Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The words do not have to be perfect.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

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

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Republicans in disarray!

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Consistently wrong since 2002

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

We still have time to mess this up!

I really should read my own blog.

This fight is for everything.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / State of the Union Blog-Along Open Thread

State of the Union Blog-Along Open Thread

by | 289 Comments

This post is in: 

PBS livestream on YouTube here. President Biden is scheduled to start speaking at 9pm, and all the major networks should be broadcasting it.

The Guardian‘s usually very good livestream is here.

New England politicos, represent:

Reader Interactions

289Comments

  2. 2.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    New FOREVER WARS: What if we didn’t devastate ordinary Russians’ livelihoods to punish Putin’s invasion and in doing so risk regenerating the kind of destabilizing poverty that contributed to his rise in the first place?https://t.co/xw0wIHKyjS

    — Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) March 1, 2022

    Hard to believe, but elements of the “left” are standing with Tucker Carlson’s and Dump’s appeasement

  8. 8.

    Mike in NC

    I have never watched a SOTU address before but this seems important. I was too young to know anything about the Cuban Missile Crisis.

  9. 9.

    Martin

    This news about Ukraine disrupting an assassination plot against Zelenskyy because of leaks by the FSB who opposed the war is a little too tidy to be plausible, IMO, but I’ll let it sit in a happy place in my brain until it’s debunked.

  10. 10.

    japa21

    @Gin & Tonic: Sometimes the stupidity on both the left (part of it) and the right (all of it) is incomprehensible.  Considering your personal situation, I worry about your blood pressure.  Take care of yourself.

  11. 11.

    CaseyL

    Is that MTG in the red dress?? Of all the GOPers to boycott the speech, why couldn’t she be one of them

    ETA: Maybe it’s Sinema, I think I saw Manchin speaking to her.

    No GOPers at all, then?  Good!

  13. 13.

    Central Planning

    My cat is staring at me licking her chops. I suppose I should get some treats for her before I have an unfortunate accident.

  14. 14.

    steppy

    I am so looking forward to a SOTU that does not involve That Fucking Guy. Let ‘er rip!

  15. 15.

    Brachiator

    Biden to say: “We have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages.

    I like this. I think there is something wrong about the standard economic analyses that finds increased spending and wages to be inflationary, but rising business profits are neutral.

    Also, it was nuts that business reporting was worried that the pandemic was suppressing consumer spending, and then to turn around and say that increased consumer spending is inflationary because it spurs demand.

  18. 18.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Moved from downstairs:

    It is really shocking to see how many Republican seats are vacant. Not that I’ll miss them, but I’m offended by their insulting arrogance.

  25. 25.

    Elizabelle

    Thank you for this thread.  And thank you, WaterGirl, for being so responsive (even though other SOTU were already in the works).

  26. 26.

    Eolirin

    @SiubhanDuinne: You know what, I don’t even care. The politicians on the right don’t bother me anymore.

    It’s the electorate that terrifies and enrages me.

  27. 27.

    Brachiator

    I hope that Biden lays it out plain and simple that the American Rescue Plan is putting significant amounts of money in the hands of middle and lower income Americans, helping families pay for day care and helping small business. And the delayed BBB plan will continue to help make the economy stronger.

  32. 32.

    Elizabelle

    Please please please let Nancy Smash or another Democrat be introducing the POTUS next year.

  34. 34.

    Redshift

    @David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: I agree it would be better if we could accomplish these goals without hurting ordinary people who have no influence on the policies we’re punishing. The problem is that there doesn’t seem to be any effective way to do that, and those making this argument always seem to be advocating for not trying to punish the people at the top unless we can find these “better alternatives” they can’t name themselves.

  36. 36.

    Origuy

    The sign interpreter on the WH YouTube channel has an enormous smile. You think she’s proud to have that job?

  38. 38.

    dmsilev

    I’m glad he skipped the trite “The State of the Union is strong” which so many of these speeches start with. Really doesn’t fit here.

  43. 43.

    James E Powell

    @Martin:

    Look at California women up there running the show.

    It’s really great to see. The differences between us & them are not trivial.

  44. 44.

    steppy

    This is the first time in God knows how long that both sides are applauding. How about that?

  45. 45.

    dmsilev

    Seizing ill-gotten gains of the oligarchs. I call dibs on a least one luxury flat in London.

  47. 47.

    Dan B

    @Martin: The story I saw was that Ukrainians noticed strangers in their neighborhood, notified Ukrainian military who were impeded in the neighborhood, they arrested the four guys.  FSB seemed unnecessary but if it frightens Putin into trying to track down leaks…..

  48. 48.

    Elizabelle

    Job Creation!  Going after the Russian oligarchs.

    Go after ours too, please.  For their fair share of taxes.

  49. 49.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    Looks like I picked the wrong week to book a vacation on a Russian yacht

  51. 51.

    Martin

    Looks like Russia air industry is hosed. Boeing and Airbus won’t send them parts. Their airport leases are all rendered in dollars, so they just doubled in price. Waiting to see if Sabre (HQ in Texas) cuts them off (reservation/ticketing software). They won’t last more than a few weeks.

  57. 57.

    steppy

    How does Tuckums and That Fucking Guy square that applause with their well-known position?

  59. 59.

    Redshift

    @dww44: Rubio, in his usual weak-ass attempt at pandering, said that he wasn’t coming because he has “better things to do with his time” than take the covid test which is being required. It’s extremely stupid and pointless, so classic Rubio.

  62. 62.

    Ella in New Mexico

    I really, truly believe Joe Biden is uniquely prepared by his total life experiences and will do the right things at this time in history.

    It’s why I voted for him in 2020.His job is as a healer and a leader. It’s why I continue to be impressed by his Adminstration and his responses. He gets it.

  66. 66.

    Old Dan and Little Ann

    Boo!  You talked about tax breaks for the rich!  Fucking pikers.

  71. 71.

    dmsilev

    “We’re done talking about Infrastructure Weeks”. God, I hope someone puts that video clip in front of TFG.

  72. 72.

    Elizabelle

    “We’re doing talking about infrastructure weeks.  We’re now talking about an infrastructure decade.”

  78. 78.

    Mallard Filmore

    @Martin: 

    Looks like Russia air industry is hosed.

    There are a lot of Russian tourists and vacationers here. I hope the USA will participate in helping them go home. Getting additional money to stay here might not be possible … food, hotel or rent. Including buying a new ticket back (I think China will fly them, but they are cutthroat capitalists at heart and will want MONEY, lots of it, plus a bonus).

  79. 79.

    Elizabelle

    Listening to this speech; not watching.

    It would be GREAT on the radio, or in background for busy people.

  82. 82.

    Elizabelle

    @cain:   Maybe.  Fuck ’em.

    We just saw a visual of Intel executive wearing a Ukrainian flag?  (I peeked at the White House feed.).  And was it a promise of a $100 million investment in chip manufacturing by them?

    Way to go.

  83. 83.

    cain

    @Elizabelle: Did the GOP clap?

    I swear the GOP hasn’t gotten up for much to clap even with all this good news. It seems like they are rooting for America to fail.

  84. 84.

    HumboldtBlue

    Joe doesn’t do belligerent well and his “hard guy” tone is sorta grandpappy, but damn when he’s softer  of voice and focused on an idea he can really capture your attention. He does “sensible” very well.

  88. 88.

    steppy

    Where is the part where the president* airs personal grievances? I was told that this is the normal way of doing business these days.

  94. 94.

    Captain C

    @Martin: Maybe they still have some old dilapidated Ilyushins hanging around. I rode on one a couple times, it was like a greyhound bus with wings.

  97. 97.

    steppy

    Keep the pressure on, but how are you going to get Paw-Paw Black Lung and Manic Pixie Dream Senator to sign on?

  102. 102.

    dmsilev

    Biden: “Big and profitable companies should pay their fair share of taxes”

    Republicans: “BOOOOOOOO”

  103. 103.

    Mike in NC

    I worked as a contractor at GE for four years and those fuckers didn’t pay a dime in federal income taxes.

  104. 104.

    Elizabelle

    It makes me sad that Biden is the President of a party that supports all these wonderful initiatives, and, the mean party is allegedly favored in the midterms.

    A lot of that is MSM messaging.  I wonder if we will see a change in their ridiculous reporting and punditing, now that they have gotten a gander at Ukraine and their courage and hope

    MSM headlines and press corpse:  Mean kids rooting for mean kids and bullies.

  105. 105.

    Kattails

    I pray I have the energy of Nancy Pelosi when I’m her age.

    whoa. Pandemic fraud… quite a few Repubs. be involved there.

  107. 107.

    Mike in NC

    Going after pandemic fraud will keep the Trump family lawyers busy for a while.

  108. 108.

    Central Planning

    @Elizabelle:

    A lot of that is MSM messaging. I wonder if we will see a change in their ridiculous reporting and punditing, now that they have gotten a gander at Ukraine and their courage and hope.

    That’s funny. I’m going to bet Hard No.

  110. 110.

    Redshift

    @cain:

    I swear the GOP hasn’t gotten up for much to clap even with all this good news. It seems like they are rooting for America to fail. 

    They’ve been pretty openly doing that ever since Biden was elected, so…

  111. 111.

    James E Powell

    @Elizabelle:

    It makes me sad that Biden is the President of a party that supports all these wonderful initiatives, and, the mean party is allegedly favored in the midterms.

    We live in a nation of stupid assholes. Anyone working for justice & decency faces a considerable headwind.

  119. 119.

    JoyceH

    I think McConnell is actually a cardboard cutout – the camera has gone to him several times and each time he looks exactly the same.

  127. 127.

    cain

    @Yarrow: Not an influencer, just a gal who has good insights.

    My wife tells me that Beto has won the nomination for Dem candidate for Gov of Texas! Go Beto!

  132. 132.

    Elizabelle

    The answer is not to Defund the Police. It is to fund the police.

    Resources and training.

    [A lot sure do need different and better training.  De-escalation, etc.]

  135. 135.

    Elizabelle

    Repeal the liability shield for gun manufacturers.  Hell yeah.

    Also:  end qualified immunity for police, but he did not bring that up.

  136. 136.

    Chip Daniels

    I posted this elsewhere, but wanted to share my thoughts here as well:

    I’ve been reminded of the history of the 1920s and 30s lately.

    Specifically how in those eras, political pundits and cultural critics spoke often about fascism, communism, and things like eugenics with glowing admiration. The thing about these people, was that they themselves were almost all living in liberal democracies, even as they waxed favorably about illiberal un-democracies, which in many cases were just hypothetical constructs.

    I’m thinking of how in the past decade we’ve seen so many people, from Steve Bannon to Adrian Vermuele to Sohrab Amari, from Rod Dreher to Jason Brennan to the Trumpists all offer various flavored criticisms of democracy and liberalism. And all of these people are of course safely ensconced in liberal democracies.

    But just as in the late 30s, now we are witnessing the blitzkrieg, the Rape of Ukraine where suddenly the logical end point of illiberalism is made clear. When people like Ben Garrison and Jon McNaughton draw gauzy heroic portraits of a muscle bound Trump defeating the little people, and when the participants of NIck Fuentes’ white supremacist conference chanted Putin’s name, they are dreaming of an American Putin, the shirtless Man On Horseback who will Make The Rabble Obey.

  140. 140.

    Chris

    @Elizabelle:

    We’ve seen cops maintain exercise perfect restraint time and time again as armed right-wing lunatics not only get into their faces and scream but push them aside and storm buildings.

    It isn’t “training.”  The problem isn’t that cops don’t know how to exercise restraint.  The problem is that they simply don’t want to do it, unless the people protesting vote the same way they do.

  142. 142.

    mrmoshpotato

    @JoyceH:

    I think McConnell is actually a cardboard cutout – the camera has gone to him several times and each time he looks exactly the same.

    A cardboard cutout of a POS turtle?

    ETA – Yertle is an asshole.

  144. 144.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Sounded like a woman chanting “build the wall”? MTG? Boebert? Nancy Mace desperately trying to get back on The Beast’s good side?

  145. 145.

    Elizabelle

    Biden is doing a good job of co-opting the Republicans’ talking points (and from the GOP, mostly in bad faith).

  147. 147.

    Captain C

    Seems like Collins was shaking her head again at The mention of Roe v Wade. A little guilt on her part, is she too much of a shameless sociopath?  I already know the answer, right?

  148. 148.

    cain

    Ha – I knew the Fund the Police line was going to trigger some of the left. Although I agree that “fund the police” is a little broad – we need training, but we also do not need to send police in, but experts in de-escalation and community work. The police is a big hammer. They aren’t samurai.

  153. 153.

    Peale

    @Doug R: unless, of course, the Social Workers are coming to take away trans kids….then fewer of those kinds of social workers.

  160. 160.

    Peale

    @cain: Yeah. Looking at the types of training the small time police pay for, security efforts run a bigger grift than even business inspirational speakers. Ooh, lets go to this mid sized city and talk about how to recognize a muslim terrorist. What we need is to drive out the 3 percenters and oath keepers from the forces. Although I know that that would sound crazy during a SOTU speech.

  163. 163.

    Lyrebird

    @Gin & Tonic: Hey G & T, just wanted to add that it’s almost definitely because of your comments that I learned about the Chalupa sisters’ work.  Further appreciation & wishes of support.

  165. 165.

    cain

    Great finish! Although when he siad “Go get em” – I was thinking that was a reference to “Go Brandon” lol.

  167. 167.

    White & Gold Purgatorian

    @Elizabelle:

    A lot of that is MSM messaging.  I wonder if we will see a change in their ridiculous reporting and punditing, now that they have gotten a gander at Ukraine and their courage and hope

    Maybe now that Russian money has been cut off, at least a few media types will no longer do their bidding. And if there is less propaganda circulating on Twitter, etc., less of it will make it into the MSM. A girl can hope, anyhow.

  168. 168.

    Elizabelle

    Fantastic SOTU.  Haven’t watched one for years.  Just could not, in recent years.

    Go get him.  What was that??

  170. 170.

    JoyceH

    “Go get im” – did he just unleash Seal Team Six against Putin, or what was that?

  172. 172.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Yarrow: It was either Taylor Green or Boebert and she got 13 out and trailed off. This was, most likely, an attempt to reference the 13 hours of Benghazi.

  173. 173.

    Peale

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Hey Hillbilly from Booniefuckton (R) we could probably put all the rural hospitals in your state on secure financial footing for the next 50 years with the money we spent annually doing nothing in Afghanistan…but hey. $100 billion to stay one year longer to save 13 lives. Yeah, worth it.  $2.3 trillion on that war alone.

  174. 174.

    Elizabelle

    @JoyceH:   Yes, I took that to mean Putin too, especially coming right after the usual commending our troops.

    Watch the last 3 words be what the MSM seizes upon, to the detriment of covering the rest of the speech.

  175. 175.

    JWR

    NBC just ID’d the “there were 13” bozo as bozo Lauren Boebert. I’m shocked, I tell you! Shocked!

  176. 176.

    Lyrebird

    @cain: iiuc Val Demings , whose career began in law enforcement before she became a lawmaker, had a hand in the specific Dem proposals – better pay, more training, more actual accountability.

  177. 177.

    dmsilev

    Good speech.

    I think I can afford to skip the Deep Thoughts that the governor of Iowa will undoubtedly share with us about why everything bad is Joe Biden’s fault.

  178. 178.

    Constance Reader

    @Elizabelle: Putin.  U.S. is sending troops to our NATO allies to bolster their security should Putin get any more crazy ideas into his head.  I also wonder if it’s to make sure the Baltic states don’t have to worry about locking the door behind them if they decided they have to move into Ukraine.

  180. 180.

    CaseyL

    That was a considerably more upbeat speech than I was expecting, and had a lot of good stuff in it.

    Without intending to minimize the more important initiatives Joe mentioned, I have to say I was very tickled to hear the DoJ will be going after profiteers who scammed the Covid Relief Funds that were supposed to go to small businesses, and didn’t.  Between this and defunding Russia, there’s gotta be a lotta GOPers and their donors feeling a little nervous.

  181. 181.

    Brachiator

    @Elizabelle:

    Good segment on improving policing.

    No Defund the Police shit here.

    Defang GOP claims that the Democrats are anti-police.

     

  182. 182.

    Peale

    @Constance Reader: Apparently the stupid president of Belarus posted in front of a war map that indicated that they will be invading Moldova. So going right to the border of anoather NATO state. Funny how these “Unaligned Buffer” states keep getting sucked up.

  184. 184.

    Gin & Tonic

    If there were an Olympic competition in predictable banality, does Fareed Zakaria beat Tom Friedman for the gold?

  185. 185.

    japa21

    Excellent speech but, unfortunately, he did have a stuttering problem a few times. I couldn’t care less, but watch Fox and others on the right make a big deal of it.

  186. 186.

    Constance Reader

    @Peale: Dear Belarus – it’s time for an intervention, your boyfriend Putin has not made any commitment.  He hasn’t offered annexation or reunification, he’s a user like all the other dictators you’ve dated, he’s just not that into you!!

  188. 188.

    Elizabelle

    @japa21:   Yeah, I noticed that too.  Good people, who are informed it’s due to a stutter, will get right past that.

    Fox viewers?  Fuck ’em.

  191. 191.

    Constance Reader

    @japa21: Well, with Ukraine right now, I’m pretty sure the poor man spent far more hours on the phone today than a POTUS usually would before the SOTU.  Current conditions did not permit him the luxury of saving his voice for the speech.

  192. 192.

    Elizabelle

    @Brachiator:  Exactly.

    Also, that Judge (soon to be Justice, please please) Ketanji Brown Jackson has been endorsed by the Federation of Police.  Good times.

  195. 195.

    Elizabelle

    I like Intel annoucing a $100 Billion initiative to step up US chip manufacturing/development, whatever it was.

    No heading for outer space in a phallic rocket for them.  At this point.

    I rather like that we will have a task force to go after Russian plutocrats’ ill gotten gains.  And then, with those honed skills in hand …

  199. 199.

    SpaceUnit

    PBS post-speech analysis is completely incoherent

     

    ETA:  It’s like they’re awaiting orders from the American Enterprise Institute.

  201. 201.

    Kent

    @SpaceUnit: I’m watching MSNBC.  They are basically giving him lots of good positive coverage.  Not surprising as it is Maddow.  Right now Maddow is interviewing Klobuchar about how good of a speech it was and then talking about Ukraine.

  208. 208.

    HumboldtBlue

    Oh sweet Jesus beating a white woman with a stick, I am not watching this fucking husk of a woman drone her way through a list of grievances entirely fictional.

  213. 213.

    SpaceUnit

    @Elizabelle:

    I don’t even know.  They’re just jabbering like a bunch of corporate-media idiots who are waiting for their marching orders from above.

    They’re in complete disarray.

  214. 214.

    HeleninEire

    Who the fuck is this idiot from Iowa? Thanks for the props for not saying bitch.

  222. 222.

    Mallard Filmore

    @Peale: 

    Apparently the stupid president of Belarus posted in front of a war map that indicated that they will be invading Moldova.

    I wonder if a counter attack will drive into Belarus.

  223. 223.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    remembering all the future presidents who took this rebuttal spot during the Obama years. Rubio, Jindal, McDonnell (sp?)… I wonder what the political employment rate is of those 8 people.

    Damn me if there isn’t a Wiki page: Mitch Daniels, Nikki Haley, Joni Ernst, Paul Ryan, Cathie McMorris-Rogers.

    for the Spanish rebuttal: Ileana Ros-Lehiten (twice) and Carlos Curbelo, both now never-trumpers I believe, and Mario Diaz-Balart, who’s kind of fallen off my radar.

    So three, maybe four (MDB?) still in elective office

  224. 224.

    Elizabelle

    I cannot get the WaPost to load.  What’s up with that? Can someone else put up their headline on the SOTU??

  226. 226.

    Elizabelle

    Seriously.  WaPost will not load.  Other sites will, even CNN.  Anyone else having trouble getting the WaPost?

  227. 227.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Elizabelle: “Biden pledges ‘unity agenda’ for nation”

    Subhed “President offers support and praise for Ukraine, says Putin will pay ‘high price’ for invasion”

  228. 228.

    JoyceH

    Someone needs to ask Kim Reynolds ‘who won the 2020 election?’ Because you know she wouldn’t answer.

  232. 232.

    Kent

    Jessica Cisneros

    13,328
    49.8%

    Henry Cuellar*

    12,139
    45.4%

    Tannya Benavides

    1,284
    4.8%

     

    Texas House District 28 primary with 59% reporting.  This is significant.

  235. 235.

    cain

    @Elizabelle: Speaking of Intel, after 2016 layoffs, they finally removed the lock on my record on getting re-hired. So I can find a job at Intel again.

    I’m not interested.

  238. 238.

    Elizabelle

    @bbleh:  Can one clear a cache for just one site?

    and:

    Thank you to those who put up the WaPost headlines.  FWIW, LA Times did not have much of one.  Just always curious how major dailies cover the SOTU.

  240. 240.

    Jeffro

    I didn’t plan on watching, but watch I did and wow.

    It’s almost like this guy, facing a 3x pandemic and psycho Republican opposition and the threat of a world war…it’s almost like he knows what he’s doing.

    Eat shit and die, Republicans.  We aren’t giving any ground on Democratic priorities OR trying to get things done for the American people.

  241. 241.

    Misterpuff

    Biden really hit on Ohio more than a couple of times. The WH must think that’s a winnable Senate seat.

  242. 242.

    Geminid

    @Kent: Cisneros needs to clear 50% to avoid a June runoff. There definitely will be one on the Republican side.

  244. 244.

    Elizabelle

    Boston Globe headline:

    ‘We will save democracy,’ Biden says

    President rallies US around Ukraine, calls for improving standard of living for all Americans.

    A+ to the Boston Globe.

  247. 247.

    Anne Laurie

    Note: I’m not starting a post-SotU thread, because I can see that Adam is working on his nightly Ukraine update.

  248. 248.

    Elizabelle

    Another Boston Globe headline.  “Huge car carrier bound for Rhode Island sinks in mid-Atlantic.”

    I wonder if that’s the same one that burned off the coast of Portuguese islands.  Or another?

  249. 249.

    bbleh

    @Elizabelle: There is probably some deep way, sorting through item by item, but I don’t know what it is.  I “clear history” occasionally anyway, just to reduce clutter (and confuse the ad algorithms).

  252. 252.

    bbleh

    @Elizabelle: The same.  It was being towed to a less ecologically sensitive area when it “became unstable.” Apparently it tipped before it sank, and a bunch of those scorched Bentleys and Porsches came rolling out the side.

    I realize it makes me a bad person, but I totally got a grin out of the whole episode.

  254. 254.

    Elizabelle

    @Gin & Tonic:  Drats.

    @bbleh:   The essence of first world problems.  And I will try the WaPost later this morning.  Need my Jennifer Rubin and Alexandra Petri.  (Still not loading.  Might just reboot my laptop, too.)

  255. 255.

    cain

    Tom Nichols has been covering the Republican response which he distilled down to “white republican airing of grievances” Of course, the usual suspects will cheer.

  258. 258.

    marcopolo

    @Elizabelle: Yes.  On my Mac I go into the preferences for my browser (Safari), then to manage website data, type in (like twitter) my target, it pops up the two twitter caches & I delete them.  Dunno what browser you use but there should be something similar for each one.

    On my phone,  I go to phone preferences, then Safari, then manage website data (just smidge different).

  259. 259.

    Jeffro

    on Fox News dot com it looks like (via the live feed) Hannity is attempting a point-by-point rebuttal, while the main headlines are “Biden tells Russia to fuck off” and related.

    no wonder their viewers are so addled all the time…

  260. 260.

    Kent

    @Geminid: She will do better in a June runoff without the other progressive spoiler candidate in the race who is drawing about 5%.

  261. 261.

    Another Scott

    @David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: I think that’s a poor summary of what Attackerman is saying.  He’s not an international finance guy, and he’s not a reflexively America-always-does-wrong type.  He’s seen lots of US wars up-close-and-personal and hates what it does to the people actually doing the fighting.  He’s saying the US and the EU should think carefully about the impact of sanctions on normal people who don’t have a few billion in the bank and the ability to weather them.

    I think Biden’s people have thought about that, and do know the history, and that’s why, e.g., the SWIFT cutoff is targeted at the biggest banks, not everything Russian.  Biden’s people should be able to explain and answer Spencer’s criticisms pretty easily, and doing so could help increase understanding of the whys and wherefores of the policies.  While also recognizing that lots of ordinary Russians are going to suffer (but Ukrainians are suffering much, much more).

    My $0.02.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  264. 264.

    Jinchi

    @Kent: We were told that the Cisneros/Cuellar matchup would define the Latino Democratic identity: do they embrace  AOC-style liberalism or is an anti-immigrant/pro-life agenda more compelling to them?

    I guess if it’s in the margin of error that means they’re all … centrists?

  265. 265.

    RaflW

    @SiubhanDuinne: It is really shocking to see how many Republican seats are vacant.

    What will remain unshocking, though deeply irritating, is that the “bipartisanship” fetishists in the press will let this slide.

  266. 266.

    Jay

    @Another Scott:

    yurp, sanctions on Iraq prior to Dubya Dubya Me Too, no pencils for kids because “graphite” and 500,000+ excess deaths, mostly kids.

    Remember Madeline Allbright?

  270. 270.

    Kent

    @Jinchi:

    @Kent: We were told that the Cisneros/Cuellar matchup would define the Latino Democratic identity: do they embrace  AOC-style liberalism or is an anti-immigrant/pro-life agenda more compelling to them?

    I guess if it’s in the margin of error that means they’re all … centrists?

    No, it’s really San Antonio (Cisneros) vs Rio Grande Valley (Cuellar):   Look at the map:  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/03/01/us/elections/results-texas-us-house-district-28.html

  273. 273.

    TriassicSands

    I think Biden is doing a reasonably good job, but I live in the US and I listened to the SOTU address. I don’t think it reflected the current actual state of this country. At all.  Yes, I know, presidents always use the SOTU address to prove that their party’s senators and representatives can scream like adolescents at a pep rally.

  275. 275.

    sab

    @TriassicSands: Big country.

    Urban Ohio things are much better under Biden. Job postings everywhere. Look for a job, and you will have one within a week, instead of the months of plodding it used to take. Plus actual decent pay. All sorts of jobs, not just the odd obscure ones. And they are actually hiring minorities. The employers might notice the good workers in that long ignored subset of prospective workers.

  278. 278.

    Geminid

    @Geminid: Four hours ago the Texas Tribune reported that it was still not certain whether Jessica Cisneros would reach 50% plus one, the vote total neccesary to win the Texas 28th Congressional District primary outright. I guess we’ll find out today if she and incumbent Henry Cuellar will face off in a May 24 runoff.

    Republicans are hopeful of flipping the 28th, and thry will have a runoff between Casey Garcia and the second place finisher.

  281. 281.

    Geminid

    @Kay: Cisneros lost by 4 points last time, won by 4-5 this time. Some of that swing may be due to the FBI searches of Cuellar’s home and office last month.

    It would be good if Cisneros can avoid a runoff. Cuellar has been hitting her hard in ads for her association with the “Squad.” The Republicans will too, so it’s better if Cuellar can’t anymore.

  282. 282.

    Kay

    @Geminid:

    I can live with Right wing Democrats, but I think there should be some issues that are non-negotiable. Also not a fan of re-electing someone who is currently under FBI investigation. He’s the incumbent. He shouldn’t be this weak in a D primary.

  283. 283.

    Kay

    Bryan Bennett
    @bryanbennett85
    · 10h
    Reproductive rights elicits strongly positive reaction from Democrats (80+) and independents (70+); Republicans divide / are more neutral (~50). @NavigatorSurvey

    The Right wing anti-abortion position is unpopular with both Democrats and Independents. Judging by the (complete lack) of news coverage, political media has decided a right to basic bodily autonomy for half the population is unimportant, but this is not now and has never been reflected in polling.

  284. 284.

    Kay

    Robert Costa
    @costareports
    ·9h
    Manchin’s post-speech take to reporters, per
    @alanhe
    “Asked about supporting the pieces of BBB the President brought up, he answered, ‘Not until you get your financial house in order can you do that.’”

    There should be a country song for all the people who still believe Joe Manchin. Just betrayal after betrayal, and they still request and repeat his lies.
    He’s protecting the Trump tax cuts. That is all this has ever been about. It was always about the billions and billions the wealthiest people in this country were handed by Donald Trump. They’d do just about anything to keep that windfall rolling in and Manchin and Sinema will do anything neccessary to get that result.
    Manchin’s number was always the number that would allow the Trump tax cuts to remain untouched. Find that number, ensure the tax cuts remain in place, and you’ll have Joe Manchin.

  285. 285.

    Geminid

    @Kay: Cuellar shouldn’t have been so weak last time. Jessica Cisneros comes across as a nice person* but she was a 26(?) year old unkown her first time ’round. The national exposure she got through her Justice Democrats endorsement brought a lot of national publicity and donations. Still, I wondered if Cuellar took Cisneros too lightly.

    Cuellar wouldn’t have taken her too lightly this time. I think his problem generally is that he hasn’t gotten past his generation’s social attitudes, while younger south Texans have.

    *The Justice Democrats’ seem to have an advertising rule: no smiling! Whereas more conventional politicians, like Representatives Sharice Davids (KS) and Cathy Houlihan (PA), typically are smiling in their ads, those poor Justice Democrats have to frown, like they’re pondering all the injustices they have to set right. So Ms. Cisneros looks very stern in her Justice Democrats advertising.

  286. 286.

    Kay

    @Geminid:

    Some of that is age. Younger people often adopt a stricter “I am serious!” approach because they feel they will not be taken seriously if they relax. I see it with new lawyers.

    I think it’s great she’s 28. I don’t have any hard and fast “age” rules but I think a much older caucus becomes a representation issue if the D electorate is skewing younger. I just think that’s common sense politics.

  287. 287.

    Geminid

    @Kay: I also like the fact that Cisneros is only 28. I worry that she is too left for to win that district, though. Not that Cuellar would be a shoo-in.

    South Texas used to vote reliably Democratic, but Republicans have been making gains there and will try hard to flip that district. Casey Garcia, their likely nominee, sounds like a dynamic, industrious person. At least from what I read of her in a Politico article about  women who were  leading the Republican charge in South Texas.

  288. 288.

    Geminid

    @Kay: Some of the stern look might be generational. If you check out Justice Democtat’s advertising, though, you will see their candidates consistently looking sober and determined, and seldom smiling Some, like Corey Bush, scowl. But that is certainly generational in that they want to appeal to disaffected young people by projecting toughness..

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