VP Harris needs to blow Trump OUT of the water on Nov 5. 350 electoral votes, millions more in the popular vote. Maybe then will Republicans decide that he is most definitely...a loser.
They'll say she stole the election no matter what the margin is. If I were VP Harris, I'd double down on law enforcement, Secret Service, Capitol police, etc., forever from now on, but especially for both the Congressional finalizing the vote and the inauguration. I hope my concerns are unfounded! But he is desperate and getting meaner.
I'm pretty sure President Biden is expecting the chaos that will ensue when Kamala wins, and is preparing for it appropriately. He's not going to put up with the crap that happened on January 6th 2021. He won't sit back and gleefully watch while TRump's Cult 45 causes mayhem. And with presidential immunity, he's got free rein to do whatever he thinks is necessary to stop their madness.
I have complete faith in President Biden 's political intuition and experience. He has trump and clan's number and is preparing for another assault on the democratic process. Look how well Biden has handled everything since being "asked" to step aside. He is still the epitome of an honorable, selfless, and brave leader. Trump has no clue about those qualities . And yes, Dan, don-old can't handle the reality of Kamala Harris defeating him (on merit, no less).
Hmm. Selfless. Probably true. So selfless he allows Bibi to call the shots while supplying dear amigo Bibi with what $160 billion to slaughter the Palestinians with USA made bombs, bullets, missiles, drones and American intelligence personnel. The USA under this “epitome of an honorable, selfless, and brave leader” is actively participating in the genocide of the Palestinian people and the smashing of their homes, hospitals, universities, libraries, cultural artifacts, in short to help dear amigo Bibi erase these Palestinians from the earth. And also by the torturous route of starvation and thirst. An American doc he had seen many babies and young children with two bullet holes each in their heads, in the precise way of highly trained snipers.
If you don't like Biden's policy toward Israel, you should do some research on how Trump dealt with them. He will encourage Netanyahu to murder as many Palestinians as he can. He will also encourage law enforcement in this country to shoot and kill protesters. Do you think that Trump cares about Palestinians?
You're right about Trump, Libby. However, what he would do has no bearing on what Biden has done/is doing/will do between now and January. The standard for comparison is what's moral and right, not whatever disaster Rump would wreak.
Trump is a jerk. Biden is a war criminal. In the eyes of most of the world’s people. Without supplying Israel with planes, bullets, missiles, bombs and American intelligence, Bibi would have nothing to slaughter Palestinians with. People - contrary to the view of corporate America - are not commodities the way John Deere tractors are. Each person is a creative one of a kind never was before never will be again. The definition of sacred. By the way, Bibi is murdering as many people as he can - why else would he have shot the Hezbollah’s lead negotiator, in fact the most moderate one? Right wing Israelis have been utterly clear. In their words, they intend to eliminate those “human animals” to fulfill what they say God’s promise. To understand the depth of Israeli racism, check out the author of The General’s Son” on YouTube. The author is an Israeli who once was a member of the Israeli elite security force. Genocide is an unforgivable.
Hamas' Sinwar and Israel's Netanyahu prefer slaughter to peace as a two state solution. Trump
moving the US embassy to contested Jerusalem effectively killed two state efforts. Biden has brought nations together for a two state solution.
Biden strengthened the Leahy Laws to pause offensive arms to Israel. But has not enforced them. Rather than targeting Biden - we should lobby him to pause delivery of offensive arms. We should also elect Kamala Harris who has signaled her commitment to justice. Because helping elect Trump, will be a disaster - for everyone, in every way.
Kamala’s “signals re her commitment to Justice?”Odd, when it came to nailing Big Money Manuchin for screwing over thousands of mortgage holders, Kamala’s commitment to Justice appeared to have a serious blip when as California’s Attorney General she dropped the case….and she’s got a bit more of wake behind her that suggests there are some serious gaps in her commitment to Justice. She will carry on with Biden’s warhawk-isms - all of them.
Israel was our strongest ally in the region. Biden has been tough on Bibi which is why the Israeli leader went straight to "our" fascist congress to plead his case. It is a juggling act for Biden. Bibi N. has to be replaced; he's bad for the world. Now that Biden is no longer in the presidential race, Bibi might be in for a surprise in terms of U.S. support.
The USA supports Israel, and yes Biden is a supporter too. $2,961.04 million in foreign aid was channeled by the US to Israel which translates to $367 aid per individual. Nearly all of the US bilateral aid given to Israel is military assistance. In September 2016, representatives of the two governments assented to a Memorandum of understanding pertaining military aid to be given from the fiscal year 2019 to the fiscal year 2028. The terms of the agreement require the US to allocate $38 billion to Israel in military aid. This agreement represents the single largest pledge made by the US in history. US and Israel have long enjoyed military and diplomatic alliances. It is out of Biden's control.
The fact that Biden has the power does not guarantee that he will use it. He has the power to call for expanding the Supreme Court, and he's not doing that even though he risks much less by doing so.
Sorry Megan, but President Biden will, most likely, not have immunity because immunity is up to the Supreme Court and they are not likely to give it to a Democrat. Otherwise, I agree with your comment.
President Biden just has to do his job and ensure that everyone else is doing theirs. The current DOJ is not going to ignore all the signs that violence was in the offing that were broadcast for weeks before January 6, 2021. President Biden will ensure that the National Guard is at the ready to respond with alacrity. The Capital and Metropolitan Police forces will be fully staffed. How sad that VP Harris and Mr. Emhoff will have to live in a high-security bubble for the rest of their lives.
The time to stop it has passed. AFAIK, the only recourse at this point would be to sue if those pro-Rump officials refused to certify provably legitimate results.
Well, the Repubs have had a structured, 40-year, top-to-bottom plan. The Dems pretty much make it up as they go along. Which is why we got Trump in the first place.
I agree. I don’t trust the GOP. They have backed Trump for years now. They have allowed him to cause havoc, confusion, division, fear, anger, and violence, as well as death. They don’t care about our country. They just want power and control. They constantly talk about being cheating because they intend to be the cheaters. The Democrats must be diligent on keeping an eye on the Republicans come Election Day if not beforehand.
The Democrats must be preparing RIGHT NOW to combat efforts by Republicans not to certify election results in the states if Harris wins. Because if Harris wins, those efforts absolutely are coming.
Very sound advice. No doubt there are "demented and bigoted trumpers" out there who may be motivated to take matters into their own hands the closer we get to Nov5.
Your concerns are well founded. Donny has already indicated he won’t lose gracefully. And that there’ll be violence. I hope the people that Donny is counting on to do his violence will remember what happened last time. And that some of them were sick at seeing the Confederate flag drug through the halls of the Capitol Building. That cops were brutalized…the same cops that Donny swore he loved! As for the lady shot in the neck…I have zero to no compassion for her. As a ten year vet, she KNEW she was trying to get into a classified area. She KNEW lethal force was going to be used.
I hope Biden calls EVERYONE out way before anything happens. And for Gods sake lock people up that are giving tours to potential troublemakers…
I hope he does too along with every person who stands against DJT being elected. He is a scoundrel, a criminal, a liar and a cheat. Everything he accuses anyone of, I have to figure he's talking to himself in a mirror.
My concern is the chaos will come in the “must win” states which have elected or appointed to office MAGA crazies and election deniers who have the power to throw out votes.
Our ability to declare a winner will handicap us, be in the courts, and possibly, dreadfully, land at SCOTUS.
This video showing Kevin Roberts, (starting about 0:20 into the MTN video), https://youtu.be/S2KPp_9Ed4I?si=7sIK3-2jlPLQpyu- telling us that there are “foundations” in place, that there is more to come and that they are “ready to fight” spells it out for us in plain English.
The failed coup was just a dress rehearsal. Now, they’ve had time to install the framework that wasn’t there in 2020, they’re confident and they’re moving forward. Trump and his MAGA sympathizers have been providing the distraction and dividing us while Roberts & his team have been quietly laying foundations for their next attempt.
There is substance behind this and a tried and true Trump strategy: chaos. There will be so many lawsuits that will divert our attention to what Trump is doing to secure power.
I think the key is to beat him so bad he can't argue it wasn't fair. When a bully goes down, the floodgates open to all he has said and done. I can't wait.
The most important will be referees in the state election arenas to forestall devious actions by election representatives. They are already planning on not certifying the votes at the local levels.
who cares what he says about the loss, if the congressional margin is large enough he spends his last days in prison, no matter what the court says, and if the senate is really big, some of those justices might be able to keep company with Donald.
Unfortunately for all of us if that doesn't happen---then the election will be taken to the streets if Trump loses. If he wins then he will begin rounding up his imagined enemies and the gulaging of America begins.
Everyone needs to quit focusing on who wins the presidency and focus on the necessity
that the only way to defeat the extreme right is an overwhelming victory against it in congress. Otherwise Harris fails as president, even if she wins the election.
The congressional election in both houses is massively more important in this election than who wins the presidency.
I am more afraid of polling place intimidation. I think Trump and the party now know they can’t win without manipulation. We must prepare for those types of attacks in every polling place, particularly in Wisconsin, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan. I am very involved with Voter Protection in Michigan and I think we are as ready as we can be for whatever they try here
They won’t ever feel that he’s a loser because he is completely aligned with their values and their vision for America. It has been this way my entire life only now they are saying the quiet parts out loud.
That's what's so shocking to me. This vitriol, this hatred had not been banished. Just sent underground and he has emboldened them to let out their deplorable side.
TRump has given them permission to be the hateful, despicable cretins they always were. I'm looking forward to a time when these disgusting MAGAts crawl back into their underground bunkers and leave the rest of us to live in peace. Law enforcement needs to do more to put these people that threaten politicians and everyday people who are working at the polls and counting ballots, in jail.
Our current divided country reminds me of the hatred stirred up by Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic when Yugoslavia came apart. The US is not as far down the awful road as the various entities that made up Yugoslavia. Hatred was ENCOURAGED by those two fiendish men, and war crimes were committed. Wicked people stirred up hate for their own purposes. Trump, Leonard Leo, the Heritage Foundation, etc. have been stirring up hate for years. Ugly genies can't be stuffed back into their bottles.
For the next months we have a lot of work to do. Arrayed against us is the entire right wing apparatus - from MAGA election officials to Federalist Society Supreme Court justices. It will be an up hill struggle. To get out the vote and to protect voters from the myriad of suppression schemes. Yes Republican extremist legal obstacles to voting, but also the fallacious rhetoric of 'the duopoly', that ' your vote doesn't count', and that grave insult to rational politics - the big lie that voting is an individual exercise in personal expression, rather than a joint exercise in taking power.
The Republican base is enthralled and the rest are invested. DJ Trump and his MiniMe JD Vance are perforce center stage. But . . . the apparatus of the electoral system is at best endangered and at worst already compromised. The foundations of our democratic republic - equality before the law and equal representation - are being hollowed out. Coming to consensus through reasoned debate of empirical evidence has been forced out by the absolutes of religious creed and the irrational habits of mind of religious belief. The enforcers of the politics of faith - Christian Nationalism if you will - have desecrated the institutions of government. A government which will not protect civil rights, cannot administer equitable taxation or business regulations - and that is the point. That is what Charles Koch et al give Leonard Leo et al the big bucks for. The GOP
- the party of god, guns, and greed - clearly does not let pesky things such constitutional rights and legal precedent get in their way. Despite the myriad honest and diligent elections officials, I wonder whether we have reached the point of requiring impartial observers to monitor our election.
The other concern I have is Putin (and others) manipulating the voting machines to change the votes. I believe he did so with the last election. But may have perfected the technique this time around.
There was no evidence of manipulation. That was one of the things even a bi-partisan Senate committee (chaired by Rubio) could unanimously agree on.
The byproduct of fragmented confusing voting processes is a greater degree of difficulty to manipulate it from outside.
Machines, software and voting process also change. Votes without a paper trails are drastically reduced. The Brennan Center says all of the swing states use machines with paper trails.
"Overall, the IRA [Kremlin based Internet Research Agency] appears to still employ many of the same strategies and tactics as in 2016: posing as domestic actors, the IRA targeted both sides of the ideological spectrum with wedge issues. Especially noticeable were same-side candidate attacks (i.e., an “in-kind candidate attack” targeting the likely voters of the candidate), a type of voter suppression strategy designed to break the coalition of one side or the other."
"CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT AN OFFENSE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES; FALSE REGISTRATION OF A DOMAIN NAME; AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT; CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MONEY LAUNDERING"
This is my concern. They’re already training people across the country to interfere with even the first part of ballot counting. Anybody have any ideas how to stop that?
The GOP has been open about their schemes. Democrats and others concerned with free and fair elections are at work. Coordinating national action and state by state protections.
Exactly. Project 2025 is largely funded by Leonard Leo affiliated entities - that is Charles Koch et al money. Having captured and corrupted the Judicial Branch through the Federalist Society, they are planning to capture and corrupt the Executive Branch through the Heritage Society by means of Project 2025. Their intent, in repurposing our democratic republic as a corporate clerical fascist state, is to overturn civil rights, equality before the law, equal representation, separation of church and state, and above all government's ability to administer systems of equitable taxation and of regulation of industry. That is what Leo et al get the big bucks for - perverting the Constitution and church teachings to grab and hold onto the cash.
it's a mind capture quite often from the earliest days of a kid's life, reinforced and taught endlessly in a closed circuit of narrow supposed intelligence based on fantasies and reinforced by negative outcomes of all sorts. And heavily reinforced for all of us through binary thinking which doesn't demand anything of the mind, just the emotions. Which is why they're so against books, education, humanities, thinking itself. And their simmering rebelliousness takes root in a political party in the binary manner which goes to extremes because it is binary, which is the only direction that all that anger takes them. And fear keeps them there.
It's not easily moved because it is emotionally based and somebody caught in that first has to admit their situation in the midst of a tribal environment so it would take a lot of bravery and outside support or perhaps middle side support if there is such a thing. I kind of wonder about how capitalism would take this on; church based rehab camps? Could be a whole industry. First step, getting over your embarrassment?
I once recently suggested 12 step rehab for Republicans, not so much MAGAs.
It's not easily moved because it is emotionally based and somebody caught in that first has to admit their situation in the midst of a tribal environment so it would take a lot of bravery and outside support or perhaps middle side support if there is such a thing. I kind of wonder about how capitalism would take this on; church based rehab camps? Could be a whole industry. First step, getting over your embarrassment?
I once recently suggested 12 step rehab for Republicans, not so much MAGAs.It's not easily moved because it is emotionally based and somebody caught in that first has to admit their situation in the midst of a tribal environment so it would take a lot of bravery and outside support or perhaps middle side support if there is such a thing. I kind of wonder about how capitalism would take this on; church based rehab camps? Could be a whole industry. First step, getting over your embarrassment?
I don't know why, and I have thought this for ages..........there is an American chapter in my life.........I do not know why it is not evident to rigid thinkers, Maga et al.....that they are not really free, the land of the free (is really a joke)..........yeah historically at it very roots and nemisis it was (as in what they left behind in Europe)..........but not now............to be free you cannot hold onto world views or belief systems in a clenched fist when fear is at its root, wanting sameness and calling that unity........we all know unity is not uniformity.................so on either side of the partisan divide...........the truly brave, the truly free, are those who try to understand another POV, and reflect on their own honestly or as honestly as possible. Trump, Maga and members of both parties might not do that. I like to think Dems may be more able to do this........................or do this more, but the truth is the divide exists because both sides don't. I serious respect those who cross over for the best of everyone. Society has some pretty primal stuff around how it forces conformity and ostracizes those who don't. So cracking it is deep................and the Xian faith or any fundemental faith or belief system do not help. It brings into thinking the whole question........what is truth?
More on this cuz I've been keeping notes for years now. And I have a unique background to be able to address the more seemingly hidden issues. Going to bed now. Besides this column is getting too squeezed over to the right on my cell phone ;-))
They will endlessly discount the # of times he's gone bankrupt ... even with his CASINO!! He even inherited million$ when his dad died but still managed to fail straight up across the board with his biz investments. Trumps' fans are failures, just like their hero.
No matter how much he loses by - we need to be ready for more claims of a ‘stolen election’. You know another coup attempt is coming if he loses again. And we’re all praying that he DOES LOSE. Our country can’t survive him being in power again. I want to see what happens to the opportunistic GOP craven 45 supporters who are afraid of him now when he wields power still - when he’s lost the election and no longer a viable candidate for office. I guess Vance will assume his place in the MAGA Cult world?
Yes. And it will be much better organized and much better controlled this time. They haven't gone anywhere - they are just regrouping. We need to be ready.
You made all good points, though it's just as likely that Vance will disappear as Palin did when the election was lost. That isn't to say that some other Voldemort clone won't step in to fill the vacuum, which is a given. We'll have to chuck them out too.
According to what I'm hearing while I'm phone banking for Kamala Harris, she's going to win in a landslide! When one of Nikki Haley's voter PACs announced their support for Kamala, I knew right then that TRump is toast. #Kamala2024 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
I love talking with people of all different political parties, especially in the swing states who are really excited about voting for Kamala. It does my heart good and gives me so much hope, which is something I was struggling with until 11 days ago. Kamala Harris is going to WIN! 🇺🇲
Fortunately, we have election laws and protocols written into our constitution that will prevent these rogue electors from doing anything except certifying the votes of We the People. Many have tried in the past and have failed. If they even try to refuse to certify the votes, they can and should be charged with voter suppression and obstruction of an official proceeding. I have no doubt that there is already a plan put in place by President Biden to deal with this 🇺🇲
I hope that you're right, though if the contention gets to the Supreme Court, they have a bad habit of "interpreting" the Constitution to suit their decisions. May it not come to that.
I think they have already maneuvered for that contingency by packing SCOTUS with judges that are bought and paid for. God help us if it comes to that, for if they win, Trump is right that there will never be another election, and democracy will be dead in this country. I think we also need to be prepared for the Heritage Foundation acolytes to plan on invoking the 25th Amendment as soon as Trump stops being their useful idiot. Vance, who is already chomping at the bit to put breeding-age women into livestock farms, will get turned loose with Project 2025 and then we are truly screwed.
Read Robert Hubbles Bulwark/Substack narrative in his news letter today, it’s a great piece for calming the nerves on this subject and Rachel’s story. I’m not saying it should not be watched closely, but it’s a lot heavier a lift than people think it will be. It’s one of the reasons I became a poll worker in my precinct, eyes wide open.
Because the article was pure speculation based on the social media postings of certain election supervisors, there is no coordinated effort. Jess Craven broke it down well on her IG page too. We absolutely need to remain vigilant but the info is being misrepresented.
LOL- if Republicans, after an Insurrection and a , are So Corrupt that they stood behind this Hazardous Human Waste, they’ll Never back down. They’ll just find another A’la Orange!
So sorry to have to reply to your message with contempt. Kamala Harris was born to an Indian ( the sub continent variety) mother and a Black Caribbean father both of whom emigrated here and prospered She graduated from Howard University , a HBCU. She was a member of the preeminent Black sorority. How could you not know this ? Most sentient people know this and have moved on !” No conspiracy there ! She is married to a lovely man who happens to be Jewish. The Democrats have an all encompassing platform that has been the base for a decade or so. Now we have even more ammunition in it with the disgraceful snd incompetent behavior of the Republican majority in the house. We will solve the border problem since we are going to win big in November ! Kamala Harris will handily win California and enough states to finally send Trump to the sidelines forever. Get ready !
Here's the thing: we keep trying to run Trump's speech and behaviour through the lens of normality, shaking our heads when he behaves outrageously, wondering what his strategy could possibly be, asking ourselves "what is he thinking??? How could he possibly think this is a way to win an election?" All we need to know is this: Donald Trump is a malignantly narcissistic sociopath who is now displaying clear signs of worsening dementia. He doesn't have a strategy; he is unable to behave and speak any other way. He is loathsome, repugnant, and rotten to the core, and he will only get worse.
Carol. You are absolutely correct in what you have said.
This behavior goes way back. I watched the movie yesterday called bad Faith. It is telling not just about dump, but also about Reagan and all that happened since him. It’s a cult that’s been brewing for many years.
But. He has surrounded himself with horrible people who are young, energetic and determined to go back to the times of slavery. He is definitely a sociopath and he is suffering from dementia, but he's just the figure-head. People like Steven Miller are dangerous and they have too much power. He couldn't think his way out of a paper bag, but he has, unfortunately, smart horrible people "helping" him.
We keep underestimating all the deplorables and what they can do. This fight is not over and we make a mistake if we don't take the rest of them seriously.
Carol Moore you are so right. There is no trying to explain his behavior or to keep thinking he will change. He never will and we should’ve learned this by now.
Trump has always been like this. He has been putting words to his prior behavior. So interesting to hear what his niece and nephew have to say. Trump is loathsome, but not any worse than he's ever been. He's just saying the "quiet part out loud".
Precisely why I was so stunned by his performance at NABJ, only to find he was saying he "crushed it" online. His base was agreeing and I am just as concerned about his impact and influence on others who are so vulnerable and gullible.
I think we have to be careful using words like dementia, that would indicate a diagnosis. We are not qualified to state such (though his behavior is certainly repugnant). We don't want to be accused of spreading false information either.
Describing a person's obvious behaviour is not the same as making a formal diagnosis. For a diagnosis of dementia, please see or listen to the podcast "Shrinking Trump" with Drs. Gartner and Segal (one's a neuropsychiatrist, the other a neuropsychologist). They explain quite clearly what they are basing their diagnosis on. I am not making a medical diagnosis, but as a (now retired) clinical social worker/psychotherapist/psychoanalyst I think I am qualified to comment on what I have observed of Trump's declining cognitive capacity overlaid on top of his character pathology. :-)
Carol, as a clinical social worker with over thirty years of experience in mental health and psychotherapy, I TOTALLY agree with your assessment of #45.
I firmly believe Rachel Maddow had it right: Trump is behaving this way because he doesn't care about the populist vote. He has sympathizers in the House and across the country in positions where they will be the ones certifying the election results.... and many of them are confirmed 2020 and 2022 election results deniers. That's his plan:To have his people refuse to certify the results and then take it all the way to a SCOTUS that already seems to be in his pocket. He's going to try and steal the election that way.
Dems had better not play possum. Had enough of pretending that they play fair. The SC is the kicker. They have proved that they will do the unthinkable and sit back while we rage and just be the last word that all our rage can’t change. This scenario may have played out for the last time. Ugly indeed…
I think people are forgetting that the Supreme Court just gave President Joe Biden presidential immunity for any official act he performs while he's in office! If these House Republicans try to not certify the vote, Biden isn't going to stand for it. It is illegal for them to do so. Threatening these turds with jail time will solve these problems. Can you imagine Josh Hawley and Matt Gaetz in jail?!🤣
That's a great point! Plus, unlike last time, Trump won't be the incumbent, so a challenge that delays certification would keep Biden in office that much longer until it's resolved. That would be the all time greatest example of karma in American history:: The SCOTUS ruling meant to benefit Trump allows Biden to intervene to assure certification of the results, effectively costing Trump the office ( assuming most voters choose Harris).
Something else I'd like to add: With the exception of traditional, old school "just the facts" journalists such as Mr Rather and Lawrence O'Donnell, the mainstream media isn't helping. I don't know if anyone has been following the news today, but job growth slowed and unemployment up ticked to about 4.1% this month and the MSM is already throwing terms like "recession" out there in their coverage. This despite every metric proving Biden l/Harris have and still can claim historic economic success. 4.1% is still incredibly healthy. The problem is a lot of these media outlets are owned by right wing billionaires who don't want those tax increases Biden/Harris are aiming for, so they're going to steer the public discourse in as negative a light as possible to make sure Harris isn't elected. People are still struggling right now and this is a ploy which, as we are sll well aware, is notoriously effective. We've got to be individually vigilant as well as working as a community to combat misleading narratives like this. I have no doubt Trump is already jumping on this new jobs report and spinning it in his usual dark, dishonest manner.
Is there no way to “vet” those who certify the election before it’s time for them to do the job? The GOP already tried to fake it last time. We KNOW what to expect. Forewarned is forearmed!
That's a great question. Also, I have been wondering how this plays out with Biden in office. The last time it was an attempt by Trump to hold onto power..... but he's not President this time. I would think delaying certification with legal challenges would keep Biden in office longer and Trump and his supporters would have to realize that. This is a big part of why the current Supreme Court leaning so far right really worries me. I can't help but think the idea is to get it in front of a SCOTUS they believe will side with Trump, whatever challenges he brings.
It is not any coordinated plan—it was a rolling stone article that had tons of assumptions and Maddow ran with it. All this does is deflate us and suppress the vote—it was very irresponsible of both of them to conclude this without anything but speculation.
They've already tried it. Election deniers in Arizona had to be taken to court in 2022 and indicted for refusing to certify legal election results. There are even more in those positions across the country now . Maddow does her research, she doesn't " run with assumptions". This is a very real threat and you'd do well to take it seriously.
While I think fake electors is a valid worry, I think the possibility of bad faith electors should be a huge concern considering that's how he got into the Whitehouse in the 1st place. Considering this election will be the most important election in my lifetime - I do hope bad faith electors will not be allowed to hand over the Presidency to the worst domestic threat to our country! I'm voting blue across the board, & I have faith that Kamala will not only protect & defend our constitution, but also always have the back of the majority of Americans, not just the 1% that the other guy owes favors to.
Trump cares about no one except himself. He only bows down to Putin who has been grooming him for decades. Both must be brought to their knees. I think their time is coming.
I'm with you and Rachel Maddow 100%. Trump says he doesn't need any more votes; he has enough. So he can behave the he behaves, say awful things, and steal the election. How are electors chosen? I am ignorant about this, and I want to know what can be done to stop trump and his dolts from stealing the election. Ideas?
Exactly right. Mike Johnson should be minority leader in the House and anyone but Mitch McConnell the minority leader in the senate. Then maybe things can happen - - like an ethics code for SCOTUS
I can't wait to hear him claim that interview was "perfect." He is also likely to repeat his oft stated complaints about the journalist "nasty" is his go to for any smart woman who asks him a question he doesn't want to answer.
He gets more reprehensible as Harris' strength becomes palpable. That "nasty" comment was to her face, not just a pr statement after.
Women scare him, and so do POC. White supremacy is based in fear. Disgusting that it exists, but certainly a cause of his constant lashing out. Pair that with narcissism and being above the law (in his own eyes)... a cruelty that spells Dictator
If you haven't watched that interview in it's entirety, you should. I had seen the various clips, but taken all together it is nauseating/scary/unbelievable. Thank you Dan for keeping us steady with your thoughts.
I'm sure it was horrid to be sitting in that audience. Knowing it could be bad, and having it tank from the start.
But, I hope, the people in that room were energized to talk to family, neighbors, coworkers ... not to relive the horrible lies, but as proof that the criminal/insurrectionist has NOTHING to offer POC (or women), nothing to make their lives better. He could not even be civil in conversation. Believe who he was, and mobilize everyone to Vote For Harris.
Maybe it was a good idea. The hole DonOld keeps digging keeps getting bigger. The more people he insults the less support he will have and the more votes he will lose.
I think it was a good idea to see the emperor without his clothes, or at least partially disrobed. His true self always comes out. I have come to detest the word "nasty" since he uses it against women in the worst possible tone.
My mother always reserved that word for things that were absolutely despicable, so it evokes a strong response from me. But, it certainly fits TFG well.
Trump will do anything to be in the media spotlight. He lives for that. It feeds him. I expect more like his “interview “ with the Black journalists in the next three months. I wonder what bolts of lightning would shoot off his head if all the media relegated his “stories “ to page six.
As always, Mr. Rather, your thoughts are spot on. Thank you. At risk of sounding negative, the fact that Donald Trump and Project 2025 are actually competing for leadership of the US makes me very upset. This miscreant should be nowhere near the office of POTUS, yet there is a real risk that he and his mob could become POTUS and implement Project 2025.
My belief is that way too many people, media included, talk about Trump as if he were not a criminal and an authoritarian intent in dismantling the very Constitution of the US. Every reference to him should include language that frames him as a convicted criminal, insurrectionist, rapist, and would-be (self-described) dictator. Without these descriptors, people will see him as a viable candidate for POTUS which he is not.
Unbelievable that the Constitution has not held up in the eyes of citizens & lawmakers... that the insurrectionist (most likely planning the next one) was not squashed like a bug for what damage he has already done.
Go Kamala!! I have never been so excited about an election in my life. I am now focusing on positivity, at last. I hope to never have to hear about that “also ran” ever again after Nov. 5th.
I have long said that it's a really bad idea to piss off all of the women, about the same thing, at the same time. Between trump and JD, they hit the trifecta almost immediately. Women of all races have finally joined forces with a few white dudes and the LGBTQIA community. Other groups have also sprung up. We've all got 1 goal. Elect Kamala Harris as President. She's smart and her social media team is top notch. With the things the Biden administration has accomplished since he announced his withdrawal, it's been amazing to watch. I was super pissed at the disrespect shown to President Biden, especially by members of his own party. People he considered friends. But now, without the worries about the election, his administration arrested members of a huge drug cartel and just today, the release of the hostages in Russia. He's sharing credit with Harris and she is lifting him up on the campaign trail. I've felt actual hope these last couple of weeks. She has a great bench to choose her VP from and she's going to come out of the Convention with a huge bump, especially if trump and JD stay on the disgusting course they've picked. Democrats are famous for our circular firing squads, as witnessed during trump's Convention. If we can avoid that, we can make herstory.
Trump has been getting away with bigotry, corruption, ignorance, and lying virtually his entire life. No wonder he's flummoxed that none of that's working for him the way it used to. What a pathetic waste of a life.
I would too, IF he weren't passing his degenerative ways down to the next generations... running mates, judge Cannon, Congress, SC... weaving his sickness, deeply through the USA in these past few years.
We’re going to be dealing with his mess for decades unless those judges can be impeached and removed. But I’m still enjoying seeing his campaign flailing about when their well laid plans to beat up on President Biden are now worthless. Now Trump is the “old man” and he’s not looking so hot in comparison to a vibrant candidate like VP Harris! And his pick of JD Vance seems to be causing him some buyers remorse. Trump has been UPSTAGED by Biden’s withdrawal from the race and VP Harris’ emergence as the Dems candidate! How does he like THAT reality TV action?!!!
Vice President Harris has energized our country and it is the first true generational transition in a long time since President Kennedy. She is fully qualified to be President and more importantly has the integrity, leadership, and intellect to be great!
VP Harris needs to blow Trump OUT of the water on Nov 5. 350 electoral votes, millions more in the popular vote. Maybe then will Republicans decide that he is most definitely...a loser.
They'll say she stole the election no matter what the margin is. If I were VP Harris, I'd double down on law enforcement, Secret Service, Capitol police, etc., forever from now on, but especially for both the Congressional finalizing the vote and the inauguration. I hope my concerns are unfounded! But he is desperate and getting meaner.
I'm pretty sure President Biden is expecting the chaos that will ensue when Kamala wins, and is preparing for it appropriately. He's not going to put up with the crap that happened on January 6th 2021. He won't sit back and gleefully watch while TRump's Cult 45 causes mayhem. And with presidential immunity, he's got free rein to do whatever he thinks is necessary to stop their madness.
I would love to see Biden use that immunity backing the courts into a corner
They’re losing their minds right now because they aren’t going to be able to retire! 😂
EXACTLY! Why doesn’t anyone mention this??
He will not use it. He decried it.
Yes!
I have complete faith in President Biden 's political intuition and experience. He has trump and clan's number and is preparing for another assault on the democratic process. Look how well Biden has handled everything since being "asked" to step aside. He is still the epitome of an honorable, selfless, and brave leader. Trump has no clue about those qualities . And yes, Dan, don-old can't handle the reality of Kamala Harris defeating him (on merit, no less).
Hmm. Selfless. Probably true. So selfless he allows Bibi to call the shots while supplying dear amigo Bibi with what $160 billion to slaughter the Palestinians with USA made bombs, bullets, missiles, drones and American intelligence personnel. The USA under this “epitome of an honorable, selfless, and brave leader” is actively participating in the genocide of the Palestinian people and the smashing of their homes, hospitals, universities, libraries, cultural artifacts, in short to help dear amigo Bibi erase these Palestinians from the earth. And also by the torturous route of starvation and thirst. An American doc he had seen many babies and young children with two bullet holes each in their heads, in the precise way of highly trained snipers.
If you don't like Biden's policy toward Israel, you should do some research on how Trump dealt with them. He will encourage Netanyahu to murder as many Palestinians as he can. He will also encourage law enforcement in this country to shoot and kill protesters. Do you think that Trump cares about Palestinians?
You're right about Trump, Libby. However, what he would do has no bearing on what Biden has done/is doing/will do between now and January. The standard for comparison is what's moral and right, not whatever disaster Rump would wreak.
Trump is a jerk. Biden is a war criminal. In the eyes of most of the world’s people. Without supplying Israel with planes, bullets, missiles, bombs and American intelligence, Bibi would have nothing to slaughter Palestinians with. People - contrary to the view of corporate America - are not commodities the way John Deere tractors are. Each person is a creative one of a kind never was before never will be again. The definition of sacred. By the way, Bibi is murdering as many people as he can - why else would he have shot the Hezbollah’s lead negotiator, in fact the most moderate one? Right wing Israelis have been utterly clear. In their words, they intend to eliminate those “human animals” to fulfill what they say God’s promise. To understand the depth of Israeli racism, check out the author of The General’s Son” on YouTube. The author is an Israeli who once was a member of the Israeli elite security force. Genocide is an unforgivable.
Amen - do your research!
No! He does not!💙💙💙💙
Hamas' Sinwar and Israel's Netanyahu prefer slaughter to peace as a two state solution. Trump
moving the US embassy to contested Jerusalem effectively killed two state efforts. Biden has brought nations together for a two state solution.
Biden strengthened the Leahy Laws to pause offensive arms to Israel. But has not enforced them. Rather than targeting Biden - we should lobby him to pause delivery of offensive arms. We should also elect Kamala Harris who has signaled her commitment to justice. Because helping elect Trump, will be a disaster - for everyone, in every way.
Kamala’s “signals re her commitment to Justice?”Odd, when it came to nailing Big Money Manuchin for screwing over thousands of mortgage holders, Kamala’s commitment to Justice appeared to have a serious blip when as California’s Attorney General she dropped the case….and she’s got a bit more of wake behind her that suggests there are some serious gaps in her commitment to Justice. She will carry on with Biden’s warhawk-isms - all of them.
Israel was our strongest ally in the region. Biden has been tough on Bibi which is why the Israeli leader went straight to "our" fascist congress to plead his case. It is a juggling act for Biden. Bibi N. has to be replaced; he's bad for the world. Now that Biden is no longer in the presidential race, Bibi might be in for a surprise in terms of U.S. support.
Not exactly, Jade, has Biden been "tough" on Netanyahu. Being tough would have meant denying military aid until the attacks on Gaza stopped.
Go read your history lesson dear. How old are you???
What is your point?
You are frightful.
The USA supports Israel, and yes Biden is a supporter too. $2,961.04 million in foreign aid was channeled by the US to Israel which translates to $367 aid per individual. Nearly all of the US bilateral aid given to Israel is military assistance. In September 2016, representatives of the two governments assented to a Memorandum of understanding pertaining military aid to be given from the fiscal year 2019 to the fiscal year 2028. The terms of the agreement require the US to allocate $38 billion to Israel in military aid. This agreement represents the single largest pledge made by the US in history. US and Israel have long enjoyed military and diplomatic alliances. It is out of Biden's control.
The Spectator - Please see my response. Below.
i hope this is true......they will get ugly.....they get ugly now....moreso when it turns against their agenda.
I thought of sending Trump a cloth head of a horse. Maybe all of us should collectively send him a plastic horse head to Mar Lago.
That may be an offer he won't refuse.
I think they have already captured the ugly title?
Oh yes, he has the immunity set for Trump. If there is another insurrection, he will squash it like a cockroach.
The fact that Biden has the power does not guarantee that he will use it. He has the power to call for expanding the Supreme Court, and he's not doing that even though he risks much less by doing so.
And I hope he uses it. I wish he would now and see what Alito and Thomas would do!
The action will be not only at the federal level, but also in the states, which actually control elections.
Sorry Megan, but President Biden will, most likely, not have immunity because immunity is up to the Supreme Court and they are not likely to give it to a Democrat. Otherwise, I agree with your comment.
Biden isn't expecting anything beyond someone to wipe his ass and put him to bed.
President Biden just has to do his job and ensure that everyone else is doing theirs. The current DOJ is not going to ignore all the signs that violence was in the offing that were broadcast for weeks before January 6, 2021. President Biden will ensure that the National Guard is at the ready to respond with alacrity. The Capital and Metropolitan Police forces will be fully staffed. How sad that VP Harris and Mr. Emhoff will have to live in a high-security bubble for the rest of their lives.
Ordering the National Guard to protect the Capitol using the level of force appropriate to the task is not a crime, it is a duty.
Amen
… and he will no longer have any power, just influence.
Your concerns are not unfounded at all. Everyone needs to be aware of what MAGA is planning so we can thwart it.
Agree, Melissa. Rachel Maddow had a very disturbing commentary on this subject a few days ago.
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-points-out-frightening-truth-about-trump-s-lack-of-concern-about-votes-215958085917
Thank you Denise for posting this! I hadn't seen it. I love Rachel Maddow.
You're welcome, Rukshsn. I saw it on another forum.
WOW....that is absolutely 'awful', anti-democratic, evil, and how do you stop it!?? I live in one of those states!!!!! Yikes!
The time to stop it has passed. AFAIK, the only recourse at this point would be to sue if those pro-Rump officials refused to certify provably legitimate results.
Do we take up arms? Maybe we should prepare for a military insurgency.
I doubt the military would back the Donvict. First, because of chain of command; and second, because he's disrespected them so much.
The military doesn't take action against citizens!
Very disturbing and right in front of us.
Well, the Repubs have had a structured, 40-year, top-to-bottom plan. The Dems pretty much make it up as they go along. Which is why we got Trump in the first place.
I agree. I don’t trust the GOP. They have backed Trump for years now. They have allowed him to cause havoc, confusion, division, fear, anger, and violence, as well as death. They don’t care about our country. They just want power and control. They constantly talk about being cheating because they intend to be the cheaters. The Democrats must be diligent on keeping an eye on the Republicans come Election Day if not beforehand.
Before, during and after...until Jan Inauguration
well said
Every minute!! They are blind to morality!
The Democrats must be preparing RIGHT NOW to combat efforts by Republicans not to certify election results in the states if Harris wins. Because if Harris wins, those efforts absolutely are coming.
And we KNOW that die-hard MAGAs reverse this entire comment, ignorantly yet sincerely believing in their Supreme Liar T.
Very sound advice. No doubt there are "demented and bigoted trumpers" out there who may be motivated to take matters into their own hands the closer we get to Nov5.
Most Trumpers are also carrying guns also🫥insanity
Your concerns are well founded. Donny has already indicated he won’t lose gracefully. And that there’ll be violence. I hope the people that Donny is counting on to do his violence will remember what happened last time. And that some of them were sick at seeing the Confederate flag drug through the halls of the Capitol Building. That cops were brutalized…the same cops that Donny swore he loved! As for the lady shot in the neck…I have zero to no compassion for her. As a ten year vet, she KNEW she was trying to get into a classified area. She KNEW lethal force was going to be used.
I hope Biden calls EVERYONE out way before anything happens. And for Gods sake lock people up that are giving tours to potential troublemakers…
I hope he does too along with every person who stands against DJT being elected. He is a scoundrel, a criminal, a liar and a cheat. Everything he accuses anyone of, I have to figure he's talking to himself in a mirror.
Closing line expressed
well my thoughts in all years he’s on-screens. Sure gives everyone here the DTs😱
She was no lady; she was an insurrectionist intent on doing harm.
I’m talking gender wise.
They told us - as long as the left doesn’t fight it, it will remain bloodless.
They also said that they had more plans in place, (softly spoken, but spoken … plans that they were not going to disclose.)
We should take them at their word.
I too am frightened, but also so very encouraged by the momentum that Kamala has garnered. She will win this election.
They will not accept it and we should be ready for the subversion that is sure to happen.
My concern is the chaos will come in the “must win” states which have elected or appointed to office MAGA crazies and election deniers who have the power to throw out votes.
Our ability to declare a winner will handicap us, be in the courts, and possibly, dreadfully, land at SCOTUS.
I agree with you and share your concern.
This video showing Kevin Roberts, (starting about 0:20 into the MTN video), https://youtu.be/S2KPp_9Ed4I?si=7sIK3-2jlPLQpyu- telling us that there are “foundations” in place, that there is more to come and that they are “ready to fight” spells it out for us in plain English.
The failed coup was just a dress rehearsal. Now, they’ve had time to install the framework that wasn’t there in 2020, they’re confident and they’re moving forward. Trump and his MAGA sympathizers have been providing the distraction and dividing us while Roberts & his team have been quietly laying foundations for their next attempt.
There is substance behind this and a tried and true Trump strategy: chaos. There will be so many lawsuits that will divert our attention to what Trump is doing to secure power.
I think the key is to beat him so bad he can't argue it wasn't fair. When a bully goes down, the floodgates open to all he has said and done. I can't wait.
@Julie And some of his groupies are getting more unhinged, as their Donald is downward spiraling. Plus, more hints of threats of violence.
The most important will be referees in the state election arenas to forestall devious actions by election representatives. They are already planning on not certifying the votes at the local levels.
Yes. There are already some 70 election deniers serving as election officials in swing-state counties.
I agree.
They need to have the National Guard posted prior to another Jan. 6th.
The sad and scary thing is there are MAGAs in the National Guard, in the police and in the military. And don’t forget the Secret Service.
I so agree. If he were to lose, there is nothing I would put past him. It’s very scary, but he is a loser. Loser.
My exact conversation with my husband last night. I’m sure security measures are already in the works. Trump is a very dangerous creature.
Turns out he stole the election
who cares what he says about the loss, if the congressional margin is large enough he spends his last days in prison, no matter what the court says, and if the senate is really big, some of those justices might be able to keep company with Donald.
Unfortunately for all of us if that doesn't happen---then the election will be taken to the streets if Trump loses. If he wins then he will begin rounding up his imagined enemies and the gulaging of America begins.
Everyone needs to quit focusing on who wins the presidency and focus on the necessity
that the only way to defeat the extreme right is an overwhelming victory against it in congress. Otherwise Harris fails as president, even if she wins the election.
The congressional election in both houses is massively more important in this election than who wins the presidency.
I am more afraid of polling place intimidation. I think Trump and the party now know they can’t win without manipulation. We must prepare for those types of attacks in every polling place, particularly in Wisconsin, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan. I am very involved with Voter Protection in Michigan and I think we are as ready as we can be for whatever they try here
How about doubling down in Trump’s refusal to
They won’t ever feel that he’s a loser because he is completely aligned with their values and their vision for America. It has been this way my entire life only now they are saying the quiet parts out loud.
That's what's so shocking to me. This vitriol, this hatred had not been banished. Just sent underground and he has emboldened them to let out their deplorable side.
TRump has given them permission to be the hateful, despicable cretins they always were. I'm looking forward to a time when these disgusting MAGAts crawl back into their underground bunkers and leave the rest of us to live in peace. Law enforcement needs to do more to put these people that threaten politicians and everyday people who are working at the polls and counting ballots, in jail.
Our current divided country reminds me of the hatred stirred up by Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic when Yugoslavia came apart. The US is not as far down the awful road as the various entities that made up Yugoslavia. Hatred was ENCOURAGED by those two fiendish men, and war crimes were committed. Wicked people stirred up hate for their own purposes. Trump, Leonard Leo, the Heritage Foundation, etc. have been stirring up hate for years. Ugly genies can't be stuffed back into their bottles.
Hi. Having multiple Julie's on a thread can get confusing. I'll change my profile name.
Trump is only the symptom of how racism and hatred of the Other has permeated American history 🙄
That was shocking for me too. All this hatred and intolerance just under the surface of so many people I thought were normal.
For the next months we have a lot of work to do. Arrayed against us is the entire right wing apparatus - from MAGA election officials to Federalist Society Supreme Court justices. It will be an up hill struggle. To get out the vote and to protect voters from the myriad of suppression schemes. Yes Republican extremist legal obstacles to voting, but also the fallacious rhetoric of 'the duopoly', that ' your vote doesn't count', and that grave insult to rational politics - the big lie that voting is an individual exercise in personal expression, rather than a joint exercise in taking power.
The Republican base is enthralled and the rest are invested. DJ Trump and his MiniMe JD Vance are perforce center stage. But . . . the apparatus of the electoral system is at best endangered and at worst already compromised. The foundations of our democratic republic - equality before the law and equal representation - are being hollowed out. Coming to consensus through reasoned debate of empirical evidence has been forced out by the absolutes of religious creed and the irrational habits of mind of religious belief. The enforcers of the politics of faith - Christian Nationalism if you will - have desecrated the institutions of government. A government which will not protect civil rights, cannot administer equitable taxation or business regulations - and that is the point. That is what Charles Koch et al give Leonard Leo et al the big bucks for. The GOP
- the party of god, guns, and greed - clearly does not let pesky things such constitutional rights and legal precedent get in their way. Despite the myriad honest and diligent elections officials, I wonder whether we have reached the point of requiring impartial observers to monitor our election.
The other concern I have is Putin (and others) manipulating the voting machines to change the votes. I believe he did so with the last election. But may have perfected the technique this time around.
There was no evidence of manipulation. That was one of the things even a bi-partisan Senate committee (chaired by Rubio) could unanimously agree on.
The byproduct of fragmented confusing voting processes is a greater degree of difficulty to manipulate it from outside.
Machines, software and voting process also change. Votes without a paper trails are drastically reduced. The Brennan Center says all of the swing states use machines with paper trails.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/costs-replacing-voting-equipment-2024
You would have to cite credible evidence for Russian Federation machine tampering. That is not their documented MO.
Surely you know that Fox had to pay Dominion a record $1.6 billion for
Fox's false assertions of machine rigging.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_Voting_Systems_v._Fox_News_Network
"Overall, the IRA [Kremlin based Internet Research Agency] appears to still employ many of the same strategies and tactics as in 2016: posing as domestic actors, the IRA targeted both sides of the ideological spectrum with wedge issues. Especially noticeable were same-side candidate attacks (i.e., an “in-kind candidate attack” targeting the likely voters of the candidate), a type of voter suppression strategy designed to break the coalition of one side or the other."
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/new-evidence-shows-how-russias-election-interference-has-gotten-more
"CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT AN OFFENSE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES; FALSE REGISTRATION OF A DOMAIN NAME; AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT; CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MONEY LAUNDERING"
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cyber/russian-interference-in-2016-u-s-elections
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_monitoring
https://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/peace/democracy/cc-us-election-observation.pdf
spot on
Both succinctly and broadly put. Who might be impartial observers, where would we get them? People registered Independent for instance?
This is my concern. They’re already training people across the country to interfere with even the first part of ballot counting. Anybody have any ideas how to stop that?
The GOP has been open about their schemes. Democrats and others concerned with free and fair elections are at work. Coordinating national action and state by state protections.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/election-denial-cant-overcome-election-certification-protections
https://www.cfr.org/report/preventing-us-election-violence-2024
https://www.americanprogressaction.org/topic/maga-republicans/
Exactly. Project 2025 is largely funded by Leonard Leo affiliated entities - that is Charles Koch et al money. Having captured and corrupted the Judicial Branch through the Federalist Society, they are planning to capture and corrupt the Executive Branch through the Heritage Society by means of Project 2025. Their intent, in repurposing our democratic republic as a corporate clerical fascist state, is to overturn civil rights, equality before the law, equal representation, separation of church and state, and above all government's ability to administer systems of equitable taxation and of regulation of industry. That is what Leo et al get the big bucks for - perverting the Constitution and church teachings to grab and hold onto the cash.
Exactly! They've been hiding under rocks for decades until Trump came along and put their racism and misogyny center stage.
how can their visions and alignment with him be shaken and unlocked............?????
Genuine question and interested in thoughts.
He is Don The Con who tho convicted can do no wrong.
Some powerful and sad dynamics around him and what it says about his followers.
Is it genuine discontent but an absolute inability to sort the details and truth from fact?
Is it being brainwashed by self and generations like self?
Scary stuff.
it's a mind capture quite often from the earliest days of a kid's life, reinforced and taught endlessly in a closed circuit of narrow supposed intelligence based on fantasies and reinforced by negative outcomes of all sorts. And heavily reinforced for all of us through binary thinking which doesn't demand anything of the mind, just the emotions. Which is why they're so against books, education, humanities, thinking itself. And their simmering rebelliousness takes root in a political party in the binary manner which goes to extremes because it is binary, which is the only direction that all that anger takes them. And fear keeps them there.
thanks Robin......makes sense...its deep and not easily moved
It's not easily moved because it is emotionally based and somebody caught in that first has to admit their situation in the midst of a tribal environment so it would take a lot of bravery and outside support or perhaps middle side support if there is such a thing. I kind of wonder about how capitalism would take this on; church based rehab camps? Could be a whole industry. First step, getting over your embarrassment?
I once recently suggested 12 step rehab for Republicans, not so much MAGAs.
It's not easily moved because it is emotionally based and somebody caught in that first has to admit their situation in the midst of a tribal environment so it would take a lot of bravery and outside support or perhaps middle side support if there is such a thing. I kind of wonder about how capitalism would take this on; church based rehab camps? Could be a whole industry. First step, getting over your embarrassment?
I once recently suggested 12 step rehab for Republicans, not so much MAGAs.It's not easily moved because it is emotionally based and somebody caught in that first has to admit their situation in the midst of a tribal environment so it would take a lot of bravery and outside support or perhaps middle side support if there is such a thing. I kind of wonder about how capitalism would take this on; church based rehab camps? Could be a whole industry. First step, getting over your embarrassment?
Thanks for engaging Robin.
I don't know why, and I have thought this for ages..........there is an American chapter in my life.........I do not know why it is not evident to rigid thinkers, Maga et al.....that they are not really free, the land of the free (is really a joke)..........yeah historically at it very roots and nemisis it was (as in what they left behind in Europe)..........but not now............to be free you cannot hold onto world views or belief systems in a clenched fist when fear is at its root, wanting sameness and calling that unity........we all know unity is not uniformity.................so on either side of the partisan divide...........the truly brave, the truly free, are those who try to understand another POV, and reflect on their own honestly or as honestly as possible. Trump, Maga and members of both parties might not do that. I like to think Dems may be more able to do this........................or do this more, but the truth is the divide exists because both sides don't. I serious respect those who cross over for the best of everyone. Society has some pretty primal stuff around how it forces conformity and ostracizes those who don't. So cracking it is deep................and the Xian faith or any fundemental faith or belief system do not help. It brings into thinking the whole question........what is truth?
More on this cuz I've been keeping notes for years now. And I have a unique background to be able to address the more seemingly hidden issues. Going to bed now. Besides this column is getting too squeezed over to the right on my cell phone ;-))
They will endlessly discount the # of times he's gone bankrupt ... even with his CASINO!! He even inherited million$ when his dad died but still managed to fail straight up across the board with his biz investments. Trumps' fans are failures, just like their hero.
No matter how much he loses by - we need to be ready for more claims of a ‘stolen election’. You know another coup attempt is coming if he loses again. And we’re all praying that he DOES LOSE. Our country can’t survive him being in power again. I want to see what happens to the opportunistic GOP craven 45 supporters who are afraid of him now when he wields power still - when he’s lost the election and no longer a viable candidate for office. I guess Vance will assume his place in the MAGA Cult world?
Yes. And it will be much better organized and much better controlled this time. They haven't gone anywhere - they are just regrouping. We need to be ready.
Eternal vigilance
You made all good points, though it's just as likely that Vance will disappear as Palin did when the election was lost. That isn't to say that some other Voldemort clone won't step in to fill the vacuum, which is a given. We'll have to chuck them out too.
Oh let's hope not! Vance may be even weirder than Trump!
stollen
According to what I'm hearing while I'm phone banking for Kamala Harris, she's going to win in a landslide! When one of Nikki Haley's voter PACs announced their support for Kamala, I knew right then that TRump is toast. #Kamala2024 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
You go Megan! If she wins, it will be because of people like you doing the hard work. Thanks
I love talking with people of all different political parties, especially in the swing states who are really excited about voting for Kamala. It does my heart good and gives me so much hope, which is something I was struggling with until 11 days ago. Kamala Harris is going to WIN! 🇺🇲
I wish I thought they would buy in. They already have a plan in place to not certify ballots in counties unless Trump wins. It's very scary.
Fortunately, we have election laws and protocols written into our constitution that will prevent these rogue electors from doing anything except certifying the votes of We the People. Many have tried in the past and have failed. If they even try to refuse to certify the votes, they can and should be charged with voter suppression and obstruction of an official proceeding. I have no doubt that there is already a plan put in place by President Biden to deal with this 🇺🇲
I hope that you're right, though if the contention gets to the Supreme Court, they have a bad habit of "interpreting" the Constitution to suit their decisions. May it not come to that.
I think they have already maneuvered for that contingency by packing SCOTUS with judges that are bought and paid for. God help us if it comes to that, for if they win, Trump is right that there will never be another election, and democracy will be dead in this country. I think we also need to be prepared for the Heritage Foundation acolytes to plan on invoking the 25th Amendment as soon as Trump stops being their useful idiot. Vance, who is already chomping at the bit to put breeding-age women into livestock farms, will get turned loose with Project 2025 and then we are truly screwed.
Exactly!! https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/election-denial-cant-overcome-election-certification-protections
Very scary. The devil in them all is alive and sick. We need to prepare ourselves for the demented dump and his crazy , uncontrollable rhetoric.
Who has a plan in place?? Please don’t spread false narratives.
What makes you think it's false?
Read Robert Hubbles Bulwark/Substack narrative in his news letter today, it’s a great piece for calming the nerves on this subject and Rachel’s story. I’m not saying it should not be watched closely, but it’s a lot heavier a lift than people think it will be. It’s one of the reasons I became a poll worker in my precinct, eyes wide open.
Because the article was pure speculation based on the social media postings of certain election supervisors, there is no coordinated effort. Jess Craven broke it down well on her IG page too. We absolutely need to remain vigilant but the info is being misrepresented.
https://youtu.be/of9OP_a6MNg?si=d9X7S16byfuMW25B
That is maddow using the rolling stone article I mentioned as a source. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/election-denial-cant-overcome-election-certification-protections
Really important to share this beyond these portals
https://youtu.be/of9OP_a6MNg?si=d9X7S16byfuMW25B
That is what hé is all his life. Why it took is so much effort to find out?
Ha ha. You said “blow”.
LOL- if Republicans, after an Insurrection and a , are So Corrupt that they stood behind this Hazardous Human Waste, they’ll Never back down. They’ll just find another A’la Orange!
And take the Republican party back!!!
So sorry to have to reply to your message with contempt. Kamala Harris was born to an Indian ( the sub continent variety) mother and a Black Caribbean father both of whom emigrated here and prospered She graduated from Howard University , a HBCU. She was a member of the preeminent Black sorority. How could you not know this ? Most sentient people know this and have moved on !” No conspiracy there ! She is married to a lovely man who happens to be Jewish. The Democrats have an all encompassing platform that has been the base for a decade or so. Now we have even more ammunition in it with the disgraceful snd incompetent behavior of the Republican majority in the house. We will solve the border problem since we are going to win big in November ! Kamala Harris will handily win California and enough states to finally send Trump to the sidelines forever. Get ready !
I want what's in your blueberry muffin that is some mind altering sh&t!
Here's the thing: we keep trying to run Trump's speech and behaviour through the lens of normality, shaking our heads when he behaves outrageously, wondering what his strategy could possibly be, asking ourselves "what is he thinking??? How could he possibly think this is a way to win an election?" All we need to know is this: Donald Trump is a malignantly narcissistic sociopath who is now displaying clear signs of worsening dementia. He doesn't have a strategy; he is unable to behave and speak any other way. He is loathsome, repugnant, and rotten to the core, and he will only get worse.
Thank you Carol. You rock. —Dan
Ditto!!!
Spot on Carol.🥁
Well said!!
Carol. You are absolutely correct in what you have said.
This behavior goes way back. I watched the movie yesterday called bad Faith. It is telling not just about dump, but also about Reagan and all that happened since him. It’s a cult that’s been brewing for many years.
But. He has surrounded himself with horrible people who are young, energetic and determined to go back to the times of slavery. He is definitely a sociopath and he is suffering from dementia, but he's just the figure-head. People like Steven Miller are dangerous and they have too much power. He couldn't think his way out of a paper bag, but he has, unfortunately, smart horrible people "helping" him.
Steven Miller has no power without TRump. All we need to do is vote en masse and TRump will be easily defeated in a landslide! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
We keep underestimating all the deplorables and what they can do. This fight is not over and we make a mistake if we don't take the rest of them seriously.
The other Steven or Hyeug Steven Cheung, has no power without Trump either. Hm. That name sounds foreign. How did DonOld hire him?
Carol Moore you are so right. There is no trying to explain his behavior or to keep thinking he will change. He never will and we should’ve learned this by now.
Exactly, with a slight addition. He is owned by P25. They made him - not the other way around.
Trump has always been like this. He has been putting words to his prior behavior. So interesting to hear what his niece and nephew have to say. Trump is loathsome, but not any worse than he's ever been. He's just saying the "quiet part out loud".
Precisely why I was so stunned by his performance at NABJ, only to find he was saying he "crushed it" online. His base was agreeing and I am just as concerned about his impact and influence on others who are so vulnerable and gullible.
Perfect description of one of the most despicable public figures ever, totally void of any positive attributes.
I agree!
THIS ^^^^^^^^^ 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
Oh, Carol. Beautifully said. Chef’s kiss!!! 😘 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I think we have to be careful using words like dementia, that would indicate a diagnosis. We are not qualified to state such (though his behavior is certainly repugnant). We don't want to be accused of spreading false information either.
Describing a person's obvious behaviour is not the same as making a formal diagnosis. For a diagnosis of dementia, please see or listen to the podcast "Shrinking Trump" with Drs. Gartner and Segal (one's a neuropsychiatrist, the other a neuropsychologist). They explain quite clearly what they are basing their diagnosis on. I am not making a medical diagnosis, but as a (now retired) clinical social worker/psychotherapist/psychoanalyst I think I am qualified to comment on what I have observed of Trump's declining cognitive capacity overlaid on top of his character pathology. :-)
Carol, as a clinical social worker with over thirty years of experience in mental health and psychotherapy, I TOTALLY agree with your assessment of #45.
Amen!
💯
Nick Cattogio at The Dispatch had an interesting take.
https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/boilingfrogs/race-baiting-with-a-twist/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Race-Baiting%20With%20a%20Twist&utm_campaign=Boiling%20Frogs_Everyone_Race-Baiting%20With%20a%20Twist
I firmly believe Rachel Maddow had it right: Trump is behaving this way because he doesn't care about the populist vote. He has sympathizers in the House and across the country in positions where they will be the ones certifying the election results.... and many of them are confirmed 2020 and 2022 election results deniers. That's his plan:To have his people refuse to certify the results and then take it all the way to a SCOTUS that already seems to be in his pocket. He's going to try and steal the election that way.
Good point - our current SCOTUS appears to be a subsidiary of the RNC.
And of The Heritage Foundation.
SCOTUS is a disgrace. Bought and paid for by the billionaires. Shameful.
A bribe is a bribe!😡
Scary
They don’t deny it, the fix is in, so they think
Election deniers in key positions regarding vote certification. It's going to get ugly.
Dems had better not play possum. Had enough of pretending that they play fair. The SC is the kicker. They have proved that they will do the unthinkable and sit back while we rage and just be the last word that all our rage can’t change. This scenario may have played out for the last time. Ugly indeed…
I think people are forgetting that the Supreme Court just gave President Joe Biden presidential immunity for any official act he performs while he's in office! If these House Republicans try to not certify the vote, Biden isn't going to stand for it. It is illegal for them to do so. Threatening these turds with jail time will solve these problems. Can you imagine Josh Hawley and Matt Gaetz in jail?!🤣
It would be an"official act" for votes to be certified.
The SC has to decide. Guess how that will go…
That's a great point! Plus, unlike last time, Trump won't be the incumbent, so a challenge that delays certification would keep Biden in office that much longer until it's resolved. That would be the all time greatest example of karma in American history:: The SCOTUS ruling meant to benefit Trump allows Biden to intervene to assure certification of the results, effectively costing Trump the office ( assuming most voters choose Harris).
Something else I'd like to add: With the exception of traditional, old school "just the facts" journalists such as Mr Rather and Lawrence O'Donnell, the mainstream media isn't helping. I don't know if anyone has been following the news today, but job growth slowed and unemployment up ticked to about 4.1% this month and the MSM is already throwing terms like "recession" out there in their coverage. This despite every metric proving Biden l/Harris have and still can claim historic economic success. 4.1% is still incredibly healthy. The problem is a lot of these media outlets are owned by right wing billionaires who don't want those tax increases Biden/Harris are aiming for, so they're going to steer the public discourse in as negative a light as possible to make sure Harris isn't elected. People are still struggling right now and this is a ploy which, as we are sll well aware, is notoriously effective. We've got to be individually vigilant as well as working as a community to combat misleading narratives like this. I have no doubt Trump is already jumping on this new jobs report and spinning it in his usual dark, dishonest manner.
Is there no way to “vet” those who certify the election before it’s time for them to do the job? The GOP already tried to fake it last time. We KNOW what to expect. Forewarned is forearmed!
That's a great question. Also, I have been wondering how this plays out with Biden in office. The last time it was an attempt by Trump to hold onto power..... but he's not President this time. I would think delaying certification with legal challenges would keep Biden in office longer and Trump and his supporters would have to realize that. This is a big part of why the current Supreme Court leaning so far right really worries me. I can't help but think the idea is to get it in front of a SCOTUS they believe will side with Trump, whatever challenges he brings.
That’s the plan, man
It is not any coordinated plan—it was a rolling stone article that had tons of assumptions and Maddow ran with it. All this does is deflate us and suppress the vote—it was very irresponsible of both of them to conclude this without anything but speculation.
They've already tried it. Election deniers in Arizona had to be taken to court in 2022 and indicted for refusing to certify legal election results. There are even more in those positions across the country now . Maddow does her research, she doesn't " run with assumptions". This is a very real threat and you'd do well to take it seriously.
I realize that. The rolling stone article that maddow used was all speculation of what they MIGHT do based on their social media accounts. Yes we need to be aware but needless handwringing is counter productive. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/election-denial-cant-overcome-election-certification-protections
I get your point. We can't trust anything on SM or even news outlets any more. Do your research!
While I think fake electors is a valid worry, I think the possibility of bad faith electors should be a huge concern considering that's how he got into the Whitehouse in the 1st place. Considering this election will be the most important election in my lifetime - I do hope bad faith electors will not be allowed to hand over the Presidency to the worst domestic threat to our country! I'm voting blue across the board, & I have faith that Kamala will not only protect & defend our constitution, but also always have the back of the majority of Americans, not just the 1% that the other guy owes favors to.
I wonder …possible? Legal experts out there ?what say ye?
Trump cares about no one except himself. He only bows down to Putin who has been grooming him for decades. Both must be brought to their knees. I think their time is coming.
https://youtu.be/of9OP_a6MNg?si=d9X7S16byfuMW25B
If that plan succeeds, I can only imagine what kind of national nightmare will follow.
D.S.: emphasis on “try.”
I'm with you and Rachel Maddow 100%. Trump says he doesn't need any more votes; he has enough. So he can behave the he behaves, say awful things, and steal the election. How are electors chosen? I am ignorant about this, and I want to know what can be done to stop trump and his dolts from stealing the election. Ideas?
Gulp
Kamala “FREEDOM”
Trump “WEIRD”
We see the difference and it’s STARK. Let’s hope democrats of all ages and races get out to vote.
We do not want to end up kind Venezuela.
As I see it, Kamala just needs to keep being brilliant, on point & honest, and Trump will dig a very large, very deep hole for himself!
That’s accurately dependable, Jeanne 👍
Oh. Yes. A girl can dream………..
Excellent points Dan. Let's all work to give President Harris a Congress that will work with her.
Exactly right. Mike Johnson should be minority leader in the House and anyone but Mitch McConnell the minority leader in the senate. Then maybe things can happen - - like an ethics code for SCOTUS
Yes!!! Dems all the way!
I can't wait to hear him claim that interview was "perfect." He is also likely to repeat his oft stated complaints about the journalist "nasty" is his go to for any smart woman who asks him a question he doesn't want to answer.
He gets more reprehensible as Harris' strength becomes palpable. That "nasty" comment was to her face, not just a pr statement after.
Women scare him, and so do POC. White supremacy is based in fear. Disgusting that it exists, but certainly a cause of his constant lashing out. Pair that with narcissism and being above the law (in his own eyes)... a cruelty that spells Dictator
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
If you haven't watched that interview in it's entirety, you should. I had seen the various clips, but taken all together it is nauseating/scary/unbelievable. Thank you Dan for keeping us steady with your thoughts.
I'm sure it was horrid to be sitting in that audience. Knowing it could be bad, and having it tank from the start.
But, I hope, the people in that room were energized to talk to family, neighbors, coworkers ... not to relive the horrible lies, but as proof that the criminal/insurrectionist has NOTHING to offer POC (or women), nothing to make their lives better. He could not even be civil in conversation. Believe who he was, and mobilize everyone to Vote For Harris.
Not inviting him to speak would have been a better choice.
Maybe it was a good idea. The hole DonOld keeps digging keeps getting bigger. The more people he insults the less support he will have and the more votes he will lose.
I think it was a good idea to see the emperor without his clothes, or at least partially disrobed. His true self always comes out. I have come to detest the word "nasty" since he uses it against women in the worst possible tone.
It is an unpleasant sounding word, fitting an unpleasant man, and it (among many others) is a fair assessment of Trump.
My mother always reserved that word for things that were absolutely despicable, so it evokes a strong response from me. But, it certainly fits TFG well.
Believe who he was. That’s HUGE!!!
Trump will do anything to be in the media spotlight. He lives for that. It feeds him. I expect more like his “interview “ with the Black journalists in the next three months. I wonder what bolts of lightning would shoot off his head if all the media relegated his “stories “ to page six.
Well this kind of stuff will certainly feed his base and keep them amped up.
Where can we watch it?
I watched it on Twitter but just Google it
Thanks, Ann!
As always, Mr. Rather, your thoughts are spot on. Thank you. At risk of sounding negative, the fact that Donald Trump and Project 2025 are actually competing for leadership of the US makes me very upset. This miscreant should be nowhere near the office of POTUS, yet there is a real risk that he and his mob could become POTUS and implement Project 2025.
My belief is that way too many people, media included, talk about Trump as if he were not a criminal and an authoritarian intent in dismantling the very Constitution of the US. Every reference to him should include language that frames him as a convicted criminal, insurrectionist, rapist, and would-be (self-described) dictator. Without these descriptors, people will see him as a viable candidate for POTUS which he is not.
Unbelievable that the Constitution has not held up in the eyes of citizens & lawmakers... that the insurrectionist (most likely planning the next one) was not squashed like a bug for what damage he has already done.
Well said!
David, Yes! Why isn’t the media labeling him for what he is? The 4th pillar is failing again.
Indeed. What gives?
Time to embrace each other whatever your color, genders, family. Choose love❤️
Go Kamala!! I have never been so excited about an election in my life. I am now focusing on positivity, at last. I hope to never have to hear about that “also ran” ever again after Nov. 5th.
I have long said that it's a really bad idea to piss off all of the women, about the same thing, at the same time. Between trump and JD, they hit the trifecta almost immediately. Women of all races have finally joined forces with a few white dudes and the LGBTQIA community. Other groups have also sprung up. We've all got 1 goal. Elect Kamala Harris as President. She's smart and her social media team is top notch. With the things the Biden administration has accomplished since he announced his withdrawal, it's been amazing to watch. I was super pissed at the disrespect shown to President Biden, especially by members of his own party. People he considered friends. But now, without the worries about the election, his administration arrested members of a huge drug cartel and just today, the release of the hostages in Russia. He's sharing credit with Harris and she is lifting him up on the campaign trail. I've felt actual hope these last couple of weeks. She has a great bench to choose her VP from and she's going to come out of the Convention with a huge bump, especially if trump and JD stay on the disgusting course they've picked. Democrats are famous for our circular firing squads, as witnessed during trump's Convention. If we can avoid that, we can make herstory.
Trump has been getting away with bigotry, corruption, ignorance, and lying virtually his entire life. No wonder he's flummoxed that none of that's working for him the way it used to. What a pathetic waste of a life.
And I’m so enjoying watching him melt down!!
I would too, IF he weren't passing his degenerative ways down to the next generations... running mates, judge Cannon, Congress, SC... weaving his sickness, deeply through the USA in these past few years.
We’re going to be dealing with his mess for decades unless those judges can be impeached and removed. But I’m still enjoying seeing his campaign flailing about when their well laid plans to beat up on President Biden are now worthless. Now Trump is the “old man” and he’s not looking so hot in comparison to a vibrant candidate like VP Harris! And his pick of JD Vance seems to be causing him some buyers remorse. Trump has been UPSTAGED by Biden’s withdrawal from the race and VP Harris’ emergence as the Dems candidate! How does he like THAT reality TV action?!!!
Me too!
I can’t stop smiling!! To see the “great”fall is so much fun I know I shouldn’t get cocky but I love it!
Thanks, Dan. Your seasoned commentary means a lot.
Always…🫶
Vice President Harris has energized our country and it is the first true generational transition in a long time since President Kennedy. She is fully qualified to be President and more importantly has the integrity, leadership, and intellect to be great!
We need young people to lead us to a better future 🙏