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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Consistently wrong since 2002

Cole is on a roll !

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

This fight is for everything.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Not all heroes wear capes.

In after Baud. Damn.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

How can republicans represent us when they don’t trust women?

Republicans don’t trust women.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

In short, I come down firmly on all sides of the issue.

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

You cannot shame the shameless.

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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2016 / Jeb Bush Takes Ball, Goes Home

Jeb Bush Takes Ball, Goes Home

by Anne Laurie|  February 20, 20169:11 pm| 278 Comments

This post is in: Election 2016, JEB! = John Ellis Not-Bush 2016, Republicans in Disarray!, Assholes, Fuck Yeah!, Republican Crime Syndicate - aka the Bush Admin.

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Per NBC:

Jeb Bush Suspends 2016 Presidential Campaign
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, once considered the Republican Party’s most likely presidential nominee, is ending his campaign after a dismal showing in South Carolina’s primary.

“The people of Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina have spoken, and I really respect their decision, so tonight I am suspending my campaign,” he told backers in the Palmetto State…

His campaign had hoped that South Carolina, a state rich with veterans and traditional Republican voters, would give the former governor a much-needed boost after big losses in Iowa and New Hampshire. Both former president George W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush campaigned for Jeb Bush in the state.

The loss comes after an enormous investment of resources by Jeb Bush and his allies.

Together, they spent nearly $81 million in TV ads during the presidential election – with $76 million coming from the Right to Rise Super PAC – according to ad-spending data from SMG Delta…

.

Since this is Mr. Brinks Truck full of Right-to-Rise, scion of the Bush Crime Family, he’s the one candidate whose “suspension” might not actually be an ending. If it comes down to a brokered RNC convention — Reince and his guys frantically looking for a loophole that will let them declare Trump a non-person, while the Cruz and Rubio backers literally fist-fight in the hallways — I can see the Bush apparatus “graciously offering” to accept the burden of figurehead.

Of course, at the moment, the CW says that would be Paul Ryan‘s big chance, but how many College Repub ratfvcker divisions do the Ryan supporters command?

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Previous Post: « GOP South Carolina Primary Results Open Thread
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Reader Interactions

278Comments

  1. 1.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    Same gif as previous thread:

    Bye Jeb

  2. 2.

    PeakVT

    February 20, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    If only this was the true end of the Bush Crime Family. Sadly, another generation could still take up the banner and try to wreck the nation. We must be vigilant…

  3. 3.

    Trentrunner

    February 20, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    2000 Presidential race – Florida outcome

    Terri Schiavo

    So…no, I’m not sorry for this privileged twit getting his comeuppance. He got it. He got it three times, running over.

  4. 4.

    catclub

    February 20, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    Of course, at the moment, the CW says that would be Paul Ryan‘s big chance,

    I agree. Once three guys come into the convention with none having a majority of the delegates, all unable to close the deal, Paul Ryan saves the day. Media would be delirious with joy at the chance to fluff a brilliant policy wonk (not) and brilliant centrist politician.

    I hope Trump goes third party on em if it happens.

  5. 5.

    jackmac

    February 20, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    For now, the Bush name is consigned to the ash heap of history. (At least one can hope).

  6. 6.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    Rubio is giving his victory speech, btw. It’s his third victory speech.

  7. 7.

    catclub

    February 20, 2016 at 9:18 pm

    Of course, at the moment, the CW says that would be Paul Ryan‘s big chance

    Would be nice if Romney contested with Ryan for it in the most messy way possible.

  8. 8.

    sigaba

    February 20, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    It’s going to be hard to put Bloomberg to bed tonight.

  9. 9.

    dmsilev

    February 20, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    @JPL: Apparently it’s too much to ask that Rubio actually win something before giving a victory speech.

    Again to remind people (though people here I’m sure remember), back in the halcyon days of …January, Rubio’s Cunning Plan was to finish 3rd in IA, 2nd in NH, and then win tonight. By his own campaign’s strategy, FAIL.

  10. 10.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    February 20, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    Time to cue My Heart Will Go On, by Celine Dion

  11. 11.

    Ramalama

    February 20, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    When was the last brokered Republican convention, if there ever was one? Anyone know?

  12. 12.

    father pussbucket

    February 20, 2016 at 9:22 pm

    Jeb Bush Bows Out of Campaign, Humbled and Outgunned
    Not for lack of tweets.

  13. 13.

    danielx

    February 20, 2016 at 9:22 pm

    @JPL:

    Methinks Rubio’s grasp on this whole victory concept is a trifle tenuous.

    Jeb? is out of it and IU is beating on Purdue like a redheaded stepchild, as an old saying has it. (No endorsement of actually beating on stepchildren, redheaded or otherwise, is intended or implied.)

    In any case, the world is looking pretty decent at the moment.

  14. 14.

    sharl

    February 20, 2016 at 9:22 pm

    Not surprised or particularly sad to see this, except that after Jeb’s withdrawal, I’m expecting major sectors of corporate media to double-down on their pimping of Rubio. I don’t think that will help Rubio much, but it just adds more chaff and sewage to the crap that’s already online. Save us, Zombie Jack Germond!

  15. 15.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    Oh man he is showing some wicked dry mouth. He just ran his tongue all along the front of his mouth in the most bizarre way. He must be using some weapons grade powder to control the shine.

  16. 16.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    Ironic, after being on life support for so long ¿Jeb? finally pulled the plug on his brain dead campaign.

  17. 17.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 20, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, once considered the Republican Party’s most likely presidential nominee

    Not by me. I spotted real early that the man could not walk past a banana peel without slipping on it, shitting his pants, and kicking himself in the mouth when he hit the floor. I have never seen such a bad campaigner. He made Perry and Newt look like statesmen.

  18. 18.

    Cacti

    February 20, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    Can’t be true.

    Unlimited corporate cash!

  19. 19.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    I see Rubio still hasn’t fixed his cottonmouth…I always feel like offering dude a drink of water

  20. 20.

    Baud

    February 20, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: I will miss making fun of his campaign.

  21. 21.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 9:27 pm

    @MomSense: It does appear that he has some type of medical condition, but since I’m not a physician, I shouldn’t comment.

  22. 22.

    Anoniminous

    February 20, 2016 at 9:27 pm

    @Ramalama:

    1912 when Taft got the nomination despite Teddy Roosevelt winning most of the primaries. A very different era and it doesn’t match up well with 2016.

  23. 23.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:27 pm

    In a debate I think Clinton can overwhelm him with her grasp of issues about which he only has 30 second memorized blurbs. The man has a depth of zero. I hope she demolishes him.

  24. 24.

    dmsilev

    February 20, 2016 at 9:28 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Now, now, are we really _sure_ that !Jeb’s campaign is truly brain-dead? Perhaps it should be kept on a ventilator and force-fed campaign donations for another couple of months. Just in case a miracle occurs.

  25. 25.

    Miesekatze

    February 20, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    Umm, no on a brokered convention with Jeb ending up the nom. Just no way that happens.

  26. 26.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    @JPL:

    It’s called flop sweat. He is unprepared and over his head and try as he might to pretend, his body knows it.

  27. 27.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    February 20, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    @Ramalama:I would dare say 1920 with the nomination and the presidency to Warren G. Harding, who by today’s standards make George Bush, JFK. Then there was the one in 1880 that gave the nod to James Garfield who had the bad uck of getting shot a few months after taking office.

  28. 28.

    PaulW

    February 20, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    The good news is, no more f-cking Bushies running to ruin the nation.

    The bad news is, another goddamn week of the media squeeing at Rubio like he’s a Fifth Beatle.

    /headdesk

  29. 29.

    Ramalama

    February 20, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    @Anoniminous: Which begs the question: which of these 2016 Republican Stooges carries a big stick?

  30. 30.

    mdblanche

    February 20, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    ZedJeb’s dead, baby. Jeb’s dead.

  31. 31.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    Buh Bye GOP ‏@BuhByeGOP

    Ivanka is trending. Oh no, is Donald Trump talking about banging his daughter again?

  32. 32.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    February 20, 2016 at 9:30 pm

    The Gophers beat Wisconsin 4-3 in overtime. By all sensible rules, they’d end the regular season tied as WCHA co-champions. Unfortunately, because of the stupid shootout rule and Bucky’s shootout win over North Dakota, while the Gophers lost theirs, the Badgers win the league by a point. The fun part is that, except for that difference, the two teams had exactly the same conference record. They were not only both 24-3-1, they had identical records against each team: they split with each other, went 2-1-1 against North Dakota, and 4-0 against everyone else.

    Meanwhile, Boston College played itself a creampuff schedule and will get the #1 NCAA seed, while Minnesota and Wisconsin will have to play in the semifinal for the third consecutive year. Of course, last year BC lost the semifinal against a weaker opponent, so go Quinnipiac. Or Clarkson. I wouldn’t mind a rematch of the 2014 final.

  33. 33.

    Renie

    February 20, 2016 at 9:30 pm

    I guess Rubio is going to be the establishment’s guy now. I’m sure Trump will aim his guns at Rubio. My concern is Bloomberg coming in to run 3rd party.

  34. 34.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 9:30 pm

    @MomSense: Who? At this point Trump is leading. I think Trump picks up the Carson and Cruz supporters. That puts him over 50 percent. Rubio will still claim victory so not sure what happens. The convention should be lots of fun.

  35. 35.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 20, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    @MomSense:
    Clinton has proven, in an eleven hour trial by fire, that she can deal with insulting fact-free assholes without losing her cool. She is immune to Trump’s major debate tactic, and all signs suggest he will be unable to deal with the counterattacks. If Trump is operating on the bitch slap theory of politics, he is in for a bad time.

  36. 36.

    Chyron HR

    February 20, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    “America”
    Let us be losers
    We’ll back up our Brinks trucks together
    I’ve got some unlimited corporate cash here in my bag

  37. 37.

    Anoniminous

    February 20, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    @Ramalama:

    None. TR would make mincemeat of this band of poseurs.

  38. 38.

    Cacti

    February 20, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Clinton has proven, in an eleven hour trial by fire, that she can deal with insulting fact-free assholes without losing her cool. She is immune to Trump’s major debate tactic, and all signs suggest he will be unable to deal with the counterattacks. If Trump is operating on the bitch slap theory of politics, he is in for a bad time.

    In contrast, I think she’d have a very easy time getting under Trump’s skin just with sticking to the facts.

  39. 39.

    PaulW

    February 20, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    With South Carolina a “Winner-Take-All” state (mostly, there is something about certain delegates going by district), will Rubio even get ANY delegates worth talking about to equal the number Trump is leading with?

  40. 40.

    Mike in NC

    February 20, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    Jeb, we hate you and you entire fucking family.

    Sincerely,
    America

  41. 41.

    BR

    February 20, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    I would be ecstatic but for the fact that this country was dumb enough to elect Ronald Reagan. I don’t think President Trump is possible. At least I really really hope not

  42. 42.

    Ramalama

    February 20, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    @Mr Stagger Lee: You know, talking about the history of Republican brokered conventions would be so much more interesting and (cough) newsworthy by tv heads covering the primaries. How many bloody comments tonight on tv wanked on about how much they underestimated Trump? Answer: too manyzzZZZZ.

  43. 43.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    This ship can’t sink! It’s the Titanic!

  44. 44.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    @JPL:

    Sorry, I was referring to Rubio. He will look ridiculous next to Clinton. I think Trump will try to bully her and when she keeps her cool (I suspect she is quite the alpha tamer) he will get nasty and it will backfire big time.

  45. 45.

    rikyrah

    February 20, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    $100 million down the toilet.
    BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

  46. 46.

    Corner Stone

    February 20, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    HOLY SHIT! This Jeb supporter on MSNBC is AWESOME!

  47. 47.

    dr. bloor

    February 20, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Ivanka is trending. Oh no, is Donald Trump talking about banging his daughter again?

    Unpossible. She’s too old for him.

  48. 48.

    Wumpus

    February 20, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    1912? No, 1920. Warren G. Harding nominated on the 10th convention ballot, the deal reached in the legendary “smoked-filled room.”

  49. 49.

    mdblanche

    February 20, 2016 at 9:35 pm

    @PaulW: It depends on many delegates the Village has.

  50. 50.

    chrome agnomen

    February 20, 2016 at 9:35 pm

    @PaulW: we’ve still got the cheneys.

  51. 51.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 9:36 pm

    @catclub: It won’t happen. All the real members of the base, as in not the establishment, think Speaker Ryan is a socialist plant because he went along with the budget agreement and spending outline that Speaker Boehner negotiated with President Obama. As strange as that seems to you and I, and perhaps many others reading here, should Speaker Ryan be brought in as the man to save the party from its self created primary outcome mess, there will be a tremendous revolt of the base.

  52. 52.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:36 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    I agree. She does not get flustered and I’ve actually been impressed by her ability to not go for the cheap points but wait to have maximum impact. Her closing statement in the last debate was as strong a statement on progressivism as I’ve heard while also juxtaposing Sanders’ limitations.

  53. 53.

    Cheryl Rofer

    February 20, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    @Ramalama: Whatever strange result of the primaries may go into the Republican convention this summer, the convention won’t be brokered. That term refers to a time before the primaries. There have always been power brokers in the parties, and the Democrats have their superdelegates to fight over. But the primaries have taken away a lot of power from the brokers.

    I haven’t seen a good analysis of what happens at the Republican convention this summer. If Trump collects enough delegates in the primaries, I guess that makes him the nominee, but I am not versed in the procedural details. I keep wondering, though, who those power brokers actually are and why they’re not doing something now. I have not seen an explanation of that either, and I have asked a few people who might know about it on Twitter. No answers.

    My tentative conclusion is that nobody is in charge of the Republican Party.

  54. 54.

    Anoniminous

    February 20, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    @PaulW:

    No.

    At best a handful but the way the votes are falling Trump will probably scoop ’em all.

  55. 55.

    hellslittlestangel

    February 20, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    @MomSense: He must be using some weapons grade powder to control the shine.

    Not to mention the weapons grade powder his brother-in-law is supplying that’s causing the drymouth in the first place.

  56. 56.

    Mike J

    February 20, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Reminds me of Colbert’s line from the dinner. Some say he’s rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, but it’s actually the Hindenburg.

  57. 57.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 20, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    @MomSense:
    I just want to see her do that ‘Oh my god, they’re all morons, aren’t they?’ face at Trump that she did during the Benghazi hearing.

  58. 58.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 9:38 pm

    Isn’t Nicole Wallace of the architects of the McCain campaign that infected us with that Grifter Palin? Why would any listen to her?

  59. 59.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:39 pm

    Biggest shock still is Sanders’s loss – considering he had the full backing of Susan Sarandon and Michael Moore.

  60. 60.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 9:40 pm

    this habit Rubio has of giving victory speeches when he did not in fact win…is funny as hell. I mean get strategy still funny

  61. 61.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    February 20, 2016 at 9:40 pm

    Or will the unlimited corporate cash now wend its way to the candidate that hasn’t been shrieking about evil bankers?

    Could this be the signal of the potential closing of the corporate money spigot to rancid orgs like ALEC and the NRA? If the GOP and those orgs had to rely on goofy billionaires for support, things could change markedly.

    Maybe Obama is more transformative than progressives ever gave him credit for. Maybe the stage is set for major changes over the next decade.

  62. 62.

    amk

    February 20, 2016 at 9:40 pm

    a ‘brokered convention’? really?

    A couple inconvenient facts for anti-Trump Republicans: 1. Trump won moderate voters in NH 2. Trump is winning evangelical voters in SC.

  63. 63.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:40 pm

    @lamh36: Rachel has long had a crush on her. So she got msnbc to hire her.

  64. 64.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    February 20, 2016 at 9:41 pm

    @lamh36: Probably that’s the only kind he has memorized.

  65. 65.

    BruceFromOhio

    February 20, 2016 at 9:41 pm

    Still firmly believe that

    Brinks trucks. Backing up.

    should be added to the rotating tag lines.

  66. 66.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 20, 2016 at 9:41 pm

    Dewey was nominated on the 3rd ballot in 1948.

  67. 67.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 20, 2016 at 9:42 pm

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class:

    Maybe the stage is set for major changes over the next decade.

    I don’t doubt it in the slightest, but fuck if I know what those changes will be.

  68. 68.

    BBA

    February 20, 2016 at 9:42 pm

    Awaiting the inevitable 2024 run of current Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.

  69. 69.

    catclub

    February 20, 2016 at 9:42 pm

    Do they need to take away that pistol Jeb tweeted in a picture the other day?

  70. 70.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 9:42 pm

    Cruz is giving his victory speech now. My gosh they sure do give trophies for the also-rans in this state and they continue to dis children’s participation trophies.

  71. 71.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    Hard to believe Cornell West didn’t tip the balance of power in Nevada.

  72. 72.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    @Cheryl Rofer: Here you go:
    https://www.gop.com/the-official-guide-to-the-2016-republican-nominating-process/

  73. 73.

    Soylent Green

    February 20, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    Poor Jeb is dead
    Poor Jeb Bush is dead
    All gather round his coffin now and cry
    He had a heart of gold
    And he wasn’t very old
    Oh why did such a feller have to die?

    Poor Jeb is dead
    Poor Jeb Bush is dead
    He’s lookin’ oh so peaceful and serene (and serene)
    He’s all laid out to rest
    With his hands acrost his chest
    His fingernails have never been so clean

    [spoken]
    Then the preacher’d get up and he’d say
    “Folks, we are gathered here to mourn and groan over our brother Jeb Bush
    Who hung hisself up by a rope in the smokehouse”
    And then there’d be weepin’ an’ wailin’ — from some of those women —
    Then he’d say, “Jeb was the most misunderstood man in this territory
    People used to think he was a mean ugly fella and called him a dirty skunk
    and an ornery pig stealer

    [spoken]
    He loved the birds of the forest
    And the beasts of the fields
    He loved the mice and the vermin in the barn
    And he treated the rats like equals (which was right)
    He loved all the little children
    He loved everything and everybody in the world
    Only . . . only he never let on
    And nobody ever knowed it…

    Poor Jeb is dead
    A candle lights his head
    He’s lookin’ oh so purty and so nice
    He looks like he’s asleep
    It’s a shame that he won’t keep
    But it’s summer and we’re runnin’ out a’ ice

  74. 74.

    amk

    February 20, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    also. too.

    Trump defeats Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Trey Gowdy, Phil Robertson and Barbara Bush in GOP South Carolina primary.

  75. 75.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    @BooMan23
    Unmentioned so far…Kasich had one stated objective in SC…knock Jeb out. Mission accomplished.

  76. 76.

    Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class

    February 20, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Consolidation of social gains, for starters. Perhaps a renewed commitment for expansion of voting rights and economic opportunity for people of color.

  77. 77.

    Cacti

    February 20, 2016 at 9:44 pm

    Berniebros can’t/won’t help themselves:

    Shout “English only!” at Dolores Huerta as she provides Spanish translation at the Harrah’s caucus in Nevada.

    Nice.

  78. 78.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    @hellslittlestangel:

    Ha!

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    “The look” was a thing of beauty. I think she even followed it by brushing off her shoulder.

  79. 79.

    Baud

    February 20, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    I wonder how many victory speeches we will have to endure on election night this November.

  80. 80.

    PaulW

    February 20, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    @BR:

    To be fair to Reagan, he did serve years as Governor of a state, so he had elected experience. He also had a congenial style and a positive mindset despite the conservative (and sometimes horrifying) world-view. Reagan’s tenure had its downsides – the beginning stages of shredding unions, codifying the modern Republican obsession with tax cuts and deregulation, the criminal shenanigans like Iran-Contra, etc. – but he also worked within government and actually presided over a period of genuine bipartisan activity. Reagan was able to shake his Cold War hard-line stance and started a series of weapons-reduction pacts with the Soviets and Gorbachev (something the modern neocons of today view with horror).

    Trump is a disaster. Rather than congeniality, he’s a bully with bluster and arrogance as his public style. Whatever ignorance Reagan had, Trump’s ignorance delves into a vicious and violent world-view. He is going to be partisan on all fronts, even to a Republican-led Congress if he gets one, and will likely alienate a majority of our own allies to where our foreign policy and foreign trade/finances will be curtailed to devastating effect against us.

  81. 81.

    BruceFromOhio

    February 20, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    As strange as that seems to you and I, and perhaps many others reading here, should Speaker Ryan be brought in as the man to save the party from its self created primary outcome mess, there will be a tremendous revolt of the base.

    Now this is interesting. ‘Tremendous revolt’ can have many facets. Perhaps you mean political, but when I read this I think ‘armed.’ How many fucking bird sanctuary stand-offs lie in our future?

  82. 82.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 20, 2016 at 9:47 pm

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class:
    I think Obama will succeed in appointing a liberal supreme court justice. McConnell’s record in open public confrontations has been lousy, and getting worse. When that happens, it won’t take long for voting rights issues to start hitting the court. Roberts is going to have an ulcer watching the damage he’s done to minorities rolled back.

  83. 83.

    geg6

    February 20, 2016 at 9:47 pm

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    I hope Michael Schiavo is drinking a little toast tonight.

  84. 84.

    catclub

    February 20, 2016 at 9:47 pm

    @BR: The economy contracted by 5% in GDP in 1980. Carter had no chance. That is not happening this year.

    Also, the Iranians ratted out the GOP for trying to stall the prisoner exchange until after the election.
    The prisoner exchange has taken place already. Obama ain’t Carter.

  85. 85.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 20, 2016 at 9:47 pm

    @Baud: Including yours?

  86. 86.

    PaulW

    February 20, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    @Anoniminous:

    then dammit Rubio shouldn’t be claiming any kind of win at all.

    STOP TRYING TO MAKE RUBIO HAPPEN, MEDIA ELITES, HE’S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

  87. 87.

    BBA

    February 20, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    @Botsplainer, Cryptofascist Tool of the Oppressor Class: I dunno, man. I see Trump succeed despite everything, and I remember there had never been a more socially liberal and accepting place than 1920s Berlin…

  88. 88.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    Well Cruz is running as the real conservative. Too bad he looks like he just guzzled vinegar.

  89. 89.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    @geg6: What a nice sentiment.

  90. 90.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    @PaulW: The most he can come away with is 3 if Charleston County dominates SC Congressional District 1. SC has 50 delegates. 26 go to the statewide winner (includes plurality). 3 are at large and go along with the 27 statewide ones (no, I don’t understand why they are separated out). 21 are tied to each Congressional district: 3 delegates for each of the 7 districts. Senator Rubio only had a plurality win in two counties. One of those, Richland, is divided between two different Congressional districts. The other, Charleston County, is part of District 1, which also includes the county to its immediate southwest. Because Richland is split between two different districts, and every other county in those districts went for Trump, Trump will get the Congressional district tethered delegates. I haven’t seen anyone explain it yet, but I don’t think Senator Rubio did well enough in Charleston County to carry District 1, as the other county in the district went for Trump.

  91. 91.

    Baud

    February 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Well, I hope so, now that I know the Supreme Court can’t interfere.

  92. 92.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    @PaulW: The unions had begun shredding themselves in the 70’s, partly by forgetting who their friends were. IIRC the Teamsters endorsed Nixon in 72.

  93. 93.

    pseudonymous in nc

    February 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm

    UNLIMITED something something.

    Cruz sounds like a cross between Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd. He’s the butt of Bugs Bunny in a 1940s Warner Bros cartoon.

    And damn, the media are in the tank for manchild drythroat Rubio.

  94. 94.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    I’m praying for Loretta Lynch to get the nom.

  95. 95.

    raven

    February 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Hard Hat Riots!

  96. 96.

    Anne Laurie

    February 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm

    @Anoniminous: And boy, did the 1912 division (not) go well for the Repubs!

    Who gets title to the ‘Bull Moose’ logo? Or, in these franker days, will they actually use “BS”?

    Suspect it will be more like the 1968 GOP convention, though — three warring campaigns, each claiming the “right” to refudiate a shellacking four years earlier.

    Of course, in that comparison, Ted Cruz probably plays the Nixon role. On the other hand, the chances of President Obama having to pull an LBJ are so small as to be difficult to estimate even using quantum math.

  97. 97.

    ruemara

    February 20, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    The phrase, “Bye, bitch”, comes to mind.

  98. 98.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    @geg6:

    I will raise a glass to him.

  99. 99.

    Cheryl Rofer

    February 20, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Thanks!

    I’m not good at making sense of stuff like that at this time of night, so I’ll save it until tomorrow morning.

    Whatever the details of how many of which kind of delegates, I still don’t see the power brokers of yesteryear. You mentioned Paul Ryan, who should have some leverage as Speaker of the House. But there need to be others from the various regions to trade off votes, and that process is more limited than it once was. (Again, to be checked tomorrow morning.)

    You do make a good point, though. Any sort of negotiations would tend to lead to a more moderate/electable candidate, and the base hates anyone like that.

    @BruceFromOhio: How about a shootout on the convention floor?

  100. 100.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I thought Rachel was in a long term committed relationship and/or married.

  101. 101.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    February 20, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    @Soylent Green: OT – did you get to see any of the proceedings in the neighboring building yesterday?

  102. 102.

    Oldgold

    February 20, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    Lstening to Cruse. The unctuous bastard makes my skin crawl.

  103. 103.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    Are there no women on the stage with Cruz?

    ETA: Oh wait, there they are…

  104. 104.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    @BruceFromOhio: In this I’m referring to political/electoral. As in everything I read or hear, including from people I actually know, seems to indicate that the base will not fall in line this time. Of course the plural of anecdote is not data, so…

  105. 105.

    MomSense

    February 20, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    @Oldgold:

    He is seriously creepy. Incredibly, it is even worse in audio only.

  106. 106.

    Cacti

    February 20, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    @ruemara:

    The phrase, “Bye, bitch”, comes to mind.

    I was thinking “Bye, Felicia!”

  107. 107.

    raven

    February 20, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    @lamh36: There are,

  108. 108.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    @Oldgold: If it makes you feel better, I could not listen.

  109. 109.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 20, 2016 at 9:55 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Where have you gone, Bill Frist,
    A nation turns its lonely eyes to you
    Woo woo woo

  110. 110.

    raven

    February 20, 2016 at 9:56 pm

    @JPL: Breaking: Georgia Senate Passes Discriminatory Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill By Huge Margin

  111. 111.

    catclub

    February 20, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA: The Democratic party is highly united this year.
    Someone else posted polls showing both Clinton and Sanders are popular with the rest of the party.
    The unions (that are left) know who their enemies are – it ain’t George McGovern any more.

  112. 112.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: has that ever stopped anyone from having a crush.

  113. 113.

    BBA

    February 20, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Like the “superdelegates” in the Democratic party, the Republicans make members of the RNC automatic delegates to the convention. The RNC has 3 members per state, so that probably explains the 3 “at-large” delegates. I don’t know whether they’re pledged to the primary winner though.

    (There are many more Democratic superdelegates because the DNC has more members than the RNC, plus the Democrats make sitting governors and members of Congress automatic delegates while the Republicans don’t.)

  114. 114.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 9:58 pm

    @catclub: The Iranian leadership is not stupid and its not the same leadership as in 1979 nor 2003. The Iranians have their own interests and will, when its in their interests, cause no end of what we would think of as trouble in the pursuit of their objectives. But they also know, because they watch our tv broadcasts and read transcripts and other reporting, that the only chance they have to normalize relations with the west is if a Democrat is elected. For two presidential elections in a row every GOP candidate has fallen all over themselves to tell potential voters that if elected they will reduce Iran, one way or another. Even Secretary Clinton’s approach, which isn’t all hugs and kisses, is still open to diplomacy.

  115. 115.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 9:58 pm

    Fool me once, shame on … shame on you. Fool me… You can’t get fooled again!'”

  116. 116.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    February 20, 2016 at 9:59 pm

    My hope for the GOP nominating process was that Cruz would decimate the opposition and be unassailable at the convention. Then he would be ruled ineligible to serve as President due to the circumstances of his birth, throwing the GOP into a complete panic.
    Not gonna happen but it was my private fantasy.

  117. 117.

    catclub

    February 20, 2016 at 9:59 pm

    @raven: How much money did they appropriate for the inevitable losing lawsuits? Is there a list of companies saying they will have to leave Georgia? Cancelled conventions?

  118. 118.

    JGabriel

    February 20, 2016 at 9:59 pm

    Anne Laurie@ Top:

    Of course, at the moment, the CW says that would be Paul Ryan‘s big chance, but how many College Repub ratfvcker divisions do the Ryan supporters command?

    Probably not many. Ryan strikes me as less the Vengeful Ratfucker type and more the Entitled Whiner.

  119. 119.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 20, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Biggest shock still is Sanders’s loss – considering he had the full backing of Susan Sarandon and Michael Moore.

    And Dick Van Dyke. Oops, watch out for that ottoman!

  120. 120.

    Howard Beale IV

    February 20, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    The GOP convention won’t be brokered, but contested.

  121. 121.

    raven

    February 20, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    @catclub: My post includes a link.

  122. 122.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 10:03 pm

    @MomSense: The only downside is Lynch may have to recuse herself from the immigration law suit because her DOJ is currently defending them. If she does, the case may come out 4 to 4 in the Supreme Court, leaving in place the lower court ruling banning the stop deportation order.

    I’ll leave it to the big guy – he’s busy weighing all the angles. (Photo)

  123. 123.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 20, 2016 at 10:03 pm

    @catclub: My point was that the unions did much of the shredding on their own; sure St. Ronnie put a few nails in the coffin, but the body was already in the coffin.

  124. 124.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    @BBA: According to the rules link I posted in the previous thread, they are.

  125. 125.

    PhoenixRising

    February 20, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: So am I. But I’m married, not dead, and under lesbian rules we’re allowed to have crushes outside our relationships.

  126. 126.

    Mandalay

    February 20, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    the only chance they have to normalize relations with the west is if a Democrat is elected.

    I disagree with that. The only chance they have to normalize relations with the United States is probably with a Democrat, but a lot of the rest of the west has already embraced Iran, especially since a lot of ka-ching is involved.

    The promises of Republican candidates to “rip up the agreement with Iran on day one in the Oval Office” is meaningless bluster. European corporations would love for that to happen.

  127. 127.

    raven

    February 20, 2016 at 10:05 pm

    @PhoenixRising: Was that in the South Carolina robocall?

  128. 128.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 10:05 pm

    @raven: I mentioned that earlier. The bill will allow anyone to discriminate and hopefully the house will kill it. Deal might kill it because he seems to understand the damage it could do to the state.

  129. 129.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 10:06 pm

    @catclub: A big one from Decatur announced today they are relocating out of state.

  130. 130.

    BR

    February 20, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    I think we are looking at something similar to the 1952 Republican Convention. Rubio is Eisenhower(God forgive me for writing this), and Trump is Taft. Except this time Taft-Trump wins

  131. 131.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    @PhoenixRising: Noted.

  132. 132.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 20, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    @Soylent Green:

    Reposted from October 27, 2015 (hence a few out-of-date references):

    Pore Jeb is dead,
    Pore Jeb Bush is dead,
    He’s lookin’ oh so peaceful and serene.
    He’s such a loser chump,
    Trailing Rubio and Trump,
    Kasich, Carson, Cruz, and Carly Fiorine.

    Pore Jeb is done.
    He said he would run
    Because he bears his family’s famous name.
    It turns out he is toast,
    ‘Cause he thought that he could coast
    And win the nomination by acclaim.

    (Then they’ll get up, all them Foxy Foxes and CNN types, to pay tribute to Jeb. And all them Villagers will be moanin’ and weepin’ because they thought Jeb was the Promised One. Only it turned out he ain’t, and he jes’ cain’t get the poll nummers he needs, not the money he craves, even though everyone in his fam’ly tried their durndest to turn things around fer ‘im.)

    This is the end.
    Jeb had to attend
    A conference with Poppy, Bar and bro.
    He looks like he’s asleep,
    It’s a shame that he won’t keep,
    But it’s autumn and we’re runnin’ out of dough.

    Pore Jeb is dead,
    Quinnipiac said
    (And every other poll that you can cite).
    If he’d give a few more fucks
    He would see those big BRINKS. TRUCKS.
    Dumpin’ money on his doorstep overnight.

    Pore ¡Jeb!
    Pore ¿Jeb?

  133. 133.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    @Mandalay: I think you’re mostly correct that I overwrote (overwrought?) my reply. I’m thinking in the NATO sense. Part of normalization will require a huge adjustment in NATO posture, and we dominate NATO, which will in turn influence the EU.

  134. 134.

    PhoenixRising

    February 20, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    @BruceFromOhio: This

    there will be a tremendous revolt of the base.

    begs for a ‘the GOP is revolting!’ joke.

    I just hope that come sundown on March 15, I’m still laughing.

    The other link, @Cheryl Rofer, that explains how the math of the GOP race can still work…wait til you’re rested:
    http://election.princeton.edu/2016/02/11/the-anti-trump-path-gets-very-narrow/
    It’s unsettling.

  135. 135.

    Chris

    February 20, 2016 at 10:10 pm

    God. I am really going to miss Jeb Bush. Watching Donald Trump take his lunch money again and again has been the highlight of the campaign.

  136. 136.

    PhoenixRising

    February 20, 2016 at 10:11 pm

    @raven: Yup. That’s why Cruz hired that operative, his grasp of the rules of lesbian relationships.

  137. 137.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 10:13 pm

    Last Sunday, Bill Kristol predicted Trump would lose SC because of his 9/11-WMD attacks on Dubya.

    Which means Kristol’s wrong-way barometer is still perfect.

  138. 138.

    Mandalay

    February 20, 2016 at 10:13 pm

    @pseudonymous in nc:

    the media are in the tank for manchild drythroat Rubio

    When he was giving his speech he kept running his tongue under his upper front teeth, presumably because his mouth was really dry but he was terrified of being caught swigging a bottle of water on camera.

    I still can’t shake the impression that he’s close to shitting his pants from fear every time he speaks in public.

  139. 139.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 20, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Pretty sure she is, at least the last I heard, which was less than a week ago (I think her Playboy interview). Anyhow, wasn’t it Joe ‘n’ Mika who really drew Nicole Wallace into the MSNBC fold? I feel as though Raven has been mentioning her as a guest on MJ forever.

  140. 140.

    mclaren

    February 20, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    @Ramalama:

    When was the last brokered Republican convention, if there ever was one? Anyone know?

    1948. Thomas E. Dewey was the last Republican nominee to emerge from a brokered convention. Adlai Stevenson in 1952 was the last Democratic nominee from a brokered convention.

    As I’ve pointed out several times, brokered conventions stopped after the 1950s. The most recent convention of any kind where a nominee did not emerge immediately on the first ballot was the 1976 Republican convention, but Gerald Ford was able to fend off Ronald Reagan’s internal challenge. Basically, both parties have changed their rules (including provisions like superdelegates) so as to eliminate the possibility of a brokered convention even if a candidate arrives at the nominating convention without a clear majority of delegates.

  141. 141.

    BruceFromOhio

    February 20, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Fall in line to or with … what? The Repub candidate that takes the flag at the end of the klown kar kavalcade parade of fail? Sorry to seem bristly, seeking to be clear.

    I’m very concerned at the number of citizens who follow misguided sources of information and bear arms, and insist on bearing arms, emboldened by rantings of idiots (Ted Nugent, anyone) and experiencing the end of a lifestyle.

    Many are obviously trained and educated and pose no threat to anyone: my concern is not with them. But golly there are some unhappy people in this country, and it’s eerie to think how easy it would be for things to be worse than they already are with respect to idiots with guns having another axe to grind. Doesn’t take much for the armed few to destabilize the peace for many.

  142. 142.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    February 20, 2016 at 10:15 pm

    @BBA: Maybe, but the push for him won’t be as strong as the push for JEB was this time. The GOP knows they can’t win without Florida. They still seem to be thinking that their best chance for taking Florida is having JEB or Marco on the ticket. That’s why JEB was pushed so long after it was clear that he was hopeless (he was hopeless on his book tour for crying out loud – he never should have declared for President). Rubio is a lightweight and has positions as reactionary as any of the other eleventy seven Teabaggers running, so he has no compelling advantage except that he’s from Florida.

    Rubio also apparently has lots and lots of things in his background and history that will raise eyebrows nationally. He’s an exceptionally weak candidate who is good at memorizing 15 second sound bites.

    It’ll be interesting to see if The Establishment™ eventually decides that Rubio is too damaged, Cruz is hated by far too many people, and decides to go with Donald in a Hail-Mary – “Hey, it won’t be that bad. Maybe he can beat Hillary after all! We better get on the bandwagon before we get left behind!” Or maybe they’ll just decide that the Presidency is hopeless and decides to save their money for down-ballot races (to continue the All Obstruction All The Time policy).

    We’ll see.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  143. 143.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 20, 2016 at 10:16 pm

    @raven:

    Ah, fuck. An unsurprised fuck, but still, ah, fuck.

  144. 144.

    Princess

    February 20, 2016 at 10:18 pm

    The GOP convention will not be contested. If (when) Trump is leading, he will be the nominee. Because if they don’t make him the nominee, he’ll run third party. This is a done deal.

  145. 145.

    amk

    February 20, 2016 at 10:18 pm

    da reality

    Trump wins SC primary. After calling GWB a liar. After fighting with the Pope. After threatening to sue Ted Cruz. Welcome to the new GOP.

  146. 146.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    Now that Jeb is out, watch Trump set his sites on Rubio. Trump is gonna have Rubio crying like a baby. Marco ain’t ready for Trump.

    Out of the 2 Dem candidates, I honestly think HRC would beat any of the GOP candidates. She’d absolutely eat Rubio for lunch.

  147. 147.

    John D.

    February 20, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    @catclub: Just FYI, the economy contracted by 0.2% in 1980, according to the BEA, not 5%. The rest of your argument stands.

  148. 148.

    sharl

    February 20, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    LOL … SOB

    Paul Musgrave @rpmusgra

    Summing up: a Bush spends fortune to lose war against extremists.

    8:35 PM – 20 Feb 2016

  149. 149.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    February 20, 2016 at 10:24 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: That’s a big binder. A lot of paper. He should have been handed a laptop with all that stuff in a PDF… :-/

    Cheers,
    Scott.
    (Who is only half-joking.)

  150. 150.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 10:25 pm

    @I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: Rubio is for forced pregnancies under all circumstances.

    This is good news for Sarah.

  151. 151.

    Baud

    February 20, 2016 at 10:25 pm

    @I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: Probably full of women.

  152. 152.

    amk

    February 20, 2016 at 10:26 pm

    @sharl: ha. ftw.

  153. 153.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 20, 2016 at 10:26 pm

    I love this guy

    Richard M. Nixon ‏@ dick_nixon 1h1 hour ago
    Hate Mrs. Clinton all you like, but do you remember what she did to Gowdy? Well, do you think Rubio is smarter than Gowdy?

    @I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: Rubio is a lightweight and has positions as reactionary as any of the other eleventy seven Teabaggers running, so he has no compelling advantage except that he’s from Florida.

    A handful of people have been trying to get the VSPs to pay attention to the fact that Rubio is calling for the elimination of taxes on dividends and capital gains as part of his $11 trillion dollar debt plan. I think “tax-free unearned income” might resonate

  154. 154.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 10:26 pm

    @BruceFromOhio: I have no idea. Usually the expression is that Republicans, specifically the base, ultimately fall in line with whoever the nominee is. My impressions are that there is a good possibility that won’t happen this time. Donald Trump has already announced he’ll run third party if he doesn’t feel he’s treated properly. So I would think that his supporters would follow him out the door so to speak.

    As for violence, I have no idea. There is a lot of talk of another Great Rebellion, now d/b/a as the Civil War, eventually coming. I don’t really see that likely. We saw how little actual, practical support turned out in Oregon in JAN and FEB. While the folks in the so called patriot movement, as well as the overlapping other subcultures on the extreme right, are angry and well armed, they all seem to be bullies and cowards. They’re happy to establish ambush positions or act out as lone wolf terrorists or in the occasional small group, but organizing and fighting an actual continent wide rebellion for control of the country or to divide it? I don’t think they have it in them. Even the military veterans and retirees in these movements can afford to play tough because they have retirements and/or other veteran’s benefits. If those go away they’re in trouble. A lot of these guys have serious health issues related to/left over from their service. A breakdown in American society that they’ve fomented for the purposes of rebellion isn’t going to go into pause every time they need to go get a scrip filled at the VA.

  155. 155.

    BBA

    February 20, 2016 at 10:27 pm

    @amk:

    After fighting with the Pope.

    Ya know, it’s high time the evangelicals got back to their anti-Catholic roots. Except they’ll still hate on abortion and contraception, because suck it libtards.

  156. 156.

    Mike J

    February 20, 2016 at 10:30 pm

    Alison-der Hamilton ‏@VaGentlenerd 1h1 hour ago
    I wonder what my old political science professors even teach now. Do they just walk in and show Beyond Thunderdome, “end of lesson”?

  157. 157.

    mclaren

    February 20, 2016 at 10:30 pm

    @BR:

    I think we are looking at something similar to the 1952 Republican Convention. Rubio is Eisenhower(God forgive me for writing this), and Trump is Taft. Except this time Taft-Trump wins.

    This is utterly preposterous.

    Consider the differences: Dwight Eisenhower was a major war hero, of the stature of George Washington in popularity. Marco Rubio? Don’t make me laugh.

    Taft was an expert long-time pol with an immense career behind him. Donald Trump? A complete outsider with no real ties to the Republican party at all.

    In 1952, the Cold War raged and America found itself embroiled in a major land war against Communist North Korea. In 2016, there is no cold war, America is not in danger from anyone or anything, and our overseas bombing campaigns (such as they are) barely rise to the levels of occuptions — they’re certainly not major land wars, or anything remotely similar.

    In 1952, TV was in its infancy and not a major factor in the political race. Radio and print dominated. In 2016, social media like Facebook and YouTube dominate, with TV and print and radio falling far behind in importance. (As proof, just consider the 100 million dollars Jeb Bush pissed away on TV and radio and print advertising without moving his popularity by so much as a percentage point in the pools.)

    The world of 1952 was bipolar, split between a USSR that posed an existential threat to America with its nuclear weapons and bombers and ICBMs, and the U.S., which at that time still occupied much of Western Europe as well as Japan with military troops. In 1952 America enjoyed the zenith of its economic prosperity, and the U.S. economy accounted for 50% of the GDP of the entire planet.

    By contrast, the world of 2016 is multipolar, with no significant threat to America from any other country — and certainly no existential threat to us from anyone, anywhere. In 2016 the American economic is in severe decline, with our GDP accounting for no more than 16.14% of the world economy. Note that in 2016, China now accounts for a slightly bigger share of the world economy, at 16.32%.

    Sorry, your analogy is simply daft.

    There is absolutely no similarity between the politics of 1952 or the world of 1952, and the politics and the world situation in 2016. It’s like comparing a cyclotron with a pudding.

  158. 158.

    ThresherK

    February 20, 2016 at 10:31 pm

    Jeb is the one candidate whose “suspension” might not actually be an ending.

    Just a reminder in the “to the manner born” sweepstakes: Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria, and the guy holding the bag at the end of WWI, “renounced participation” in state affairs, but did not actually abdicate his throne.

  159. 159.

    Wag

    February 20, 2016 at 10:32 pm

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    You want My Heart Will Go On, you get My Heart Will Go On. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tFhEDXGzk4Q

  160. 160.

    Mandalay

    February 20, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    @BruceFromOhio: Did you see Marshall’s important follow up to that article? TLDR version => It is only the mortality rate for middle aged white women that is rising, and it’s falling for men.

    I don’t mean to dump on Marshall since both of his articles are really worth reading, but I am wary of journalists drawing conclusions from social data when they freely admit that they do not understand the methodologies used to generate the graphs.

  161. 161.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    @Mike J: They should have never stopped using “The Paranoid Style in American Politics” by Richard Hofstadter. The book should never be out of print.

  162. 162.

    Wag

    February 20, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    @mclaren:

    Wow. Really nicely said. I am really impressed. In all sincerity, thanks. Well reasoned and documented.

  163. 163.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    So wait…the votes are so close, so Rubio might still finish a close 3rd again!…

    Or has Rubio gotten enough votes for a strong 2nd tie?

  164. 164.

    Baud

    February 20, 2016 at 10:40 pm

    @lamh36: Rubio is still a winner.

  165. 165.

    mclaren

    February 20, 2016 at 10:41 pm

    @BruceFromOhio:

    I’m very concerned at the number of citizens who follow misguided sources of information and bear arms, and insist on bearing arms, emboldened by rantings of idiots (Ted Nugent, anyone) and experiencing the end of a lifestyle.

    Don’t be.

    America, for all its fractious rumblings, remains far more united that, say, a country like Turkey or Russia, or the European Union.

    The United States derives tremendous advantages from its unified culture — and here’s where the real differences show up. We all speak the same language. Not so with other countries where separatist regions (like the Basque portion of Spain, or Quebec in Canada) have an entirely separate culture and language. For all the talk about Southern culture, the differences with the rest of America are so minor that only an Americano would really notice them. Southerners speak the same language, have the same kinds of jobs, view the same TV shows and movies, drive the same cars, eat at the same fast food chain restaurants, to to the same kinds of K-12 schools and shop at the same big box stores as the rest of America.

    The deep red states get enormous amounts of money out of belonging to the U.S. They get large net cash inflows from the federal government as a perk of belonging to our federal union. All the deep southern states would find themselves awash in red ink if they were to secede from the United States, and they know it. This is why, despite all the bluster, even the most fanatical deep southern states are winding up accepting the ACA and extending medicare one by one. It just costs them too much money if they don’t.

    There’s also the incredible advantage of having no cross-border tariffs from one state to another, and enjoying the fabulous perk of being able to use the world’s reserve currency, American dollars, in trading with other states internally within the U.S. The EU has some of this — no cross-border tariffs — but they don’t have the other part of it, the big benefit of a reserve currency. Also, the U.S. has an excellent central banking system that cushions money flows and deficits between our individual states. This makes the United States the envy of the world economically, because we get much of the advantage of having wildly disparate economic regions (Montana with mining, Texas with oil, California with hi-tech industries, the Pacific Northwest with lumber, the East Coast with education and banking) without the disadvantages of separate currencies and separate internal borders with high tariffs and customs problems.

    Despite their whining, southern states enjoy some big perks as part of the federal union. Most of America’s top soldiers come from the deep south. Many of our best writers emerge from the south. There are enough advantages to being part of the south and part of a united federal union that we’re nowhere near another civil war. There simply isn’t anything in it for the red states — as opposed to the situation in 1860, where a very real and valuable economic resource, slavery, was under threat, and the southern states had a great deal to lose if they stayed in the union.

    All the loose talk from fat-ass militia clowns waddling around in the boonies with their AR-15s is just that — talk. These people represent no threat to the political union of the unites states at all.

  166. 166.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 10:43 pm

    @lamh36: Well they both gave victory speeches, so it probably doesn’t matter. They are champions of the world, or at least the world as they see it.

  167. 167.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 10:43 pm

    @lamh36: We’ve entered a post-math era.

  168. 168.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 20, 2016 at 10:43 pm

    @Baud: He’s a driver he’s a winner, things are gonna change he can feel it.

  169. 169.

    Baud

    February 20, 2016 at 10:45 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Ha.

  170. 170.

    James E Powell

    February 20, 2016 at 10:46 pm

    So it’s looking like Rubio in 2nd – A stunning comeback victory according to Chris Matthews.

    Do we expect Trump to go all Chris Christie on Rubio?

  171. 171.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 10:47 pm

    @lrozen
    CNN SC map has Trump winning every county but two

  172. 172.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 20, 2016 at 10:47 pm

    John Cole @ Johngcole
    Wait- Carson dropped out, too? Even him failing is boring.

    E vero?

    ETA: flipped over to MSNBC to see if Carson was indeed out in time to hear Brian Willaims tell me I shouldn’t make the great error of dismissing Jeb Bush as a “lesser candidate”. His chief qualifications being Terri Schiavo and the sad but understandable delusion that his father is a great man, and the unforgivable nonsense that his brother was a great president.

  173. 173.

    JPL

    February 20, 2016 at 10:47 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: That ship sailed ages ago.

  174. 174.

    Anne Laurie

    February 20, 2016 at 10:47 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel:

    And Dick Van Dyke. Oops, watch out for that ottoman!

    What you did there, it was seen.

    And appreciated!

  175. 175.

    Aleta

    February 20, 2016 at 10:51 pm

    @Wag: Thanks perfect

  176. 176.

    Cheryl Rofer

    February 20, 2016 at 10:51 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: I would add that the Bundys seem to have been central in such organization as there was of the militias. That seems to be the view of the feds, with the two indictments. One of the things I figured they were doing during the time everyone was being impatient about action was tracing connections and developing the basis for indictments to take the whole network down.

    As you noted, even they had a hard time getting those brave patriots to muster, although there were reports of far more strange armed people in Burns than the citizens of Burns were comfortable with.

    Today the feds indicated that there will be more indictments of more people. It will be interesting to see who they are.

    I don’t expect more wildlife refuge takeovers or anything related any time soon, although Ted Cruz has an ad out telling the good people of Nevada that he will make sure they get their land back from the evil federal government.

  177. 177.

    mclaren

    February 20, 2016 at 10:52 pm

    @lamh36:

    Now that Jeb is out…

    But is Jeb out?

    Or is he merely offscreen, like Darth Vader in that tie fighter flying off into space at the end of the first Star Wars movie?

    Jeb has suspended his campaign, but hasn’t officially ended it.

    If Donald Trump doesn’t win enough delegates to get the nomination on the first ballot, could Jeb reach out with his black-gloved hand and force-choke the other nominees, intoning, “I find your lack of faith disturbing”…?

  178. 178.

    Steve from Antioch

    February 20, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    If they laugh, they make money.

  179. 179.

    PsiFighter37

    February 20, 2016 at 10:54 pm

    Jeb! dropping out is an unmitigated win for the robotic Cuban. I still think the fake hairpiece will win the nomination.

  180. 180.

    Mary G

    February 20, 2016 at 10:56 pm

    So happy to see Jeb’s humiliation , especially after Trump’s denunciation of GWB in the last debate.

  181. 181.

    mclaren

    February 20, 2016 at 10:56 pm

    @James E Powell:

    Do we expect Trump to go all Chris Christie on Rubio?

    If Trump is smart, he does a deal and offers Rubio the vice presidency, then cruises all the way to landslide defeat in November.

    Rubio…the candidate whose family buddy was Miami’s biggest cocaine dealer, and who might or might not have financed Rubio’s early political campaigns… Trump, a thuggish billionaire who made his money by bulldozing working people out of their homes to erect monuments to conspicuous consumption occupied by effete rich people.

    Boy, that’s a dream ticket for Hillary or Bernie to run against.

  182. 182.

    PeakVT

    February 20, 2016 at 10:57 pm

    @mclaren: The usual purpose of “suspending” a campaign is to keep it alive in a legal/regulatory sense so it can continue to collect donations and pay off any outstanding bills and debts, which most failed campaigns have in abundance.

    Also, too, the “please clap” line showed that the force is very, very weak with Jebya.

  183. 183.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 10:57 pm

    @PsiFighter37: There was a good article in Gawker on Rubio’s wig, face lift, and plastic surgery

    Can you imagine the never ending ridicule if a Dem had a nose job.

  184. 184.

    sigaba

    February 20, 2016 at 10:59 pm

    @mclaren:

    This is why, despite all the bluster, even the most fanatical deep southern states are winding up accepting the ACA and extending medicare one by one. It just costs them too much money if they don’t.

    There’s this story from Guns of August where a British infantry lieutenant is taking the train to Dover, and a pinstriped banker sitting next to him assures him there won’t be a war, and if there is it can’t last a few weeks. The European countries were all too economically connected, you see.

    There’s nothing people seem to hate more than the idea that they need their enemy for his money. In Germany by 1918 they were eating their own shoes just to spite the people who told them Germany needed international trade in order to survive. Economics never trumps nationalism (if you’ll forgive the homonym).

    See also: Rhett Butler and his knowledge of cannon factories. Cannon are of no interest to a gentleman.

  185. 185.

    sharl

    February 20, 2016 at 10:59 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Less than three hours ago, McKay Coppins tweeted that Carson was telling his supporters he is still in.

    Others are saying that he is running out of money – surprised that didn’t happen earlier, given the grifters he brought on as advisers – but if Carson is actually pissed at Cruz for the sleazy stunts pulled in Iowa, Carson may be extra determined to stick it out a bit longer. If so…yaaaaaaay!

  186. 186.

    lamh36

    February 20, 2016 at 11:00 pm

    So 2nd or 3rd don’t matter…looks like Trumps wins all delegates, so net negative for the rest

    @LACaldwellDC 42s43 seconds ago
    Wow. NBC News allocates all 50 South Carolina delegates to Donald Trump.

  187. 187.

    Mandalay

    February 20, 2016 at 11:01 pm

    @mclaren:

    In 2016 the American economic is in severe decline, with our GDP accounting for no more than 16.14% of the world economy. Note that in 2016, China now accounts for a slightly bigger share of the world economy, at 16.32%.

    There are plenty of ways to make the case that the American economy is or is not in decline. But the data you cited is irrelevant and meaningless for such an argument.

  188. 188.

    sharl

    February 20, 2016 at 11:04 pm

    Jon Ralston ‏ @RalstonReports 2 hours ago

    Rubio: “My parents taught me that third place means first place, and it is a lesson I have never forgotten.”

  189. 189.

    RB1123

    February 20, 2016 at 11:05 pm

    https://youtu.be/vxbHD1VBgtE?t=288

  190. 190.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 11:05 pm

    @lamh36: Pfft. Lil Marco won all the delegates of the media primary and that’s what really counts.

  191. 191.

    Mike in NC

    February 20, 2016 at 11:05 pm

    @PsiFighter37: Agreed

  192. 192.

    cmorenc

    February 20, 2016 at 11:07 pm

    @Renie:

    I guess Rubio is going to be the establishment’s guy now. I’m sure Trump will aim his guns at Rubio. My concern is Bloomberg coming in to run 3rd party.

    The other necessary condition Bloomberg cited to his potential candidacy, other than Trump winning the GOP nomination, was if Sanders was the Dem nominee instead of Clinton. While the possibility of Sanders winning the dem nomination is still viable, the probabilities that Clinton will ultimately prevail went up today with her 5-point victory in the Nevada caucuses coupled with her near-certain comfortable win in South Carolina next week. Bernie’s hardly out of it after today, but his prospects were taken down a clear notch today.

    Even if Clinton does appear the strong favorite after super-Tuesday, there’s always the contingency of Bloomberg’s immense ego goading him to save the country for moderate centrism as its business-oriented messiah, and running 3p anyway. But that’s less likely the stronger Clinton emerges from super-Tuesday.

  193. 193.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 20, 2016 at 11:07 pm

    @mclaren: Ford was nominated on the first ballot, though it wasn’t clear who the nominee was going to be until the convention started in KC. There was a bit of delegate horse trading in the first few days of the convention. St. Ronnie choosing a VP ahead of time was really the clincher.

  194. 194.

    Jeffro

    February 20, 2016 at 11:09 pm

    @sharl: I can see Carson limping along a la Gilmore until Super Tuesday, no matter what the cash situation is…but beyond that, he’ll have to face up to reality and recognize that the bills are mounting up and the voters haven’t responded.

    So let’s have it, GOP! Trump, Cruz, Rubio, and Kaisch (also likely to drop out post-Super Tuesday) A nice, fratricidal three-way race from March through the convention. Couldn’t have asked for more.

    (Well ok, there’s one more thing to ask for: DON’T put Cruz on the ticket, no matter the political expediency…the man is dangerous to the Republic)

  195. 195.

    PaulW

    February 20, 2016 at 11:09 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I lost the link, but I saw something about Trump getting all but 3 of the districts, meaning Rubio is at best getting 1 to 3 delegates to Trump’s 47 (?).

    THAT IS NOT WINNING.

  196. 196.

    debbie

    February 20, 2016 at 11:12 pm

    @raven:

    Kasich is probably already on a plane back home. He’s signing a bill tomorrow to defund Planned Parenthood in Ohio.

  197. 197.

    amk

    February 20, 2016 at 11:13 pm

    Funny to see how people are using the past to predict the future while the future is happening right in front of their disbelieving eyes.

  198. 198.

    PaulW

    February 20, 2016 at 11:14 pm

    Lacking Jeb to struggle all the way to Cleveland, the likelihood of a straight-up brokered convention just isn’t there. If the RNC is thinking of stopping Trump, it’s going to involve some insane shenanigans with the delegates at the GOP convention.

    Are they honestly going to be content with a Trump candidacy come June 2016?

  199. 199.

    Zinsky

    February 20, 2016 at 11:16 pm

    My wife said she felt sorry for Jeb! I said it was karma for helping his imbecile brother steal the election from President Gore. Fuck the whole Bush clan! Can you imagine how much better this world would be, if this fucked up bunch had never existed?

  200. 200.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 11:21 pm

    @Cheryl Rofer: Eric Parker, the sniper from the bridge and Jerry Delemus. Parker’s brother has been on FB and twitter making preemptive threats and it appears they’re Christian Identity. Delemus was on twitter talking about the FBI conspiracy behind them asking for a meeting with him. So that’s two. Delemus’s brother is also likely, and, perhaps, his wife. Though I think she’ll be a bit of a reach.

    And one of the keys to trying to map a network is to keep the pieces in place until you can identify the nodes, the connections, directionality, levels of influence, etc. The problem is always the temptation to take out key pieces of the network too soon.

  201. 201.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 20, 2016 at 11:22 pm

    @Baud:

    Just listened to Rubio’s speech. I liked when he said that Nikki Haley’s immigrant family had felt “the string of prejudice.” LOL. Drymouth’s a bitch.

  202. 202.

    Mike in NC

    February 20, 2016 at 11:24 pm

    Have argued before that this gene pool needs to be eradicated with extreme prejudice.

  203. 203.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 20, 2016 at 11:27 pm

    @PaulW: Rubio won two counties, not two or even three Districts. Of those counties one is divided into two large districts. Trump won every other county in those two districts. So no votes there for Senator Rubio. In the other county he won, Charleston, it is part of a two party district: District 1. Trump won the other county. I’ve not seen it reported who won the district, but if Senator Rubio did, the most he can come away with is 3 delegates.

  204. 204.

    Eric

    February 20, 2016 at 11:29 pm

    *claps without prompt*

  205. 205.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 20, 2016 at 11:29 pm

    … and this year’s Joe Lieberman Memorial Award for inventing a category in which to declare victory goes to…
    John Kasich!

    Kasich team declares him winner of ‘governors bracket’

    Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-gop-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/02/south-carolina-kasich-team-winner-governors-bracket-219562#ixzz40m13LLAq

  206. 206.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 11:31 pm

    What if Hillary is the Devil??

    There was a tie in one Nevada precinct. To break the tie, instead of flipping a coin, they drew cards from a p0ker deck. The high card wins. Sanders drew a 6 card. Hillary drew a freaking Ace! An Ace!♣️

    The Force is strong in this one.

  207. 207.

    Cheryl Rofer

    February 20, 2016 at 11:33 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    And one of the keys to trying to map a network is to keep the pieces in place until you can identify the nodes, the connections, directionality, levels of influence, etc. The problem is always the temptation to take out key pieces of the network too soon.

    Agree. Which is one of the reasons we may be seeing indictments continuing for a while.

  208. 208.

    debbie

    February 20, 2016 at 11:33 pm

    I think Jeb has proven that money cannot win elections after all.

  209. 209.

    amk

    February 20, 2016 at 11:34 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    cue bernistah’s poutrage. A<<<<6!!! cheatahs!!!

  210. 210.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    February 20, 2016 at 11:34 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: Will Robert Parker’s noise (heard of but I’ve not seen yet) lead to an earlier arrest of Erik Parker? I’d want to watch Erik’s communications for a fair lengthy period were I investigating.

    I anticipate superceding and lengthier indictments for all current arrestees, with the possible exception of Cliver. I expect you’ll cover such topics in your next Bundy, et al. post

  211. 211.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 11:39 pm

    @debbie: Nelson Rockefeller (1964) John Connelly (1980), Malcolm Forbes Jr (1996) Rudy Giulianni (2008) Mittens (2012) proved having the most money can’t buy you love

  212. 212.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 20, 2016 at 11:40 pm

    I also too think there might be something to this

    ‏@ HeerJeet
    @ BenjySarlin I said this back in August. This is like the Producers. Trump wants to fail but these damn voters keep putting him on top.

    I would enjoy this campaign more if the role of Trump were played by Zero Mostel

  213. 213.

    rikyrah

    February 20, 2016 at 11:41 pm

    @lamh36:
    Trump gets ALL the delegates?????

    LOL

  214. 214.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 20, 2016 at 11:42 pm

    @debbie: Meg Whitman proved that, some folk just won’t listen.

  215. 215.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    February 20, 2016 at 11:44 pm

    Hah. At the end:

    “I look forward to working you to make that dream come true”

    No swallowed word, just “working you”, clear as a bell.

    Ain’t going to be working anyone politically again, my friend. Buh bye.

  216. 216.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 11:45 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Trump’s hair does look like Dick Shawn. Come to think of it, Trumps foreign accented wife looks like the foreign accented secretary.

  217. 217.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 20, 2016 at 11:46 pm

    Going Out In Style

  218. 218.

    Original Lee

    February 20, 2016 at 11:47 pm

    @lamh36: Kinda wondering if Rubio has undiagnosed diabetes, because when his mouth goes dry, it appears to be really dry.

  219. 219.

    Mike in NC

    February 20, 2016 at 11:47 pm

    The SC primary is all over, yet these GOP fuckwits like Right to Rise PAC are still running robot attack TV ads. Burn that money, morons.

  220. 220.

    Ruckus

    February 20, 2016 at 11:47 pm

    @BillinGlendaleCA:
    Meg destroyed the theory, not just proved it might be wrong. But we’re still in the “We don’t believe our lying eyes” stage right now. And ¿jeb? has no idea that his eyes are lying, what with the family behind him.

    ETA I’m still wondering who it was who was able to convince him to drop out. It couldn’t be Babs, or his idiot brother. Had to be one of the money men who finally figured out he was wasting an awful lot of it.

  221. 221.

    Brachiator

    February 20, 2016 at 11:49 pm

    RE: I can see the Bush apparatus “graciously offering” to accept the burden of figurehead.

    Interesting speculation, but not going to happen. At this point, the worst case scenarios for both parties is the rise of the outsider candidates, Trump and Sanders. Unfortunately, neither party can afford to alienate the activist core of voters and so must let this thing play out naturally.

    I was away from all media shortly after results started rolling in, so I did not know that Jeb had rolled up his ! and gone home. I suppose that a hint that the Establishment was going to dump him ASAP came when the governor of South Carolina enthusiastically endorsed Baby Rubio. This also reinforces the idea that the Establishment is unlikely to come back later and seek Jeb out as a compromise candidate.

    Jeb needs a rest. Maybe at a West Texas ranch. He should be sure to take a pillow.

    What? Too soon?

    ETA: What happened to the bold italic quote thingies?

  222. 222.

    Splitting Image

    February 20, 2016 at 11:51 pm

    Well, that ends my streak of successfully predicting the Republican nominee dating back to 1988. Thanks a heap, Jeb. Riddance good to rubbish bad, though. You only had to look at his foreign policy advisors to see that he was the worst candidate of them all.

    Looking ahead, I think that Carson and Kasich are both irrelevant at this point, although Ohio-Guy may see some speculation as a VP candidate. So I guess the “establishment vote” has no choice but to coalesce around Rubio.

    This means we’re looking at a three way race between Trump, Cruz, and Rubio. Trump is unreliable; Cruz is odious; and Rubio is a featherweight. I’m not sure why people are so dismissive of Hillary Clinton’s chances. I have trouble seeing how she’ll lose to any of them. Trump is very likely to bluster along all summer talking about how great he would be in a crisis, then do a John McCain and have nothing to say when a real crisis comes along. A 4-4 Supreme Court may present a lot of opportunities for this to happen.

    No idea who will end up the winner, but I guess the TV bobbleheads will pimp for Rubio and Kasich on a Florida/Ohio ticket. The Republicans need both states.

  223. 223.

    debbie

    February 20, 2016 at 11:53 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Similarly, though more doleful.

  224. 224.

    Mike in NC

    February 20, 2016 at 11:55 pm

    We visit Florida at least once a year to visit friends, so I hope to someday be able to piss on JEBzzz grave.

  225. 225.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 20, 2016 at 11:55 pm

    @debbie: The Dropkick Murphy’s do a better show. Just sayin’.

  226. 226.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 20, 2016 at 11:56 pm

    @Original Lee: Dry mouth (aka cotton mouth) is a real side effect from using Adder*ll (a “smart” drug used to improve cognition).

  227. 227.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    February 20, 2016 at 11:58 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I think Marco uses Pennzoil.

  228. 228.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 20, 2016 at 11:58 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I was gonna nominate Rand Paul in the role of Leo Bloom, he’s got the hair but Marco’s got the anxiety– I’d bet he’s got a blue blankie; Carly Fiorina for Mildred Natwick’s “Hold me! Touch me!”

  229. 229.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 20, 2016 at 11:59 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Interesting.

  230. 230.

    different-church-lady

    February 21, 2016 at 12:00 am

    The good news is there is no chance another Bush will be president.

    The bad news is there’s still a chance someone infinitely worse will be.

  231. 231.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 21, 2016 at 12:00 am

    @Brachiator:

    What happened to the bold italic quote thingies?

    I have the thingies just fine. However, I wasn’t able to do the usual select/copy/paste with your sentence for the blockquote, and had to type it. By hand. On the keyboard. With my fingers.

    God. Life is SO FUCKING HARD sometimes.

  232. 232.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 21, 2016 at 12:02 am

    So Hillary won 6 out of 6 coin tosses in Iowa.

    Today she pulls an Ace of the deck to break a tie in Nevada.

    This would make a great paranormal episode of The X-Files.

  233. 233.

    different-church-lady

    February 21, 2016 at 12:02 am

    @Cacti:

    In contrast, I think she’d have a very easy time getting under Trump’s skin just with sticking to the facts by laughing at him.

  234. 234.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    February 21, 2016 at 12:03 am

    @SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel: First world problems, we got em.

  235. 235.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 21, 2016 at 12:03 am

    @different-church-lady: This.

  236. 236.

    Ruckus

    February 21, 2016 at 12:03 am

    @Splitting Image:
    As we well know the repubs will vote to beat any dem, just like we will do to beat any repub. Turnout is the key. For both sides. Whichever does that best will win. My hope is that many of the repub voters are so turned off by their choice of tDump or little teddy that they stay home.

    The repubs have been waging war against anything liberal since Regan. We’ve had a few victories, I hope we keep that going, along with flipping the senate.

  237. 237.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 21, 2016 at 12:04 am

    @different-church-lady: this time…

    there are already two more generations out there, and the one who already holds a statewide TX office (I think?) now has a daddy to avenge. This does not bode well….

  238. 238.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 21, 2016 at 12:04 am

    @a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): You’re like a Bundy standoff junkie. I think they have treatments at the Betty Ford Clinic.

  239. 239.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 21, 2016 at 12:04 am

    @different-church-lady:

    The good news is there is no chance another Bush will be president.

    I wouldn’t be too sure about that, there’s always “Bush, the Next Generation”.

  240. 240.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 21, 2016 at 12:06 am

    Big Week, Next Week:

    Saturday: South Carolina primary

    Sunday: Academy Awards with gorgeous gowns. (photo)

    Tuesday: Freaking Super Tuesday

    And perhaps a SCOTUS nomination.

  241. 241.

    Mandalay

    February 21, 2016 at 12:07 am

    @Splitting Image:

    I’m not sure why people are so dismissive of Hillary Clinton’s chances.

    Link or it didn’t happen.

  242. 242.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 21, 2016 at 12:09 am

    @efgoldman: The people that could most likely won’t. They won’t be able to bring themselves to break their oaths. The ideological entrepreneurs trying to motivate folks likely won’t either. Cliven Bundy didn’t want to fight, he wanted others to do so for him. His sons and Finicum didn’t want to abrogate their grazing arrangements, they wanted others to do it. Though in his defense, Finicum claimed he’d actually done this. Blaine Cooper didn’t stand his ground at the refuge, he slunk away through the wilderness area when everyone was focused on the newly erected cordon by the FBI. Stewart Rhodes from the Oathkeepers never left home. And on and on and on. There’s a lot of big talk, there’s not a lot of big action. And what action there is, the big talkers all immediately deny responsibility and hide behind the 1st Amendment.

  243. 243.

    sharl

    February 21, 2016 at 12:09 am

    Just took an unscientific (statistically insignificant) look at some of the tweets that were returned from a Twitter search on “Carson drop out”, and there are clearly some rattled and irked social conservatives out there, haha. A number of them are Cruz supporters, each one’s contempt presumably nourishing the ego of the Gifted Hands™ man, in light of that sordid business in Iowa with the dirty tricks done by Cruz operatives.

    The retired neurosurgeon’s invented autobiographical anecdotes (along with those helpfully created by others) weren’t enough in the end, but at least he’ll have these final days tormenting Cruz as a consolation prize.

    One or two in that small sampling were more of the anybody-but-Trump camp, religious folks who are skeptical that Trump is the yuuugest, best Christian there has ever been.
    __ __ __ __

    On another note, I don’t know what to make of this – Fox trying to set him up, or Fox coming to terms with his ballot successes?

    Jason Seher @jhseher

    Hannity announces he’ll have @realDonaldTrump for the full hour on Monday night, with a studio audience

    10:05 PM – 20 Feb 2016

    ..
    FYI/FWIW, Seher is a writer for Jake Tapper’s CNN show.

  244. 244.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    February 21, 2016 at 12:11 am

    @Adam L Silverman: I suspect it might require specialized CBT, and it’s a bit awkward to try to schedule a session on a day I’m there to teach. It also really confuses the folks at the front desk, who aren’t paid well enough to manage that kind of ambiguity.

    My habit is partly a professional (crim law) interest. And perhaps a bit of pathology as well.

  245. 245.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 21, 2016 at 12:12 am

    Did Hillary’s force field alter the deck of cards?

    “This woman had an intense presence”

    Just sayin

  246. 246.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 21, 2016 at 12:12 am

    @Adam L Silverman: Big talk is easy.

  247. 247.

    SiubhanDuinne, Annoying Scoundrel

    February 21, 2016 at 12:17 am

    @a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):

    Inorite? Sux.

  248. 248.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 21, 2016 at 12:20 am

    Nice, fresh overnight open thread now up and open for business.

  249. 249.

    different-church-lady

    February 21, 2016 at 12:21 am

    @Adam L Silverman: You’re really really trying to make sure I pull up the rear of every thread tonight, aren’t you?

  250. 250.

    benw

    February 21, 2016 at 12:21 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    The Force is strong in this one.

    But is it the light side, or the dark?

  251. 251.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 21, 2016 at 12:22 am

    @a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): To answer your question more seriously: I think they have been tracking Parker, and likely his brother as well, since the Bunkerville standoff in 2014. The issue, as always, is going to be can they bring him or them in in a way that doesn’t get out of control. My guess is that both Parker brothers have known they are on borrowed time since Cliven Bundy was indicted and several others were rounded up for the events in 2014.

  252. 252.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 21, 2016 at 12:23 am

    @Omnes Omnibus: It is. To quote Charles Pierce quoting Sam Spade: “the cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter”.

  253. 253.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 21, 2016 at 12:24 am

    @different-church-lady: Why play against type? You’ve found your niche, now exploit it for fun and profit!

  254. 254.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 21, 2016 at 12:25 am

    @Adam L Silverman: We’ll just make a mess of it.

  255. 255.

    different-church-lady

    February 21, 2016 at 12:26 am

    @Adam L Silverman: If I knew how to exploit that I wouldn’t need the talcum powder.

  256. 256.

    SFAW

    February 21, 2016 at 12:29 am

    @benw:

    But is it the light side, or the dark?

    Rye?

  257. 257.

    debbie

    February 21, 2016 at 12:30 am

    @sharl:

    Hannity supports Trump. It’ll be more of a fluff job.

    ETA: Dumb and Dumber: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/hannity-and-beck-finally-face-off-over-donald-trump/

  258. 258.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 21, 2016 at 12:30 am

    @SFAW: Or Irish.

  259. 259.

    SFAW

    February 21, 2016 at 12:33 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Sunday: Academy Awards with gorgeous gowns

    Don’t forget the CRASH-Bs! (Although I’d be willing to punt them to hang with G. Anderson.)

  260. 260.

    SFAW

    February 21, 2016 at 12:34 am

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Different kind of grain

  261. 261.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 21, 2016 at 12:35 am

    @SFAW: Nitpicker.

  262. 262.

    SFAW

    February 21, 2016 at 12:37 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Mildred Natwick’s “Hold me! Touch me!”

    The Producers?

  263. 263.

    SFAW

    February 21, 2016 at 12:38 am

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    You wouldn’t have it any other way.

  264. 264.

    Omnes Omnibus

    February 21, 2016 at 12:40 am

    @SFAW: W’evs.

  265. 265.

    sharl

    February 21, 2016 at 12:43 am

    @debbie: Thanks! I did not know that, only that Trump and Murdoch have butted heads on social media on a number of occasions. I assumed (clearly incorrectly) that the anti-Trump stance would apply throughout most of the Fox network, especially given Trump’s contentious situation with Megyn Kelly (sp?).

    I don’t know where Trump stands with Murdoch or Ailes, but even if those guys don’t like Trump, it’s probably good corporate politics to hedge their bets and let Hannity and maybe one or two other Fox folks continue to play nice with The Donald, just to keep the door open.

  266. 266.

    mclaren

    February 21, 2016 at 12:48 am

    @amk:

    Funny to see how people are using the past to predict the future while the future is happening right in front of their disbelieving eyes.

    Pro tip: if something in happening in front of your eyes, it is by definition the present and not the future.

  267. 267.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    February 21, 2016 at 12:50 am

    @SFAW: oooh I fuckin forgot Daytona 500 is tomorrow!

  268. 268.

    mclaren

    February 21, 2016 at 12:50 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    The good news is there is no chance another Bush will be president.
    I wouldn’t be too sure about that, there’s always “Bush, the Next Generation”.

    Yes, Jenna will surely make an awesome presidential candidate.

  269. 269.

    SFAW

    February 21, 2016 at 1:22 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    oooh I fuckin forgot Daytona 500 is tomorrow!

    Is that like the Chicago Eight Seven?

  270. 270.

    Original Lee

    February 21, 2016 at 1:29 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Oh, that makes more sense. He needs all the help with cognition he can get.

  271. 271.

    amk

    February 21, 2016 at 1:35 am

    Jeb Bush’s campaign and Justice Scalia buried on same day, allowing the country to part ways with 2 guys who got George W Bush elected.

  272. 272.

    Anne Laurie

    February 21, 2016 at 2:31 am

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I think they have been tracking Parker, and likely his brother as well, since the Bunkerville standoff in 2014.

    I haven’t been paying enough attention. When the first batch was arrested, I noticed on the tweetstreams/media that Parker was the only one with (a) actual military training & (b) not much easy-to-google social media presence. I wondered if he might be the FBI plant “everyone” was talking about — but I guess it makes more sense that he’s just more serious/sophisticated about not sharing his business with the whole eavesdropping world!

  273. 273.

    Anne Laurie

    February 21, 2016 at 2:37 am

    @mclaren:

    Jenna will surely make an awesome presidential candidate.

    The Bushes, like other royalists, don’t include females in the dynastic reckoning except as brood mares to be traded with other “well born” families. But Jeb’s kid George P. — one of the “little brown ones” per Grandpapa — already has his uncle’s old job as Texas land commissioner, so they’ll be back!

  274. 274.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 21, 2016 at 4:48 am

    I don’t want Jeb Bush’s balls, I just want him to go home.

  275. 275.

    Zinsky

    February 21, 2016 at 7:18 am

    @Frankensteinbeck: I would like to see Jebs rotten balls on a string hanging over Al Gores mantle, as payback for stealing the presidency from him!

  276. 276.

    BethanyAnne

    February 21, 2016 at 7:22 am

    @MomSense: No, no. Anita Hill.

  277. 277.

    PaulW

    February 21, 2016 at 8:43 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    THE ACE OF SPADES! THE ACE OF SPADES!!!!!!!!

    /Lemmy Lives

  278. 278.

    What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?

    February 21, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    @BR: I wouldn’t be too worried about the Donald. Trump is dismally unpopular with everyone outside the Republican base. That includes independents, with whom his net favorability rating is way negative. He looks reasonably popular in a GOP primary – where the people being polled are likely GOP voters – but in the general my guess is he’s going to tank hard. The Democratic candidate will get all Democratic votes and most of the independents. There’s no way a Republican candidate can win a majority if that happens.

    I actually think this year’s Republican convention could be a blue haired version of the 1968 Democratic convention with factions fighting in the seats, and my only hope is they’re not packing, but that’s a slim hope amongst the Republican electorate. On the other hand, a gun battle on the convention floor would doom the Republican party for decades, if not permanently, which would do the country good.

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