Moderators: Alyrium Denryle, Edi, K. A. Pital
There's a bit on Twitter, and it reads like Vance is apologising for her not being white.bilateralrope wrote: ↑2024-07-27 12:15pm I'm not aware of anyone in the Republican party saying anything about his wife.
You know, there's a whole chapter in the Bible describing this, if you're into that weird shit. Something about the coming of antichrist and that he would lure people to follow him, thinking he's the messiah, and not a very naughty boy.Trump tells Christians they won't have to vote after this election
WASHINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told Christians on Friday that if they vote for him this November, "in four years, you don't have to vote again. We'll have it fixed so good, you're not gonna have to vote."
It was not clear what the former president meant by his remarks, in an election campaign where his Democratic opponents accuse him of being a threat to democracy, and after his attempt to overturn his 2020 defeat to President Joe Biden, an effort that led to the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump was speaking at an event organized by the conservative group Turning Point Action in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump said: "Christians, get out and vote, just this time. "You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians."
He added: "I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again, we'll have it fixed so good you're not going to have to vote," Trump said.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung did not directly address Trump's remarks when asked to clarify them.
Cheung said Trump "was talking about uniting this country," and blamed "the divisive political environment" on the attempted assassination of Trump two weeks ago. Investigators have yet to give a motive for why the 20-year-old gunman opened fire on Trump.
In an interview with Fox News in December, Trump said that if he won the Nov. 5 election he would be a dictator, but only on "day one", to close the southern border with Mexico and expand oil drilling.
Democrats have seized on that comment. Trump has since said the remarks were a joke.
Item 1 of 2 St. Cloud, Minnesota, July 27, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio
[1/2]St. Cloud, Minnesota, July 27, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
If Trump wins a second term in the White House, he can serve only four more years as president. U.S. presidents are limited to two terms, consecutive or not, under the U.S. Constitution.
In May, speaking at a National Rifle Association gathering, Trump quipped about serving more than two terms as president.
He referred to the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, the only president to serve more than two terms. The two-term limit was added after Roosevelt's presidency.
"You know, FDR, 16 years - almost 16 years - he was four terms. I don't know, are we going to be considered three-term? Or two-term?" Trump asked the NRA crowd.
Trump's remarks on Friday pointed to the need for both parties to energize their base voters ahead of what will likely be a closely fought election. Trump has enjoyed loyal support from evangelicals in the past two elections.
The race has abruptly tightened after the decision by Biden to end his reelection bid and with his vice president, Kamala Harris, becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Recent opinion polls show Trump's significant lead over Biden has been largely erased since the torch was passed to Harris.
Jason Singer, a Harris campaign spokesperson, in a statement did not directly address Trump's remarks about Christians not having to vote again.
Singer described Trump's overall speech as "bizarre" and "backward looking".
from the no-other-way-to-couch-it dept
Mon, Jul 29th 2024 09:26am - Mike Masnick
If you’ve been paying any attention to the political news in the last week, you may have seen stories about couch fucking, or dolphin porn, or burnt monkey testicles, or even cat ladies. Or really just about any of the comments coming out of the Harris campaign, or from other Democratic supporters, calling out the fact that Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance are just fucking weird, man.
In the last week, there’s been a notable difference in the way the Democrats have campaigned against the Trumpist GOP, since Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 Presidential election. The Democrats have not focused that much on debunking any of the many, many (many) falsehoods the Trump/Vance campaign spews. They haven’t even focused as heavily on the extreme policies the campaign is pushing (though, that’s a part of it).
Instead, they’ve leaned in deeply on just how fucking weird Trump and Vance and their core beliefs are. And, in many ways, this seems to be generating excitement, at least online, from Democrats who were kinda blah about Biden and his chances.
Of course, this kind of campaign-by-meme and focusing on mockery over policy was embraced by Donald Trump going back nearly a decade. It took forever for the Democrats to figure out a way to counter it. Trump’s entire argument against Democrats has been to constantly mock them and never engage seriously on policy. And it’s worked.
For years now, so many have insisted that the best way to respond to the Gish Gallop of Donald Trump is to try to actually debunk his many falsehoods. The emphasis on “fact-checking” everything has been an obsession of the media, though Republicans have turned fact-checking against the media.
I wrote eight years ago that fact-checking is mostly useless in convincing voters. As I wrote then, fact-checking often seems to reinforce and entrench opinions, rather than change them. Yet, so many Democrats (and media folks) seemed to think the way to deal with the non-stop flood of falsehoods from Republicans is to counter them with facts and policy ideas.
And, of course, those things have their place. But they suck as the main strategy for getting voters interested.
I’m reminded of a conversation I had long ago with Susan Benesch from the Dangerous Speech Project. She has spent many years studying so-called “dangerous speech,” which is speech that leads to real harm, as well as ways to counteract it. She pointed out that one strategy that is effective in some cases is mockery/humor as counterspeech. That’s not to say it’s the only strategy, but it’s often a useful one.
And it’s one that hasn’t really been used that much in response to Trumpism. Until now.
There’s just something powerful about taking back control over the framing. The MAGA world has moved the Overton window so much on certain issues. Perhaps the best way to make people understand this is to just shine a light on how fucking weird their positions are, and how out of touch they are with what most people actually believe.
Who knows if it will be effective in the long run. I have no sense about the political viability of it all. But at a first pass, it seems like it’s done an impressive job in reframing the debate away from this idea that Trumpworld are plotting to destroy everything (which feels unbelievable) to just: get a fucking load of what these dumbasses believe, and how incredibly dorky they are.
Already, Republicans are freaking out about it and trying to get the Democrats to stop calling them out on things like this. Hilariously, Vivek Ramaswamy is whining about it being “juvenile” and demanding that we get back to debating “policy.”
Dude, come on. None of us were born yesterday. The Trumpist GOP has been “dumb and juvenile” from the day Trump came down the escalator at Trump Tower and started raining down insults and condescending nicknames on all who disagreed with him. It’s all been insults and ad hominems.
I’m sure that there will be some adjustments and attempts to counter these arguments, but for the first time in eight years it feels like Democrats actually realized that the way to go after Trump is not to try to respond to all the nonsense, but to actually trust that people can recognize the nonsense.
It’s not about saying “and here are the reasons this is nonsense.” Instead, they are now saying “holy shit, did you see that same nonsense I did? I mean… really! Are these guys that wacko?”
It’s not a fact check. It’s a vibe check. Those dudes are spewing utter nonsense, and they seem kinda creepy and weird.
And so far, it’s working.
Big difference between genuine misinformation and mockery/trash talk directed at a politician.Crazedwraith wrote: ↑2024-07-30 02:31pm Truly wonderful and unconcerning tactics in the post truth world.
Calling them Deplorable didn't work but this might!
Kamala Harris has confirmed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will become her vice presidential candidate for the United States' upcoming election.
The announcement comes as Harris is set to make a planned public appearance with Walz on Tuesday afternoon.
In a post on X, Harris said: "As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he's delivered for working families like his.
"It's great to have him on the team. Now let’s get to work."
In his own post on the social media platform, Walz said joining Harris on the campaign was "the honour of a lifetime".
"Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school," he said.
"So, let’s get this done, folks!"
Walz has served 12 years in the House representing a conservative-leaning rural district historically dominated by Republicans. He currently leads the Democratic Governors' Association.
Harris formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday - becoming the first woman of colour to lead a major party ticket.
Over the weekend, the current VP also interviewed two other potential contenders for the role - Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly.
Former US President Barack Obama took to X to post in support of Harris' choice of running mate, calling Walz an "ideal partner".
"Governor Walz doesn't just have the experience to be a vice president, he has the values and integrity to make us proud," he said.
His statement continued: "Tim's signature is his ability to talk like a human being and treat everyone with dignity and respect."
It follows weeks of speculation around who would join Harris on the ticket, after Joe Biden's shock announcement that he was dropping out of the race on July 21.
Calls for the US president to step aside from the Democrat election campaign grew following several high-profile gaffes, including a shaky debate performance and an incident where he introduced Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin".
Biden announced he was leaving the race on social media platform X, before swiftly endorsing current Harris.
She then became the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to lead a major party ticket.
Walz was an outspoken defender of Biden, even amid escalating calls for the president to stand aside ahead of the election.
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He made a fiery case for the current vice president at a "White Dudes for Harris" fundraising event, where he said: “How often in 100 days do you get to change the trajectory of the world?
"How often in 100 days do you get to do something that’s going to impact generations to come?
“And how often in the world do you make that bastard wake up afterwards and know that a Black woman kicked his a**, sent him on the road?”
Walz grew up in Nebraska, and was a social studies teacher, football coach and union member at a high school before starting his political career.
He had also served 24 years in the Army National Guard, rising to command sergeant major, one of the highest enlisted ranks in the military.
Walz ran for state governor in 2018 on the theme of "One Minnesota", securing a victory by more than 11 points.
After winning re-election in 2022, he brought in social welfare programmes such as free lunch for public school students, expansive access to Medicaid, and increased protections that allow workers to unionise.
Harris' vice presidential pick relatively unknown to the majority of Americans. An AP-NORC poll showed that nine in ten US adults do not know enough about Walz to form an opinion.
Sounds like the GOP are relying on people being afraid of tampons.by Miranda Nazzaro - 08/07/24 9:47 AM ET
Former President Trump’s campaign and supporters are going after Vice President Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), dubbing him “Tampon Tim” in reference to a bill he signed last year requiring schools to provide free menstrual products in all public school bathrooms.
The Minnesota law, which went into effect Jan. 1, mandates menstrual products — including pads, tampons and other items — “must be available to all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12 according to a plan developed by the school district.”
State Republican lawmakers pushed back on the legislation at the time, but ultimately failed to amend the bill to apply only for girls’ bathrooms.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt called out Walz for the law shortly after Harris announced he would join her on the Democratic presidential ticket.
“As a woman, I think there is no greater threat to our health than leaders who support gender-transition surgeries for young minors, who support putting tampons in men’s bathrooms in public schools,” Leavitt said on Fox News. “Those are radical policies that Tim Walz supports. He actually signed a bill to do that.”
The primary super PAC supporting Trump called Walz a “weird radical liberal,” as part of a new campaign ad against the governor.
“What could be weirder than signing a bill requiring schools to stock tampons in boys’ bathrooms?” the Make America Great Again Inc. account wrote Tuesday on the social platform X. “Or weirder than signing legislation allowing minors to receive sex change operations?”
LBGTQ rights groups celebrated Harris’s decision Tuesday, highlighting his support for equality.
Walz issued an executive order last year establishing the North Star State as a safe haven for transgender minors wishing to obtain gender-affirming health care and a refuge for individuals seeking an abortion, as well as their doctors and their families.
Conservative podcaster Liz Wheeler reposted an edited photo of Walz’s face on a tampon box Tuesday, with the words “Tampon Tim,” writing on X, “He put tampons in men’s bathroom. What a creep.”
Stephen Miller, a former adviser to the former president, also weighed in on the choice of Walz, writing Tuesday on X, “She actually chose Tampon Tim.”
What kind of car, how is it still running, and has he upgraded it over the years to be more environmentally sound/fuel efficient?His Divine Shadow wrote: ↑2024-08-08 07:15am Apparently Waltz has been driving the same car since 1979, doesn't have any stocks or shit like that. My respect for the man is growing.
You're thinking too small, the tampons are also for rapidly plugging bullet wounds under fire. Totally legit argument for a veteran to use, especially in a discussion about schools in the USA.
It's an International Harvester Scout II, google says it does anywhere from 10-20mpg! Most modern SUVs apparently do around 20mpg.Solauren wrote: ↑2024-08-08 09:12amWhat kind of car, how is it still running, and has he upgraded it over the years to be more environmentally sound/fuel efficient?His Divine Shadow wrote: ↑2024-08-08 07:15am Apparently Waltz has been driving the same car since 1979, doesn't have any stocks or shit like that. My respect for the man is growing.
Because some of the cars from the late 70s/early 80s were absolute environmental monsters.
Actually, they are considered off-road vehicles.His Divine Shadow wrote: ↑2024-08-09 03:20am Still minus points for me for being a SUV, but I am a professional SUV hater.
So, Built in the USA, and running 45 years later. Impressive.The International Scout is an off-road vehicle produced by International Harvester from 1960 to 1980. A precursor of more sophisticated SUVs to come, it was created as a competitor to the Jeep, and it initially featured a fold-down windshield. The Scout and second-generation Scout II were produced in Fort Wayne, Indiana as two-door trucks with removable hard tops, with options of a full-length roof, half-cab pickup, and/or soft top.
He has, but I'm betting his wife has a newer car she drives.His Divine Shadow wrote: ↑2024-08-08 07:15am Apparently Waltz has been driving the same car since 1979, doesn't have any stocks or shit like that. My respect for the man is growing.
I wonder what he thought he could gain by lying on official paperwork.Independent candidate falsely claimed to be state resident, judge says, invalidating documents he needs to be on ballot
Associated Press
Tue 13 Aug 2024 00.26 BST
A judge ruled Monday that independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr falsely claimed a New York residence on nominating petitions, invalidating the documents he needs to appear on the ballot in the state.
The ruling from Justice Christina Ryba after a short trial in state court is expected to be appealed. If upheld, it could open the door to challenges in other states where Kennedy used the address in New York City’s northern suburbs to gather signatures.
The lawsuit backed by a Democrat-aligned political action committee claims Kennedy’s state nominating petition falsely listed a residence in well-to-do Katonah, while he actually has lived in the Los Angeles area since 2014, when he married Curb Your Enthusiasm actor Cheryl Hines.
Kennedy argued during the trial that he has lifelong ties to New York and intends move back.
During the trial, which ran for less than four days, Kennedy maintained that he began living in New York when he was 10 and that he currently rents a room in a friend’s home in Katonah, about 40 miles (65km) north of midtown Manhattan. However, Kennedy testified that he has only slept in that room once due to his constant campaign travel.
The 70-year-old candidate testified that his move to California a decade ago was so he could be with his wife, and that he always planned to return to New York, where he is registered to vote.
Barbara Moss, who rents the room to Kennedy, testified that he pays her $500 a month. But she acknowledged there is no written lease and that Kennedy’s first payment was not made until after the New York Post published a story casting doubt on Kennedy’s claim that he lived at that address.
The judge also heard from a longtime friend of Kennedy’s, who said the candidate had regularly been an overnight guest at his own Westchester home from 2014 through 2017 but was not a tenant there as Kennedy had claimed.
Attorneys representing several New York voters grilled Kennedy in often heated exchanges as they sought to make their case, pointing to government documents including a federal statement of candidacy with a California address, and even a social media video in which Kennedy talks about training ravens at his Los Angeles home.
Kennedy has the potential to do better than any independent presidential candidate in decades thanks to his famous name and a loyal base. Democratic and Republican strategists have expressed concerns that he could affect their candidate’s chances.
Kennedy’s campaign has said he has enough signatures to qualify in a majority of states, but his ballot drive has faced challenges and lawsuits in several, including North Carolina and New Jersey.
Clear Choice, a Super Pac, filed the New York suit on behalf of several voters in the state.
Kennedy told reporters last week that getting knocked off the ballot in New York could lead to lawsuits in other states where his campaign listed the same address.
After the trial ended Thursday, Kennedy argued that people who signed his petitions deserve a chance to vote for him.
“Those Americans want to see me on the ballot. They want to have a choice,” he said.
Seems this should go deeper into what he was doing. If he's been claiming New York state as his residence, then is he also filing taxes as a resident of NY instead of California? Sounds like more entertaining times for him.bilateralrope wrote: ↑2024-08-13 06:17am Judge rules against Robert F Kennedy Jr in fight to be on New York’s ballot
Independent candidate falsely claimed to be state resident, judge says, invalidating documents he needs to be on ballot
*snip*
It would only matter if he drives the newer car in any significant capacity. (A car like the one he has had since 1979, gets loaned out for heavy duty work to friends alot....)LadyTevar wrote: ↑2024-08-09 12:36pmHe has, but I'm betting his wife has a newer car she drives.His Divine Shadow wrote: ↑2024-08-08 07:15am Apparently Waltz has been driving the same car since 1979, doesn't have any stocks or shit like that. My respect for the man is growing.
True. But the consequences for that will take a while. Will you be paying attention to him for that long ?Soontir C'boath wrote: ↑2024-08-14 12:44pm
Seems this should go deeper into what he was doing. If he's been claiming New York state as his residence, then is he also filing taxes as a resident of NY instead of California? Sounds like more entertaining times for him.
And c'mon, what is a Kennedy doing, renting a room for $500/month!
Going back ten years, Kennedy did vote in person in the 2014 and 2016 elections, by affidavit in the 2018 election, and by absentee in the 2020 election in NY. So possible tax and voter fraud when he's been living in California for ten years? Where's the :hm: emoji when you need it!
Someone pointed out elsewhere that electors from a state can't vote for both a president and VP from their state. His VP pick was from California.Soontir C'boath wrote: ↑2024-08-14 12:44pmSeems this should go deeper into what he was doing. If he's been claiming New York state as his residence, then is he also filing taxes as a resident of NY instead of California? Sounds like more entertaining times for him.bilateralrope wrote: ↑2024-08-13 06:17am Judge rules against Robert F Kennedy Jr in fight to be on New York’s ballot
Independent candidate falsely claimed to be state resident, judge says, invalidating documents he needs to be on ballot
*snip*
And c'mon, what is a Kennedy doing, renting a room for $500/month!
Going back ten years, Kennedy did vote in person in the 2014 and 2016 elections, by affidavit in the 2018 election, and by absentee in the 2020 election in NY. So possible tax and voter fraud when he's been living in California for ten years? Where's the :hm: emoji when you need it!
But if an election turns out to be particularly close, the rule could potentially come into play. It almost did in the notoriously contentious election of 2000. When Texas Gov. George W. Bush chose Dick Cheney as his running mate on the Republican ticket, Cheney had been living and voting and paying taxes for five years in Texas. Shortly before the election, however, Cheney obtained a Wyoming driver’s license and put his Dallas home on the market. (He had a vacation home in Wyoming, which is the state he had formerly represented in the U.S. Congress.)
Good thing for him he did: The Bush-Cheney ticket ended up winning with 271 electoral votes—just a slim five-vote margin—over Al Gore and Joe Lieberman, a total they certainly wouldn’t have hit without Texas’ 32 votes.
