My fav Twitter comment about the Lester Holt interview is from Johnathan Chait - admiring how Holt seamlessly guesses at what Biden is trying to say, like Han Solo talking with Chewy
Chewbacca was speaking clearly, just in Wookiee language. The president’s patois is a mishmash of Bidenisms, BS, and gibberish, peppered with mumbling and coughing. C-3PO, fluent in over six million forms of communication, would have trouble understanding him. No, I really mean it. Think about it!
If I'm fair, I can discern what Biden's rambling responses are referring to probably 80% of the time and it's relationally sound with the topic, but I also think being unable to express one's self in a manner that can be understood has to be part of a job where you unilaterally have the authority to launch a nuclear strike.
Have not listened yet, but come on people; America is finished.
Vance means I can no longer look forward to Trump leaving the stage somehow. We now have 2 parties that are even more firmly against the free market and for big government. Any other VP pick would have given us a glorious .01% chance of tackling the debt.
MW suggests that picking Vance is an "alpha move" -- with DJT effectively saying that he doesn't need to expand his appeal. I think that is probably right; Biden's continued "participation" in the race has only instilled confidence in MAGA land.
However, as is the case with many horrors these days, I mostly blame the stupid Dems and Jill Biden. If Jill had allowed Joe to bow out of the race a couple weeks ago, maybe there would be a (literally) viable Democratic nominee, and Trump would have been forced to least think twice before tripling down on national populism.
Ironically (is that the right word?), I'm more mad at Jill Biden than Donald Trump for Donald Trump's selection of JD Vance.
The Dems keep calling Trump a threat to democracy, and he probably is to some degree, but so are significant, coordinated efforts to conceal the mental state of the current president until such time as it's too late for voters in his favor to realize they'd bought milk that spoiled presumably at least a couple years ago when they began limiting the public's view of him. Totally agree about Jill Biden. Hunter smoking crack explains a lot of his personal shortcomings, but I'd love to know what the excuse for her conduct is.
I mentioned in a previous post thread about being tempted to vote for Trump as a kind of "fuck you" to the Dem gaslighters, but after Trump picking Vance I'm back to being a double hater that would like to see Trump lose and the whiny, economically illiterate populism of MAGA go away.
My go to line is that I’m undecided. Undecided if I’m going to write in Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck. (Rim shot)
But my state (NC) has a Marjorie Taylor Green level kook GOP nominee running for governor, so I gotta show up and vote for his opponent. Trump will win the state so it’s important that enough sane people show up and split their ticket.
...and I was really looking forward to NC having a conservative black gov, but he is a mess. On the other hand, Stein is a DC elitist > Chapel Hill snob > Darthmouth snob > Harvard Law elitist snob > progressive smug b@stard. What are we to do? Look at what our Libertarian gov candidate Mike Ross is wearing! (https://firetheuniparty.com/) I wonder if we can get him a consult with the men's wear Twitter guy?
I won’t really argue against your characterization of Stein. However, he’s very milquetoast. Will basically be a third term of Roy Cooper, who is pretty mild for a Dem. PLUS he’d be constrained by a conservative state legislature. Makes it a no brainier to vote for Stein vs the kook Robinson
I live in Los Angeles County where we'll also have a lot of important county-wide elections including (hopefully) a new DA so I will definitely be filling out the rest of my ballot.
I forget which episode it was, but at one point recently, MM suggested that there is no rule that says you have to vote for the lesser of evils; it might instead make sense to withhold a vote on the grounds that we aren't being presented with anyone deserving of a vote.
I've written in None of the Above a few times. I'd like to believe that it at least got a chuckle out of the people who read the write-ins.
But I've long been in favor of including a "None of the Above" as on official option on every ballot. If "None of the Above" receives a plurality of votes all the candidates are thrown off the ballot and a new election is held within 30 days (or something).
Something I despise about candidates from both parties is how they try to justify all the elements of their campaign platform into a neat little package of ideological nonsense. If one side wants to build a bridge, they might call it a racial justice measure aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in marginalized communities, while the other side opposes it because more bridges equals easier access to abortion clinics. It's insufferable. It almost makes you wish there was a bridge so you could jump off and never have to listen to that shit again.
I've always thought the same thing. If 70% of people showed up to vote, no one would comment on it. If .5% of people showed up maybe they'd start to worry.
I'm a double hater, too. The paper a ballot is printed on seems like it'd be mighty ungratifying if used as toilet paper, but I have yet to come up with a more practical use as of yet.
I’m really confused. Why is Kmele trying to get laid via public flattery after his testicles were mistakenly removed during what was supposed to be a routine vasectomy?
Everybody's quick to count out Joe Biden, but what if he tricked Trump into declaring how much he hates the Soggy Bottom Boys over the radio, then pardons the Soggy Bottom Boys and offers them a role in his brain trust in exchange for an endorsement? Landslide victory. Maybe Ulysses Everitt McGill could even get someone to print him up a law license so he could take over the Jan. 6/classified documents cases. If this strikes you as ridiculous, tell me it seems worse than the current plan.
I’m imagining Biden up there getting pelted with fruit, slurring out “c’mon man, is you is or is you ain’t my con-STITCH-un-see?!” before (hopefully) being run out on a rail—metaphorically, of course; I don’t think the old fella would survive the real thing.
I never expected to hear a Republican argue that we should/could solve the crises of meaning with political power. Even worse, the Traditional Latin Mass/One True Church Mid-western Catholics all over my Twitter feed (don't ask) love it and think we should do/try it. God help us survive bizarro world.
It's crazy - conservatives like Vance want the culture to be more family-oriented and want to use the state to do it. Progressives want the culture to be less discerning about what is considered normal, and want to use the state to do it.
All these people with piles of money and motivation to change the world, and the best they can come up with is "let's have the government do it".
I wish Thiel et al would start funding filmmakers, bands, novelists, game designers - everyone who makes culture - and actually create the change that they want through persuasion.
I don't think it is that unusual from a. Conservative point of view. I think the key difference between libertarians and conservatives is libertarians view the government as an enemy, conservatives view it as a competitor. They still favor a strong, central organizing principle to society, they just have always felt it should be cultural/religious. Conservatives have lost the culture though so there is no choice now, but to turn to governmental authority to impose their view of tbings.
Working in DC made me a localist. I think part of the solution is the return of local clubs, groups, civic institutions - things we can all participate in and even start on our own. I've been thinking about starting something like The Liberal Arts Club, as featured on Criminal. Or maybe a sort of supper club. The problem is, I'm a high percentile introvert so I like the ideas part of it, but pulling off the people part is... iffy.
Thanks, guys, especially Mike for taking the time. My heart is not in it to keep up with all the things in newsland today, so this was a real treat to once again hear people I trust talking about a few of the topics I'd probably (maybe, I don't even know anymore) look into if my soul had a modicum of hutzpah to do so.
I think the slow walking of official info on the attempted assassination is because the secret service clearly shit the bed on this one. I saw in the NYP today that a local cop was trying to climb the roof to get to the shooter.
My fav Twitter comment about the Lester Holt interview is from Johnathan Chait - admiring how Holt seamlessly guesses at what Biden is trying to say, like Han Solo talking with Chewy
Chewbacca was speaking clearly, just in Wookiee language. The president’s patois is a mishmash of Bidenisms, BS, and gibberish, peppered with mumbling and coughing. C-3PO, fluent in over six million forms of communication, would have trouble understanding him. No, I really mean it. Think about it!
6 million forms of communication, but taking a hint didn't seem to be one of them.
Silver lining: what could be more effective for maintaining "strategic ambiguity" than full-blown dementia gibberish?
Anyway.
Suggested Biden campaign song:
https://youtu.be/y5pfiQlxVhk?feature=shared
Perfect! Funny, but their song “Hook” is equally (more?) appropriate. Lol
https://youtu.be/pdz5kCaCRFM?si=_aqSWJTOP4Gw7Hgj
(Thanks for sending me down a musical rabbit hole. Hadn’t thought of those guys in ages.)
I didn’t wanna give you the runaround.
And then scolded by worst-ever TFC guest Molly Jong Fast
lol I’ve completely forgotten she was a guest
So has she. Literally.
👀
If I'm fair, I can discern what Biden's rambling responses are referring to probably 80% of the time and it's relationally sound with the topic, but I also think being unable to express one's self in a manner that can be understood has to be part of a job where you unilaterally have the authority to launch a nuclear strike.
[Raspy Biden voice] “C’mon, Han!”
Look… anyways… [inaudible]
Well done.
If the "Star Wars Christmas Special" was made today, this would be the deleted scene George would lock in the special vault forever.
Have not listened yet, but come on people; America is finished.
Vance means I can no longer look forward to Trump leaving the stage somehow. We now have 2 parties that are even more firmly against the free market and for big government. Any other VP pick would have given us a glorious .01% chance of tackling the debt.
we are ^%*&^ed
MW suggests that picking Vance is an "alpha move" -- with DJT effectively saying that he doesn't need to expand his appeal. I think that is probably right; Biden's continued "participation" in the race has only instilled confidence in MAGA land.
However, as is the case with many horrors these days, I mostly blame the stupid Dems and Jill Biden. If Jill had allowed Joe to bow out of the race a couple weeks ago, maybe there would be a (literally) viable Democratic nominee, and Trump would have been forced to least think twice before tripling down on national populism.
Ironically (is that the right word?), I'm more mad at Jill Biden than Donald Trump for Donald Trump's selection of JD Vance.
The Dems keep calling Trump a threat to democracy, and he probably is to some degree, but so are significant, coordinated efforts to conceal the mental state of the current president until such time as it's too late for voters in his favor to realize they'd bought milk that spoiled presumably at least a couple years ago when they began limiting the public's view of him. Totally agree about Jill Biden. Hunter smoking crack explains a lot of his personal shortcomings, but I'd love to know what the excuse for her conduct is.
Perfectly said.
also crack?
Every time I think of Jill Biden, this scene comes into my head. (Sorry I can't find a better version.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED5O2usnlT0
I think a viable dem would just be a foil, it's with Biden kind of absent that he's been suddenly more reasonable, because he doesn't have to fight.
I mentioned in a previous post thread about being tempted to vote for Trump as a kind of "fuck you" to the Dem gaslighters, but after Trump picking Vance I'm back to being a double hater that would like to see Trump lose and the whiny, economically illiterate populism of MAGA go away.
My go to line is that I’m undecided. Undecided if I’m going to write in Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck. (Rim shot)
But my state (NC) has a Marjorie Taylor Green level kook GOP nominee running for governor, so I gotta show up and vote for his opponent. Trump will win the state so it’s important that enough sane people show up and split their ticket.
I think Mickey would be better on policy, but you can't overlook Donald's extensive military experience.
...and I was really looking forward to NC having a conservative black gov, but he is a mess. On the other hand, Stein is a DC elitist > Chapel Hill snob > Darthmouth snob > Harvard Law elitist snob > progressive smug b@stard. What are we to do? Look at what our Libertarian gov candidate Mike Ross is wearing! (https://firetheuniparty.com/) I wonder if we can get him a consult with the men's wear Twitter guy?
I won’t really argue against your characterization of Stein. However, he’s very milquetoast. Will basically be a third term of Roy Cooper, who is pretty mild for a Dem. PLUS he’d be constrained by a conservative state legislature. Makes it a no brainier to vote for Stein vs the kook Robinson
That's fair. Fingers crossed for milquetoast. Everyone everywhere could use a lot more milquetoast politicians.
HOWEVER, it is going to be supremely funny watching my racist and Trumpy Dad justify voting for a black dude.
I live in Los Angeles County where we'll also have a lot of important county-wide elections including (hopefully) a new DA so I will definitely be filling out the rest of my ballot.
I forget which episode it was, but at one point recently, MM suggested that there is no rule that says you have to vote for the lesser of evils; it might instead make sense to withhold a vote on the grounds that we aren't being presented with anyone deserving of a vote.
I've written in None of the Above a few times. I'd like to believe that it at least got a chuckle out of the people who read the write-ins.
But I've long been in favor of including a "None of the Above" as on official option on every ballot. If "None of the Above" receives a plurality of votes all the candidates are thrown off the ballot and a new election is held within 30 days (or something).
Something I despise about candidates from both parties is how they try to justify all the elements of their campaign platform into a neat little package of ideological nonsense. If one side wants to build a bridge, they might call it a racial justice measure aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in marginalized communities, while the other side opposes it because more bridges equals easier access to abortion clinics. It's insufferable. It almost makes you wish there was a bridge so you could jump off and never have to listen to that shit again.
I've always thought the same thing. If 70% of people showed up to vote, no one would comment on it. If .5% of people showed up maybe they'd start to worry.
I'm a double hater, too. The paper a ballot is printed on seems like it'd be mighty ungratifying if used as toilet paper, but I have yet to come up with a more practical use as of yet.
Every time I have three drinks or more in two hours or less, I think you’re me.
I’m really confused. Why is Kmele trying to get laid via public flattery after his testicles were mistakenly removed during what was supposed to be a routine vasectomy?
I have to admit I'm strangely invested in the tragedy of what used to be Kmele's balls.
I am too now. In an ironic twist of fate I was nearing deciding on a similar procedure and this has filled me with doubt.
He's taking black-market T shots, so he's ready to party despite his accidental transition to being a castrato.
Officially politically homeless.
*unhoused
Hahaha, well played.
Everybody's quick to count out Joe Biden, but what if he tricked Trump into declaring how much he hates the Soggy Bottom Boys over the radio, then pardons the Soggy Bottom Boys and offers them a role in his brain trust in exchange for an endorsement? Landslide victory. Maybe Ulysses Everitt McGill could even get someone to print him up a law license so he could take over the Jan. 6/classified documents cases. If this strikes you as ridiculous, tell me it seems worse than the current plan.
As long as the SBBs play "Constant Sorrow" live at the DNC.
Sorry, I'm told the best they can do is a rendition of "Ramblin' Bob".
Book it.
I'd pay good money to see Trump literally run out of town on a rail.
Has anyone seen Melania? Or has she R-U-N-O-F-T?
I’m imagining Biden up there getting pelted with fruit, slurring out “c’mon man, is you is or is you ain’t my con-STITCH-un-see?!” before (hopefully) being run out on a rail—metaphorically, of course; I don’t think the old fella would survive the real thing.
[see https://youtu.be/J581XFa9ec0?si=fEeo8XFvw6xfDwwo]
I just sub’d today, so happy. I call this my sanity stream.
More like we're all in the asylum together. Welcome to the psych ward - but no one is minding the meds and booze. :)
In my mind his name is Prince Reibus
Roger Stone's nickname for him was literally "Rancid Penis"
Man, I forgot all about him.
There’s two left wing parties to vote for this fall! Lol
So depressing.
With the shooter being a registered Republican, the most plausible theory is that he was radicalized by the Bulwark and Lincoln Project.
The bigger surprise would be that The Bulwark was actually able to convince somebody of anything.
I never expected to hear a Republican argue that we should/could solve the crises of meaning with political power. Even worse, the Traditional Latin Mass/One True Church Mid-western Catholics all over my Twitter feed (don't ask) love it and think we should do/try it. God help us survive bizarro world.
It's crazy - conservatives like Vance want the culture to be more family-oriented and want to use the state to do it. Progressives want the culture to be less discerning about what is considered normal, and want to use the state to do it.
All these people with piles of money and motivation to change the world, and the best they can come up with is "let's have the government do it".
I wish Thiel et al would start funding filmmakers, bands, novelists, game designers - everyone who makes culture - and actually create the change that they want through persuasion.
I don't think it is that unusual from a. Conservative point of view. I think the key difference between libertarians and conservatives is libertarians view the government as an enemy, conservatives view it as a competitor. They still favor a strong, central organizing principle to society, they just have always felt it should be cultural/religious. Conservatives have lost the culture though so there is no choice now, but to turn to governmental authority to impose their view of tbings.
The 9 scariest words in the English language...
Working in DC made me a localist. I think part of the solution is the return of local clubs, groups, civic institutions - things we can all participate in and even start on our own. I've been thinking about starting something like The Liberal Arts Club, as featured on Criminal. Or maybe a sort of supper club. The problem is, I'm a high percentile introvert so I like the ideas part of it, but pulling off the people part is... iffy.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-the-liberal-arts-club/id809264944?i=1000644462842
Thanks, guys, especially Mike for taking the time. My heart is not in it to keep up with all the things in newsland today, so this was a real treat to once again hear people I trust talking about a few of the topics I'd probably (maybe, I don't even know anymore) look into if my soul had a modicum of hutzpah to do so.
How long until MM starts crushing on his future FLOTUS (of Asian colorishness)? 🍿
Nikki Haley, for one very brief moment in time, I thought you were principled
Two episodes in one day?! 😍
3 if you count MM hosting Bari’s podcast
TFC, RNC, LFG!
"Looking for group" or "let's fucking go"?
I think the slow walking of official info on the attempted assassination is because the secret service clearly shit the bed on this one. I saw in the NYP today that a local cop was trying to climb the roof to get to the shooter.
What a shit show.
Whoever made the security plan should be fired. Having no one on that roof or any of the roofs in that cluster of buildings is gross negligence.
Especially given how few buildings are around. To have at least one person on every roof, what could it cost? $10?
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8559125,-79.9732634,650m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
I can't not hear that in Lucille Bluth's voice.