.
All apologies to Tim Kaine, who deserves better, but I’m having difficulty cranking my enthusiasm up for tonight’s Vice-Presidential Candidates Debate. Partially because watching Mike Dense is bad for my blood pressure, because he’s such a mealy-mouthed sack of Christianist shit…
…”Mike Pence needs to go in there and try to change the trajectory of the race, but he can’t do that because the biggest problem with their campaign right now is the presidential candidate,” said Mo Elleithee, a former Kaine adviser who now directs Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service.
Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon insisted that Pence will not be able to wash away the worries voters have about Trump’s temperament and qualifications: “No matter what type of performance Mike Pence turns in, it’s not going to resolve the underlying concerns.”…
The debate’s setting in Farmville — which was chosen long before Clinton and Trump picked their running mates — gives the former Virginia governor a home-field advantage. Farmville was the epicenter of Virginia’s civil rights struggle, a point of resonance for Kaine, a former civil rights lawyer and the son-in-law of former governor Linwood Holton, who helped integrate Richmond’s schools in the 1970s. The state’s emergence from its segregationist past as a diverse economic powerhouse may give Kaine a dramatic backdrop against which to criticize Trump’s nationalist agenda and remarks…
Ahead of Tuesday’s forum, there is pressure on Kaine and Pence to shore up their tickets by sending reassurances to key constituencies that remain skittish. Kaine could look to validate Clinton’s progressive credentials and make a hard sale to young voters, while Pence could use his evangelical roots to make overtures on Trump’s behalf to social conservatives.
Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, said Pence’s asset will be convincing churchgoing Republicans of Trump’s allegiance. “If he gets a slow, underhand pitch on a moral or cultural issue, you know he’ll be able to do really well with it,” Reed said. “There is no better ambassador for Trump among social conservatives.”…
Pence, with his neatly cut white hair, tight smile and soft-spoken manner — “Rush Limbaugh on decaf” is an old nickname — will offer viewers a striking contrast with Trump.
“There is a saying in radio that the Midwestern accent is the best one,” said Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), a moderate who served with Pence in the House. “It gives people a peace of mind. That’s what Mike’s going to bring.”
Nevertheless, Goddess willing and the router don’t fail, I expect to be here at nine EDT, carping along with the rest of you reprobates and sinners…
Apart from that, what’s on the agenda for the day?
It’s not even 6 am and we already have video today of Alex Jones accusing Julian Assange of trolling him. I love 2016.
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) October 4, 2016
amk
Friggin’ enthusiasm gap already, AL?
I think it will be fun, folksy vs wooden.
msdc
“And if they ask him to play Chopsticks for his grandma, he’s going to bring the house down. I want to be clear: I am setting the expectations as low as possible here.”
Kansi
Must be 2016, cuz they’re calling Peter King a moderate!
MattF
There’s a vivid contrast between Pence and Kaine. I hope that Kaine makes the most of it.
BillinGlendaleCA
I thought Pence’s nickname was “dumbest man in Congress”.
NorthLeft12
Peter King R-NY a moderate? Really? Maybe compared to his brother in arms Steve King R- Crazyville.
Moderate Republican. An oxymoron if I ever saw one.
NorthLeft12
@BillinGlendaleCA: I am willing to bet that tonight, Mike Pence will be known as the dumbest man in Farmville.
gf120581
@NorthLeft12: I’ve always called him a more articulate Dan Quayle.
Hal
I would have said Limbaugh on oxycontin, but ok.
NotMax
After tonight, Trump can say he’s been stuck with a defective Mike.
TriassicSands
The outcome of the VP debate will determine whom I vote for in November. As a devout Christian….OK, just kidding.
I’ll watch the debate out of respect for Kaine and because regardless of which presidential candidate wins, the VP could take over. Trump is 70 and doesn’t look healthy (despite Dr. Shroom’s opinion). That said, I’d say Trump is more likely to exit prematurely via impeachment (and conviction) than on a gurney. Clinton should survive 4 years, but at her age (and mine) anything can happen.
It is probably too much to hope for the same kind of lopsided outcome we saw with HRC and Trump, but Kaine seems to be a lot more personable than Pence and could come across much better. I’m not that familiar with Pence, though I’ve read plenty of opinions that he’s not too bright. Here’s hoping Kaine crushes Pence.
Waldo
Pence has a reputation for being slow-witted, boring and predictable. His job tonight is to not tarnish that rep. I trust he won’t.
Mai.naem.mobile
I think Pence will be declared the winner by the media to keep the horse race narrative going. In the unlikely event of a Pence disaster,Trumpettes will blame Elaine Quijano the moderator because she’s Messican(she’s actually a Filipina but the name sounds Messican.)
OzarkHillbilly
I have a question for Gov. Pence: “At just 30 pieces of silver, don’t you think you sold your soul a little cheap?”
germy
Yesterday evening we tuned into our local news. We skip back and forth between stations. One station is a fox affiliate; they play up the violent crime angle, always making sure to feature scary minority mugshots. Another station is owned by the conservative sinclair family. They cover the presidential race with weasel words: Trump “suffered” some financial losses which HRC will “seize” as an opportunity to “attack” him.
Last night the sinclair station reported breathlessly on the upcoming Julian revelations. They spent about twenty seconds rushing through Trump’s tax problems and then spent a good ten minutes on the upcoming “revelations” that will sink the Clinton campaign. They even consulted an expert from the Cato Institute.
SFAW
Good one!
SFAW
Let’s hope Jones is right, for once in his life.
SFAW
Watching — or more precisely, listening to — Corrupt 47-percenter Failed Businessman Deadbeat Donnie led me to re-up my BP meds earlier than usual, so I have some extras. Want me to drop some off for you?
Are you feeling OK? ‘Cause you’re being kinda nice to Pence. Anything we can do?
ETA: And, although no one is asking me (quelle surprise!), I think the “Failed Businessman Donald Trump” meme might be the way to go: it calls into question his main “qualification” for being “viable,” and it will get under his skin something fierce.
rikyrah
Good Morning Again ☺, Everyone ?
Baud
I hope to watch. Pence is really horrible on social issues. It’s one area Trump has stayed away from. I wonder if those issues will come up.
Punchy
Whatever happened to the “other” GOP-ish pres candi, the nobody guy some chumps put up as a Trump alternative? Is he still real? Is he even on any ballots, and is he touring?
Baud
@Punchy: I think he’s polling higher than Stein.
Brachiator
@Mai.naem.mobile:
As opposed to what? Are you saying that Clinton is the certain winner and voting a mere formality?
I think it will be fun just seeing how stupid Pence looks defending Trump. We might also see if Trump uses Pence to start new attacks on Clinton.
debbie
I hope Kaine gets a chance to point out that while everyone’s focusing on Trump’s not paying taxes for 20 years, the real focus should be on the fact that he lost a billion dollars at a time where that industry was flying high. Call him a bad businessman at every opportunity and ask if you want the country to turn into yet another Trump business failure.
Kay
I love how Kaine is being attacked by these assholes for defending the accused, yet Mike Pence staunchly defended the right of tobacco companies not to pay a settlement when the companies lied to people for 30 years.
If we’re talking about number of casualties, Pence beats Kaine by a mile.
JPL
Yesterday, Hillary mentioned that Pence was against the auto bailout. I imagine that Kaine will bring up that vote. Pence is to the right of jesus on social issues, so Kaine will mention that also.
Baud
@Kay: I read an article the other day that support for the death penalty is at an all time low.
rikyrah
Pence is a horrid piece of judgmental crap, who tried to codify into law his hatred of others.
SFAW
@Baud:
Big deal. “None of the Above” is polling higher. I bet write-ins for Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F’tang-F’tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel would poll higher
NorthLeft12
@Baud: And it is precisely Deadbeat Donald’s silence on social issues that allow some on the left to point and say “see, Trump did not say anything bad about (fill in blank) so he must agree with me!” And allow them to feel comfortable about voting for an odious human being like Trump.
gogol's wife
@JPL:
PLEASE THE ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS TO THE RIGHT OF JESUS ON SOCIAL ISSUES
Tokyokie
@SFAW: I always wondered how he spelled his name.
OzarkHillbilly
@NotMax: Ouch. You were just dying to use that one, weren’t you?
Baud
@NorthLeft12:
Some idiots on the left will vote third party. No one on the left will vote for Trump. If you vote for Trump, you aren’t on the left. It’s one of the litmus tests.
Baud
@gogol’s wife: Economic issues too.
SFAW
@Tokyokie:
I have to confess, I had to look it up.
Kay
@Baud:
I saw that too. Also, while Kaine was defending people everyone grandstands on hating, literally one of the most difficult jobs in the world, IMO, Mike Pence was a Right wing radio talk show host.
This never gets mentioned either, but Pence was one of the biggest supporters of trade deals in Congress. He’s a zealot on free trade. He does the polar opposite of what Trump says.
Baud
@rikyrah: In other words, the Republican ideal.
Kay
@Baud:
I’m sure Clinton/Kaine have good researchers, but if Pence starts on law ‘n order, Kaine might mention that Indianapolis has a higher murder rate than Chicago.
Baud
@Kay: That’s why I expect that if Trump wins, he’ll either resign or be impeached. The GOP would much rather deal with Pence, and Dems will go along because Trump will have engaged in impeachable conduct.
Baud
@Kay: Oh wow. I didn’t know that.
nonynony
@Baud: Economic issues are social issues too. At least that’s how this old Catholic was taught.
NorthLeft12
@rikyrah: Honestly, I don’t think that Pence has the energy, drive, or intelligence to write and pass laws that reflect his bigotry and meanness, but he is more than eager to sign on to whatever hateful legislation his more ambitious cronies put forward.
He strikes me as a lazy bigot who if not in politics would spew his bile in private with family and friends and vote Republican his entire life.
BillinGlendaleCA
This is the longest power outage in a long time here in Glendale. No info on the intertubes about it.
amk
Kaine should also bring up the collective kick in the nuts dealt by the fed court to pence on the syrian refugees issue.
OzarkHillbilly
@Kay: Pence is refusing to pardon a man who has been found to be factually innocent of murder.
NorthLeft12
@Baud: Anyone who believes a Republican Congress would impeach a Republican President probably also believes that a Republican Congress will provide a check on Deadbeat Donald’s crazier behavior.
If Trump were to be elected he would give free rein to the Congress and sign anything they put on his desk. He is their dream President. Bigoted, ignorant, lazy, disinterested, and corrupt.
rikyrah
@OzarkHillbilly:
I read about that a few days ago. This so-called Christian ???
Kay
I spoke to a local Republican activist yesterday. He says Trump, Inc. is a mess. The Trump supporters who are new volunteers for the GOP are impossible to work with. They have all these “big ideas” but no one wants to do any actual work. I thought they might have trouble with the “persuasive” role- you can’t knock on someone’s door and belligerently demand they recognize the “silent majority” and canvassing is an “ask”, not a demand- it’s asking for something.
amk
All it took to make the gop and rw’ers go over the bend thereby achieving peak wingnut was an election of black man.
Kay
@OzarkHillbilly:
That’s really the lowest of the low in human behavior.
Baud
@NorthLeft12: Don’t know. Depends on whether Trump is pliable and whether he retains the support of his base.
rikyrah
@NorthLeft12:
Tell that truth
satby
@rikyrah: Good morning!
@nonynony: Yep, that’s what we were taught by the nuns in the 60s too.
amk
@NorthLeft12: Yup. He is their ultimate id. mcturtle and granny starver and co will be kissing his ass in public.
Kay
Republicans could really not have come up with a better way to get me to defend and enthusiastically support Tim Kaine than attacking him for his work.
Pure sleaze.
This failed when the repulsive Liz Cheney tried it with lawyers who were defending terrorism suspects in 2009. Hopefully it fails again.
What was Donald Trump up to when Kaine was doing that work? Hanging around beauty pageants sexually harassing 19 year olds?
rikyrah
@Kay:
Their candidate is a bully, so why not the supporters. ??
OzarkHillbilly
@Kay: I am hopeful that Kaine beats Pence with this like a red headed step child. I know conservatives who could not forgive that.
Shalimar
Mike Pence at debate: “I want to reassure you that there is no reason to worry about Mr. Trump’s temperament. If it ever looks like he really is going to nuke someone over a petty slight to his ego, I hereby pledge that I will assassinate him first and take over the throne. Problem solved.”
Baud
@Kay: Good to hear, since Ohio polling is not so good.
Craig McMahon
Anyone within spitting distance of my office in Salem NH is welcome to come to our debate watch party! There will be refreshments and some former Texas legislator giving a pre-debate talk. I think her name is… WENDY DAVIS.
If the mods would allow, I’d be happy to post the event link here-or you could just shoot me an email.
cmcmahon (at) nhtogether (dot) org
Organizer for the NH Dems, regular BJ lurker prior to disappearing into this job
Hal
If Pence does as well in the debate as he did handling that debacle with that bullshit religious freedom bill, Kaine won’t have anything to worry about.
Felonius Monk
Oh, the comments about this over at InfoWars are delightful. I’ve never seen so much tinfoil in my life.
Kay
@Baud:
It’s not good. It might move with Pennsylvania though but if she’s down 5 it has to move 8, which is a lot. I don’t care that much if Ohio loses the slot as a swing state. If it happens it will be because it’s no longer a demographic mirror- it has a low Latino population and it’s going in the wrong direction for college degrees. The indicators of Trump support are more older, non-college white voters as a portion of the whole and that’s not a positive sign for a state. They can spin it as “moving Right” all they want, what it really means is “moving down”.
SFAW
@Craig McMahon:
Thanks for this, and for all your work.
How big was your smile last night when Kelly “Pretending to be Moderate” Ayotte said that Failed Businessman Donald Trump is a good role model for kids?
WereBear
@Kay: Pence refusing a pardon for an innocent man should come up in the debate.
Kay
@Baud:
The less state support there is for public education the higher the Trump vote goes. Those two things are connected.
I wouldn’t be bragging if I were John Kasich. He’s making Trump supporters.
Baud
@Craig McMahon: Thank you so much for your work.
@Kay:
I’d like to find some new seeing states. A little tired of Ohio and Florida.
Applejinx
What happens if Pence’s debate performance sucks, and Trump fires him?
JPL
@Craig McMahon: You might consider sending the info to Anne, so she can front page it.
Kay
@WereBear:
Baud is right. Support for the death penalty has dropped. It’s still too high but it’s lower than it’s ever been.
Democrats can do without death penalty enthusiasts. Kaine should defend his record like the good work it is. No apologies to scumbags especially these two, who haven’t done anything worthwhile in their whole miserable lives.
Wyatt Derp
@SFAW: Re; The Assange announcement – Trump followers played for suckers by a lying douchbeag? Who knew?
Baud
@Applejinx: I’m not sure he can.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Applejinx: Trump can’t fire him.
Power came back on here, on the backup PC now.
JPL
@Applejinx: It would be good news for McCain… just sayin
Kay
@Baud:
Missouri was a swing state. It went Right and now no one talks about it anymore. If VA or CO or NC better reflect the electorate they should be the swing states.
Baud
@Kay: Kaine didn’t seem like the type to apologize.
workworkwork
Still in hospital – My IV was delayed because the order didn’t get to the pharmacist (specialist – only works days) in time. So I just got some sleep.
My nurse just told me that my order has been sent and they’re just waiting for it to get prepared. So instead of sleeping through the drip last night as previously thought, I guess I’ll be watching a few hours of Netflix today.
I don’t seem to be getting worse, at any rate, but I’d like to see some progress on getting better. Platelets still zero is the main symptom.
Baud
@Kay: Ohio broadcasters won’t be happy.
OzarkHillbilly
Trump loves the less educated!
Mai.naem.mobile
@Brachiator: Pence may be thinking of his own future and not so much the Trumpster fire and do normal GOP crap(abortion,gay rights,small government)during the debate. I expect the media to do a “Pence helped the flagging Trump Campaign etc.” I remember seeing Pence on C-SPAN when he was in Congress and I thought he was a moron so who knows,maybe Kaine will smack him around.
Also too, Reince Priebus – Does he get the gold medal of “Worst Party Chair of All Time”?
Craig McMahon
@SFAW:
Listen, I have great respect for Sen. Ayotte, who embodies the bipartisan tradition of understanding that the opposition is NOT the enemy, and furthermo—
*bursts into laughter*
Just kidding, can’t wait to send Gov Hassan to the Senate, and am sincerely grateful for Ayotte’s help last night.
amk
trump wins physics Nobel.
OzarkHillbilly
Planet at its hottest in 115,000 years thanks to climate change, experts say
Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…. We’re just nearing the peak of a 115,000 yr cycle.
workworkwork
@Kansi: Has anyone called their rep or senator and ask them how they feel about the ne0-nazi takeover of their party?
I was lying awake last night considering that. I have a phone in my hospital room and not much else to do besides bother politicians.
Both my father and father-in-law fought in WW2. My dad flew bombers (B29s) and my wife’s dad, among other things, liberated forced labor and death camps.
Now, as a palette cleanser, a reminder that the rest of the world isn’t as crazy as us. Even in a war zone, there’s the Cat Man from Aleppo.
Kay
I feel like cable news should have to apologize for lying to people for 2 years. Trump is a liar. He’s not a “builder” and he’s not a “billionaire”. They had no fucking idea what he was worth and they ALL repeated his lies.
Chris
@Kay:
It’s not surprising. The entire conservative mentality is all chiefs and no Indians. They’re the ones who tell literally every poor person in the country to start their own business because a real man is supposed to be his own boss, and then dismiss anyone who doesn’t do that as a loser unworthy of concern. So it’s no surprise that every volunteer they attract thinks they should be the boss. They’re also the ones who for decades have dismissed the very concept of expertise on everything from science to foreign policy, because a real man follows his gut and not those pointy headed elitist snobs who think they’re so much smarter than you. So it’s no surprise that volunteers would walk in and say “fuck the old timers, I should be in charge here.”
It probably wasn’t always like this, but the line between ideology and reality has been blurring for years now.
Craig McMahon
@JPL:
good idea! done.
gvg
@workworkwork: I have missed the initial back story. What happened?
Felonius Monk
@workworkwork: Sorry to hear of your travail. Get some rest. Feel better. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
hovercraft
Joe and Mika just believe that because Trump hasn’t collapsed, he is just one good week away from being back on top. According to him, yesterday she had a terrible performance that was worthy of a high school debater. He says she’s getting worse as a campaigner, Mika thinks that Hillary has no business being confident, she’s worried about Hillary’s secretivness, because voters don’t like that, they like Trump’s openess and honesty. The tax thing is a good story for him, the media and the democrats are getting the story wrong.
Felonius Monk
@OzarkHillbilly:
And, for some strange reason, they seem to love him. Hmmmm! Wonder what it could be?
MattF
@SFAW: This is why Jones was pissed at Assange.
Felonius Monk
@Mai.naem.mobile:
Has anybody heard or seen him since the debate? Is there proof of life (such that it is)?
Jeffro
@OzarkHillbilly:
I’m wondering when, if ever, this folksy expression is going to go by the wayside.
/former red-head
Soprano2
I understand why NPR did away with their comment section, because it would be filled with people asking “Why did you interview that person?”. This morning they interviewed a Trump voter in AZ who sounds certifiable. She’s going to be one of the people who watch the debate and then get interviewed the next morning. The interviewer cited studies that show most of the mass killings in the U.S. are done by white men, and her response was “I don’t believe that”. She had an Iranian couple in her home last week, but she doesn’t know if they are Muslims or not, then later she said they didn’t believe “that stuff”. She said “most Muslims want to kill all of us”. She said several other nutty things. On the other side they seem to only be able to find “reluctant” Hillary voters. Amazing how even though Hillary has a lot of supporters, NPR can’t seem to find any who are enthusiastic about her. *rolleyes*
Jeffro
@Baud:
How ’bout Georgia and Texas?? Yee-haw, y’all!!
OzarkHillbilly
@workworkwork:
Living in Misery I rarely bother contacting any of my Reps. The few times I have I have gotten, “We don’t give a fuck what you think.” replies.
My old man flew B-29s too (radar operator) and was based on Saipan. Where was yours based?
Kay
@Soprano2:
Clinton supporters are the least-covered people this election. I can’t help but believe that’s because so many of them are women and/or AA.
The “white men as the voters all voters are compared to” thing has to end. I’m sick of hearing about them.
Jeffro
Holy cow, Brooks has gone full-on hippie on us today, elaborating on the difference between “taxpayers” and “citizens”…
Can “sweet parfait of emotions” be a tag, please? I’ll never hear that Aerosmith classic quite the same way again, either.
bemused
@Kay:
They are children who want what they want right now, tantrum throwers. Boehner certainly knows this better than anyone as speaker when teaparty morons won seats in the House.
Most children start learning to negotiate, bargain with their parents to alter the terms of the deal by age 5. The husband of my niece gave their 5 year old son the job of cleaning the family’s muddy bikes and the next door neighbor was very amused hearing the little boy calmly, with no whining, talk to his dad trying out several alternatives to reduce his work load and still get his reward. It didn’t work with dad but the kid already knows more about reality and the art of negotiation than millions of so-called adults.
OzarkHillbilly
@Jeffro: My best man and long time room mate is a redhead. Another of my all time best friends is known through out S St Louis as Red. I was married to a redhead. My youngest actually was a red headed step child.
ETA: my son is actually more blond now
waysel
@Jeffro: Surely this is Driftglass snark and not the real David Brooks? Methinks Brooksie has been hacked.
Elizabelle
@Soprano2: Yesterday’s stabby moment on NPR for me (and thank dog I was not in the car very long): yesterday afternoon:
Segment on how Trump and H Clinton are both so much richer than the average American. And they NEVER mentioned that Bill Clinton came from literally nothing. Didn’t mention Bill at all (except for buckraking). One of Hillary’s grandparents earned a college degree, her own father owned a small business. “Hillary went to YALE.”
Nothing about public service, or Hillary supporting the family for years as an attorney.
One of these candidates was born into wealth; the others earned their way in. That was never ever stated. They did allow in one of the Trump sons saying his dad was a “blue collar billionaire.”
Report did spell out that Trump’s plan does not benefit the middle class as much as he says, but it got the biography part so wrong. And that made it past editors. Shame on them.
Fuck NPR. Turned them off, and composed my latest “Dear NPR, this is why I will NEVER give you money, although I will free-ride on your non-news programming all that I want …”
amk
@Jeffro: gud gawd.
OzarkHillbilly
@Jeffro: That is just lovely.
Kay
@bemused:
I’m involved with a school committee and we are trying to reduce disciplinary suspensions. According to the expert who spoke to us, there’s something to what you’re saying. Children who are raised with a series of demands- my way or the highway- don’t learn the kind of “working with others” skills that children who are raised in a “use your WORDS” environment learn. They don’t know how to give and take- explain their position, move off a position gracefully, that sort of thing. They’re literally harder to work with and not just with adults- with other children too. Partly it’s because the chance to make your point is tied to dignity- they’re able to preserve their dignity while making a concession because they make and argument. They don’t take offense in that lashing out way because they have a say. I think it’s tied to dignity too, which children really have. if you can find a way to get them to go along with their dignity intact they won’t lose their temper.
danielx
The perfect label for the BJ commentariat.
@Felonius Monk:
My man Reince is maintaining a low profile right now, what with the Bailey’s Irish Cream and powdered oxycontin on his breakfast cereal. Hard to blame him, really.
Edit: Also too, what kind of meds is David Brooks scarfing down right now? I want some.
glory b
I can’t believe npr’s coverage of this campaign. Topping off the Black farmer who likes Trump (and who agreed with him that African Americans are “living in hell,” and the Ohio former steelworker who is a Dem committee person who will vote for Trump (because he will bring back factory jobs), this a.m. they had a 25 year old Latina from Arizona who sympathizes with her friends and relatives who are pursuing citizenship, but Hillary’s “out” for her because of abortion. She doesn’t care for Trump and hates both candidates, but will probably vote for Trump because she “loves” Pence.
Really? Where do they find these people??
Svensker
@Kansi:
That was what jumped out at me, too. Peter King, the moderate supporter of Geert Wilders and white supremacy. Ack.
Oh, wait, he was talking about the NY Peter King? Well, moderate compared to Hitler, then.
Jeffro
@OzarkHillbilly: No worries, I was just kidding & making conversation…what little remains of my red-headed glory days has all gone blond anyway. It’s okay – opens up a whole lot more color palettes, lol. (Or as Brooks would say, “lovely palettes of sweet, sweet color”)
Jeffro
@waysel:
I don’t think so…no hacker would come up with something like “social hygiene”. And I don’t even know that “immiserates” is even a word…it looks like something Brooks would make up, especially if he’s whacked out of his gourd on some Colorado catnip.
rikyrah
@Kay:
Yes. I want Hillary to win for many reasons, but chief among them, will be to solidify that the Obama coalition ARE the ‘real’ voters of America.
Svensker
@workworkwork:
Wishing you all the best. Hang in!
rikyrah
Really….what did Assange drop today?
What was it?
Felonius Monk
@danielx:
A shallow grave is also considered low profile.
bemused
@Kay:
Absolutely makes sense. This boy’s dad did listen to his son and answer him just as he would with an adult, with respect and civility. No loud do it or else ultimatums. The neighbor enjoyed hearing their whole conversation.
I pity people who were raised by rigid, my way or the highway parents. It has to be difficult to unlearn that type of parenting even when one understands it was harmful to him/her as a child and wants to parent differently.
rikyrah
Clinton Foundation Attacks Boomerang on Trump
by Martin Longman
October 3, 2016 3:13 PM
………………………………………………………
I doubt that Trump much cares that he can’t do any more fundraising for charity using his Donald J. Trump Foundation, but he’s got to be concerned about this:
Considering the fact that it’s now clear that Trump has used his foundation as a slush fund to hide income, avoid taxes, make illegal political contributions, spend other people’s money to falsely make himself look like a philanthropist and to give himself gifts, I can’t imagine that he will want to provide the New York attorney general with “all the financial audit reports it should have provided in previous years.”
workworkwork
@gvg: For the last month or so, I’ve been over-scheduled, over-worked and not getting much if any sleep. The week before last I got ‘flu-ey’ – temperature, etc. and then on that Sunday I got a nose bleed that wouldn’t stop and my little toe became so painful that I couldn’t put on my sock.
Went to my PCP to make sure the toe wasn’t broken and he saw these blotches all over my skin so in addition to the X-ray did a blood draw and prescribed steroids for the toe. On the way home, I got a call that my platelets were way low (5000, should be more like 200K) and they were upping the steroid dose. They told me to see the ER if I was getting more bleeding.
Tuesday I decided to go to the ER and was told my platelets were at zero. They checked me into the hospital right away to figure out what was going on. Looks like my platelets are being created normally, it’s just my immune system is attacking them. (red and white cells are fine, bone marrow function fine.)
So far not responding to the IG, but they’re putting me on R1tuxan (in case this is a trigger word) as the next step.
The good news – I’m not getting worse and my secondary symptoms – tissue bleeding, etc. have mostly disappeared. Also, I got our cleaning lady to bring in my laptop, some clean underwear and socks so I can feel more human.
Kind of bored and anxious to go home. I’m the primary caregiver for my wife and while I’m in here, she’s in a respite facility because the home care aides were out of their depth. (She has M.S., full spinal fusion and a supra-pubic catheter.)
Cleaning lady is looking in on the kitties.
Another thing that is cheering me up this morning – Montreal Swing Riot.
Felonius Monk
@rikyrah:
A very large goose-egg combined with an infomercial.
maurinsky
@Kansi:
Maybe Peter King is a moderate because he only supports white terrorists?
MattF
@rikyrah: Assange apparently trolled everyone.
MomSense
@workworkwork:
I’m so sorry. I always wonder how hospitals expect anyone to heal when they never let you sleep. They will give you the sleep meds, you will just settle in for some good rest, and then they will wake you up to draw blood. Happens every time. Are they doing transfusions? Keep us posted. Sending best wishes for healing to you.
What Have the Romans Ever Done For Us?
If I were them I’d be careful hoping for questions about faith. I heard Kaine on NPR a few weeks back talking about his, and he sounded like a very devout, but compassionate, Christian. He seemed like a real, bona fide man of faith, but a guy who was a really good guy whose heart was in the right place. So…compared to the God of hate version of Christianity Pence is likely to project, well, lets just say a lot of people of actual faith might come away liking the guy with a D next to his name. It may surprise them and coupled with Trump’s sordid sexual past may sway a few to give a second look to the Democratic ticket, or at least stay home.
OzarkHillbilly
@workworkwork: Ooofff. Get better soon.
Jeffro
@MattF: That is ka-razee…I cannot imagine someone (several someones, apparently) staying up all night just to be FIRST!!1! to read about Hillz’ campaign-shattering “whitey tape”. OMG that is too funny. And yet…I think I better check on my dad and brother…something tells me Bro either stayed up a little later than usual or Dad got up a little earlier than usual…
amk
@MattF: they been played – story of their life
shomi
VP debates definitely don’t matter so don’t really care. No idea how those two are at debates. If anything it will probably re-affirm what a great guy Tim Kaine is and what an asshole Pence is regardless of who ‘wins’.
glory b
@Soprano2: Exactly!! I can’t believe that, throughout this entire series, all these weeks, they haven’t found ONE enthusiastic Clinton supporter.
And on Friday they had an African American “activist” from Florida who says of course Hillary is better than Trump, and proceeds to spend the rest of the interview trashing Hillary, using the old “superpredator” stuff, the crimes bill, etc. She said Hillary has said all the right things, but she hasn’t actually done anything to show her contrition (what she could od as a candidate, the “activist” doesn’t say), and she then concludes that black people will be staying home because they are so unenthused.
Since then, they have referred to her words as gospel (“Well, remember we had an African American activist the other day and she said…”).
cmorenc
@BillinGlendaleCA:
Louis Gohmert wins that prize hands down.
workworkwork
@OzarkHillbilly: He was a flight instructor (captain) at Edwards. Father-in-law (also captain, I think) was armored cavalry.
Both passed away now, but dad-in-law used to make the rounds at local schools countering holocaust denial (Illinois – yeesh) stuff. His most lingering memory was the smell of the bodies, dead and alive.
cmorenc
@shomi:
Pence will be able to use the debate to firmly establish that he is a kinder, gentler asshole than Donald Trump.
workworkwork
@Svensker: Thanks! At least I’m not getting worse.
Platelets as of this morning – 4K – still a rounding error compared to zero, but I’ll take it.
workworkwork
@Felonius Monk:
“Jayne, we just need to scare him.”
“Pain is scary.”
Aleta
@Jeffro: He’s on a a lovely parfait of mood-altering substances to get through this.
cmorenc
@Soprano2: This would be a good time to remind you that NPR also still has Mara Liasson on their on-air program staff – a right-wing troll dressed up in suburban moderate clothing.
Steve in the ATL
@JPL:
So is every right wing bible jumper. Jesus was all about love and tolerance and helping the less fortunate. These clowns (sorry, omnes) are all about resentment and oppression.
OzarkHillbilly
@workworkwork: My old man came from a large Catholic family, all of who served in one form or another, some over here, some over there. The one who didn’t come back? He flew a C-47, crash landed in Alaska after the war.
Iowa Old Lady
@Craig McMahon: Hey, I know people active in NH D politics: Bill and Cathy W. If they’re there tonight, say hi.
NorthLeft12
@Baud: Trump has already indicated that he sees the Presidency as a Chairman of the Board role, and wants the VP to be the CEO. He would make appearances across the US and in select countries, and get involved in issues that caught his interest.
Things like budgets, health care, Social Security, the environment, transportation, education, housing, etc. would not be anything he would care about. Congress would assure him that the military would be getting more than their fair share and he would be good.
Iowa Old Lady
@workworkwork: ooooooooooooooo <- platelets for you
Gelfling 545
@Brachiator: As opposed to saying it’s another win for team Clinton? A win of a debate, not the election. I don’t follow how stating that the media want to preserve the horse race narrative at all costs, even if Hilary is clearly doing better equates with seeing the election as a mere formality. I’m fairly sure they’ll want Pence to appear to be adequate or else who will tune in for the rest of the debates?
Iowa Old Lady
@workworkwork: I love Jayne. Actually, I love that whole crew. I once took one of those online quizzes that’s supposed to tell you what SF character you’d be, and I was Zoe, which I thought was excellent.
workworkwork
@MomSense: They started with platelets + immunoglobulins (keep wanting to say “goblins”). No response so they’re moving on up the checklist.
workworkwork
@OzarkHillbilly: Mom’s family was Catholic, Dad’s was Protestant. His family practically disowned him when they got married.
Always wondered why Grandma and Grandma were so grumpy around us kids. Well, the Catholic side (Irish) is more fun, anyway. Mom was a first-generation Slovenian-American and on my Dad’s side we’ve got the Murphys.
workworkwork
@Iowa Old Lady: I’ve considered a Firefly re-watch while I’m here but my wife convinced me to wait until we’re both home. We did the CSTS event in Denver last month and now we want to re-watch the series.
MomSense
@workworkwork:
I like immuno goblins and think my hematologist will too although he will probably turn it into a really bad Halloween joke. I missed how this all started but I hope they figure it out soon.
JPL
@workworkwork: Wow… Just take care of yourself and hopefully, you will me home soon.
MomSense
@workworkwork:
Oh my goodness! I’m glad you went to the ER.
workworkwork
@MomSense: Personal opinion (IANAD) – over-work, over-scheduled and little if any sleep.
workworkwork
@JPL: Thanks. I’m worried about my wife and we both miss the kitties.
According to our cleaning lady, the kitties themselves are mainly indignant.
workworkwork
@MomSense: I guess so. Just wish I had thought to grab my phone charging cable out of the car before I went in. (There’s sometimes one at the nursing desk I can borrow, though but it belongs to one of the nurses.)
SFAW
@Craig McMahon:
Please don’t do that to me, what with my weak heart and all.
I am really glad I didn’t have a coronary before reading the rest of your comment.
SFAW
@workworkwork:
Sounds doubleplusunfun. I hope you’re OK.
ChrisGrrr
@workworkwork: Good grief.
Having spent four months in hospital / rehab extended-care due to a motorcycle accident a year ago, I’m asking for smart doc / nurses / techs to pinpoint the cause of your malfunction, and obliterate it – quickly.
You’ll bring good stuff out of this weirdness.
JR in WV
@workworkwork:
Wow, what a problem set!
Hope you get back on your feet soonest! Little toe may have been a little gout outbreak, my Dad had those. At least platelets are transfusable, my brother donated a ton of them to Dad.
And get some rest before Wife comes home, perhaps. Just a couple of days might make a big difference in how you feel. If you’re in a medical marijuana state, that might help, it often does when stress may be part of a complex syndrome.
And do absentee ballots ASAP, that will be one important chore behind you…
Good luck, best wishes!
Soprano2
@Kay:
I am also so so tired of this idea that the white man is the “normal” voter against who every other voter’s opinions must be measured. NPR has a fixation on why white, working-class men don’t vote for Democrats anymore. I want to shout at my radio “They haven’t voted for Democrats since Reagan, you ignoramus!” If this election does nothing else I hope it puts to bed the idea that the white male voter is the end-all and be-all of voters.
And yes, Hillary’s supporters are hugely undercovered because they aren’t of the white, male persuasion. If only they could find some older women to interview……
Soprano2
@ Elizabelle:
I think I heard part of that. I swear, to them every wealthy person is just alike. For some reason it’s wrong, wrong, wrong for a Democrat to have money or be self-made, but natural for a Republican. I actually think much of the Beltway press and punditry hate the Clintons because they are self-made; they feel the Clintons are beneath them, kind of like they’re “hillbilly wealth” and thus not worthy of respect.
Procopius
I just couldn’t resist commenting on the Toles cartoon. Here in Thailand, one of the categories of ghosts is the “bred” or “pret.” A pret is two stories tall and have a mouth as small as the eye of a sewing needle. They are always hungry. They scream in the night. People are reborn as pret because in life they were stingy and/or took advantage of people. Unfortunately the pret is also emaciated, so that deviates from The Donald, but Toles accurately capture the mouth to perfection.