US Election 2024: Grumpy Old Men

[Gandalf]

I thought I'd get started on a thread for all of this wacky content.

Right now in the Michigan Democratic primary, Biden is up against the proverbial empty chair, because of his stance on Israel and Palestine. So the ongoing story of Biden having a unified party while Trump can't get rid of Haley might hit a snag. As expected, some people are annoyed that people are voting in a way that might make Biden look bad.

On the GOP side, it's a weird circus. Fucked if I can sum it up.

[Batman]

'Fucked' IS a good way to sum it up.

[Batman]

Double post. Sorry

[bilateralrope]

I like that 'vote uncommitted' protest. Enough people showing that they are unhappy about Biden's complicity in genocide might get something done. But it shouldn't affect his chances when it comes to the election, as we can see that Trump will be worse overall.

As for Haley, it's clear that her only chance of beating Trump is if SCOTUS boots him from the election due to the 14th amendment, which is unlikely.

[bilateralrope]

Fox News seems desperate.

Fox News Links Joe Biden's Ice Cream Habit to Alzheimer's

Published Feb 28, 2024 at 4:26 AM EST
Updated Feb 28, 2024 at 6:12 AM EST

Fox News host Jesse Watters has linked President Joe Biden's love of ice cream to Alzheimer's disease.

Watters made the comments after the president spoke to reporters while eating ice cream after taping a segment for NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers in New York City on Monday.

"You know who lights up for ice cream? Children and the elderly. There's a reason caregivers deliver ice cream to their patients in nursing homes," Watters said on his show Tuesday night.

He explained that the Alzheimer's Association says ice cream is "a favorite for people with diminished faculties." Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and has no cure.

Biden's age and mental fitness has come under scrutiny as he campaigns for re-election, with some voters viewing the 81-year-old as too old to serve a second term.

"Ice cream has the power to immediately elicit soothing feelings at the very first taste of a single spoonful," Watters said, quoting the association's comments about the "power" of the treat.

"It erases all the negative feelings related to the frustration and continues to stimulate pleasure receptors in the brain with every new scoop," he said. "Now, obviously, I'm not diagnosing Biden with Alzheimer's, but you see what's going on here.

"They clap when he puts his sunglasses on. They treat him for ice cream to make him happy. He's got his little Corvette, his toy car that he's so proud of that he keeps his special folders next to.

"No one can take those folders. Those are my folders. He's a child. He copies homework. He lies, falls asleep, doesn't listen. Joey has his aviators, mint chip and his Hot Wheels, and he's happy. Are we really going to re-elect this guy America?"

Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.

Many social media users mocked Watters' comments.

"It takes a special kind of alpha male to be scared of eating ice cream," one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Watters made the comments after the president spoke to reporters while eating ice cream after taping a segment for NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers in New York City on Monday.

"You know who lights up for ice cream? Children and the elderly. There's a reason caregivers deliver ice cream to their patients in nursing homes," Watters said on his show Tuesday night.

He explained that the Alzheimer's Association says ice cream is "a favorite for people with diminished faculties." Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and has no cure.

Biden's age and mental fitness has come under scrutiny as he campaigns for re-election, with some voters viewing the 81-year-old as too old to serve a second term.

"It erases all the negative feelings related to the frustration and continues to stimulate pleasure receptors in the brain with every new scoop," he said. "Now, obviously, I'm not diagnosing Biden with Alzheimer's, but you see what's going on here.

"They clap when he puts his sunglasses on. They treat him for ice cream to make him happy. He's got his little Corvette, his toy car that he's so proud of that he keeps his special folders next to.

"No one can take those folders. Those are my folders. He's a child. He copies homework. He lies, falls asleep, doesn't listen. Joey has his aviators, mint chip and his Hot Wheels, and he's happy. Are we really going to re-elect this guy America?"

Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.

Many social media users mocked Watters' comments.

"It takes a special kind of alpha male to be scared of eating ice cream," one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

A different person joked: "I'm devastated to find out that my Ben and Jerry's New York Super Chunk Fudge addiction indicates my pending Alzheimer's diagnosis."

Another wrote: "Lots of different foods elicit a pleasure response for people at all ages. Wtaf? I feel bad for ice cream now, it's being stereotyped by complete morons."

And another wrote that Watters "attempts to [sound] like some sort of medical professional there and fails miserably."

[wautd]

I'm not American but it looks like Biden did a good job during his term all things considered. But despite that, he's too old to run again (then again, so is Trump). What's stopping the democratic party to promote an alternative candidate to Biden? One that could lure moderate republicans too that feel alienated by the current GOP

[bilateralrope]

I'm not American but it looks like Biden did a good job during his term all things considered. But despite that, he's too old to run again (then again, so is Trump). What's stopping the democratic party to promote an alternative candidate to Biden? One that could lure moderate republicans too that feel alienated by the current GOP

The primary process is probably the biggest hurdle. Incumbents have a very strong advantage there. A few people tried, but I haven't heard any news about them in a while.

[Tribble]

I'm not American but it looks like Biden did a good job during his term all things considered. But despite that, he's too old to run again (then again, so is Trump). What's stopping the democratic party to promote an alternative candidate to Biden? One that could lure moderate republicans too that feel alienated by the current GOP

The primary process is probably the biggest hurdle. Incumbents have a very strong advantage there. A few people tried, but I haven't heard any news about them in a while.

Biden’s ego doesn’t allow him to be a one-term president, even if it would’ve been better to focus his efforts on helping the next generation. Unfortunately, Biden is literally the best candidate the Democrats are capable of fielding at the moment, which is kind of sad. Against anyone other than Trump he would be curb stomped.

The Democrats are basically running on the campaign slogan "Don't change horses in mid-stream" while praying the old horse doesn’t die while still crossing.

Meanwhile the Republicans are running on the slogan “let’s get our deranged messiah in office so we can start our retribution campaign and purge the world of our undesirables and enemies!”

Unfortunately so far the ladder campaign appears to more motivating for the Republican voting base than the former is for the Democrats.

[Soontir C'boath]

I thought I'd get started on a thread for all of this wacky content.

Right now in the Michigan Democratic primary, Biden is up against the proverbial empty chair, because of his stance on Israel and Palestine. So the ongoing story of Biden having a unified party while Trump can't get rid of Haley might hit a snag. As expected, some people are annoyed that people are voting in a way that might make Biden look bad.

On the GOP side, it's a weird circus. Fucked if I can sum it up.

Frankly, it's fucking crazy. We have assholes in this fucking party saying we have to have Democratic candidates that are conservative because they have to represent the voters in their district/state/whatever. But heaven fucking forbid we can't get the Biden campaign to pivot to what the voters want in Michigan? Oh but, they're just people who want Trump to win.

[Ralin]

Meanwhile the Republicans are running on the slogan “let’s get our deranged messiah in office so we can start our retribution campaign and purge the world of our undesirables and enemies!”

Frankly, it's fucking crazy. We have assholes in this fucking party saying we have to have Democratic candidates that are conservative because they have to represent the voters in their district/state/whatever. But heaven fucking forbid we can't get the Biden campaign to pivot to what the voters want in Michigan? Oh but, they're just people who want Trump to win.

Man, can't help but notice that despite being fascists who want to end democracy the Republicans are ironically much more responsive to their constituents and inclined to give them what they want.

[Solauren]

They know how to play the voters.

Until the voters are no longer required.

[Tribble]

Meanwhile the Republicans are running on the slogan “let’s get our deranged messiah in office so we can start our retribution campaign and purge the world of our undesirables and enemies!”

Frankly, it's fucking crazy. We have assholes in this fucking party saying we have to have Democratic candidates that are conservative because they have to represent the voters in their district/state/whatever. But heaven fucking forbid we can't get the Biden campaign to pivot to what the voters want in Michigan? Oh but, they're just people who want Trump to win.

Man, can't help but notice that despite being fascists who want to end democracy the Republicans are ironically much more responsive to their constituents and inclined to give them what they want.

David Frum: “ Maybe you do not care much about the future of the Republican Party. You should. Conservatives will always be with us. If conservatives become convinced that they can not win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. The will reject democracy.”

Unfortunately, so far that is proven to be a pretty accurate statement.

How exactly is a democratic form of government supposed to survive when a significant fraction of the population now abhors it, and wants to purge anyone who believes in it? And when a significant fraction of the population wants to imprison, exile, enslave and/or execute all others? The central tenet of democracy is that a peaceful transfer of power is preferable to violence (even when your side loses), but it seems clear that the majority of Republicans have thrown that out the window.

I remember commenting a few years ago that the US was headed for another Civil War, then backing off because the idea seemed too absurd at the time. It doesn’t seem quite so absurd now though.

What will Democrats do if Trump wins? Will they allow an actual fascist claiming he will be a dictator from day one to stay in office? What will they do if he loses, but successfully seizes office anyways (either via overturning the results and/or staging another insurrection)?

What will Republicans do if somehow Biden happens to win and they fail to overturn the results? We’ve already seen one insurrection attempt so we can’t put it past them to try another (and it would likely be even worse). What will they do if they attempt a 2nd coup and it fails?

IMO the odds of this election ending without some sort of insurrection attempt (one way or another) seems increasingly slim.

[Ralin]

How exactly is a democratic form of government supposed to survive when a significant fraction of the population now abhors it, and wants to purge anyone who believes in it? And when a significant fraction of the population wants to imprison, exile, enslave and/or execute all others? The central tenet of democracy is that a peaceful transfer of power is preferable to violence (even when your side loses), but it seems clear that the majority of Republicans have thrown that out the window.

Mass disenfranchisement. As in, strip self-declared Republican voters of the right to vote. That's pretty extreme, but if it's going to happen one way or another better it be done to the bad guys.

Remember, American democracy has survived over half the population not being able to vote before. In fact, pretty sure that's how it worked for most of American history.

I remember commenting a few years ago that the US was headed for another Civil War, then backing off because the idea seemed too absurd at the time. It doesn’t seem quite so absurd now though.

I'd say we're about one riot or highway blockade away from a modern day Bleeding Kansas at this point.

[Solauren]

I'd say we're about one riot or highway blockade away from a modern day Bleeding Kansas at this point.

Take everything political or politically related that has happened since Obama was elected (when the Conservatives really started pushing hard), to now, and I'd say it's already occurring, just it's not as concentrated as it was back then.

[Iroscato]

How exactly is a democratic form of government supposed to survive when a significant fraction of the population now abhors it, and wants to purge anyone who believes in it? And when a significant fraction of the population wants to imprison, exile, enslave and/or execute all others? The central tenet of democracy is that a peaceful transfer of power is preferable to violence (even when your side loses), but it seems clear that the majority of Republicans have thrown that out the window.

Mass disenfranchisement. As in, strip self-declared Republican voters of the right to vote. That's pretty extreme, but if it's going to happen one way or another better it be done to the bad guys.

Remember, American democracy has survived over half the population not being able to vote before. In fact, pretty sure that's how it worked for most of American history.

So you suggest taking away the rights of 70-80 million people to engage in the democratic process, in order to...save the democratic process? How exactly would that not just immediately hand them the mother of all casus belli and plunge the United States into civil war before the ink's dry? Or is that the idea? The venn diagram of Accelerationist and Fucking Moron is practically a circle after all.

[Ralin]

So you suggest taking away the rights of 70-80 million people to engage in the democratic process, in order to...save the democratic process? How exactly would that not just immediately hand them the mother of all casus belli and plunge the United States into civil war before the ink's dry? Or is that the idea? The venn diagram of Accelerationist and Fucking Moron is practically a circle after all.

I'm saying that would be the best case solution to our increasingly irreconcilable national differences if it came to it.

In particular

How exactly would that not just immediately hand them the mother of all casus belli and plunge the United States into civil war before the ink's dry?

If we're ever at the point of doing this we'll probably have already had a civil war that they lost. Or about to have one anyway.

[bilateralrope]

Mitch McConnell to end long tenure as top US Senate Republican

By David Morgan and Richard Cowan
February 29, 202411:40 AM GMT+13Updated 3 days ago

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Top U.S. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday he will step down this year from his leadership role, ending a record-setting tenure and ceding more influence to Donald Trump and the hardliners who have come to define the party.

McConnell, who has represented Kentucky in the Senate since 1985 and has been his party's leader since 2007, gleefully embraced the nickname "Grim Reaper" for his willingness to use the levers of power to stonewall Democratic goals, whether as majority leader or, as is currently the case, minority leader.

"I turned 82 last week. The end of my contributions are closer than I prefer," McConnell said on the Senate floor, his voice breaking with emotion. "Father Time remains undefeated. I'm no longer the young man sitting in the back hoping colleagues remember my name. It's time for the next generation of leadership."

His tenure of nearly 17 years as a Senate party leader is the longest on record.

McConnell played an outsized role in helping Trump cement a 6-3 conservative majority in the Supreme Court, paving the way for landmark rulings cheered by conservatives ending the recognition of a constitutional right to abortion and expanding gun rights.

That belied McConnell's personal opposition at times to Trump - particularly the then-president's conduct ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. McConnell also has continued his vocal support for trying to pass aid to Ukraine in its fight against a Russian invasion over the opposition of hardline Republican opponents allied with Trump.

Democrats hold a slim majority in the Senate. McConnell said he will not run for Senate Republican leader in November's party elections, meaning he will end his time as leader when a new Congress convenes in January.

McConnell's departure from the leadership will remove a central player in negotiations with Democrats and the White House on spending deals to keep the federal government funded and avert a shutdown. His steady command of his caucus stood in contrast to relatively newly minted Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, who has struggled to lead his thin majority.

'THE TEST OF TIME'

"Look at the House, where you go through leaders on a regular basis, and yet Mitch McConnell has stood the test of time," Republican Senator Mike Rounds said.

After falling at a Washington event in March, McConnell twice last summer froze up while making remarks in public, raising questions about his health and his ability to continue to carry out the duties of his high-powered job. Those concerns were not assuaged by an Aug. 31 note from the congressional physician that cleared McConnell to go on working.

He indicated that he plans to serve out the rest of his term in the Senate, which extends through January 2027. But his exit from the leadership will mark the step back of an orderly counterpart to the tumultuous approach of Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden, and the hardline House Freedom Caucus ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

Now with Republicans having to elect a new party leader, conservative pressure to hang tough against a moderate spending deal with Democrats could weigh more heavily on the budget negotiations and the leadership election.

Senators John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn and John Barrasso were expected to vie for the top party job. It was unclear what other senators might jump into the race.

McConnell announced his plans on the Senate floor the morning after Trump won the Michigan Republican primary, continuing his sweep toward the party's nomination.

"I think the Trump chapter reopening is his cue to exit stage left," a former high-ranking Senate Republican aide said when asked about the timing of McConnell's move.

Some hardline Republican House colleagues applauded his exit -- and urged him to speed it up.

"No need to wait till November ... Senate Republicans should IMMEDIATELY elect a *Republican* Minority Leader," the hardline House Freedom Caucus said on X social media. The group's chairman, Bob Good, suggested Senator Rick Scott, who had challenged McConnell for the leadership and failed after the 2022 midterm elections.

Scott told reporters: "I think there's a better way to run the Senate. So we'll see what happens in the future."

MCCONNELL ALIENATES TRUMP

McConnell lashed out at the twice-impeached Trump for falsely claiming that widespread voting fraud cost him the 2020 election, the theme of Trump's speech shortly before his followers stormed the U.S. Capitol. McConnell voted to acquit Trump during the second Senate impeachment trial on a charge of inciting an insurrection, but alienated him in a Senate speech by asserting that Trump was "practically and morally responsible" for the Capitol riot.

"American citizens attacked their own government," McConnell said at the time. "They did this because they had been fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on Earth - because he was angry he'd lost an election."

McConnell's hardball approach was on display in 2016 when he orchestrated Republican stonewalling of Democratic then-President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to a vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.

He argued that it was too close to the presidential election that November and that voters should be left to decide the high court's direction in casting their votes for president.

Without missing a beat, McConnell struck again in 2020, this time just weeks before another presidential election. Taking the opposite approach, he rammed through Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, cementing a 6-3 conservative majority.

"Mitch McConnell's legacy will be that he purposefully undermined America's first Black president, he broke the Supreme Court, he helped elect a fascist President, and he abetted up an insurrection on American soil," Shannon Watts, founder of the gun control group Moms Demand Action, wrote on social media.

McConnell used his speech on Wednesday to again advocate for the $95 billion Ukraine-Israel-Taiwan aid package that House Republicans have ignored since the Senate passed it this month, and also acknowledged that the Republican Party was moving away from him.

"I know the politics within my party at this particular moment in time," McConnell said. "I have many faults. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them."

We get to see if the Senate Republicans are any better at picking a leader than those in Congress.

[Tribble]

”Mitch McConnell's legacy will be that he purposefully undermined America's first Black president, he broke the Supreme Court, he helped elect a fascist President, and he abetted up an insurrection on American soil,"

And to the current batch of Republican voters, that makes him just a Republican in Name Only, at best.

They’ll never forgive him for criticizing Trump (even if he acquitted anyways) and for pretending to govern instead of burning the whole thing down. Unforgivable Sins as far as they are concerned.

[bilateralrope]

”Mitch McConnell's legacy will be that he purposefully undermined America's first Black president, he broke the Supreme Court, he helped elect a fascist President, and he abetted up an insurrection on American soil,"

And to the current batch of Republican voters, that makes him just a Republican in Name Only, at best.

They’ll never forgive him for criticizing Trump (even if he acquitted anyways) and for pretending to govern instead of burning the whole thing down. Unforgivable Sins as far as they are concerned.

Back in January, there were some GOP congress members worried that they wouldn't have any achievements to run on this year. So far that has continued.

With luck, whoever replaces McConnell will be just as ineffective as Johnson.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Trump crowd goes silent as he confuses Biden and Obama again

Rhe crowd of Trump supporters gathered in Richmond, Virginia to hear Donald Trump speak on Saturday night went silent as the former president appeared to mix up Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama yet again.

“Shortly after we win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled,” Mr Trump said on Saturday.

“I know them both very well and we will restore peace through strength. Get that war settled. It’s a bad war. And Putin has so little respect for Obama that he’s starting to throw around the nuclear word,” Mr Trump added, seemingly in the false belief that Mr Biden’s former boss remains in charge.

There were plenty of moments during Mr Trump’s campaign events in Greensboro, North Carolina and later in Richmond when he appeared to struggle to deliver his speech or seemed to be confused.

The digital rapid response team of the Biden campaign ridiculed the former president in a number of posts on X, writing that “a confused Trump refers to himself in the third person while reading his teleprompter,” and adding that “a confused Trump claims he passed veterans legislation that was signed by President Obama in 2014”.

The Biden campaign also wrote that “Trump says he was ‘purposely’ confused when he claimed Nikki Haley was the Speaker: ‘I purposely mix up names’”.

Ron Filipkowski, an attorney and former Republican, added that “this will be yet another one of the 127 other instances where tomorrow Trump will claim he mixed up Obama and Biden again on purpose”.

The US attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2009 to 2017, Joyce Alene wrote on X: “We need to talk about why there is so much focus on Biden’s age, as he navigates multiple tough situations effectively, and so little on Trump, who can’t even remember who the current president, his November opponent, is.”

“Instead of covering this in detail, and pressing the campaign for answers, everyone’s going to do another story on Biden’s age,” Tom Nichols of The Atlantic wrote.

“Guys. You would take away the car keys if this was your friend or family member. He is running to stay out of prison and get his hands on the nuclear codes,” Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko said.

Sarah Longwell, the founder of Republican Voters Against Trump, noted that “this guy’s gonna win the GOP primary by massive margins on Tuesday. Congrats GOP. Congrats”.

[Rogue 9]

I'm not American but it looks like Biden did a good job during his term all things considered. But despite that, he's too old to run again (then again, so is Trump). What's stopping the democratic party to promote an alternative candidate to Biden? One that could lure moderate republicans too that feel alienated by the current GOP

The money. The Biden-Harris campaign has a huge war chest. Nobody else comes close, and it's flat illegal to just give it to another candidate. The only alternative who it could go to is Vice President Harris, and she's even less popular.

[The Sisko]

American domestic media coverage of the contest.
"Biden has problems, he's so old, the economy is only doing REALLY good not REALLY REALLY good, he didn't instant transmission to the Kremlin and kill Putin on Feb 23, 2022 and he sometimes says things that are old man speak."

"Trump is bad too I guess."



But hey, just think. We're only two or three months away from Donald having the Daily Presidential Brief and daily National Security Briefings again!

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Trump says US Supreme Court ruling to keep him on Colorado ballot 'will bring country together'

Donald Trump has praised the US Supreme Court's "very well crafted" ruling to keep him on the ballot in the Colorado primary election after in an unprecedented legal case.

The ruling meant the former president will be able to run to be the state's presidential candidate in its primary election on "Super Tuesday".

Speaking at his Florida home Mar-a-Lago after the decision on Monday, the former president said the decision “will be a unifying factor".

“I think it will go a long way toward bringing our country together, which our country needs,” he said.

The nine justices of the Supreme Court ruled unanimously against a Colorado decision that Trump should be disqualified.

The decision was made under Section 3 of the 14th amendment to the US Constitution, which prevents those who "engaged in insurrection" from holding office.

The Supreme Court justices concluded - "States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially Presidency".

“They worked long, they worked hard and frankly, they worked very quickly on something that will be spoken about 100 years from now and 200 years from now, extremely important. Essentially, you cannot take somebody out of a race because an opponent would like to have it that way,” Trump said.

In December, the Colorado Supreme Court made a groundbreaking decision that said Trump should be disqualified from running for president again, because of the 6 January Capitol riots.

Trump challenged this ruling, meaning it was up to the highest court, the US Supreme Court, to decide whether he can appear on the ballot in Colorado.

The Supreme Court has until now never ruled on this amendment - making it an unprecedented case.

Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building on January 6, 2021 in an effort to overturn his election defeat to now President Joe Biden, with Trump giving a speech beforehand in which he told his supporters to go to the Capitol and "fight like hell".

The former president strongly denies the claims and his lawyers argue the riot did not amount to an insurrection.

Trump also has since been barred from the primary ballot in Illinois and Maine, though both decisions, are subject to the Supreme Court's Monday ruling that states can't enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment on presidential candidates.

Colorado is one of 15 states holding primary elections on Tuesday March 5, known as "Super Tuesday".

Both sides had requested the court come to a conclusion quickly, to clear up uncertainty on whether votes for Trump in the Colorado primary would actually count.

Trump is currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in the election on November 5.

Last week he saw victories in the Michigan, Missouri and Idaho caucuses.

It had been expected the justices would rule in Trump's favour, three of them - Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett - were appointed by Trump during his presidency.

Trump is facing a number of other legal challenges, with a total of 91 criminal charges in four prosecutions.

A New York trial where the former president is charged with falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to a porn actor, is set to begin on March 25.

Last week the Supreme Court also agreed to hear arguments in late April over whether Trump can be criminally prosecuted on election interference charges, including his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

[The Sisko]

Trump says US Supreme Court ruling to keep him on Colorado ballot 'will bring country together'

Donald Trump has praised the US Supreme Court's "very well crafted" ruling to keep him on the ballot in the Colorado primary election after in an unprecedented legal case.

The ruling meant the former president will be able to run to be the state's presidential candidate in its primary election on "Super Tuesday".

Speaking at his Florida home Mar-a-Lago after the decision on Monday, the former president said the decision “will be a unifying factor".

“I think it will go a long way toward bringing our country together, which our country needs,” he said.

The nine justices of the Supreme Court ruled unanimously against a Colorado decision that Trump should be disqualified.

The decision was made under Section 3 of the 14th amendment to the US Constitution, which prevents those who "engaged in insurrection" from holding office.

The Supreme Court justices concluded - "States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially Presidency".

“They worked long, they worked hard and frankly, they worked very quickly on something that will be spoken about 100 years from now and 200 years from now, extremely important. Essentially, you cannot take somebody out of a race because an opponent would like to have it that way,” Trump said.

In December, the Colorado Supreme Court made a groundbreaking decision that said Trump should be disqualified from running for president again, because of the 6 January Capitol riots.

Trump challenged this ruling, meaning it was up to the highest court, the US Supreme Court, to decide whether he can appear on the ballot in Colorado.

The Supreme Court has until now never ruled on this amendment - making it an unprecedented case.

Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building on January 6, 2021 in an effort to overturn his election defeat to now President Joe Biden, with Trump giving a speech beforehand in which he told his supporters to go to the Capitol and "fight like hell".

The former president strongly denies the claims and his lawyers argue the riot did not amount to an insurrection.

Trump also has since been barred from the primary ballot in Illinois and Maine, though both decisions, are subject to the Supreme Court's Monday ruling that states can't enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment on presidential candidates.

Colorado is one of 15 states holding primary elections on Tuesday March 5, known as "Super Tuesday".

Both sides had requested the court come to a conclusion quickly, to clear up uncertainty on whether votes for Trump in the Colorado primary would actually count.

Trump is currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in the election on November 5.

Last week he saw victories in the Michigan, Missouri and Idaho caucuses.

It had been expected the justices would rule in Trump's favour, three of them - Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett - were appointed by Trump during his presidency.

Trump is facing a number of other legal challenges, with a total of 91 criminal charges in four prosecutions.

A New York trial where the former president is charged with falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to a porn actor, is set to begin on March 25.

Last week the Supreme Court also agreed to hear arguments in late April over whether Trump can be criminally prosecuted on election interference charges, including his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

That this is a unanimous decision says a lot. Punditry has speculated endlessly and we may never know but it's easy to guess that the Supreme Court didn't want to give the states an easy way to destroy the country. In a world where states can kick people off the ballot unilaterally, Republican states will kick Biden off the ballot and vice versa.
Republican official threatens to kick Biden off ballot as Trump payback

[Ralin]

That sounds great if you assume the ruling will actually be enforced against a Republican state government that decides to kick Biden off ballot anyway.