trump (convicted felon, defamer, insurrectionist, contemnor, and rapist - $537M)

[raison de arizona]

The Hannity ad.

[Kendra]

The Hannity ad.

[AndyinPA]

I turned the sound down really low.

[AndyinPA]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... story.html

Former president Donald Trump remains relentlessly focused on the false claim that the November election was stolen from him and is increasingly consumed with the notion that ballot reviews pushed by his supporters around the country could prove that he won, according to people familiar with his comments.

Trump has rebuffed calls from some advisers to drop the matter, instead fixating on an ongoing Republican-commissioned audit in Arizona and plotting how to secure election reviews in other states, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Georgia, according to advisers. He is most animated by the efforts in Fulton County, Ga., and Maricopa County, Ariz., according to two advisers who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.



In Arizona, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, a Republican who defeated an incumbent Democrat in November, said he believed state GOP leaders knew that the claims of electoral fraud in the state are “facially laughable.”

Still, he said in an interview, “ordinary people, the ones who are showing up on a Wednesday night at a political meeting, I believe they really believe it. And that’s super sad.”

“We can’t indulge these insane lies any longer,” Richer tweeted last month. “As a party. As a state. As a country.”

But Trump has ramped up his public statements about the election in recent weeks and is expected to continue his crusade this weekend in a speech in North Carolina and at various summer rallies that are slated to begin this month.

[Uninformed]

The DFO having been absent from the public stage for some time raises the possibility that we may see a new improved version of the true POTUS. If it were anyone else any remodelling would likely be subtle and discreet but both of those terms are singularly inapplicable to what passes for his character.

I’m hoping that he has taken to heart the mock-up of his head on Rambo’s body.

(Caveat. There is of course the probability that in his all pervading self-conceit he already sees himself as the reincarnation of Adonis).

[MsDaisy]

How ANYBODY looks at this whiny, punk-ass son of a bitch and thinks "THERE'S a guy I want to devote my life to," is beyond me.

[p0rtia]

I have a tennis buddy who is a progressive evangelical (best way to describe her woke social and political beliefs and her high-octane, Jesus is everywhere, religiosity). She voted for Hillary in 2016 because, and I quote "I may not have agreed with her but who on Earth could vote for that lying, disgusting monster?"

Till the former guy, there were no noticeable splits in her large family. Now there are.

She told her she has family members--children and siblings--who think he was sent by God, speaks only the truth, and is indeed the only thing separating the country from the big Satan ring.

I asked her why she thinks they think this; how they could think this. She does not know. Crushing for her, as for so many.

[Slim Cognito]

Although it nauseates me to think of trump's rallies starting back up this month, I'm curious to see how well he's able to promote them without Facebook and Twitter. I guess it's up to Fox, OAN and Newsmax.

Also, I bet the thought of these rallies gives McConnell heartburn. At least I hope it does. The really bad kind.

[Kendra]

Although it nauseates me to think of trump's rallies starting back up this month, I'm curious to see how well he's able to promote them without Facebook and Twitter. I guess it's up to Fox, OAN and Newsmax.

Also, I bet the thought of these rallies gives McConnell heartburn. At least I hope it does. The really bad kind.

Is there anyone left in the US with a venue that would rent it out without payment up front? Or a city that would provide police protection without payment up front?

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

DJT's blog page shut down after just one month. That's a long time for Cialis to last. Good thing he has free healthcare.

[Slim Cognito]

Post by Kendra » Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:12 am

Is there anyone left in the US with a venue that would rent it out without payment up front? Or a city that would provide police protection without payment up front?

I guess we'll soon see.

[zekeb]

DJT's blog page shut down after just one month. That's a long time for Cialis to last. Good thing he has free healthcare.

More and more people are deciding that he isn't worth the headache.

[RVInit]

I have a tennis buddy who is a progressive evangelical (best way to describe her woke social and political beliefs and her high-octane, Jesus is everywhere, religiosity). She voted for Hillary in 2016 because, and I quote "I may not have agreed with her but who on Earth could vote for that lying, disgusting monster?"

Till the former guy, there were no noticeable splits in her large family. Now there are.

She told her she has family members--children and siblings--who think he was sent by God, speaks only the truth, and is indeed the only thing separating the country from the big Satan ring.

I asked her why she thinks they think this; how they could think this. She does not know. Crushing for her, as for so many.

I believe it has quite a bit to do with the constant and coordinated campaign by right wing media of demonizing Democrats. The demonizing of Hillary Clinton has been particularly ferocious, which I attribute to the normal demonizing of Democrats combined with misogyny, which kicks it up a notch. Anybody who listens to right wing radio and the Fox propaganda network has been subjected to this kind of talk for so long, they just aren't capable of even considering voting for a Democrat. Along comes a presidential contest, and the choice is between Trump and what they believe is "the Devil", and they can convince themselves of anything regarding Trump.

[p0rtia]

Agreed. The grifter class, which spreads lies, fear, ignorance and hate in its effort to awaken the worser angels is the fuel the feeds the insanity.

But what the hell is the catalyst?

Why my friend's son and cousin, and not my friend?

Here's a related article:

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/23/eabf1234

Conservatives more likely to believe false news, new study finds

Abstract

The idea that U.S. conservatives are uniquely likely to hold misperceptions is widespread but has not been systematically assessed. Research has focused on beliefs about narrow sets of claims never intended to capture the richness of the political information environment. Furthermore, factors contributing to this performance gap remain unclear. We generated an unique longitudinal dataset combining social media engagement data and a 12-wave panel study of Americans’ political knowledge about high-profile news over 6 months. Results confirm that conservatives have lower sensitivity than liberals, performing worse at distinguishing truths and falsehoods. This is partially explained by the fact that the most widely shared falsehoods tend to promote conservative positions, while corresponding truths typically favor liberals. The problem is exacerbated by liberals’ tendency to experience bigger improvements in sensitivity than conservatives as the proportion of partisan news increases. These results underscore the importance of reducing the supply of right-leaning misinformation.

[Maybenaut]

She told her she has family members--children and siblings--who think he was sent by God, speaks only the truth, and is indeed the only thing separating the country from the big Satan ring.

Our daughter was a big trump supporter. “He just says what everybody’s thinking.” I asked if the things he was saying were the things she was thinking, and she said they were. “Huh,” I said. “I had no idea you were such a racist.” That really upset her because she obviously didn’t see herself that way. By the middle of the term she was like, “What was I thinking?!”

[Notaperson]

[LM K]

She told her she has family members--children and siblings--who think he was sent by God, speaks only the truth, and is indeed the only thing separating the country from the big Satan ring.

Our daughter was a big trump supporter. “He just says what everybody’s thinking.” I asked if the things he was saying were the things she was thinking, and she said they were. “Huh,” I said. “I had no idea you were such a racist.” That really upset her because she obviously didn’t see herself that way. By the middle of the term she was like, “What was I thinking?!”

1. Well said to your daughter!
2. I'm so glad she eventually saw Trump for who is is.

[Slim Cognito]

My theory was push him to deny it publicly, whether he believes it or not. Fake News and stuff.

[noblepa]

Although it nauseates me to think of trump's rallies starting back up this month, I'm curious to see how well he's able to promote them without Facebook and Twitter. I guess it's up to Fox, OAN and Newsmax.

Also, I bet the thought of these rallies gives McConnell heartburn. At least I hope it does. The really bad kind.

I wonder if Trump isn't taking a risk by holding rallies.

Right now, he sits in Florida or New Jersey and issues pronouncements, threats, predictions and endorsements. Everyone on the right listens to him. Every Republican in the middle is afraid of him. Media pundits of all persuasions grandly proclaim him to still be the leader of the Republican party.

If he starts holding rallies and attendance falls short of his expectations, his stranglehold on the party may begin to weaken. If he shows up at a 10,000 seat venue and there are only 2,000 attendees, the left-leaning networks will gleefully show the empty seats. That will not be good for his image as the savior of the Republican party.

It won't be good for his ego, either, but I think his ego probably needs a dose of reality.

Its already clear that at least some Republicans are not infatuated with him, but are afraid to say so publicly. McConnell and McCarthy have strayed from the one true path since January, only to be rudely brought back into line. If Trump appears to be less than omnipotent, he risks losing them.

[AndyinPA]

I think they are more afraid of his base than they are of him. Not sure that really matters, though.

[Suranis]

Well Haberman's source is Trump himself, so ya. ya I know she says "someone close to Trump," but its o-lips himself and it's pretty bloody obvious.

[raison de arizona]

So it sounds like he is going to "reinstate" McSally and Perdue as well. Saweet!

Former Sen. Martha McSally silent on Arizona audit, Trump talk she could be 'reinstated' to Senate

While President Donald Trump is stewing over his 2020 loss and reportedly telling those close to him that Arizona's ballot review could lead to him being "reinstated" to the White House, the other Republican with the most to gain from the review of 2.1 million ballots in Maricopa County hasn't weighed in.

► Show Spoiler

Former Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., who narrowly lost her Senate campaign last November to Democrat Mark Kelly, declined through a former campaign staffer to comment to The Arizona Republic about whether she believes the process will reverse her loss.

McSally has not publicly addressed the baseless claims of a stolen election and conceded her race well before conspiratorial theories took root in right-wing America.

No one from Trump's orbit has been in touch with her 2020 team to discuss the potential implications of the audit, a former McSally campaign staffer said.

The New York Times and National Review have reported that Trump has been saying the election reviews in Arizona and Georgia will not just help him, but also restore to the Senate McSally and former Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., who also lost to a Democrat.

Though Trump is said to be riveted by the idea, there is no way to reinstate him as president or reinstate McSally and Perdue to the Senate, nor is there precedent.

"Congress has already certified the election. The electoral college has voted. … There's absolutely no recourse," retired Senate historian Donald Ritchie said Thursday, adding of Trump, "He’s making it up as he goes along."

► Show Spoiler

A spokesperson for Kelly, who was sworn into office Dec. 2, declined to comment Thursday.

Though McSally has disappeared from the daily news headlines, she remains connected with friends on Capitol Hill, and members of her campaign and senatorial teams.

McSally has spent the past six months visiting family in Rhode Island, hiking, and road-tripping with Boomer, her golden retriever who gained national fame after making an appearance in her 2018 concession speech.

She has steered clear of commenting on the ballot review going on at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.

She lost to Kelly by two percentage points, the same margin as her 2018 loss to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.

"With nearly all the votes counted, I called Mark Kelly this morning to congratulate him on winning this race," she said in a written statement at the time. She offered to help him transition into office: "I wish him all the best."

McSally's concession marked the end of a fierce, year-and-a-half-long race to fill the remainder of the term won by the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who died in 2018.

Kelly is running for re-election in 2022 for a full, six-year term and the Republican field is starting to take shape.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/po ... 536523002/

Everyone is so afraid of the big bad boogey man Trump that even the loser of an election by TWO POINTS is afraid to say that her election is over. What a world.

I hope no one goes to his rallies and it loosens his stranglehold, that would be quite nice.

[neeneko]

I wonder if Trump isn't taking a risk by holding rallies.

A risk, but I suspect a calculated one. Rallies for Trump are both a way to demonstrate his power, and generate it. With the failure of his 'from the desk of' blog and wins not materializing, he might believe the risk is worth the potential payoff, or at least he is worried that if he does nothing his grip will diminish.

[raison de arizona]

I wonder if Trump isn't taking a risk by holding rallies.

A risk, but I suspect a calculated one. Rallies for Trump are both a way to demonstrate his power, and generate it. With the failure of his 'from the desk of' blog and wins not materializing, he might believe the risk is worth the potential payoff, or at least he is worried that if he does nothing his grip will diminish.

I sincerely doubt he views it as a risk. Because, Trump.

[Azastan]

...or at least he is worried that if he does nothing his grip will diminish.

His grip on reality is already quite diminished.