Sunday, November 3, 2024

Felon. Woman. Vote. Resist. Tuesday.

 Two more days!




One more recap of recent news before we get the Best News Tuesday night!

we start with the weird, the absurd, and the scary 

After an unfortunate comment by Joe Biden, 🚼 continued his toddler-with-money fever dream and rented a real live! garbage truck with his very own! name on it and climbed in (after a bit of difficulty, as you can see below). I could watch that clip on repeat all day.

You couldn't improve on Hannity's narration:


While the MAGAts embraced the trash, the internet went wild.









Bruce Plante






But my favorite was this guy, sent to me from God via Big Sister Resister Pagrs.



As you and I watched, we chuckled. As Repugs watched, their hearts swelled with pride. As usual, irony and satire went way over their heads. They got trolled, badly. 

This guy, Brent Terhune, is a long-time satirist and has brilliantly trolled the right for a long time by making videos with the POV of yer generic red-hatter. Check out his stuff. I regret being introduced only now.

He got Charlie Kirk but good. Here's God laughing at the pathetic moron.

Kirk deleted his tweet after he found out he'd been duped. But tweets never really die, do they?

Other bootlickers fell for it too.

Courtesy of God

Didn't he look sharp in his day-glo vest? He was so thrilled to be wearing a real live garbage man outfit that he wore it to his next rally too! What a big boy! 

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Speaking of rallies, he ended up being able to weasel his way into New Mexico

  • Why? New Mexico is blue. 
  • He lied about winning New Mexico in past elections. The truth is, it wasn't even close. He lost to both Hillary and Joe by 8 and 11 points.
  • He very charmingly tried to win the Hispanic vote by saying: "Don’t make me waste a whole damn half a day here, OK? Look, I came here. We can be nice to each other, or we can talk turkey. I’m here for one simple reason: I like you very much, and it’s good for my credentials with the Hispanic or Latino community. You know, on the East Coast, they like being called Hispanics, you know this? On the West Coast, they like being called Latinos."
  • He professed to "love the Hispanics." STOP 👏 LYING 👏!
  • He still hasn't paid his bill to NM after his 2016 campaign stop.
and
  • He still can't let go of past opponents. He took the opportunity to insult "Sleepy Joe" and "Crooked Hillary." 



Disinhibition is a sign of dementia:
The jokes write themselves, but I'm just gonna leave that disturbing image of a presidential candidate to speak for itself. 

The Disturbing: The Misogyny Never Ends
If that wasn't disturbing enough, there's more.
  • JD Vance ran his misogynistic, transphobic mouth off to Joe Rogan, claiming that teenagers choose to transition genders in order to get into Ivy League schools, and that women "celebrate" abortions. Stop running your mouth off about what women think, you toadstool.  
Robin Abcarian wrote in the Los Angeles Times this morning about the non-issue of trans people. Americans aren't concerned about them. MAGAts have a special hate for them. 
  • The Rapist repeated his claim that he will "protect women." This time he said, he'll "protect" them "whether they like it or not." Sir, fuck right off. We choose "not."
Kamala called him out. And I point you to LSR's previously stated opinion on his "protection."
  
 
  • And most disturbing of all, this from Red Don as he talked to Fucker Carlson in Arizona. Sorry to expose you to this shit, but we must bring it to the light in order to blot it out. 


"She's a radical Warhawk. Let's put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, okay? Let's see how she feels about it you know when the guns are trained on her face."

Stomach-churning. We must not let words like these stand. 

Kamala called it out, saying the comment is "disqualifying," and Arizona's Attorney General Kris Mayes feels the same way. She has launched an investigation of these comments as a death threat. 

Today
His 11th-hour proclamations while in Pennsylvania this morning: That he "never should have left" the Whitewash House, whined about recent polls and baseless claims about this year's election "fraud." He also "joked" that it would be ok to shoot members of the press.

Let us be optimistic
Turn away from all that toxic vituperation (I learned a new word and I want to use it a lot!). We have reasons to be hopeful.

A columnist I will miss from The Washington Post (I'm still subscribed, as I paid in advance) is Jennifer Rubin. A sharp writer, she tends to give me a jolt of hope when I need it. Here are her words from Friday:

What caught my eye
I like democracy’s chances this election. Ignoring the polls that are all within the margin of error (and the incessantly inane chatter about small, statistically nonsignificant changes) has its benefits; one can step back to assess the performance of the two campaigns and candidates. Vice President Kamala Harris has been doggedly working swing states; giving interviews to Black, local and mainstream media; slamming her opponent’s racism and fascist ambitions; and driving a large early vote (including a Democratic senior surge). She has come across as warm, sincere and quick on her feet. (She has about a 10-point advantage over former president Donald Trump on favorability.)

On Tuesday, Harris held a mammoth and uplifting event on the National Mall in D.C. Standing in front of the illuminated White House on the very spot felon and former president Donald Trump summoned the mob to attack the Capitol, Harris called for unity, vowed to be an inclusive president and implored us to reject another “petty tyrant.” The contrast with Trump’s Madison Square Garden event — a grotesque and vulgar display of racism — could have not been starker. As the campaign has gone on, Harris has become more confident, eloquent and, yes, presidential; Trump has become more crass, unhinged, angry and scattered.

I concur with Jill Lawrence’s assessment in the Bulwark that Harris’s campaign is one of the best organized, most effective and most enthusiastic in history. She has elevated the tragic results of Dobbs, put criticism to rest by setting out a robust domestic agenda, made a considerable effort to reach out to Republicans and run to Trump’s right on national security. All of this is even more remarkable when you recall she only entered the race in July.

Trump, by contrast, has maintained a leisurely schedule, spent time cultivating the same group of voters and made one offensive comment after another. He seems determined to offend just about everyone (women, minorities, Puerto Ricans, retired generals) outside his base. In the last week of the campaign, his schedule is shockingly light. (Is he exhausted?) He wastes time in uncompetitive states such as California, New York and New Mexico. He lacks a decent ground game to turn out the vote (having outsourced that effort to inept billionaires) and hides from mainstream news outlets. He finally is getting the scrutiny he deserves.

This does not mean the race is “in the bag” for Harris, merely that she and her team have done everything humanly possible to maximize the chance of victory. If the Harris voters show up at the polls in numbers the campaign expects, democracy will survive a near-death experience.

I also remain optimistic about any post-election fight. Republicans’ pre-election litigations have consistently failed. Unlike 2020, voters in 2024 can rely on a reformed Electoral Count Act to provide further protection against a coup (e.g., empowering governers to issue the certification, raising the threshold for challenges in Congress). In addition, the Justice Department and local law enforcement are prepared for any violence (on Election Day and on Jan. 6, 2025). And certification refusal is not the magic bullet MAGA Republicans imagine.

Despite Republican disinformation, the election system is safe, secure and accurate. And outside the swamplands of right-wing media, Republicans cannot overturn results in court without replete evidence of widespread fraud.

Americans need to retain perspective, muster up patience, let the vote counting proceed, avoid bestowing MAGA legal challenges credibility they do not deserve and insist on bipartisan recognition of the winner. We can do this, America.

May I add to her comments on Harris's smartly run campaign: there has been no mention of the indictments except early on to quash her supporters from bringing it up, saying, "Let's let the courts handle that." 


Finally, read this piece in The Guardian. Four talented writers opine on the election.

More optimism!

The New York Times kills it in this brief editorial.

Copied and pasted in its entirety, replete with links. This is brilliant. 

OPINION | THE EDITORIAL BOARD

You already know Donald Trump. He is unfit to lead. Watch him. Listen to those who know him best. He tried to subvert an election and remains a threat to democracy. He helped overturn Roe, with terrible consequences. Mr. Trump’s corruption and lawlessness go beyond elections: It’s his whole ethos. He lies without limit. If he’s re-elected, the G.O.P. won’t restrain him. Mr. Trump will use the government to go after opponents. He will pursue a cruel policy of mass deportations. He will wreak havoc on the poor, the middle class and employers. Another Trump term will damage the climate, shatter alliances and strengthen autocrats. Americans should demand better. Vote.

The New York Times editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom.



The Economy
The economy is booming, though MAGAts don't want to admit it. Yes, grocery store prices are still higher than they were a few years ago, but inflation has cooled; wages are higher; the cost of living has improved; the job market is good; GDP is up; and the stock market continues to hit record highs. 


Women are rising up! 
Early voting numbers are striking. Women are outvoting men 55% to 45%! Among young women, the numbers are more astounding: women between 18-29 lead by 30 points, and college women lead by 38 points! Let's go, ladies. Let's do this!

I've been in my little oldster bubble all these 8 years, while today's youngest voters have been literally growing up. It hadn't occurred to me: Today's 18-year-olds were ten years old when The Asshat's Access Hollywood tape was exposed. Young women are listening to it for the first time. They are disgusted. And they are sharing it: 

Here's the inimitable Sarah Cooper and Helen Mirren from a few years ago. Even with these brilliant actresses, it's hard to hear.




There's potential for other historic wins down-ballot
In Delaware and Washington, there is a potential for a historic shift for diversity and inclusion in the House and Senate.

SCOTUS VA and PA decisions 
The Supreme Court saw fit to stick their noses in two states' election procedures. In Virginia they decided that the Commenwealth could purge a bunch of voter registrations, going against a federal judge who ruled that it was simply too late, less than 90 days before the election, to take such an action. It was Virginia's attempt to purge noncitizen registrations, but the group they wanted to toss out captured many legal voters. I hope that those wrongly purged will take advantage of Virginia's same-day registration and cast their ballots.

In Pennsylvania, SCOTUS rejected the GOP's bid to oust provisional ballots that were contested for small reasons, such as having no hand-written date on their mail-in ballot. 

I hope that it's the end of SCOTUS's involvement in this election. Please please please!


The Polls

Bob Englehart

Ignore them! My view is not scientific, but polling must be extraordinarliy difficult during these digital days. The knowledgeable ones among us are wary of phone calls and online askers-of-questions. The more naive among us skew, sorry, but uninformed and/or older and may be more likely to answer. Also, the polls won't capture those who are unwilling to say anything publicly about how they will vote nor those who will admit who they support but who are unlikely to actually go to the voting booth. Ooops – after I wrote that last sentence, I found out that part is scientific.

Plus, there is speculation that the media likes close polls because it creates readership, or that the pollsters themselves are hedging their bets and skewing their numbers on their own.

Polls were wrong in 2016. They were wrong in 2022. They will be wrong this year.

I like looking at real life: the momentum out there is definitely blue. Kamala has run an amazing race in three short months.

The excitement is palpable. Trends such as the early voting numbers overall; the number of women voting early; newspaper boycotts; the grassroots campaigning; the numbers of prominent Republicans endorsing Harris; the astounding amount of money raised; and the huge rally numbers belie the tight poll numbers. 

Everything points to a true blue wave. Though we may not know the results of the election on election night, I think we are going to welcome Madam President Kamala Harris on January 20. 

With that being said about polls....
This one was a biggie. Gives the heart an ol' shot of goodness.




Music speaks
This is from eight years ago, but is beautiful and relevant. Sarah Bareilles wrote this song and Leslie Odom, Jr sings, words that Obama may have had in his head:



This gem from last night's SNL:



More funnies

How much do you love Mayor Pete?!
@fallontonight @Pete Buttigieg reacts to Trump saying he looks like Alfred E. Neuman from MAD Magazine 😭 #FallonFlashback #TonightShow #PeteButtigieg #MADMagazine #JimmyFallon ♬ original sound - FallonTonight

The Daily Show never disappoints.



Andy Borowitz:
PALM BEACH (The Borowitz Report)—With just four days until the election, Donald J. Trump is running out of time to alienate the few demographic groups he has not already offended, campaign sources revealed on Friday.

Though Trump has acknowledged that he did “an amazing job” of repelling Blacks, Latinos, Jews, and Arabs at his Madison Square Garden rally, he has groused that too many other cohorts remain unscathed.

In a heated meeting with aides on Friday morning, Trump banged on a table and shouted, “We need to go after the Inuit.”

“When did they become Inuit?” he demanded. “They were always Eskimos, and then, suddenly, they turned Inuit.”

Trump also expressed a desire to “do a number on the Amish” because “none of them watch me on TV.”
Speaking of Amish voters...


Kamala HQ social media accounts have been 🔥 
@kamalahq

lol you have to watch this

♬ original sound - Kamala HQ

Your dose o' meme medicine

I freakin' love these clips from "Downfall" with updated captions.







Some good news: Non-Political Edition
Did you watch the World Series? How about the first game, with its amazing walk-off grand slam? Here's about the person who caught that baseball. How great is that? Go, Zachary, go!

Breonna Taylor finally got some justice. The former Louisville officer was found guilty of violating Breonna's civil rights. He's going to prison.

Vote! 
"Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote." – George Jean Nathan

Reminders: 
  • Most of all, just do it. Go vote. This is your best, strongest form of resistance.
  • If you are voting in person, do not wear political clothing! It's not allowed in many states, and you may be turned away. Don't risk it. Wear red, white, and blue but NO candidate clothing, buttons, pins, or anything else construed as campaign material!
  • If you see something, say something. If you witness voter intimidation, report it by calling the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español). Share these numbers.
  • Vote for the women and girls in your life. Vote for your LGBTQ friends and family. Vote for every American who has brown skin. Vote for immigrants. Vote for the Constitution. Vote for this person:



Joe Heller


Bob Englehart



And lastly, I can't resist one more from Brent Terhune.




Another 1,000,000 thanks flying to my sister resisters for sending me memes n stuff and also to LSR's proofreader-in-chief, Karenone! I am endebted.

I'll see you on the other side, Resisters! With any luck, LSR will be shifting from Election Watch to Court Watch.


Ann Telnaes






Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)