 yr by Khan

11 minutes ago, Khan said:

As I've said on multiple occasions, White America looked at Barack Obama and realized an existential threat.  To his supporters, therefore, Donald Trump represents their last stab at relevance in a country where their dominance is on the wane.  Even if, statistically speaking, white people will soon be in the minority, they want to ensure that their power over all our lives will be felt for generations to come.

 

2 hours ago, I Am A Swede said:

You're absolutely right, but still.... It just blows my mind that they are willing to let this complete moron be their leader, not to mention lead the entire country. It makes them look even more unhinged than he is.

 

2 hours ago, marceline said:

Because it's not about him. It's about what he represents.

Trump has several advantages.

- The press just adores him as he will always chatter with them, he gives them palace intrigue, he gives them the chance to cosplay as crusaders, and he gives them ratings and book deals (even if that hasn't been as true this year).

- He has 40 years of press coverage and a popular TV show (for a few years anyway) selling him as a smart and tough businessman and an alpha male.

- Trump's bigotry and incoherence are seen as just Trump being Trump. It makes him "funny" and "real." I notice more and more people, including those who love to describe themselves as noble socialist and communist heroes who think of the welfare of all, seem more than happy to throw out racial slurs, ableist slurs, misogyny, homophobia, under the guise of being "real." You can also see that in the reaction many Palestine advocates have had lately to black Democrats pushing back against them, including calling all black Democrats "colonizers." In terms of bigotry and hatred, in many ways this is Trump's country and that is only increasing by the year.

I was reading a Dave Weigel tweet earlier and he reminded people that this is actually a better period for Trump in terms of polling than at this time in 2016 and 2020 (and that's if we hope that he does not outperform polling again this year). Even as he just sputters and has visibly decayed, he still has a strong following and could easily still win. It makes me sick, but so many continue to either deify him or ignore their qualms because they are greedy hatemongers.

2 hours ago, Vee said:

The rift that will split our ticket:

 

A longer clip:

It's all from this duo video of Harris and Walz.

 

Edited August 16, 20241 yr by Vee

8 hours ago, Vee said:

The Harris rapid response team is truly one for the ages.

 

 

Yes the Harris rapid response team rocks!

Trump palace intrigue from the right-leaning access hens at Puck:

It's readable when run through archive.is.

 

Oh, no.  Just what this country needed: another "battle of the sexes," lol.

11 hours ago, Vee said:

Trump palace intrigue from the right-leaning access hens at Puck:

Fuentes had a big trend going on Twitter about firing LaCivita. I still think Trump has some ties to Fuentes and his group no matter how much he tried to distance himself from their dinner together, especially after he said his son had him go on Adin Ross' show.

Wow, this is just.... Imagine if Kamala Harris had made a remark like this. But Trump will probably get out of this as well. I don't understand why this man is seemingly immune to everything! And I thought the GOP was supposed to be the patriotic party, supporting the troops etc, and yet they will continue supporting this man who thinks Tiger Woods, Rush Limbaugh, Jim Jordan and Elvis Presley has done more worthy things than soldiers killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.

Can someone please explain this to me??!!

15 minutes ago, I Am A Swede said:

Wow, this is just.... Imagine if Kamala Harris had made a remark like this. But Trump will probably get out of this as well. I don't understand why this man is seemingly immune to everything! And I thought the GOP was supposed to be the patriotic party, supporting the troops etc, and yet they will continue supporting this man who thinks Tiger Woods, Rush Limbaugh, Jim Jordan and Elvis Presley has done more worthy things than soldiers killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.

Can someone please explain this to me??!!

There are people on this world that are stupid, intellectually challenged or just... lack education and understanding. Some are easily manipulated, naive and believe his lies. Some are evil and nasty and tend to gravitate towards people like Trump. And there are those people who have undiagnosed personality disorders and Trump probably reminds them of a toxic relative that raised them. Then there are the fans-idolizers - people that need to be in awe of someone that in their mind is powerful, rich or even dangerous. There are the people who vote for him, just because he is the Republican nominee and that's it. And there are the absolute crazies too - they exist too - the conspiracy theorists and people that don't live in this reality. He really knows how to get under their skin. 

History has seen people choose even worse than him. I don't even want to utter some of the names. You all know them. And history has seen people idolizing monsters and killers and psychos. 

In my heart of hearts, I believe this time history will NOT repeat itself. Kamala is just so much better and her rise in the past few weeks is... legendary at this point. 

 

 

Meanwhile:

 

What Ukraine has done is really remarkable.