About the Democratic VP pick.
I love the way the Breaking Points crew were pretending that Harris gets to make this decision herself. What the eventual choice will tell us is how the Democrats intend to fight this election. Which, all of a sudden, I believe they are taking seriously. Not because they care about you and me. For the Democratic establishment, this election is existential, the last time they get their chances at the plum appointments. For that reason, I do think we will see that rarity, a competently managed Democratic presidential campaign.
Shapiro is the losing pick. I think one of the reasons so much money has been flowing to Harris is that some are trying to convince her and handlers that she really doesn't need the Zio-con billionaire money. I think Harris loses with Shapiro for two reasons, which are first public opinion is turning decisively against funding Israel's wars, not to mention the general war Netanyahoo is lusting after. The second reason is that a Harris/Shapiro ticket is or will be seen by many as a pair of bicoastal stuck-up elitists. If the Democrats think they can win with the far West, CA, OR, WA, plus New England plus NY and PA...makes me wonder if Shapiro is a Trump stalking horse.
If Bashear is the pick, that means saner Dems think they can contest Appalachia, the punk from Ohio doing what punks do, he seems to be completely ungovernable, and the Midwest.
If they go for Walsh, they have maybe conceded Appalachia but expect to campaign strongly in the Midwest. Convention in Madison doesn't seem to have helped the Republicans much.
Kelly would be an interesting pick. There, the theme would be character and competence vs. blowhard narcissism and jejune punkishness, with attention to the not unimpressive life stories of the two candidates. Kelly is the kind of candidate Western voters love, a stand up guy who took early retirement to care for his wife, and who has demonstrated high competence in more than one field. He could, conceivably, if used in the intermountain west, at least make the Reps. spend money and time defending those states, and could be a great help to Senator Tester, whose seat the Dems. do NOT want to lose.
My hope, not wanting to endure another Trump presidency, is that enough of the Democratic establishment does want to win this election, that Shapiro will be rejected.
Comments
The difference between election and selection is very telling
.
.
Why no primaries? In your face, down your throat.
Do enough voters recognize these tactics? Doubt it.
We are not given any choice it the matter regardless.
Big bucks manage elections for their economic advantage.
Have been for donkey years. This will not change.
If Kamala wants to Wim
....she should draft George Clooney as her Vice President.
This election needs an infusion of glamour and hope. Senators and Governors are tainted figures in the US. But putting an accomplished outsider on the ticket is much more on trend.
We've already witnessed what glamour and hope brings ...
Obama
American voters rejected bloodthirsty Killary,
and I think will likewise reject Shapiro, the stand-in for murderous Bibi.
No primaries because the DNC knew Biden would lose, of course.
Mary Bennett
They have
sown the wind, and I for one will truly enjoy watching them reap the whirlwind.
Had a very brief conversation this weekend with a person who was also a delegate to my county's dem convention in 2016, but on the HRC side, back when we still had caucuses. They stayed for the rest of the absurdity back then, while I walked out. Hadn't seen them since then.
They asked me "Hey, you're voting for Kamala, right?"
Right. Oh, sure. They turned away as soon as I said my first 5 words, which were "Hell to the fuck no!". The rest of my (rather obscenity-laden) explanation as to why was said to their rapidly-receding back, as they spun on their heel and left the bar toot sweet.
Musta been something I said. So sensitive...
Can't wait for the canvassers to come knock on my door, despite the sign that says "No soliciting, especially political". I've got a couple gallons of bile saved up for them.
I know that conventional wisdom says that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. However, I simply don't like flies- especially when they are the ones that bring up the politics.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
It has become difficult to not discuss politics or
.
.
even checking out at the package store today
The lady was watching some cowboy show, mentioned
I do not look at TV anymore, which led to programming,
the news, wars and politics. Most souls I converse with
now actually get it, surprisingly enough. Try to leave it
on a humorous note, shielding my bitterness. What it is.
That is some good guitar playing.
I follow politics because I like to know what is coming at me so I can prepare. Also because, as a history (non professional) buff, I find it interesting.
Mary Bennett
That is the way that it is...
This Fripp tune was amazingly prescient: it pretty well nails my attitude towards my attitude these days, especially WRT politics.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
thanks for your version of what it is
.
.
was actually searching for a motownish song having 'what it is' in the lyrics
but couldn't find it. So much for U-tube search.
Cheers!
Pretty much only
us superannuated techno-punk rockers ever even heard that tune, so I'm not surprised that it doesn't pop up in a search. I probably played that tune live 500 times with my early-80s power-pogo band back in Boston. We did more to make it popular than Fripp ever did, anyway.
Gawd, it was fun to play. I really miss those days.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Sown the wind, indeed.
Kennedy, my choice, might do very well if Shapiro is the VP pick.
Mary Bennett
I don't see
that, don't understand why his chances would improve.
Chances -- right now, Kennedy is polling in the single digits, assuming just one or two recent polls were done honestly. KH is sucking the air out of the room as Ds are relieved to be out from under the Geriatric Joe problem. I think she's likely pulling disgruntled anti-Biden Ds away from Kennedy.
Then this latest stupid Larry David CYE-type story about the bear. Not helpful, and I was a big RFK Jr backer. Evaluating the situation, his campaign seems to have stalled a few months ago. No campaign rallies, just internet videos and podcasts. The ambiguous phone chat w Trump. Just depressing news from him lately from what I've seen.
I could be wrong, but I am
guessing there are voters who might have voted for Harris but don't want a war mongering stand in for Netanyahoo on the ticket. Shapiro along with two other congressmen, were a front row cheering section when Bibi addressed Congress. That was enough to convince me never to vote for a ticket which includes him.
I must have missed the bear. RFK's platform includes issues I care about, such as clean water, air and soil, healthy food, and dismantling the overseas bases.
Mary Bennett
Well, Shapiro
is the governor of PA, not a congressman, so I think it's unlikely he was present in the chamber for Bibi.
Besides being Jewish, he has been getting flack for some things he wrote about Palestinians when he was a college student age 20. I know, but it's politics. Fears too that his perceived rabid support of Israel will lead to unwelcome protests in Chicago.
Another negative against him is his perceived dilatory handling of a sexual harassment case involving one of his trusted staffers and a female staffer.
HE's very smart, on top of the issues, and presents very confidently, so has a lot going for him. But the thinking must be he has one or two too many negatives in the bunch, certainly as compared with the "cleaner" Walz.
Netanyahu previously addressed Congress in 2015, 2011, and 1996
Shapiro may well have been in the chamber on one of those occasions. For example, 1996?
— Wikipedia
Have you ever thought about doing stand-up ; )
That's the
nicest thing anybody has said to me all day. Thank you!
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
I think it's still
probably more true than not that the VP pick usually neither helps nor hurts the top of the ticket. Maybe a little more helpful this time as KH is still not widely well known in the land. SO a solid pick will enhance her chances and keep her positive momentum going.
Word on the street is that it is down to two: Gov Walz of MN and Gov Shapiro of PA. With Walz trending up, and Shapiro, the frontrunner a few days ago, trending down.
Both are strong pro-Israel (big surprise there) though Shapiro is perceived as being more pro-ISR.
Sen Kelly a week or so ago was high in the top 3, but has faded since. I don't think Ds want to risk losing his senate seat, and Kelly is far more exciting on the résumé page than he is in real life. Not exactly the VP attack dog type than is usually sought in the #2 position.
It will depend on where the Dems
decide to fight this election, Midwest, probably and that means Walz. Furthermore, he is old enough that it is unlikely he will someday run for President himself, leaving that open for the up and comers.
Mary Bennett
Walz comes off
as a non-elite Joe who taught HS social studies and coached the football team and then into the military, and later Congress.
So he'll present well in the upper MW, PA -- the Blue Wall -- and even in NV and AZ.
Both Politico
and The Hill, via unnamed sources, are reporting KH has selected Gov Tim Walz (MN) for VP. Announcement expected later today. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/06/harris-taps-minnesota-gov-tim-w...
I consider the Walz pick a hopeful
sign that Harris is not as incompetent as I had feared.
Mary Bennett
Walz is
the guy who came up with the Weird attack line against JDV. He just seems a straight-up Midwestern guy with a solid background. Of course, I'm partial to anyone who's taught HS Social Studies.
That is what I call
"Praising with faint damns"... (;-)
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Western state voters tend to be not impressed
by style and pizzazz. Notice how many congresspersons from that part of the country could be called charisma challenged. Westerners want to see resume, what have you done so far and what are your areas of competence?
A bewildered Sagar this morning is trying to figure out why not Shapiro? How about three initials, IDF, tells us where Josh's loyalties lie. Sagar is a bright, well meaning guy and I think he does work hard, but he doesn't understand the American public. For all her annoying mannerisms, never use 5 words where twenty will do, his co-host, does. First time I ever regretted Chrystal's absence from the show.
Mary Bennett
The importance of Shapiro's
"volunteer service" in the IDF cannot be overstated. Frankly, I'm fairly gobsmacked that they backed away from that tone-deaf self-own: I fully expected them to just blithely rub our noses in that.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Hollywood is all in
for Walz.
I don't think much of Hollywood's opinion.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Is Hollywood's opinion worth
taking seriously? Ever since someone or other tried to call herself an environmentalist and someone else published a photo of her sprawling, ginormous, energy guzzling mansion, I have been ignoring celebrity endorsements.
Mary Bennett
Hollywood is fantasy
.
.
paid for by sponsors
except for money
the celebrities stand is
only for show