The Many Faces of US Politics...

Jell 0 Biafra · July 22, 2024, 11:44:04 PM

They're too late. If she had been ineligible (which of course she isn't), she couldn't have run as VP.

Main Street · July 23, 2024, 12:35:33 AM

Quote from: Hound on July 22, 2024, 12:16:47 PM
Quote from: Captain Scarlet on July 22, 2024, 09:50:53 AMSo they tried to wrap Joe in cotton wool and had their friendly media jump to his support.
They did this knowing he wasn't right, but have no issue with how this is might skew a democratic process.

Now,the person who they didn't trust to step in us suddenly a saviour!

There are no good guys over there. It's a bad shower v a terrible shower.

There's been a significant deterioration in recent months. To say all the top Democrat leadership knew how bad he was prior to the debate would be a big stretch. The reaction was shock at how bad he was. I think it was his post debate interviews that made the decision inevitable. I think literally every one had some blunder. He's a very different man to the one who visited Ireland recently.

I wonder will Trump avoid debating with Harris (or whoever the candidate is) the same way he avoided the other Republican candidates. I think his team will try

I think there was a strong element of timing about Biden's announcement. I'd say he held on for some time until just after the republican convention which would be about Biden this Biden that. Then the bit where Trump selected his VP candidate with Biden in mind. The seamless timing of events after Biden's step down was remarkable. This had to be well planned in advance. All the phone lines were 'peopled' ready to hit the ground running, some Usd 80m raised in one day.
I had thought that Biden should retire and let Harris go into the November election as acting president but this way is better, she can just concentrate on the campaign.
This announcement has certainly put a spanner into the delicate works of World politics, war and Nato, least happy will be Putin.

Jell 0 Biafra · July 23, 2024, 02:11:59 AM

I don't think that was it. Big donors had stopped paying in, and made it clear they wouldn't chip in again unless he stood down.

In US politics, perhaps even more than the rest of life, cash is king.

Eamonnca1 · July 23, 2024, 07:43:54 AM

What's this I hear about Trump considerings dumping Vance and regretting his choice? Vance bombing like an aspiring comedian having a bad open mic night probably isn't helping.

Mourne Red · July 23, 2024, 08:19:16 AM

Quote from: Eamonnca1 on July 23, 2024, 07:43:54 AMWhat's this I hear about Trump considerings dumping Vance and regretting his choice? Vance bombing like an aspiring comedian having a bad open mic night probably isn't helping.

Haven't heard anything myself - Was a poor choice from the start, he should have picked Vivek

LeoMc · July 23, 2024, 09:05:03 AM

Quote from: Mourne Red on July 23, 2024, 08:19:16 AM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on July 23, 2024, 07:43:54 AMWhat's this I hear about Trump considerings dumping Vance and regretting his choice? Vance bombing like an aspiring comedian having a bad open mic night probably isn't helping.

Haven't heard anything myself - Was a poor choice from the start, he should have picked Vivek

Maybe JD introduced his wife to Don!

RedHand88 · July 23, 2024, 10:33:07 AM

Vance likes Lord of the rings, which according to Rachel Maddow makes him a far right racist because Narya, the name for one of the rings, is an anagram for "Aryan" if you rearrange the letters.

Remember when America was the cultural leader for the Western world? What a mess it has become.

Rossfan · July 23, 2024, 01:32:48 PM

"Cultural leader"

Micky Mouse, Donald Duck, Cowboy films....

Itchy · July 23, 2024, 02:58:49 PM

Quote from: Rossfan on July 23, 2024, 01:32:48 PM"Cultural leader"

Micky Mouse, Donald Duck, Cowboy films....

Cultural leaders in their own minds.

Jell 0 Biafra · July 23, 2024, 03:20:39 PM

Ah lads...

Rock, hip hop, the movie industry... There's no doubting the cultural influence of the US, for better or worse.

J70 · July 23, 2024, 03:36:22 PM

Quote from: Jell 0 Biafra on July 23, 2024, 03:20:39 PMAh lads...

Rock, hip hop, the movie industry... There's no doubting the cultural influence of the US, for better or worse.

Yeah, whatever you think of the US and their influence, especially on geopolitics, you cannot deny their effect on general pop culture since the 50s.

May be easing off now on a relative basis as globalization, cheap travel and the internet has opened the whole world up to everyone, but it's still the leader.

Captain Scarlet · July 23, 2024, 03:55:43 PM

I think it is dying off a bit now. Even look at how big K Pop and Anime are with kids. BUT it's still a hugely influential place. A lot to do with the fact they can't build but they buy a lot more nowadays...

I was skeptical of Harris, but I am reading that Vance was picked off the back of Trump v Biden and that neutralises him a bit. And the money is flowing in too.

Now Dems can really go at Trump being an aul wind bag when they couldn't with their own fella before. Looking forward to the debates now and thank f**k for that early one to show up Biden.

whitey · July 23, 2024, 04:24:26 PM

Quote from: Captain Scarlet on July 23, 2024, 03:55:43 PMI think it is dying off a bit now. Even look at how big K Pop and Anime are with kids. BUT it's still a hugely influential place. A lot to do with the fact they can't build but they buy a lot more nowadays...

I was skeptical of Harris, but I am reading that Vance was picked off the back of Trump v Biden and that neutralises him a bit. And the money is flowing in too.

Now Dems can really go at Trump being an aul wind bag when they couldn't with their own fella before. Looking forward to the debates now and thank f**k for that early one to show up Biden.

Trump won't debate her

She'd destroy him

Bord na Mona man · July 23, 2024, 04:46:05 PM

Biden stepping down for Kamala was probably hatched a few weeks back.
Everyone has immediately rowed in behind her and there is no sense of a nomination contest commencing.

Biden's age and frailty was something the Dems have been kicking the can down the road on for a long time. It probably suited the party that he bombed in that debate rather than scraping by.

Trump was a shoo-in when Biden was running. It's a bigger test for him now.
As was rightly pointed out, they waited until after the RNC to bait and switch.
Previously, he was able to dine out on the 'Crooked Hilary' and 'Sleepy Joe' slurs. He'll have to quickly concoct a new slur campaign.

Trump should normally be very beatable. In 2016, the Democrats fielded a very disliked Hillary Clinton. Biden was slightly more acceptable in 2020.
Harris would have a decent chance if she can appear credible. That's far from guaranteed though.

Another thing Trump had in his favour back in 2016 was social media manipulation, the target ads and fake stories.
Facebook's reputation was tarnished by its complicity in this in 2016. Since then, it has had to clean up its house.
While Elon Muck is openly a Trumper and a Putin fanboy, his Twitter platform has far less reach to be a tool to propel Trump.

Puckoon · July 23, 2024, 05:06:16 PM

Quote from: Bord na Mona man on July 23, 2024, 04:46:05 PMTrump was a shoo-in when Biden was running. It's a bigger test for him now.
As was rightly pointed out, they waited until after the RNC to bait and switch.
Previously, he was able to dine out on the 'Crooked Hilary' and 'Sleepy Joe' slurs. He'll have to quickly concoct a new slur campaign.

Trump should normally be very beatable. In 2016, the Democrats fielded a very disliked Hillary Clinton. Biden was slightly more acceptable in 2020.
Harris would have a decent chance if she can appear credible. That's far from guaranteed though.

I wish I could agree - there seems to be a quiet and not so quiet momentum that has been rolling with DT for the last 3-4 months. I feel he will win in a landslide regardless of who the Democrats can put out. The swing states are swinging heavy to the red.