Curb Your Authoritarianism? The 2016 Conventional Wisdom Thread (Elections, Part 6)

um we do actually

the polls are definitely scary right now but I think you have to consider that everything has been breaking Trump's way lately, with the email scandal (with Comey giving them all the soundbites they could possibly need), constant terrorism attacks and police shootings, plus he's in the middle of the RNC. if not for Trump's incompetence and lack of an actual campaign you would think he'd have a big lead right now. but to believe that a man running one of the laziest, most underfunded presidential campaigns in history, a man who is openly racist and cannot even win over his own delegates, will somehow unify the party and get voters to cross lines, I dunno I just don't see it right now

like, this was supposed to be his big pivot towards respectability and here we are two days through the RNC and the big story is about plagiarism, which has been made ten times worse thanks to the campaign's inability to deliver a consistent message on anything, the fact that they were outright denying it and saying "you'd have to be crazy to do this!", and then a day later admitting they did just that makes this whole campaign look like a bunch of bozos

ha remember when ppl thought trump cld pivot

I sort of don't understand why the big story is about plagiarism.

I know I mean did you see that dress??

god I mean just read that apology letter about the speech - "one person Melania has always admired is Michelle Obama"...ok that's great, I mean who doesn't admire her? But your husband's whole campaign at this point is literally just OBAMA BAD!!!! HILLARY BAD!!! EVERYTHING THEY DO IS WRONG!! so like, why admit that in public? especially now that they've had 36 hours to think about this???

I mean maybe it's good because I don't really want any of the more garbage messages getting extra airtime? But I don't understand why people care so much about her lifting some completely empty lines from Michelle Obama's speech other than (1) it has an irony to it that makes for nice clickbait and (2) people get some kind of "dumb bimbo" laughs out of it which is not really a good look.

@Taniel
Latino Voice poll of 8,000+ Latinos: Clinton 81%, Trump 12% http://latinousa.org/2016/07/20/clinton69-point-lead-trump

Bush got 40%, McCain 31%, Romney 27% (Pew estimates)

nice

(2) people get some kind of "dumb bimbo" laughs out of it which is not really a good look.

― socka flocka-jones (man alive), Wednesday, July 20, 2016 5:09 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

You've seen this?

I think people are laughing more at the Trump campaign than they are at his wife. No one expected her to write her own speech.

No one expects ANYONE to write their own speeches period actually.

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/trump-hires-apprentice-retread-omarosa-after-polling-bottoms-out-at-zero-with-black-ohio-voters/

xp. Obv to win Trump's gotta get some votes from people of color, and it ain't happenin.

It's the big story because it's hilarious, but also because it's such an obvious, avoidable screwup

I mean if you talk about the hate speech or the nearly literal witch hunt you get accused of being partisan and (I assume) the media wants to make this out like a horse race for as long as possible

ya it speaks to an ongoing theme of incompetence where competence is one of the very most key things voters are looking for in candidates

when political gaffes really stick its generally because they align with something ppl are already seeing in the candidate

another fun development - the supposed speechwriter wasn't even on the payroll, according to the FEC

an example of you get what you pay for?

Yeah I asked that question earlier isn't it against rules

(2) people get some kind of "dumb bimbo" laughs out of it which is not really a good look.

― socka flocka-jones (man alive), Wednesday, July 20, 2016 5:09 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

You've seen this?

― Evan, Wednesday, July 20, 2016 4:12 PM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It's been implied in a lot of the stuff going around social media about Melania for a while now, and it's definitely under the surface here imo.

the... implication

Yeah I asked that question earlier isn't it against rules

― (•̪●) (carne asada), Wednesday, July 20, 2016 5:30 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

tis

I actually wish one or two of the speakers at the Democratic convention would have some fun with the plagiarism thing--keep it light, nothing too obvious--but they'd risk people piling on for some of the reasons outlined above, so no one will.

Plus, Biden.

"She just wanted to be a trophy wife and now she's been roped into this evil circus."

We need to see more of this kind of compassion in the world.

remember when ppl thought trump cld pivot

Woody Harrelson IS Donald Trump in... Orange Men Can't Pivot

all she wanted to do was feel what it was like to say the words michelle said its not so bad

Being Trump's Trophy Wife includes all-season admission to the Evil Circus (and free Popcorn!)

Donald Trump Jr. on the final Gingrich/Christie/Pence VP choice. "We don't need two Donald Trumps out there competing to be Donald Trump."

― brimstead, Wednesday, July 20, 2016 4:39 PM (57 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

love that this comes from the literal second Donald Trump

a cry for help

ya it speaks to an ongoing theme of incompetence where competence is one of the very most key things voters are looking for in candidates

― lag∞n, Wednesday, July 20, 2016 4:26 PM (12 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Then I'm sure the hyper-polished, perfectly-choreographed, focused-grouped-to-death democratic convention that is forthcoming will please the electorate. /morbsposting

yes the dem convention will be much much better than this one which has been an absolute disaster

democratic conventions are generally better, hollywood and all, recall last cycle clint eastwood talking to a chair

competence is reassuringly flat and boring. that will be the message of the democratic convention.

ya in some ways (besides the not being well liked one) hillary is kinda the perfect candidate to run against trump

cld see a lot of boring middle of the road republicans fleeing the party permanently this cycle

I do love the idea of him getting crushed in the election by a woman

Dem convention should just be three days of replaying the RNC on a big screen with the guys from MST3K doing audio.

important oppty to pick up the boring vote

GOP conventions produce more memorable moments. I'll probably tell my kids about Clint Eastwood talking to a chair but I can't remember fuckall about any democratic conventions except "John Kerry reporting for duty."

makes u think

the debates shd be interesting shdnt take much from her for him to blow his top

saw someone suggest she shd challenge him to a debate every week for the rest of the way which is a pretty ingenious idea imo, i wld up the stakes tho and make the challenge during a debate right at a moment when hes really mad

http://cache.emirates247.com/polopoly_fs/1.330331.1452333062!/image/image.jpg

what are the odds trump even participates in the debates? 50%?

hes got to there no way to dodge if he does its over

yeah his path to victory does not lie through "refusing to appear on television", HRC would cheerfully go on with Gary Johnson and tag-team him in absentia

'if he feels like he's been respected' probably

omg bc of morbs i googled an old gore pic

http://blog.debate.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/youngtipperandalgore.jpg

GOP conventions produce more memorable moments. I'll probably tell my kids about Clint Eastwood talking to a chair but I can't remember fuckall about any democratic conventions except "John Kerry reporting for duty."

― socka flocka-jones (man alive), Wednesday, July 20, 2016 4:47 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I feel like that same convention might have had some sort of speech by Barack Obama.