Merged 2024 Election Thread

[Fidelio]

...

Trump made the worst possible choice... another angry white male who is willing to go along with all the extremist nonsense that Trump and the rest of the MAGAchud can spew. Certainly not someone who can expand Trump's base at all. (All the old comments he made about Trump being "america's hitler" that can be used as campaign fodder is just an added bonus.)

Maybe when you demand unquestioning loyalty in your minions someone who cannot be fired must be considered carefully.

 

[JoeMorgue]

Trump's also not going to risk any VP who could "Out him" him. He's not going to play second fiddle even for a moment.

 

[crescent]

Maybe when you demand unquestioning loyalty in your minions someone who cannot be fired must be considered carefully.

This is a key thing - any VP to Trump will spend the entire term under suspicion from Trump and therefore dislike.

The VP is someone Trump can't fire, but who can take Trump's position if Trump gets removed.

In a zero-sum world view like Trump has, that pretty makes that VP obligated to try to remove Trump - it's what he would do himself if he were VP.

 

[zooterkin]

To be honest I was actually really glad Trump picked Vance as VP, even before Biden dropped out.

Picking someone like Haley or Scott might not have given Trump a majority of the female or black vote, but it might have at least cut into the Democrat's lead with those demographics. And Haley might have been seen as a "moderate" voice... someone to counteract the extreme right wing trump lunacy. (I don't think she was really a moderate, but she was certainly claiming to be one.)

Trump made the worst possible choice... another angry white male who is willing to go along with all the extremist nonsense that Trump and the rest of the MAGAchud can spew. Certainly not someone who can expand Trump's base at all. (All the old comments he made about Trump being "america's hitler" that can be used as campaign fodder is just an added bonus.)

The analysis on the The Rest is Politics podcast is that Trump wouldn't choose a running mate who would broaden his appeal because his ego wouldn't accept that he needed to, and he wouldn't want to be beholden to someone else for getting elected.

 

[Tero]

We all know why Trump picked Vance. Vance is the Apprentice.

 

[Foster Zygote]

The analysis on the The Rest is Politics podcast is that Trump wouldn't choose a running mate who would broaden his appeal because his ego wouldn't accept that he needed to, and he wouldn't want to be beholden to someone else for getting elected.

"There cannot be two suns in the sky!" - Joseph Stalin

 

[JoeMorgue]

I am hoping (perhaps foolishly) that that means Trump isn't prepping a successor and his cult of personality won't survive his death.

 

[Segnosaur]

The analysis on the The Rest is Politics podcast is that Trump wouldn't choose a running mate who would broaden his appeal because his ego wouldn't accept that he needed to, and he wouldn't want to be beholden to someone else for getting elected.

Quite possible.

I've also heard some people suggest it was Trump trying to "run up" the number of MAGAchud votes (thinking his victory against Biden was assured.)

 

[dirtywick]

i think trump knows he has some of the same voter enthusiasm issues biden did. the trumpamania train seems like it’s been slowing down for some time. what is the trump world excited about these days? i don’t see the pickups covered in flags and the bikers blocking highways too much anymore

 

[Segnosaur]

i think trump knows he has some of the same voter enthusiasm issues biden did. the trumpamania train seems like it’s been slowing down for some time. what is the trump world excited about these days? i don’t see the pickups covered in flags and the bikers blocking highways too much anymore

But what about the real test of a candidate's popularity...

The boat parade?

 

[Garrison]

I see also trump has hastily withdrawn from the next debate, usual nasty rhetoric from him excusing it but he's clearly running scared, without Biden's lacklustre performance in the first debate the coverage would all have been around his own gaffes and bizarre statements.

 

[Segnosaur]

Maybe when you demand unquestioning loyalty in your minions someone who cannot be fired must be considered carefully.

If he picked Vance because he thinks Vance is loyal to him, he might be in for a shock.

A politician who goes from "Trump is America's hitler" to "Team Trump" obviously does not have a very solid intellectual foundation, and the guy who jumps ON the Trump train for opportunistic reasons might just be willing to jump OFF the Trump train when he thinks there is a better opportunity.

 

[thaiboxerken]

If he picked Vance because he thinks Vance is loyal to him, he might be in for a shock.

A politician who goes from "Trump is America's hitler" to "Team Trump" obviously does not have a very solid intellectual foundation, and the guy who jumps ON the Trump train for opportunistic reasons might just be willing to jump OFF the Trump train when he thinks there is a better opportunity.

I doubt Vance will change his mind again. The last Trump-VP that did was almost lynched.

 

[Safe-Keeper]

Nobody cares.

I care that RFK is succeeding at splitting the conservative and far-right vote. Though I probably shouldn't say that out loud too much, don't interrupt your enemy while they are making a mistake and all that.

 

[Segnosaur]

If he picked Vance because he thinks Vance is loyal to him, he might be in for a shock.

A politician who goes from "Trump is America's hitler" to "Team Trump" obviously does not have a very solid intellectual foundation, and the guy who jumps ON the Trump train for opportunistic reasons might just be willing to jump OFF the Trump train when he thinks there is a better opportunity.

I doubt Vance will change his mind again. The last Trump-VP that did was almost lynched.

The political landscape is littered with people who became Trump associates (possibly because they thought they could control him, or would get something out of it), but found they miscalculated.

Vance is a relative newbie when it comes to politics, and we have already seen him make a lot of foot-in-mouth comments. He might have a too-high opinion of himself.

 

[Segnosaur]

I care that RFK is succeeding at splitting the conservative and far-right vote. Though I probably shouldn't say that out loud too much, don't interrupt your enemy while they are making a mistake and all that.

Is that actually happening though?

I have heard mixed polling results, some suggesting Kennedy harms Trump more (because he taps into the conspiracy nonsense) others suggesting he harmed Biden more (because the Kennedy name is associated with the Democrats).

Admittedly this was back when Biden was candidate, so I don't know how the switch to Harris as the democratic candidate might affect RFKs role a potential spoiler.

 

[CarbShark]

I care that RFK is succeeding at splitting the conservative and far-right vote. Though I probably shouldn't say that out loud too much, don't interrupt your enemy while they are making a mistake and all that.

It's too early to tell if that's happening. The only poll out show Harris doing better against Trump when Kennedy (and others) are included than when it's head to head. But the differences are all within the margin of error.

The pollsters I read and listen are all saying wait two week before polling on a sea-change event.

My prediction: Big swings for Harris!

 

[Mike!]

Is that actually happening though?

I have heard mixed polling results, some suggesting Kennedy harms Trump more (because he taps into the conspiracy nonsense) others suggesting he harmed Biden more (because the Kennedy name is associated with the Democrats).

Admittedly this was back when Biden was candidate, so I don't know how the switch to Harris as the democratic candidate might affect RFKs role a potential spoiler.

Trump is sort of quietly trying to woo RFK into completely dropping out of the race with offers of cushie cabinet positions and anti-vax love if he does.

 

[Brainster]

I'm wondering about Jill Stein's VP and kennedy's VP. Who are they? My state won't print ballots unless a VP is listed.

"“I’m so proud to introduce to you the next vice president of the United States: my fellow lawyer, a brilliant scientist, technologist, a fierce warrior mom, Nicole Shanahan,” Kennedy said."

Who?

Google founder Sergei Brin's ex-wife. She reportedly walked away from the divorce with a cool billion.

 

[Stacyhs]

JD Vance obviously doesn't know that Buttigieg has twin boys.

Buttigieg announced the adoption of his twins (a girl and a boy) in early Sept. 2021, about a month before Vance made that comment.