Rick Scott just lost his re-election bid because this happened:
In Scott’s defense, it was a black fan. And Crist might have been carrying a bag of skittles.
This post is in: Election 2014, Republican Stupidity, Clown Shoes
Rick Scott just lost his re-election bid because this happened:
In Scott’s defense, it was a black fan. And Crist might have been carrying a bag of skittles.
Comments are closed.
WereBear
I really needed a good laugh.
Please, Lawd, let this sink Scott.
Baud
Fan-gate.
beltane
I was first alerted to this by a non-political Florida friend on Facebook. Suffice to say, she was not impressed by Scott’s behavior here.
Still, this does count as good news for John McCain.
chopper
That literally makes no sense at all.
beltane
Perhaps Rick Scott’s arguments were so flimsy he was afraid a fan would blow them away.
What’s even better is that Charlie Crist actually had obtained permission to have the fan before the debate http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2014/10/rick_scott_almost_bailed_on_tonights_televised_debate_because_charlie_crist.php
Aunt Kathy
I hate Rick Scott more than I can say, but if this is legit, it appears the debate rules DO forbid the fan. But I’m glad Scott is coming off as petty and bizarre. I don’t mind that. Hope this doesn’t backfire.
http://www.factsforflorida.com/facts/the-debate-rules/
Baud
@beltane:
The plot thickens.
Mike in NC
Forget it Jake, it’s Florida.
dmsilev
@Aunt Kathy: “Electronic devices (including fans)” is a nonsense phrase. Unless it’s a computer-controlled fan or some silliness like that, a fan isn’t an ‘electronic device’.
Hairsplitting aside, Scott comes off looking like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.
FlyingToaster
With the hot lights for TV, and it being Florida, I’m shocked that podia don’t come equipped with fans.
He’s looking more and more like Batboy all the time.
dmsilev
@FlyingToaster: That’s a slander on the good and honorable name of BatBoy.
beth
@FlyingToaster: Scott is a reptile and doesn’t sweat. He was hoping Crist would come off looking sweaty and shifty, like Nixon in his debate with Kennedy.
Aunt Kathy
Either way, the best thing to discover is that Charlie Crist’s Fan has been on Twitter since ’09.
https://twitter.com/CCristFan
Omnes Omnibus
@beth: That is as good an explanation as anyone will be able to articulate.
Betty Cracker
The bizarre fan incident is understandably grabbing all the headlines, but in my opinion, Scott is damn lucky there was something to distract from the even more bizarre content of his debate performance. Example? Here’s an excerpt from his closing statement (via C-SPAN):
It was just fucking weird, as if an alien being were trying — and failing miserably — to emulate a human.
Gex
Electrical and electronic are different. A fan is a mechanical device that runs on electricity not an electronic device.
And apparently approval was requested and granted.
Tree With Water
And people call California weird.
Trentrunner
Even if it was an agreed-upon condition (and I saw a tweet of a contract that showed fans were allowed, FWIW), Scott has ZERO political instincts to react that way.
What a petulant diva WATB. I actually hope Charlie ratf*cked him and did agree to no fan, had his people put one on, and knew that Scott would implode.
KG
@Tree With Water: you know california and Minnesota are preparing their appropriate responses
Elmo
@Trentrunner: yeah, that was my first thought, and my reaction was – you magnificent sneaky bastard. Well played.
West of the Cascades
There is absolutely nothing that Scott can do to spin this. Any ad referencing this, or further statement, or anything just digs the hole deeper.
So I am sincerely hoping for some prime hole-digging by the Scott campaign in the next few days.
Also, an ad showing just a fan with a voiceover of Governor Crist’s statement about the need to debate funding education and protecting the environment would be a devastating way to keep this in front of the voters for the next three weeks.
p.a.
“I am paying for this fan Mr. Green.”
RobertDSC-iPhone 4
Isn’t this a plot point in one of Carl Hiiasen’s novels? lol
dmsilev
@Betty Cracker: Seriously? That sounds like a cyborg whose core programming was a cross between the old ELIZA program and HAL-9000. Did he then offer to sing a song about a bicycle built for two?
EDIT: On due consideration, I would also accept “dialog from the second half of _Flowers for Algernon_”.
srv
It is no surpise that one party has no respect for the rules or the rule of law.
jl
I guess this is nitpicking, but if the rules say there are no fans, how did Crist get a fan up there? If a stage hand had unplugged the fan, after it magically appeared, and tried to walk off with it, would Crist have slugged him or something?
How did the fan get there, and when did the fan know it? That is the question?
The whole things is like in pro wrestling when a bad guy somehow hides an invisible two-by-four under the ring and no one finds out until he drags it out, gets into the ring with it whomps the good guy, O M G I never seen nottin’ like this!!!
Well, it’s Florida, the new craziest state.No way California can ever retake the title if this keeps up.
Hal
Rick Scott is so fucking creepy looking. Like Sideshow Bob come to life.
I totally thought I was going to see a story about Scott refusing to answer a question from a Crist supporter (fan) who was black.
James E Powell
I don’t see how this will affect any voters. Those that already think Scott is an ass will repeat this story to each other. Those who think he is saving Florida from Kenyan Muslim Commies will insist against all argument that Scott was truly the aggrieved party who graciously went forward with the debate despite Crist’s violation of his word.
skerry
The Democrats @TheDemocrats 2h2 hours ago
RT if you’re on Team Charlie. #FLGovDebate
I’m a fan of Charlie Christ
Arclite
@Tree With Water:
FL has pretty much eclipsed every other state in the nation in weirdness in the past five years. And I’m including Texas and Arizona.
jl
@Betty Cracker: Epic fail of Turing Test a qualification for being governor of Florida now?
Jamey
Scott blows off Christ at debate. Fans have their say.
The Dangerman
@jl:
If California were to split into 6 States, we win it when SiliconValley has to invade Sierra for their water.
ETA: I read the post immediately upstairs as “Scott blows Crist at debate”; I’ve been putting off new glasses but I guess it’s time.
Betty Cracker
@dmsilev: He mentioned his mother divorcing the abusive husband at least twice and said he talks to his mother in heaven. That’s somewhat odd, but could come across as humanizing if he could have pulled off the “human” part of the strategy. He couldn’t, though.
Karen in GA
When Batboy walked out, there were people in the audience applauding him. I hope the applause was sarcastic.
Omnes Omnibus
@Jamey: What? Someone named Scott blew Crist? Proves Crist is gay?
/Cavuto mark. I’m just asking…
Ella in New Mexico
All I can say is I am glad that this asshole no longer heads any corporation that directly manages hospitals in America. Fucktard.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Betty Cracker: Sounds like a breakdown to me, but I’m a rather unsentimental sort
JPL
@Ella in New Mexico: this..
KG
@The Dangerman: nah, we will get it back if/when the “bring back the unreliable plastic bags at stores” initiative makes the ballot. Seriously, there are people freaking out because the legislature has banned plastic bags at stores… Granted the dime tax for paper bags is stupid, but the plastic bags are the hill you’re going to die on next?
Suffern ACE
@Betty Cracker: note how he didn’t say that his daughters were part of his family. Is there still a mafia in Miami? Was that a call out for
the made man vote?
Roy G.
@Aunt Kathy: Thanks for the link, but next time please provide a news source, not a ‘POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT PAID FOR AND APPROVED BY RICK SCOTT, REPUBLICAN, FOR GOVERNOR.’ kthxbye.
JPL
Once the debate got underway, how did it go? I’m not sure it matters since Scott showed he was more concerned with fans, but someone might.
The Dangerman
@KG:
Make their heads explode; telling them that the dime a bag tax will be put towards the bullet train should do the trick.
rikyrah
I really needed this laugh. It’s just funny….
Amir Khalid
Why would the debate rules forbid a fan, which could not have given Crist an unfair advantage in the debate? The organisers could just as easily have put a fan under Scott’s podium in case he too needed one.
? Martin
@jl:
Who gives a shit? That ‘fans are against the rules’ is even a thing is a perfect encapsulation of why everyone hates politicians. Nobody would have been aware of that had Scott just come out. At the same time, I’ll bet anything Crist had someone put that fan out there just to troll Scott into making an ass out of himself.
rikyrah
@beth:
Best description of him ever.
Mandalay
If you are all thinking that Scott’s bad, the Libertarian candidate is far worse. Here is part of his “promise to Florida”:
Well eliminating property taxes will certainly secure the millionaire vote, though it won’t do much for potholes and garbage collection.
But looking on the bright side, that vile fucker may take enough wingnut votes from Scott to let Crist win.
Rob
@jl: Scott’s crew was saying that “electronic devices” included fans. Fans are electric, not electronic.
Crist’s crew produced a copy of debate rules that specifically included a handwritten note allowing fans
Apparently, Crist always has a fan behind the podium and there’s a twitter account making fun of this @CCristFan
Gin & Tonic
@Amir Khalid: I think the rules forbade “electronic devices”, but I’m afraid I’ve just spent more time thinking about this issue than it deserves.
KG
@Mandalay: eliminating property tax is a new one for libertarians. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before
HR Progressive
There are a lot of legitimate reasons to vote against Rick Scott.
But if this doesn’t sway undecided voters that Rick Scott is out of his gourd and doesn’t need to be within spitting distance of the Governor’s Mansion, I’m not sure what will.
I love that someone misread a comment as “Scott blows Crist”. Heh, indeed. Also, too.
WereBear
I am taking this as proof some people have the Wingnut Chip installed.
The heat in Florida has burned up Scott’s. Chip death can make all the other chips in the motherboard act funny.
Tammy
@jl: Crist has always had a fan in every debate, not a big deal. On the other hand, Scott never answers a question. It really looked like Scott was once again running for the door.
redshirt
I LOVE FANS!
Mandalay
@Trentrunner:
I think you are onto something there. The rules state:
Crist has a ton of wiggle room. He can say that his fan wan’t electronic. He can say that he didn’t bring a fan to the debate. He can say someone else installed it, and nobody objected.
The more the issue is discussed the more it makes Scott look like a complete jackass.
jl
@Rob: Awwww, blah blah blah. I tink da fite wuz fixed, what I tink. Sumpin’ don’t smell rite.
Edit: seriously, thanks for the info. See comment just in with confusing info. When was the hand written note written, and when did the hand written note know it? That’s my question.
Belafon
@efgoldman: That’s harsh. What you really need to do, after walling his house off, is stick a tool booth at the end of his driveway. When he leaves in the morning, you charge him a toll to use the public services. When he comes home in the evening, you charge him a toll for the person working the booth.
Belafon
@Mandalay: He can also say he got permission beforehand.
Mary G
That was hilarious. The moderator was about to bust a gut.
trollhattan
Scott would totally have allowed that fan had Crist only paid for a fifty-buck drug screening for the fan.
jl
If we are lucky, we will be entertained by a kerfluffle and high toned and dowdy news print fact-check about what is an ‘electronic’ fan, as opposed to an ‘electric’ fan. Maybe Crist was gong to use the fan by unplugging it and waving it around like a hand fan.
Media ads will appear that are outrageous and unfair (Crist’s) and unfair to criticize because ‘politicization’ ‘good taste and decency’ and FREEDOM and because they are really sneaky and savvy (Scott’s). We know that already.
I’m glad I lived long enough to see electric fans politicized. I’m gong to check whether my toothbrush is electric or electronic tonight.
Amir Khalid
@Gin & Tonic:
I can’t see why a rule forbidding electronic devices would apply to anything other than, say, a smartphone, a tablet, or (say) a radio receiver hidden in the candidate’s jacket — the kind of device useful for cheating. If I were Scott, I would have asked for a fan under my podium too, and then made a point of not turning it on because I could “take the heat”, as it were. (Yeah, I know: lame joke.)
John Revolta
You know who else has got fans?……………………….
ROYALS BITCHEZZZZZZ
jl
@Amir Khalid: Oh man, is US politics so totally over your head, buddy.
Sorry to sound rude, but you show self-awareness, humor and some ability to take a joke. You, sir, could not get elected dog catcher in these, our great, United States.
Mandalay
@Belafon:
Yes indeed, I just saw that myself. Which makes it certain that Crist was deliberately ratf*cking Scott, because when one of hosts asked Crist whether he knew fans were against the rules he simply said “Not that I am aware of”. Clearly he could have said “I was well aware of that in the original rules, so I obtained written permission in advance”, but he chose not to.
Good for Crist, and well played.
ETA: Crist also made the hosts look like petty sourpusses who had received brown envelopes from Scott just before the debate.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: Maybe he likes dogs. Jesus, not everyone is a cat person. Good god.
p.a.
@Belafon: modern technology. Install an EZ Pass in his car that registers and charges for every public service required on the roads: whack him per mile, per stoplight, per stopsign. Bridges. Street lighting. His car’s CO and CO2 production.
Hope I’m not giving the security apparatus ideas. Who’m I kidding. Their plans are already drawn up.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: Jesus, it was like a longer version of my Barrett rant. We all need them every once in a while.
Cacti
Haven’t been around today, so someone has likely mentioned this, but the Arkansas State Supremes struck down the GOP-passed Voter ID law.
In a moment of strict constructionism, of which the GOP will certainly disapprove, the Arkansas Supremes held that the State Constitution only spells out 4 requirements for voting:
1. US citizen
2. Arkansas citizen
3. 18 years old
4. Lawfully registered to vote
Any requirements beyond these are deemed an unconstitutional infringement on the right to vote.
Link
Amir Khalid
@Omnes Omnibus:
I don’t know myself. I’m a cat person, everyone here knows that. And I like animals in general, but I’ve never had a close friendship with a dog.
redshirt
@efgoldman: Rick Scott is one of those V aliens, I believe, based on evidence I’ve obtained via select Internet sources.
Omnes Omnibus
@Cacti: Good for the AR Sup. Ct.
burnspbesq
@Cacti:
That opinion is a thing of beauty. It should be set to music by Bach and sung from the highest point of the Arkansas Supreme Court building.
GregB
The only worse thing that could have happened is if Scott had been carried into the debate on a fainting couch while in full swoon.
Gravenstone
@efgoldman: Your jib, I admire its form and cut.
Ripley
This is why we can’t have nice democracies.
Mandalay
@efgoldman:
I’m with you. TBF, the Libertarian candidate does have a policy for raising the revenue lost by eliminating property taxes: local authorities must raise the sales tax rate!
So every time folks get depressed about how that visit to the grocery store is more expensive than it used to be, they can console themselves with the thought that they just helped make it possible for the beachfront homes of billionaires to be tax exempt.
cthulhu
I don’t know how much effect it might have on the election but certainly a screw-up by Team Reptile. Given that Crist was also late to the stage, one suspects there was something of an argument about the fan going on backstage. But once Crist made to move to the podium, Scott’s people should not have let him delay much at all. At that point, whatever debate there was about the fan was over and decided.
It would be both sad and great should this be Scott’s final undoing. Sad because this is the crap that decides elections?!! (Cf Matt Bai’s new book). Great because Rick Scott needs to go away.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: I am not good at it. My Barrett rant was as good as I can do. I blame WASPiness. Hell, we need to drink to rant and then we still offer qualifiers.
Gin & Tonic
@efgoldman: In a blue state he might have to shovel snow, too.
burnspbesq
In honor of Gov. Scott
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1EGtgYcnSNI
El Caganer
@Betty Cracker: Yeah, I think he flubbed his chance for the #2 slot with Mitt.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: No elections. It is simply a type of attorney position in this state. No one should be too differential to the title.
ETA: I do blame/credit my WASPiness. Ranting just wasn’t a part of my upbringing. I ain’t good at it. I get embarrassed at showing that kind of emotion.
Gin & Tonic
@efgoldman: Plenty of places there get snow.
Mike in NC
@Arclite: South Carolina would like to have a word with you.
Charles Pierce
@efgoldman:
Barbara Anderson, dude.
? Martin
@Gin & Tonic: Boy, if only that were still true:
http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/adam/40ef951edbebffed2ddaae94630c6d46/california-drought-935.png
gene108
@Rob:
In my very limited experience with contracts, a handwritten note below the signature line may show the intent of one party, but may not be legally binding on both parties. As I understand it, the signature is evidence that both parties agree to the above terms and not any terms scribbled in below.
I am not a lawyer and could be wrong.
Violet
Speaking of judges, I have jury duty tomorrow. Again. Different court from the one a few months ago. I’m on my own at this point and have no one to fall back on to help with my parents. I really hope I don’t get on a jury. I can’t check the box to get out of it because my parents’ health issues don’t quite qualify. I’m having nightmares of some high profile case and getting stuck on the jury for weeks. I hope it’s no big deal and I don’t get chosen.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: Yeah, deferential, Jesus.
Mark B.
I don’t know what kind of benefit a fan is supposed to confer on Crist. Was his hair blowing about like some kind of romance novel hero? Did the Scott campaign happen to know that Crist had an issue with sweating and were hoping to exploit it? I’m just wondering why the hell it even matters.
Omnes Omnibus
@Violet: Tell them about it during voir dire. Mention that you are so preoccupied by your parents’ situation that you are unable to concentrate on the issues in the case.
Valdivia
@Violet:
good luck getting out of it Violet, I know how stressful it can be when something gets in the way of being available when they rely on you.
? Martin
@gene108: Doesn’t matter. That its apparently well known that Crist always has a fan suggests that Scott’s campaign went specifically after the fan in order to throw Crist off. So Crist brought in the fan against the rules to make Scott look like an asshole.
The contract is just petty bullshit. Good on Crist for treating it as such.
Mark B.
@gene108: Yeah, there’s no evidence that Crist even saw or agreed to the handwritten note, so even though IANAL, I don’t think it carries any weight.
Gin & Tonic
@? Martin: Ouch. I haven’t been to Tahoe for skiing in a few years. My son went in ’13 and said it sucked then; obviously it sucked worse in ’14.
redshirt
Fangate14
Gin & Tonic
@Violet: Wow. I’ve lived and voted in the same place over 25 years, and have been called exactly once.
danielx
@Omnes Omnibus:
Barrett rant? I must have missed that one. But we do all need them periodically. I usually feel the urge coming on right after I fall off the wagon and read a David Brooks column. I actually started frothing at the mouth after he referred to “having skin in the game” about healthcare costs during the ACA debate…something along the lines of what the fuck does that asshole know about having skin in the game in regard to anything other than who is paying the check at Peter Luger.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mark B.: The legalities in this must surrender to the godawful political fail that Scott just committed. All of his replies will be technical about whether a fan was okay or not. How fucking lame does that sound?
Omnes Omnibus
@danielx: Earlier, and, as I noted, ranting is not my thing.
Keith P
This is the kind of crap candidate (and winner!) that the Tea Party wave brought upon us. I also look forward to any upcoming Paul LePage debates.
Redshift
@Violet: Huh. Obviously state rules vary, but as I recall, the criteria in my state (VA) are just that you’re the sole caregiver for an elderly or disabled person; there’s nothing specific about the type of health condition. Good luck dealing with it.
Redshift
@Gin & Tonic: I’ve been called five or six times over the years (though I only served once); my wife has only been called once, recently. Luck of the draw, I guess.
PaulW
This is Florida. THERE ARE FANS EVERYWHERE.
Not to mention Crist has been known to use floor fans like this to stay cool since 2009. NOW all of a sudden Scott’s throwing a hissy fit about it?
http://noticeatrend.blogspot.com/2014/10/first-rule-of-public-debates-never-do.html
If the average Floridian voter – many of whom have floor fans themselves, ’cause THIS IS FLORIDA – looks at Scott acting like a 5-year-old over this and STILL votes for him, we deserve to sink into the rising ocean waters.
For the love of GOD, Florida, we can choose better than this man-child Cartman-wannabe in Rick “Holding My Breath Until I Get My Way” Scott.
PaulW
@? Martin:
Seconded. First rule of debates: Never appear stupid or petty. Scott made himself look petty tonight.
PaulW
@Betty Cracker:
You’d think his family biography stuff would have been played out and done during 2010 when he needed to introduce himself to the public. C’mon Scott you’ve been in the public eye for four years, why are you still selling the talking point about your mom calling you a good boy? We’ve heard that already.
jl
Scott could claim that Crist has the fan rigged so it sends signals to him. The fan… speaks… to Crist.
That will work, I bet.
Fox news will have experts on proving the claim with strict geometrical logic.
Edit: the little dark hard who’s-it guy on Fox and Friends will try to wrestle one o’ them bad signalling DemocRAT fans and beat it up.
nellcote
@efgoldman:
we used to have snow
Redshift
@PaulW: Bwahahaha! Apparently the Scott campaign has put out a statement indicating that he was not having a hissy fit, he wasn’t told that Crist was on stage, and he doesn’t care about the fan, really!
Apparently his campaign staff have never learned that “when you’re explaining, you’re losing,” nor that when you do something dumb, it’s never worth dragging out the story trying to “prove” you really didn’t.
Pass the popcorn!
Mandalay
Apparently we’re all wrong. Scott won coz Marco says so:
The law and order party double down.
Exactly the mindless stupidity I was hoping for from the right: keep talking about that electronic fan!
Omnes Omnibus
@Redshift:
Tee, mother fucking, hee.
beltane
@Redshift: Please proceed, Governor.
jl
@Mandalay: Them damn electronic fans are a damn Democrat thing. They gotta go, NOW! Quarantine them all,
beltane
@Mandalay: But now Scott’s people are saying the fan had nothing to do with any of this, leaving Rubio out there blowing in the breeze.
Wag
Ok. Late to the game here, but what do you think you’d find if you were to take off Gov Scott’s jacket and shirt? No doubt you’d find a little cooling fan in the middle of his back cooling the servos that move the cyborg that is Gov Scott
Mnemosyne
@Violet:
What happened the last time you got called? I can’t remember.
MattR
@gene108: It seems like the event organizers screwed up and never got both sides to agree to the same set of conditions. From Christ’s perspective, if he (or his staffer, since the signature does not look like his name) agreed to the debate rules with the fan stipulation added and they never heard back from the organizers, it seems reasonable for them to assume the alteration was accepted by all parties. If Scott’s team never saw that addendum I could see why they would be upset by what they perceive as a last minute modification of the rules. But once both sides realized there was a miscomunication, it makes Scott look really petty for refusing to come out and debate until the disagreement was resolved in his favor.
mazareth
Saw this over at DK. Wow, just wow!
Tenar Darell
@WereBear: So Rick Scott is a robot? That explains the fact that he looks like an illustration for the uncanny valley! What do you think, he had something overclocked and that’s what caused one of his chips to fail?
Jay C
@jl:
Sorry, dude: has been for years, now…..
shortstop
Doop de doo, been working mostly nonstop since 4 a.m. and thought I’d check out what’s in the news toni…whoa. Really?
jl
@MattR: Pro wrestling promoters should put on these debates. Shoddy work like that would never happen.
PaulW
The common word I’ve seen on Twitter tonight about the Florida Governor’s debate about Rick Scott: Petty. And I ain’t talking about Tom…
PaulW
@jl:
The fan didn’t even look plugged in.
Jay C
Ahhh, how the quality of politics in this country has sadly devolved over the decades:
Harry Truman once said: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!”
And what is Rick Scott’s modern take on it?
“If you can’t stand the heat, bitch and moan about the other guy having a fan!“
jl
@PaulW: Scott wouldn’t take a whizz in Asif Mandiv’s specimen cup at a press conference, and Scott gets nailed as ‘petty’ for fan-gate. Life is so unfair.
RaflW
@Gin & Tonic: Most of Tahoe was a disaster last season. Only Kirkwood, a bit of a drive south of the lake had decent (but still low) snow.
Dunno if it will get much better this winter. The long term pattern may be shifting, in which case far more than skiing is in trouble.
monkeyfister
When your political future is ruined by a fan, perhaps you had no political future to begin with.
rikyrah
@Violet:
Violet, make sure that they know you are well read. And that you don’t trust law enforcement.
PaulW
saw a tweet about this: “50 million thrown at this campaign and it all comes down to a $20 fan”.
Mnemosyne
@RaflW:
We are supposed to have an El Nino year, though probably a weak one. If it materializes, it would at least give us some much-needed rain.
PaulW
@Cacti:
A MILLION TIMES YES. This is how our voting rights should be enforced.
monkeyfister
@Mark B.: Scott tried to conflate a fan into a violation of their no onstage electronics. Crist had written into the agreement that the venue will provide temperature control if stage is too hot. Scott agreed. Now he looks the petty fool he is.
MattR
@jl: Maybe they should add wrestling caliber refs as the moderators. Just as a candidate is about to run out of time, one of his staffers can run over and distract the moderator until the candidate has had time to finish his statement.
RaflW
And a brittle, vainglorious ego. Can’t discount that.
mikej
@PaulW: Yer so bad.
Ripley
Keep fanning that chicken, Rick.
jl
@MattR: The candidates will have to wear costumes, have ‘entrances’, smoke and lights, managers do promos… it will be…
I guess it will be like now, but maybe less boring.
Edit: in the next championship debate, Listen you little bug eyed geek, I’m COMING FOR YOU, Crist! You will REGRET THE DAY…. YOU… Were BORNNNNNNNN!
trollhattan
@Mnemosyne:
Unfortunately for us, a weak El Nino doesn’t signify much of a trend one way or another, based on the historical record. Still, a “meh” year can be better than last year’s relentlessly dry pattern.
In drought year four we’re so far off the books we’re literally making water use decisions up day by day, as we have no experience to draw from.
FoxinSocks
Here’s Foster Cat T-Bird’s take on it:
https://twitter.com/FosterCatTBird/status/522560701500755968
burnspbesq
@MattR:
Only if Crist gets to come off the top rope and hit Scott with a chair.
mai naem
I was listening on the radio. They said Crist is well known for having a fan during his debate. It wasn’t anything unexpected. Lil Ricky looked like an idjit.
RaflW
Best comment so far:
jl
@mai naem: Yeah, but Crist sneaky snuck in one of them fancy electronic fans this time. And goodness was thwarted by a mean low-down trick, yet again. When will there be justice?
I think pro wrestling promoters are running the campaigns.
Edit: the ‘electronic fan trick’ could become a classic. And we were here to see it. We can tell the grandkids.
JCJ
@Omnes Omnibus:
When you said “differential” I thought you had been working on your Saab’s transmission.
Violet
@Omnes Omnibus: Yeah, if I get on a panel and have the opportunity to say anything I will. A friend of mine got called for this court a few months ago and she said the pool is huge. She got on a panel that got taken out of the jury room and then had to sit in a hallway on the floor for two hours. Eventually they were all released. She said it was pretty uncomfortable. They never got to voir dire.
trollhattan
@JCJ:
“Transaxle”– good sir!
Violet
@Valdivia: Thanks. They are doing better than when I had jury duty back in May or June or whenever that was. I was frantic at that point. But I also had someone for backup and I don’t have that now so I feel kind of alone.
Violet
@Gin & Tonic: There are all sorts of courts. You can be called for all of them. I know someone who was called for a federal court and she had to phone in every day for two weeks to see if she was needed. Being called for one court doesn’t have any bearing on being called for another court. I hope I don’t hit the trifecta and get another summons this year. Ugh.
Violet
@Redshift: It says specifically on the jury summons that you can be excused if you are the caregiver for someone who is unable to care for themselves. My parents are not quite at that level, at least by my interpretation. They still need help though. If I got stuck on a jury for more than a day or two I’d have to hire a caregiver but I wouldn’t be able to train them so I don’t know how that would work. Plus I’d need to hire a nurse for wound care. It would be a mess.
jl
OT, but EBOLA!!!
Reports out that Dallas hospital did not use proper protocols or protective gear for first three days while first patient was being treated. From what I gather, they did not use appropriate procedures or gear when the patient was sick and very symptomatic with suspected Ebola infection. They finally did after the diagnosis was confirmed with lab tests.
If that is the case, seems like a major goof by the hospital.
The title below seems a little misleading, since seems unclear to me whether ‘hazmat suits’ refers to hazmat suits or is a vague reference to proper procedures and protective gear, hazmat suits or whatever is recommended by guidelines.
Dallas Hospital Waited Three Days to Use Hazmat Suits
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dallas-hospital-waited-three-days-to-use-hazmat-suits
Edit: from my memory of story by Nigerian doctor, there are plenty of signs and symptoms as symptomatic stage sets in that are pretty specific to Ebola, so why would you wait until a lab test confirms it, considering the risks of different types of error? When the poor guy was sick as a dog for three days? Because no lab test results? Really?
Violet
@Mnemosyne: The last time I got called was right after my mom’s surgery, my dad with shingles and foot surgery and I was managing everything for them. It was a bad time. As for the jury summons day, they had us show up in the morning, nothing happened. Around noon they told us to go to lunch and come back at one. We all did. They called one panel and sent the rest of us home.
Violet
@rikyrah: Ha! That’s funny. I’ll be sure to let them know my skepticism toward law enforcement if I get the opportunity to say anything. Although these days I figure since they have all my information they’ll probably put some black mark next to my name and pull me over the next chance they get just to teach me a lesson.
JCJ
@trollhattan
Gahhh! Of course. I knew it was some part of a car that helps make it go.
KG
@MattR: if you made the general election a fight in hell in a cell and put it on ppv, you’d balance the budget in a night
JR in WV
@Violet:
My rural county pulls names for jurors once for each session of court, fall and spring. The first time I was called for local petit jury, I got selected for a 1st degree murder trial in mid October. Voir dire, the whole works. They assigned jurors numbers on the clerks chart, and then used a bingo cage to pull random numbers for like 18 people.
The the defense lawyer and the prosecutor asked their questions, in open court, while we sat in the jury box and a pew running along the low barricade between the court’s area and the spectators’ area.
14 jurors were selected, 12 and 2 alternates in case someone got sick. They didn’t let us know who the alternates were, and I goess one of them could have dropped out.
It ran 2 weeks, terrible testimony. The defendant had shot and killed a man who was sentenced to life with mercy in a murder trial years before, and the defendant’s testimony (and his kids’ testimony too) was instrumental in convicting the deceased of murder for hire.
After between 15 and 20 years in a tough prison, the deceased was released on parole, and immediately began bragging around all the local bars that he was going to kill the defendant for sending him up the river, literally in this case since the prison was on the upper Ohio river in Moundsville, built there before the civil war.
On October 31, the trial was over, the statements of the Defense and Prosecution were over, and the jury instructions, which only allowed for a first degree or not guilty decision were read to the court.
I was elected foreman, the first think a jury has to do. It took 3 or 4 hours of haggling and then we found the defendant not guilty. The judge thanked us for the hard work, and it WAS hard work, and released us from further service on the court’s fall session.
Then about 6 weeks later, in mid December, I got a call from the clerk of the court asking me to volunteer to be in another jury pool, she said they were having trouble getting enough people to start the selection process. I got bingo-ed again.
This crime was also a shooting in a house only a mile or two from my house. I had met the deceased years ago when I had a horse down for the count in a bitter winter cold spell one February, he was a horse guy and came around to see what was going on and make suggestions if anything occurred to him. It didn’t, and he and his brother went on.
Anyway, what happened in a nutshell was that Harvey was going on a hunting trip the next morning, to stay on a cabin up in deer country, and was packing. Phylis his wife was helping, handing him stuff, and he asked for her to hand him his hunting pistol (a big single shot gun that shot rifle cartridges, with a trigger adjusted to a very light pull).
He reached out his hand, she reached out the gun, and it went off, putting the round right through Harvey’s chest and heart, and flying our of the house into the woods.He was dead before he fell onto the bed, wearing pajama bottoms. There were fibers from the bottom of the holster the gun was in all over his chest, it was obviously a very close range shot, two feet or so, according to the photos and the ballistics testimony.
There was no motive for murder, Harvey and Phylis were famously attached to one another, she never used the passenger seat in the PU truck, she sat in the middle seat against Harvey.
But after several days of un-recorded interviews with State Police detectives, Phylis said something to the effect that “Well if you say I had to have cocked the (single shot single-action pistol, must be manually cocked and loaded for each shot) gun, I must have cocked the gun!” Of course that was recorded on crummy video, and of course she was crying and medicated, living at a mental unit at a local hospital between interviews with the cops.
It went on for two weeks, and in the end, again the only choices left to the jury was guilty of first degree murder or not guilt. They tried to re-elect me as foreman, maybe half of us were repeat jurors who had been on the first murder trial, and I declined the honor.
I did have to help jurors find a way in their own minds to reach a not guilty verdict, it was obvious to most of us that there was no intention or planning at all, which is a necessary part of a first degree murder conviction. There were two holdouts, one thought anyone being tried was guilty, and one who had voted to acquit a guy who later on turned out to have been guilty of stuff that wasn’t allowed into testimony, and vowed to never acquit anyone again at that point.
The trial ended on my birthday, late in the afternoon, and we didn’t pass up the verdict until nearly midnight.
I have been on a couple of civil trials since then, still plenty of stress. It is an obligation, and I think people who use stupid and transparent statement to escape their jury duty, and it is a duty you owe the community, are not really members of the community.
Just my $0.02 on that.
Good luck on being called or not, and being excused if you actually get randomly selected. I think you have a good shot on sliding as a care-giver for two disabled parents. Which is a totally honest and acceptable reason to skip jury duty, as it is a more important duty to your family.
Actually, I found that a one day stint as a grand juror was more stressful, we saw so many different horrible crimes in just one long day, mostly the horrible ones were child sexual abuse, many of them involving photographic evidence, or testimony that left no doubt whatsoever that a trial was necessary. Horrible. The many drug cases were cake besides the abuse. We handed up indictments on every case that was presented to us, mostly a police officer swearing, describing the crime, why the defendant was accused, passing out evidence (photos!) or sworn statements from witnesses.
I think 17 people and only 12 needed for a trial to be required. Hard work! Stressful, and everyone took it very seriously, thankfully.
Redshift
@Violet: I’d say if you would have to hire a caregiver, then by definition they are unable to care for themselves. It doesn’t have to mean that you’re caring for them 24/7, just that they would not be able to manage without your help for the duration of jury service. I think you’re entirely within your rights to request to be excused on that basis.
ruemara
If all it took was a fan to destroy Republicans, I’d send one to every candidate and sitting member.
I just blew the bulk of my going away gift certificate on a new lighting kit, reflectors and some stands, because next week I’m shooting these niblets. I hope I do a good job.
WaterGirl
@ruemara: My laptop has been in and out of the shop for the past couple of weeks, so I’ve missed a lot.
I saw something cryptic last night about an interview and half-pay and now a going away gift certificate.
So are you no longer working with the crazy animal lady? Nice that you got a going away gift, anyway. How did the interview go? Is shooting the cute girls in the photo a paid gig? That’s kind of cool.
ruemara
@WaterGirl: not away from that yet. Um, she committed the ultimate in self harm. But we are soldiering on, finally. The going away gift is from the prior job. a nice fat surprise. I was hoping to buy a gift card from amazon with a gift card, but they’re afraid of redundancy. Interview is next week tuesday, so I’m working on a new reel since I have new stuff. No pay on the niblets, but more exposure, and free exercise training.
Aww, sorry about your laptop. I hate when mine go on the fritz. are you buckled in for the winter?
Tommy
OK late to the game here on the debate thing. But that is about the most fucked up thing I’ve seen. If you told me that happened I would have laughed at you. Thought it not possible. But that just happened didn’t it?
WaterGirl
@ruemara: Don’t feel bad about the laptop – it is under warranty until 10/23 so I got everything fixed before the warranty ran out. I had three tricky intermittent problems, so I got a new system board, new hard drive, new LCD screen, new network card and new trackpad. All for free. :-) Yes, it was a pain to be without the computer, but completely worth it!
So you got a gift from the old place at this late date? That is a surprise, but a happy one.
Exposure is good, especially with a photo job. :-)
I am headed to bed but intrigued by your second and third sentences. Maybe you can fill me in by email? (she asked, hopefully)
P.S. Not a fan of winter at all, and we have been having a very wet and cold fall recently, not a fan of that either. If I could, I would take one month of winter with snow all the time, and then spring. Good luck with that, huh?
Morzer
First time I’ve ever seen the fan hitting the shit.
Tommy
@WaterGirl: Worried about winter. I like all four seasons. Snow and cold for a few months I am all in. But fall has been so cool and so much rain I fear what winter may bring. Every decade or so we get a few feet of snow. Thinking we are going to get that this year.
Tommy
@Morzer: How about it. I am a stickler for rules. I am the guy that will throw out this rule or that rule. But watching that video was hard even for me.
Tommy
@Tommy: Oh if I was Christ I’d pull that fan out my it’s electrical cord and throw it across the stage. Then I might say “get it on.”
Tommy
I am watching CSPAN and the Florida Gubernatorial Debate. It is a freaking train wreck. I have no attachment to Florida. None. But this is a large US state. Gosh things should be better.
My home state should be better. A large state. Illinois. We would laugh these people out of office.
Chris
@Hal:
Oh good, it wasn’t just me :D
John S.
Wow, what a bunch of pompous douchebags those moderators are. It takes a leap of faith to consider that fan an “electronic device”.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/_/dict.aspx?rd=1&word=electronic+device
I don’t see a portable oscillating fan listed there at all. But I sure do hope this dents Scott because he shouldn’t even be polling as close to Crist as he is after what he’s done to this state.
Fucking Florida voters.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Morzer: I’ve seen it before, it’s not pretty.
Steeplejack
@WaterGirl:
Ruemara previously said the boss committed suicide.
Chris
@Redshift:
Yep. That’s why I was glad Obama didn’t try to clarify his “57 states” gaffe. I think he joked about it once or twice, and moved on. I’ve heard that it wasn’t actually a gaffe and that he was referring to the number of primaries, which included overseas territories – but it doesn’t matter even if it’s true, because the meme had already sunk in and as you said, when you’re explaining, you’re losing. So let it go, make a joke or two at your own expense, and move on.
Compare and contrast with Palin and her groupies’ stubborn defense of her “Paul Revere warned the British” quote, which did nothing but spread the meme further and reinforce the already popular (and well justified) view of her as a low watt bulb. Learn when to shut up and move on, dimwits.
seaboogie
Clearly, Betty and her family are the only sane individuals left in the penus of the US. And also too, her chickens…
Ben Cisco
♪ Don’t tell me to be cool; you can be cool when it’s your turn! ♪
delk
The Wrath of Fan
Amir Khalid
Today, the 16th of October, 2014, is the 735,522nd day of the Common Era.
If I have counted correctly (I hope I got the leap years right) Day Million falls on the 8th of December, 2738. Let’s hope the global civilisation survives to that day, which of course we cannot take for granted.
Mustang Bobby
I’m so proud of Florida right now I could just plotz.
Origuy
@seaboogie: I think Betty’s chickens would fit in just fine in the Florida legislature.
burnspbesq
Betty’s chickens would be an upgrade.
Aimai
@Violet: check that box The judge or the lawyers will ask for details. Let them do the work. When they ask you what exactly is the issue start crying and explain how alone you are and how you just went through this. They really dont want someone miserable, angry, and distracted on the jury.
Violet
@Aimai: The box is something you check prior to going. You check it and then mail in the summons claiming your exemption. That’s not my situation. I have to go and then explain my situation because my parents are not unable to be by themselves for five minutes.
chopper
@West of the Cascades:
Any ad agency worth their salt can really go to town with this.
Crist all talking about policies and jobs, then ‘what does his opponent say?’ followed by footage of a fan blowing.
Patricia Kayden
@Origuy: They’d be too smart and advanced to fit in.
Cervantes
@efgoldman:
On the ballot in November, 1980 — along with Reagan. The woman was Barbara Anderson — a thoroughly detestable human being.
Well, not technically — but it’s certainly true that scams and innumeracy have been around since well before the Neolithic Period.
PaulW
@seaboogie:
I was going to note I am a Florida resident as well, but then I remembered I never said I was sane…
Cervantes
@PaulW:
That’s prima facie evidence of sanity.
jannydarling
@efgoldman: I love this idea. Tell them to go “build it themselves”
gvg
I’m a Floridian. I didn’t think my state had these meaness issues till Bush but possibly I was young and oblivious. It doesn’t seem so much insanity so much as so mean they bite themselves.
I just finished checking Google for Crist Scott to see if this really is making the big picture news and not just Blogs. then I checked the local newspaper and the biggest city papers in the state. It is mentioned on most and widely, but it’s not always the top story. Sometimes a local murder is considered the lead story and fangate is 2nd.
Politico is the top hit and considering how republican insanity enabling they have been I was surprised how negative they were. they also concluded with a tidbit no one else did. The debate format was supposed to end with each candidate saying something nice about the other. Crist said Scott was doing a good job on Ebola preparation. Scott replied that was very nice of Crist to say but he did not respond with anything nice about Crist. Politico actually pointed that out too, which really surprised me.
Amy
I’m from Florida and this puts the state in the history books again.
Scott could have bought his own fan!! or just a trivial matter slip by.
Crist did this to shake Scott and it did.
and it definitely is looking bad for Scott
Morzer
@Amy:
I am not so sure he has any fans left.
SWMBO
Many years ago when Governor Lawton Chiles was running for the first time, it was found out that he took Prozac. The opposition was all over it. “He’s got depression! He won’t be any good in office!” Chiles had bumper stickers printed that said “Do you want a governor that has depression or causes it?” Chiles won. Medical issues have never been used again.
Grumpy Code Monkey
@Violet: I’ve been called five times or so. Three of those went to voir dire. Two of those I was juror number eleventy-billion, so they got their 12 long before getting to me. In the one where I was actually asked questions, I was peremtorally struck.
The most recent time, we never went to voir dire because the two parties settled while we were waiting in the hall.
Most of them resulted in about a half-day wasted.
carol
@FlyingToaster: Just love your flying toaster name, perhaps scott could use it to stick the pen in, that he always has in his right hand, plugged in, Ha.
carol
LOVE YOUR NAME, PERHAPS SCOTT COULD STICK THE DAM PEN INI IT, PLUGGED IN OF COURSE, HE ALWAYS HAS HIS PEN IN HIS RIGHT HAND, LIIKE THE BOBBLE HEAD CAR ORNAMENT THAT HE IS