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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2017 / “Southern Heritage” Open Thread: Roy Moore’s Rebel Yawps

“Southern Heritage” Open Thread: Roy Moore’s Rebel Yawps

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If your social media this morning seems to include an awful lot of rude / despairing comments about Alabama, there are reasons. The resentful Confederate revanchists let their filters take the night off, and the results were… pretty much what you’d expect, all crammed together at one busy rally. Buzzfeed reports, “Roy Moore’s Last And Weirdest Campaign Event“:

Roy Moore’s closing argument was an airing of grievances.

In his first appearance on the campaign trail in nearly a week, the Senate candidate in Alabama complained bitterly about how he’s been treated by the media, by supporters of his Democratic opponent, and by establishment Republicans. And, facing allegations of sexual misconduct that could cost him Tuesday’s special election here, he lashed out again at his accusers.

“I want you to understand this,” said Moore, who’s been accused of making sexual advances on a minor, sexually assaulting a 16-year-old, and pursuing romantic relationships with other teens. “The Washington Post put out this terrible, disgusting article, saying I had done something. I want you to understand something. They said these women … had not come forward for nearly 40 years, but they waited until 30 days before this general election to come forward.”…

The Election Eve rally inside a special events barn in southeast Alabama featured a lineup of right-wing speakers, headlined by Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert and Steve Bannon, the Breitbart executive chairman and former chief strategist for President Donald Trump. But Kayla Moore’s comments — and her husband’s outrage — stood out most. Polls are all over the place in the race’s closing days, but the accusations against Moore helped turned what should have been an easy win for Republicans into a battle with Democrat Doug Jones. Moore’s frustration was evident.

At one point, he alluded to Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, a Republican who doesn’t support him and who went on CNN on Sunday to say the “Republican Party can do better.” Moore didn’t mention Shelby’s name, only that he was among the senators opposed to his candidacy. The National Republican Senatorial Committee stopped funding Moore after the accusations…

Remember, Shakedown Shelby’s gonna have to work with this gomer, should Doug Jones not eke out a well-deserved win. To quote that book Moore fans wave around (but don’t read), They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind… “

Will tuck the universally croggled observers’ tweets below the fold, so don’t say I never spared you anything…

Also, we have a Black Friend…


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And for the big crowd-pleasing closer:

Reader Interactions

61Comments

  1. 1.

    msdc

    Roy Moore’s closing argument was an airing of grievances.

    How dare that motherfucker corrupt our beautiful Festivus traditions?

  2. 2.

    Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et Al.)

    I can’t believe this is happening in the United States. I mean, yeah, I can, but I can’t. If you know what I mean. And I hope you do, ’cause I don’t know if I even do.

  4. 4.

    TenguPhule

    Wake me when the election is over. Not gonna go through another hour by hour freakout like last year.

  7. 7.

    Kay

    I noticed Trump is now taking the Moore “blatant lying” approach and denying he has encountered any of these women.

    Laughably false. Whatever else Moore and Trump are, they’re liars. No one else who was accused did this- no one else denied that they KNEW the women!

    Moore and Trump are much worse than your average sex offender. They deny the specific act- they don’t deny the encounter.

    They’re in the bottom ten per cent of the sex offender population.

  8. 8.

    Kay

    It’s interesting that Bannon is nervous about the Trump Administration’s phony populism. Maybe they have polling that the Trump fans are starting to get that none of these coddled, rich assholes have any intention of doing anything for them.

    He says “they” about the tax bill, when we all know Trump’s low quality hires back the tax bill. This is Trump’s crap tax bill.

  10. 10.

    dmsilev

    Email from the Jones campaign just now:

    If you donate just $0.00 more right now, you’ll be included in our final record as a TOP Doug Jones supporter.

    That, I can do.

  12. 12.

    Chip Daniels

    The entire conservative wing of American politics has devolved into nothing more than resentment and grievance and white identity politics.

    No one except the Wall Street faction is talking about economic policy, nobody but the neocons are talking about foreign poilcy, and they both have to sell their ideas wrapped in identity politics even to get a public hearing.

  14. 14.

    West of the Cascades

    @Yarrow: just saw this tweet posted at al.com:

    Secretary of State @JohnHMerrill says it appears state is “right on target” for 25 percent voter turnout in today’s special election between Doug Jones and Roy Moore. #ALSen

    9:23 AM – 12 Dec 2017

  15. 15.

    eric

    @West of the Cascades: slightly different connotation from from channel kwch:

    8:25 a.m.

    Alabama’s top election official estimates that turnout for the hotly contested U.S. Senate election now underway will likely be around 18 to 20 percent of registered voters.

    Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill tells The Associated Press there’s also a chance that turnout for the special election could be as high as 25 percent.

  16. 16.

    Yarrow

    @dmsilev: Yeah, I was just wondering about anecdotes. Reporters at polling stations, reports of early voting, that kind of thing.

    @West of the Cascades: Thanks. That seems so low for this very high profile race. I know it’s a special election and turnout is always low but it still surprises me.

  18. 18.

    Hoodie

    “Roy Moore is a man of such integrity I once personally witnessed him refusing to pay for sex with children” is actually where we are at now.”

    Why pay when you could get fresh young white girls back home for the price of an entree at Catfish Cabin?

  19. 19.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @eric:
    Read the AL SC ruled in private that no digital copies of ballots had to be saved. The fix is in. Says a lot about how close this race is if they have to cheat this blatantly.

  21. 21.

    eric

    @WaterGirl: from Pew: i dont have time to do the math

    By and large, House special elections are low-turnout events. Excluding the 20 special elections held concurrently with regular elections, turnout in the House special elections we examined was, on average, about half that of the previous general election in the same district.

  22. 22.

    Scott

    “They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind”..

    This has been my go-to quote when I respond to some whining from Sen Cornyn about NAFTA, immigration, etc. It is like that can’t figure out cause and effect.

  24. 24.

    hitchhiker

    I was reading on twitter that the absentees are double and triple what’s usual. Who knows what it all means? I’m trying not to be hopeful about results tonight … one thing is for sure, and that’s that either way the Rs are going to lose. If they elect Moore, it’s another giant black mark on the party which majorities of voters are already starting to despise. If they fail to elect Moore, there will be even more chaos in their inner circles while people try to pretend it’s meaningless.

    I also have to think that this could be a moment when southerners who generally shrug and mark the R box meet some actual Democrats who are out and proud and excited about it.

  27. 27.

    gene108

    @WaterGirl:

    Turn out ofr mid-terms is about 35% of possible voters. Presidential elections run around 55%.

    Most Americans really think their vote doesn’t matter.

  28. 28.

    chris

    @Yarrow:

    If you don't remember your birth county you can't fill out the form. Sucks for you if you were born out of state like me.— Ya Girl Brittany (@xobritdear) 12 December 2017

    Read the whole thread to see voter suppression in action.

  29. 29.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @gene108:

    Most Americans really think their vote doesn’t matter.

    Then they get the government they deserve, good and hard.

  30. 30.

    debbie

    NPR ran a clip of Bannon’s remarks, where he’s complaining about how people were coming down to Alabama and telling Alabamians how to vote. The reporter quickly pointed out that Bannon was bad-mouthing people who were doing what he was doing. The man has zero self-awareness.

  31. 31.

    germy

    Can someone please explain what happens if the results are so close a recount is needed?

    UPDATE: 11:25 a.m. ― Alabama’s state Supreme Court late Monday stayed a judge’s earlier order that the state preserve digital voting records in Tuesday’s election.

  32. 32.

    justawriter

    Anyone else getting tired of the endless panels of Roy Moore voters on the liberal media on why they’re voting for the pervert? (Short answer: They’re redneck racists who don’t think baaabeeeis should be allowed to die until after they’re born.) Looking at you, NPR and Vice, among others.

  33. 33.

    germy

    ALERT: We are receiving reports out of Jefferson County, #Alabama regarding text messages falsely telling voters their polling site has changed. Pls make reports to our 866-OUR-VOTE Election Protection hotline. Call us to confirm your polling location and vote!— Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) December 12, 2017

  34. 34.

    germy

    Hey Alabama,There are already voting "irregularities" (i.e.: suppression) reported today.Call 866-OUR-VOTE (Election Protection Hotline) if you have ANY problems voting.Remember, Polls are open from 7am CST to 7pm CST.Make your voice heard! pic.twitter.com/V2BXFzDXCV— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) December 12, 2017

  35. 35.

    trollhattan

    @justawriter:
    Am basically hearing: because Doug Jones will personally kill millyuns of babies ah has to vote for Roy Moore and besides, innocent until proven guilty and why didn’t these wimmins speak up until now–that seems suspicious. Also, too, baby-killer Doug Jones.

    Alabama

  36. 36.

    Mnemosyne

    @trollhattan:

    Like I keep saying, abortion is the white evangelicals’ Get Out of Jail Free card. They can commit literally any other sin and excuse it by saying that at least they’re not killing innocent babies through abortion. And other white evangelicals lap it up every single time.

  39. 39.

    germy

    It’s easy to view Roy Moore’s controversial candidacy as a self-inflicted wound by Senate Republicans.

    Over the summer, the GOP’s top strategists analyzed a complicated three-way race for the party’s nomination to succeed Jeff Sessions, who left the seat to become attorney general, and came to this conclusion: The only path to victory for the establishment favorite, appointed senator Luther Strange (R), was to elevate Moore on the initial ballot, on the belief that he would lose in the runoff in late September, leading to an easy victory for Strange in Tuesday’s general election.

  40. 40.

    The Moar You Know

    I’ve broken out my banjo (yes I do have one) and am tuning it up now. Gonna get a twelve of shitty beer and get back in touch with my roots.

  41. 41.

    VeniceRiley

    I know Russia was behind pushing #CalExit but I’m still not entirely sure it’s a bad idea. Getting rather sick of the disgusting choices the rest of the country forces me to deal with.

  42. 42.

    chopper

    @germy:

    oh, they’re going to make copies all right. if jones wins by a hair, they’ll be brought out for the recount, saying the court case was merely about whether they were required to. if moore wins, they’ll delete them all, say “sorry, we weren’t required to make copies” and the recount ends right there.

    you have to understand that the GOP started ramping up the preparations for these shenanigans as soon as jones started doing well in the polls. they’ll be damned if they lose a senate seat, much less one in blood-red alabama, without pulling out all the stops.

  43. 43.

    catfishncod

    So is this AL-Supreme Court ruling going to be emergency appealed to SCOTUS? I mean this makes no sense. If a SoS can call the SC for a ruling and get it, no questions asked, no input from opposing counsel, in such a way as to preclude the possibility of relief, it’s a clear due process violation. This is a Federal election so there is jurisdiction, but IIRC only SCOTUS can overrule a state supreme court.

  44. 44.

    But her emails!!!

    @VeniceRiley:

    I’d advise looking at pictures of Richmond, Charleston and Atlanta after the Civil War. Calexit leads to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego looking similar, but with far more people and far less water.

  45. 45.

    Roger Moore

    Roy Moore: This country needs to recognize God while the temples built by the Democrats and Republicans only recognize idols.

    This from a man who lost his job because he refused to remove a graven image from his workplace. Sorry “Judge” Moore, but you should have bothered to read the first of those Commandments you were so eager to display.

  46. 46.

    WaterGirl

    @Hoodie: I had the same thought after I posted! Hopefully we’re riled up and they don’t know what to do. Sometimes when I don’t know what to do, I do nothing. That could work for us.

  47. 47.

    rikyrah

    @Kay:

    It’s interesting that Bannon is nervous about the Trump Administration’s phony populism. Maybe they have polling that the Trump fans are starting to get that none of these coddled, rich assholes have any intention of doing anything for them.

    You think they’d finally get a clue.

    I won’t put any money on it, though.

  48. 48.

    catclub

    @Roger Moore:

    he refused to remove a graven image

    I am not sure if engraved text is considered a graven image. Of course, if you cannot read then it is just an image.

  49. 49.

    rikyrah

    I’ll say it again:

    1. They banned him from THE MALL.
    2. They had POLICE WATCHING HIM at the local high school football games.

    UH HUH
    UH HUH

  52. 52.

    Redshift

    @hitchhiker:

    I was reading on twitter that the absentees are double and triple what’s usual. Who knows what it all means?

    In Virginia elections, that’s generally a good sign, because VA Dems have made a priority of getting people to do absentee/early voting. I’d hazard it’s the same in Alabama, because making in-person voting harder for people who can’t get time off work is a standard GOP voter suppression tactic. But who knows.

  56. 56.

    Shalimar

    @debbie: Morning Joe ran a clip this morning of Bannon mocking Scarborough for not being smart enough to get into Georgetown and Harvard like he did. Scarborough got his law degree from the University of Alabama. The cluelessness of the idiots who cheered that insult is breathtaking.

  57. 57.

    Shalimar

    @chris: If you know anything about where you were born, hospital, state, etc, it isn’t hard to google the county and contact them. Yes, they are putting up hurdles to getting an ID, and yes, it sucks, but it is easier than ever to overcome some of them.

  59. 59.

    PaulWartenberg

    There are growing reports that a lot of polling areas shifted a lot of voters (noticeably a lot of Black voters) over to “Inactive” status and are telling them they can’t vote.

    Thing is, the voters SHOULD BE ABLE TO get themselves back on Active status.

    Copying this off Twitter from NAACP:

    We have volunteers in #Alabama for voter protection. If you have any problems casting a ballot due to “inactive” status or other issues, please call 202 682 1300

  61. 61.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Kay: French Revolution thinking, today’s radicals are tomorrow’s conservatives. Trump isn’t delivering the magic pony that puts women, minorities, kids, scientists, lawyers, atheists, comedians, homosexuals, the collage educated, environmentalists, Muslims, reporters, East Coast Elites, politicians, and Model Rail Roaders in their place so Trump is becoming The Man now, keeping the White Man down.

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