Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Spilling the end game before they can coat it in frankl luntz-approved dogwhistles.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

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

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

“And when the Committee says to “report your income,” that could mean anything!

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

He really is that stupid.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

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

Republicans don’t trust women.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / Saturday Morning Open Thread: I Unreservedly, Absolutely {Heart} Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Saturday Morning Open Thread: I Unreservedly, Absolutely {Heart} Sen. Elizabeth Warren

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She’s set an excellent example for the rest of the current field…


But I still miss Kamala Harris, too:

Reader Interactions

151Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    What unites us is so much bigger than what divides us.

    I’m less sure about that these days.

    Good set of tweets.

  2. 2.

    Betty Cracker

    The “Kamala is a cop” thing might have been pushed by Russians, but if so, they were exploiting an existing fracture. For reasons I cannot begin to fathom, people take the political dribblings of washed up celebrities like 2 Live Crew’s Luther Campbell seriously, and he initially slammed Harris for the “cop” thing, criticized her for marrying a white dude and made incredibly sexist insinuations about her relationship with Willie Brown.

    Harris had to cultivate that asshole to try to contain the damage, and she did it successfully. Campbell changed his tune and endorsed Harris. But the lies were “out there,” as they say.

  4. 4.

    Betty Cracker

    @Baud: I don’t know if Campbell started it or repeated it from another source, but he spread the smear far and wide in South Florida. Everything gets amplified and weaponized, Russians or no Russians. I don’t know how we address that scourge, aside from developing a more robust sense of skepticism.

  8. 8.

    SFAW

    Buttigieg is not my first choice — or “cherce,” as we used to say in the homeland — but his “we shouldn’t have to choose between one candidate who wants to burn [yo Pete: S/B “bern it down”] this party down and one candidate who wants to buy this party out” is a pretty good line, and I hope it gets a lot of play. [Not that the Bern-or-Bust-ers think berning it down is a bad thing, of course.]

  11. 11.

    SFAW

    @Baud:

    Frankly, I’m afraid it’s going to take some horrific event to cause people to wake up to reality.

    Optimistic, aren’t you? The last three years have been a series of horrific events, and there are still far too many who continue to support the Traitor-in-Chief.

  12. 12.

    JWR

    We’ve lost Dick.

    “He never has changed his attack because of pressure from the outside or when he felt the wind was blowing another way. He stuck with who he is and what he believes.” –Dick Van Dyke pic.twitter.com/j8bKHBlCkT
    — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 22, 2020

    I don’t think the words “He stuck with who he is and what he believes” mean much anymore. (and maybe less than dick.) Hell, just look at Trump.

  13. 13.

    NotMax

    Had a major urge to veg out with some innocuous TV this week, something entertaining and non-taxing and to which I could pay only partial attention if so desired.

    Worked through the single short season of Neighbor (El Vecino) on Netflix, which ended up providing a decent enough amount of low key fun, albeit granted it’s a bit of a slog getting through the first two episodes of overly extended character set-up. Things start clicking with the third.

    Moved on to Little Coincidences (Pequeñas Coincidencias) on Prime. Cute idea. Single, 40-ish he and she both want to have a family and are each haunted by one of their future children as a means to get them to find each other and hook up as Mr./Ms Right. Only good trailer I could quickly find does not have English subtitles.

  14. 14.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Iran’s conservatives are heading for a large overall majority in the country’s parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results, an outcome that reflects frustration with collapsing living standards and the apparent dead end of engagement with the west.

    It means strong supporters of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will control all the main levers of power in Iran except for the presidency. The reformists, elected four years ago on a ticket of engagement with the west, had been the largest party in parliament but found many of their proposals blocked by other centres of power in Iran, notably the Guardian Council.

    Another trump foreign policy success.

  15. 15.

    Baud

    @SFAW:

    The last three years have been a series of horrific events,

    Trump has been horrific for our principles and our standing, but the vast majority of Americans have not been tangibly affected by Trump in their personal lives.

  16. 16.

    Baud

    @JWR: The Bros on Reddit were excited about Dick Van Dyke!

     

    ETA: also funny because even Bernie now admits he’s changed on guns.

  18. 18.

    Anya

    @Baud: It’s scary when you consider what’s on the line. I am petrified that we will give Trump a life line. I just hope the Sanders campaign shows a little bit of commitment that they will do everything they can to unite the party.

  20. 20.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @SFAW: Because while it might be morning, there is nothing good about it, other than the fact that another night in hell* has ended.

    *not quite that bad but little sleep was to be had.

  21. 21.

    Anya

    @JWR: I don’t get why “He stuck with who he is and what he believes” is supposed to be an asset. As humans we grow and learn. Our views are constantly changing. Change is a good thing. If you believed the same set of facts since the 60s, that seems scary to me. It’s not reassuring. It just means that you are set in your ways and won’t have workable solutions to a changing world.

  23. 23.

    John S.

    They need to give BS the Bloomberg treatment before it’s too late. A brokered convention where BS got the majority of votes going in will not be a good look, and the media will help BS air his grievances because they seem to believe he will get them the best ratings come November.

    The actual Democratic candidates need to unite in exposing BS for the hack he is, and stop letting him coast his way to victory.

  24. 24.

    Chyron HR

    @JWR:

    “He never has changed his attack because of pressure from the outside or when he felt the wind was blowing another way.”

    He literally stopped attacking millionaires when he got worried people would find out he was one.

  26. 26.

    Melusine

    @JWR:  Yeah, “too bloody-minded to evolve” is not a winning campaign slogan.

    Rather reminds me of a Vogon. Lord, I hope he doesn’t start shouting poetry at us.

    “Capitalism is futile!”

  31. 31.

    JWR

    @Anya:

    I don’t get why “He stuck with who he is and what he believes” is supposed to be an asset.

    Agreed. I’m sure it was meant as a compliment, once, but not now. Not anymore, what with the Truth being up for grabs.

  33. 33.

    Anya

    I seriously liked Amy Klobuchar and I thought she was tough and the most likely candidate to withstand Trump’s juvenile debate tactics. But she proved me wrong with her “are you trying to say that I’m dumb” reaction to Buttigieg’s attacks on her. She once said the biggest takeaway from NATO leaders mocking Trump was”he is so thin-skinned that he walked. He quit.” Amy Klobuchar showed in that debate that she is thin-skinned and really not ready for prime time. In comparison, Warren has proved that she’ll be the most affective candidate against Trump. She’ll be able to deal with his frat-boy antics and his nastiness.

  34. 34.

    Amir Khalid

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    Dick Van Dyke is so old the British don’t mock his “Cockney” accent from Mary Poppins anymore. Mention his name to the younger ones and they’ll probably think he’s the guy who plays for Liverpool.

  37. 37.

    JPL

    @Anya: Well I’m a democrat and yesterday Bernie was railing about the democratic establishment, so it doesn’t look hopeful.    After twenty seconds of his rant, if he wins the nomination, count me out   I’ll work down ballot and hope that Lucy McBath maintains her seat.

  38. 38.

    OzarkHillbilly

    The world’s largest financier of fossil fuels has warned clients that the climate crisis threatens the survival of humanity and that the planet is on an unsustainable trajectory, according to a leaked document.

    The JP Morgan report on the economic risks of human-caused global heating said climate policy had to change or else the world faced irreversible consequences. The study implicitly condemns the US bank’s own investment strategy and highlights growing concerns among major Wall Street institutions about the financial and reputational risks of continued funding of carbon-intensive industries, such as oil and gas. JP Morgan has provided $75bn (£61bn) in financial services to the companies most aggressively expanding in sectors such as fracking and Arctic oil and gas exploration since the Paris agreement, according to analysis compiled for the Guardian last year.

    Its report was obtained by Rupert Read, an Extinction Rebellion spokesperson and philosophy academic at the University of East Anglia, and has been seen by the Guardian.

    The research by JP Morgan economists David Mackie and Jessica Murray says the climate crisis will impact the world economy, human health, water stress, migration and the survival of other species on Earth.

    “We cannot rule out catastrophic outcomes where human life as we know it is threatened,” notes the paper, which is dated 14 January.

    Drawing on extensive academic literature and forecasts by the International Monetary Fund and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the paper notes that global heating is on course to hit 3.5C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. It says most estimates of the likely economic and health costs are far too small because they fail to account for the loss of wealth, the discount rate and the possibility of increased natural disasters.

    The authors say policymakers need to change direction because a business-as-usual climate policy “would likely push the earth to a place that we haven’t seen for many millions of years”, with outcomes that might be impossible to reverse.

    “Although precise predictions are not possible, it is clear that the Earth is on an unsustainable trajectory. Something will have to change at some point if the human race is going to survive.”

  39. 39.

    Lapassionara

    @Baud: A terrorist attack would be a “horrific event,” and with the changes in leadership at ODNI, we would appear to be more vulnerable to one.

  40. 40.

    Geminid

    Its time one or more of the other candidates takes the gloves off and goes after Sanders hammers and tongs. SuperPac ads won’t cut it. The Republicans certainly will in the fall if Sanders is our nominee. They have some anvils to lob at him that have yet to get much exposure. One is his standing as Vermont Elector for the “Trotskyite” Socialist Workers Party in 1980, and campaigning for their presidential candidates in ’80 and ’84. Seems like a long time ago, but Sanders was in his late 30s, early 40s at the time. The SWP had quite a platform.

  41. 41.

    JWR

    @John S.:

    and the media will help BS air his grievances because they seem to believe he will get them the best ratings come November.

    I watched Judy Woodruff interviewing two Dem guys the other day, and when they got to the brokered convention thing, Woodruff expressed excitement, saying something like ‘it’s every reporters dream to be covering such an event.’ I guess that’s where journalism and media-mogul interests collide.

  42. 42.

    ThresherK

    I am heartened by the turn of candidates going bigger picture here, and find it very indicative of who is “in the boat”.

    (And more-than-honorable mention to Kamala.)

  45. 45.

    Anya

    @Baud: I just hope Bloomberg focuses his negative ads on Bernie. I saw his lil airport tarmac shouting exchange with the reporters re: Russia and it filled me with dread. He can’t handle any tough questions. The other candidates have all being attacked on the debate stage but Bernie is always treated with kid gloves. I don’t know, maybe shouty, dismissive Bernie will be effective against asshole Trump but I just can’t see him facing the onslaught of attacks that any Dem candidate will face (media, Russia and GOP).

  46. 46.

    Baud

    @Anya:

    I can’t predict the outcome of the election. Even if he did win, I have no confidence in him having a productive presidency. 

  47. 47.

    ThresherK

    @JWR: Yeah, time for Woodruff to stop covering politics and just get a scanner tuned to the Fire Department.

    Then again, she’s end up rooting for more fires.

  48. 48.

    Mousebumples

    @PsiFighter37: late to the thread last week or earlier this week where you had mentioned possible changes in your family’s childcare plans. We have a nanny for our now 6 mo old, if my experiences can be of any use to you. Good luck , regardless!

  49. 49.

    SFAW

    @Baud:

    Trump has been horrific for our principles and our standing, but the vast majority of Americans have not been tangibly affected by Trump in their personal lives.

    You sure you want to go with that idea? Because I didn’t realize that something had to tangibly affect me, my friends, their friends, and their friends (and on and on), for it to be considered horrific.

    The whole “well, it doesn’t tangibly affect white people (or some other large demographic), so what’s the problem?” concept is not really a good look. But then again, Niemoeller was such a whiny alarmist.

  50. 50.

    Anya

    @JPL: He doesn’t even care. Like, does he know he can’t win with just his 25% Bernie or bust supporters? If he wins the nomination, he’ll effectively be the party leader. What will he do then? I am mystified by his “burn it into the ground” tactics when it comes to the Democratic Party? Is he not as scared of Trump getting a second terms as we all are? The Democratic Party is the first defence against Trump. Why does he think shitting on it is a good thing?

    I am at the “I can no longer rationally discuss the Sanders campaign” stage.

  51. 51.

    Baud

    @SFAW:

    I’m not sure what you’re saying.  I’m not arguing that Trump isn’t horrific.  I’m suggesting that people who are chasing the newest shiny thing on the internet may not wake up to reality until they feel the real world bearing in on them in a more personal way.

  52. 52.

    Geminid

    @JPL:    Got my fingers crossed for McBath.  I’m hoping she’ll have campaign synergy with Raphael Warnock, head Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church Atlanta, who will be running in the November “jungle primary” to fill Johnny Isaacson’s old Senate seat. Stacey Abrams persuaded him to run, and will give maximum support.

  54. 54.

    JPL

    @Mousebumples: My son wanted his little one in day care because of the socialization.   Quality day care in the Atlanta area is over twenty thousand a year and gran imp was lucky to find a spot in the facility that the big box corp headquarters which is almost half that cost.   He just turned one and is thriving in that environment.    I was previously on team nanny.    His grans took care of him until he was six months so that did help.

    When someone preaches no food unless you work.. good luck with that because they have no idea about the costs of day care.  pro fetus but not pro life.

  55. 55.

    Baud

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    It’s a risk.  I just don’t have any confidence in him.  Even if he had a rubber stamp Congress, I don’t believe he is capable of implementing his own policies well.   I trust Warren more in that respect.

  56. 56.

    Nicole

    That quote from BS about taking on the Republican Establishment and the Democratic Establishment has me sick to my stomach.  I’m watching the Democratic party’s nomination get hijacked.

  57. 57.

    SFAW

    @Baud:

    Your initial comment did not specify that the horrific events had to happen to the Trumpistas for them to turn on him. But even then, there have been enough things happening to Trumpistas, or persons they know/love, without a significant dent to his ratings, that your contention seems a trifle … optimistic, maybe?

    Or do you mean that if there’s an American Holocaust (or similar), well, THEN people will really start to re-think their support — but only if they’re among those rounded up?

  58. 58.

    Baud

    @SFAW:

     

    I was mostly talking about Bernie supporters and the whole online progressive culture.

    In any event, the most likely event is a major recession.  I think that makes people less likely to play games or chase windmills with politics.  Another possibility is war.  The one thing I’ll give Trump, though, is that he seems to understand how unpopular that would be.

  59. 59.

    donnah

    I just donated to Warren’s campaign and am going for her 100%. I know that she’s up against a wall of opposition, but she’s everything I want in a President. She’s smart, unafraid, and she truly wants to clean up the corruption.

     

    Also, I have had a crush on Dick Van Dyke since I was six years old, so back off.   ;-)

  60. 60.

    Mousebumples

    @JPL: I get the socialization side but I more wanted the one on one attention and avoidance of daycare germs. Yes, she needs to be exposed eventually… I’d just rather wait until her immune system is more developed. (she can’t even get her flu shot until her 6mo appointment on Monday! And the traditional flu tends to affect kids more than others. And being a pharmacist, I’d rather put off needing to get her antibiotics, etc., if I can.)

    Plus, if she’s sick/contagious, she can’t go to daycare, which means one of us would be staying home with her. The nanny could also get sick, and we’d need to stay home, but the nanny can care for her hypothetical future ear infections.

    I also had concerns about pickup and dropoff since my husband and I work in opposite directions from our house, so either one of us was always going to be in charge of that job or one of us would be going out of our way to ferry her around.

    Daycare isn’t all bad of course, and childcare is expensive full stop. Fortunately, my family can afford a nanny, and we found one that’s working out well for us. That’s really what matters, right? ?

  61. 61.

    JMG

    @Baud: This is my biggest problem with Sanders. I strongly believe he would be a terrible President, a shouty, crabby Jimmy Carter. But my real nightmare is that he gets the nomination and then has another heart attack before the election.

  62. 62.

    Baud

    @JMG:

    He’s at risk of not completing his term, but I think it’s unlikely that he’ll have another heart attack so soon after his last one.  Unless his doctors are lying like Trump’s doctors lie.

    Besides, except for Pete and Amy, they’re all old.  Who knows what ailments are lurking under the surface with any of them.

  67. 67.

    JWR

    This thread reminds me that I didn’t care much for Sanders’ response to Bloomberg’s jab about how the most famous Socialist in America owns 3 houses. As far as I know, there’s nothing about Democratic Socialism that precludes the accumulation of wealth. Again, that’s as far as I know.

  69. 69.

    mad citizen

    @Anya: I wasn’t as put off by Amy’s fighting with Pete.  Sure she could have taken a higher road, but I like the give and take, and I didn’t think she had a bad debate–as others do.  She just wasn’t that aggressive in getting air time, but a few times it seemed she did have her arm raised and they just started a new question.

    Having said all that, I agree with what you and everyone else are saying about Warren–she is the one.  Maybe it’s only a hope, but I wouldn’t be surprised if 2 or 3 of them drop out after the Super Tuesday results so that party can go to Warren (or Pete or even Biden if that’s how it goes on Super Tuesday).  We can’t have Wilmer be the nominee, no effing way.  It seems like the way Amy and Liz support each other that one will drop to support the other.

    The Judy Woodruff comment about a brokered convention is repulsive.  I wonder if it was every journo’s dream to cover a clown president?

  72. 72.

    JPL

    @mad citizen: I was disappointed that Warren wasn’t as forceful towards Sanders as she was towards Bloomberg.   At this time, Sanders is the real danger.   We’ll see what she does the next debate.

  74. 74.

    Geminid

    @Baud:              You may be right, but if Sanders senses victory he may drive himself too hard. He doesn’t look so great at the podium, but I’ve seen pics of him walking to events and he looks rough.                                                               Lincoln once remarked that the worm of presidential ambition “gnaws deep.” It may kill Sanders.

  75. 75.

    debbie

    @Betty Cracker:

    Americans don’t need Russia’s help in being stupid. The scourge you speak of is the result of the decline of American public education (stating the obvious, I know).

  76. 76.

    Amir Khalid

    Early action in the English Premier League: Chelsea alumnus Frank Lampard’s Chelsea lead his former manager Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur 2-0. The last third of the season was always going to be tough for Spurs, with their two best strikers’ season ended by injury, but the rest of the side have been uninspired today.

  77. 77.

    topclimber

    @Chyron HR: I know you are not saying this, but I needed a springboard to jump to this topic and you are it. Figured you could handle it.

    I am heartily sick of the anti-Sanders meme that he is a hypocrite to attack grotesque income inequality because he has a few million bucks. I want people in office who can live well without worrying how to make a living and instead concentrate on political leadership. I don’t particularly want mega millionaires and above who are out of touch with what the 99% deal with.

    As for Pete being the only non-millionaire on stage, remember he is 38. I would venture to guess that outside of Mayor Mike, few if any of the other Dems had that status, even in 1990 dollars, when they were that young.

    The only way he is not a millionaire in the next five years is if he becomes President. The book deals and the speaker fees brokered by his billionaire backers make that a sure bet.

  78. 78.

    trnc

    @Anya:

    The other candidates have all being attacked on the debate stage but Bernie is always treated with kid gloves. I don’t know, maybe shouty, dismissive Bernie will be effective against asshole Trump but I just can’t see him facing the onslaught of attacks that any Dem candidate will face (media, Russia and GOP).

    That’s exactly what I tell people who claim Bernie would have won in 2016.

  79. 79.

    debbie

    @JPL:

    Seconded. I thought her Bloomberg remarks sounded over-rehearsed, especially when compared to her exchanges with the other candidates on the stage.

  80. 80.

    topclimber

    @JWR:  On BJ, it is a compliment when you talk about Obama, but not when you talk about Sanders.

    Much as I love our Boomer-heavy blog community, I would be curious how this line resonates with the youngs. My Millennial kids grew up watching DVD on cable reruns. They know who he is, though probably don’t particularly give much weight to his political opinions.

  81. 81.

    trnc

    @mad citizen: I wonder if it was every journo’s dream to cover a clown president?

    Couldn’t have happened without their active support in the form of showing DT rallies non-stop, implying that Hillary was corrupt and frequently checking in with pro-DT supporters.

  82. 82.

    zhena gogolia

    @Nicole:

    I am just sick to my stomach about it. When we started I was so hopeful — all those great candidates, I thought BS wouldn’t have any traction. But I forgot he would have Vladimir Vladimirovich helping him. So here we are, sleepwalking into disaster.

  84. 84.

    trnc

    @debbie:

    There’s a very famous photo of Obama and Putin eye-to-eye (with Obama looking down), isn’t there

    ETA: This one. Not quite eye to eye. Putin’s too much of a pussy for that. //

    I’m not the body language expert that Paul Gosar is, but this doesn’t look to me like Obama is dressing down Putin in that pic. Obama’s right hand isn’t making the aggressive gesture I would expect if he were.

    I think the other picture we usually see better shows Obama’s contempt for him. Even though Putin is staring back, he looks more petulant.

  85. 85.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @topclimber: Nobody is mad that Bernie has three houses.  We’re mad that his fucking supporters use that angle to deride anyone they don’t like (Hillary, Obama etc.) but then immediately drop it when you point out that Bernie is no different.  Wealth accumulation makes a person’s purity automatically suspect and possibly corrupt to them…unless it’s Bernie.  Then the cherry on top: they proceed to lecture everyone about how nobody understands Democratic Socialism, as if that is what anyone was actually talking about, which it isn’t.

  86. 86.

    Nicole

    @zhena gogolia:

    When we started I was so hopeful — all those great candidates, I thought BS wouldn’t have any traction.

    Me too.  I thought once he wasn’t challenging a single candidate who had 30+ years of the media throwing shit at her, people would see him for the all-hat-no-cattle he is.  What 2020 has taught me is that liberals can be just as susceptible to snake-oil salesmen as conservatives.

  87. 87.

    Chyron HR

    @topclimber:

    So you think it’s wrong to take something completely anodyne and portray it as prima facie evidence that your opponent in the Democratic primary is “corrupt”?  Gee, I sure hope nobody starts making a show of putting a nonexistent object on their podium and smugly declaring, “There’s MY third home.”  That would be completely unfair of them.

    (Let me know if I’m being too subtle for you here.)

  88. 88.

    topclimber

    @UncleEbeneezer: We see different things I suppose. Do you find it notable that young Pete makes a big deal about being the only non-millionaire in the pack? I wonder why he would say that.

  90. 90.

    sdhays

    @SFAW: Yeah, but thanks to Elizabeth Warren who actually came loaded for bear in the last debate, it looks like we won’t have that particular awful choice. Pete (and the rest) came loaded with zingers which might have knocked Bloomberg around a bit, but Warren took him out to the trash dump where he belongs.

  91. 91.

    Chyron HR

    @topclimber:

    Okay.  You don’t like people unfairly slandering Sanders in the exact same ways he slandered Clinton in 2016?  Tough shit, sunshine (Democrat).

  92. 92.

    Anya

    @topclimber: I agree with you. It’s a stupid and lazy attack. We’re not against people being rick and successful. We’re against unbridled greed and crony capitalism. I usually roll my eyes at “I am a son/daughter of a [insert blue collar work]” pandering crap that positions like to us because it is meaningless. You could be from a humble beginning but more aligned with corporate greed and exploitation of workers than someone born of wealth who is really committed to income equality. We shouldn’t focus on someone’s wealth or lack of but on their policies and effectiveness of those policies.

    Having said that, Bernie started all of this obsession with reducing income equality into simplistic millionaires/billionaires vs poor talking points.

  95. 95.

    JPL

    @topclimber: I dislike him because he is not a democrat and has no interest in saving other democratic candidates.  I just find it amusing that a millionaire is complaining about a billionaire.    lol

  96. 96.

    Amir Khalid

    @trnc:

    Bernie’s good at the most superficial parts of candidating, the bits you say and do when there’s a camera on you. He wins with people who compare candidates on only this level. At the deeper parts — work ethic, executive skills, political and diplomatic skills, leadership, grace under pressure, integrity — not so much.

  97. 97.

    debbie

    @trnc:

    I think Obama would be smart enough to avoid making an aggressive gesture that others would see and over-speculate about. He would use his words, not his gestures; Obama’s goal was never to look like a bullying, tough guy.

  99. 99.

    artem1s

    @Anya:

    pretty sure he’s at full metal grift stage.  gotta pull in as many of those $27 donations as possible before SPW and Pete peal off the rest of the fence sitters.  The Berners are always going to support him but the real money is dependent on those super PACs believing he can beat the Great Orange Menace.  There is a lot of doubt about that after the debate so he’s falling back on his greatest hits now.

  103. 103.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Nicole: the history of The White Guy Who Shouts and gets a certain kind of bro-gressive all excited, as best I can recall: Bernie Sanders, Michael Avenatti, Anthony Wiener, Alan Grayson. And very few things actually accomplished

    Is it fair to include Howard Dean?

  104. 104.

    topclimber

    @Chyron HR:  You are right at least once today. I don’t like slandering people. If they deserve an attack, the truth will serve.

    I see you have no problem with slander. You have wounded me deeply with your sunshine (Democrat) remark.

    Or do I do your reasonable self an injustice? Perhaps you meant sunshine in the sense of  optimistic, or one who thinks it is the best disinfectant vs corruption or bad faith arguments, rather than Tom Paine’s meaning re: sunshine soldiers?

  105. 105.

    What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?

    I have to say I have never seen a more bizarre conventional media narrative form around a POTUS race. I was listening to Weekend Edition (generally somewhat better than ME because Scott Simon isn’t quite as spineless as the ME hosts) and Ron Elving was talking about the race. Same old Bernie might run away with it or Bloomberg’s ad blitz might put him in front. Then he said Buttigieg needed to jump start his campaign.

    So the guy who’s in first in the delegate count has pretty much disappeared from the narrative. I’m Warren first but I have never seen a candidate who was in first place after IA and NH be treated like such an afterthought by the media. It’s just weird.

  107. 107.

    Jinchi

    @Baud: He’s at risk of not completing his term, but I think it’s unlikely that he’ll have another heart attack so soon after his last one.

    Slate just put up an article about this.

    12-month risk of either another heart attack, a stroke, or death deemed to have been caused by another cardiovascular problem in men 75 or older was at least 18.3 percent, or a little better than 1 in 5.

  108. 108.

    Immanentize

    OT, but it’s February 22 and here near Boston I saw three Robin red breasts in my back yard.  Not good.

    Carry on

  109. 109.

    MomSense

    Getting ready to drive youngest kid to a rehearsal with big kid’s band.  I’m gearing up for a fight.  I think I should let 16 year old go on tour with the band this summer.  He won’t miss school and if he has to stay behind THAT’S when he will start drinking and getting into trouble because he will be sooo upset.

    I’m basically done with politics. I’ll keep making calls for Gideon, but I cannot deal with the presidential election.  So much fucking stupid, so little reason.

  113. 113.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Sab: Better late than never. If you read the article tho, it is obvious that the company as a whole is not yet on board.

    At this point in time I am going to laud any and all good climate news. Baby steps.

  116. 116.

    trnc

    @debbie:

    I think Obama would be smart enough to avoid making an aggressive gesture that others would see and over-speculate about. He would use his words, not his gestures; Obama’s goal was never to look like a bullying, tough guy.

    I agree, and I also don’t think he would dress down Putin in an open setting, which is another reason that I don’t think he’s doing that in this picture.

  123. 123.

    evodevo

    @SFAW: Well, Baud is right…from what I see every day among my MAGAt neighbors, politically naive/ignorant co-workers and relatives, unless a Trumpian policy suddenly affects THEM or a family member directly, it’s all just sound and fury.  The MAGAts are being fed a diet of bullshit via talk/Xtian fundie radio and Rush, and the others hear only what is on “both sides” local newscasts…the info we get here and from national sources based in reality is unknown to them.  I occasionally inject some into the conversation at work, and they look at me in astonishment.  They have NO idea what is going on, and unless you pinned their eyelids open and forced them to watch it, they would refuse to acknowledge it exists.  THAT’S why our only hope is to GOTV among “normal” Dem voters, ’cause that’s all we have.  And here in Ky, I can tell ya, you AREN’T gonna get Mitch and Randy Paul overthrown, no matter what you do.  Downticket races need to be targeted.

  125. 125.

    Chief Oshkosh

    @John S.:

     

    The actual Democratic candidates need to unite…

    “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.” -Will Rogers

  126. 126.

    Jinchi

    @topclimber: The only way he is not a millionaire in the next five years is if he becomes President.

    Agreed. Some of Pete’s attacks simply point out how young he is. It would be different if he didn’t have such a clear path to becoming wealthy himself. Give him ten years and he’ll probably be worth more than everyone on that stage, minus Bloomberg.

  132. 132.

    MomSense

    @Anya:

    I think I almost gave myself alcohol poisoning playing the drink every time Edwards says mill worker’s son debate watching game.

  134. 134.

    frosty

    @OzarkHillbilly: I agree with your thinking. Got to start somewhere to turn the big ship around. My thinking is that it had to happen in 1980 and that election put us on the path to go over the tipping point. Not to ruin a nice Saturday morning, but that’s where I think we are now.

  135. 135.

    Geminid

    Early in this thread I said that the other candidates have to go after Sanders “hammer and tongs.” I thought about it and think I should take that back. Whether I want it or not, Sanders may be the candidate. And while the Republicans will have many lines of attack, any one will be more potent if they can lead off with video of one of our candidates stating it. I have a lot of animus towards Sanders and my my gut feeling is “go get him!” Warren, Biden et al have greater responsibilities than I do. Kind of a tough position to be in.                                 They are finally taking him on more directly, though, which I think is a good thing and will have effect.

  136. 136.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @MomSense: I get flashbacks every time I watch that movie.

    @japa21: Some stay behind most everywhere while most will move to warmer climes. Here, the few that stick around stay down in the creek and river bottoms. I live on a ridgetop so I don’t see them very often and never on my place in January. The movers (as I recall, strictly speaking they don’t migrate) usually reappear at some point in Feb, and really show themselves up here on the warmer days.

  138. 138.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @frosty: I still have hope for humanity. Mind you, there are days when it plays hide and seek with me.

    As far as a # of species or certain ecosystems… I don’t think people can allow them to exist. We’re just too damned selfish.

  141. 141.

    Richard Guhl

    @Baud:  He won’t have a rubber stamp Congress. Far from it.

    I really don’t get his theory of governance. Does he really believe that pissing on the legs of the very people who will be the ones to enact his agenda is a workable strategy? Does he think that Joe Manchin will fall on his sword for him?

    Joe Biden commands more respect from members of Congress. They know Joe would have their backs. They have every reason to not believe Bernie would.

  142. 142.

    Another Scott

    @OzarkHillbilly: Kinda burying the lede there.  As I understand it, the Guardian Council took a chain saw to the candidates list and only let hard-liners run.  So, er, yeah, they were likely to win and dominate the next Parliament.

    Grr….

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  143. 143.

    Another Scott

    @debbie: When they only have 75 seconds to make a comment, they have to be terse and prepared.  It’s the format.

    Contrast her with Uncle Joe when SP Warren mentioned that he was rooting for Moscow Mitch to win re-election.  Biden didn’t have a response other than to say that McConnell has been on the team going after him and Hunter, “object of his affection for a long time”, etc.  She cuts to the heart of the matter.

    St. Bernard’s time in the barrel is coming…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  144. 144.

    Another Scott

    @UncleEbeneezer: St. Bernard was always, always lecturing us about the Corrupt™ Democratic Party being in the pocket of Millionaires and Billionaires™. Always. Until he could no longer [deny] being a Millionaire himself. Then it became the Corrupt™ Democratic Party being in the pocket of Millionaires and Billionaires™.

    He’s a broken record, with a scratch.

    It’s tiresome.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  145. 145.

    jc

    The crazy idea that anyone could prefer a skunk like Trump when there are people of Warren’s caliber from which to choose, makes my mind sad.

  146. 146.

    kindness

    I’m really not comfortable with the sniping Amy & Pete have engaged in lately.  I wish out media out there would strive to raise our bars rather than lower them.

  147. 147.

    Elizabelle

    Thinking on Bernie’s candidacy being supported by Russian oligarchs/Putin:

    Bloomberg owns a media company.  It does some solid reporting; ear to the ground.

    Do you think he (and they) picked up wisps on this earlier?  And that is one reason he entered the race?

    It does seem that his entrance stopped Warren’s ascent, but maybe he (and Biden) are in there to take out the shouting one from Vermont.  Who is there to tear the Democratic party — the only functioning party in the US — apart.  For Putin’s pleasure.

    I hope we will see a lot of movement to the non-Bernie candidates.  I cannot even guess what Nevada will do, but we’ve got some time to sort all this out before Super Tuesday.

  148. 148.

    Elizabelle

    @Nicole:

    What 2020 has taught me is that liberals can be just as susceptible to snake-oil salesmen as conservatives.

    Very sad truth.  I would say “far left” rather than “liberals”, but it seems that our far left and their far right share a sad number of traits in common.  2016 showed us how the far left was ready to swallow all the rightwing lies about Hillary/the Clintons/the Democratic party.  It was all there to see.

    And I hope you are feeling strong and well today.

  150. 150.

    Barb 2

    @evodevo:

    You are so right about that line of bull the dingy MAGA crowd hears. Flat out lying and made up crap. Lawrence O’Donnell – the last word has that Rush limpballs clip to demonstrate the monkey vomit at his worst.

    Plus Trump repeats lies – like he keeps claiming credit for other people’s work – Obama’s economy.

    lying liars = GOP

  151. 151.

    low-tech cyclist

    “If you believe we shouldn’t have to choose between one candidate who wants to burn this party down and one candidate who wants to buy this party out…” Pete Buttigieg

    Here, let me finish that for you, Pete: “…you can always vote for a candidate like me, who’s already been bought out by the people who want to buy this party out.”

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