Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

He really is that stupid.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Let there be snark.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

We still have time to mess this up!

No one could have predicted…

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

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

Their freedom requires your slavery.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

T R E 4 5 O N

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

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / Biden-Harris 2020 / Monday Evening Open Thread: President (Elected!) Biden Steps Up

Monday Evening Open Thread: President (Elected!) Biden Steps Up

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Meanwhile…


(Ben Carson’s been infected, too. But at the moment Carson’s just… there… while ‘Citizens United Not Timid’ Bossie is supposed to be running the Squatter-in-Chief’s “challenge’ against Biden’s voters. Not a subtle scripter, is Murphy the Trickster God!)

Reader Interactions

283Comments

  3. 3.

    different-church-lady

    I spent five years doom scrolling, and then four days joy scrolling, and now I’m just plot-twist scrolling…

  4. 4.

    Ruckus

    It will get ugly, because I’d bet that the first thing that is going to happen is a nationwide lockdown, if that’s legally possible, and mask wearing when in public. Wonder how many of the rabble will want to take up arms to fight for their right to be more fucking stupid than a pile of manure?

  6. 6.

    jackmac

    Nancy Pelosi gets one back.  After trailing since last Tuesday, updated Associated Press vote totals released late Sunday showed incumbent Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-14) had moved into a narrow lead over GOP challenger Jim Oberweis. He had earlier declared victory.

  7. 7.

    JPL

    Temper tantrums are never fun to watch whether with a two year old, or a president.   Unfortunately for us all, he can do a lot of damage.  Mitch made it clear that he doesn’t give a shit.

  8. 8.

    Chyron HR

    “Why doesn’t he want Republicans to die?  Neoliberal sellout!” – The Sunshine Justice Rangers, probably

  11. 11.

    SiubhanDuinne

    LOL. Just saw a note from a Dem acquaintance here in metro ATL, a young suburban mother, who reports that her five-year-old son looked straight at her this morning and said “If we get a new President, are you going to stop saying ‘fuck’?”

  13. 13.

    MazeDancer

    Can anyone answer this question –

    What if Al Gross wins? (please, Goddess of Liberty, we beseech You.)

    Wouldn’t that mean a Dem Senate majority for Jan 3,4,5?

    I know QAnon Barbie reps GA until her replacement is elected, but can’t figure out what the split will be for those 3 days. Or if the split lasts until the GA election is certified.

  15. 15.

    Comrade Colette

    It’s barely lunchtime here, grumble grumble. Perfect time for a feast of schadenfreude, with a side of gloating and a frilly garnish of wild epicaricacy.

  16. 16.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    BREAKING! Mitch McConnell is still a Mitch McConnell

    Robert Costa @costareports 54m
    Senate Majority Leader McConnell, just now on the Senate floor: America reacted to House Democrats’ “radicalism” by “electing more Republicans.” On WH race: “No states have yet certified… I believe the president may have legal challenges underway in at least 5 states… “

    “President Trump is 100 percent within his rights” to look into his legal rights, options, per McConnell Monday on the Senate floor. Reveals where GOP leadership stands…

    Based on my convos with Rs over wknd, most everything McConnell does from here on isn’t about January 20th (inauguration day & working with Biden) but January 5th (the Georgia run-off elections). To win the latter, Rs believe the base must be stoked, esp in a fast-changing state.

  18. 18.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Ruckus: No need to slander reptiles.

    Rudy-related – can COVID infect piles of shit?  (looks at Dump administration) Sorry, I retract my question.

  20. 20.

    Kay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Then none of the Republicans who were elected were elected either. They can’t have it both ways. If they want to refuse to accept the results of the 2020 elections all their seats are invalid, too.

  22. 22.

    mrmoshpotato

    @craigie:

    At this point, it would be simpler to produce a list of Trumpers who don’t have COVID. 

    Yes!  And a list of Trump trash that won’t be indicated!

  23. 23.

    Boris Rasputin (the evil twin)

    The last time I felt like this, we were watching Berliners tearing down the Wall.

  25. 25.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Haven’t seen any other mention of this, but when McConnell was speaking a while ago he broke off in a bad coughing fit. MSNBC broke away after 10-15 seconds, so I don’t know whether he removed himself or made a few additional remarks. Am looking for a video clip or transcript of his and Schumer’s remarks but haven’t found anything so far.

    ETA: Typed this before seeing Jim, Foolish Literalist @ #16

  26. 26.

    CaseyL

    I would not be at all sad if the WH Covid-Positive Squad all took their relationships with the virus to the final level.

    @SiubhanDuinne:  McConnell is just playing with us, and no God loves us that much.

  27. 27.

    raven

    @Kay: To me the real tell will be when they do something illegal. As with the supreme court nomination they say a lot of shit and defy “convention” and do what they want within the law.

  29. 29.

    Just Chuck

    I wonder when the counterintelligence investigations are going to begin?  Wonder how many people will suddenly “step into traffic on their morning jog” around then?

  31. 31.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Kay:

    Which we were repeatedly assured wouldn’t happen.

    By who?  The optimists here, including me, repeatedly assured you that Trump could stick his fingers in his ears and go LA LA LA I CAN’T HEAR YOU and there was a good chance he would, but on Jan 20th he’d be booted out the door regardless.  Nothing has happened to change that.  Certainly not Mitch being his typical asshole self.

  33. 33.

    Boris Rasputin (the evil twin)

    @Ruckus:  Apparently, it infects the lizard people. As proof, I offer the Trump White House and various GOP congresscritters.

  34. 34.

    Kay

    Why is Susan Collins speaking as a re-elected Senator?

    Has her election been certified? Then she’s the “apparent” senator, by her own weasel word definition.

    None of the GOP senators who were re-elected are valid and none of them have to be recognized.

    If they want to play this insulting and incredibly disrespectful game they should get it right back.

  35. 35.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Ksmiami:

    I think McConnell is dying.  I’m not certain of it.  I showed my mother the doctor the photo of his hands, and she was horrified.  She did indeed say that blood thinners were the first thing that comes to mind, except to get a reaction that bad implies something gigantic is wrong.  McConnell would absolutely hide it if he is.

  36. 36.

    Eljai

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I suggest we start calling senators who fall in lock-step with McConnell as Mitch’s Bitches, i.e. “Mike Lee, MitchBitch™ from Utah, has not yet congratulated President-Elect Biden…”

  37. 37.

    Ruckus

    @Boris Rasputin (the evil twin):

    Now that’s slander…… lizard people seem to be OK, unless they are heavily radiated and mutate oversize. Once again, although it does seem that most movies with lizard people do have them as oversize, a quandary.

  42. 42.

    Kent

    @MazeDancer:

    Can anyone answer this question –

    What if Al Gross wins? (please, Goddess of Liberty, we beseech You.)

    Wouldn’t that mean a Dem Senate majority for Jan 3,4,5?

    I know QAnon Barbie reps GA until her replacement is elected, but can’t figure out what the split will be for those 3 days. Or if the split lasts until the GA election is certified.

    The 2nd GA seat would likely be empty for those three days which would make it a 49 Dem 50 GOP Senate if Gross wins (if I’m doing my math right).

    If Gross loses it would be a 48 Dem 51 GOP Senate during those three days.

    Either way the Dems wouldn’t take control unless 1 GA Dem wins giving them a 50/50 Senate with Harris the tie breaker.  Or if they both win and have a 51/49 majority.

  43. 43.

    Ruckus

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Well what it might be will aways be in question unless there is an autopsy. But in any kind of normal health? No, he is not. He looks like death warmed over and not over very far.

  44. 44.

    greenergood

    Please Senator Coughing McConnel, have the covid, and your grifter wife too – might leave both the Senate and the Dept of Transportation with a little wiggle room if you’re both medically incapacitated. Also dreaming Betsy re Volt also shook hands with either Mitch or Elaine at some party or something at the White House – would mean the Education department could also get a boost pre-inauguration. Not wishing death, just discombobulation …

  46. 46.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @greenergood: I would like to see the guest list from trump’s election night party. Carson was apparently there, I’d be surprised if Bossie wasn’t. Word is Mitch has been very careful, but those purple hands weren’t suggesting Covid AFAIK

  48. 48.

    Kay

    I don’t know. You guys have much more faith in Donald Trump and congressional Republicans than I do.

    I haven’t seen the slightest indication that any of these people are going to accept the results of this election. Maybe they will! But they said they would before the election and ever single one of them has now reneged.

  50. 50.

    MC

    I’m gonna have to shelve twitter for the lame duck period. It’s just wild panic on there today, and my GAD can’t handle it.

  52. 52.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Geoduck:

    That would be Carolyn Bourdeaux in GA-07, my new Representative! (Juicers contributed generously to her campaign, for which I thank you most sincerely.)

  53. 53.

    Kay

    Susan Glasser
    @sbg1
    ·2h
    The kicker to this Esper interview is chilling.
    ‘Who’s going to come in behind me? It’s going to be a real ‘yes’ man. And then God help us.’

    The people who are most concerned about the authoritarian nature of Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are the people who were inside that administration and are now out of it.
    It’s worse than we think.

  54. 54.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Kay:

    I haven’t seen the slightest indication that any of these people are going to accept the results of this election. Maybe they will!

    Donald said he wouldn’t accept it.  The Republicans in the Senate said “Look, over there!” and ran the other way.  It will be interesting if Mitch convenes the next Senate refusing to admit Biden is president, and a problem, but since McConnell was planning on being a giant obstructive jackass anyway not much different.  Right now, Trump is having his narcissist fit attacking anyone on his side who catches his attention.  Nobody wants to be the one to tell him he’s lost, get the fuck over it.

  58. 58.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    She couldn’t say, because bruising like this is wildly out of scale with anything normal.  It was a ‘jaw hanging open’ sort of moment.

    EDIT – @Kay:

    I haven’t seen the slightest indication that any of these people are going to accept the results of this election.

    I haven’t seen the slightest indication that it matters.  That was always the situation.  Maybe the SCOTUS could have pulled something, but they’ve ruled a few times now and it’s clear they won’t.  Hell, we had someone in the last thread explaining that the civil service isn’t going to care about this lack of official transition announcement.  Biden’s people already know them, who to talk to, and what to do, and Trump has left giant gaps in the hierarchy so Trump can’t stop it from happening.

  60. 60.

    Kent

    @Gravenstone:@Jim, Foolish Literalist: That’s a wonderful way to ensure his potential thumb on the scales in their pending run off elections. Please proceed, Republicans.

    Or, since we are talking about Georgia and a Republican Secretary of State.

    Perhaps insuring that his hand isn’t quite so blatantly on the scale in favor of the GOP as is usually is in GA.

  61. 61.

    Barbara

    Meanwhile, the counting goes on and Trump now needs 90% of the remaining ballots in Pennsylvania to prevail (currently averaging 28%), 78% in Nevada (currently averaging 38%), and 60% in Arizona.  Only Arizona is remotely possible, because Trump is currently averaging 53% of the votes.

  63. 63.

    lowtechcyclist

    Those responsible for replacing the people who have just been infected, have been infected.

  64. 64.

    JPL

    @Kent: They are trying to convince their voters to get out and vote.   The Governor is standing behind them, but the Lieutenant Governor was on CNN and said no evidence.   There appears to be disagreement among the republicans.   I hope there are not enough loonies to reelect these assholes, but I fear there is.

  66. 66.

    different-church-lady

    Right. Well. It ain’t as bad as I feared before the weekend, but now we’re right back to NO SLEEP ‘TIL JANUARY. We’re going to have to fight them every step of the way.

  70. 70.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Kay: I’m surprised Collins called Biden “President Elect”. I’ve been expecting her to full-on Clarence Thomas out of bitterness at being challenged. “Fuck me? Fuck you!”

  71. 71.

    Brachiator

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    I haven’t seen the slightest indication that any of these people are going to accept the results of this election.

    I haven’t seen the slightest indication that it matters.

    Trump cannot stop the transition, but he can make it unnecessarily messy.

    The GSA cannot release some transition funds until Trump finally cries “Uncle.”

    Trump can and probably refuse to let his cabinet officials talk to Biden’s people. You can blow off the importance of this, but this kind of nonsense might result in important information not being communicated.

    There is a presumption that the operation of the government has some continuity.

    Trump’s actions, and the continuing enabling by the GOP leadership, is irresponsible and intolerable. Yeah, Biden may be able to work around it. But Trump’s actions, and GOP complicity is another attack on democracy.

  72. 72.

    Mary G

    David Bossie, in charge of Twitler’s legal challenges, is not a lawyer and in fact doesn’t have an undergraduate degree either. He dropped out of college to work in politics and came up with Citizens United.

  76. 76.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Mary G: He dropped out of college to work in politics

    passing by a produce stand to pick up a couple of honeydews to help Dan Burton conduct his backyard ballistics investigation into Vince Foster’s murder

  78. 78.

    dmsilev

    @Barbara: In PA, are they counting the ballots that arrived after Election Day? The ones that the Supreme Court said should be segregated just in case they changed their minds about allowing them to be valid?

  79. 79.

    hueyplong

    The only action Trump has effectively taken as president is to fire people.

    So he’s firing people to stay the headliner/keep from becoming irrelevant.

    He’s only got so many cabinet members and department heads.

  80. 80.

    opiejeanne

    @Mary G: I did not know this. It’s similar to Karl Rove’s education and career, isn’t it?

    I may be remembering wrong, but wasn’t Bossie involved in the counting farce in Florida in 2000?

  82. 82.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Brachiator:

    Fair, but some people are acting as if this was a surprise or can in any way overturn the election.  It is absolutely a nuisance.

    And I wish to note:  This is also not new to Trump.  Republicans refusing to concede is a Thing already.  Bevin did when Bashear won, for example.  Eventually, when the courts told Bevin to fuck off (suing to try to overturn the election and losing is also a tradition already) he conceded, but he made a big fuss about saying he wouldn’t at first.  The bureaucratic wheels kept turning and did not give one shit about whether he did or did not concede.

  83. 83.

    Ksmiami

    I hate to be mean but the era of Democratic Party ppl not pushing back on the GOP hard needs to be over like yesterday. Tell the truth about them and tell them to pound sand

  84. 84.

    Aleta

    At digby’s tw. account:

    Pa House GOP members tomorrow will “call for a legislative-led audit of the 2020 election and demand election results not be certified, nor electors be seated, until the audit is complete,” per news release.

     

    @stphnfwlr   Georgia’s two Republican U.S. Senators are calling on the state’s top election official — also a Republican — to resign Monday, after alleging “too many failures in Georgia elections this year” but without mentioning specifics to support their claims.

    And here’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s lengthy, fiery response to the request he resign, starting with “Let me start by saying that is not going to happen. The voters of Georgia hired me, and the voters will be the one to fire me.”

  87. 87.

    Baud

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Even Mitch’s statement is weak sause, even though it comes from a place of evil.  All he says are that there are legal challenges pending and that Trump had a right to being them. Which is true!

  88. 88.

    CaseyL

    @Frankensteinbeck: Yes, well:  this is where McConnell stacking the Federal court system, up to and including SCOTUS, comes into play.

    Three SCOTUS justices are alums of Bush V. Gore.  If the Trump Team brings them *any* plausible case, they will hear it and rule in his favor.

    We’re back to fighting a coup.  Shit.

  89. 89.

    LuciaMia

    @Betty Cracker: On Free-Republic they were bitching “How come no Demonrats are coming down with it?”

    Uh, gee, I dont know, maybe cause theyve been FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDELINES?!?

  90. 90.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Kent: Even if the Dems win both GA seats for a 50-50 tie, they won’t have control of the Senate until noon on January 20, because Mike Pence will still be breaking any ties until then.  (After four years of all this horseshit, I think we can handle another two weeks.)

    Re Mitch’s possible illness: if he should die or have to resign, the governor of Kentucky gets to appoint his replacement until the next statewide election (2022).  Kentucky is NOT one of those states where the governor has to appoint a replacement of the same party.

    In the unlikely event that this happens, Beshear damn well better eschew politeness and comity, and appoint a bona fide Dem who will vote like one.

  91. 91.

    different-church-lady

    Why does it feel like this is all gonna end with Trump snorting a gigantic pile of coke off the Resolute Desk and then pulling out a grenade launcher?

  92. 92.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @CaseyL:

    this is where McConnell stacking the Federal court system, up to and including SCOTUS, comes into play.

    Nope.  Have you been watching how the court cases are going?  Even the Supreme Court has made it clear they aren’t touching this shit.  Trump-appointed lower judges have been throwing out case after case as having no evidence at all.  SCOTUS watchers have said there is zero chance of SCOTUS overturning this.  Bush-Gore was a very, very different situation where the race was vastly closer and they had a decent fig leaf to take an action that would effectively let Bush win.  Trump has nothing.  Nothing at all.  Not even a fig leaf.

  95. 95.

    Kent

    @lowtechcyclist:

    @Kent: Even if the Dems win both GA seats for a 50-50 tie, they won’t have control of the Senate until noon on January 20, because Mike Pence will still be breaking any ties until then.

    Re Mitch’s possible illness: if he should die or have to resign, the governor of Kentucky gets to appoint his replacement until the next statewide election (2022).  Kentucky is NOT one of those states where the governor has to appoint a replacement of the same party.

    In the unlikely event that this happens, Beshear damn well better eschew politeness and comity, and appoint a bona fide Dem who will vote like one.

    Yes, but also not some nobody.  Someone who has at least a chance of holding the seat in 2020.  Which may be an impossible task.  On the other hand…Manchin did it in an equally red state.

  96. 96.

    Baud

    @CaseyL:

    They don’t have a plausible case.  The Supreme Court is not going to overturn be election. And the GOP should be in charge if we’re going to shit ourselves every time they pound their chest like gorillas.

    If they were going to do anything, it needed to happen before the election.  Either Biden takes office or there will be civil war, and the GOP knows they would lose.

  98. 98.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Kent: I’m not a student o Kentucky politics but it might well be that the only person who fits that bill is Beshear’s father

  99. 99.

    Kent

    @Frankensteinbeck:Nope.  Have you been watching how the court cases are going?  Even the Supreme Court has made it clear they aren’t touching this shit.  Trump-appointed lower judges have been throwing out case after case as having no evidence at all.  SCOTUS watchers have said there is zero chance of SCOTUS overturning this.  Bush-Gore was a very, very different situation where the race was vastly closer and they had a decent fig leaf to take an action that would effectively let Bush win.  Trump has nothing.  Nothing at all.  Not even a fig leaf.

    Exactly.  And even Bush v Gore didn’t change one single vote.  It just stopped the recount while Bush was still ahead.  They would be asking SCOTUS to overturn and change votes in at least 3 different states where the election was not even as close as it was in 2016.  Not going to happen.  They would be saying that elections don’t matter and the only way to replace politicians is via assassination.  I doubt they want to put themselves and their families behind those crosshairs for Trump.

    If you thought he was bad and especially unhinged after surviving impeachment, imagine how bad he would be after surviving an elections loss and getting put back into office via SCOTUS.

  100. 100.

    germy

    Fox News anchors are getting tired of defending Trump, and are instead eager to begin attacking Biden.

    Fox News pundit refuses to admit Joe Biden won the election.

    The anchor reacts but doesn't realize she's live on air. pic.twitter.com/dCuh5anCku

    — Strictly Count All The Votes (@christoq) November 9, 2020

  103. 103.

    RSA

    @Kay:

    Refusing to accept the results of an election. Which we were repeatedly assured wouldn’t happen.

    I see Republicans objecting to calling Biden President-elect before December, when the electoral college meets.  Checking news reports, I also see that Trump was referred to as President-elect at least as early as November 9, 2016.

  104. 104.

    schrodingers_cat

    Like an abusive husband whose wife has served him divorce papers Orange COVITA is going to act out and make our life hell. And the Rs are his enablers.

    Teri Kanefield on Twitter

    Trump wants you to feel uneasy. He wants you to feel terrified. That’s how he maintains the appearance of strength. He just lost an election. Keeping us scared builds him back up, and keeps his followers stoked. He needs his followers or he has nothing.

  107. 107.

    germy

    The news about the @pfizer vaccine being 90% effective is great news for the American people! Many thanks to @realDonaldTrump and Operation Warp Speed. This will be one of the most important action items done by the administration in response to this pandemic. ❤️??#USStrong— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) November 9, 2020

    I hope @pfizer continues to inform the public – daily – for years that they were not part of Op Warp Speed (so dumb) and @NikkiHaley is spreading false info and blatantly lying and misleading people. https://t.co/rUl4pysf2P— JEN KIRKMAN ??‍? (@JenKirkman) November 9, 2020

  108. 108.

    MP

    I think what’s interesting about the situation now is that for 4 years, we had no standard bearer and now we do. The Republicans, at a national level, will try to get away with whatever they can, but the vote counts are what they are and Biden has been declared the President elect in most quarters. Could they pull off a coup? They could try, but it is now much harder.

  109. 109.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Ruckus:

    Please stop calling it a lockdown. We’re not being locked down, we’re being asked to socially distance ourselves and avoid public gatherings. You can still go outside and enjoy yourself, you can still go food shopping and bike riding and running and walking and hell, even sailing (I haven’ done so in more than a year cuz no money for sailing).

    We’re not being locked away from each other, we need distance to create a space to handle the virus.

  110. 110.

    geg6

    So in non-panic news (I refuse to panic over all this temper tantrum stuff and Mitch’s statement was kinda weasely, if you ask me) did anyone else see that Parson Meacham was working off the books as a Biden speechwriter?  Apparently, Biden loved his “Soul of America” book and asked him to help out.

  111. 111.

    Brachiator

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    Fair, but some people are acting as if this was a surprise or can in any way overturn the election.  It is absolutely a nuisance.

    Agreed that this will not overturn the election. But it is more than a nuisance. Trump and his enablers are doing damage to the customary operation of the government.  Those who say it’s no big deal, and those who cheer Trump are missing the larger picture.

    BTW, Trump is also continuing to feed those fools who want to insist that the Biden presidency is illegitimate. This is a nuisance, but it may have lingering consequences in the future.

    And I wish to note:  This is also not new to Trump.  Republicans refusing to concede is a Thing already.  Bevin did when Bashear won, for example.

    Not new, but what happens on the presidential level is more consequential.

    Trump doesn’t care what impact his antics might have on the Republic. The GOP leadership, however, by continuing to act as enablers, are playing with fire.

  112. 112.

    Ken

    @mrmoshpotato: Queen – We Will Rock You currently playing on 97.1 in Chicago.

    Any special significance? Because from my experience with that station, that’s a “day ending in ‘Y'” thing.

  113. 113.

    Prometheus Shrugged

    @SiubhanDuinne: My father’s extremities looked alot like that for a full two years before he passed away.  He was on a combined course of steroids and other meds (to treat an uncommon auto-immune disorder); this thinned his skin to the point where he would bruise at the slightest touch.

    So if Mitch is taking a massive dose of certain steroids (e.g. prednisone) it doesn’t surprise me that he looks as he does. The real question is why would he need such a heavy dose of prednisone…

  115. 115.

    Mike in NC

    Trump is going to ensure that he goes down in the history books alongside the likes of Benedict Arnold, Jefferson Davis, John Wilkes Booth, and Lee Harvey Oswald. Impressive job.

  117. 117.

    Kay

    @Baud:

    Thanks. Good!

    I’m upset by this refusal to accept the results. I think it’s disrespectful to both Biden and Harris and also disrespectful to almost 76 million US voters.

    I cannot help but notice the difference between how Trump was treated in 2016 and how Biden is being treated now. This is outrageously bad behavior and it isn’t just Trump- it’s the entire GOP congress.

    I’m sick of them treating us like shit. I’m not accepting it.

  118. 118.

    NotMax

    @different-church-lady

    Nah, slightly improved. Think along the lines of the gas crisis.

    If your IRL name ends in a vowel you get to sleep on odd dates, ending in a consonant allows sleep on even dates.

    :)

  122. 122.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Kay:

    I’m upset by this refusal to accept the results.

    I can tell, and it is upsetting.  It’s insulting and it’s a disgusting, in-your-face reminder that Republicans have not been acting in good faith for at least a decade.  But don’t panic, because in practical terms it’s a lot of whining.

  123. 123.

    Baud

    @Kay:

    Of course it’s outrageous. The GOP’s only brand is treating Democrats outrageously, because in their eyes we act outrageously when we say things like “wear a mask” and “black lives matter.”

  124. 124.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Aleta:

    Georgia’s two Republican U.S. Senators are calling on the state’s top election official — also a Republican — to resign Monday, after alleging “too many failures in Georgia elections this year” 

    BWHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

    Yeah, it’s the Secretary of State’s fault that Georgia is about to flip blue!

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

  125. 125.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Kristine Phillips @bykristinep · 1h
    The Justice Department is declining to comment on Attorney General Barr’s meeting with Sen. Mitch McConnell this afternoon.

    here’s hoping they exchanged microbes

  126. 126.

    CaseyL

    @schrodingers_cat: I’m not “terrified,” I’m enraged.  Incandescent.  If any GOP filth comes anywhere near me to spout this shit, watch out.

    (No reason any of them would, so no worries about needing to take up a bail collection for me.)

  127. 127.

    Matt McIrvin

    If we get rogue legislatures appointing alternate slates of electors like in 1876, this could come down to a fight over certification of the Electoral College votes on January 6. McConnell will more likely than not be in charge of the Senate, and Mike Pence will be presiding. McConnell can’t just decertify electors without House cooperation. But if there are multiple sets of electors, they could start some shit, or try to shut it all down.

    Now, there are laws that didn’t exist in 1876 that basically say the rogue-legislature trick won’t work. But presumably Trump would sue in advance to get those nullified by the hack SCOTUS somehow as violations of a crazy Martian reading of Article II.

    At what point does the military feel their hands are tied and they have to recognize Trump as the legit President after January 20?

  128. 128.

    Chyron HR

    @Kay:

    I haven’t seen the slightest indication that any of these people are going to accept the results of this election.

    Nobody said they would “accept the results” of the election, we said their personal opinions about who won the election don’t mean shit.

  141. 141.

    HinTN

    @Kent: I disagree.  Senate terms end and elected replacements are sworn in (OR NOT in the case of the GA special). So the two GA seats are vacant. If Gross wins it’s 49 – 48 Dem when the swearing in is done.

  144. 144.

    Kent

    @Baud:Biden won the military vote. He’s going to be president with or without a civil war.

    Do you have a link to an exit poll that confirms this?  I can’t find anything via google.

  147. 147.

    Jeffro

    It’s great that Biden/Harris led off today with Covid response and all that…

    …but tomorrow the whole Democratic Justice League, Joe & Kamala included, MUST get going with the full-court press here and expose all of trumpov’s enablers for what they are and what they are doing here.

    It’s Nov 9th.  It’s a LONG way ’til Jan 5th.  We cannot have this horseshit going on for two solid months even if we’re fairly certain that the courts in general and SCOTUS in particular aren’t going to support team trumpov’s lame-brain arguments.

  148. 148.

    topclimber

    @MazeDancer: Al winning would be great. But even a close call works to embolden the independent streak in Murkowski. Despite all the blather about Trump 2024, this is his last hurrah. He will not shut up about being “cheated” until he is in the ground, and will poison the body politic until he chokes on his own bile. But at best the special boost he gives the GOP will affect the Georgia Senate election. Then follows a long fade.

    I think Murkowski knows this. Is it here that I read only she and Mitt on the GOP side that have congratulated Biden? Like Pelosi, her dad was a career politician. She knows how to read election results.

  150. 150.

    randy khan

    @MazeDancer:

     

    @lowtechcyclist:

    I think the way this plays out is as follows:

    If Gross wins, then the split before January is 52-48 once Kelly is seated.  In January, Gross, Hickenlooper (+2 D/-2 R), and Tuberville are seated (+1 R/-1 D) and Perdue’s seat becomes vacant.  So there are 99 Senators, and it’s 50-49 R until January 5.  If one of the Georgia seats flips, it’s 50-50 (either they get Perdue’s seat back and Loeffler’s seat flips to the Dems, or the vacant seat becomes a Dem seat, and Pence breaks ties from the time the election is certified until January 20.  If both seats flip, then the Dems get control when the seats are certified.

    If Gross loses, it’s 51-48 in January.  The Dems still have to win both seats to get control, but must wait until January 20 for the switch.

  153. 153.

    Ruckus

    @different-church-lady:

    He will then sit there till his BP rises far enough and blows him up.

    He is a massive chickenshit personally. He screams, yells and demands others do his shit work but physically attack someone else? Yeah that isn’t happening. Besides the SS wouldn’t allow it. And he is incapable of stopping them. I’m not worried about him doing anything dangerous, other than breathing and shouting. Of course that’s a dangerous act in of itself.

  154. 154.

    Kent

    @HinTN:@Kent: I disagree.  Senate terms end and elected replacements are sworn in (OR NOT in the case of the GA special). So the two GA seats are vacant. If Gross wins it’s 49 – 48 Dem when the swearing in is done.

    I think it depends on how the laws regarding interim Senators work in GA.  If the interim Senator serves until the newly elected Senator is elected and sworn in then the Senate could legally swear in Loeffler on January 3rd to continue to serve until legally replaced by the winner of the special election.

    And that will not be January 5.  It could be weeks after that if it turns out to be a close election and takes a long time to count and recount and finally certify the results of the special election.

  157. 157.

    Kent

    @rikyrah: Georgia used to have completely electronic balloting with no paper backups.   We just had to trust them.  This way is so much better, even if it takes weeks.

  160. 160.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @topclimber: Collins makes three, I’m not aware of a fourth

    I never had much faith in Murkowski, after her flip flop on Barrett, I have even less

  161. 161.

    Kent

    @topclimber:

    @MazeDancer: Al winning would be great. But even a close call works to embolden the independent streak in Murkowski. Despite all the blather about Trump 2024, this is his last hurrah. He will not shut up about being “cheated” until he is in the ground, and will poison the body politic until he chokes on his own bile. But at best the special boost he gives the GOP will affect the Georgia Senate election. Then follows a long fade.

    I think Murkowski knows this. Is it here that I read only she and Mitt on the GOP side that have congratulated Biden? Like Pelosi, her dad was a career politician. She knows how to read election results.

    The problem is that Alaska is bright red.  Murkowski might have enough name recognition to run as a Dem and win.  But it would be an uphill battle.  Whereas as in the GOP, as long as she survives her primary, she is automatically going to win the general.

    Switching parties would be career suicide for an Alaska politician.  I don’t see her doing it absent something really key like being given chairmanship of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (of which she is ALREADY the Chair) and unfettered drilling in Alaska (which she already has) but which Biden would neve agree to.

    Appointing her Secretary of the Interior gains nothing because the GOP Governor will only appoint someone worse to her Senate seat.

  162. 162.

    NotMax

    OT.

    Yay? So about 7 or 8 years since cancelled my long distance service via Sprint (forced to because they discontinued the particular type of service account I had) have now received a check from them refunding a credit balance on that account.

    $7.80 windfall. Party time!

  163. 163.

    topclimber

    @Aleta: Assuming Arizona finally goes for Joe, it won’t matter what the dill-wads do in PA or Georgia. AZ makes it 270 baby.

    Also, too, as well–is the PA resolution subject to veto?

  169. 169.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Ken: It made me think of the popular vote ass kicking that Dump is taking.

    (Soon to be an electoral college ass kicking too.)

  170. 170.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Mike in NC:

    Trump is going to ensure that he goes down in the history books alongside the likes of Benedict Arnold, Jefferson Davis, John Wilkes Booth, and Lee Harvey Oswald. Impressive job.

    So much whining when all of this time could be spent working on plans to flee the country.  SAD!

  171. 171.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I missed Ben Sasse

    Nate Silver@NateSilver538 ·39m
    The GOP Senators who have congratulated Biden so far are exactly who you’d guess (Murkowski, Collins, Romney, Sasse). Probably (Sasse less so than the others) the same group Biden will have to rely upon for crossover votes if Democrats don’t win the Georgia runoffs.

  172. 172.

    Kay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Murkowski’s statement was much stronger than the Collins statement. Susan Collins, dishonest GOP hack that she is, hedged with weasel language about “apparent”.

    Murkowski has always been a much better person that Collins. Murkowski actually is what Collins pretends to be.

  173. 173.

    VeniceRiley

    @Kent: Without Trump, Mitch can’t give her what Biden can give her. She can stay an I and caucus with Dems in exchange for Dems not running an opponent so she would only have to face a RWNJ

  175. 175.

    Kent

    @Kay:

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Murkowski’s statement was much stronger than the Collins statement. Susan Collins, dishonest GOP hack that she is, hedged with weasel language about “apparent”.

    Murkowski has always been a much better person that Collins. Murkowski actually is what Collins pretends to be.

    Which is even more impressive given that Alaska is bright red and Maine is pretty blue.

  177. 177.

    Kay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Collins is much worse than the other 3. Maine backed Biden by a mile and Susan Collins is such a hack she couldn’t even bring herself to actually admit he won.

    She shouldn’t be on the list. She behaved dishonestly, as usual.

  178. 178.

    hueyplong

    @Kay: I had the same reaction, but she did use the term “President-elect,” so she went beyond what Trump can stand.

    I feel so dirty saying something that mildly supports Collins.

  181. 181.

    Sebastian

    @Kay:

    I wouldn’t seat them and as a matter of fact demand acceptance of elections and peaceful transfer of power of all elected officials.

     

    They are digging at the foundations of the Republic. There is no punishment too lenient for this.

  182. 182.

    Kent

    @VeniceRiley:@Kent: Without Trump, Mitch can’t give her what Biden can give her. She can stay an I and caucus with Dems in exchange for Dems not running an opponent so she would only have to face a RWNJ

    What can Biden give her?  Unfettered drilling in the Arctic?  I don’t think he is going to sell his soul and the planet for that.

  183. 183.

    PST

    @jackmac: That is very good news about Lauren Underwood. I hadn’t heard it yet. Her opponent is a political freak — a very rich asshole who keeps running for governor, senator, or representative and keeps losing. Underwood is one of the centrist freshman women who flipped republican-leaning districts around the country. It is important not to make life difficult for them if we want to keep the House. She is a true child of the northwest Chicago suburbs, a nurse, and a charismatic figure. She is unusual as a Black woman representing a district that is 85 percent white and only about 3 percent Black.

  184. 184.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Kay: I said all through the fall that Collins didn’t seem nearly nervous enough. I guess she knew she could count on LePage voters and the force of habit.

  185. 185.

    Dan B

    @Kay: I whisper that Trump has some idea of declaring Martial Law with a compliant Sec Def.  Is that what Esper is concerned about?

  186. 186.

    Kay

    @Kent:

    Yup. She gave a big fuck you to the people who just returned her to office. I don’t know why people in Maine want to be insulted by this person, but they should stop hiring her.

  189. 189.

    Matt McIrvin

    @dmsilev: I think they are counting them, separately, but including or excluding those ballots is not going to be able to change the election result.

  191. 191.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Dan B:

    I whisper that Trump has some idea of declaring Martial Law with a compliant Sec Def.

    Remember the BLM protests when Trump wanted to send in the military?  Esper didn’t so much say ‘no’ as deliver the ‘no’ he got from the military.  The generals won’t do it.  Their officer corps wouldn’t do it.  Trump’s popularity with the enlisted men is freakishly low for a Republican, although I’m told Republican support in the military has been slowly slipping anyway.

  198. 198.

    topclimber

    @Kent: Doesn’t have to be a D to help get a COVID relief bill done in the lame-duck session. Let’s see Trump veto that and see what the impact is on Georgia Senate race.

  200. 200.

    HinTN

    @Kent: The term is the term. The governor appointed Loeffler to fulfill the remainder of the term, which expires on 3 January 2021.

  203. 203.

    trnc

    @RSA: Checking news reports, I also see that Trump was referred to as President-elect at least as early as November 9, 2016.

    That was the day after the election, and DT’s winning state was called at 2:30 on the 9th.

  204. 204.

    Cheryl Rofer

    The Secretaries of State are holding firm on counting votes. The count is unambiguously, and unchangeably, that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won. The Republican Secretary of State in Georgia has told the Republican senatorial candidates to pound sand.

    The military is NOT with Trump for a coup. The most they might muster are Barr’s prison goon squads.

    McConnell doesn’t even have the full Senate with him. Three have recognized Biden as the winner.

    It’s the usual Republican sound and fury, signifying nothing, dialed up to 13. It will end. Don’t let it get you down. That’s what they want.

    And the last words, if Trump won’t leave, are “Champ” and “Major.” “Go find Donny, boys! Who’s a good dog?”

    Laughing at them is the best approach. The Biden organization has a shit-ton of lawyers to deal with them if they can even come up to a legal defense, which they haven’t so far. The judges are laughing at them.

  205. 205.

    Danielx

    @Kay:

    @Dan B:

    Trump wants a SecDef who will do exactly as he or she is told, no questions asked. If that doesn’t frighten people it should. There won’t be any of this Nixonian business about “consulting” or “verification” with saner heads before executing Trump’s orders to send troops into the streets or to nuke Hawaii or something. Fuck, he’ll probably ask Eliot Richardson or (gulp) Tom Cotton to sit in as acting secretary for a couple of months.

    Or, god help us, Henry Kissinger.

  206. 206.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    apparently Mike Pence is handing to FL on vacation, this is being seen a sign that even he’s not taking trump’s tantrums seriously.

  208. 208.

    VeniceRiley

    @Kent: No opponent. Party support, and transition and relief for enegy economy workers. A continuation of the bribe every Alaskan gets of oil revenues …. What ever else she wants. Free healthcare and rX for every Alaskan as a demonstration state…

  209. 209.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Danielx:

    Trump wants a SecDef who will do exactly as he or she is told, no questions asked. If that doesn’t frighten people it should.

    Trump fired a bunch of people.  This is what narcissists do when they lose.  He can’t hurt Biden, so he’s hurting his allies.  He can’t fail, so he must have been betrayed.  This isn’t about a coup.  It’s about Trump’s wanting to believe that if he’d just been allowed to shoot BLM protestors, everyone would have seen he’s a Tough Law And Order President and he’d have won the election.

  211. 211.

    Ruckus

    Warnock in GA does not have a lot of money on hand, at least he did not yesterday.

    Ossoff had more in his coffers but I’d bet he could use some help.

    For all the money that has been put in play this year, this still seems like a great place to drop a few bucks.

    I did yesterday…..

  212. 212.

    Captain C

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    it’s a disgusting, in-your-face reminder that Republicans have not been acting in good faith for at least a decade quarter-century.

    FTFY.  This goes back to Gingrich and his Contract on America, if not longer.

  214. 214.

    Brachiator

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    The GOP Senators who have congratulated Biden so far are exactly who you’d guess (Murkowski, Collins, Romney, Sasse). Probably (Sasse less so than the others) the same group Biden will have to rely upon for crossover votes if Democrats don’t win the Georgia runoffs.

    BBC News has an article on foreign leaders who have not fully congratulated Biden. Right wing autocrats, the president of Mexico, who feels he cannot afford to alienate Trump, and BIbi of Israel.

    Mr Netanyahu is another world leader who has never hidden his affinity for Mr Trump.

    And while he congratulated Mr Biden, observers have noted the absence of the words “president-elect” and “vice-president-elect” in his message

     

  215. 215.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Brachiator:

    the president of Mexico, who feels he cannot afford to alienate Trump

    And who is also a nut who pulled this exact thing when he lost in 2006 (apart from actually being the incumbent).

  217. 217.

    Elizabelle

    @Baud:   Voting rights, voting rights, voting rights.

    Take it from Lindsey Graham.  Let the people vote, and they will not vote for Republican presidents.

  219. 219.

    Sebastian

    @Cheryl Rofer:

     

    This is a unique opportunity to label them as putschists and put them between a rock and a hard place. We should do the same with Trump appointed SCOTUS judges. Gorsuch probably not but Kavanaugh and Barrett could be tainted as installed to facilitate the coup from the bench. We might get something to rub off on Roberts, too.

    They have very little maneuvering room right now with Donnie boxing them into this position. This might turn out really good.

  223. 223.

    WaterGirl

    @opiejeanne: I think he was, too, but I thought he was on our side,  that he was most definitely an attorney, and that his name was spelled slightly differently.  So maybe two David Bosses?

  229. 229.

    Brachiator

    @Baud:

    Chuck Schumer to @AnandWrites:
    argues for an FDR-like first 100 days.
    Says they will focus on:
    climate
    $15 minimum wage
    infrastructure bill that will also employee ppl w/ prison records
    student debt cancellation via executive order
    immigration

    Democrats need something stronger than their old agenda in a new wrapper.

  231. 231.

    Hoodie

    @Cheryl Rofer: So, let’s see, Romney and Murkowski have recognized Biden’s election because they have their own local brands and don’t need Trump (and probably despise him), Collins weaselly recognizes Biden because her state voted overwhelmingly for Biden, and Sasse is trying to keep his 2024 viability, realizing that north of 74 million people voted against Trump, including a lot of folks in Omaha.

  232. 232.

    WaterGirl

    @Baud:

    They don’t have a plausible case.  The Supreme Court is not going to overturn be election. And the GOP should be in charge if we’re going to shit ourselves every time they pound their chest like gorillas.

    If they were going to do anything, it needed to happen before the election.  Either Biden takes office or there will be civil war, and the GOP knows they would lose.

    Thank you, Baud.  Quoting that so we can see the whole thing again.

  235. 235.

    Dan B

    @gwangung: I wonder if this Miller freak at DOD is crazy enough to push for Martial Law and create a crisis with the generals and admiral.  What else worries Esper?  I suppose it could be closing dozens of overseas bases.

  236. 236.

    Chyron HR

    @Brachiator:

    “NOOOO YOU CAN’T DO THE THINGS WE DEMANDED YESTERDAY, TODAY WE HAVE A NEW LIST OF DEMANDS!”

    Do Bernie Brats have ANY concept of how sick the rest of the human race is of their bullshit?

  238. 238.

    Zzyzx

    If they’re going to do something. anything, it had to be done on Saturday.

    With each passing day, we’re all getting more and more used to the idea of President Biden. It’s one thing to play this sort of game when things are up in the air. With the counting done (or just about in PA and AZ), what recourse does Trump have at this point? Yes, and that’s why there is this pushback to the term “President-elect Biden” but everyone who isn’t in the cult is already using it, so it’s getting very late for that.

    Ultimately, I think McConnell is fine being Majority Leader and blocking everything and would prefer that role to having to deal with the fallout that would come for him backing Trump’s play. The same thing is true IMO of the Supreme Court. They’re already on the court. What do they need Trump for?

    I mean if there were a legitimate sounding case in one state that actually looked plausible that would flip the election right there, that’s one thing, but “I want to change the results in PA and AZ and GA because I don’t like them!” is going to be a rough road. That’s why Trump’s actions today are so telling. He didn’t file any new lawsuits. He just tweeted, “I won!!!1111Eleven.”

    The most likely result is that Trump looks even worse to non-cult members for being such a big baby.

  239. 239.

    Dan B

    @Baud: Our good friend who works in political campaign print materials feels that student debt forgiveness would be a financial stimulus.  It would be an end run around Moscow Mitch.

  240. 240.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Chyron HR: as I read that, and as I heard elsewhere, that’s Chuck Schumer proposing $50K of student debt cancellation by executive order

  241. 241.

    Brachiator

    @Chyron HR:

    “NOOOO YOU CAN’T DO THE THINGS WE DEMANDED YESTERDAY, TODAY WE HAVE A NEW LIST OF DEMANDS!”

    Please pay attention.

    Fuck Bernie. Fuck every Bernie bro now and forever.

    Also,

    Fuck Democrats who insist on humping the ghost of FDR. This ain’t 1929.

  243. 243.

    Kattails

    @Cheryl Rofer: Ah thank you Cheryl. Clear, concise, hit all the points. I can go back to my attempt at remembering this “work” thing. I did shoot an email off to my Governor, Chris Sununu complaining about the apparent Republican lack of civility here.  I don’t trust him, he’s got just enough enabler in him.  But I asked for some public comment on his part.

    Problem is that after a couple of years on BJ and some regular visits to the twitter feeds of two ex-Navy CWO’s, plus four years of Trump, my diplomatic skills are in even shorter supply than ever.

  244. 244.

    burnspbesq

    @Kay:

    Who’s going to come in behind me?

    It won’t be the guy that Trump purportedly named as Acting Secretary. He’s ineligible, for two separate reasons, each of which is legally sufficient to DQ him.

  250. 250.

    WaterGirl

    @Matt McIrvin: Call me crazy, but why should we spend our time thinking about every worst case possibility and what we would do if every single domino in the chain fails?

    That stokes fear and lets the dumpster fire feel more powerful.  Is that what you want?  Because that’s sure as hell not something I want to contribute to.

  251. 251.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Dan B: I am asking what the excuse for declaring martial law would be.

    ETA:  Wait, you are suggesting that he would declare martial law preemptively?  And that Trump somehow has any authority to declare an election invalid?  Basically, it seems that you are saying that we are already past a point of no return.  I don’t buy that.  And since you seem to think I am always an asshole, I will end there.

  253. 253.

    gene108

    @schrodingers_cat:

    One theory going around is that all this posturing by Moscow Purple Hands Mitch and the Rs is keeping their unhinged base stoked about the Georgia run offs.

    And retaking the House in 2022.

    Keep their voters fired up over Biden’s election “theft” is definitely part of this, because they do not have the inbuilt rage induced by a black man in the White House rely on, unlike 2010.

  254. 254.

    Dan B

    @Baud: That’s my guess.  I’m not betting that he won’t try but Jarvanka and Miller might talk him out of it.  I wonder why Esper was afraid of a yes man.

  257. 257.

    Dan B

    @Omnes Omnibus: Attempted coup by Trump.  Doubt it but still wondering what Esper was afraid of.  Troops on American soil?  There are other ways to mess with the military but Trump doesn’t seem to want foreign wars.  Mr. Silverman will have some idea but may not want to discuss them in a public forum.

  260. 260.

    evodevo

    @WaterGirl: Even if you did grab his hand, the skin would probably slough off (ewwww) – my father had that (though nowhere NEAR as bad) and that’s what would have happened…

  261. 261.

    Dan B

    @Omnes Omnibus:  I don’t think we are, although Trump seems to be veering into dangerously crazy territory.  I don’t think Jarvanka and Steven Miller are going to go along.

    My main question is what things was Esper concerned about?  My thought was what action would be likely to try to save Trump’s skin.  A Martial Law declaration would fail but cause chaos.  What was Esper thinking?

  264. 264.

    Ken

    @Cheryl Rofer: McConnell doesn’t even have the full Senate with him. Three have recognized Biden as the winner.

    Which means that the Republicans in the Senate won’t be playing any games with certifying the election results.

    Assuming of course that those Senators stick with their stance.

  267. 267.

    Ruckus

    @topclimber:

    trump does not care about the GA senate race. He does not care about anything but himself. First, foremost and last.

    He has zero political ambition except for himself and that’s not actually political to him, it’s his get out of jail free card. He knows where he stands in financial terms and because of that in legal terms. He has played the rich playboy game (not all that well) for all his adult life, and for most of it he’s been playing the future off against the present. He has no future left. He’s broke, skint, out, empty, poor, done, once again bankrupt. The presidency protected him in many ways. And he has played the game since day one. Badly of course but still the perks of having one of the largest most well equipped guard forces in the world has it’s perks. And that is all gone in a couple of months. Sure he’ll have the SS keeping people from shooting him and literally throwing shit on him, but his legal Berlin wall will be gone. He’s got one of his personal helicopters for sale, no asking price, make offer. I’m thinking of offering $1, then selling tickets to sledge hammer it to bits. And he’s serious, the big white trump on the tail has been removed and it’s in the hands of a sales agent, who he probably owes money.

  268. 268.

    WaterGirl

    @Ruckus: I have the Georgia thread linked under Election Action! in the sidebar, and it has the BJ thermometers for Warnock, Ossoff and Fair Fight right there in that post.

  272. 272.

    Aleta

    @Cheryl Rofer:  The day Biden was announced as winner we sent him another donation for the legal battles.

    The Rs know they will lose, but they’re eating up time and keeping money frozen that Biden needs to start the transition.  I imagine he needs the transition money to start hiring his Covid team so they can leave their current jobs — is that right?

  275. 275.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Matt McIrvin: IIUC there’s another path to keep Trump in the White House that doesn’t require certifying any slate of electors against the results of the popular vote:

    The GOP-controlled state legislatures of AZ, GA and PA simply decline to certify any Presidential electors.

    (Maybe they put out some BS about “ongoing investigations of voting fraud.” Maybe they don’t even bother; they just adjourn & leave.)

    Without the electors from those states, no one reaches 270 EVs. This throws the election into the House of Representatives, with each state having one vote. Republicans control the majority of House delegations. Shazaam, Trump’s second term.

    Do I like it? Hell no. Do I think they’d do it? Hell yes, if it means holding onto power long enough to finish the destruction of American democracy, the goal their bazillionaire sugar daddies have been lusting after for generations now.

  276. 276.

    Zzyzx

    @Uncle Cosmo: I don’t buy it. They have cushy cushy lives now. Something like that really would escalate matters such that they’d be in danger all for such little advantage.

    Besides, all of these are the conservative equivalent of the trillion dollar coin. Technically the law might allow it, but it’s the kind of thing that no courts will uphold.

  279. 279.

    Gvg

    If  Congressional Republicans don’t accept the election results aren’t they also saying their own wins aren’t valid? And Governor’s as well as state legislators elections would be invalid too. I don’t think they are going to go along with this. Terms expire, they don’t stay in office, so the whole house in each state contested would be invalid. Judges too in some cases. All ballots have many offices on them.

  280. 280.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Zzyzx: Two words: Wingnut Welfare. The bazillionaires want a US government that levies no tax on them but lets them use the Treasury as an ATM to hoover up all the taxes that the suckers non-wealthy people pay. A world where capital moves at the speed of light, the rich flit around in private jets to posh retreats, and the suckers “little people” can’t go anywhere at all. The so-called “legislators” that deliver that to them will be handsomely taken care of, as will their families.

  281. 281.

    J R in WV

    @Brachiator:

    Fuck Democrats who insist on humping the ghost of FDR. This ain’t 1929.

    No, it isn’t 1929. FDR wasn’t elected in 1929, he was elected in 1932. And 1936, and 1940, and 1944.

    Sad, isn’t it.

    Then the Rs changed the constitution to keep really good Democratic presidents from being reelected more than once.

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