Polls: Sanders Leads Hillary <i>by Nine</i> In NH; But Joe Biden Beats Sanders Nationally; But Trump Beats All Democrats Nationally

Polls: Sanders Leads Hillary by Nine In NH; But Joe Biden Beats Sanders Nationally; But Trump Beats All Democrats Nationally

Furthermore, Sanders has closed on her in Iowa:

In Iowa, Clinton maintains her previous advantage over Sanders -- but her lead has declined from 24 points in July (49 percent to 25 percent) to 11 points (38 percent to 27 percent); Biden sits at 20 percent.

Meanwhile, the Silver Flame of Scranton, Joltin' Joe Biden has groped and inappropriately nuzzled his way into the bosom of the Democrat Party.

Joe Biden is up and Hillary Clinton is down in a new Monmouth University national poll of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters.
Support for the vice president is building as speculation grows about his potential entry into the 2016 presidential race, with 22 percent saying they'd back him. That's ahead of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who was picked by 20 percent. The difference is within the poll's plus or minus 5.3 percentage point margin of error.

Hillary Clinton has fallen from 52% to 42% -- inEVITAble no more.

Finally, in a SurveyUSA poll, Trump beats all Democrat candidates.

Note: I actually assume that several Republican candidates perform as well or better. Still, this one finding is notable, because it upsets the a primary talking point proffered against Trump: He can't win, he'll be destroyed by Hillary or any other Democrat.

It appears he wouldn't, at least per this one poll.

Drudge is headlining this poll from SurveyUSA, not only showing Trump beating Hillary by five (45-40) but also beating Joe Biden (44-42), Bernie Sanders (44-40), and Al Gore (44-41) in potential head-to-head matchups -- a remarkable turnaround from initial polling showing Hillary decisively beating Trump. As Drudge points out, perhaps the most surprising aspect of the poll is that Trump is polling at 25% of the black vote, a number Republicans haven’t seen for generations.

In other Trump news -- there is always Trump news -- Trump said something very very stupid, claiming that he had always "felt" as if he ad been in the military because he had attended a pricey military-themed boarding school as a youngster, and so had "dealt with those people."

Allah thinks that's pretty damn stupid and so do I, but then he makes this observation about the level of Outrageous Outrage people on the right feel about stupid, outragey statements.

But there’s one other important way Trumpmania is useful, and it's gotten overlooked in the attention to all of the other benefits I just listed: Trump has clarified how many of the outrages that sweep conservative media from day to day are based on true outrage and how many are purely opportunistic, seized on only because they’re useful in making a disfavored figure squirm. Whether it's a major gaffe to demean the hardships experienced by soldiers by comparing them to your rich-kid teenaged years at boarding school depends almost entirely on how establishment or populist you are, not on whether the comments themselves are offensive. If Jeb Bush had said this? Firestorm. If Scott Walker had said it? Big trouble, although more of the "why can't Walker get it together?" variety than the "this guy has utterly belittled America's finest" sort, and that’s purely because Walker is still well liked on the right. If Ted Cruz had said it? Actually, it's hard to imagine a speaker who chooses his words as carefully as Cruz saying something this absurd, but Cruz would be largely absolved just as Trump will be because he’s an outspoken populist. He's useful to the grassroots, therefore he gets a pass. The whole "outrage" game is being exposed as a fraud by Trump, a guy who's already committed -- and been absolved of -- more conservative heresies than a much-loathed RINO like Mitt Romney could commit in two lifetimes. That's good for the movement too. American politics, especially as practiced on the Internet, needs a higher tolerance for outrages. Maybe Trump will help generate that.

I think Allah suggests this but I would make it more explicit: While the Outrageyness of the grassgroots is silly and opportunistic, so too is the Outrageyness of the Establishment class, which every day hits new heights of hysteria in denouncing Trump as a heretic.

On this particular gaffe, the grassroots is guilty of the Friend or Foe hypocrisy AllahPundit speaks of; but the Establishment trots out its own Friend or Foe hypocrisies every day -- for example, many, many left-tending positions of the Establishment are justified on the basis that they'll "help win over moderates and independents."

But when Trump suggests that hedge fund managers could afford to pay more taxes, this is not absolved with the same "this will help win over moderates and independents" sort of Centrism Is Politically Cunning thinking; instead it tends to be denounced as a heresy which utterly strips the Trump candidacy of all conservative credibility (whatever that may be, at this late date).

Let's face it, a lot of the TruCons are now pretty much admitting all their former TruCon nonsense was just silly posturing, but at the same time, the people who used to point out that TruConism was just silly posturing are now adopting a hard TruCon posture themselves.

Part of the problem is that people just can't seem to admit any flaws of their own, or of their candidates. And admitting that makes life so much simper, and more honest.

This was in fact a stupid thing for Trump to say, and it is more evidence (if you needed any more) that he considers himself an All-Being, Master of Time, Space, and Dimension (in Steve Martin's words).

One can't really spin this as a positive, and one really shouldn't spin too hard to even make it less of a negative. It's a negative.

On the other hand: Can we all be grown up and admit that we all have flaws, and so do our candidates, and in the final analysis, there are few flaws which are absolutely disqualifying?

Everything on the internet -- including from those who pretend a sort of rational, #SmartPolitics analysis -- is always such jumped-up, This Is The Most Important Thing Ever nonsense. This hysterical overreaction lasts for a day or two, then a new Most Important Thing Ever thing is discovered, and the former Most Important Thing Ever is forgotten, and the hysterical shrieking beings about the new and forever Most Important Thing Ever.

It was a stupid thing for Trump to say. There's no spinning that. However, the implicit conclusion the Establishment wishes all to draw from it -- ...and therefore you could never so much as entertain the thought of voting for such a man -- is even stupider.

Anthony Weiner is an arrogant, strutting jackass of a philanderer and liar, and yet he would almost certainly be a better mayor of New York City than Bill DiBlasio.

It has become the standard insult lodged by the Establishment anti-Trump chorus at, for example, National Review, to say of this latest Trump outrage, And of course the Trump supporters won't care about this.

Well, hang on there, Buddies. Some Trump supporters do "care" about Trump's frequent descents into stupidity and pettiness. What you are actually accusing them of is not caring as much as you claim they should care.

By implication: How much you, yourself, care.

But the anti-Trumpians always claim that every Trump stupidity should always be cared about to the exact same extent -- to the extent they stop supporting Trump entirely, and look for a "more electable" candidate (even though that particular talking point now seems to be getting close to its expiration date).*

How about a little bit of honesty from the anti-Trumpians, like this: You do Not care about these Trump remarks as you claim, and you claim that such remarks are the sort of things that would flip a Trump supporter to a Trump opponent.

But in fact you never supported Trump, and so it's rather easy for you to claim that every single damn thing out of Trump's mouth is worth "caring" about so much as to flip support into hostile opposition.

In fact, I'd say it's more than easy -- I'd say it's hypocritical, phony, hysterical, and a touch dishonest.

For example: I "care" about this particular stupid thing Trump said to the exact same extent the Anti-Trumpers "care" about his alleged unelectability. Now that he appears to be electable, the Anti-Trumpers will not suddenly flip to being Trump supporters -- they didn't really care about that, they just thought other people ought to.

It's disingenuous to offer up arguments that are utterly irrelevant to one's own decision-making.

If a particular argument fails to move you yourself, you really shouldn't present it as some critical factor in any thinking person's decision-making.

Many on the establishment right are chiefly hostile to Trump on the basis of class-based disgust at him. Not only is he a boastful vulgarian (higher-class people do not proclaim their superiority; they instead suggest it by more subtle means), but he's also an immigration skeptic.

And there is no getting around this: The Establishment right is quite pro-amnesty, for a mix of reasons, including their inability to get past the idea that erecting any real barriers to immigration is "racist."

And to be racist is, of course, the worst sin a member of the Comfortable Class could be accused of; and so this is largely about establishing oneself as "not racist."

But it's considered a rather nasty remark on the right to go tossing about the "racist" charge at anyone who disagrees with your political position; and thus we have this alternative method of disqualifying Trump, by claiming every other thing he says must be completely disqualifying.

Eh, it at least keeps the "racist" charge under wraps, but at this point I think I'd rather have the honest but ugly argument that anyone who supports Trump or who wants to limit illegal immigration is a "racist" for whatever reason (and I'm curious to hear what those reasons actually are), than this continued polite-but-completely-dishonest game of trumping up every Trump remark into the So Bad It's Practically Racist and Thus Disqualifying category.

Let's have an argument, an actual out in the open argument, about the real issues at stake, instead of this never-ending game of trying to squelch disfavored ideas via the Buzzfeedy tactic of Uproar about everything.

As Peggy Noonan said, "America is in play." Meaning, everything taken as Sacred Dogma is now open to question. The old tactics, which usually hold, of just shouting things down as contrary to received dogma are useless at a time such as this.

* I don't think the candidate they have in mind is Jeb; I think the candidate they have in mind (to the extent they have one in mind) is probably Marco Rubio, who they view, wrongly, as an "acceptable compromise" between grassroots and Establishment, and polished, professional candidate to boot.

But he's not an acceptable compromise to many -- especially not if one of your top issues is ending illegal immigration.

And that sort of prioritization of issues' importance can't be argued about via a War of Gaffes, that is, just saying "Your guy said this dumb thing, so you must accept my prioritization of issues."

Of course that would never, ever work. Certainly none of Rubio's supporters dropped their support when the NYT reported some quite-real concerns about Rubio's billionaire patron.

The way to get people to accept your preferred policies and your preferred order of prioritization of issues is to actually talk about policies and prioritization, not engage in this silly, endless He Said a Dirty Word tattle-taling.

On America Being In Play, See Also... Michael Barone on the possibility of a major political realignment.

As I feel currently doomed to lose, forever, in the current alignment, I have little to fear and something to gain from a shake-up in the coalitions.

Posted by: Ace at 01:48 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 big tittied blonds for everyone if trump wins!!

Posted by: navycopjoe at September 08, 2015 01:48 PM (2aatp)

2 so if its Teh Donald against Slow Joe....
who wins?
Russia, China, late night comics?

Posted by: navycopjoe at September 08, 2015 01:50 PM (2aatp)

3 Donald Trump would have won many Medals.

Many, many Medals for fantastic deeds of class and bravery.

Posted by: Garrett at September 08, 2015 01:51 PM (ZHZBE)

4 Biden's campaign motto: a shotgun on every balcony, paste in every jar

Posted by: navycopjoe at September 08, 2015 01:52 PM (2aatp)

5 As Peggy Noonan said: "I like this Obama fella"

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 08, 2015 01:52 PM (W5DcG)

6 Hillary's poll numbers have fallen -- and they can't get up!

Posted by: zombie at September 08, 2015 01:52 PM (jBuUi)

7 It would be delicious if Hillary imploded even before the primaries are over.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at September 08, 2015 01:53 PM (SEFXb)

8 Eh, it at least keeps the "racist" charge under wraps,
Alright! Ace is learning Canadian too.

Posted by: andycanuck at September 08, 2015 01:53 PM (7eC3Q)

9 it doesn't matter WHAT Trump says: That's the point. Ze point is that Trump can f*ck with them 24/7 and they'll can't punish him or stop him

They can't control the debate any more. That's YUUUUGE!

Posted by: himself at September 08, 2015 01:53 PM (8CdUx)

10 "Joe Biden groped and inappropriately nuzzled his way into the bosom of the Democrat party"

Thank you for that Ace. You have a way with words.

Posted by: Hillary's alcoholic depression at September 08, 2015 01:54 PM (T1Jm0)

11 So, this means Hillary has fallen into FOURTH place among likely next-presidents, which are now, in order:

1. Trump
2. Sanders
3. Biden
4. Hillary

Too early for vodka?

Posted by: zombie at September 08, 2015 01:54 PM (jBuUi)

12 Actually I have no real idea what I'm doing.

Previously, when I got in trouble, I just filed for bankruptcy and/or divorce.

But now? Eh whatever, you all will vote for me no matter what I say!

Posted by: TRUMP at September 08, 2015 01:54 PM (x4Fr7)

13 They can't control the debate any more. That's YUUUUGE!

Posted by: himself at September 08, 2015 01:53 PM (8CdUx)

One might almost say this is revolutionary!

Posted by: Hrothgar at September 08, 2015 01:55 PM (ftVQq)

14 But Trump Beats All Democrats Nationally

------

Remember all the "most conservative candidate that can actually win" stuff we'd hash out during the great TrueCon / Rinosquish wars of days gone by.????

Well..... there ya go.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 01:55 PM (8XRCm)

15 It is never too early for vodka.

Posted by: hillary, dowager countess of chappaqua at September 08, 2015 01:55 PM (7eC3Q)

16 7 It would be delicious if Hillary imploded even before the primaries are over.
Posted by: chique d'afrique

"If?"

She's imploding right now in front of our eyes!

Posted by: zombie at September 08, 2015 01:55 PM (jBuUi)

17 TRUMP is a handy trebuchet against Mordor-on-the-Potomac.

Posted by: @votermom at September 08, 2015 01:56 PM (cbfNE)

18 when....not if....when a terrorist attack goes down on US soil again if the feds show that the terrorists came across the southern border not only will Trump easily win the election but there will a backlash of biblical proportions out on the streets
it seems the nation is just waiting for a spark

Posted by: navycopjoe at September 08, 2015 01:56 PM (2aatp)

19 in the land of castratti, the one-balled man is King

Posted by: himself at September 08, 2015 01:56 PM (8CdUx)

20

Well,, I've heard enough... I'm voting for Trump...

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at September 08, 2015 01:56 PM (HSmrB)

21 Wile E. Coyote rule on implosion: they don't fall until they look down.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at September 08, 2015 01:56 PM (xq1UY)

22
This whole election cycle reads like a Mitch Rapp novel.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 01:57 PM (8XRCm)

23 So when you make me ~~king~~ President, when I get into trouble, I will just quit, just like all the other times I got in trouble.

Posted by: TRUMP at September 08, 2015 01:57 PM (x4Fr7)

24 11 Too early for vodka?

that's almost a banning offence you know

Posted by: navycopjoe at September 08, 2015 01:57 PM (2aatp)

25 I wonder at the Biden polls. Is that lasting or just the typucal pre-announcement high?

Posted by: @votermom at September 08, 2015 01:57 PM (cbfNE)

26 Bernie Sanders... I've got chunks of guys like him in my stool.

Posted by: Mr. Donald Trump at September 08, 2015 01:57 PM (Ui7Rt)

27
That wont stop the GOP from trying to destroy Trump, such as leaking deferment tips.

Posted by: Soothsayer at September 08, 2015 01:57 PM (RGfpy)

28 He shoots his mouth off and sometimes says stupid things.When he does ,he doesn 't crawl on his belly in abject apology like the typical pol.I think that endears him to many.Again,non politician behavior.

Posted by: steevy at September 08, 2015 01:57 PM (sPO3u)

29 If there is another attack (Well, there will be. Just don't know when and how big, I'm sorry to say) The Feds would do everything to NOT show terrorists came over the Southern Border

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 01:58 PM (OSs/l)

30 you know, Trump could become president and I think he could actually be an okay president if we replaced Boehner and McConnell with actual conservatives.

Posted by: mallfly at September 08, 2015 01:58 PM (qSIlh)

31 Posted by: TRUMP at September 08, 2015 01:54 PM (x4Fr7)

Don't worry. We'll all come to our senses and push the Jeb! button.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 08, 2015 01:58 PM (W5DcG)

32 re 15: yes it is.

Posted by: mallfly at September 08, 2015 01:58 PM (qSIlh)

33 The first half of this post had me laughing and laughing. It's hard to mine Joe Biden for fresh material, but dang: "Meanwhile, the Silver Flame of Scranton, Joltin' Joe Biden has groped and inappropriately nuzzled his way into the bosom of the Democrat Party."

That puts a smile on your face almost as much as littering your front porch with great big shards of glass and dimming the lights just before the first trick-or-treaters show up.

Posted by: Nicholas Kronos at September 08, 2015 01:59 PM (m8cni)

34 And of course the Trump supporters won't care about this.
***
The supposed opposition party in DC is fully finding planned parenthood after we found out the latter broke the law and was making money harvesting human organs by killing babies.

I don't give a flying f*** as to what the mouthpiece of that supposed opposition party thinks I should be outraged about.

Posted by: 18-1 at September 08, 2015 01:59 PM (78TbK)

35 Trump should take a copy of this poll, fax it to Guild Navigator Stage Three McConnell, tell him to roll it up real tight, and cram it.

Posted by: G. Gordon Lightfoot at September 08, 2015 01:59 PM (fBape)

36 The form of the Destroyer has been chosen.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 08, 2015 01:59 PM (rwI+c)

37 Conservative voter: "I'm thinking about voting for Trump."

The Republican establishment: "Trump will say one thing and do another. He'll lie to your face repeatedly. When he's elected he'll act in a completely different way than he did as a candidate."

Conservative voter: "Oh. So you're saying Trump is one of you."

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 01:59 PM (noWW6)

38 Hillary was here this weekend and now I have all the windows open. Gotta get that boozy old woman smell outta the house before myinterns show up. It tastes good!

Posted by: Bill in Chappaqua at September 08, 2015 02:00 PM (nc+gz)

39
Someday, Ace, you'll admit you were wrong about Castle/ODonnell.

Posted by: Soothsayer at September 08, 2015 02:00 PM (RGfpy)

40 11,

Someone put her and Boehner on a drinking cruise somewhere.

Two lushes enter, one lush leaves.

Posted by: G. Gordon Lightfoot at September 08, 2015 02:00 PM (fBape)

41 The political class is starting to realize that the electorate doesn't want an established butthole like Hillary!, and is willing to follow teh crazee, if it's the only other game in town.

Posted by: model_1066 at September 08, 2015 02:00 PM (WEvvb)

42 I think Sanders trumps Hillary.

Posted by: Roy at September 08, 2015 02:00 PM (VndSC)

43 >>It is never too early for vodka.

I slip my first vodka soaked tampon in before I roll out of bed.

Posted by: Diane Sawyer at September 08, 2015 02:01 PM (ZHZBE)

44 Vodka? What kind of commie hellhole is this? It's valu-rite or beer only during work hours!

Posted by: @votermom at September 08, 2015 02:01 PM (cbfNE)

45 Here's the simple reason Trump is winning.

He seems like he'd be a fun guy to have a beer with. It's that stupid measure that Republicans fail at over and over again. Trump is fun. No one else in the race is fun.

We are at the point where we've all been fucked over by "our" politicians so many times that we are sick to death of politics. Give us the guy who's entertaining, and at least we burn laughing instead of crying.

Posted by: Lauren at September 08, 2015 02:01 PM (FhHZ5)

46 39,

I think we have a better shot of Rand Paul winning the nomination.

Posted by: G. Gordon Lightfoot at September 08, 2015 02:01 PM (fBape)

47 Trump has read Sun Tzu: Maneuver your opponent until the sun is in his eyes, then attack

attack, or in this case say something disorienting: Like telling jEB he is a 'low energy candidate'. jEB, OTOH, has read Abbot and Costello

Posted by: himself at September 08, 2015 02:01 PM (8CdUx)

48 Ace,

I agree with everything you say here. However,

1) the quote from Trump is in an upcoming biography, so I'd like to see the full context. Let's not jump on the media bandwagon (like that false story about the girls in India being sentanced to rape).

2) five years of military prep school might actually get you more military training than the average boot camp. Not combat experience, but training.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:02 PM (LXJ1e)

49 >>>How about a little bit of honesty from the anti-Trumpians, like this: You do Not care about these Trump remarks as you claim, and you claim that such remarks are the sort of things that would flip a Trump supporter to a Trump opponent.

But in fact you never supported Trump, and so it's rather easy for you to claim that every single damn thing out of Trump's mouth is worth "caring" about so much as to flip support into hostile opposition.
----------------
Liberals do this a lot to religious conservatives: if you believe Jesus' sayings you'd support a socialist government, etc. They use a specious argument about something they don't believe in and don't respect, in order to manipulate someone into behaving in ways that are convenient to them. It's a con job.

Posted by: Caitlyn Jenner at September 08, 2015 02:02 PM (E5UB0)

50 If Vin Weber is for it, I'm against it.

Posted by: bjk at September 08, 2015 02:02 PM (nReQz)

51 Trump's head weasel versus Slow Joe's hair plugs in a cage match: Who wins?

Posted by: joncelli the Really Fat Police Dog at September 08, 2015 02:02 PM (RD7QR)

52 He can't win, he'll be destroyed by Hillary or any other Democrat. It appears he wouldn't, at least per this one poll.

Of course he will, the MSM will be wall-to-wall "crazy Trump" as soon as he's the candidate. But the main argument against Trump isn't that he's a terrible candidate (though he is), it's that he's a terrible Republican.

The polls are basically meaningless at this point.

Posted by: TallDave at September 08, 2015 02:02 PM (/s1LA)

53 Hillary's poll numbers have fallen -- and they can't get up!

Don't waste a LifeAlert sponsorship on her.

Posted by: rickb223 at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (W4LFA)

54
I'm coming to get ya, Hillary!
*Chugga chugga chugga chugga CHOO CHOO*

Posted by: Joe Biden driving the demonic train at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (OiH3z)

55 If Trump had been a soldier, your head would've spun with how many crazed terrorists and Nazis he would've taken out. Vietnam. He would've won that.

Anyway, his comment was stupid, but not the most stupid thing that has been said in the last week.

Posted by: Hillary's alcoholic depression at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (T1Jm0)

56 I have a neighbor that is willing to burn everything he has rather than admit that he's insane. He's a Hillary! supporter.

Posted by: model_1066 at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (WEvvb)

57 In before trumpetdoody?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (HAxPE)

58 Hey listen, we're jailing Christians in America and parting out babies like they're Buicks, they're is likely not much that Trump could say or do that would dissuade me from voting for him.

Trump is disruptive to the new world order/uni-party, and that's a good thing.

Posted by: Kreplach at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (0tvq+)

59 The problem is, that with Low Info Voters, and those who have turned off of politics, the outrage tactic works

They can say 'Romney has binders full of women' and people believe them...

Just as the Sarah Palin "I can see Russia from my house' line is thought, by most, to be what she really said.

Because it was short... and POPULAR to say she said that.

Note however, that the outrage game is primarily played ONLY against the right... the media will not publicize the lefts outrageous statements, thus the LIVs never hear about them...

Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (qh617)

60 So Rupert Murdoch is loving him some Uncle Joe. I guess that means that Faux News fans are going to be spoon fed a lot more positive coverage of Uncle Joe, complete with some fool or another on the All Star Panel pronouncing that Uncle Joe is the more 'conservative' Dem in the race.

Posted by: bystanders at September 08, 2015 02:04 PM (hKyl0)

61 What I'm hearing you say is that we're all on board for Rick Perry, right?

Posted by: JohnJ at September 08, 2015 02:04 PM (TF/YA)

62 Fun times

Posted by: MTF at September 08, 2015 02:04 PM (TxJGV)

63
Supporting ODonnell was about principle. We TruCons knew exactly what we'd get with Castle -- you're seeing a Castle-controlled Senate, now.

If that's just silly posturing...

Posted by: Soothsayer at September 08, 2015 02:04 PM (RGfpy)

64 So Trump pointing out that he went to a military school is a gaffe? As compared to what exactly from Jeb! Hillary! Bernie! Slo Joe! or the rest of the clowns running? As far as I know the only person in the race with more of a military background than Trump is Rick Perry who is polling a healthy 0.0%.

In a "who is the tallest" competition among dwarves - the tallest dwarf wins.

Sorry Ace I don't think this is a major or even a minor problem for Trump.

Posted by: An Observation at September 08, 2015 02:04 PM (o/upK)

65 We are driving off of a cliff.

We've got Hillary/Sanders/Biden on the left yelling [o]floor it h8ters gravity is racyss!

On the "right", but actually sitting on the gear shift we have the JEB saying it would be h8teful and rayciss to apply the brakes.

Then you've got Trump saying now's the time to hit the brakes.

Which is the crazy play here? I mean maybe Trump is lying, but most of the other options are telling you they are taking us off the cliff for our own good...

Posted by: 18-1 at September 08, 2015 02:04 PM (78TbK)

66 Did someone mention tits?

Posted by: Killerdog at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (dyNnE)

67 damn, ace can write sometimes.

Yeah, as a trump-curious super-con...I care not about things I should care about because I only now care about immigration. The smart set of the GOP has decided that "everything else" in my super con aresenal is already lost. so fuck it, and fuck you, super-smart GOP establishment, you wanted to strip party of all that yuky socon stuff? Fine.

Won't budge on immigration because it's existential.

Tax cuts for fucking liberal millionaire dipshits? Fuck em.

Abortion? Oh, u mean the issue u cacn't even defund PP on? Oh, not my hill to die on.

so what else? oh you gave up on that too as it drives moderates from the GOP? well fuck you then.

close the border.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (9aeyG)

68 I got into this race to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of gum.

Just kidding, I have plenty of fabulous gum. Really tremendous gum.

Posted by: Mr. Donald Trump at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (Ui7Rt)

69 I didn't like that from Geraghty this morning. He's doing what a lot of the establishment do - preemptively insult Trump's supporters.

Trump is an opportunistic liberal who has managed to tap into something real. This doesn't make him a viable candidate for a conservative, but it doesn't mean we can't cheer him on for his useful points, especially his piercing of the media veil.

On Twitter, John Nolte of Breibart has been relentless (and obnoxiously - to the point of diluting his argument) making the point that you can be anti-Trump without insulting 25% of the electorate.

Geraghty, et.al. not only seem to miss this point, they focus on the very few name-calling racists and attempt to impute those statements to the 25%.

Posted by: duke at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (mDxGf)

70 >>She's imploding right now in front of our eyes!

When all that evil and hate finally collapses in on itself, the resulting release of energy is going to be awesome to witness.

Posted by: Diane Sawyer at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (ZHZBE)

71 56,

And yet he proves the old adage about doing the same thing and yet expectingn different results.

Posted by: G. Gordon Lightfoot at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (fBape)

72 America is *hic* in play!

Posted by: Peggy Noonan at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (9TK8E)

73 five years of military prep school might actually get you more military training than the average boot camp.

Boot camp just teaches you to follow orders and weeds out those who won't.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 08, 2015 02:06 PM (W5DcG)

74 Trump has learned at least one thing from his association with Democrats: if you're saying something your base wants to hear, you don't need to apologize for it. Period. End Stop.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at September 08, 2015 02:06 PM (2lndx)

75 Rush just read off a list from Conservative Treehouse about the GOPe's various perfidies that Trump (pun intended) anything the Trump Hairpiece ever said or did. Thad Cochran, anyone? Yet, I don't recall the NRO folks going ON and ON and ON about those things.

Trump is a narcissistic blowhard, yes. His comment about the military was stupid and shallow, yes. But he is blowing hard about what people have been wanting to hear for ages. Sure, he may be full of crap. But it's better not to be sure if your guy will deliver on his promises than to support people who have openly expressed contempt about your values.

It has been said by many that the GOPe created Trump mania. But they refuse to learn from it. And people like the folks at NRO continue engaging in extremely childish displays of Trump Derangement Syndrome, rather than bemoan the rise of Trump while pointing out to the establishment how they caused it and what they could do to rectify the situation. (Too little too late, but still.)

Trump is not the problem. He isn't the one who caused the party faithful to lose faith with the GOP. They did that all by themselves.

My main regret is that the Trump thing is sucking the air out of everything and we don't get to hear much from some of our more worthy candidates. But that's the media's fault.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at September 08, 2015 02:06 PM (SEFXb)

76 it doesn't matter WHAT Trump says: That's the point. Ze point is that
Trump can f*ck with them 24/7 and they'll can't punish him or stop him

This. I'm sure there are a fair number of folks who support Trump because they think he'll deliver everything he's running on. Those folks are, I think, movable as a consequence of his actions (people who were won over by that Bible is my favorite book thing may think again when he doesn't defend the clerk in Kentucky, people who like the rhetoric about fixing the VA, may give a second thought due to this gaffe, etc.)

The question is haw much is folks like me who are on team Trump purely out of 'fuck the gope'? If you've concluded that the other candidates will give you none of what you want (Jeb, Kasich, Rubio etc) or mean well but can't deliver with the gope running congress (Jindal, Cruz), all that really matters is that he keeps upsetting them (in which case the loyalty oath last week would be a mark against him, if anyone thought he took it seriously).

Heck, show me a poll with Jindal or Cruz in second and I'll jump ship. But until then there's no reason not to tell the pollster I'm with the wrecking ball.

Posted by: Methos at September 08, 2015 02:06 PM (ZbV+0)

77 I have a neighbor that is willing to burn everything he has rather than admit that he's insane. He's a Hillary! supporter.
***
Ask him if he can spare some money to help us buy back Hillary's emails so the FBI can actually look through them.

Posted by: 18-1 at September 08, 2015 02:06 PM (78TbK)

78
I find myself in the Anti-party. Anti-trump and Anti-GOPe. rock-hard place. longbow-crossbow. etc.

I'll just sit here between this rock and this hard place with my long bow and crossbow. Watching. and laughing.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at September 08, 2015 02:07 PM (ODxAs)

79 Did someone mention tits?

Posted by: Killerdog at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (dyNnE)

No, but

HOT TOPLESS REDHEADS!

Posted by: Hrothgar at September 08, 2015 02:07 PM (ftVQq)

80 So the GOPe describes Trump as a heretic? Well, shit. Those cockbites oughta know.

Posted by: maddogg at September 08, 2015 02:08 PM (xWW96)

81 Yeah, Trump can be quite cringe-inducing. A lot of it seems to happen because he likes to get up to the podium and wing it, a sort of stream-of-consciousness thing instead of a scripted, telepromptered performance. This would be the downside of him being the non-politician.

I am so tired of hair-trigger outrage at any GOP candidate. I'm just filing away these things and will review them as they accumulate instead of jumping from one "OMG, he/she said *what*?" moment to the next.

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:08 PM (NOIQH)

82
Did someone mention tits?

Posted by: Killerdog at September 08, 2015 02:05 PM (dyNnE)

___________________

Wanna' see mine?

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at September 08, 2015 02:08 PM (HSmrB)

83 So to the point of this post, the only thing that will probably get people off Team Trump is if he stops being entertaining. Not likely.

Posted by: Lauren at September 08, 2015 02:08 PM (FhHZ5)

84 Note however, that the outrage game is primarily played ONLY against the right... the media will not publicize the lefts outrageous statements, thus the LIVs never hear about them...
Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 02:03 PM (qh617)

-----

Case in point.... my libtard brother was prattling on about a trendy quote of Palim's that immigrants should learn to speak "American".

I countered with Obama's speaking Austrian, there being 57 states, and that a "corpseman" is now in the chain of command.

He had heard of NONE of those slips of Obamas tongues and was flabbergasted I could pull them up on Youtube instantaneously.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:08 PM (8XRCm)

85 and really, at this point, all the millionaire class are gay-o-phile liberals who would import all of Zimbabwe and Syria if they could rid themselves of the wrong kind of white people.

Here we are, the not quite as rich set, who still feel a weird tingling sensation for the fucking country, which is not just dirt and a set of welfare options for anyone who can dump a child on said dirt, but the people who lived here. Not "may eventually live here" but "lived here" our previous generations that begat us. and the kids we'll eventually have. not whatever DACA trainload of 35 year old "kids" obama wants to unload on us as his weirdo racist revenge fantasy against white america.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:09 PM (9aeyG)

86 2) five years of military prep school might actually get you more military training than the average boot camp. Not combat experience, but training.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:02 PM (LXJ1e)

During the Civil War, the Virginia Military Institute Cadets marched off post, and into combat... as cadets.

Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 02:09 PM (qh617)

87 Fuck Jeb and his button.

Posted by: Killerdog at September 08, 2015 02:09 PM (dyNnE)

88 The way to get people to accept your preferred policies and your preferred order of prioritization of issues is to actually talk about policies and prioritization, not engage in this silly, endless He Said a Dirty Word tattle-taling.

-------------------------------------------

Yeah. Leave the dirty words to the Horde. We're professionals.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 02:09 PM (Fmupd)

89
Which are the "more worthy" candidates?

Please dont say Carly Purina or Scott Walker.

Posted by: Soothsayer at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (RGfpy)

90 So, you want tits? Feast yer eyeballs on these.

http://goo.gl/lXtPjg

Posted by: maddogg at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (xWW96)

91 Political Punditry, particularly the social media variety, seems to be the playground of the mentally troubled. I don't know how some of these guys can't see their desperation to take Trump down is not very persuasive. I wonder if they just think it will burn out and want to be seen as "on the right side" when it happens.

It's almost like it's a tribal thing. They have to see they are coming across like a hysteric, don't they? A guy like, say, AG Conservative on Twitter will spend some time talking about how Trump supporters are idiots and dead weight on the cause, and then spend the next 12 hours with a barrage of tweets, trying to persuade these people he doesn't care about. How is that rational? They're dead weight losers, right?

I will not vote for Trump, but this has been very instructive for me. I'm glad he's shown how little I really have in common with a lot of people I used to pay some attention to.

Posted by: Dave S. at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (wedPR)

92 endless He Said a Dirty Word tattle-taling.
***
it worked to kill palin, so now everyone wants to do it.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (9aeyG)

93 Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at September 08, 2015 02:06 PM (SEFXb)

Well said, and I too am very very sorry other worthwhile candidates aren't getting any attention.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (OSs/l)

94 Did someone mention tits?

Big tits.

With well defined tan lines.

That's how you bait an Ewok trap.

Posted by: Diane Sawyer at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (ZHZBE)

95
I'm still drunk from Labor Day weekend.

Posted by: Peggy ItsNoonSomewhere at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (nc+gz)

96
Case in point.... my libtard brother was prattling on about a trendy quote of Palim's that immigrants should learn to speak "American".

I countered with Obama's speaking Austrian, there being 57 states, and that a "corpseman" is now in the chain of command.

He had heard of NONE of those slips of Obamas tongues and was flabbergasted I could pull them up on Youtube instantaneously.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:08 PM (8XRCm)

and sadly.... once again... Sarah was right... we do speak American. We have our own slang, and its distinctly different than any other English speakers throughout the world.

Its like the various dialects of Spanish... different enough to where its almost a separate language at times.

Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (qh617)

97 In other important news...
Is there going to be NFL picks this year?

Posted by: tom_06060 at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (z04hE)

98 "Finally, in a Survey USA poll, Trump beats all Democrat candidates."

I caught just a few short minutes of Trump on the radio and heard him say that his priority right now is, get this, _winning the election_. Well! Imagine that! The nerve of this upstart! Focused on winning? I never!

Fire in the belly? He has YUUUUUUGE fire.

Compare this to the last two Republican nominees for fire in the belly.

John McCain, in Grandpa Simpson's voice: "Weh-ayl, I recall I may once have had fire in the belly. Or at least a mild sensation of warmth somewhere down there next to the onion I was wearing on my belt. Which was the fashion at the time. Or this darn bladder control problem might have cropped up again. It's hard to tell. Is it time for my nap?"

The Mittbot 3000: "I. CANNOT. ACTUALLY. EXPERIENCE. HUMAN. SENSATIONS. AS. SUCH. BUT. I. HAVE. BEEN. PROGRAMMED. TO. HAVE. A. VIRTUAL. SIMULACRUM. OF. FIRE. IN. MY. ABDOMINAL. COMPARTMENT. WITHOUT. THE. EXTINGUISHER. SYSTEM. ACTIVATING."

Trump by ten lengths.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (noWW6)

99 Posted by: Methos at September 08, 2015 02:06 PM (ZbV+0)

Ace, as usual, captured my mood exactly (paraphrased):

I'm tired of the same GOP Cartel bastards lying to me for the past few decades, I am now more than ready to have a new guy lie to me for a decade or so!

Posted by: Hrothgar at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (ftVQq)

100 Geraghty, et.al. not only seem to miss this point, they focus on the
very few name-calling racists and attempt to impute those statements to
the 25%.
***
The GOPe would rather lose the election and still have their seat at the pork trough then win and actually have to cut the budget.

So if a quarter of the R party has now woken up and won't vote for a conservative who will cut the budget, the GOPe is ok with finishing second behind the Dems...

Posted by: 18-1 at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (78TbK)

101
I can tell none of you read the whole post..

Posted by: Soothsayer at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (RGfpy)

102 I will not vote for Trump, but this has been very instructive for me. I'm glad he's shown how little I really have in common with a lot of people I used to pay some attention to.

Your eyes are opening, padawan. You shall join the ranks of Burn GOPe in due time.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (9krrF)

103 64 So Trump pointing out that he went to a military school is a gaffe? As compared to what exactly from Jeb! Hillary! Bernie! Slo Joe! or the rest of the clowns running? As far as I know the only person in the race with more of a military background than Trump is Rick Perry who is polling a healthy 0.0%.

In a "who is the tallest" competition among dwarves - the tallest dwarf wins.

Sorry Ace I don't think this is a major or even a minor problem for Trump.

Posted by: An Observation at September 08, 2015 02:04 PM (o/upK)

----------------

The day the political system broke is when Biden in the 2008 Dem convention said that Obama should be President because he was a community organizer in the mean streets of Chicago.

Hell, Trump is a Washington and Lincoln combined in comparison.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (LXJ1e)

104 Jesus Christ Ace, I've never witnessed such a brutal assault on the strawman community. It was a veritable strawman genocide. As quick as you could set them up, you mowed them down.

Pro-Trump strawmen, anti-Trump strawmen - didn't matter. It's like you're the bisexual equivalent of slaying strawmen.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (1RNgT)

105 Over a hundred and not a Republican Toady to be seen. The times, they are achangin'.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 08, 2015 02:11 PM (rwI+c)

106 "The way to get people to accept your preferred policies and your preferred order of prioritization of issues is to actually talk about policies and prioritization, not engage in this silly, endless He Said a Dirty Word tattle-taling."--Ace

Most Americans agree with Trump's proposals on illegal immigration, in fact, 59 percent want all illegals deported. NRO and the other Establishments squishes cannot address the issue honestly and squarely because they can't win that way. They are losing (likely lost irretrievably) on this issue so should give it a try, but they are stupid that way.

Posted by: Adios at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (pq97T)

107 Oops.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (rwI+c)

108 Actually, let me revise that since we know where the problem concentrates: Burn K Street.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (9krrF)

109 Wanna' see mine?

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at September 08, 2015 02:08 PM (HSmrB)

No. Leave your pants on.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (HAxPE)

110 There is plenty of 'oxygen' for the other candidates. It can be found along the US/Mexico border.

Free advice, losers.

Posted by: Mr. Donald Trump at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (Ui7Rt)

111 hey, let's not forget, Hillary! wanted to join the Marines. Semper Thighs and all that.

Posted by: mallfly at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (qSIlh)

112 "America is in play"

As are we.

Posted by: New York Electoral College at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (e8ge6)

113 Sockoff

Posted by: Garrett at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (ZHZBE)

114 This is a very long response to NRO's Jonah Goldberg spelling out in great detail why people are not as outraged as he is with Trump. It's basically, "yeah, well you weren't outraged when the establishment stabbed us in the back all these eleventy-billion times, so forgive me if I'm not feeling it now..."

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/09/07/
an-open-letter-to-jonah-goldberg-re-the-gop-and-donald-trump/

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:12 PM (NOIQH)

115 So, you want tits? Feast yer eyeballs on these. http://goo.gl/lXtPjg
Posted by: maddogg at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (xWW96)

-------------------------------

I. Am. Not. Clicking. That.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 02:13 PM (Fmupd)

116 am I supposed to be pissed about trump saying boarding school is zippidy doo dah military service? Do you think I think that he thinks that he considers himself a vet?

no.

ok, FYNQ.

My concern, as a trump-curious super con (TCSC) is that he's lying his ass off. But, you know, the thing about whatever pile of psychological disorders it is that makes up the Trump, I bet being pissed at the libs for their shrieking about raaayyciiissss border stuff will make his mind up about that issue.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:13 PM (9aeyG)

117 Probably the most entertaining thing about Trump is the way his popularity exposes the bullshit of the GOPe folks who have been telling me that I should vote for their favorite squish because he is electable. Well, right now the polls are saying that Donald Trump is electable.

Certainly, Trump is not my first choice as a nominee. He is not even my third of fourth choice but since there is very little chance that Bobby Jindal will be at the top of the ticket next year, I guess I will just have to exhibit the same party loyalty I showed when I held my nose and voted for McCain and Romney. Only this time I will enjoy the squirming of the high priests of Chamber of Commerce Republican politics either reluctantly endorsing Trump or displaying the same lack of loyalty that they showed when they let Ken Cuccinelli lose the Governor's race in Virginia.

Posted by: Obnoxious A-Hole at September 08, 2015 02:13 PM (QHgTq)

118 Cocoon->Butterfly

http://preview.tinyurl.com/nd98bju

Posted by: Caitlyn Jenner at September 08, 2015 02:13 PM (E5UB0)

119 Question.... and a serious one...

I have been told in many election cycles, that I must support the Repub candidates whole heartedly, so the Dems will not win...

I must not speak evil of them at all....

If I do, I am (and I quote) 'a traitor to the US'...

Seeing as how Trump is in the lead... does this same standard now apply to those who don't like Trump?

Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 02:13 PM (qh617)

120 "Conservative voter: "Oh. So you're saying Trump is one of you.""

Yeah, this is where I'm at.

Ace, you're always going on about honesty, but most of the time you mean hypocrisy, i.e. verbally promoting one thing and behaving differently or the opposite. Sometimes you man "irony," too, as in "I wish socons would admit that their support for Trump is ironic given their social positions," and so on.

One thing I'd like to see more of in American politics is, however, honesty. Honesty about what people really *want.* I wish Dems for example would say "we want more socialism because we don't want you lesser-degreed varmints determining how we DC Elites spend your money." I wish Reps would say "we want to make it easier for people to get rich, and we want to put an end to things like elective infanticide." If we could get people to be honest about their real goals, that would be helpful.

But there's too much disagreement about those goals -- many of them tug in opposite directions -- to make honesty politically profitable.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:14 PM (c9G2j)

121 So, you want tits? Feast yer eyeballs on these.

http://goo.gl/lXtPjg
Posted by: maddogg at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (xWW96)

-----

Heh.... guess "who" has a new Facbook Profile Pic.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:14 PM (8XRCm)

122 Posted by: maddogg at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (xWW96)

Dayum, I'll never learn!

Posted by: Hrothgar at September 08, 2015 02:14 PM (ftVQq)

123 Pro-Trump strawmen, anti-Trump strawmen - didn't matter. It's like you're the bisexual equivalent of slaying strawmen.

Straw-curious?

But seriously, no. He's right. I still don't really have a candidate as the others have disqualified themselves one way or another. Trump's a hate-vote and that's that for me. Now as for how he's catching on among the LIVs...well. That just makes it more interesting.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:14 PM (9krrF)

124 Barack Obama is a SCOAMT.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 02:15 PM (kff5f)

125 "So, you want tits?"

See, that's honesty.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:15 PM (c9G2j)

126 Burn it down.
Scatter the stones.
Salt the earth where it stood.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 02:15 PM (kff5f)

127 >>>>Sorry Ace I don't think this is a major or even a minor problem for Trump.
.
.
.From what I have seen so far, every time someone says Trump screwed the pooch on something he said or did, his polls numbers go up. Just sayin......

Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at September 08, 2015 02:15 PM (iONHu)

128
Wow. Teh Ewok really HATED this movie, didn't he?

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at September 08, 2015 02:16 PM (1QsMy)

129 with my long bow and crossbow. Watching. and laughing.
Fence-sitter.

Posted by: andycanuck at September 08, 2015 02:16 PM (7eC3Q)

130
Well..... Ace has revised his thread with a dark ending....

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:16 PM (8XRCm)

131 As Peggy Noonan said, "America is in play." Meaning, everything taken as Sacred Dogma is now open to question.

Except the 10th Amendment. That remains dead and buried, never to be spoken of again in polite society. Thus spake Lord Justice Kennedy.

Posted by: wooga at September 08, 2015 02:16 PM (t5sHJ)

132 But seriously, no. He's right. I still don't really have a candidate as the others have disqualified themselves one way or another. Trump's a hate-vote and that's that for me. Now as for how he's catching on among the LIVs...well. That just makes it more interesting.

***

Trump-Curious, Super-Con

Exactly, fuck you GOP.

IF you want me to vote like a big boy, find a big boy candidate that sings the song that trump sings. Use the pretty words, tell me I am pretty and smart!

And oh, you can't say Trump drives moderates from the GOP because he's beating the donks among the zero information voters we've sacraficed all our values to in a losing effort to get them to vote for us.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:16 PM (9aeyG)

133 I wish Reps would say "we want to make it easier for people to get rich, and we want to put an end to things like elective infanticide."

Objection, based upon prior behavior "we want to make it easier for rich people and transnationals to maintain massive bins of money, in which they may swim like Scrooge McDuck" is a far more accurate read of what the GOP seems to want.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:17 PM (9krrF)

134 >>can tell none of you read the whole post..

Stop stepping on my toes.

I don't come in here and start predicting shit and fucking your monkeys, do I?

Posted by: Captain Obvious at September 08, 2015 02:17 PM (ZHZBE)

135 >>...than this continued polite-but-completely-dishonest game of trumping up every Trump remark into the So Bad It's Practically Racist and Thus Disqualifying category

AMEN!

Isn't that exactly what the Left does to all GOP politicians? Geez, pundits, why would we be receptive to it when you do it to Trump after watching our side pummeled with this every day in the MSM since forever?

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:17 PM (NOIQH)

136 iJeb actually has said some pretty reasonable things that are seized on as incredibly gaffetastic and stupid but since he has already stated his position as an anti-Conservative Base cadidate he gets hit and it sticks. Same for Mitt in the last race. He said a lot of things I liked but was so, I don't know, manufactured and CoC that I just couldn't support him. Though if my State had been iffy on going Red I woulda hadda rethunk that. Trump is expected to say things that Muhammed Ali would have said at this point. "I am the Greatest" is subsumed by "And I'll shut down the current royalty". It also turned out that Ali really was one of the greats but who knew at the time?

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 02:17 PM (V/Ue9)

137 Only this time I will enjoy the squirming of the
high priests of Chamber of Commerce Republican politics either
reluctantly endorsing Trump or displaying the same lack of loyalty that
they showed when they let Ken Cuccinelli lose the Governor's race in
Virginia.

Posted by: Obnoxious A-Hole at September 08, 2015 02:13 PM (QHgTq)

My bitterness over their betrayal of Cuccinelli isn't going away any time soon!

Posted by: Hrothgar at September 08, 2015 02:17 PM (ftVQq)

138 "Trump is a narcissistic blowhard, yes. His comment about the military was stupid and shallow, yes."

Tom Cruise seemed to suffer no lapse in popularity with the public after he famously opined that being an actor on an action movie set is _just as hard a grind_ as serving in real combat under incoming fire.

Americans are, as a general rule, spectacularly dumb. Americans feel kinship with prominent people who are dumb. Americans will forgive dumb statements.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 02:18 PM (noWW6)

139 Ace, I don't mean this to come across as if I'm sucking up to you because I am serious.

In my opinion, you have done a really good job covering this issue. You don't shy away from pointing out crazy stuff Trump does, but you also recognize a lot of his support for what it is and have refrained from gratuitous insults or mindless cheerleading.

I must say you have covered it in a very clear headed way, something which, sadly, has been lacking in the punditry. Whether or not I agree with your POV, your posts on this (and so many other topics) are always worth reading.

And thank you for coining "failure theater."

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at September 08, 2015 02:18 PM (SEFXb)

140
I see the comments had a bold start.
IfSenile Joe orKooky Sanders wins the WH I will either drink myself to death, or build an underground bunker and not come out for 10 years.

Posted by: Tilikum Killer Assault Whale at September 08, 2015 02:18 PM (uhftQ)

141 cavil

Right, the point is that to be honest, people need to be honest about their goals.

You can't expect people to be honest about policies or facts if they can't first be honest about what they really want.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:18 PM (c9G2j)

142 You're all taking this out of context. Let's go back to talking about Megyn Kelly's vagina.

Posted by: The Don Trump at September 08, 2015 02:19 PM (3tjn4)

143 Joe Biden, who looks like Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, came to my office a few years ago asking if my beautiful daughter Ivanka could give him a makeover.

I said no.

Posted by: Mr. Donald Trump at September 08, 2015 02:19 PM (Ui7Rt)

144 Is Trump eligebrle to becomes Presdent because he was not born in this country as far as we know in Brattleboro. President Obama should check this out if Trump is lying...

Posted by: Mary Clogginstein from Brattleboro, VT at September 08, 2015 02:19 PM (lNSdJ)

145 Isn't that exactly what the Left does to all GOP politicians?

Tells you something about what the GOPe is, doesn't it?

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:19 PM (9krrF)

146 going boldly where no man has gone before?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 08, 2015 02:20 PM (u6ZjY)

147
Here's Huma's tits...
http://goo.gl/lXtPjg

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at September 08, 2015 02:20 PM (HSmrB)

148 I wonder if the GOP has any other viable candidate at this point, other than Trump?

One great thing about his running is how he exposed Scott Walker as a weak-minded neophyte, Jeb as the low-wattage Donor Class troll that he is, and the remaining candidates as peripheral. It's early yet, and there's plenty of time for a Cruz or a Fiorina maybe, to make a run, but you have to wonder.

Posted by: MTF at September 08, 2015 02:20 PM (TxJGV)

149
Trump-Curious, Super-Con

Exactly, fuck you GOP.

IF you want me to vote like a big boy, find a big boy candidate that sings the song that trump sings. Use the pretty words, tell me I am pretty and smart!

And oh, you can't say Trump drives moderates from the GOP because he's beating the donks among the zero information voters we've sacraficed all our values to in a losing effort to get them to vote for us.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:16 PM (9aeyG)

Epiphany...... lightning just struck my brain...

We are given TWO choices... Democrats, or the Vichy GOP...

That is the ONLY choice Washington wishes us to have...

Trump.... is like having 'None of the Above' on the ballot...

Its not what Trump IS that matters.... so much as what he is NOT.... ie part of the Washington Cabal... (note, who is the other GOP frontrunner??? another 'none of the above').

Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 02:20 PM (qh617)

150 Fine movie review there. Left out the volcano scene, though...

Certainly, it's fun to watch the day to day handwringing over, well, whatever, but the reality is that the outrage du hour on the interwebz is just that.

Remember the lion hunter? Turns out the protests couldn't gin up a half dozen people on his return.

Most of this chatter rates a "meh"...

Posted by: anon a mouse at September 08, 2015 02:20 PM (FTYF8)

151 138 "Trump is a narcissistic blowhard, yes. His comment about the military was stupid and shallow, yes."

It reminded me of a man who likened his sons' work on his campaign as being service to the nation, a different path from military service.

That man was Mitt Romney, and the year was 2007.

And NRO did not declare him an unserious candidate in a spittle-crazed rant.

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 02:21 PM (88fBD)

152

How about a little bit of honesty from the anti-Trumpians, like this: You do Not care about these Trump remarks as you claim, and you claim that such remarks are the sort of things that would flip a Trump supporter to a Trump opponent.

But in fact you never supported Trump, and so it's rather easy for you
to claim that every single damn thing out of Trump's mouth is worth
"caring" about so much as to flip support into hostile opposition.

In fact, I'd say it's more than easy -- I'd say it's hypocritical, phony, hysterical, and a touch dishonest.

You're right that I will never vote for Trump. I will also never vote for Jeb, or for Hillary, all for the same reason: none of them are even close to conservative.

When I first heard those remarks from Trump, I wasn't "outraged", I was generally unmoved, actually. Of course it is stupid what he said. But in terms of its impact, his statement is just more dumb shit that Trump said that won't change anyone's mind one way or another.

I mean, John Kerry basically said that the US Army is populated by losers who didn't have any other options in life. We all rightly jumped on him for that. It's insulting. But now here is Trump who belittles the soldiers in the US Army, comparing them to little more than prep school cadets. Can't you easily imagine John Kerry saying the same thing with his Brahmin Boston accent?

Posted by: chemjeff at September 08, 2015 02:21 PM (x4Fr7)

153 "going boldly where no man has gone before?"

I feel ya, I really do.

Posted by: Bill Clinton at September 08, 2015 02:21 PM (c9G2j)

154 Why do I give Trump a pass?

Because I voted for McCain and Romney and they both looked Obama in the eye and gave that evil jug-eared commie a pass.

Next question, please?

Posted by: just another trump-curious tru-con at September 08, 2015 02:22 PM (e8ge6)

155 Something about the center not holding. The center of this country ceded its power a long time ago. Pass the popcorn.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 02:22 PM (gmeXX)

156 >>Tells you something about what the GOPe is, doesn't it?

Yeah, and I didn't like it the first time around when the GOP establishment and conservative media did it to Sarah Palin.

Was she perfect? Heck, no! But on a ticket w/McCain, against that windbag junior Senator of murky background, they chose to complain about *her*? WTF?

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:22 PM (NOIQH)

157 MTF

I'm seeing Carson bumperstickers.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:22 PM (c9G2j)

158 Am I going to have to admit Nate Silver was right about stuff again?

Because it burns, it burns.

A note on the TruCon thing and the supposedly burnination of principles.

As a TruCon in good standing, I've been told for oooohhhh 20+ years that I am a childish brat for demanding that my vote be given to a candidate who will advance my principles. Electability and moderates and politics is the art of the possible and all that, don't you worry your pretty little head and let the grown ups do the talking dear.

Well. Challenge accepted. Hey, I'm not the one who said principles aren't the most important thing. Hmm? What's that? Oh, I wasn't supposed to take you seriously about that?

Well, bless my heart, I was just trying to listen to My Betters and do what they said. *blink blink blink*

Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 02:22 PM (mf5HN)

159
I will say I like one thing Trump did (although in an a-holish way) is he makes the other candidates on the debate stage uncomfortable and look silly with their 30-second consumer-tested survey-oriented non-answers.

I always hated that in politics. I think people are tired of that, and it really shines a light on somebody so fake as Hillary.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at September 08, 2015 02:23 PM (ODxAs)

160 >>>Not only is he a boastful vulgarian (higher-class people do not proclaim their superiority; they instead suggest it by more subtle means)

So, IOW, Trump should be a rap star. That seems to be all they do, which is why I can't stand rap. But Trump says the right things on the issues that matter most to me.

Posted by: Caitlyn Jenner at September 08, 2015 02:23 PM (E5UB0)

161 Its not what Trump IS that matters.... so much as what he is NOT.... ie part of the Washington Cabal... (note, who is the other GOP frontrunner??? another 'none of the above').
Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 02:20 PM (qh617)

-----
Current GOP frontrunners

Trump
Ben
Carly
Cruz
... everybody else.

Dear GOPe. This is what, in vernacular terms, is known as a "fucking clue".

In THAT

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:23 PM (8XRCm)

162 Without reading all the comments...

I think what AP is missing here (and you may be as well, ace) is that many of us (especially here) actually embrace the Trumpiness. About half the *point* is that he's going to say insane crap like this. Because he is not a serious candidate.

I said this at the end of last week- Trump is a serious contender. He may well be the next President of the United States (admit it: you just giggled a little). But he is not a serious candidate. I doubt he has any deeply held political views beyond, to steal from AtC, "My good is *a* good."

This would be a sin from Jeb! or Cruz or Walker because they are serious candidates, and serious candidates are expected to say serious things. I can wave away a mis-stated point, or a "57 states" kind of thing even from them. This kind of thing would be a no-go.

For Trump, though, it's different because I'm not supporting him as a serious candidate with serious positions who should be taken seriously. I'm supporting him as someone who showed up with a can of gasoline, a Zippo, a fire-hook, and two tons of rock salt and is in the process of destroying the DOPe.

I wouldn't expect/require my janitor to speak knowledgeably on my IT issues, and I wouldn't expect/require my IT guy to speak knowledgeably on the best solvent for the guys' restroom.

If someone could convince me that the Republican Party was worth saving (say... because they'd suddenly actually become Conservative and started fighting for Conservative goals), then I'd be horrified at the thought of Trump for President.

As it is? Here, Mr Trump, have some more gasoline.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 02:23 PM (kff5f)

163 "belittles the soldiers in the US Army, comparing them to little more than prep school cadets"

honesty

Posted by: just another trump-curious tru-con at September 08, 2015 02:23 PM (e8ge6)

164 It's almost like it's a tribal thing. They have to see they are coming across like a hysteric, don't they?

Posted by: Dave S. at September 08, 2015 02:10 PM (wedPR)

Exactly. It's really sad. I have lost some respect for some commentators I read regularly.

It really just displays a lack of self control. The people who lament how undignified Trump is can't see how undignified their behavior is.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at September 08, 2015 02:24 PM (SEFXb)

165 Am I going to have to admit Nate Silver was right about stuff again?
***
What specifically?

Posted by: 18-1 at September 08, 2015 02:24 PM (78TbK)

166 I don't why people sometimes need to apologize if they like something Ace wrote. It's not sucking up. Sucking up, IMO, is when you flatter someone in order to get something or get ahead. If you like something he wrote, Chique, what is Ace, going to do, give you $1000 or a job promotion? If I say I like what he wrote is he going to make me a Bishop? ;^) Will we get the super platinum diamond encrusted membership?

And you're right; It is a good essay.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 02:24 PM (OSs/l)

167 Trump's remarks about the military are on the same level as Palin's statement about what she reads.

Both were perfectly acceptable and actually pretty good answers.

Only in the battered minds of east coast elite guild of almost conservative writers is this questionable to the point of passing around the smelling salts.

And then these same blogkeepers and wordsmiths wonder where all the good candidates are, after they've done everything in their power to sweep the best ones aside.

Good lord.

Trump's knowledge of military history, strategy and tactics, along with a strong sense of the military's dedication to honor and tradition would be well established at one of the country's elite military prep schools. Far more than just going through boot camp and MOS training.

People with no earthly idea of what the military is about wouldn't know that, but it wouldn't stop them from writing articles gasping for breath at the apparent shock that someone not in the military would claim any knowledge about it.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 02:24 PM (Zs4uk)

168 True Fact: Ace has a black Belt in HTML.

His tags are registered weapons.

Posted by: Garrett at September 08, 2015 02:24 PM (ZHZBE)

169 If I say I like what he wrote is he going to make me a Bishop? ;^)

You don't want that. He beats the bishop.

Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 02:25 PM (2Ojst)

170 Let's face it, a lot of the TruCons are now pretty much admitting all
their former TruCon nonsense was just silly posturing, but at the same
time, the people who used to point out that TruConism was just silly
posturing are now adopting a hard TruCon posture themselves.

I think this is untrue. First - there was never such a thing as a "TrueCon". Instead, over the years, conservatives have been asked to drop more and more of their positions in favor of "electability" - to the point that every election cycle the anger has increased as conservatives support some liberal GOP candidate and the GOP not only does the opposite of what it says it will do politically, it vocally and publicly denigrates conservatives.

Year after year we are told we can't support "x" candidate because such candidate is "too right wing" and then when we say we want to support him we are called "TrueCons". then, when we eventually come back to the fold and vote GOP, the GOP abandons us at every turn and announces they are going to do everything possible to defeat any candidate we support.

So, the myth of the "TrueCon" has always been that - a myth.

but, the GOP did manage to convince us that ideological purity doesn't matter. And so we support Trump - who is correct on the one big issue of the day - illegal immigration - and as an added bonus is a big middle finger to the GOP.

It is not - as the intelligentsia seems to claim - that conservatives were never really conservative or that we are abandoning our conservatism - it is that we have learned from the GOP. the GOP is useless, we have no reason to support it, and we should go all in on our big issue.

I'm really tired of the false, dishonest, and straw-man "TrueCon" claim. Yes, on comments boards every election cycle there are people claiming they won't vote GOP if "x" isn't the candidate. But that never really materialized in any fashion. And it was always a bit of hyperbole.

If we are going to use the term "TrueCon" then you must also use the term "NoCon" to identify those who support the GOP and advocate supporting the GOP even though the GOP is a leftist organization.

the NoCons want no conservative candidate, fight against any conservative candidate, and use the GOP infrastructure to defeat conservative candidates that win GOP primaries. The GOP did not go all in for the conservative candidate against Lisa Murkowski, for instance. Nor did they for a slew of other conservative candidates. They will claim "those candidates couldn't win, so we didn't waste money" - but that is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When a liberal like Mitt is the nominee, TrueCon's are expected to volunteer, donate, and vote for the nominee, but the NoCons are never expected to support a conservative candidate? That is the true history of the GOP - not this "TrueCon" history that is bandied about.

This year we are using their own strategy, and it is enraging them.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:25 PM (3ZtZW)

171 Let me guess, Gov. Walker: The migration in Europe reminds you of the time Kohl's had a sale and people were lined up waiting to get in.

You didn't back down, and you have the sweater to prove it. Dummy.

Posted by: Mr. Donald Trump at September 08, 2015 02:25 PM (Ui7Rt)

172 Its not what Trump IS that matters.... so much as what he is NOT.... ie part of the Washington Cabal... (note, who is the other GOP frontrunner??? another 'none of the above').

Bingo. That's why they hate him so--he's a "third option" that breaks their system of false choices. Nevermind he's still not a great choice in all likelihood, but to a great many people, it's head and shoulders above the rest.

In the kingdom of the dumb, the savvy man becomes king.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:26 PM (9krrF)

173 If someone could convince me that the Republican Party was worth saving (say... because they'd suddenly actually become Conservative and started fighting for Conservative goals), then I'd be horrified at the thought of Trump for President.

As it is? Here, Mr Trump, have some more gasoline.

------------

I think Trump could actually cause Congress to take back some of its power - just so Trump doesn't have it.

It is reason enough for me to consider voting for him.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 02:26 PM (gmeXX)

174 True Fact: Ace has a black Belt in HTML.

His tags are registered weapons.
Posted by: Garrett

That's some pretty bold talk.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 08, 2015 02:26 PM (W5DcG)

175 Little early for a movie review isn't it?

Did ace like the show?

Posted by: Nip Sip at September 08, 2015 02:26 PM (0FSuD)

176 "childish brat for demanding that my vote be given to a candidate who will advance my principles"

This is the kind of honesty we need. I bet you've heard people say in response that "you have to be realistic." That's the response of a politician, who has to work within the framework of voting blocs and sheer numbers.

Honesty is anti-political. Honesty says, "I don't give a shit if it's impolitic. It's right. It's what I want."

People who say that are at ODDS with politicians forever.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:26 PM (c9G2j)

177 Did folks stop listening to Crosby, Stills and Nash, when Steve Stills decided that spending time in a military school was the same as service in Vietnam? of course not.

What I find funny are Lefties trying to pass Trump off as an extremist conservative.

Posted by: notsothoreau at September 08, 2015 02:27 PM (5HBd1)

178 Trump wouldn't be more than a joke if not for years of being kicked around by Obama AND the GOP.

They can play their game of taking to the fainting couch every time Trump says something stupid (and he does give them many opportunities), but it's just not resonating with a lot of people who have tolerated as stupid, or worse, things from Obama, the Dems, and (supposedly) their own party.

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:28 PM (NOIQH)

179 My fear is that if Trump is the nominee, the GOPe will put every resource possible towards him losing a la Thad Cochran. Assholes.

Posted by: eureka! at September 08, 2015 02:28 PM (g1MTt)

180 When a liberal like Mitt is the nominee, TrueCon's are expected to volunteer, donate, and vote for the nominee, but the NoCons are never expected to support a conservative candidate? That is the true history of the GOP - not this "TrueCon" history that is bandied about.

----

yup.... you know what I would have done if I was Trump when he signed his little GOPe Pledge Card?????

Asked that other candidates sign a pledge that THEY would support and campaign for and raise money for HIS campaign if he were the eventual nominee.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (8XRCm)

181 Comments about military school = End of Trump (part 52).

lol

Posted by: HUCK / AKIN 2016 at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (0LHZx)

182 I'm seeing Carson bumperstickers.

Same here. It's no accident he's in the same bracket as Trump right now.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (9krrF)

183 Am I going to have to admit Nate Silver was right about stuff again?
***
What specifically?
Posted by: 18-1 at September 08, 2015 02:24 PM (78TbK)

Well, generally, anything at all.

Specifically, the 2012 elections.

I do not care if he was tipped off about cheating. He still got things right and intellectual honesty requires that I note that he did so and it burns, it burns.

(I'm using Nate Silver was right as a proxy for polls being correct, not that he did the polls himself)

Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (mf5HN)

184 Help complete this sentence:

"Hillary's numbers are going down faster than . . . "

Posted by: Adirondack Patriot at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (KCQo0)

185 >>In fact, I'd say it's more than easy -- I'd say it's hypocritical, phony, hysterical, and a touch dishonest.

All politics is hypocritical, phony, hysterical and dishonest. That's part of the reason why I like Trump. If we're going to be hypocritical, phony, hysterical and dishonest we can at least do it with some class (by which I mean my class) and some testicles (by which again I mean my class).

But seriously, the faux outrage machine and people pretending to give a fuck about whatever and all proxy patsys where no one actually has opinions of their own, they're always arguing on behalf of someone else's straw opinion. This is why I honestly crave a politics where, instead of fake 'discussing' issues with your opponents since it's all fake anyway, you just tell them to shut the fuck up. Of course they won't listen, but no one is listening anyway.

We sit here and pretend we're having some kind of dialectic discussion but come on, everyone knows the score, everyone knows which side they're on and no one is changing opinions. So there's no real point to any of the sham debate. Just say "Fuck you" and agree to disagree about everything and quit with the lawyering about it.

Posted by: Not Mitt Romney at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (TULs6)

186 >>"I don't give a shit if it's impolitic. It's right. It's what I want."

Take that, windmill!

Posted by: Don Quixote at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (ZHZBE)

187 come on, become Trump-Curious Super-Cons, people.

I am not voting for either Vichy Party's Vichy Candidate.

If Annie C hadn't pointed out to me that Bernie was lying his ass off about Laraza, then I'd suggest we vote for him.

Because, again, fuck you big biz millionaires. You're betraying the country and you've gone full gayophile. You want to team with the cool kids (according to buzzfeed) then get prepared for the rectal rootering.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:30 PM (9aeyG)

188 Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 02:25 PM (2Ojst)

LOL. Does this mean a whole new round of euphemisms/stupid descriptions for the "m" word? ;^)

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 02:30 PM (OSs/l)

189 All fevers break.

Posted by: Ty Angur at September 08, 2015 02:30 PM (G6FdO)

190 Anyone know what is Donald Trumps position on the Global Warming? That's always been my litmus test because it demonstrates if your brain is functioning or not.

Posted by: hullbreach in the funboat at September 08, 2015 02:30 PM (nv/wN)

191 Honesty? Heh, get your typewriters out, kids.

Ready?

Once in third grade, I failed to wash my hands after I peed.

Let the vapors commence.

Posted by: Mr. Donald Trump at September 08, 2015 02:30 PM (e8ge6)

192 My fear is that if Trump is the nominee, the GOPe will put every resource possible towards him losing a la Thad Cochran.

Honestly, that's what my end game on Trump support is--the GOPe goes to such great measures to stop him it destroys itself in the process.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (9krrF)

193 157 I'm seeing Carson bumperstickers.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:22 PM (c9G2j)
==========================

For the sake of discussion, let's say he's viable, along with Trump, Cruz and Fiorina. I'd watch that debate.

GOP people think Rubio is too and they also like Kasich. In fact, given how important Florida and Ohio are in the Electoral college, I'll bet those two are a wet dream for the GOP.

Not for me though, and not for anyone I know (to go all Pauline Kael on you).

Posted by: MTF at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (TxJGV)

194 2) five years of military prep school might actually
get you more military training than the average boot camp. Not combat
experience, but training.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:02 PM (LXJ1e)

Right, you know how to make up your bed, wear a uniform, and march.

Same as a serviceman. Killing people and learning how to do that?

Not taught in Military High Schools.

Posted by: Nip Sip at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (0FSuD)

195 Red on Red:

A white guy named Michael couldn't get his poem published. Then he became Yi-Fen Chou

"In a matter of about a day, the scandal was all over "Poetry Twitter," which can be just as rancorous and swift to outrage as regular Twitter, but with a wider vocabulary. And, perhaps because of its Rachel Dolezal-esque tangle of questions about identity, authenticity, political correctness and "affirmative action," it didn't take much longer for the wider world to notice."

Posted by: weft cut-loop at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (JmGFJ)

196 All fevers break.
Posted by: Ty Angur at September 08, 2015 02:30 PM (G6FdO)

----

Truth.

But some fevers only cool after they kill the host.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (8XRCm)

197 How many years have we gone without a budget?

I'd bet Trump could shame the political class into passing one within his first year.

Posted by: Fritz at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (3tjn4)

198 >>>Jesus Christ Ace, I've never witnessed such a brutal assault on the strawman community. It was a veritable strawman genocide. As quick as you could set them up, you mowed them down.

which ones?

Genuinely curious.

Posted by: ace at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (dciA+)

199 if a soldier spends three years in the Army as a clerk-typist ( if they still have those ), half in Hawaii and half in Fort Myers, that ain't too much more than military school

I can hook you up with a guy who did exactly that. Mostly he did chores for his CO and the senior NCOs.

Posted by: ex-PFC Wintergreen at September 08, 2015 02:32 PM (8CdUx)

200 As a veteran, I believe going to military school for a number of years gives you the feel for what the military is about and what (non-battlefield) military life is like.

Is it a perfect 1 = 1 experience? no. But to claim that you don't get an understanding of what life in the military is like from attending a military school is pretty inane.

And, even amongst military members, life is very different depending on branch, MOS, and assignment. If you are an Air Force Sgt with an MOS in personnel assigned to the base in Utah, you have no understanding of what a Marine in Falluja experienced.

A Coast Guard seaman doesn't know what an Army infantryman experiences.

The only common element these service members experience is military discipline - which is what is taught at a military school (and probably much more stringently and harshly than it is taught in naval, coast guard, or air force boot camps).

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:32 PM (3ZtZW)

201 Oh and Trump is pulling about 25% of the black vote.

And he isn't pandering to them.

Imagine that.

47 state landslide is not out of the question.

Posted by: Kreplach at September 08, 2015 02:32 PM (0tvq+)

202 thanks, Chique and Felone.

Of course it's not sucking up, it's just Truth!

Posted by: ace at September 08, 2015 02:32 PM (dciA+)

203 "Hillary's numbers are going down faster than . . . "

Lois Lerner's hard drive.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:32 PM (c9G2j)

204 I surmise that if you held a poll and asked how many supported Trump and then asked how many fucking hated the GOPe with the heat of 1000 Suns, that the change in percentages would scarcely change at all.

Posted by: maddogg at September 08, 2015 02:33 PM (xWW96)

205 "Hillary's numbers are going down faster than . . . "
Hillary on a lesbian cruise-ship that's just hit an iceberg.

Posted by: andycanuck at September 08, 2015 02:33 PM (7eC3Q)

206 Trump will win it all. Not that that outcome is my personal preference, but like I said in a previous thread, I've seen the movie, I know the ending.
Name recognition + influence + celebrity + tons of money + tons of free PR thanks to the news media, he wins it all.

Posted by: navybrat at September 08, 2015 02:33 PM (ETxiG)

207 Asked that other candidates sign a pledge that THEY would support and campaign for and raise money for HIS campaign if he were the eventual nominee.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (8XRCm)

Other way 'round.

"Fine, I'll sign this. But when I win, I want all you losers to shut the f*ck up."

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 02:33 PM (kff5f)

208 170 Let's face it, a lot of the TruCons are now pretty much admitting all
their former TruCon nonsense was just silly posturing, but at the same
time, the people who used to point out that TruConism was just silly
posturing are now adopting a hard TruCon posture themselves.

Because the argument was always wrong. It was less about ideology than about fighting against Democrat policy, which the Elite never did. Trump, by God, looks like he might do that where our interests align with his.

THAT IS AN UPGRADE.

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 02:34 PM (88fBD)

209 Oh and Trump is pulling about 25% of the black vote.

And he isn't pandering to them.

Imagine that.

The ability to get rich and live large has positives that cut across racial boundaries, who knew? (Hint: Every rapper and hip-hop mogul ever, that's who.)

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:34 PM (9krrF)

210 Wow. Big crowd waiting for KY clerk to be released from jail. But, alas, only FNC will be reporting it.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 02:34 PM (Fmupd)

211 osted by: ace at September 08, 2015 02:32 PM (dciA+)

Well, I'm going to refuse to suck up if you suggest that I have a criminal record-Felon(e)?/ ;^)

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 02:34 PM (OSs/l)

212 179,

The GOPe will go the way of the Whigs if that happens.

Posted by: G. Gordon Lightfoot at September 08, 2015 02:34 PM (fBape)

213 MTF

I agree with you actually. I admire Carson but can't see him negotiating trade deals and considering war. I think doctors are in a different category.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:34 PM (c9G2j)

214 47 state landslide is not out of the question.

Posted by: Kreplach at September 08, 2015 02:32 PM (0tvq+)

He needs to go for the 50 state sweep with either Mike Rowe or Sarah Palin as VP.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (Zs4uk)

215 You Brownshirts and yer Trumphitler-love will kill us ALL!

Trump is gonna put ALIENZINBOXCARS!!

Posted by: Sip Nip - Perfectly Acceptable AOS commenter at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (e8ge6)

216 What's interesting it they consider us stupid.

To them, we are stupid and easily led.

So if they can point out how stupid someone is, well, we'll have no choice--being stupid ourselves--to pile on. Otherwise, we'd look stupid.

But what is stupid?

Thinking Jeb Bush can and should be President? How many millions of dollars of stupid have been poured into that sinkhole?

Rubio?

What sunk the Perry campaign last time? Your conventional wisdom says it was the "opps." But, reality is: He was on the ropes--we were looking for a reason to dump him after "heartless." And he gave it to us.

Republicans had all three branches and we melted the phone lines when they brought up amnesty.
And that moment was the exact moment the Bush Presidency became a failure--because from then on conservatives were looking for a reason dump Bush.

Rubio will never be acceptable.

It's not enough to have concerns about immigration--no, you must be offended by anyone who even dares have concerns.

And they're the smart ones? All surprised that maybe we don't fucking care if they don't like our opinions or who we choose to speak them for us?

Posted by: RoyalOil at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (ZvKdv)

217 He needs to go for the 50 state sweep with either Mike Rowe or Sarah Palin as VP.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (Zs4uk)

In either case, I might pee myself laughing so hard.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (kff5f)

218 The only common element these service members experience is military discipline - which is what is taught at a military school (and probably much more stringently and harshly than it is taught in naval, coast guard, or air force boot camps).

A wiser man once said "the sum of all their fears", but that too.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (9krrF)

219 Here's an alternative point of view on Trump. Hear me out on this.

Preface: I'm not a Trump guy - my candidate is Cruz. Hate me for that if you want to. There are people who, based on his past, believe Trump to be a Hillary plant (this generation's Ross Perot); others have understandably legitimate doubts about Trump's conservative bona fides, and I get that.

I find myself wondering whether Trump is the proverbial New York liberal who got mugged. He's supported Hillary in the past, and still holds some wacky ideas, but (and go with me for a minute on this) let's assume for a minute that after years of seeing where lefty policy winds up, the blinders fell off and he's changed, as did Reagan himself. He'd be like a new religious convert - he doesn't get all the doctrines and confessions quite right, but you've got to admire the enthusiasm. Coupled with decades of ego and self-promotion if you want, but there you go.

I wonder that, because why else would he consider running as a Republican? Because of the lack of competition? If that were the case, then there's less competition on the other side. He'd have bigger leads over Hillary, Sanders, and Biden than he does now over Cruz, Carson, and Fiorina. Take at face value that the reason he got in was because he hates Jeb and his policies, and he got in when Jeb was seen as the Anointed One.

Is this a legitimate take on Trump? Feel free to talk me out of this, because if Trump gets the nomination, this is how I'm going to have to see him to vote for him - as a neophyte conservative who's just not gotten it all yet. I pose this as a legitimate question.

Posted by: Qoheleth at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (iIzG7)

220 "My fear is that if Trump is the nominee, the GOPe will put every resource possible towards him losing a la Thad Cochran."

Rick Perry seems to be down to about five remaining paid staff.

One of whom is Henry Barbour, who with dad Haley comprises "the Barbour Shop", the asshole guns-for-hire political consulting outfit who pulled all of those dirty tricks (some of them illegal dirty tricks) to get Cockring re-elected.

And Henry is not the sort of guy who will stick around for old times' sake after the first paycheck bounces. So he's going to be available for non-Perry purposes real soon now.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 02:35 PM (noWW6)

221 if a soldier spends three years in the Army as a clerk-typist ( if they still have those ), half in Hawaii and half in Fort Myers, that ain't too much more than military school
**
latest bullshit trump said XX is too stupid to analyze.

people feel comraderie with strangers for all sorts of reasons, including based on extrapolating their own experiences.

Posted by: joe-impeachin44 at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (9aeyG)

222 The Most Important Thing Ever is dead!

Long live the Most Important Thing Ever!

Posted by: Shakespeare of the GOP at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (1CroS)

223 "Hillary's numbers are going down faster than . . . "

secret documents down Sandy Berger's pant-leg.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (c9G2j)

224 Right, you know how to make up your bed, wear a uniform, and march.

Same as a serviceman. Killing people and learning how to do that?

Not taught in Military High Schools.
Posted by: Nip Sip at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (0FSuD)

----------------

See not being in the military, that's what I need to know with respect to the difference.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (LXJ1e)

225 Bernie's my little pullet boy.

Posted by: Col. Sanders at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (8ZskC)

226 "Let's face it, a lot of the TruCons are now pretty much admitting all their former TruCon nonsense was just silly posturing,"

uh, no. I could go down the list, and I would be banned for it. I'm still the same 'TrueCon' I was before the scare quotes were invented. I was born a TrueCon.

More projection by a liberal who thinks everyone is just like he is.

The difference between a conservative and a liberal is so profound there is no common ground any longer. Different realities, different language, different decision tree, different, different, different.

If you want to represent my point of view, ask me. I'll be happy to explain it to you.

Posted by: Gustapha Karmakov at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (ePB9l)

227 I just want to say Trump is yuuge and tremendous and a good guy cuz it annoys all the right people.

Posted by: Jonah Goldberg at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (oDCMR)

228 206 Trump will win it all. Not that that outcome is my personal preference, but like I said in a previous thread, I've seen the movie, I know the ending.

I look forward to other movie political predictions, like the fast food wars ending in "now all restaurants are Taco Bell" (from Demolition Man).

Posted by: wooga at September 08, 2015 02:37 PM (t5sHJ)

229 25% of the black vote?

Don't forget: Trump is the Northeast, moderate Republican we have always been told is the key to victory--his appeal to the base and the moderates, da?

Posted by: RoyalOil at September 08, 2015 02:37 PM (ZvKdv)

230 "Fine, I'll sign this. But when I win, I want all you losers to shut the f*ck up."
Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 02:33 PM (kff5f)

-----------------------------------------

Remember. Whoever is Prez is basically the leader of his respective party. This could be very interesting.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 02:38 PM (Fmupd)

231
Synopsis of another conversation with my libtard brother.

"B-b-b-but even if Trump wins.... he wont be able to accomplish anything. The establishment republicans wont work with him and the Democrats will hate him"

"So..... at least FOUR GURANTEEED YEARS of the Federal government not getting anything accomplished is a win win in my book"

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:38 PM (8XRCm)

232 Killing people and learning how to do that?

Not taught in Military High Schools.
Posted by: Nip Sip

Or Navy boot camp.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 08, 2015 02:38 PM (W5DcG)

233 229 25% of the black vote?

Don't forget: Trump is the Northeast, moderate Republican we have always been told is the key to victory--his appeal to the base and the moderates, da?
Posted by: RoyalOil at September 08, 2015 02:37 PM (ZvKdv)

B-b-but...he didn't go to Yale!

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 02:38 PM (88fBD)

234 I still think when it's all said and done it will be Jeb v. Hillary at this time next year.

Posted by: HUCK / AKIN 2016 at September 08, 2015 02:38 PM (0LHZx)

235 He'd be like a new religious convert - he doesn't get all the doctrines and confessions quite right, but you've got to admire the enthusiasm. Coupled with decades of ego and self-promotion if you want, but there you go.

I have to keep reminding people, it's just barely possible this is the equivalent of the Church's ardent persecutor becoming it's staunchest advocate. Maybe he hasn't had his Damascus moment--but stranger things have happened.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:38 PM (9krrF)

236 So what if trump spent four years arguing with the press and got nothing done. Nothing done is far far better than something. Because something would not be will never be eliminating O care or securing the borders or eliminating nutty regulations or anything useful. Something would just pour cement around the current situation.

Posted by: Blagnog at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (4RuLv)

237 Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 02:24 PM (OSs/l)

I wasn't apologizing, just trying to make sure it was clear it was a sincere comment.

I'm an Ace superfan, and I make no apologies for that. I still say he should compile his writings into a book or two, but he pooh-poohed the idea.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (SEFXb)

238 The difference I'm seeing between Trump and the rest of the pack is Trump has an offense. He fights to win, the others fight not to lose.

Posted by: wrg500 at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (FEAjO)

239 Well-said (and said and said), ace.

Posted by: Jenny Hates Her Phone at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (z2TD7)

240 (I'm using Nate Silver was right as a proxy for polls being correct, not that he did the polls himself)

Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 02:29 PM (mf5HN)

In the 2014 midterms, I correctly picked 42/43 races correctly, winning an iPad as a prize. I managed to beat both Excel spreadsheet wonderboy Nate Silver and political analyst Larry Sabato. I say this not because I'm better at statistical analysis than Silver (although it's entirely possible), nor because I'm a better political analyst than Larry Sabato (I'm probably not). Rather, I'll simply say that you're only as good as your last projections and Silver wasn't nearly as good in 2014. To be fair, a midterm electorate differs substantially from a presidential year electorate, which means sabremetrics are somewhat less useful. We'll see if he rebounds in 2016.

Posted by: physics geek at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (MT22W)

241 See not being in the military, that's what I need to know with respect to the difference.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (LXJ1e)
when I went through Navy boot camp - they didn't teach us to kill anyone. Same with my sister in the Air Force.
And, while the Army and Marines may teach how to use their rifle in boot camp, depending on MOS and school after boot camp - that may not be what is taught or what the person ends up doing.
Claiming every service member is trained to be a killing machine is pretty silly.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (3ZtZW)

242 LOL. Does this mean a whole new round of euphemisms/stupid descriptions for the "m" word? ;^)
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 02:30 PM (OSs/l)

Well, that was a one-off for me, but I certainly can't speak for the rest of the Horde...

Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (2Ojst)

243
As a matter of fact, I did read the entire article.

And I really don't get the Spanish CareFree pads ad?
"Ropa interior fresca, todo el tiempo."

Trump is not the problem . . . but he is not the answer either.

Change will not be allowed. If we end up having to choose between Biden and Trump . . . what does that really say about the entire process?

Posted by: GBruno at September 08, 2015 02:40 PM (u49WF)

244 "The only common element these service members experience is military
discipline - which is what is taught at a military school (and probably
much more stringently and harshly than it is taught in naval, coast
guard, or air force boot camps)."

A function of the military school in question.

I don't necessarily assume that an old time, old school Citadel or VMI grad will have the chops to be a brilliant civilian political leader, but I do assume that sumbitch must have a spongelike capacity to soak up discipline. It would have been a necessity of survival.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 02:40 PM (noWW6)

245 Qoheleth

Trump has been up and down.

I can see him looking at the presidency as a chance to elevate his game to what he thinks it means to play at that level. Has anyone asked him which presidents he most admires, and why?

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:40 PM (c9G2j)

246 I still think when it's all said and done it will be Jeb v. Hillary at this time next year.
Posted by: HUCK / AKIN 2016 at September 08, 2015 02:38 PM (0LHZx)

----

That's because youre not paying attention.

Trump v Biden

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (8XRCm)

247 I look forward to other movie political predictions, like the fast food wars ending in "now all restaurants are Taco Bell" (from Demolition Man).

If that means I have to learn to use those damn seashells, I'm out.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (9krrF)

248 >>The difference I'm seeing between Trump and the rest of the pack is Trump has an offense. He fights to win, the others fight not to lose.

It's almost like that "people follow the strong horse" talk or something, huh?

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (NOIQH)

249 Claiming every service member is trained to be a killing machine is pretty silly.
Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (3ZtZW)

Which idiot claimed that?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (gf8BH)

250 Look, I will admit that even I, a non-Trump supporter, will forgive him many, many, many, many things for giving me Bloom County back.

Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (mf5HN)

251 My fear is that if Trump is the nominee, the GOPe will put every resource possible towards him losing a la Thad Cochran. Assholes.

Oh no doubt. Them calling the tea party candidate a racist should have been revealing to everyone at that point. The chamber of commerce is already gearing up for the onslaught on Trump. A Trump vs. Sanders race would reach new heights in hilarity though in seeing the contortions of various organizations.

Its the race America deserves.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at September 08, 2015 02:42 PM (ODxAs)

252 "Claiming every service member is trained to be a killing machine is pretty silly."

Trumphitler IZ A KILLIN MACHINE of ILLEGALS!

WAKE UP BROWNSHIRTS!1!1!

Posted by: Sip Nip - Perfectly Acceptable AOS commenter at September 08, 2015 02:42 PM (e8ge6)

253 latest bullshit trump said XX is too stupid to analyze.
He didn't say it. It's a secondhand report relying on a NYT paraphrase and semi-quote from an upcoming biography that no one here fully knows. I guess we'll see exactly how it actually reads on Sept. 22.

Posted by: andycanuck at September 08, 2015 02:42 PM (7eC3Q)

254 At least Trump knows how to play the media, so when attempts to Palinize him come out he'll be pounding back with ads refuting what was said.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (OSs/l)

255 And I really don't get the Spanish CareFree pads ad?
"Ropa interior fresca, todo el tiempo."

Drinking Fresca indoors today at this time.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (W5DcG)

256 Posted by: fixerupper

Even my feminist, left wing, Hillary loving wife says Hillary is toast.

Posted by: wrg500 at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (FEAjO)

257
C'mon Ace. "Certainly none of Rubio's supporters dropped their support when the NYT reported some quite-real concerns about Rubio's billionaire patron." I did! I mean, not completely, because I don't think it's disqualifying yet (insufficient facts). But please don't use the same sweeping generalities you seem to find so frustrating.
Just because I and others like Marco Rubio does not mean that we are unfailingly devoted to the machine.

Posted by: FJ Min at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (BHcX6)

258 It's obvious - the GOPe needs to do everything it can to destroy Trump since we don't want the GOP to win in 2016.

Posted by: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (YYJjz)

259 Trump, the celebrity candidate to succeed the celebrity president.

Posted by: Nutsy the Buzzard at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (78OXS)

260 Erick Erikson, who I admit I only read when someone tells me to read something specific he's written, says this about the GOP and what Ace calls the "pro-life establishment": But they don't really want to fight. They just want you to keep writing checks.

I see an emerging theme here.

Posted by: MTF at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (TxJGV)

261 My fear is that if Trump is the nominee, the GOPe will put every resource possible towards him losing a la Thad Cochran. Assholes.

I am completely sanguine with that idea.

Of course, that's because my purpose for backing Trump is that I think he's the best bet to destroy the Republican party so that an actual Conservative (or at least: opposition) party can emerge.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (kff5f)

262 I'm also touched, touched I tell you, by the NYT's respect for veteran, John McCain, over his military service in the linked piece.

Posted by: andycanuck at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (7eC3Q)

263
So Trump has 25% of the black vote?

Why such a small percentage?

Just go to youtube and search "Donald Trump black" and see how many black people, men and women, loooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvve the Donald.

It appears to be a thing. The two black ladies who make pro-Trump videos are fascinating. In one, they point out that the Democrat party uses them and never delivers on promises (and takes them for granted).

It's almost as if those two ladies read Ace.

Posted by: the other coyote at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (yK44T)

264 A friend who is a former squid explains it all.

Navy boot camp is not about learning to kill people.

Navy boot camp is about learning how to not get your own stupid ass killed, along with possibly the rest of your shipmates, while you are in a crowded and complex and dangerous environment.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (noWW6)

265 Which idiot claimed that?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (gf8BH)

Not you for sure. Wisdom teeth the world over quake in fear when your name is mentioned.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (wZhAq)

266 A smart military blog for Killing-Machine Americans.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (fjaeZ)

267 Which idiot claimed that?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (gf8BH)
Too lazy to look upthread. But someone claimed the major difference between military school and the military is that the military trains you to kill people.
I was just trying to point out that in actuality, the number of people trained to be logistics versus actual warriors is like 2:1 or so.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (3ZtZW)

268 If Jeb Bush had said this? Firestorm. If Scott Walker had said it? Big trouble, although more of the "why can't Walker get it together?" variety than the "this guy has utterly belittled America's finest" sort, and that's purely because Walker is still well liked on the right. If Ted Cruz had said it?

If Perot had said this...

That's the point. Trump is Trump. He's larger than life.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 02:45 PM (qCMvj)

269 Immigration -- whether it be due to economic migration or wartime refugeeism -- is the New Colonialism.

If it weren't so useful to them, somebody on the Left would already say so.

The Left is actually more guilty of this than the Right is, but it's an old-fashioned impulse.

In the old days, European colonialists would go to some benighted place, declare the people backwards and primitive and give them the benefits of modern living and Christianity.

Now, European colonialists declare their own homeland a benighted place, declare their own people backwards and primitive, cleansing them and bring in a new population they are convinced are so naive and ridiculous that they will easily adapt to the enlightenment.

Of course, not only do they not understand human nature or other cultures, they don't understand economics. Their primitive countrymen are the ones keeping their thriving economy going what with working hard to provide for their retrograde patriarchal family structures while they "work" their "job" at the tax-supported NGO.

The violence never comes to their neighborhoods. At least, not right away. Their cost-free compassion brings people into "their" country, settling in ghettos far away from the tony areas of town. They feel great about the compassion that only costs them a few dimes from their meager tax bill. As long as they don't have to see them, talk to them or interact with them any more than ordering a falafel at one of the more upscale restaurants.

Meanwhile, the other countries are left abandoned and ignored, like life outside the city walls in a dystopian film. They are overrun, subject to the whims of a Khamenei or an ISIS or, if they are lucky, merely a corrupt Peronist dictator.

Posted by: AmishDude at September 08, 2015 02:45 PM (Xd2w5)

270 See not being in the military, that's what I need to know with respect to the difference.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:36 PM (LXJ1e)

Next to going through West Point or Annapolis, being a graduate of high end military prep school would be the best place to impart the values of honor, duty and country that are at the heart of the armed forces.

All shit they don't talk about while sipping lattes at Starbucks.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 02:45 PM (Zs4uk)

271 NotFound: (404, "The path '/physicsgeek.mu.nu' was not found.")

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 02:45 PM (V/Ue9)

272 You're on another level Ace. That was one fantastic read. If this isn't the best blog in the history of the internet, I don't know what is.

Thank You!

Posted by: IdahoMatt at September 08, 2015 02:45 PM (cTQC8)

273 Soona: "Remember. Whoever is Prez is basically the leader of his respective party. This could be very interesting."

Yes, we will fight on Trump Hill with every step, every breath, every drop of blood! We will rechristen that hill Milquetoast Rising.

Posted by: General GOPe at September 08, 2015 02:45 PM (1CroS)

274 To this "tru-con", what is delightful about a ruthless SOB like Trump leading is watching the GOP and their scribes behaving like hysterical housewives, lecturing and nagging 24/7....and THEN being ignored....which is our greatest sin against them!

Suddenly....for the first time in my memory....they are scared of their base. Maybe they finally realize we hate them as much as they hate us.

Posted by: pam at September 08, 2015 02:45 PM (cF0hS)

275 "the two black ladies who make pro-Trump videos"

Do they have a tip jar? Those two ladies could do more for poor urban blacks than two generations of Democratic politicians.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:46 PM (c9G2j)

276 Not you for sure. Wisdom teeth the world over quake in fear when your name is mentioned.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (wZhAq)

Actually, and for full disclosure, I am scheduled to go back to the range to re-qual with my sidearm this Saturday.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:46 PM (gf8BH)

277 Okay so Trump is going to fight fight fight.

He will fight against Boehner, fight against McConnell, fight against the entire GOP establishment. Yay Trump!

Of course, the bad news is that he will be fighting against Boehner and McConnell in order to get socialized medicine or gun control passed...

Posted by: chemjeff at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (x4Fr7)

278 263,

I see it as the cracks in the dam.

The black vote has been so monolithic for the Dems that it may take a while for some to admit to themselves that it is in their interests to vote Trump rather than straight ticket Dem.

Posted by: G. Gordon Lightfoot at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (fBape)

279 Okay, I'm a suckup --

Laughed out loud at the EVITA wordplay.

Hope the HC is never on a balcony. Her queen wave is really floppy.

Posted by: mustbequantum at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (MIKMs)

280 Navy boot camp is about learning how to not get your
own stupid ass killed, along with possibly the rest of your shipmates,
while you are in a crowded and complex and dangerous environment.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 02:44 PM (noWW6)
My experience was that it was learning the basic lingo of the Navy, learning how to fold clothes, salute, and say "aye, aye sir", and spending an inordinate amount of time learning to march in formation even though it was never used again after boot camp. Firefighting, ship repair, etc. wasn't learned in boot camp.
Hell, in Great Lakes in the winter - you don't even do PT more than once a week.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (3ZtZW)

281 Its possible that Biden is, unbelievably, the Obama Machine choice in this race, which means he probably gets the nomination. And that would just be... so bizarre. He would literally be a puppet, just the figure head to go out and distract people while the administration does everything. The crazy thing is, Joe Biden, against all logic, plausibility, and sanity, could win.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (39g3+)

282 "All fevers break."

More cowbell!

Posted by: Qoheleth at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (iIzG7)

283 I mean, John Kerry basically said that the US Army is populated by losers who didn't have any other options in life. We all rightly jumped on him for that. It's insulting. But now here is Trump who belittles the soldiers in the US Army, comparing them to little more than prep school cadets.

With Kerry, all remarks were carefully calculated, and so were taken very seriously. With Trump, everything is from the hip (like Biden), and so he is always given leeway. In other words, Trump/Biden didn't REALLY mean any particular insult, since they were speaking loosely and casually... but Kerry was very serious and must be taken as such.

Posted by: wooga at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (t5sHJ)

284 "Everything on the internet -- including from those who pretend a sort of rational, #SmartPolitics analysis -- is always such jumped-up, This Is The Most Important Thing Ever nonsense. This hysterical overreaction lasts for a day or two, then a new Most Important Thing Ever thing is discovered, and the former Most Important Thing Ever is forgotten, and the hysterical shrieking beings about the new and forever Most Important Thing Ever."

In other news, Ace has just described the Twitter mob.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Stay Aghast of Events at the Outrage Outlet! at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (hLRSq)

285 IF they filibuster this Iran shit and not even let it come up for a vote. If they pass Fredo's budget without so much as a peep. If they keep attacking Trump.......all it will do is help him and drive him further UP in the polls. Many of us have had enough

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (gf8BH)

286 255 And I really don't get the Spanish CareFree pads ad?
"Ropa interior fresca, todo el tiempo."

Drinking Fresca indoors today at this time.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at September 08, 2015 02:43 PM (W5DcG)

Fresh underwear, all the time.

Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (2Ojst)

287 Speaking of how much one should, or does care: Bear in mind that this far out, not a lot of "likely voter" filters are being applied to the numbers for Trump right now. And a plurality of Trump voters in July or so had Jeb! as their second choice. Which indicates a lot of folks just telling the nice poll taker something based on the short snippets of news they catch in between Keeping up with the Kardashians episodes.

Jazz Shaw recently pointed out the odd disappearance of numbers for Ben Carson after a couple of polls showed him beating Trump in Iowa. Could those initial Carson numbers be due to a preliminary filter being put on poll respondents, but the media isn't done pushing Trump yet?

Which brings me to the current batch of actual Trump supporters and how much they do or don't care about Trump's being problematic: They are often so focused on the immigration issue, it blows their minds to know Republican primary voters exist who don't lie awake at night worrying about the US-Mexico border. Iowan corn farmers are far from the border, and grow a crop easily harvested by machine. They are far more likely to have in their primary electorate a larger-than-average amount of good, long-voting Republicans who are much more "meh" on border issues.

Most Republicans, and I'd wager socially-conservative Iowan Republicans more than most, would not agree with Ann Coulter's assertion that she'd welcome Trump performing abortions in the White House as long as he controlled immigration. If immigration is not your single issue, you are far more likely to balk at the gaffes, than to forgive them in the name of an issue about which you are not that motivated.

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (Bgpaz)

288 Standing next to a mountain, break it down with the edge of my hand.

Posted by: The Killing Machine Formally Known As Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (fjaeZ)

289 Heh. Huckabuck says he'll go to jail in the KY clerks place. Am I wrong in hoping for this?

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (Fmupd)

290 fixerupper: "So..... at least FOUR GURANTEEED YEARS of the Federal government not getting anything accomplished is a win win in my book"

Agreed. Trump might equal a Federal shutdown otherwise known as a four-year erection.

Even worst case scenario is looking pretty good here.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at September 08, 2015 02:49 PM (1CroS)

291 Actually, and for full disclosure, I am scheduled to go back to the range to re-qual with my sidearm this Saturday.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:46 PM (gf8BH)

Have fun, NGU!

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 08, 2015 02:49 PM (wZhAq)

292 Hope the HC is never on a balcony. Her queen wave is really floppy.
Posted by: mustbequantum at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (MIKMs)

That's not the only thing...

Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 02:49 PM (2Ojst)

293 Right, Christopher. And Biden, bless his heart, would probably believe they all loved him sincerely. God help us if that dimwit wins.

Posted by: Feh at September 08, 2015 02:49 PM (c9G2j)

294

Certainly Rubio's supporters are ignoring his vote on the Corker - Menendez debacle and his Gang of 8 musings or . . . they actually support that crap.

Posted by: GBruno at September 08, 2015 02:49 PM (u49WF)

295 Hey boner, nobody ever won a game by only drawing fouls.

Posted by: The Great ____ Snark at September 08, 2015 02:49 PM (XUKZU)

296 Coulter explains a lot in her CSpan talk from July, on why she'd vote Hillary before Jeb or Rubio. She sees "them" and the establishment as a whole, turning us into an upper 10% and a 90% lower class, as happens in third world hellholes.

www dot youtube dot com/watch?v=qx6mEKfj8c8

Of course Trump is actually squishy on what he will do with his "touchback" plan, which may just be a form of amnesty. Carly is the only one I've heard say some working illegals may get some visa, but can't be given citizenship.

Posted by: Illiniwek at September 08, 2015 02:50 PM (6zZ5y)

297 Trump is Napoleon...at some point he is going to charge off into Russia, BUT in mean time it is fun watching him pummel one Austrian Army after another. I could live with him as president for a while if only to break up the two political parties, but we also get the bonus of a border wall, and watching the rest of the world freak out at President Trump will also be entertaining. America does its best work when it is us vs. world.

BTW...GOPe = Austrian Army

Posted by: William Eaton at September 08, 2015 02:50 PM (q52Ma)

298 285,

Which is what I expect the expected ad barrage against Trump to do... Make Trump's numbers go up and drop Jeb lower than Miss Lindsay.

Posted by: G. Gordon Lightfoot at September 08, 2015 02:50 PM (fBape)

299 when I went through Navy boot camp - they didn't teach us to kill anyone. Same with my sister in the Air Force.
And, while the Army and Marines may teach how to use their rifle in boot camp, depending on MOS and school after boot camp - that may not be what is taught or what the person ends up doing.
Claiming every service member is trained to be a killing machine is pretty silly.
Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:39 PM (3ZtZW)
--------------------

Oh, well I guess the statement is not entirely out of bounds.

Why can't a person point out his educational experience.

This controversy is probably just a way for Trump to get it out that he has some military training. Image if the question is brought up in the debate about military experience. Trump says well, "I went to military prep school." At that point he could not control the debate.

By putting it out now, he can see the response and be prepared.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:50 PM (LXJ1e)

300
Juan Ellis Bush will be on Colbert tonight.

Remember my predictions:

Theyll both crap on Trump, and then Colbert will dump on his brother George.

Posted by: Soothsayer at September 08, 2015 02:50 PM (RGfpy)

301 I didn't get a lot out of the Barone update (I was hoping for some discussion of what the new coalition landscape might look like), but I did learn a new word...

Like economic forecasters, psephologists usually expect the next cycle to look like the last one.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at September 08, 2015 02:50 PM (JtwS4)

302 As I feel currently doomed to lose, forever, in the current alignment, I have little to fear and something to gain from a shake-up in the coalitions.

Bingo bango.

Oh, hey, since I was skimming, did ace like the volcano?

Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (mf5HN)

303 "the "pro-life establishment"

Gather round, children and let me tell you a story.

Years ago Texas Right To Life lobbied to change Texas' advance directives law. They inadvertantly made it possible for hospitals to starve/ dehydrate patients as long as they gave 10 days notice.

Ever since, other pro life groups ( led by Texas Alliance for Life) have been trying to fix the law. And TRTL had blocked them at every turn. Why? Because they wanted to keep fundraising off of their fuck up.

We finally beat them at their own game by using their language against them. They were pissssssed.

They'd rather people die from dehydration than admit they were wrong.

Your GOPe, everyone.

Posted by: Lauren at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (FhHZ5)

304 Too, too late to get into this thread at 200 plus comments, but hey, that never stopped me before so... my real honest position on politics and its' consequences for my life is that I don't like government or it's promoters pushing me around.
I don't mind laws and the restrictions they entail, as long as they're not onerous, which is a purely subjective assessment.
I am looking for THE candidate that as closely as possible matches my viewpoints, knowing that they're not me.
Right now, within those parameters, the field is wide open.

Posted by: kraken at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (sdxPm)

305
It has become the standard insult lodged by the Establishment anti-Trump chorus at, for example, National Review, to say of this latest Trump outrage, And of course the Trump supporters won't care about this.

Well, hang on there, Buddies. Some Trump supporters do "care" about Trump's frequent descents into stupidity and pettiness. What you are actually accusing them of is not caring as much as you claim they should care.

By implication: How much you, yourself, care.

Some of this is attacks on those bloggers/writers. Just to get their hackles up. Because people are sick of being told what to do, what to say, who to vote for. When many of us know that many of those speaking are clearly in this for the money, and holding onto their jobs of dissenting politics.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (qCMvj)

306 Fresh underwear, all the time.

-
That thought doesn't hardly make me want to hurl at all.

Posted by: The Great ____ Snark at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (XUKZU)

307 >>That's the point. Trump is Trump. He's larger than life.

Yep, his off the cuff meanderings are entertaining. When he went off on Hillary, Huma, and Weiner I could just see Hillary so angry she was throwing things - "How dare he say that about me?"

Trump says things that normal people think that politicians have been trained to tamp down into the memory hole. It gives you some excellent things, such as his statement on immigration, Hillary, Bowe Bergdahl. It also gives you the cringey stuff like military school = military service.

Overall, it's kinda fun to see heads exploding after all those years of PC nonsense.

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (NOIQH)

308 As one who's gotten really tired of the outrage-o-the-day from all sides, being lied to, used and taken for granted by both parties, I'm getting more comfortable with Trump by the day because I simply don't care anymore. But I still like reading the comments.

Que sera, sera.

Posted by: Ms Choksondik, now with rainbows flying out of her a$$ at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (ZxVJD)

309 Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (Bgpaz)

Then why the huge angst over Trump?

And why are the polls moving against amnesty and in favor of deportation.

I think a larger contingent of GOP voters believe that illegal immigration is the primary issue of the campaign and will base their vote accordingly than you believe.

Of course, we shall see who is correct.

I know there are a lot of us that will not vote for an "r" amnesty candidate. Amnesty is the end of any chance of any conservative policy in this country, as well as an enormous step forward in bankrupting the country.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (3ZtZW)

310 11 years in the Navy and this is a nothing burger for me, no matter who said it. He's right. Going to a military school is like a piece of a military career - the boot camp part where you have to clear a basic 'pressure' threshold. There's also experiencing the structured environment etc - the military runs schools on military bases and civilian/military hybrids seem about the same to me. Would we say that serving at a military school isn't service?

Posted by: East Bay Jay at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (7v8o1)

311 As I feel currently doomed to lose, forever, in the current alignment, I have little to fear and something to gain from a shake-up in the coalitions.

I am reading a book, Antifragile, and it's convinced me that "we" are too afraid of chaos and little changes, resulting in fragile systems that collapse with big changes.

As conservatives, we may like our Law and Order ... but I think we need to embrace the idea that there is a time for chaos, and Chaos. That's how the Free Market runs.

Let It Burn. Let It Hurt. And that will be the start of Let It Heal.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (0NdlF)

312 Of course, the bad news is that he will be fighting against Boehner and McConnell in order to get socialized medicine or gun control passed...

Posted by: chemjeff

Psst ... we already have both right now.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (JmGFJ)

313 which ones? Genuinely curious.

Strawmen? How about this for a starter:

But the anti-Trumpians always claim that every Trump stupidity should always be cared about to the exact same extent -- to the extent they stop supporting Trump entirely, and look for a "more electable" candidate (even though that particular talking point now seems to be getting close to its expiration date).*

Always? Every? Exact same? Most of the anti-Trump attitude I've seen has been directed at his history as a leftist instead of a Biden-type buffoonist, but that's not as easy and convenient to dismiss I guess.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (1RNgT)

314 Stand up hook up shuffle to the blog.

Posted by: The Killing Machine Formerly Known As Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (fjaeZ)

315 The way this Trump thing is playing out on twitter is really depressing. I think we all get that Trump has big problems, but he's also the only real option is you're serious about immigration. The name-calling and pretended foreboding about "the rise of white nationalism" coming from supposed righties is nauseating.

I'm feeling like the republican coalition is dead. The establishment understands this and thinks the way forward is by increasing our share of the hispanic vote - as though poor people largely nurtured in socialist countries are remotely likely to vote republican.

Maybe Trump's popularity is a sign that americans are re-thinking the wisdom of letting lawyers and sociology majors run the country.

Posted by: Infidoll at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (qVs6h)

316 289 Heh. Huckabuck says he'll go to jail in the KY clerks place. Am I wrong in hoping for this?
Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 02:48 PM (Fmupd)

I think Huck is kind of looking for a "noble" hill to end his campaign on. For him, this would be a good one.

Posted by: GBruno at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (u49WF)

317 If that means I have to learn to use those damn seashells, I'm out.
Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:41 PM (9krrF)

You only get ONE seashell!

Posted by: Cheryl Crowe at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (t5sHJ)

318 Fresh Underwear is for Closers.

Posted by: The Killing Machine Formerly Known As Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (fjaeZ)

319 Actually, and for full disclosure, I am scheduled to go back to the range to re-qual with my sidearm this Saturday.
Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:46 PM (gf8BH)

----

Wow...... the war on plaque just got serious.

Kidding aside..... requal for "what"???

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (8XRCm)

320 Oh, hey, since I was skimming, did ace like the volcano?
Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (mf5HN)

Did you like the nubile virgin they threw into it?

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at September 08, 2015 02:54 PM (0NdlF)

321 Psst ... we already have both right now.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (JmGFJ)
Yup and do you think Trump is going to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT to de-socialize medicine or repeal stupid gun control laws? Hmm?

Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 02:54 PM (x4Fr7)

322 My fear is that if Trump is the nominee, the GOPe will put every resource possible towards him losing a la Thad Cochran. Assholes.
Posted by: eureka!
--------------------------------------------------------
I think Cochran only was able to do that because Mississippi has bizarre primary laws. Not sure if they'd be able to pull that anywhere else.

Posted by: Caitlyn Jenner at September 08, 2015 02:54 PM (E5UB0)

323 Of course, the bad news is that he will be fighting against Boehner and McConnell in order to get socialized medicine or gun control passed...
Posted by: chemjeff at September 08, 2015 02:47 PM (x4Fr7)

----------------------

What makes you say that?

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:54 PM (LXJ1e)

324 Heh. Huckabuck says he'll go to jail in the KY clerks place. Am I wrong in hoping for this?

-
She got sprung. She has 14 days to develop a plan in which she is not associated with issuing the licenses but the licenses get issued anyway.

Posted by: The Great ____ Snark at September 08, 2015 02:55 PM (XUKZU)

325 Trump is Napoleon

That's...a far more salient comparison than you may realize. Napoleon came to power as a reaction against the excesses of the Revolution. Will the excesses of Leftism elevate Trump?

Posted by: Brother Cavil, down with Eph 6:12-13 at September 08, 2015 02:55 PM (9krrF)

326 ¡Ropa interior permanece mas fresco si usted no usa ninguna!

Posted by: El Gobernador Jeb Bush at September 08, 2015 02:55 PM (8ZskC)

327 Yup and do you think Trump is going to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT to de-socialize medicine or repeal stupid gun control laws? Hmm?
Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 02:54 PM (x4Fr7)

Nobody else is going to. Trump might.

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (88fBD)

328 Kidding aside..... requal for "what"???

Posted by: fixerupper

Rinse and spit.

Posted by: wrg500 at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (FEAjO)

329 Does he have a National Razor?

Posted by: The Killing Machine Formerly Known As Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (fjaeZ)

330 Kidding aside..... requal for "what"???
Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (8XRCm)

9mm

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (gf8BH)

331 Yeah, after the GOPe has fucked us a million ways over, I'm just fine with Trump upsetting their apple carts. Let him be the fire that burns out the dead-weight, lying sacks of shit.

I just want to know who his cabinet would be. Personnel is Policy.

Posted by: Iblis at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (9221z)

332 Transcript:

Wallace: Mr Vice President, what do you think of Donald Trump?

Cheney: I have,uh, don't know the man, I haven't met him personally.

I have refrained from judging any of our candidates -positively or negatively- because we've been concerned primarily about the book, and getting the whole question of national security front-and-center in the debate this year.

At some point we may endorse, but I haven't yet.

Wallace: Do you think he's -obviously... I know you, you're an avid news follower, reader, watcher- do you think he's... prepared, fit to be president?

Cheney: Ah, I'm not going to judge any of the candidates until we get farther down the road...

Wallace: Here's what Mr Trump has said about your administration, sir: in 2008, he said President Bush should be impeached for getting us into Iraq- he (Trump) said that 'would have been a wonderful thing, he got us into the war with lies.'

And in 2011, here's what Trump said about you: 'Here's a guy who did a rotten job as VP -nobody liked him- tremendous divisiveness.'

President Trump...?

Cheney: Well, some people said worse things than that about me (Lynn Cheney laughs)--

I again -Chris- don't want to get into the business of judging candidates now- it's early.

I want to see how they respond or react to this basic question of whether or not national security is the foremost issue in this campaign, and what they propose to do about it... that's what our book is about.

Wallace: Do you think those are responsible comments on national security?

Cheney: I'm not going to get into the business of getting-into a dustup with any of the candidates, or supporting or opposing any of the candidates at this stage.

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (jpjzh)

333 Did you like the nubile virgin they threw into it?
Posted by: ConservativeMonster at September 08, 2015 02:54 PM (0NdlF)

*stares*

That's a trick question, I know it is.

Also Antifragile is by the guy who wrote Black Swan, right?

Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 02:57 PM (mf5HN)

334 285 IF they filibuster this Iran shit and not even let it come up for a vote. If they pass Fredo's budget without so much as a peep. If they keep attacking Trump.......all it will do is help him and drive him further UP in the polls. Many of us have had enough
-----------------------
No Shit. They trash Trump, I will be looking for a new country. One without so many nutless cunts.

Posted by: Jonah Goldberg at September 08, 2015 02:58 PM (oDCMR)

335 Well I do think that the chattering and concern-trolling about "rising white nationalism" is stupid and misses the point entirely: it's the left that makes explicit appeals to racial divisions and racial preferences, not the right. The left advocates for explicit racial quotas in hiring, and then when they see conservatives advocate for border security, they take it for super-secret dog-whistle code-words for "white supremacy" in order to justify their own racial identity politics in terms of false equivalence. "See, you pander to whites with super-secret code dog whistles, so it's totally legit that we pander to blacks with overt non-secret panderings". And too many on the right fall for this sort of nonsense, treating the left and the right equivalently on this score.

It's the left that wants to divide up everyone into racial blocs and have racial strife and tension that they can then gin up outrage to generate political power, not the right.

Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 02:58 PM (x4Fr7)

336 330 Kidding aside..... requal for "what"???
Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (8XRCm)

9mm
Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (gf8BH)

Beretta M9 I presume, or does the Navy use a different sidearm?

Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 02:58 PM (2Ojst)

337 Also Antifragile is by the guy who wrote Black Swan, right?

Yep.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at September 08, 2015 02:58 PM (0NdlF)

338 I think lots of voters think the successive Failure Theatre votes are merely classic political sausage-making in process.

My Mom, for example, writes off one bad vote after another, thinking (tribally) "there my party people and they would never do this if they didn't have some very good mysterious political deal that requires it to happen".

There are fewer and fewer of those kinds of voters, willing to accept on credit the kinds of votes McConnell schedules. Even my mother is starting to say "what did we get in return?".

Posted by: MTF at September 08, 2015 02:58 PM (TxJGV)

339 She got sprung. She has 14 days to develop a plan in which she is not
associated with issuing the licenses but the licenses get issued anyway.>>>

At some point during this kerfuffle I heard that she was trying to get the system/law changed before all this happened. So she didn't have to be the lone signatory of marriage licenses in the county. The current system does not allow for anyone else to do it.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at September 08, 2015 02:58 PM (tf9Ne)

340 Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 02:50 PM (LXJ1e)

I know people who went to a military college without ending up in the military. I'd say they have a very good idea of what military life is like. Military school is essentially boot camp year-round for as long as you attend. Almost all of the stuff taught in boot camp (folding clothes a certain way, making a bed a certain way, marching in formation, standing at attention while being screamed at, etc.) is about teaching you discipline and teaching you to take and obey orders.

Again, I served (2 different times in 2 different branches) and was not only NOT offended by Trump's statement, I think it is actually fairly true that someone that goes to military school has a good idea of what military life is like.

But, I think he'll have a hard time selling that to people with no understanding of the military and LIVs - so from a political perspective only, it is not a wise statement.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (3ZtZW)

341 Kidding aside..... requal for "what"???
Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:53 PM (8XRCm)

9mm
Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (gf8BH)

----

not in what..... FOR what....???

Conceal Carry??? Shooting League???? Stubborn Gum Line Cavities????

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (8XRCm)

342
Someone probably made this point already but.
1) Another thing Trump is teaching: stupid comments about things republicans think are sacred, should not be disqualifiers. ie his comments likening boarding school to military service would not have the same effect on his electability as say a commentthat rape is the woman's fault, or women aren't good at mathor any shibboleth of the left. Why, because the liberal echo chamber is a lot louder than the conservative echo chamber.
2) Also, republican establishment types don't do social cohesion games very well. Really outside the readership of "maybe" theNational Review, no republicans identify withGeorge Will. (Wake the frack up already, we don't care that you think Trump is a bore. FFS you think people who wear "DUNGAREES" are lesser men. On theother hand, if you watch Reverend Al on CNN, he'sfairly "down to earth" and"relatable" and while he is not a skilled reader of the teleprompter, he won't be condescending to me about by blue jeans.
3) Ace is right, as usual. We are doomed.Ace, intrepid to the end,isstill grasping atsome hopeful imaginary straw of realigned parties? I can't blamehimthough.A childhood of countless bowels of KABOOM, brimming with non nutritive cereal varnishwill make a resilient character out of those whoseliver's don't fail first.

Posted by: simplemind at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (5vV+V)

343 IF they filibuster this Iran shit and not even let it come up for a vote. If they pass Fredo's budget without so much as a peep. If they keep attacking Trump.......all it will do is help him and drive him further UP in the polls. Many of us have had enough
-----------------------
No Shit. They trash Trump, I will be looking for a new country. One without so many nutless cunts.

------

A Trump nuclear deal with Iran would at least be treated as a treaty requiring Senate approval. That is already a benefit to a Trump presidency.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (gmeXX)

344 Yup and do you think Trump is going to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT to de-socialize medicine or repeal stupid gun control laws? Hmm?

Posted by: chemjeff

No more or less that our current crop of accomodationists in the GOP.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (JmGFJ)

345 Trump says things that normal people think that politicians have been trained to tamp down into the memory hole. It gives you some excellent things, such as his statement on immigration, Hillary, Bowe Bergdahl. It also gives you the cringey stuff like military school = military service. Overall, it's kinda fun to see heads exploding after all those years of PC nonsense.
Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 02:51 PM (NOIQH)

---------------------------------------

To be honest, it's the stuff that used to be said in all prez elections before the introduction of political correctness. PC has almost killed the election process. That's why Trump is refreshing.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (Fmupd)

346 Nobody else is going to. Trump might.

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (88fBD)
On what possible basis do you think that Trump is going to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT to de-socialize medicine in this countr?

Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (x4Fr7)

347 Apparently the U.S. District Court has ordered the KY clerk out of jail. So Huck gets a reprieve.

Posted by: GBruno at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (u49WF)

348 Nothing trump says of this nature makes a dent because it's already factored in.

>>Trump has an offense

Yes. Honestly this is pretty much the only thing that appeals to me about Trump. He's actually willing to get out there and say stuff.

Posted by: Lea at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (lIU4e)

349
278,

Ten years ago, I would have said you are absolutely correct, that people vote the way they have always voted.

I personally feel like society has done a 180 in the last ten years.

People are more attached to their phones and their online friends than real people. I see 30 year olds at work who are more interested in gaming than kids. I know 40 year olds who know virtually nothing about the world. I had to explain "Sylvia's Mother" by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show to my 14 year old, who had no idea what "and the operator says 40 more cents for the next three minutes ...." meant. She talks on the phone so rarely that not only didn't she understand that at one time, you had to feed a pay phone, that she didn't understand that not everybody HAD their own phone, and you might have to call someone's house phone (which we no longer own) and ask to speak to someone else there... and the person answering the phone might refuse to put that person on the line!

I think our entire society has become unmoored, upended, and worships celebrity. This is why I think the Donald is going to take large swaths of the black vote and in the end, large swaths of the white and Asian vote too. I'm curious as to whether he can at least split the Hispanic vote. I don't fully understand how there is a non-English speaking Hispanic vote, because I thought you had to speak English to take the citizenship exam, but it is my understanding that Jorge Ramos and his ilk have the non-English speaking Hispanic vote convinced that Donald bakes bread with the blood of Hispanic children.

Posted by: the other coyote at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (yK44T)

350 No more or less that our current crop of accomodationists in the GOP.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (JmGFJ)
Trump has said he favors single-payer health care. None of the others have.
Even if you think they all secretly favor it, Trump is the only one who has explicitly said it. Trump is the LEAST likely to favor de-socializing medicine.

Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (x4Fr7)

351 No Shit. They trash Trump, I will be looking for a new country. One without so many nutless cunts.

All hail the new King of the Trumptards! You guys are fucking hilarious.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (1RNgT)

352 On what possible basis do you think that Trump is going to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT to de-socialize medicine in this countr?
Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (x4Fr7)

Did you miss my first sentence, or does it not matter?

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (88fBD)

353 ...My Mom, for example, writes off one bad vote after another, thinking (tribally) "there my party people

Sorry- *they're*

Posted by: MTF at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (TxJGV)

354 the KY clerk

That's who the ghey couple sees after they get the marriage license.

Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 03:01 PM (2Ojst)

355 And there is no getting around this: The Establishment right is quite pro-amnesty, for a mix of reasons, including their inability to get past the idea that erecting any real barriers to immigration is "racist."

Oh yes! And add Common Core in the mix.

Pro-amnesty and a continuation of ruining our schools and dummying down our kids partly because of this mass of low IQ invasion and embracing bilinqual schools. It. Does. Not. Work. (See Canada - it divides the country even more - but hey, the Chamber of Commerce will be happy with all of those new translation jobs.)

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:01 PM (qCMvj)

356 A U.S. court jailed a State Official? Mobilize the Militia.

Posted by: The Killing Machine Formerly Known As Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 03:01 PM (fjaeZ)

357 Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (jpjzh)

Bwahahaha.

I think I need a smoke after that.

Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) - Fire-hooks and Rock Salt for sale at September 08, 2015 03:01 PM (kff5f)

358 The frustration and desperation I feel with regard to some of Trump's supposed gaffes is that he did not really say what he is reported as saying.

Endlessly this happens.

He went to a military boarding school. Aside from combat operations, and depending in the school, that is like being in the fucking military.

And his point was that this was good for the country, that our young men and women could use MORE fucking military schools, it's good for discipline, etc.

Do you know why his gaffes don't hurt him. Because they aren't fucking gaffes. Haven't people figured out yet that what this guy does is calculated to the core. Every. Fucking. Word.

What enrages voters most = when people are unfairly attacked when what they really said was a great thing and what the focus should have been more about.

That's how you build a loyal base that is going to walk through a hail storm to register voters. And that is what Trump is doing right now. I have no idea of the man's true beliefs.

All I know is that when Trump was asked by Larry King AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION in 1988 was he a Rockefeller Republican, Trump thought about it on air and said he was for the party of the taxi driver, the working man of America.

Looks like he still is. And that's just fucking fine by me. Muzzie loving Norquist and the hedge fund guys can pay some more tax. I never bought into that shit anyway.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:01 PM (q5APL)

359 All hail the new King of the Trumptards! You guys are fucking hilarious.

-----

Somebody dint read Aces words and shit.......

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 03:01 PM (8XRCm)

360 Is Perot still alive?

Posted by: The Killing Machine Formerly Known As Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 03:02 PM (fjaeZ)

361 ace, the Game of Hypocricies you is not an even field.

Let's say RINOs are 100% right about TruCons - they are some sort of mentally challenged mood swingers. OK? They can excuse Trump's major policy flops for being passionate about ONE issue they care about. That's about it, no?

On the other hand, let's see what the establishment sells us. They say we need to compromise etc etc in order to get to power and govern, so we get at least SOMETHING instead of NOTHING. Now, the problem with what they claim is not only that they usually govern in a much more liberal way their way of compromise, but more egregiously - they, themselves, don't actually look at it as a painful compromise.

They don't think, well - a wall is great thing and Amnesty is bad, but we need someone who can win the Latinos so we need to promise that so can have a chance to win.

No.

They actually are full of disgust with the concept of a walled border, and actually want to grant citizenship to all illegals. Now the "conservative" stuff they say - pro gun and anti abortion, these are compromises for them. Or more let's call it more appropriately - lip service. They don't believe in any of that and a chance of them taking action upon them is a sound zilch.

So, our Hypocricies, according to our worst detractors, are impulsive at worst. Their Hypocricies, on the other hand, are a carefully designed disinformation and manipulation. There is no comparison.

Posted by: Aristotle at September 08, 2015 03:02 PM (s4tWE)

362 Trump is the LEAST likely to favor de-socializing medicine.

-------

I'm not sure that is true. Trump seems to me to be more do what I need to do to get reelected than principled ideologue. Admittedly that is a double edge sword.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:03 PM (gmeXX)

363 Good for Cheney; Refused to take the bait.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 03:03 PM (OSs/l)

364 Antifragile points out that you *can't* see the Black Swan coming ...

But you can build a system that doesn't care, that is responsive to small failures and avoids building up the pressure that creates the big ones.

Which is not what we have. So let it break. And build something better.

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at September 08, 2015 03:03 PM (0NdlF)

365 "I just want to know who his cabinet would be. Personnel is Policy."

Trump did say that he thought Orca Winfrey would make an excellent Vice President. A heartbeat away, as the old saying has it.

A lone gunman just nailed the POTUS in the cranium. The economy is collapsing. Detroit is going bankrupt yet again. Newly sworn in President Winfrey prepares her first ever policy address from the Oval Office.

"EVERYBODY GETS A CAR!!! EVERYBODY GETS A CAR!!!"

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 03:03 PM (noWW6)

366 * I don't think the candidate they have in mind is Jeb; I think the candidate they have in mind (to the extent they have one in mind) is probably Marco Rubio, who they view, wrongly, as an "acceptable compromise" between grassroots and Establishment, and polished, professional candidate to boot.

I think they've made it abundantly clear they want the "hispanic" vote and they have said, Jeb! or Rubio can get them.

They didn't expect what Instapundit linked earlier, that Trump can win by black votes.

And if Biden gets the nod, the young voters are at play, and Trump is a "celebrity." Biden is an old white dude with fake teeth.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (qCMvj)

367 Beretta M9 I presume, or does the Navy use a different sidearm?
Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 02:58 PM (2Ojst)

Yes I presume so. I have a Beretta 9MM at home, but not the full size one the Navy uses. I keep reading we are switching over to another pistol, but not yet.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (gf8BH)

368 9mm

Posted by: Nevergiveup

The Navy was the first branch of service to move to arm it's reserve center and recruitment center personnel post-Chattanooga.

Posted by: just another trump-curious tru-con at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (e8ge6)

369 Working on the Hillary! campaign must be like being on the Staff of the Italian Army in North Africa.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Autumnal Enormities have Arrived at the Outrage Outlet! at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (hLRSq)

370 Gee it sounds like Carnival Side Show down there in KY.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (gf8BH)

371 One thing explains the Trump phenomenon: control.

Whether it be immigration, the Iran Deal, Obamacare, Same-sex Marriage, or any number of other things, people feel completely out of control of their own political system.

This isn't just losing an election, though I think it started with Obamacare's midnight shenanigans. It's a political class fully in control and violently bucking the people. It's in all 3 branches and both parties.

Posted by: AmishDude at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (Xd2w5)

372 Shorter version.

This is not a gaffe. It is not a mistake. There is absolutely nothing outrageous at all here.

And he makes a good point. American youth could use some harsh discipline, law and order schooling that military boarding schools used to provide.

And we treated the military and vets like shit during and right after Vietnam.

another twofer for Donald J. Trump.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:05 PM (q5APL)

373 The Navy was the first branch of service to move to arm it's reserve center and recruitment center personnel post-Chattanooga.
Posted by: just another trump-curious tru-con at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (e8ge6)

Kinda? We will see.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:05 PM (gf8BH)

374 It's a political class fully in control and violently bucking the people. It's in all 3 branches and both parties.

-----

I think a fair and accurate summary of the current state.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:06 PM (gmeXX)

375 Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:59 PM (3ZtZW)

Interesting point...

Lets take a very unscientific poll....

Veterans??? Were YOU offended by what Trump said...

or are people TELLING you, you must be offended....

USN Ret. here.... dumb thing to say... but not offended.

Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 03:06 PM (qh617)

376 She got sprung. She has 14 days to develop a plan in which she is not
associated with issuing the licenses but the licenses get issued anyway.>>>

At some point during this kerfuffle I heard that she was trying to get the system/law changed before all this happened. So she didn't have to be the lone signatory of marriage licenses in the county. The current system does not allow for anyone else to do it.
__________

Not only that, but research on the Federal Judge is finding out that he sentenced a high school group to some kind of reeducation because they did not comply with some goofy homosexual edict.

A lot of oppo research on the puny Clerk, but when you start pulling aside the veil of Federal Judges -- well, that is another thing. When did the CA judge come out? Before or after his ruling overturning Prop 8?

Posted by: mustbequantum at September 08, 2015 03:06 PM (MIKMs)

377 Yes I presume so. I have a Beretta 9MM at home, but not the full size one the Navy uses. I keep reading we are switching over to another pistol, but not yet.
Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (gf8BH)

There's been talk about the armed forces changing from the M9 to something else for quite a while now, I believe, but AFAIK no final decision's been made.

Posted by: Insomniac at September 08, 2015 03:06 PM (2Ojst)

378 Finally a Republican candidate beats all Democrat comers. First time in years. And yet its treated like its a bad thing. No wonder we're fucked.

Posted by: Iblis at September 08, 2015 03:06 PM (9221z)

379 35% of the Veterans on the VA treatment waiting lists are already dead.

Posted by: The Killing Machine Formerly Known As Boss Moss at September 08, 2015 03:07 PM (fjaeZ)

380 still finishing up Ace's post... late to the game

Immigration, illegal and otherwise, is the number one issue on many voter's minds. It is from this that the dominoes fall, or the camel's back is broken for America.

It is from this issue that many are basing their anger, and ignoring everything else. If Trump were to fix this, then the country wins, many think.

Obama ran his entire first 4 years getting obamacare in. What if Trump did the same with the illegals?

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:07 PM (qCMvj)

381 dumb thing to say... but not offended.

-----

I'm offended that people are constantly being offended.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:07 PM (gmeXX)

382 Were YOU offended by what Trump said...

or are people TELLING you, you must be offended....

USN Ret. here.... dumb thing to say... but not offended.
Posted by: BB Wolf at September 08, 2015 03:06 PM (qh617)

What did he say?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:07 PM (gf8BH)

383 As I feel currently doomed to lose, forever, in the current alignment, I have little to fear and something to gain from a shake-up in the coalitions.

Amen, great post.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:08 PM (qCMvj)

384 Trump has said he favors single-payer health care. None of the others have.
Even if you think they all secretly favor it, Trump is the only one who has explicitly said it. Trump is the LEAST likely to favor de-socializing medicine.
Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (x4Fr7)

What? You think Trump will veto a bill to kill Obamacare?

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 03:08 PM (LXJ1e)

385
BTW, youtube is the greatest thing.

I work with some idiots who believe "Trump said" or "Sarah Palin said" shit they hear from their "cool" friends and relatives.

I can take them straight to youtube and make them watch what Trump actually said. And challenge them to find what Sarah Palin supposedly said.

It's actually a nice way of making them see the truth.

Posted by: the other coyote at September 08, 2015 03:08 PM (yK44T)

386 Working on the Hillary! campaign must be like being on the Staff of the Italian Army in North Africa.
Posted by: Mikey NTH - Autumnal Enormities have Arrived at the Outrage Outlet! at September 08, 2015 03:04 PM (hLRSq)

-----------------------------------

I look at it more like this: Working on the Hillary campaign is like being on Hitler's staff in the bunker during the last days of WWII.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 03:08 PM (Fmupd)

387 Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 02:52 PM (3ZtZW)

There's a certain amount of "Yes We Can have Hope and Change" going on for Trump. But it's like that guy who tells cancer patients that his magic plant juice can cure their cancer without the hair loss and nausea of chemotherapy. We can just pass a law, strip anchor babies of citizenship, rent some buses, and clear out the barrios. No lawsuits, no restraining orders, no mistakes, just poof and done. All those ranches along the border will just donate the land for the Wall for free, there won't be an issue where we have to choose between damaging Big Bend by running a wall through it, or not putting a wall there and watch it become a smuggler's killing grounds. Yes we can, yes we can! It's like everybody learned the wrong lesson from 2008 or something.

And the actual "amnesty candidates" like Jeb aren't doing so well. What put Romney over the top in 2012 was the money and organization he was able to build from 2009 onwards. Jeb! has not had that kind of time to get his shit together, and it shows.

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 03:09 PM (Bgpaz)

388 " I don't fully understand how there is a non-English speaking Hispanic
vote, because I thought you had to speak English to take the citizenship
exam"

Ummmmmm let me tell you about the last time I went in to take the written version of the Commiefornia driver's license exam.

You can take it in an insane galaxy of different languages. Thirty? Fifty? They probably have Klingon and Elvish (Elvish motherfucker, do you speak it) on the list by now.

But you can't have notes, you can't talk to others, and you can't make calls on your phone while you're in the exam area.

Suffice it to say that you can and will see all three rules being broken with brazen impunity by virtually everyone taking the test.

I doubt that Fedzilla proctors its citizenship exams any more tightly.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 03:09 PM (noWW6)

389 I can take them straight to youtube and make them watch what Trump actually said. And challenge them to find what Sarah Palin supposedly said.

It's actually a nice way of making them see the truth.
Posted by: the other coyote

That video was doctored!

Posted by: Wotta Moroon at September 08, 2015 03:09 PM (W5DcG)

390 Trump is the evil. And his hair looks like a Honey Badger on PCP. Only a fool would vote for him.

Posted by: Nip of the Sip GOPe mole at September 08, 2015 03:10 PM (o/upK)

391 What? You think Trump will veto a bill to kill Obamacare?>>>

And that bill will never land on his desk so kinda a moot point.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at September 08, 2015 03:10 PM (tf9Ne)

392 Trump has said he favors single-payer health care.

Posted by: chemjeff - anti-Trump/anti-Jeb/pro-conservative at September 08, 2015 03:00 PM (x4Fr7)

Stop with the BS. he said he USED TO.

I'm not thrilled with that but there's a big difference between "used to" and "[does]". He specifically said that he doesn't think it would work, anymore. Small comfort but at least it is a definite move away from the stupidity of government controlled health insurance/care.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at September 08, 2015 03:11 PM (zc3Db)

393 Did you like the nubile virgin they threw into it?

Posted by: ConservativeMonster at September 08, 2015 02:54 PM (0NdlF)
_________________________

You mean this one? http://goo.gl/lXtPjg

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at September 08, 2015 03:11 PM (HSmrB)

394 "All those ranches along the border will just donate the land for the Wall for free"

A fair number of the ranchers down there would jump at the chance.

I've heard stories about people being unable to safely step outside the front doors of the houses that their families have lived in for generations.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 03:11 PM (noWW6)

395 Hey everyone says things they wish they could take back. Like "I Do" for one

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:11 PM (gf8BH)

396 BB Wolf and Nevergiveup:

Yes. THIS x 10000000. He didn't say my time at an exclusive military boarding school IS THE SAME AS A COMBAT VETS' SERVICE.

He just pointed out that he was at a MILITARY school that donned MILITARY uniforms and many of his instructors/authorities were FORMER MILITARY so he could understand the culture.

The whole "my high school counts the same as two tours in 'Nam" shit is spoonfed spin garbage by the NY fucking T and an author whom Trump stopped the interview with b/c he found out the guy had been talking to some of Trump's enemies.

Can we please stop assuming that the leftist media is the definer for what is, and is not, a gaffe or outrageous.

Trump didn't say one fucking thing in this case that comes close to approaching that.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:12 PM (q5APL)

397 "Veterans??? Were YOU offended by what Trump said... "

Not offended.
I keep seeing things people say about what Trump said, and when I see the words I discover what Trump said isn't what people claimed he said.

For example military prep school = military service.

That's not what Trump said. He said his experience gave him some insight.

People keep saying Trump said something stupid and we should all be outraged, and if we are not outraged then we are just as stupid as Trump.

Posted by: Gustapha Karmakov at September 08, 2015 03:12 PM (ePB9l)

398 wishing for a better person

but u no there is no one else who

talks and walks and chews gum but

Trump is a clown and you voting for him are raciss and

like shooting off ur finger to spite your face , can't you just

pick a regular Rplebican to vote for ?

Who will be the normal racis kind of racis?

Posted by: Jose Canseco - GOPe at September 08, 2015 03:12 PM (e8ge6)

399 Finally a Republican candidate beats all Democrat comers. First time in years. And yet its treated like its a bad thing. No wonder we're fucked.

Posted by: Iblis at September 08, 2015 03:06 PM (9221z)

Yup

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at September 08, 2015 03:12 PM (R8hU8)

400 Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 02:56 PM (jpjzh)

If you're conservative, have a lot of class and a big dick, that's how you handle it.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 03:13 PM (Zs4uk)

401 4 important items that help illustrate how small a slice of the voting interest the GOP and their punditry cover.

1. there is a lot of overlap between people that passively accepted that Thad Cochran won a primary runoff with a hard left pander, and people that will not accept Donald Trump's impurities.

2. The GOP plays political games, with right leaning voters ending up on the ass end of things, and this is to be ignored or passively accepted as a pragmatic necessity. Ted Cruz plays political games, with the GOP hypocrisies on the ass end of it, and he is attacked rather aggressively for his attempts to shame the GOP into more rightward positions.

3. there is a ton of overlap between those that attack Trump, and those that will attack Cruz, Carson, and probably Fiorina, should any of those candidates end up in the drivers seat. They might have to be more delicate about it, but it will happen, if it needs to.

4. these are the people who chastise us about not being able to compromise on candidates.

Posted by: Dave S. at September 08, 2015 03:13 PM (wedPR)

402 391 What? You think Trump will veto a bill to kill Obamacare?>>>

And that bill will never land on his desk so kinda a moot point.
Posted by: Buzzsaw at September 08, 2015 03:10 PM (tf9Ne)

-----------------

Yep, not sure why Nip Sip is bringing it up.

But if they wanted to, just label the Obamacare replacement Trumpcare and he will sign it into law no matter what it does.

Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 03:13 PM (LXJ1e)

403 Are all the people on the Hillary campaign "true believers" or are they just there because it's a paycheck, and before the paychecks cease they will be onto0 another campaign? I don't think there's a lot of esteem for Hillary.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 08, 2015 03:13 PM (OSs/l)

404 Would Congress let a Trump administration get away with using the IRS to go after the Trump administration's opponents?

If the answer is No, then it is another reason to vote Trump.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:14 PM (gmeXX)

405 Good for Cheney; Refused to take the bait.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke

It's nice to see him so healthy. He doesn't have that pale look and heavy breathing thing after telling people to just shut up.

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 03:14 PM (jpjzh)

406 What? You think Trump will veto a bill to kill Obamacare?
Posted by: Make America Great Again at September 08, 2015 03:08 PM (LXJ1e)

Congress critters won't draft a bill to kill Obamacare even if Trump insists on it. Or even if divine revelation comes and insists on it. GOP is useless and malignant.

Posted by: Aristotle at September 08, 2015 03:14 PM (s4tWE)

407 Military prep school is a hell've of a lot better than fuckin Public Schools these days where they teach transexuals rule. Sigh

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:14 PM (gf8BH)

408 Can we please stop assuming that the leftist media is the definer for what is, and is not, a gaffe or outrageous.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:12 PM (q5APL)

That's just plain crazy talk.

5 weeks, nicotine free.

Posted by: rebel flounder at September 08, 2015 03:14 PM (Vf5rR)

409 As I've been saying, Trump getting the nomination will lead to one of two things: he'll win the election, and turn the GOP upside down. Or, he'll lose the election, and destroy the GOP so that a better alternative will take its place. Either way, the GOP establishment will be crushed.

Also, if Trump goes third-party, they should call themselves the Wig Party...

Posted by: Tex Lovera at September 08, 2015 03:15 PM (gODb/)

410 Very good analysis, ace.

One thing I want to add -- every time I see/hear an establishment pol or pundit getting outraged that Trump isn't a "conservative" I laugh. I'm not even a Trump supporter, but it's like these establishment pols/pundits are *trying* to make me a Trump supporter. I find it ridiculous that anyone can expect me to care about what these people who have SOLD ME OUT think of Trump after I helped give "conservatives" the House and Senate and they still can't do one damned thing they promised they would (repeal Obamacare, defund PP, stop the Iran deal). Right now I'm leaning Carly, Cruz and/or Carson, but if Trump will do as he promises -- unlike the so-called conservatives -- then he might just win me over.

Posted by: Dancing Queen at September 08, 2015 03:15 PM (dLr9j)

411

What the majority of Americans will hear from Trump's quote: He supports our military and our vets.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:15 PM (qCMvj)

412 Ya notice how all these people "risking their lives?" to sneak into Europe have smart phones?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:16 PM (gf8BH)

413 Veterans??? Were YOU offended by what Trump said...

or are people TELLING you, you must be offended....

As a veteran, I'm offended by the latte sippers who not only ran for the fainting couch on this one, but though the McCain comments were the end of him.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 03:16 PM (Zs4uk)

414 Would Congress investigate Trump's state department if an ambassador was killed while on duty?

If the answer is Yes, then another reason to vote for Trump.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:16 PM (gmeXX)

415 Most on the right make perceived gaffes that never get corrected, because the left owns media. So the "I can see Russia from my house" becomes real to the nitwit majority. (as post election polling showed on that Palin fake thing).

But Trump fights back and controls the narrative, since he gets so much coverage.

He still has to come up with a lot of details for all his brave stance, but at least he can make his own narrative, unlike Romney the dog torturer with binders of women. Romney's other problem was he went soft after that first debate. Then Biden sorta "won" his debate by acting like a drunken uncle and interrupting every ten seconds. Biden actually lost to Palin as well (4 yrs earlier) on accuracy, but won by being an overbearing boorish jackarse, perceived as strong leadership.

Posted by: Illiniwek at September 08, 2015 03:17 PM (6zZ5y)

416 I think it's all pretty much a "fuck you" mentality. "You wanted to shove Jeb Bush on us so fuck you." I think that still at all other levels people do want that more conservative candidate and that is who they are going to go for. So I do not agree that it is actually posturing. It is what they want but if the RNC has made it clear that they will do everything to prevent that, well the "fuck you we'll go with Trump."

Posted by: Buzzion at September 08, 2015 03:17 PM (z/Ubi)

417 ery good analysis, ace.

One thing I want to add -- every time I see/hear an establishment pol or pundit getting outraged that Trump isn't a "conservative" I laugh. I'm not even a Trump supporter, but it's like these establishment pols/pundits are *trying* to make me a Trump supporter. I find it ridiculous that anyone can expect me to care about what these people who have SOLD ME OUT think of Trump after I helped give "conservatives" the House and Senate and they still can't do one damned thing they promised they would (repeal Obamacare, defund PP, stop the Iran deal). Right now I'm leaning Carly, Cruz and/or Carson, but if Trump will do as he promises -- unlike the so-called conservatives -- then he might just win me over.
Posted by: Dancing Queen at September 08, 2015 03:15 PM (dLr9j)

pundits do not have the power they think they have

perhaps they had more pull before the internet, and the arrival of the conservative movement online, and the Breitbart, Malkin & Co's.

I will never forget Tom Brokaw flipping out over this.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:18 PM (qCMvj)

418 198 >>>Jesus Christ Ace, I've never witnessed such a brutal assault on the strawman community. It was a veritable strawman genocide. As quick as you could set them up, you mowed them down.

which ones?

Genuinely curious.

Posted by: ace at September 08, 2015 02:31 PM (dciA+)
I thought Obama had pretty much committed genocide on the straw man community.
Is there even a breeding pair left?

Posted by: Northernlurker at September 08, 2015 03:18 PM (4rzL1)

419 414 Would Congress investigate Trump's state department if an ambassador was killed while on duty?

If the answer is Yes, then another reason to vote for Trump.
Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:16 PM (gmeXX)

I kinda don't want Congress to have oversight anymore. I hate them.

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 03:18 PM (88fBD)

420 I thought Obama had pretty much committed genocide on the straw man community.
Is there even a breeding pair left?
Posted by: Northernlurker at September 08, 2015 03:18 PM (4rzL1)

-----

Strawmen do not breed.

They sow their oats.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 03:19 PM (8XRCm)

421 Yeah. This isn't going to end well. Europe is stupid. Shit. The leadership in the whole western world is stupid.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 03:19 PM (Fmupd)

422 Lurch has established an "Email Czar" for the State Department.

Weasel Zippers

Well now I feel safer

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:20 PM (gf8BH)

423 I thought Obama had pretty much committed genocide on the straw man community.
Is there even a breeding pair left?

Posted by: Northernlurker at September 08, 2015 03:18 PM (4rzL1)

Quite the opposite. Barky's only true military command is over his army of strawmen. If it weren't for his strawman soldiers Barky would never have an argument against anything ... not that that would stop him ... Under Barky, strawmen have flourished like never before.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at September 08, 2015 03:21 PM (zc3Db)

424 Lurch has established an "Email Czar" for the State Department.
>>>

Is it Snowden since he's over in the land of Czars.

Posted by: Buzzsaw at September 08, 2015 03:21 PM (tf9Ne)

425 Trump is the evil. And his hair looks like a Honey Badger on PCP. Only a fool would vote for him.

Posted by: Nip of the Sip GOPe mole at September 08, 2015 03:10 PM (o/upK)

Donald Trump's scalp-weasel tore my flesh!

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Autumnal Enormities have Arrived at the Outrage Outlet! at September 08, 2015 03:21 PM (hLRSq)

426 I wouldn't say Trump's comment is stupid. I'd say it's pretty audacious. Or careless. Or megolomanical. Or whatever.

It's Trump, it's not shocking or offensive.

Too bad we weren't as pissed off in 2012 to give Perry the same benefit as we see now for Trump. I thought Romney made a lot more gaffe's then than Perry.

Posted by: Joanne hearts Cruz and Jindal at September 08, 2015 03:22 PM (hgBpU)

427 pundits do not have the power they think they have perhaps they had more pull before the internet, and the arrival of the conservative movement online, and the Breitbart, Malkin Co's. I will never forget Tom Brokaw flipping out over this.
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:18 PM (qCMvj)

-----------------------------------------

I think it started with Rush. At one point he was the lone conservative voice being heard nation-wide. And the "DC political punditry class" has hated him ever since.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 03:22 PM (Fmupd)

428 I thought Romney made a lot more gaffe's then than Perry.

Posted by: Joanne hearts Cruz and Jindal

Minnows v Marlins

Posted by: wrg500 at September 08, 2015 03:23 PM (FEAjO)

429 I kinda don't want Congress to have oversight anymore. I hate them.

------

Congress has abdicated just about all of their power and duties. I'm in favor of anything that gets Congress to take some of those powers back.

Why do you hate Congress? I suspect it is more for what they won't do then what they have done - though there is a lot to hate about what they have done too.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:23 PM (gmeXX)

430 But Trump fights back and controls the narrative, since he gets so much coverage.

He still has to come up with a lot of details for all his brave stance, but at least he can make his own narrative, unlike Romney the dog torturer with binders of women.

I think this is in the top three for his support. I watched BBC last night and a news reader at one point asked someone how support for Trump could remain high "after all the horrid things he's said about Mexicans and Women". This is an internet and cable news shift in population and many more people than before recognize the pure propaganda masquerading as PC mob pressure. You can't fool all the People all of the time.

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 03:24 PM (jpjzh)

431 That jackass Shep brought up that absurd argument about different race marriages in the South 50 years ago.. what a fuck

I am using the word fuck a lot more these days.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:24 PM (gf8BH)

432 "Lurch has established an "Email Czar" for the State Department."

Too many czars. We need some viziers instead.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Autumnal Enormities have Arrived at the Outrage Outlet! at September 08, 2015 03:25 PM (hLRSq)

433 Just when I had my heart set on four more years of betrayal by The Drunk and The Turtle this stupid poll comes out --with Trump leading all others!
Now my day is shot.
Consistent betrayal ...just don't now how I could ever give it up.

Posted by: Lower Class person whose opinions need to be guided at September 08, 2015 03:25 PM (htXhe)

434 415 Most on the right make perceived gaffes that never get corrected, because the left owns media. So the "I can see Russia from my house" becomes real to the nitwit majority.

When things like that happen, the left media can be defeated, but it's impossible when the "right" media join in the bullshit.

That's when having writers who have the same level of integrity and commitment to the truth as Steve Schmidt and Nichole Wallace really hurts the conservative cause.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 03:25 PM (Zs4uk)

435 "TruCon"

You need to take an Internet break

Posted by: PDJ at September 08, 2015 03:25 PM (wS9yG)

436 "Lurch has established an "Email Czar" for the State Department."

Too many czars. We need some viziers instead.

------------

Would Congress let the Trump administration appoint czar after czar?

If the answer is No, then another reason to support Trump.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:25 PM (gmeXX)

437 Too bad we weren't as pissed off in 2012 to give Perry the same benefit as we see now for Trump.

Heartless.

Posted by: Rick Perry at September 08, 2015 03:26 PM (e8ge6)

438 These actors in KY are pretty crazy. All of them including the judges

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:26 PM (gf8BH)

439 I think it started with Rush. At one point he was the lone conservative voice being heard nation-wide. And the "DC political punditry class" has hated him ever since.
Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 03:22 PM (Fmupd)

good point

I had never really listened to talk radio -- too busy working.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:27 PM (qCMvj)

440 Congress has abdicated just about all of their power and duties. I'm in favor of anything that gets Congress to take some of those powers back.

Why do you hate Congress? I suspect it is more for what they won't do then what they have done - though there is a lot to hate about what they have done too.
Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:23 PM (gmeXX)

DELEGATION DOCTRINE. DO. YOU. SPEAK. IT.

*twitches on floor*

Posted by: alexthechick - Yeah I give up at September 08, 2015 03:27 PM (mf5HN)

441 Someone has to shut Shep the fuck up

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:27 PM (gf8BH)

442 So, Trump said he learned some valuable discipline as a teen in military school and he now feels a kinship and respect for our military, and that's somehow heretical? He wasn't like Sid Blumenthal claiming to have served in Vietnam or Kerry lying about his medals that he threw in the river. He said military school did him good. This is the establishment playing gotcha.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at September 08, 2015 03:28 PM (5aIMb)

443 The other thing that Trump does that is really working for him is that he makes himself available to the press. He will call in to tv and radio shows to comment. When the media calls to schedule an interview they talk to him (not some aide), and he is interested in more exposure. Compared to Hillary, who is so inaccessible, the press just can't help but do moar Trump media.

Saw Mika explaining this a few weeks ago, begrudgingly admitting that Trump is the media's dream candidate when it comes to press accessibility.

Posted by: Lizzy at September 08, 2015 03:30 PM (NOIQH)

444 So, Trump said he learned some valuable discipline as a teen in military school and he now feels a kinship and respect for our military, and that's somehow heretical? He wasn't like Sid Blumenthal claiming to have served in Vietnam or Kerry lying about his medals that he threw in the river. He said military school did him good. This is the establishment playing gotcha.
Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at September 08, 2015 03:28 PM (5aIMb)

If that is what Trump said then I agree with him 100%

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:30 PM (gf8BH)

445 >>> These actors in KY are pretty crazy. All of them including the judges
Posted by: Nevergiveup

There's a lot of crazy in KY. And I say that after living and doctoring the indigent population there for a few months. A crapload.

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 03:30 PM (jpjzh)

446 Yo!

Posted by: Yo! at September 08, 2015 03:30 PM (GwIKd)

447 Ted Cruz is a Populist?

Is that really a fair assessment?

Sheesh.

Posted by: Pastorius at September 08, 2015 03:31 PM (gMAUH)

448 Why do you hate Congress? I suspect it is more for what they won't do then what they have done - though there is a lot to hate about what they have done too.

Them trying to claim oversight at this point, after eight years of letting Obama ruin everything, would be an insult.

Trump should rule by decree, and make all the Beltway insiders weep and wear sackcloth when he flushes them and replaces them with his own cronies and lickspittle.

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 08, 2015 03:31 PM (88fBD)

449 Saw Mika explaining this a few weeks ago, begrudgingly admitting that Trump is the media's dream candidate when it comes to press accessibility.

-------

I think it is more about ratings than accessibility. There have been other candidates who have made themselves accessible in the past. Trump delivers on both.

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:31 PM (gmeXX)

450 We have a repeater back? Shit

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:32 PM (gf8BH)

451 Way to go REBEL!!!!! Great job buddy!

Here is a prime example. You must understand what is occurring here.

Trump HAS NEVER said he favors single payer healthcare. At least my research has not uncovered such a statement, and my research is extensive.

He says we should study single payer systems and they appear to work well in some countries.

He is running mad political game right now and is going to burn every detractor/hysterics creator to the ground.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:32 PM (q5APL)

452 "pundits do not have the power they think they have perhaps they had more pull before the internet, and the arrival of the conservative movement online, and the Breitbart, Malkin Co's. I will never forget Tom Brokaw flipping out over this. "

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at September 08, 2015 03:18 PM (qCMvj)

Unfortunately, people who have a voice on the right know that the fastest way to fame and riches is to be the "conservative" who affirms all the vile bullshit of the left.

Whether for money or acceptance in the "in crowd", there never seems to be a shortage of sellouts who will say what they need at the critical moment.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 03:32 PM (Zs4uk)

453 I wish Curtis LeMay were alive today

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:33 PM (gf8BH)

454 National polls more than a year out from the election must be taken with a moon-sized grain of salt.

We all know the same thing, even those of us who won't admit it publicly: Trump is unelectable, and we all know why. If and when he gets the nomination, the Democrats will carpet bomb the airwaves with Trump being Trump. Tens of millions of young women who aren't paying attention now will be presented with Trump, in his own words, calling women bimbos, fat slobs, and pigs, among other things. These mortified women won't walk, they will run to the polls to vote for whoever the D nominee is. That's your endgame right there. And it doesn't end there, because there will be a hispanic "panic wave" against Trump. And there will be millions of conservatives who, like me, ain't pulling the lever for Donald Fucking Trump.

Deal with it, don't deal with it. THAT is what is going to happen. OBVIOUSLY.

Posted by: Blankety Blank So and So at September 08, 2015 03:33 PM (nFICN)

455 Strawmen do not breed.

They sow their oats.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 03:19 PM (8XRCm)

Be out in a minute, Mom! Just brushing my teeth!

Posted by: Strawteen at September 08, 2015 03:34 PM (vgIRn)

456 I hear Huckabee is gong to join the Circus after this run for the Presidency? Not that there is anything wrong with that

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 08, 2015 03:34 PM (gf8BH)

457 Deal with it, don't deal with it. THAT is what is going to happen. OBVIOUSLY.

------

How will that be any different from any other GOP nomination?

Posted by: SH at September 08, 2015 03:34 PM (gmeXX)

458 Here is a classic point.

Elizabeth Warren said Trump is right on taxes. You see, she (and many morons on the "GOP" side of things) thinks that he is talking about taxing the rich 1%'ers.

BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS. Trump is on point like a laser here. He quickly corrected Don Lemon on this when Lemon said "Trump is for taxing the rich."

No, he said the hedge fund guys. They use all these fucking tricks to pay nothing, like the "carried interest" shit.

Trump knows the GOP base better than the fucking GOP and is playing the Dems and the media like a fiddle.

when these idiots finally recognize that Trump is simply stating that Ken Griffith should pay the same rate as your average business does, and then he wants to lower that rate across the board, heads are going to fucking explode.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:35 PM (q5APL)

459 Saw Mika explaining this a few weeks ago, begrudgingly admitting that Trump is the media's dream candidate when it comes to press accessibility.

The WH has always been accessible to her at least. I saw her read a real time rebuttal to Joe one time off her phone during the show. It was a text from the WH political room watching the show.

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 03:35 PM (jpjzh)

460 David Bunning ... The Federal Judge who jailed Kim Davis ... is certainly a piece of work. Personally, I find him dangerous as hell to the notion of a Constitutional Republic.

You can confirm this quote of his via WaPo:

The idea of natural law superseding this court's authority would be a dangerous precedent indeed.

Posted by: Irony at September 08, 2015 03:35 PM (3FBAK)

461 No time to catch up on the comments, so sorry if this has already been said.....

First, I agree with you Ace about the constant search everyone (and, yes I include myself) seems to be on to be pissed off for some reason. When the hell did this happen to us (and by that, I mean the whole damn country not just GOPe vs GOPure)? I seem to remember a time when you could have a conversation about events in this country without it degenerating into all out war. I think it may have started during the demonization of Bush by the Dem that went unanswered, but am unsure.....maybe the internet is just a net negative and this is one of the manifestations.

More importantly, I find it amazing that the anti Trumps can't figure out that the more they laugh and point and make fun of the idiot in the corner, the more they drive people to Trump. Americans want something different....how stupid do you have to be as a politician to stand up and loudly yell "I know you are sick o me but that guy over there? He's just the opposite of me! How could you possibly support him?

This is not about Trump, this is about the destruction of credibility of the GOP by the GOP in people you nominally want to vote for you. We simply do not believe a damn thing you (the GOP) say anymore.....so, "so what if Trump is a liar and tells me what I want to hear?" the Trumpkin says..... "no different than what I've been getting at home for the last thirty years and at least I can see some heads spinning in the process"

Posted by: FITP at September 08, 2015 03:36 PM (syf1w)

462 BTW folks, that picture of Mike Huckabee with Kim Davis and friends is the death of his candidacy.

Sweet Jesus is Ms. Davis and dem plant or what???

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:36 PM (q5APL)

463 and in other news we aren't talking about:

http://bit.ly/1Fu3GMQ

698k native born Americans lose their jobs in August. 204k foreign born Americas gain jobs the same month.

Posted by: notsothoreau at September 08, 2015 03:37 PM (5HBd1)

464 at this point it doesnt matter what trump says or does ... he is the ultimate FU candidate and is immune from stupidity ...

Posted by: E.T. at September 08, 2015 03:37 PM (yq4gk)

465 Strawmen do not breed.

They sow their oats.

Posted by: fixerupper at September 08, 2015 03:19 PM (8XRCm)

Be out in a minute, Mom! Just brushing my teeth!
Posted by: Strawteen

OWWW! Damn needle!

Posted by: Daybrother unleashed at September 08, 2015 03:37 PM (jpjzh)

466 I haven't yet read through the 457 comments, so maybe someone already made this point:

Ace -- don't you suppose that Trump's ability to survive gaffes unscathed is a direct result of the media's treating him less mercilessly than they usually treat Republican candidates?

And: Don't you think that this might be the plan all along -- to treat Trump with kid gloves, carry him to the nomination, and then remove those gloves and savage him in the general? Because this guy has a history of disqualifyingly stupid and offensive statements reaching back decades.

The left would like nothing better than for the Republicans to nominate such a fatally flawed candidate, particularly in a cycle where we had some nearly flawless candidates from which to choose (Walker, Perry, Cruz).

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 03:39 PM (LqrRo)

467 "As I feel currently doomed to lose, forever, in the current alignment, I have little to fear and something to gain from a shake-up in the coalitions."

And that's the key, here, isn't it? Are we doomed to lose forever unless we take some wild chance and blow everything up, or were the last two Presidential elections won by factors that won't translate into 2016? What if that "current alignment" goes away with 0bama, no matter what we do or don't do on our end?

Even if Biden is 0bama's designated successor, the distinct lack of melanin at the top of the ticket will still be felt among black voters. After all, 0bama did a lot of endorsing in 2010 and 2014, which didn't do candidates outside of deep blue races a damned bit of good. The left-wing nutballs who had to keep their mouths shut since 2008 are not racist for making demands of the Democrat Party anymore. The kids for whom their first election was the shellacking of George McGovern, followed by Watergate, then the disappointment of Carter will be 62 in 2016. All the leftie hippies who have dominated politics for generations will be getting too old to play anymore.

Before Trump came along, Hillary was imploding nicely. Funny how Trump came along at juuuust the right time....

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 03:39 PM (Bgpaz)

468 THAT is what is going to happen. OBVIOUSLY.

No, not so obvious. If you don't know who Trump is, how he talks and his mannerisms you haven't been paying attention for the last 10 years or so. As far as a Hispanic panic wave? let it happen, he wasn't going to win the Hispanic vote anyways and he is cutting into the black vote enough to of set it. Not to mention I think he is pulling in the "Reagan Democratic's" that are sick of how far to the left the dems have moved.

Posted by: wrg500 at September 08, 2015 03:41 PM (FEAjO)

469 There's a certain amount of "Yes We Can have Hope
and Change" going on for Trump. But it's like that guy who tells cancer
patients that his magic plant juice can cure their cancer without the
hair loss and nausea of chemotherapy. We can just pass a law, strip
anchor babies of citizenship, rent some buses, and clear out the
barrios. No lawsuits, no restraining orders, no mistakes, just poof and
done. All those ranches along the border will just donate the land for
the Wall for free, there won't be an issue where we have to choose
between damaging Big Bend by running a wall through it, or not putting a
wall there and watch it become a smuggler's killing grounds. Yes we
can, yes we can! It's like everybody learned the wrong lesson from 2008
or something.

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 03:09 PM (Bgpaz

there may be a little wishful thinking in believing Trump can make ending illegal immigration easy.

But, it is not the same as Trump promising everyone a new phone and free gas.

Trump is articulating a position the base wants, that most other candidates don't have and/or have but want to be quiet about it.

I think most of us know that securing the border, reducing the flow of illegals, and reducing the # already here is going to be a hard slog.

But, we believe it is more likely to get done with a candidate who claims to want to do it, and claims so often and passionately, than with candidates who are very clear they have no intention of doing anything about illegal immigration, except make them legal.

There is always going to be some "hope and change" type pie-in-the-sky beliefs engendered by a popular candidate. But, I would much rather someone promising me he is going to cut off free stuff (in this case legal status/entitlements/citizenship) than who is promising to give out free stuff.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 03:41 PM (3ZtZW)

470 2016 is going to be Trump/Carson vs. Biden/Warren.

How can it be anything else?

Posted by: Rusty Nail at September 08, 2015 03:43 PM (S2VsH)

471 Since I saw something about Tina Fey's fake Palin quote upstream it's worth noting: last week Stuart Varney on Fox Business claimed that Palin had said the famous quote. Twitter roared and an hour later he 'corrected the record'........i.e. still got it wrong. He claimed that Palin said 'you can see Russia from certain islands in Alaska'. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Now that Charles Payne has his own show I'm done with Varney's show.

Posted by: East Bay Jay at September 08, 2015 03:44 PM (7v8o1)

472 "466 I haven't yet read through the 457 comments, so maybe someone already made this point:

Ace -- don't you suppose that Trump's ability to survive gaffes unscathed is a direct result of the media's treating him less mercilessly than they usually treat Republican candidates?

And: Don't you think that this might be the plan all along -- to treat Trump with kid gloves, carry him to the nomination, and then remove those gloves and savage him in the general? Because this guy has a history of disqualifyingly stupid and offensive statements reaching back decades.

The left would like nothing better than for the Republicans to nominate such a fatally flawed candidate, particularly in a cycle where we had some nearly flawless candidates from which to choose (Walker, Perry, Cruz).
Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 03:39 PM (LqrRo)"

I'm thinking much along the same lines here. Trump is a target-rich environment. Why haven't the folks who opened Seven of Nine's divorce records shown the slightest interest in Trump's multiple divorces? When that kind of money is at stake, soon-to-be-ex-wives can say some craaaazy stuff.

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 03:44 PM (Bgpaz)

473 BTW folks, that picture of Mike Huckabee with Kim Davis and friends is the death of his candidacy. Sweet Jesus is Ms. Davis and dem plant or what???
Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:36 PM (q5APL)

--------------------------------------

I'm not sure. The wishcasting part of my brain is saying that people are waking up to the fact that we're all Americans, whether we're dem or repub and can recognize when government has reached the point of being tyrannical.

Posted by: Soona at September 08, 2015 03:46 PM (Fmupd)

474 Before Trump came along, Hillary was imploding nicely. Funny how Trump came along at juuuust the right time....

Wait, so Hillary polling way ahead of everyone else was imploding, and Hillary now with Trump well established as a candidate plummeting in polls is him coming along at the right time?

Did I miss a sarcasm tag somewhere?

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 03:46 PM (39g3+)

475 Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment

They already tried going after one of his divorces and got burned by....the ex wife.

Posted by: wrg500 at September 08, 2015 03:46 PM (FEAjO)

476 I'm thinking much along the same lines here. Trump
is a target-rich environment. Why haven't the folks who opened Seven of
Nine's divorce records shown the slightest interest in Trump's multiple
divorces? When that kind of money is at stake, soon-to-be-ex-wives can
say some craaaazy stuff.

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 03:44 PM (Bgpaz)
Don't worry, the GOPe is mining all that data now.
but, I doubt it will have the same effect on Trump as it has had on past candidates. Trump and his foibles are pretty well known. I don't think a messy divorce or allegations of infidelity are going to hurt him. I'd be surprised if anyone believes he was faithful to any of his many wives, including the current Mrs. Trump.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 03:47 PM (3ZtZW)

477 Ace -- don't you suppose that Trump's ability to survive gaffes unscathed is a direct result of the media's treating him less mercilessly than they usually treat Republican candidates?

I think that's exactly it. They think he hurts the GOP so they are giving him lots of rope.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 03:47 PM (39g3+)

478 Before Trump came along, Hillary was imploding nicely. Funny how Trump came along at juuuust the right time....

I think he jumped in when he saw an opening and says what he thinks, let it ride and see where it goes. He isn't worth 10 billion from being a shitty gambler.

Posted by: dartist at September 08, 2015 03:47 PM (ahBY0)

479 Tattoo has this extreme NON-controversy just right.

To say this is even bordering on a gaffe is ridiculous.

Let's just put it on the table, shall we: to the NYT, the existence of the GOP is a gaffe and an abomination.

They can get fucked. I'll wait for Jeffrey Lord to tell me that Trump has crossed a line. Until then, they can all get fucked.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:47 PM (q5APL)

480 Trump is really a secret card carrying Communist KGB spy sent to corrupt us all. Do not vote for him or that dead weasel on his head or you will be commies. Its all true.

Posted by: Nip of the Sip GOPe mole at September 08, 2015 03:49 PM (o/upK)

481 They think he hurts the GOP so they are giving him lots of rope.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 03:47 PM (39g3+)

They thought the same thing about Reagan in 1979. I'm not saying that Trump is Reagan, I'm just saying that the liberal press is incapable of learning from their own mistakes.

Posted by: Rusty Nail at September 08, 2015 03:49 PM (S2VsH)

482 Very late to this party, but re the TruCons ... in a normal election cycle, there's not a chance in hell I'd support Trump. Ever. I have no illusions about who he is.

However, he is also SMOD. I am not judging SMOD for the form he takes - it is what it is. He infuriates the GOP into stuttering rage, and I'd support him for that alone. He also gives no f***s about his image, the media, or any Democrat talking points -- he's even willing to get in a pissing match with Fox. That is invaluable to me.

The fact that he is willing to go nuclear, and suffer personal affects from it, over something like illegal immigration, which is an existential crisis for the US, is a bonus.

I honestly don't care about his tax policy, judicial appointments, or abortion stands. I don't care where he stands on foreign affairs. It doesn't matter. He cannot do worse than the Democrats or Republicans. If he's as bad as Bush 43 or Obama on every single other thing he does, if he just spends four years deporting illegals and hacking off the GOP, I still consider that winning.

Posted by: sunny-dee at September 08, 2015 03:50 PM (EBoCD)

483 Posted by: Monkeytoe at September 08, 2015 03:41 PM (3ZtZW)

There's the assumption that because nobody has ever promised me something before, it is because nobody else has ever really wanted me to have it, not that everybody else has refrained from making a promise they can't keep. There are serious logistical, legal, political, and financial issues with mass deportation and wall-building. Enough issues to perhaps not make that particular effort worth promising. One can get acceptable results doing something else, even if that something else is less flashy.

But who is looking at even a Tiffany lamp when one has been promised the Moon?

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 03:51 PM (Bgpaz)

484 C Taylor:

The left media takes it easy on Trump????

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Good one!!!

You literally have Ace writing a massive screed on a NYT!!! made up non-controversy.

Yeah, not buying that. Some journalists are careful, sure, and some like Trump. But give me a fucking break as to the left media gives him a bunch of slack.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:52 PM (q5APL)

485 Soona:

I think people are really starting to wake up. The scenes from Europe are insane to look at.

And what candidate is going to do something about it.

Since at least 1988 Trump has been a populist, America first guy. Fuck all his other policies, that's EXACTLY what we need right now.

Every fucking one on that stage, except for Trump, sold out the country on TPA/TPP/TPIP. That says a lot.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 03:54 PM (q5APL)

486 They thought the same thing about Reagan in 1979. I'm not saying that Trump is Reagan, I'm just saying that the liberal press is incapable of learning from their own mistakes.

Sure, it might be a severe mistake, but the press is made up of leftists and they think Trump is a complete idiot clown that only loser moron freaks would even consider voting for. They're convinced he's so whacky outrageous that he'll only pull in a small number of really loser right wingers. They think minorities and undecideds will run away from him into the loving arms of [insert Democrat here].

So yeah, until the nomination, whoever it will be, they're giving him plenty of coverage and spreading every word he says far and wide gleefully, thinking it damages the Republican Brand.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 03:55 PM (39g3+)

487 Frankly, at this point, Trump could get elected and could govern exactly like Jeb Bush, and it would still be worth it merely to watch the incredibly arrogant Bush dynasty all quietly seethe for years over the defenestration of the actual Crown Prince Jeb.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 03:55 PM (noWW6)

488 105 "Over a hundred and not a Republican Toady to be seen. The times, they are achangin'."

Yeah...we were at work. At our jobs. We Toadies tend to miss a lot of posts between 9am and 5pm.

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 03:56 PM (LqrRo)

489 Conservatives were so mad after the Cochran debacle/betrayal.....I predicted that Conservatives would deny the GOP the Presidency in 2016.

Maybe that prediction has come true?

Posted by: pam at September 08, 2015 03:56 PM (cF0hS)

490 "474 Before Trump came along, Hillary was imploding nicely. Funny how Trump came along at juuuust the right time....

Wait, so Hillary polling way ahead of everyone else was imploding, and Hillary now with Trump well established as a candidate plummeting in polls is him coming along at the right time?

Did I miss a sarcasm tag somewhere?
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 03:46 PM (39g3+)"

It was becoming obvious that 0bama was not going to make Emailgate go away for Hillary. This, in the absence of much of a credible alternative to Hillary for the Democrats. Even Sanders and Biden would be starting way behind.

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 03:56 PM (Bgpaz)

491 However, he is also SMOD. I am not judging SMOD for the form he takes - it is what it is

Sure. Heck I feel the same way about Kanye. He's a pompous self-important idiot but he'd tear things up in the contest. Bring him in, why not? The more crazy in this race the better, I figure.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 03:57 PM (39g3+)

492 "Every fucking one on that stage, except for Trump, sold out the country on TPA/TPP/TPIP. That says a lot."

I had hopes for Cruz, and I had suspicions about Cruz.

The Obamatrade fiasco, wherein Cruz voted to give Obama sweeping new powers and then panicked and tried to verbally walk it back within 48 hours of the vote, destroyed those hopes and confirmed my suspicions.

Posted by: torquewrench at September 08, 2015 03:58 PM (noWW6)

493 Whether it's true or not Trump seems to be using his own money for all this. He did comment about taking someones money and purposely not giving them anything in return for it. I don't know, but it would seem an easy thing to check. Who else running claims they don't take donations?

Posted by: dartist at September 08, 2015 03:58 PM (ahBY0)

494 Torque: Yep. I'm ok with Cruz as VP.

I've been pounding the desk that Trump is going to blow away GOP with minority voters.

Well now he's polling outrageously well with blacks and beating Romney by 4 points with Hispanics.

GOP nominates Trump and these trends continue: LANDSLIDE.

Posted by: prescient11 at September 08, 2015 04:01 PM (q5APL)

495 "Posted by: dartist at September 08, 2015 03:58 PM (ahBY0)"

Christopher's and my point exactly---a simple thing to check, along with an actual count of illegal alien employees. But nobody knows, and nobody in the press seems to care for....some reason.

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 04:02 PM (Bgpaz)

496 Frankly, at this point, Trump could get elected and could govern exactly like Jeb Bush, and it would still be worth it

I suspect he'd be pretty similar, although in terms of administration and running things, he probably would be a bit more professional and clean house better. President Bush the younger's biggest mistake was to leave all those Clintonistas in place in the agencies and administration, and they spent the next 8 years betraying, undermining, and destroying him.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 04:02 PM (39g3+)

497 478: "He isn't worth 10 billion from being a shitty gambler."

Part of your statement is right -- he isn't worth $10 billion. Not even close. That's just the character he plays on TV.

I'm not sure what kind of gambler is actually able to lose money on a casino -- that's like going bankrupt with a money tree growing out of your ass. I'll give Trump this much: He managed to parlay his father's real estate fortune into...a slightly larger real estate fortune. Apparently through graft, bribery, and crony capitalism. Slow fucking clap.

Is this guy a candidate, or some sort of hero? Because I'm picking up a lot more hero-worship than I am agreement with policy.

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:03 PM (LqrRo)

498 The Let It Burn crowd can vote Trump and not feel like they've compromised their doom and gloom beliefs too much. But maybe the bull in the DC China closet breaks the right things first ... just to please us angry mobs.

Giuliani seems to have a little confidence in him ... said he's a quick study, could learn fast. Just having someone not sold out to their money men would be a huge improvement, even if he leans moderate on some things. Especially if we could get a more conservative congress.

I'm still hoping Walker revives, or Cruz soars ... Fiorina handles the media well, but I still see her as VP, but am willing to listen. But Trump even as wrecking ball is better than establishment continuing to build their regime.

Posted by: Illiniwek at September 08, 2015 04:06 PM (6zZ5y)

499 Ace writes articles like he wants us to consider another candidate instead of Trump.

Is there one who knows how to handle a reporter, much less a Putin?

Let's thin the crowd and see who stands out, then make a decision.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 04:07 PM (Zs4uk)

500 Is this guy a candidate, or some sort of hero? Because I'm picking up a lot more hero-worship than I am agreement with policy.

He's a douchebag, but as long as he gives the GOP establishment fits and keeps being entertaining, hey, why the hell not?

I shouldn't have to keep repeating this, but who gets elected president in 2016 won't turn this nation around. It doesn't matter who. Ronald Reagan blended with George Washington couldn't turn this ship around. We're not taking on water, we're slowly drifting to the bottom.

And I'm reasonably sure that there is going to be a godawful economic crash coming in the next 4 years or so, which means the next guy is going to get a gigantic crap sandwich to eat.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 04:07 PM (39g3+)

501 The "Trump Taj Mahal", I think, was the name of the casino that Trump managed to somehow run into the ground.

Can you imagine what it would take to go bankrupt with a casino? I can't. Their biggest expense is paying people to count all of the money that they literally rake in.

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:08 PM (LqrRo)

502 Christopher Taylor, if someone I loved had inoperable cancer, I'd still try everything I could to save them. I wouldn't replace the oncologist with a carnival barker with a bad toupe and proclaim "Let it burn, bitchezzz!"

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:11 PM (LqrRo)

503 My guess is Trump went overboard on expenses - making everything as glorious and over the top luxurious as possible and spent too much to make up.

Probably also he made some basic mistakes in running the floor: slots too loose, etc, trying to pull in gamblers. There was a time after the real estate crash that all casinos were struggling because people just didn't have money to travel or gamble as much any more.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 04:12 PM (39g3+)

504 Can you imagine what it would take to go bankrupt with a casino? I can't. Their biggest expense is paying people to count all of the money that they literally rake in.

Considering every casino in Atlantic City went bankrupt can lay it on Trump even if his was one of the last. When casinos opened in Pa, MD and Del nobody went to AC.

Posted by: wrg500 at September 08, 2015 04:12 PM (FEAjO)

505 Can you imagine what it would take to go bankrupt with a casino? I can't. Their biggest expense is paying people to count all of the money that they literally rake in.

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:08 PM (LqrRo)

I can see that what you don't know about the casino business would fill multiple books.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 04:13 PM (Zs4uk)

506 I think Trump's comment was dumb but not outragey. If you want outrage, listen to a Clinton or Biden drool on.

Posted by: Cheri at September 08, 2015 04:13 PM (oiNtH)

507 And if a vote for Trump is actually a merciful coup de grace for the US, then why settle for Trump? How about Carrot Top?

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:14 PM (LqrRo)

508 So, Pastafarian, I'm assuming that you'd prefer someone with a Harvard education? Or maybe just many years as a career politician?

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 08, 2015 04:15 PM (Lqy/e)

509 Christopher Taylor, if someone I loved had inoperable cancer, I'd still try everything I could to save them.

What if by letting things take their course, they could fight through it and get better on their own instead of delaying that recovery?

What if the patient was already dead, but being kept alive by trillions of dollars of beeping fancy machinery that slick doctors kept selling you on?

There are two kinds of Americans: people who think if we try hard enough we can fix this, and people who know better. Its a matter of time before the first become the second, but we all reach it at our own rate.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 04:15 PM (39g3+)

510 Enlighten me, jwest. Explain to me how a brilliant businessman can take a business with that sort of profit margin, a business that insulates itself from competition by collusion with the local government, and go bust.

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:18 PM (LqrRo)

511 "Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 04:15 PM (39g3+)"

So because we lost two Presidential elections to Black Jesus, America is doomed?

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 04:19 PM (Bgpaz)

512 if a vote for Trump is actually a merciful coup de grace for the US, then why settle for Trump? How about Carrot Top?

Sure, if he was running. It literally don't matter who's in there, chum. What, exactly, do you think the next president is going to do with his magical wand to fix this? What superpowers do you think the president possesses that haven't been used so far?

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at September 08, 2015 04:19 PM (39g3+)

513 I am coming off of five days of drinking, hot women in costume, and generalized insanity at the DragonCon sci fi convention in Atlanta. I am lucky I remember we are having an election.

Posted by: Colonel Kurtz at September 08, 2015 04:21 PM (0HqNX)

514 One of my top choices is Walker, Notsothoreau. The last time I checked, he has no college degree at all. He does sit upon a throne of skulls of his vanquished opponents, in a liberal state, though.

But he's not a straight shooter, because he doesn't go around calling women fat bimbos.

I like Cruz, too, even though he did go to Harvard. Maybe his apparent intelligence disqualifies him for some here. I just like the fact that he's an actual conservative (bearing in mind, as Ace pointed out, that no candidates are perfect).

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:23 PM (LqrRo)

515 And with that, break time for Toadies is over -- back to work.

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:25 PM (LqrRo)

516 migraine getting too bad to handle

Posted by: The Dreaded Establishment at September 08, 2015 04:31 PM (Bgpaz)

517 Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:18 PM (LqrRo)

It's called "New Jersey lost it's monopoly on gambling in the East". Trump casinos made money despite being in the cesspool of Atlantic City because that cesspool had a lock on casinos east of the Mississippi. That all changed with the giant Indian casinos in New York and Connecticut. Trump's casinos weren't the only ones to fail in AC, and not all of his casinos did (he consolidated in a shrinking market; imagine that!).

Posted by: Rusty Nail at September 08, 2015 04:37 PM (S2VsH)

518 510 Enlighten me, jwest. Explain to me how a brilliant businessman can take a business with that sort of profit margin, a business that insulates itself from competition by collusion with the local government, and go bust.

Posted by: Pastafarian at September 08, 2015 04:18 PM (LqrRo)

A casino by itself relies on volume. All gaming operations will bring in a 10% gross margin of all bets before paying for employees, expenses, building, taxes, etc. Normally, this leaves a 1% net profit.

Coupled with the lodging, food, entertainment, etc, a well run gaming business will hit 9 or 10% profit. This is average over good and bad years and good and bad areas.

If you take a bad area (Atlantic City) in a bad year (or bad number of years), it's easy to see why every casino in town had to reorganize at one time or another.

Posted by: jwest at September 08, 2015 04:40 PM (Zs4uk)

519 511 The current president has certainly not helped (and neither have the previous ones -- expanded presidential powers didn't start in 2008, but they certainly have expanded quite significantly since then).
But America isn't doomed -- and the blow will come from the global economy (which will put even more strain on national borders when coupled with the wars/civil unrest going on) -- but it is in a very tenuous position.
At the moment I am enjoying Trump because Trump is catharsis; I believe the cathartic moment is good for the soul...and it's certainly better for the American public to have a rhetorically cathartic moment than the alternative: something like the Jacobins could be the result of bottling it up (not too fun for that country if I remember correctly; lots of innocent people got taken out with the real villians, lots of disruption and the end result...well, one could wind up with worse than Napoleon, which has to be kept in mind).
And my family is military, plus I went to a military school for part of my youth: you do get to understand the military ethos there; at the very least you learn how military people think (or at least how they used to think before they became a vast social experiment: most instructors will be much older vintage than some commanders; by the way: military as social experiment got started with the whole "kinder, gentler nation" hogwash during Bush version 1...I can remember the veterans of our previous wars getting apoplexy from that (by the way, no, it was Clinton that really started sticking it to the military, but HW did help get the ball rolling...plus GWI...my husband and I aren't exactly happy that what should, iohao, have been resolved in our generation got held over to our kids; we're still kinda p'd about that).

Posted by: unknown j. at September 08, 2015 07:16 PM (XLVQK)

520 Rubio is a n00b. He got snookered by Schumer, he'd be meat dealing with someone like Putin.

Needs more experience before he'll be ready to move up.

Posted by: rosignol at September 08, 2015 08:27 PM (B7FlU)

521 I've been saying this same thing about electability, so thank you, Ace. Yes, the Establishment cannot continue to claim that Trump is "unelectable" when the FACTS are staring them in the face! It doesn't hold water and it exposes them as the liars they are.

One disagreement with you on amnesty though: it really doesn't have as much to do with the Establishment being scared of getting called "Racist", no, the Establishment actually supports amnesty for its OWN sake. They love the cheap labor for their puppetmasters, the Chamber of Commerce. It really is disgusting that the party that freed the slaves, supports slavery today.

Oh, and I really think Jeb was Plan A, but the Establishment would be happy with Rubio as Plan B. But, since both are unpalatable, Kasich is Plan C and Carly is Plan D. All of the above are Party Insiders (even tho Carly is erroneously painted as an Outsider). However, NONE are getting any real traction. That's why they are hyping Ben Carson, to split the Trump coalition. It is their only real play left in this game.

Posted by: Aslan's Girl at September 08, 2015 10:21 PM (xetep)

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