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You are here: Home / Politics / Lyin’ to the Races

Lyin’ to the Races

by Betty Cracker|  July 13, 20166:16 pm| 172 Comments

This post is in: Politics, Assholes

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Donald Trump lies a lot — so much that the individual falsehoods combine like lie-droplets to form a raging river of mendacity. Calling out every lie Trump tells would be a full-time job, and even people whose job it actually is — the Beltway press — aren’t up to the task.

In the morning thread comments, we briefly discussed a lie Trump told a couple of times yesterday: He claimed that BLM protests included a moment of silence for the cop killer. I’ll admit when I read that, it didn’t strike me as particularly ominous — Trump lies all the time, right? But I think Josh Marshall is right when he calls this a particularly pernicious lie. An excerpt:

Trump claimed that people – “somebody” – called for a moment of silence for mass killer Micah Johnson, the now deceased mass shooter who killed five police officers in Dallas on Thursday night. There is no evidence this ever happened. Searches of the web and social media showed no evidence. Even Trump’s campaign co-chair said today that he can’t come up with any evidence that it happened. As in the case of the celebrations over the fall of the twin towers, even to say there’s ‘no evidence’ understates the matter. This didn’t happen. Trump made it up.

The language is important: “When somebody called for a moment of silence to this maniac that shot the five police, you just see what’s going on. It’s a very, very sad situation.”

Then later at the Indiana rally: “The other night you had 11 cities potentially in a blow-up stage. Marches all over the United States—and tough marches. Anger. Hatred. Hatred! Started by a maniac! And some people ask for a moment of silence for him. For the killer!”

A would-be strong man, an authoritarian personality, isn’t just against disorder and violence. They need disorder and violence. That is their raison d’etre, it is the problem that they are purportedly there to solve. The point bears repeating: authoritarian figures require violence and disorder. Look at the language. “11 cities potentially in a blow up stage” .. “Anger. Hatred. Hatred! Started by a maniac!” … “And some people ask for a moment of silence for him. For the killer…”

We’re used to so much nonsense and so many combustible tirades from Trump that we become partly inured to them. We also don’t slow down and look at precisely what he’s saying. What he’s saying here is that millions of African-Americans are on the streets inspired by and protesting on behalf of a mass murderer of white cops… This is not simply false. It is the kind of wild racist incitement that puts whole societies in danger…

Trump’s entire campaign is built on the premise that the country is in the toilet and needs rescuing by…Trump. We certainly have problems, not least of which is a structurally racist justice system.

But crime rates are at historic lows. So what does a “law and order” candidate do if there’s not a real law and order problem — or at least not one of the type that he is proposing to address? Like a private sector firefighter who drums up business via arson, he lies to foment division, distrust and fear.

In the early days after the Dallas shooting, I wondered if someone had muzzled Trump. He didn’t immediately resort to fear-mongering and bigotry as he did after the Orlando shooting. He even acknowledged the pain of the families of Mr. Castile and Mr. Sterling. Looks like the muzzle is off.

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Reader Interactions

172Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 6:20 pm

    The lizards just called. They want us to stop insulting them by suggesting that they have the same brains as Trump supporters.

  2. 2.

    JenJen

    July 13, 2016 at 6:25 pm

    Really trying not to freak out over these increasingly disturbing Quinnipiac battleground state polls.

  3. 3.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 6:25 pm

    BTW, while I haven’t followed every news report, everything I’ve seen so far indicates that Hillary has been strong on this issue and has not cowered in fear of what the Village might say.

  4. 4.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 6:28 pm

    @JenJen: Hillary is doing better than Obama was at this time in 2012.

  5. 5.

    FlyingToaster

    July 13, 2016 at 6:30 pm

    @JenJen: I’m beginning to think that Quinnipiac is the Rasmussen of 2016.

  6. 6.

    dmsilev

    July 13, 2016 at 6:31 pm

    @JenJen: They’re pretty outlier-ish. For instance, NBC released a PA poll this afternoon showing Clinton up 6, which is a lot closer to the predominant range. Maybe Q is on to something, or maybe they’re using a bonkers ethnic weighting or something.

  7. 7.

    Schlemazel Khan

    July 13, 2016 at 6:31 pm

    NO! ITS TRUE! The same Muslims Drumpf saw cheering on 9/11 held guns to people heads and forced a full minute of silence for the shooter in Dallas. He saw it with his own eyes so it must be true.

  8. 8.

    BR

    July 13, 2016 at 6:31 pm

    I agree completely with Josh Marshall about Trump inciting violence.

    But it’s not enough to just to say he made it up, which he did. I think we need more of the Dallas Morning News editorial, which needs to be seen by a million more people (and I hope everyone posts it everywhere). It really spoke to me and somehow broke through my cynicism. This picture in particular.

    Maybe FDR’s quote is relevant — it’s fear that will compound itself. If we see that others can put aside their fear, we can put aside ours — it’s mutually reinforcing. And the media can choose to reinforce it or to dampen it.

  9. 9.

    Culture of Truth

    July 13, 2016 at 6:32 pm

    But the NYT says Hillary Clinton is a hypocrite for criticizing Trump at a time when we need national unity.

  10. 10.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    July 13, 2016 at 6:33 pm

    Dunno if this has been posted here yet, but here ya go anyway:

    In March 2008, Trump Said “I Know [Hillary Clinton] and She’d Make a Good President”

    Hehehe.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  11. 11.

    satby

    July 13, 2016 at 6:34 pm

    I’m pushing the “he’s a racist, you’re voting for a racist” at people who seem Drumpf curious. Even racists don’t want to be labelled as one; well except for hardcore skinheads.

  12. 12.

    MJS

    July 13, 2016 at 6:34 pm

    @JenJen: When you feel like freaking out, take comfort in the fact that former Presidents Dukakis, McCain and Romney can provide great insight into how meaningful one pool this far out really is.

  13. 13.

    Aleta

    July 13, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    If there exists a political IQ, the average would by definition be 100. Fear and anger cause tunnel vision and a rush for the quickest way out, or else for a tough guy to stand behind. Dangerous times despite good people everywhere.

  14. 14.

    Hildebrand

    July 13, 2016 at 6:37 pm

    I really want the media to go after him for this one – every damn reporter should be asking him, ‘what evidence do you have of the moment of silence?’ Every day. Every interview. This one really pisses me off because it so much weapons-grade Alex Jones level bullshit.

  15. 15.

    Mai.naem.mobile

    July 13, 2016 at 6:37 pm

    Trump is followimg Nixons strategy right down to the enemies list. Don’t forget Roger Stone, a Nixon guy, is advising him. Law and order is a Nixon meme.

  16. 16.

    Roger Moore

    July 13, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    So what does a “law and order” candidate do if there’s not a real law and order problem — or at least not one of the type that he is proposing to address?

    Everyone should understand that “law and order” is just a dog whistle for keeping uppity Others in line. That’s what it meant when Nixon used it, that’s what it’s meant when Republicans since him have used it, and that what it means when Trump uses it. It’s the same basic thing as him talking about how we have to fix this, that, or the other thing “or we won’t have a country left”. He means We won’t have a country left because They will be in control. It’s a rare instance of him using a dog whistle rather than a fog horn.

  17. 17.

    debbie

    July 13, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    NPR (yes, yes, I know) had a really very good interview with the founders of BLM. Ari Shapiro’s a putz, but he let them each speak at length without interruption.

    The audio’s not available just yet (it ran just an hour ago), but I really recommend listening to it once it’s been posted.

  18. 18.

    john fremont

    July 13, 2016 at 6:41 pm

    @Schlemazel Khan: This. Also too, Hillary lied about sniper fire in Bosnia, so both sides do it!

  19. 19.

    BR

    July 13, 2016 at 6:42 pm

    @satby:

    Iowa Mom here had a great suggestion, which is to just say “I don’t want it on my conscience. Everyone needs to decide what fits their conscience and impacts others’ lives.” etc. Might work better on some folks.

  20. 20.

    BR

    July 13, 2016 at 6:42 pm

    I still think the best way to counter fear is not by directly attacking its source, but by what I posted above — the Dallas Morning News editorial and things like it. And what Obama said.

  21. 21.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    @BR: I like that approach myself. It avoids the excuse that voting for Trump is somehow cool because it’s rebellious.

  22. 22.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    Based on the title, I was sure this was going to be a DougJ joint.

  23. 23.

    GregB

    July 13, 2016 at 6:45 pm

    Has Trump chimed in on Theresa May curtsying before the Queen?

    Very weak!

  24. 24.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    July 13, 2016 at 6:45 pm

    @JenJen: NBC and FoxNews both have polls out that show her much stronger than the Q. I think Fox polls have actually been pretty reliable as far as candidates go, when the wording can’t be played with as much.

  25. 25.

    geg6

    July 13, 2016 at 6:50 pm

    @JenJen:

    Meanwhile, the Marist poll shows Hilz up. I try not to get too excited about polls this early, but what I’ve seen so far this year is that Q polls are consistently over sampling Republicans. Which is a Rasmussen trick. So I’m treating them the same way as I do Rasmussen polls. Which is as a consistent outlier.

  26. 26.

    Betty Cracker

    July 13, 2016 at 6:51 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Awesome song, though, isn’t it?

  27. 27.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    @Betty Cracker: Damn straight. I wasn’t criticizing or expressing disappointment.

  28. 28.

    Elizabelle

    July 13, 2016 at 6:54 pm

    Who here thinks the convention might wrest the nomination away from Trump?

    WaPost opinion piece (and I have no idea who; not wasting a click on this story):

    headline: Former Republican Senator: Kasich must step forward as an alternative to Trump

    (probably some soon to be former Republican Senators thinking that too.)

    Any guesses on who this particular whinge-ass is?

  29. 29.

    JGabriel

    July 13, 2016 at 6:54 pm

    Betty Cracker @ Top:

    In the early days after the Dallas shooting, I wondered if someone had muzzled Trump. He didn’t immediately resort to fear-mongering and bigotry as he did after the Orlando shooting.

    Trump tried to go the fear-mongering route in the immediate aftermath of Dallas, but couldn’t get the venue he wanted. From Josh Marshall:

    Trump Tried to Hustle Friday Photo Op with NYPD

    According to New York City Police Chief Bill Bratton, Donald Trump tried to hustle a photo op today with the NYPD, the afternoon after the ambush murders in Dallas. This morning as the news was unfolding, Trump’s “head of security” Keith Schiller asked that Trump be granted permission to speak at a 3 p.m. roll call at the NYPD Midtown North Precinct.

    Bratton rejected the idea, telling reporters the NYPD wasn’t there to provide candidate photo ops.

  30. 30.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    Kasich must step forward as an alternative to Trump

    He did. In the primary. And lost badly.

    @JGabriel:

    I don’t get to say this often, but good for Bratton.

  31. 31.

    Felonius Monk

    July 13, 2016 at 6:58 pm

    Sign soon to be seen on the Port-o-Johns at Trump rallies: “Take a Dump for Drumpf!”

  32. 32.

    JGabriel

    July 13, 2016 at 6:59 pm

    @FlyingToaster:

    I’m beginning to think that Quinnipiac is the Rasmussen of 2016.

    Q-Pac has always had a mild to moderate R house bias, at least for the last several elections. I don’t think it’s politically motivated though, not in the way it clearly is in Rasmussen’s case. Q-Pac just tends to poll slightly more white people than some of the other pollsters – I think maybe they’re still relying on landlines, or have an outdated landline to cell phone ratio.

  33. 33.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    July 13, 2016 at 7:00 pm

    TheHill: Poll – Trump has Zero Black Support in Ohio and Pennsylvania

    He’s got MoeMentum! Bigly!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  34. 34.

    Elizabelle

    July 13, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    @Baud: Yeah, that’s what’s so amusing. Not like Kasich hasn’t been trying to step forward. They keep moving the spotlight: Look! Trump is doing … something.

    And how mingey of the WaPost to make you click to find out what former Senator. Not gonna fall for that clickbait.

  35. 35.

    dr. bloor

    July 13, 2016 at 7:02 pm

    @geg6:

    Meanwhile, the Marist poll shows Hilz up. I try not to get too excited about polls this early, but what I’ve seen so far this year is that Q polls are consistently over sampling Republicans. Which is a Rasmussen trick. So I’m treating them the same way as I do Rasmussen polls. Which is as a consistent outlier.

    The other thing is that polls are being pinched out be organizations so frequently that outliers are inevitable. The press will always run with whichever one guarantees the most eyeballs.

    Although I have to say I don’t mind. I don’t want to see anyone get complacent. I want our side running to the voting booth this November like they’re being chased by Godzilla.

  36. 36.

    MomSense

    July 13, 2016 at 7:02 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    Who knows. I just hope that Cleveland gets through this event without anything terrible happening.

  37. 37.

    Keith G

    July 13, 2016 at 7:04 pm

    @JenJen:
    Grab a glass of pinot, find a comfy chair, and check out what 538 is reporting and relax a bit.

    Want More? Check out Sam Wang’s electoral college map.

    Nothing is certain and there is much work ahead, but we are in a good place heading in a good direction.

  38. 38.

    Technocrat

    July 13, 2016 at 7:04 pm

    Josh Marshall has been killing it lately. His insights into Trumpism have been consistently illuminating.

    ETA:

    Looks like the muzzle is off.

    I’m guessing Ivanka left his phone unlocked.

  39. 39.

    starscream

    July 13, 2016 at 7:04 pm

    White privilege is thinking “even if Trump wins, at least it’ll only be four years.”

  40. 40.

    SFAW

    July 13, 2016 at 7:05 pm

    @Baud:

    but good for Bratton.

    Any guy that can piss off/on Giuliani and Trump is A-OK in my book.

  41. 41.

    SFAW

    July 13, 2016 at 7:07 pm

    @starscream:

    White privilege

    That ain’t “privilege,” it’s cranio-rectal insertion.

  42. 42.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:09 pm

    BLACK LIVES MATTER, EXPLAINED, FOR PEOPLE WHO STILL SOMEHOW DON’T FREAKIN GET IT
    Damon Young, 7/13/16

    What is Black Lives Matter?

    Black Lives Matter is a social justice and activism movement founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. It derives from the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, created in 2013 in response to George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin.

    It uses non-violent means — hashtag activism, protests, marches, die-ins, and intentional social disruptions — to both mobilize people interested in spreading their message and, most notably, to force people who are either apathetic about or antagonistic to it to pay attention.

    And while the media has appointed several prominent people — the founding women, Deray McKesson, Johnetta Elzie, and Shaun King, to name a few — as “leaders,” there’s no concretized hierarchy or organizational structure.

    Also, while the Black Lives Matter movement is relatively new, it has actually existed for decades. Centuries, even.

  43. 43.

    Trollhattan

    July 13, 2016 at 7:11 pm

    @JenJen:
    Always start here.

  44. 44.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:14 pm

    My Melanin-Deficient Readers Respond to Negotiate Terms of #BLAXIT
    Awesomely Luvvie — July 12, 2016

    Yesterday, I published a post on what Black folks will take with us if we decided to make our exit (BLAXIT) from the United States. It was jumped off by Ulysses Burley III at The Salt Collective and basically, we are taking EVERYTHING awesome. Because we created/invented/brought them.

    My white readers realized that they will be left with emptiness, and their comments made me howl. Some negotiated, some hit their wall slide, and some insisted we bring them with us. My Asian and Latinx sisters replied too, because they will be on our side: because minority solidarity.

    Here are some of the conversations, from my comments and my Awesomely Luvvie Facebook Page.

    Melissa: Heavens, I think us white people are down to dried peas and smallpox.

    Josh: I’m just a white dude but I will miss most of this too much. Can I come along if I promise to be cool?

    Tesha: Josh, because you asked nicely (and because we might need some manual laborers in Onyxica), yes, you may join us. Just know your stay will be subject to periodic reviews and you’ll be rooming with Wayne Brady.

    Lauren: You’re going to leave kitten heels aren’t you? Just for spite.

    Luvvie: Hell yeah. We want this to hurt.

    Carly: I like kitten heels. My beauties, I will barter with you. I am going to create the IBJLC, the International Black-Jewish Lady Coalition, it will make NAFTA look like a joke. Mmmm, you’re gonna want some of this pastrami on rye, Donna Karan knits and polio vaccines. I will trade you some Law for some Jazz. <3

    Jessica: We gotta take the polio vaccine and any other medicinal breakthrough based of the use of HeLa cells. Just saying.

    Cynthia: Welp. With that, white society has been annihilated.

  45. 45.

    Trollhattan

    July 13, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    @Betty Cracker:
    Have seen Mavis twice in the last couple years. The lady is a force of nature and a gen-you-wine link to history. I want to take her home and have her tell stories for the next five years.

  46. 46.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    July 13, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    CNN has “Christie is Trump’s Gut; Trump kids want Pence” chryron in huge block letters on the screen during a segment on his VP pick.

    It’s not even “the jokes write themselves” at this point, CNN is just giving up and writing jokes so you don’t have to bother.

  47. 47.

    Matt McIrvin

    July 13, 2016 at 7:16 pm

    @FlyingToaster: Rasmussen is the Rasmussen of 2016. They’ve been putting out national polls showing Trump +4 for a while now.

  48. 48.

    Trollhattan

    July 13, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    @Culture of Truth:
    Same way it’s been eight years of Republican hands off Obama because he’s the president during a time of war. Remember that?

  49. 49.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:21 pm

    VAPolitical
    ‏@VAPolitical
    Donald Trump wants to block release of his Trump University testimony via @FortuneMagazine

  50. 50.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    Katie Schoolov
    ‏@KatieSchoolov
    VP Biden: for those who didn’t like me for pushing the automobile bailout, “go to hell, it worked.” @portofsandiego

  51. 51.

    Formerly disgruntled Clinton supporter

    July 13, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    @srv: That Colbert segment was really stupid, out of character, and reeks of CBS executive intervention. Pretty disappointed in Stephen after seeing that yesterday.

  52. 52.

    Trollhattan

    July 13, 2016 at 7:25 pm

    @rikyrah:
    Didn’t think Handsome Joe had been saving any up after the last election, but evidently we now have NMFTG Joe Ver. 2.0. You go, Joe!

  53. 53.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:25 pm

    Gregory Korte ‏@gregorykorte 5h5 hours ago Washington, DC

    White House @PressSec Josh Earnest on Justice Ginsburg’s Trump comments: “She didn’t earn the nickname the notorious RBG for nothing.”

  54. 54.

    Emma

    July 13, 2016 at 7:25 pm

    @rikyrah: Uncle Joe never had any fvcks to give.

  55. 55.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    @rikyrah:

    Hahahaha.

  56. 56.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    July 13, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    Martin Longman (Booman):

    Ever since Sam Wang pointed out that presidential polling is the most inaccurate from May – July, I’ve been trying to avoid paying any attention to them….
    But today something happened with polling that tells us more about the media than it does about the candidates. The day began with screaming headlines like this one from Politico: “Swing-state stunner: Trump has edge in key states.” Nice alliteration, huh? What we have is a “swing-state stunner” from Quinnipiac showing that Trump is leading Clinton in Florida and Pennsylvania, while they’re tied in Ohio. What is most stunning to the authors is that “in Pennsylvania — which hasn’t voted for a Republican presidential nominee since 1988 — Trump leads, 43 percent to 41 percent.” Notice that they didn’t say that Trump is leading Clinton in this particular poll. They simply say, “Trump leads…” That was posted at 6:00 am (EDT).
    Seven and a half hours later, Politico reports swing-state polling that doesn’t appear to be “stunning.” An NBC/WSJ/Marist poll has Clinton leading Trump in Pennsylvania by 9 points. They also show her leading Trump by 2 points in Iowa and tied in Ohio.

  57. 57.

    azlib

    July 13, 2016 at 7:31 pm

    @JenJen:

    Really trying not to freak out over these increasingly disturbing Quinnipiac battleground state polls.

    Read http://election.princeton.edu. One poll does not a trend make. We will have to wait to see if Quinnipiac is on to something or just has a bad likely voter screen. In any case Sam Wang has some really cool analysis and methodologies.

  58. 58.

    Mike J

    July 13, 2016 at 7:33 pm

    Seattle Police Dept. ‏@SeattlePD 1 hour ago
    Unable to confirm reports of a hate crime in the Central District. Anyone with info, PLEASE call 911 or DM us.

    screenshot of report

  59. 59.

    PsiFighter37

    July 13, 2016 at 7:37 pm

    @Formerly disgruntled Clinton supporter: Colbert’s ratings are not so hot, so he’s invariably going to try to play to ‘both sides’.

    In hindsight, leaving Comedy Central was a big mistake on his part. Great opportunity, but he’s too niche.

  60. 60.

    Joyce H

    July 13, 2016 at 7:37 pm

    @satby:

    I’m pushing the “he’s a racist, you’re voting for a racist” at people who seem Drumpf curious. Even racists don’t want to be labelled as one; well except for hardcore skinheads.

    I have an idea that I’d like to see get some play, so pass it on. I’m calling it the Trump Speech Challenge. Anyone who says they’re going to vote for Trump, might vote for Trump, or will reluctantly vote for Trump because they’re really voting against Hillary – issue the Challenge.

    Before they can cast a vote for Trump, they have to listen to an entire Trump rally speech, beginning to end. Not the scheduled ‘important’ ‘policy’ speeches that he reads off a teleprompter. The real unscripted stream-of-consciousness rally speech. It shouldn’t be hard, seems like they get televised live and uncut. The Trump or Trump-curious voter needs to watch and listen to an entire speech. The only reason they can cut it short and turn off the television is if they say to themselves with complete conviction, “I could never vote for that man.”

    I think this would really work with a lot of the Trump-curious and those who say they are voting for ‘the nominee of my party’. I can’t watch more than a few minutes myself, but the man leaps from subject to subject like a jumping bean, he hits a point and repeats himself over and over, he does his childish imitations, he lies so blatantly that a viewer can catch it in the moment, he spews hatred, and the whole speech is about ME ME ME ME.

    I think very few people can stand to watch an entire Trump rally speech and walk away from it without becoming convinced that the man lacks the temperament, the knowledge, and the decency to hold any public office, must less the Presidency. Not just that he’s probably not the best fit for the office, but that he would be uniquely dangerous in the office.

    Try it with your friends and co-workers – issue the Challenge.

  61. 61.

    eclare

    July 13, 2016 at 7:37 pm

    @Formerly disgruntled Clinton supporter: Agree, so disappointed because I loved him on the Report. He is now occasionally funny, but not witty, and often stupid enough to make you wince.

  62. 62.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:38 pm

    MediaiteVerified account
    ‏@Mediaite
    Trump Says He Has No Intention of Pivoting to a More ‘Controlled, Presidential’ Mode

  63. 63.

    MomSense

    July 13, 2016 at 7:41 pm

    @efgoldman:

    NO!! I have a hunch the people who don’t get into the convention center may be even scarier than the delegates this year especially since all the open carry wahoos plan to be there.

  64. 64.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:44 pm

    Awesomely LuvvieVerified account
    ‏@Luvvie
    I have been laughing at the video of Dubya getting his sway and smile on to the Battle Hymn for 4 hours. George jolly AF at a funeral.

    Awesomely LuvvieVerified account
    ‏@Luvvie
    And FLOTUS Shellie had that grip on Dubya and looked like she was thinking “Fix it, Jesus.” It is priceless. Dubya is a grown toddler.

  65. 65.

    Betty Cracker

    July 13, 2016 at 7:45 pm

    @dr. bloor:

    I want our side running to the voting booth this November like they’re being chased by Godzilla.

    Damn straight!

  66. 66.

    debbie

    July 13, 2016 at 7:45 pm

    @Elizabelle:

    John Kasich would happily step up, only no one’s asked him to.

  67. 67.

    Shell

    July 13, 2016 at 7:46 pm

    even if Trump wins, at least it’ll only be four years.”

    Hmmm, isnt that what they said about Dubya?

  68. 68.

    raven

    July 13, 2016 at 7:46 pm

    Big Jim will be making the long ride from Phoenix to Cleveland to be in Cleveland during the convention and he sent a letter to his fellow bikers telling them why they should join him. In a copy of the letter provided to Breitbart News he says:

    The fact of the matter is we have become a nation of slaves… Now more than ever we need to come together as a nation and stand against tyranny and corruption. We need to stand against paid thugs and show them that things are done differently in America. If we don’t stand now, in Cleveland we are giving it to the third world thugs and will never get it back. We will soon be like every other cess pool of socialism or communism that these people are coming from and the things that we are so addicted to, that kept us from standing up will be gone and we will be powerless, living life the way we are told to live it. Our lives will be worthless and meaningless.

  69. 69.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    NYPD cop secretly records supervisor pressuring him to racially profile black men

    Here’s Audio of What Sounds Like an NYPD Captain Pressuring an Officer to Target Black Men
    13 JUL 2016 AT 14:19 ET

    Gawker has posted an audio recording provided to them by an NYPD officer that seems to be an exchange in which the officer is being pressured to profile black men.

    The recording was made in August 2012 during a performance evaluation of New York transit officer Michael Birch. He was expecting a routine evaluation, but instead he told Gawker, “the conversation just turned completely weird to me. Because he’s basically telling me it’s OK to racially profile.”

    In the recording, his supervising captain can be heard criticizing him for only stopping two black men out of 54 people.

    “Two male blacks,” the man’s voice can be heard saying. “So you’re telling me you only saw two male blacks jump the turnstile?”

    Birch is currently suing the department, claiming he has been retaliated against for being a whistleblower on an illegal quota system. While his original case was dismissed, he’s filed an appeal with a higher court, Gawker reports. The New York Daily News reported on the tape but didn’t publish it at the time. The Daily News says the supervisor in the tape is NYPD Capt. Constantin Tsachas.

  70. 70.

    Betty Cracker

    July 13, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    @Joyce H: I like it!

  71. 71.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    Neil King ✔ @NKingofDC
    Ohio white voters:
    Trump, 43%
    Clinton, 33%

    Ohio black voters:
    Trump, 0%
    Clinton, 88%

    — WSJ/NBC/Marist poll
    1:41 PM – 13 Jul 2016

  72. 72.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    @raven:

    Our lives will be worthless and meaningless.

    Will be?

  73. 73.

    The Thin Black Duke

    July 13, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    Here’s Samarai Frog of Electronic Cerebrectomy with a few words on Trump:

    It goes like this: no matter who you are–friend, family member, casual acquaintance, frequent commenter, whomever–if you support Donald Trump for President of the United States, never speak to me again.

    It’s that simple.

    If you support this bigot, this racist, this climate change denier, this advocate for the lax gun regulations that lead to regular massacres, you are not the kind of person I will listen to. You are not reasonable. And if you can overlook such things because of some other empty campaign promise, you’re a coward.

    I’m not one of those “Well, I have to keep peace with this racist or Islamophobe or homophobe or misogynist or gun evangelist because I’m related to him/her” kind of people. I’m sick of living in your world.

    And if you want something that affects me even more personally, this is a guy who wants to repeal Obamacare, which is something that I need to live. If you think I don’t have the right to live because I happen to be poor and handicapped, then why, oh, why would I ever need to talk to you? You don’t respect me. Why bother trying to talk to someone who doesn’t even respect that I should be alive?

    No, fuck Trump. And if you support him, I don’t want you in my life.

  74. 74.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    AP PoliticsVerified account‏@AP_Politics

    BREAKING: Donald Trump seeks $10 million from former campaign aide, alleges breach of confidentiality agreement.

  75. 75.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    @rikyrah: Sometimes I wish we could give black voters the Medal of Honor.

  76. 76.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 7:51 pm

    @The Thin Black Duke:

    It goes like this: no matter who you are–friend, family member, casual acquaintance, frequent commenter, whomever–if you support Donald Trump for President of the United States, never speak to me again.

    I agree wholeheartedly. Fascist is as as fascist does.

  77. 77.

    MomSense

    July 13, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    @rikyrah:

    Hahahaha!

    “Grown toddler”! I had the same thought when I saw the video.

  78. 78.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    Sam Jackson beginners guide to GoT

    LMAO

  79. 79.

    Tazj

    July 13, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Well, they have a narrative to push and bills to pay along with most of the media so they won’t be deterred. The NBC/Marist poll came out around 1pm but that wasn’t interesting enough news to them. There were also polls today from Colorodo showing Clinton with a nice lead.

    Thank goodness for Joy Reid, Al Giordano, Eric Boehlert, Oliver Willis and their Twitter feeds. You get good information, and they keep nervous nelly Democrats like me sane.

  80. 80.

    ThresherK

    July 13, 2016 at 7:57 pm

    @rikyrah: Given the MofE, couldn’t Trump be actually in negative numbers with black voters in Ohio?

  81. 81.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 7:58 pm

    Neil King ✔ @NKingofDC
    Pennsylvania white voters:
    Trump, 40%
    Clinton, 40%

    Pennsylvania black voters:
    Trump, 0%
    Clinton, 91%

    — WSJ/NBC/Marist poll
    1:50 PM – 13 Jul 2016

  82. 82.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 8:04 pm

    ATLANTA – CBS46 producer fired over racist rants about Black Lives Matter on Facebook
    July 13, 2016

    FTVLive earlier today posted three Facebook rants by an Emmy-winning CBS46 photographer/producer Charles Beau Menefee in which he insulted the Black Lives Matter movement, calling them “unevolved, uncivilized turds” and wondering if the protesters could be boxed in and bombed.

    In fact, he wished death upon members of the group at least twice.

    Mark Pimental, general manager at CBS46, said Menefee has been fired, sending me a note informing the staff of his departure with his employee photo included.

  83. 83.

    hovercraft

    July 13, 2016 at 8:06 pm

    Trump is losing, even with the Q poll today showing him up in Florida which I find hard to believe, and tied in Ohio, winning those two would still make him a loser. Hillary had the beltway media declare her a wounded candidate because of Comey last week and these polls are from after his presser. And still after we were told she would take a big hit, she’s still ahead. So Trump is going back to the tried and true NY playbook for republicans. Fox and the NY Post have spent years race baiting in New York every single day, and Trump has been playing right along side them the whole time, even when he was supposedly a democrat. From housing discrimination, to the Central Park five, he has been a racist. He now is trying to follow the Gulliani method of stoking racial hate and fear to get elected. When the villagers talk about America’s Mayor, we who know him best have always know him as New York’s racist mayor who we could never support. It’s no accident that Trump had a regular perch on Fox and Friends for years, they built him up because he went on the show to promote racist bullshit like the birther shit.
    This nonsense about a moment of silence and the 9/11 celebration is to make white America believe that the rest of us hate this country, and only they love it, and they must vote for the gop to save it from those people taking it over and destroying it. And by destroying it they mean not punishing those people enough, property owning straight people (mostly men) are the the rightful owners of this country, and anyone who does not recognize this hates America.
    His schtick is not working as well as he needs it to, so he’s dialing up the racist crap to bring more white people to his side. Hey white people you may not like me, but we need to stick together because those people want to kill first the cops and then they’re coming for us.

  84. 84.

    Kathleen

    July 13, 2016 at 8:06 pm

    @BR: Thank you so much for sharing that. I shared on Facebook and Twitter.

  85. 85.

    eclare

    July 13, 2016 at 8:06 pm

    @Baud: I think it was Samantha Bee who had a bit on this, that every white person terrified of Trump owes a POC a free meal for keeping them from doom.

  86. 86.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 8:07 pm

    Washington PostVerified account
    ‏@washingtonpost
    Washington got rich during George W. Bush’s presidency. Not so much under Obama

  87. 87.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    July 13, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    @PsiFighter37: In hindsight, leaving Comedy Central was a big mistake on his part. Great opportunity, but he’s too niche.

    I can see where playing that character would’ve been exhausting, and from what I’ve read his kinda nerdy nice guy persona on the Late Show is much closer to his real self, but it does not make for great TV

  88. 88.

    Steve in the ATL

    July 13, 2016 at 8:10 pm

    @efgoldman: I gave you a shoutout at the end of the Notorious RBG thread last night, but it was after all the cool kids had moved to a newer, shinier thread.

  89. 89.

    pacem appellant

    July 13, 2016 at 8:14 pm

    I hate the “one job” meme, but I think it makes things simple for the tradional media. Trump has a very short list of “one job” tasks. Tax returns. Cite that. If the media cannot pound the candidate with those two questions from now until election day, they can hand in their 5th rail badges.

  90. 90.

    Kathleen

    July 13, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    @Formerly disgruntled Clinton supporter: There’s not one funny line in that whole spiel. I really detest cliched, obvious, trite, lazy “satire”. A tad OT, but I think that’s one of the reasons Obama despises MoDo. Her zingers are predictable and obvious and her intellect is lazy. Disappointed in Steven. He’s too brilliant for that.

  91. 91.

    JPL

    July 13, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    @rikyrah: Ben Swann has the evening and night news at the station. He does a segment called Reality Check. He believes in a lot of the conspiracy theories, which is why I turned them off. It’s not a surprise that one of the producers, went off the rails. btw, The producer was released from another station, and they hired extra security after he was let go for the local CBS.

  92. 92.

    BR

    July 13, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    @Kathleen:

    @BR: Thank you so much for sharing that. I shared on Facebook and Twitter.

    Great — I hope many folks do.

    I’m not a huge star wars fan but there’s truth in it (probably lifted from Eastern philosophy) that you can’t fight against the dark side, because that makes it stronger. You have to draw others toward you, not fight, to strengthen the forces of good.

  93. 93.

    JPL

    July 13, 2016 at 8:19 pm

    @rikyrah: Ben Swann is the local CBS reporter. He has a lot of baggage on his own, since there isn’t a conspiracy theory, he doesn’t believe.

  94. 94.

    Kathleen

    July 13, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    @efgoldman: I can’t say this enough. I’m so glad Rethugs did not pick Cincinnati (which was also in contention).

  95. 95.

    Kathleen

    July 13, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    @JPL: He was a local reporter on Fox affiliate. Smarmy little weasel. (With apologies to weasels everywhere).

  96. 96.

    ingrediorum

    July 13, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    @rikyrah:
    “Donald Trump wants to block release of his Trump University testimony via @FortuneMagazine”

    Perhaps he should hold his hankie over it and stroke slower.

  97. 97.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    The Lovely Plains
    ‏@DaRiverZkind
    #23Ways @Beyonce @Pharrell What Gets You Killed If You’re Black in America #BlackLivesMatter

  98. 98.

    Kathleen

    July 13, 2016 at 8:25 pm

    @rikyrah: Mainslime Media Pundits: #blackvotesdontmatter

  99. 99.

    Kathleen

    July 13, 2016 at 8:29 pm

    @BR: Yes. I think the editorial and the video prove the truth of that.

  100. 100.

    Cat48

    July 13, 2016 at 8:31 pm

    @dmsilev:

    Norm Ornstein said the Q polls were too white. He wrote an Opinion piece for the New York Times. He feels POC are not polled correctly.

  101. 101.

    Redshift

    July 13, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    Don’t get worked up about single polls. Single polls are only useful for clickbait and wishful thinking. I know it can be hard, but try to only pay attention to the aggregates. Sam Wang is the best, imho.

  102. 102.

    gene108

    July 13, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    @JenJen:

    Really trying not to freak out over these increasingly disturbing Quinnipiac battleground state polls.

    I am not sure about FL polls, but every once in awhile there’s a PA poll showing Trump beating Clinton. Those polls usually end up being outliers.

    Given that Trump will probably has a floor of 45% of the vote from people, who will never vote for a Democrat, Hillary’s leads in some states, though steady are not huge.

    Battleground states are not called battleground states because they are a lock for one candidate or the other.

  103. 103.

    Matt McIrvin

    July 13, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    @efgoldman:

    Pretty much. Are they the one that *only* contacts people by landline?

    A bunch of pollsters do that. Most of them adjust their sample according to some model to make sure the ethnic breakdown, etc. matches some reasonable model of the electorate. If I recall correctly, Quinnipiac doesn’t.

  104. 104.

    Fair Economist

    July 13, 2016 at 8:35 pm

    @rikyrah:

    BREAKING: Donald Trump seeks $10 million from former campaign aide, alleges breach of confidentiality agreement.

    Once again, Trump needs money!

  105. 105.

    rikyrah

    July 13, 2016 at 8:35 pm

    Abby D. PhillipVerified account
    ‏@abbydphillip
    Must watch: @SenatorTimScott talks about being profiled, accused of impersonating a Senator by capitol police:

  106. 106.

    liberal

    July 13, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    @Schlemazel Khan: Actually, there _was_ cheering on 9/11. By a bunch of Israelis connected with their spy service, watching the towers come down from NJ.

  107. 107.

    burnspbesq

    July 13, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    @MomSense:

    I just hope that Cleveland gets through this event without anything terrible happening.

    Cleveland deserves to be burned to the ground for harboring the evil Jonathan Adler.

    /kidding a little, but not entirely

  108. 108.

    Humdog

    July 13, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    I have found more luck labeling Trump a con man than a racist. It seems some Trump curious will find a way to deny his and their own racism as not really being racist. But when you say, “I know you are too smart to fall for a bigoted con man,” they want to show they are too smart to be fooled. Examples of Trump steaks and leaving investors and T University students losing money getting conned into believing him has invariably led them to say they would not fall for such a con. yMMV

  109. 109.

    Pogonip

    July 13, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    @Baud: Oh, stop pandering to the Reptilian-American vote.

  110. 110.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    @liberal: Link?

  111. 111.

    Cat48

    July 13, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    @Culture of Truth:

    The Nyt needs to read that article about how racist trump is. It goes on forever & is in their paper today.

  112. 112.

    gene108

    July 13, 2016 at 8:39 pm

    @GregB:

    Has Trump chimed in on Theresa May curtsying before the Queen?

    Very weak

    She should have bowed like a real man! How effeminate!

  113. 113.

    Matt McIrvin

    July 13, 2016 at 8:40 pm

    @Redshift: Sam Wang’s aggregate EV count just jinked way down because there was a cluster of four polls that just came out showing Trump ahead in Florida, enough to dominate his median calculations. Two of them were polls from Republican organizations, and the others were Quinnipiac and Morning Consult, a pollster that’s been fairly pro-Trump all year. But Sam’s methodology is that he doesn’t make any explicit adjustments for that stuff; he trusts median calculations to take care of weird outliers. Which is probably a fine way to do it on the whole; it just means that there are times that you’ll see a big swing from some polls of a certain tendency all coming out at once.

    I think the right thing is to wait and see. Convention time is coming up soon and the Democratic convention comes second this year. If the Republican convention isn’t too disastrous, Trump may well be ahead nationally before the D convention begins, but Bernie’s endorsement of Hillary clears the way for that being a relatively effective show.

  114. 114.

    Pogonip

    July 13, 2016 at 8:42 pm

    @rikyrah: Hee.

    Do they still make polio vaccine? I can’t remember if my son, born in 1979, had it or not. I (1959) had the sugar cube.

  115. 115.

    FlyingToaster

    July 13, 2016 at 8:43 pm

    @efgoldman: They have a very weird likely voter model (based on midterms rather than presidential elections). And July polls are notorious for being outliers, especially if you’re only calling landlines. Too many people are on vacation, others are outside playing with the kids/grandkids. So the only people who answer your poll at dinner time are a)older b)whiter and c) more afraid than the actual likely voter.

    It’s really hard to properly weight your poll when you call 600 people and 509 of them are white and over the age of 55.

  116. 116.

    hovercraft

    July 13, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    @I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet:
    That’s unpossible the blacks and the Hispanics love him.

  117. 117.

    MomSense

    July 13, 2016 at 8:45 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    He must be awful. I suppose I should be glad I have no idea who he is.

  118. 118.

    Corner Stone

    July 13, 2016 at 8:45 pm

    @liberal: That’s pretty rough. You have anything to go along with that assertion?

  119. 119.

    Matt McIrvin

    July 13, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    @rikyrah: 0%? I bet I could double that!

  120. 120.

    JMG

    July 13, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    Quinnipiac does both cell and landline calls. For whatever reason, including that they could be right, they are forecasting a slightly more white electorate in 2016 than in 2012. That is the source of their Republican lean, and of their Bernie lean in primary polling.

  121. 121.

    FlyingToaster

    July 13, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    @Pogonip: It’s been a shot for decades. My daughter (born 2007) got the full set: Polio, Diptheria/Pertussis/Tetanus, Measels/Mumps/Rubella, Varicella, Pneumococcal, Hib, etc.

    CDC.gov has downloadable charts of kid and adult vaccines.

  122. 122.

    Corner Stone

    July 13, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    @Cat48:

    Norm Ornstein said the Q polls were too white. He wrote an Opinion piece for the New York Times. He feels POC are not polled correctly.

    Hmmm. Seems awfully similar to something I said earlier today.

  123. 123.

    liberal

    July 13, 2016 at 8:48 pm

    @ThresherK: I thought there was a hilarious Onion article saying stuff like that about AA support for Bush, but I can’t find it.

  124. 124.

    TS

    July 13, 2016 at 8:49 pm

    @Technocrat:

    Josh Marshall has been killing it lately. His insights into Trumpism have been consistently illuminating.

    Shame his website continues to have 90%+ trump articles. Trump doesn’t need campaign staff – he has 100% the political media to run his campaign free of charge.

    Current front page items
    Trump seeks $10m from fired aide
    GOP Rep – Obama reaped what he sowed in Dallas shooting
    Hannity reportedly flew Gingrich out to meet Trump on his private plane
    Trump claims he’s seen calls for moment of silence for Dallas Shooter
    Carson’s longtime business manager accused of sexual harrassment
    House Freedom Caucus attempts fo force vote to impeach irs head
    Romney camp ….
    Trump Aide ….
    RNC Chair, Trump’s White, Male VP frontrunners are diverse
    School Board takes transgender bathroom case to high court
    Wacky fight over Virgin Is GOP delegates …
    Experts say Ginsburg walks a fine line with criticism of Trump

    Must be nothing new on emails – only time Hillary gets a mention

  125. 125.

    Mike J

    July 13, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    @JMG:

    Quinnipiac does both cell and landline calls. For whatever reason, including that they could be right, they are forecasting a slightly more white electorate in 2016 than in 2012. That is the source of their Republican lean, and of their Bernie lean in primary polling.

    538 says they have a 0.7% R lean, but overall an A-. Even the best pollsters have outliers though.

  126. 126.

    liberal

    July 13, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    @Kathleen: that’s one of the reasons the entire fucking biosphere hates MoDo.

  127. 127.

    Mike J

    July 13, 2016 at 8:53 pm

    @efgoldman: I mentioned it late Monday/Early Tuesday hoping a front pager would pick it up.

  128. 128.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 8:53 pm

    @efgoldman: The BJ Party, of course!

  129. 129.

    Betty Cracker

    July 13, 2016 at 8:54 pm

    @liberal: Wow. So you’re one of those. Good to know!

  130. 130.

    Baud

    July 13, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    @efgoldman:

    Quinnipiac says I’m leading in several swing states.

  131. 131.

    liberal

    July 13, 2016 at 9:00 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus, @Corner Stone:

    It’s an old story. AFAICT it’s true.

    Google eg
    9/11 israeli art students

    I’m certainly no truther, and certainly don’t think Israel “did it.”

    Most nefarious possibility is they LIHOP.

  132. 132.

    David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch

    July 13, 2016 at 9:00 pm

    the most accurate pollster in the past 20 years also happens to be the pollster who gets the least attention — Pew Polling.

    In 2000 they projected Gore & Nader receiving a 51% of the vote, they received 51% of the vote.

    In 2004 they projected a 3 pt Bush win, it was a 3 pt win.

    In 2008 they projected a 6 pt Obama win, it was a 7 pt win.

    In 2012 they projected a 3pt Obama win, it was a 4 pt win.

    They’re pretty fucking good. Last week they released their first general election poll and it had Hillz winning by 9 pts.

    I’d focus on Pew given their track history.

  133. 133.

    hovercraft

    July 13, 2016 at 9:01 pm

    @Baud:
    umm is the double entendre a feature or a bug ?

  134. 134.

    BR

    July 13, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    @David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch:

    538 doesn’t rate them quite as highly…

  135. 135.

    different-church-lady

    July 13, 2016 at 9:03 pm

    Once again we need to remember Harry Frankfurt’s insight into the difference bewteen lying and bullshitting: a liar has regard for the truth and attempts to hide or distort it. A bullshitter, on the other hand, has no regard for the truth at all and will say anything at all, no matter what relationship it has to the truth, as long as he/she thinks the listener will be impressed.

    By this definition, Trump is not a liar — he’s merely a bullshitter.

  136. 136.

    Frankensteinbeck

    July 13, 2016 at 9:05 pm

    @efgoldman:
    And Baud will give that double entendre to you good and hard.

  137. 137.

    different-church-lady

    July 13, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    @Matt McIrvin:

    Two of them were polls from Republican organizations… [snip] But Sam’s methodology is that he doesn’t make any explicit adjustments for that stuff; he trusts median calculations to take care of weird outliers.

    Polling aggregates were the better mousetrap. The mice will eventually catch up.

  138. 138.

    Schlemazel Khan

    July 13, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    @liberal:
    My guess is the folks in Tehran were excited because they knew they could manipulate the idiots in DC to eliminate their nearest rival. Not sure about the other

  139. 139.

    JPL

    July 13, 2016 at 9:09 pm

    @David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch: As an election nears, they change their polling sample. They might get it right the last week…

  140. 140.

    Eric U.

    July 13, 2016 at 9:12 pm

    @David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch:

    he most accurate pollster in the past 20 years also happens to be the pollster who gets the least attention — Pew Polling.

    they get no attention because they are so accurate. Baked into the system. Can’t concern troll with the truth

  141. 141.

    different-church-lady

    July 13, 2016 at 9:12 pm

    @rikyrah:

    Josh Earnest

    Josh Earnest? If only Dickens were alive to enjoy that.

  142. 142.

    Schlemazel Khan

    July 13, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    @Corner Stone:
    I just saw something this morning about a record number of new Hispanic registrations. I get why someone might suppose lower AA numbers than 08 & 12 (although even that is a bit dicey given Drumpf) but POC? I expect the percentage will be larger not smaller

  143. 143.

    different-church-lady

    July 13, 2016 at 9:15 pm

    @MomSense:

    I just hope that Cleveland gets through this event without anything terrible happening.

    What could be more terrible than nominating Trump?

  144. 144.

    J R in WV

    July 13, 2016 at 9:16 pm

    @Pogonip:

    I had Salk injection vaccine in the mid-50s and then Sabin sugar-cube vaccines in the late 50s. My family sponsored Salk vaccinations at their shop, free for every employee, every family member. Pretty sure it didn’t cost the business much, if anything.

    And the family wasn’t going to take any chances, we had all the vaccinations you could get, and if that doubled up, no problems.

    Just a few weeks ago I got 3 new vaccinations, well 2 new and a booster. I got the new pneumonia prevnar-13 shot, the shingles vaccination, and a booster for diptheria, whooping cough and tetanus. My doctor says I’m caught up for now.

  145. 145.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    @liberal: Everything that search turned up seems pretty sketchy to me.

  146. 146.

    Corner Stone

    July 13, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    @liberal: I’m not a big fan of Googling vague search terms to find straight dope on someone else’s, honestly, sketchy as fuck assertions.
    Not saying you’re a truther but if you want to say something like that existed as fact then that’s on you.

    ETA, Ok, the “sketchy” term was weirdly independent of Omnes’ comment.

  147. 147.

    David ?▶️Hillary/Harley Quinn 2016▶️? Koch

    July 13, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    Not so.

    @JPL: In June of 2012 they had Obama winning by 4 pts. He won in November by 4 pts. (link)

    In June of 2008 they had Obama winning by 8 pts. He won in November by 7 pts. (link)

    In June of 2004 they had Bush winning by 4 pts. He won in November by 3 pts. (link)

  148. 148.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    @Corner Stone: Yeah, that was a bit weird.

    @efgoldman: A river that catches fire.

  149. 149.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    July 13, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    It’s an old story. AFAICT it’s true.

    “all I know is what’s on the internet”
    -Donald Trump

  150. 150.

    Corner Stone

    July 13, 2016 at 9:30 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: I’ve been watching a lot of Spartacus episodes on Starz Encore.

  151. 151.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    @efgoldman: I just think it merits its own category.

    @Corner Stone: I don’t have that channel in my cable package.

  152. 152.

    Schlemazel Khan

    July 13, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    @efgoldman:
    I assume I got the shot early in life I don’t recall. I do recall when the oral vaccine came out though. They were giving out doses at a local community center, the line to get in was literally around the block. I was pretty young but I know this was a huge deal for my folks & everyone in that line was either a kid or a parent with kids and the talk was all about what a miracle this was. It wasn’t until later when I learned what a horror polio had been and the panic it cause every summer when there was an outbreak when that memory really made sense.

  153. 153.

    different-church-lady

    July 13, 2016 at 9:46 pm

    @Corner Stone: True story: a few years ago I was working the Starz booth at the Cable Show (a convention and trade show), babysitting their big video wall running promo loops from their shows.

    The cast of Sparticus was coming in for a photo op, and they asked me to pause the loop on a good still from the Sparticus promo for them to stand in front of. After some effort I managed to find a frame that did not involve CGI blood — a “hero shot” of Sparticus striding down a battle road. We put it up, but after a few minutes I started looking at it more carefully, especially the dead warriors by the side of the path, and noticed… “Wait, are those… entrails sticking out of that guy?”

  154. 154.

    redshirt

    July 13, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    @different-church-lady: Wow! Give me more Spartacus dirt. I loved that show.

  155. 155.

    different-church-lady

    July 13, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    @redshirt: Well, I don’t know anything about it, other than what I gleaned from watching the promo loops over and over and over again: lots of blood and gore and insinuations of nudity. I really should have gone into CGI blood — they seem to need quite a bit of it.

  156. 156.

    redshirt

    July 13, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    @different-church-lady: Oh, there’s more than insinuations of nudity. There’s a lot of nudity,

    Do you recall what season of Spartacus the cast was from? I ask because they had to replace the lead after season one due to him dying.

  157. 157.

    Villago Delenda Est

    July 13, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    I haven’t read the thread, just got back from dinner, but I would like to point out that deliberately creating chaos in order to offer order and “security” is a plot point from a comic book movie. Captain America: The Winter Soldier in particular.

  158. 158.

    different-church-lady

    July 13, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    @redshirt: I’m pretty sure it was after that, because I remember people talking about it. It was 2012.

  159. 159.

    gwangung

    July 13, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    @Schlemazel Khan:

    I get why someone might suppose lower AA numbers than 08 & 12 (although even that is a bit dicey given Drumpf)

    Actually, given trends since the 1990s. AA numbers have been going up every election cycle since then. Any analysis that ignores the longer term trend is worthless in my estimation. (Not to mention the growth in other ethnic groups is substantial enough to affect voting margins)

  160. 160.

    Villago Delenda Est

    July 13, 2016 at 10:03 pm

    @burnspbesq: They need to pay for Johnny Football, too.

  161. 161.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 10:31 pm

    @efgoldman: I saw pics of an iron lung in a science text book in elementary school. By the time I was born, 1964, the disease was a thing of the past.

  162. 162.

    MCA1

    July 13, 2016 at 10:43 pm

    @Trollhattan: Worth noting VP’s aren’t term limited?

  163. 163.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 11:02 pm

    @MCA1: I want young blood as VEEP.

  164. 164.

    cckids

    July 13, 2016 at 11:20 pm

    @Matt McIrvin:

    If the Republican convention isn’t too disastrous, Trump may well be ahead nationally before the D convention begins, but Bernie’s endorsement of Hillary clears the way for that being a relatively effective show.

    Will be an interesting comparison. In 2012, the difference in professionalism and, I guess “showmanship”, for lack of a better word, was stark. The Democrats were just so much better at getting their message across. Hopefully this year, that will be the case again.

  165. 165.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 11:21 pm

    @shomi:

    His supporters are all bunch if ignorant racist dumb fucks so none of them should be taken seriously either.

    Quantify.

  166. 166.

    Omnes Omnibus

    July 13, 2016 at 11:53 pm

    @efgoldman: That is a cookie.

  167. 167.

    burnspbesq

    July 14, 2016 at 12:00 am

    @MomSense:

    He must be awful. I suppose I should be glad I have no idea who he is.

    Ultra-consevative, bordering on Randian, professor at Case Western Reserve Law. Did most of the heavy lifting in developing the arguments that were used in the Obamacare case. Willing to see millions die in pursuit of an utterly ahistorical theory of the original meaning of the Commerce Clause.

    When i rule the world, he will be drawn and quartered on primetime teevee.

  168. 168.

    Ruckus

    July 14, 2016 at 12:47 am

    @efgoldman:
    I remember standing in line at a bank after normal hours for the sugar cube when it first came out. I was 3 or 4 yrs old. I went to school for 12 yrs with a girl with polio and had 2 friends in elementary school whose moms had it. Both of them had iron lungs in their houses and their moms spend a lot of time in them. And yes the line for the sugar cubes was long and made up of entire families.

  169. 169.

    Plantsmantx

    July 14, 2016 at 2:24 am

    In the early days after the Dallas shooting, I wondered if someone had muzzled Trump.

    You didn’t read about their scramble to determine and manage what his response would be?

    http://www.startribune.com/after-outbreaks-of-violence-donald-trump-strains-to-project-leadership/386376641/

  170. 170.

    sm*t cl*de

    July 14, 2016 at 4:41 am

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    I want young blood as VEEP.

    The blood-transfusion / life-extension thing may require more than one donor to extend the president’s life.

  171. 171.

    Rasputin's Evil Twin

    July 14, 2016 at 12:06 pm

    @starscream: Isn’t that what people thought with “Dub-ya”? And look at how well that turned out.

  172. 172.

    Uncle Cosmo

    July 14, 2016 at 12:07 pm

    @efgoldman:

    My mom, a nurse, couldn’t sign the permission slip quickly enough.

    And lots of moms&dads were just as fast with their John/Joan Hancock. Every parent ca. 1955 was utterly terrified of polio. Crutches, braces, iron lungs fer chrissake! And the President of the USA they remembered so well (anyone with a kid in elementary school at the time would have been a teenager when FDR died) a prime sufferer. The March of Dimes!

    Suddenly a vaccine! Suddenly one shot per child & parents need never fear again! The wonder is that no one was trampled to death in the rush to sign their kids up!

    (FTR, one of my dearest friends contracted polio just before the Salk vaccine became available, most likely during a summer in Calcutta where his British father was posted as agent for a steamship line, & now struggles with the increasingly debilitating effects of post-polio syndrome. Try telling him, or me, about the alleged hazards of vaccines. I get a mite exercised at the very thought.)

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