I feel guilty mocking presidential candidates today. They've slogged for over a year to make their voice heard and no they're all terrible.
— Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner) February 1, 2016
Trump holding a rally on Caucus Day is a sign he doesn't understand field, every staffer/volunteer should be doing GOTV not working an event
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) February 1, 2016
LOL @foxnews now telling #iacaucus goers which candidate theyll flock to if their candidate doesnt meet threshold
Guess who? RUBIO ?
— Jared Wyand (@JaredWyand) February 1, 2016
Fox News is either lying or stupid. There is no threshold rule in the GOP Iowa Caucus. https://t.co/3bgkyEJIQj
— Doug Mataconis (@dmataconis) February 1, 2016
Trump today in Cedar Rapids: "This is the day. This is the day we take our country back."
— Robert Costa (@costareports) February 1, 2016
Here's your chance, GOP Establishment: Don't tell him about the other states and the general election. https://t.co/aL9sbV9wAQ
— Olivier Knox (@OKnox) February 1, 2016
think of how relieved all of the candidates will be tomorrow when they finally get to say "Iowa's dumb"
— Jim Newell (@jim_newell) February 1, 2016
Bezos: "My offer to send Donald to space stands." (There was some context to that one, but it's a funnier line without it.)
— Mike Madden (@MikeMadden) February 1, 2016
raven
Thanking you.
Elmo
I’m in Chicago on business, and nothing to do tonight. Maybe I should have rented a car and headed west…
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
DENMARK!
Baud
Baudcus!
amk
AL, there is also a dem caucus tonight, right?
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
SCANDINAVIA
NotMax
Oh, there’s nothing halfway
About the Iowa way to treat you,
When we treat you
Which we may not do at all.
There’s an Iowa kind of special
Chip-on-the-shoulder attitude.
We’ve never been without.
That we recall.
We can be cold
As our falling thermometers in December
If you ask about our weather in July.
And we’re so by God stubborn
We could stand touchin’ noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye.
F
I think the Des Moines Register’s servers are melting.
schrodinger's cat
Did you know that Yeti is a kitteh?
Baud
@Elmo:
You can’t leave the country that way. You’ll hit water. Canada is closer.
Hal
Since this is an open thread I’m just going to give a shout out to the worst episode of The Simpsons I have ever seen; the Lady Gaga episode. Like one big infomercial for Lady Gaga. I can only assume every regular writer took the week off to count their cash. But I’ve missed years of this show the fxx repeats are entertaining.
Also, I’m more interested in the reveal of the season 8 queens on Rupaul’s Drag Race tonight than I am of who one Iowa. Too much Chuck Todd.
Twig the Wunderkind
He took her to a movie
The movie, it was groovy
He took her to the caucus
The caucus, it was raucous…
Mnemosyne
@Elmo:
I was going to ask how there could be nothing to do in Chicago, but I think most of the museums and theaters are closed on Mondays, so that explains it. Restaurant Week may still be going on, judging from my brother-in-law’s Facebook.
Helen
Watching MSNBC. Melania Trump is one of those women who, when she crosses them, her legs are so long and thin the top knee looks even with her bottom knee. You girls know those women. They lock the crossed foot behind the bottom calf in a kind of figure 8 thing.
I hate those women.
That’s my political insight for the night.
schrodinger's cat
Snooze hour dedicated at least half of their hour to the Republican Clown Show. The only non-Republican was Junior Villager was Ezra Klein.
There was David Frum, Bill Kristol, Jim DeMint, Eric Cantor. Then they had a segment on evangelical voters but nothing on the Dems.
NotMax
@Hal
Chuck Todd in drag.
Do not want.
Redshift
Since I missed the thread where predictions were being made, here goes.
I think Hillary will win by more than expected, but that may be because as a veteran of the Dean campaign, I’m somewhat cynical about the effectiveness of enthusiastic young people.
I think Trump will win but by less than expected, because he seems to think having big rallies means he’ll get lots of votes without much gotv.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN entrance poll: 56% like Lady Gaga, 24% like Dropkick Murphys, 20% like Simon & Garfunkel
Felonius Monk
@Hal:
Any Chuck Todd greater than zero is too much Chuck Todd.
Mike J
Did Trump just say he’s not going to be told by Forward what to do?
Ultraviolet Thunder
Office pool on how many weeks (months?) it will take the GOP to name the correct winner this time.
NotMax
MSNBC touting totally meaningless statistics.
WereBear
Did I miss it? Was there a way to donate to send Trump into space?
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN entrance poll:
61% think Trump wears wig
18% think Trump wears Davy Crockett hat
10% think Trump’s hair made of soy beans
11% think it’s plastic
Elmo
@Mnemosyne: Those are very good points, but I travel to Chicago A LOT – the museums and such are kinda old hat at this point. I’m tired enough that I’m not even taking my usual advantage of the amazing food Chicago has to offer. I had room service, of all things! I never do that!
danielx
@Ultraviolet Thunder:
It depends on how you define “winner”.
“I got 7% in the Iowa caucuses, but they were all totally convinced of my ideological [email protected]!!!! I win!!!!!”
Mnemosyne
@Elmo:
Starting in September, you would be able to see Hamilton — it starts an open-ended run on 9/27.
And I’m not sure how anyone could get tired of the Art Institute, but maybe it’s me.
:-)
Anne Laurie
@amk:
Let’s wait to see the results before we start fighting amongst ourselves, okay?
David *Rafael* Koch
Amazing gowns from last nite’s SAG awards
different-church-lady
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: 3% think it’s someone else’s hair that wandered onto his head by mistake.
Baud
@Anne Laurie: Too late.
Baud
@different-church-lady: Feral hair?
I believe it.
David *Rafael* Koch
Sexiest man alive ?
The stunning Jessica Paré (from Mad Men)
ThresherK
@Twig the Wunderkind: I so regret Dr. Seuss’ attempt to be au courant with the lingo of the ’60s.
JPL
Twitter is talking about a Rubio surge.
Elmo
@Mnemosyne:
Oooooo, good to know. I’ll make plans.
And I’m still horrified at myself for the room service. I’ll be in town tomorrow nigh as well, so I’ll make up for it then. Have you been to III Forks? Sensational. And Mercat a la Planxa is the best tapas I’ve ever had.
Felonius Monk
@raven: OT: I know you mentioned Signe Anderson’s passing the other day. Did you happen to see this Rolling Stone article about her?
Baud
@JPL: he had done well in the last few polls. I would be impressed. He didn’t seem to do good in the last debate.
Mnemosyne
@Elmo:
Also, too, we ended up discussing places to have high tea the other night, and Chicago has a couple of good ones: the Drake Hotel and the Peninsula Hotel. I can highly recommend the Drake, which is classy but not snobbish at all — a lot of people meet there after work. Plus they’ll serve a cocktail with your tea if you want.
Major Major Major Major
Hillary by an always insufficient margin. She’ll be crushed in NH. Then win in NV and SC, the rest is commentary. My prediction.
EDIT: On an aeroplane and four hours of sleep so don’t judge me if I’m horribly wrong
Eric S.
@Elmo: I’m at Beeper Bar and Grille by Wrigley. If you drink, come have a beer.
raven
@Felonius Monk: I did, I think it was the link I posted as well.
Eric S.
Fuck auto correct. Newport Bar And Grille. I’ve texted that so many times I never thought to check that one.
Tripod
CNN has the current D delegate count:
388
13
5
Sanders (and O’Malley) can’t just split the pots. They will have to run up the margins somewhere to make it a race. Short of Hillary becoming incapacitated, this was never a doable proposition.
Baud
@Major Major Major Major: Where are you going?
raven
@Eric S.: I love it, only in Chicago do we say “by Wrigley”!
Corner Stone
@Elmo: Fucking disgraceful.
Baud
@Tripod: That seems to early to mean anything.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN entrance poll:
17% have blue eyes
11% have Betty David eyes
21% only have eyes for you
14% are Brown Eyed Girls
10% have Eyes Without a Face
2% are Private Eyes
(-7%) have Eyes of the Tiger
11% are Angel Eyes
6% have X-Ray eyes
18% have Evil Eyes
JPL
@Major Major Major Major: She’ll do better than the polls say in Iowa. That will help her in NH, even though Bernie will win. On the repub side, Trump will win, Cruz will be second and Rubio third.
Mnemosyne
@Elmo:
My BIL raves about III Forks, but I didn’t get a chance to visit last year because of the whole Florida family crisis. Hopefully we’ll get to go this summer. FB tells me he’s at the Pump Room right now, so Restaurant Week is definitely still ongoing.
Mingobat f/k/a Karen in GA
Drawback of ditching satellite for the Roku is that I’m stuck with CNN. Haven’t watched it in years, and didn’t miss the–
Oh, wait, there’s a KEY RACE ALERT!
Kill me.
Mike J
@JPL: If for some reason Bernie didn’t win next door neighbor NH he should quit right then.
Elmo
@Eric S.: Thanks for the invite! But I had room service because I’m beat. Settled in already.
Tomorrow?
raven
@Mingobat f/k/a Karen in GA:
MSBNC stream
magurakurin
Lots of tea leaves to be read here in these entrance polls.
Are you
white (92%)
non-white (8%)
this question goes a long way to explaining why the vote in Iowa, no matter who wins, won’t really be all that meaningful.
Baud
@Mike J: He might still want delegates at the convention to vote on other issues, like the platform.
Felonius Monk
@raven: Sorry. I guess I read too fast and missed the link. C’est la vie.
raven
@Felonius Monk: Not at all, I may not have. I know I posted it on Facebook. It’s the thought that counted, thanks.
Mandalay
Mrs. Goldman Cruz Sachs finds Iowans repulsive:
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN Entrance Poll:
Sanders winning 76% of Zygotes
Youth going for Sanders.
Baud
@magurakurin:
As someone who might end up with no delegates from Iowa, I agree.
Schlemazel
This is from Brachiator earlier today and is too good not to spread, I’d hate anyone here missing it
From the musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Iowa Caucuses:
Something familiar,
Something peculiar,
Something for everyone:
The caucuses tonight!
Something appealing,
Something appalling,
Something for everyone:
The caucuses tonight!
Something with Jeb!, something with Cruz;
Bring on the Donald, could he still lose?
Old situations,
New complications,
Nothing portentous or polite;
Tragedy tomorrow,
The caucuses tonight!
Something convulsive,
Something repulsive,
Something for everyone:
The caucuses tonight!
Something aesthetic,
Something frenetic,
Something for everyone:
The caucuses tonight!
What’s sweeter than Bern, or cooler than Hil,
And all those emails, what is the deal?
Nothing that’s formal,
Nothing that’s normal,
No talking points ever to recite;
Let’s get it started:
Caucuses Tonight!
Eric S.
@raven: let’s call it Southport Corridor for the locals.
SRW1
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Make sure to hide your valuables. The Danes passed a law last week that allows them to strip refugees of such.
Nate Dawg
The Villagers (Nate Silver included) are salivating over a Rubio surge.
Can’t wait to see how his 15% showing will mean he’s the favorite to win the nomination.
Mnemosyne
@magurakurin:
IIRC, Iowa is one of only a few states where Obama won a majority of the white vote in both the 2008 and 2012 general elections.
Elmo
@Corner Stone: Totally.
Calouste
@Mandalay: I saw a picture of Heidi Cruz recently and she looks like Marchioness de Mittens 20 years younger.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN Entrance Poll:
63% of people who are dead caucusing for Hillary
84% of Un-dead voting for Hillary.
Bela Lugosi’s endorsement key
Baud
@Mnemosyne: Not surprising. What’s keeping the GOP afloat except for the white vote.
Eric S.
@Elmo: I with in the Aon Building at roughly Michigan and Randolph. Impromptu meet up? I’m free starting at 600 or 630 depending the neighborhood.
NotMax
@Mingobat f/k/a Karen in GA
Scads of choices other than just CNN on Roku.
For example, the “Roku Newscaster” channel offers 14 options.
Baud
TOO CLOSE TO CALL!
raven
@Eric S.: It was nothin in my day, Ray’s and the Cubbie Bear were about it. My SIL lived in the apartments across Waveland and she hated the fuking organ!
schrodinger's cat
@Calouste: Is it a rule that all Republican politician wives have to be blonde?
Major Major Major Major
@Baud: home.
raven
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Bela Lugos is Dead
Baud
@Major Major Major Major: that’s nice.
Elmo
@Eric S.: Tomorrow? Yes! That sounds perfect.
Ultraviolet Thunder
I have to get up in 9 hours. Should I stay up for the results? Worth it, or sleep. Note: I am over 50 and like sleep.
magurakurin
@Baud:
delegates smelegates. Everything is in place, generalissimo. When you give the command, the coup shall begin and our glorious revolution shall triumph at last.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN Entrance Poll (Key Race Alert):
76% of people who say “Lolita” favorite book/movie voting for Trump
Baud
@Ultraviolet Thunder: Sleep.
Nate Dawg
“The most important social program is spelled J-O-o-B-b”
raven
@Eric S.: Identify the Chicago phrase in Prine:
Well, I leaned on my left leg
In the parking lot dirt
And Cathy was closing the lights
A June bug flew from the warmth he once knew
And I wished for once I weren’t right
Why we used to laugh together
And we’d dance to any old song.
Well, ya know, she still laughs with me
But she waits just a second too long.
Baud
@magurakurin: Excellent. I’ll bring the s’mores.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN Entrance Poll (Key Race Alert):
72% of people who own Hover Scooters voting for Sanders.
92% of people who own Hoverounds voting for Clinton
NotMax
@Ultraviolet Thunder
Nothing to see here; move along.
Go commune with Morpheus. And enjoy.
Mandalay
@Calouste:
She looks like a reincarnation of Cruella de Vil to me:
Heidi
Cruella
Mingobat f/k/a Karen in GA
@NotMax: Ah. Did not know that. Looking for it now. Thanks.
Edit: Never mind. There don’t seem to be many options for real-time live streaming.
LesGS
@schrodinger’s cat: Oh my god! Is that a Norwegian? I have a very large (but not obese) ragdoll male. He might be over two times larger than an average cat (24 lbs), but at least he looks like a cat! Very, very handsome, but… what the heck is that cat!?
magurakurin
25% in Dem race holding steady Clinton 53% Sanders 47%…
Tailgunner Ted and the Donald neck and neck with 7% in…
Nate Dawg
Marco Rubio is cleaning up in Des Moines. To be expected, I suppose.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN Entrance Poll (Key Race Alert):
Ø% of Latinos voting for Trump
Ultraviolet Thunder
@Baud:
Yeah, it’ll be there in the morning.
Cheers, all.
Elmo
@Eric S.: can you ask Ann Laurie to front page a general invite? I’m on the mobile site and can’t figure out how.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN Entrance Poll (Key Race Alert):
67% of people suffering from narcolepsy voting for Carson
magurakurin
@Nate Dawg:
Wow, campaign coffers must be lower than everyone thought. I would have imagined he would have been able to pay someone to do that. I wonder if there are any beer cups with ciggies in them? Those are nasty to clean up.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
CNN Entrance Poll (Key Race Alert):
83% of people who want to return to 1950s for Trump
61% of people who want to return to 1850s for Cruz
Ridnik Chrome
@raven: I remember when they used to have all age punk rock shows at the Cubby Bear, back when it was just a hole-in-the-wall neighborhood bar. Saw the Effigies, Naked Raygun, TSOL, the Wipers and a bunch of others there. Played there with my old band a few times, too. Good times. It’s still there, but it ain’t the same…
lgerard
@Mandalay:
Yet she lives in Texas
different-church-lady
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I’m glad you’re on this. I’m paying bills and drinking winter cocktails, so I’m pretty much M.I.A. as far as holding up my slot on the bill.
David *Rafael* Koch
Massive crowd at Sanders’s headquarters (photo)
SRW1
Apparently, JEB? is holding steady at 2.1%. Comeback can’t be far off.
schrodinger's cat
@LesGS: That’s my guess, kitteh looks half wild.
Nate Dawg
It’s quite staggering how the media is just slobbering over Rubio’s third place finish and ignoring the Trump v. Cruz neck and neck elephant fucking another elephant in the room.
magurakurin
Sanders is pulling closer 52 to 48 now with 34%. He might pull it out yet.
magurakurin
@magurakurin: holy hell, that sounds really bad on second reading. Change that to: He might win, yet.
Eric S.
@Elmo: Are you willing to come north a bit? George Street Pub, at George st. and Halsted st.? I could head back to the loop after my P.T. with no complaint.
sdhays
@schrodinger’s cat: Not if they want to win the Presidency. There hasn’t been a Republican First Spouse with blonde hair since Nixon…
mike in dc
@magurakurin:
Depends upon if the late reporting precincts are youth-heavy ones.
magurakurin
@Nate Dawg:
Denial it’s not just a city in Iowa…oh wait, that’s Des Moines.
Mandalay
@SRW1:
At least Jeb? is using Chris “1%” Christie as a floor mop.
Never was anyone more deserving of being in last place.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
REVOLUTION!
magurakurin
@mike in dc: true that. The real Iowa junkies would have that info pegged. I got no idea, really.
Nate Dawg
I am surprised at how well Sanders is doing. Very good showing.
Elmo
@Eric S.:
Sure. I’m at the Blackstone right by Grant Park, so im pretty central.
Ruckus
@sdhays:
Pretty sure none of the gop rules from the last 40yrs apply this time, except the crazy has to be in over abundance.
Calouste
17.6% of the Republican precincts reporting and Jim Gilmore has 2 votes.
NotMax
@Mingobat f/k/a Karen in GA
For livestreaming, the computer offers better options than Roku, generally speaking.
For traditional news reporting, the Newsy channel (free!) on Roku is not bad at all (also less visually frenetic and more straightforward than the cable TV channels).
Eric S.
@Elmo: Just pulled out the laptop and trying to figure out how to contact her.
So 6:30PM
George Street Pub
2858 N Halsted St.
Chicago IL 60657
Prescott Cactus
@Major Major Major Major:
Hope it’s not the left seat.
magurakurin
@Nate Dawg: At the moment it is right at the Selzer poll margin, 3%. He’s hanging in there. He has some big numbers in some of the counties. I suspect it is the old people versus the young people. Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Elmo
@Eric S.: Great!
SRW1
JEB? at 2.5% and cliiimiiibiiing!
NotMax
@NotMax
Permit me to amend that.
For livestreaming, the computer beats the pants off Roku.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Ultraviolet Thunder:
Sleep.
Nate Dawg
Looks like Trump is fizzling!!!1
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
delk
@Eric S.: I lived on Southport from ’83 to ’98. It’s barely recognizable these days, lol!
Eric S.
@Elmo: AL is on the ball. A post should appear tomorrow morning. I’ll be at George Street no later than 6:15PM tomorrow.
mike in dc
50-49, 71% in. OMFG. Ludicrously close.
Cacti
Cruz holding a 3.3% lead over Trump with 82% reporting.
jl
Media hack pundits put the ‘caca’ into ‘caucus’. Remember that when you watch the stupid pundit tricks tonight.
danielx
@schrodinger’s cat:
Not a hard and fast rule, but ninety percent of them are. I believe they have a Stepford-style production line (see Gingrich, Callista) and occasionally introduce a brunette or redhead for variety. They do all tend to have hairdos that look like you couldn’t dent them with a fire axe.