Plastic surgery enthusiast and host's paid counsel has things to say about authenticism.

How fucking weak to have to be as a man, to react like he did to that question, and not just tightening her water, his rant after, when insulting others, making outrageous claims and saying whatever you like, about whoever you like as part of your daily schtick. I swear I don't know that I have ever seen anyone softer than this buffoon.

At this point, maybe Kamala should pick Warnock for VP to see full on GOP meltdown.

She obviously needs a black person on the ticket.

so why does trump keep choosing vps that won't help him at all in electoral votes?

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

He's an insane narcissist who can't stand anyone getting attention or credit over him.

VPs are overrated in terms of electoral votes.

Pence was really helpful in reassuring the evangelicals. We forget that in 2016, the religious right wasn't in the tank for Trump.

Its amazing he went from that to messiah

I'm in FL this week and every GOP primary commercial is just the candidate saying they are the most Trump-like.

Fetuses have feelings and corporations are people.

Oh, you said rational. Sorry, can't help you.


Three hard-right Supreme Court Justices will do that for you.

Well, we've come full circle now. They've pulled Harris's birth certificate to "prove" she's not black.

Fox News called her "Obama in a skirt" today. I'm not sure Kamala has to do anything because the right is just making her ads for her.

Harris went to Howard, an HBCU, and pledged their biggest sorority, straight Spike Lee School Daze shit, but the GOP thinks having a bunch of shrill white folks question her race card is a winning strategy? Baffling stuff.

I have two guesses as to why this is happening. One, they are so far up Trump's ass that they automatically defend and double-down on everything he says and does. And two, this feels like trying to recreate the Elizabeth Warren controversy, but that was a controversy of her own making, as a white woman trying to prove she was a minority. This isn't even in the same stratosphere.

If the argument is you can only be one or the other (black or Indian), or that being half-Jamaican means you aren't really black, then by all means, triple-down on that shit.

Meanwhile, Vance wrote an endorsement for a book that just came out written by Jack Posobiec that calls for the execution and torture of "unhuman" political opponents of the GOP. His endorsement is on the book.

So, like, can this get as much coverage as "childless cat ladies," please?

It really is the dumbest thing. I have seen in the wild more than once "Jamaican isn't black." "Jamaicans aren't Africans." No they aren't Africans, but they are descendant from Africans that were brought to the Islands by the slave trade. Why do they think it wise to highlight slavery? Again, how does this help them in any way?

This made me laugh too hard...

"I didn’t know he was Orange until a number of years ago, when he happened to turn Orange. I respect either one, but he obviously doesn’t because all of a sudden he made a turn and he went – he became an Orange person. I think somebody should look into that."

�� pic.twitter.com/pH3kPSiyeH

— Jane of the North (@JaneotN) August 1, 2024

They understand this is a different kind of "Indian", right? (Right??)

He’s going back to the 2016 playbook. It’s birtherism 2.0. It worked in 2016 and he thinks it will work again. It’s all he knows. He’s too stupid to pivot and he feels cornered. He sees this thing slipping away.

According to comments on Twitter, no. They definitely do not.

Birtherism is 2016? Maybe you're thinking of 2008?

And it didn't work then.

When you're in an echo chamber, you begin to believe that extreme beliefs/arguments are more mainstream than they actually are. Like, virtually high-fiving people all over the country for owning the libs makes it feel like whatever weird/extreme take you've posted about is more widely accepted than it is.

This isn't limited to the right-wing, of course - social media and TV is set up to insulate all of us from other viewpoints (except on Twitter, where Musk has decided to force you to see a certain viewpoint unless you take steps to block it), so we're all in some form of an echo chamber. But it feels like on the right-wing side, it's more about specific issues (race, Aplaha Male/traditional female roles, etc.) and on the left-wing, more a general feeling (like either a group doom spiral if something bad happens or an overly ecstatic reaction when things are going well, both of which help to catch them off-guard when something different actually happens).

JD Vance needs to be asked at every possible moment about this issue given he's married to an Indian and has mixed kids.

Someone on Twitter suggested that he got immunity from the Supreme Court and raised more than enough money to cover his legal bills, so he is tanking things now because being president is hard work and he doesn't love hard work.

I don't buy that, but it's not the craziest thing I've heard this week.

Trump ran in 2008?

Trump first started questioning Obama's citizenship (or the validity of his birth certificate) around 2011 or 2012, I think. It was well before he ever ran for office.

I get that but lets not act like racism and birtherism wasn't a big part of his 2016 campaign.

That's too 4-D chess for him.

The simple explanation is the right one. Biden choosing to withdraw from consideration for the Democratic nomination and releasing his delegates threw the GOP for a loop, and they are still finding their feet.

Trump would never choose to lose to a woman.

Trumps really painted himself into a corner with Vance. He’s already distancing himself from him but would never replace him because that would mean he admits he was wrong.

Dear Leader cannot fail.
Dear Leader can only be failed.

In the back of his head, he's already laying the groundwork for blaming a potential loss on Vance. That *he* picked Vance will be easily ignored.

And, if he wins? Then *he* picked Vance, which was another brilliant move by the stable genius.

Yeah, there is no way that Trump will accept a loss period.

Can anyone picture him calling to concede or going to the inauguration? It is pretty wild that he has a hold on his party in this way.

Trump's entire political identity is attacking his opponents. He's not particularly smart or clever so it's always low hanging fruit that he attacks. When your opponent is a black woman the low hanging fruit is that she's black and a woman.

I don't think it's any surprise that's he's struggling. What's interesting is the entire right wing has become such a reflection of Trump that they don't know how to respond either.

With all the reporting about deniers getting put into election official positions, it seems like we could be headed towards a reverse 2000 Mules (we're through the looking glass people), where several MAGA voters and officials get caught on camera and paper committing significant election fraud, and then all the same people who saw conspiracy in every corner in 2020 will claim to see nothing, when presented with actual fraud.

This was my biggest fear coming out of 2020. Normalizing the thought for MAGA that dems are cheating so people on the ground feel the need to chest as well to even up the odds for Trump.

If you're going to lose may as well create as much chaos and confusion as possible and see of the courts rule your way.

But the "birther" movement demonstrated to him how toxic and effective conspiracy theories can be to the power-hungry outsider. I suspect he had this bent in him anyway (and also that he himself is a sucker of stuff like that, he's 100% always been the guy that hears a few sculpted talking points about vaccines and autism and says "wow you're right") but seeing how much mileage the "i'm just asking questions" angle w Obama's lineage got on right-leaning political shows almost certainly gave him the fortitude to pursue am actual political career and to center it around bullshit.

It's kind of ironic that Harris will be the one certifying the election this time.

Seems certain that, if she manages to win, the GOP will certainly be crying about the fairness of her presiding over the process and like one of those things that Dems traditionally overthink and yield to, in the name of fairness and trying to stay above board, that inevitably risks or takes away their power.

I believe this is a real strategy and no off the cuff accident. I think the pivot to play up race might not be what the more professional campaign workers want, but I fully believe guys like Stephen Miller and Rodger Stone have told him it is the way to go.

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If that’s true and I was the two running his campaign I would quit. Once that Trump smell is on you it’s impossible to wash off.

This might be relevant!

The MAGA Abuse of the English Language

Nice. Should have gone with a schooner/sailboat reference from Mallrats instead of the Border Collie/Dog split, though.

"(This is where we get a weird crossover episode of linguistic insanity, such that some MAGA people will claim that the “Democrat Marxists want to turn America into a democracy with their coup,” which is a statement that should make everyone’s head explode, Looney Tunes™ style)."


Just *chef's kiss*

I think it's as simple as, "any publicity is good publicity." 2-3 weeks of Harris and Vance getting a ton of press (Harris positive and Vance negative, washing off on Trump), and he needed something, anything to make himself the story again. Right or wrong, he really doesn't care if it's bad attention. You have to hope the American people make him pay for brazenly showing us who he is over and over, but it's worked for him before.

Yeah, he's repugnant, etc. But he's also getting, dare I say, tired? Like a TV show that's gone on two seasons too long.

He can’t even muster a work of thankfulness that Americans are coming home pic.twitter.com/xYUwVceZPV

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 1, 2024

dola:

Also, his boy Putin pretty much cutting his losses here and assuming he's going to lose.

He may still win but this is a good thing. It removed any doubt to swing voters thinking he may have changed after the assasination attempt and his very brief message of unity.

If he had rode that message to election day I think he more than likely wins.

It may be a strategy to go into the race stuff but it could also just be an 80 year old racist who can't help himself. And a party of followers who can't help themselves either.

It's both. Trump always likes to listen to the advisors that tell him what he wants to hear. When he doesn't, you can always tell. He going full bore into where he is comfortable and moving away from where the campaign wanted him.

I'm surprised Donald hasn't asked about Kamala's whereabouts on April 19, 1989

Someone needs to ask if he considers Bob Marley black.

No surprises. Shapiro and Beshear seem to be the two favorites.



The Algerian boxer controversy is a great example of why it's not as easy to define male vs female as the right makes it out to be. Biology and nature don't conform to restrictions and rigid definitions.

It really is crazy. I mean they act like the genitals you are born with is the only determining factor, but then attack this woman born with the a vagina as not being a woman.

That's a really strong list of VP candidates.

It's about control and insecurity with their own sexuality. They want women to fit their definition of what a woman should be. You have to have a certain body type, dress a certain way, act a certain way.

Also incredibly funny they think Algeria of all places is sending a transgender athlete to the Olympics. Like do 30 seconds of research on the country and see why that's not happening.

It seems like it's going to be Shapiro. There have been some leaks and launching in Philadelphia drives that point home even further. A little risky but I'm guessing they've run the numbers. He likely locks up Pennsylvania for them but may hurt them in Michigan and with young voters overall (maybe with women too depending on the validity of the sexual harassment complaints).

I don't think he's worth the risk when you're running against Trump. Walz would be my choice because he's got a terrific background that resonates with Midwesterners. Beshear would be next up because he might be able to swing a percentage point or two of rural white voters. Then some mix of Kelly, Pritzker and Shapiro depending on what you want.

The campaign does seem to know what they're doing though. Looking through the tour, they're making stops in places like Eau Claire Wisconsin. Not sure if the Hillary campaign even knew the city (or state) existed during her campaign.

I’m guessing the vast majority don’t know and aren’t going to look deeply enough to know that she was born with a vagina. All the outraged stuff I’m seeing on social media is leading with some form of “female boxer forced to fight against biological male,” and of course because it fits the preferred narrative, it’s accepted as fact without a moment’s pause. Just search
“biological male” on social media and I’m sure you’ll see dozens of oft-shared posts with that language.

“She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”

The first guy looks like he dresses up like his mother and kills people in a motel

Good article on the negotiations.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-russ...h-paul-whelan/

This caught my eye and wondered how really true Blinken statement is?

“"biological male” on social media and I’m sure you’ll see dozens of oft-shared posts with that language."

What is crazy is they are using a supposed failed test from IBA as proof that she has "XY" chromosomes as "proof" she us a man. Except the IBA initially Saud thar was the test she failed, and then back tracked and said she had high levels of testosterone and they didn't test her chromosomes. And of course the fact Russian based organization failed her after she beat a Russian boxer, which is most likely not a coincidence.
So they legitimately have zero proof of anything they are claiming other than "look at her."

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You’re going wayyyyy too deep with this. There is no “proof.” There is no digging deeply. There is barely even any thought process to it at all. The first sentence of a post they read says that a biological male beat up a woman in an Olympic boxing match, and that is full validation of everything they’ve been saying/thinking/believing about those sicko liberal trans people.

And the original posters understand that if they’re just looking for internet clout, there’s no need for the post to be true; it just needs to stir people up. #Internet101

- Serena Williams was accused of being a man when outperforming a white female
-Caster Semennya was accused of being a man when outperforming a white female
-Imane Khalifa was accused of being a man when outperforming a white female
Take what you want from this.

— Isa (@isaperezxx) August 1, 2024

(And let's not forget, M. Obama's a man, too.)

On a day when the American women completely dominate gymnastics and one could just revel in that and enjoy it and shout USA USA USA, these weirdos work themselves into a lather because someone from a county they couldn't find on a map looks manish.

Freaks and genital obsessed weirdos.

I don't think it's a race thing. It's been going on for a long time but I think has bubbled up more recently. They called Navratilova a biological male. Same with Wambach. There are people talking about the woman's rugby player who is stiff arming people left and right a male. And it's been a pretty common tactic against women in combat sports who don't look feminine enough for their liking.

There are always going to be people who feel emasculated by athletic women and lash out. And you'll always have a percent of repressed homoxsexuals who are upset at the way these women make them feel.

It's amazing how often the GOP refuses to pass their own stated prioritise because they fear it might help the Dems. Today that was the House passed child tax credit that couldn't find enough GOP support in the Senate to overcome the filibuster.

Democrats could just end the filibuster.

I can't answer this. I think I'm the wrong person to ask; I think quite a few people on the forums are almost certainly better than me at political strategy/messaging. I do think this kind of messaging has some basic issues;

- it tends to backfire in recent history
- people already know Trump is weird/dangerous
- it ignores the much more important issue

Telling Trump voters and/or independents Trump is weird is like telling someone who smokes three packs of cigarettes a day that smoking is bad for you. They typically know that already. It's not reasonable to expect a response of 'wow, thank you citizen! I've been walking around choking down nicotine like I'm a chimney for decades without knowing it was killing me, you've done me a great service!' The problem is people who see Trump is dangerous and weird ... and still vote for him anyway because they are convinced the alternative Democrats are offering is much worse.

Convincing people that isn't the case is what needs to happen, and that requires not taking the perspective of just 'we're normal/right and they are the weird ones and how could anyone buy into that'. I don't know what combination of messaging and platform would be best there without overly alienating the liberal base, but that's the starting point to figuring it out.

You're comparing people who want kids to have their genitals inspected before they can sign up for JV field hockey and people who say that that is weird. I think calling them weird is tame for creepy fetishists and perverts.

Anyway, more JD on tape. Did they even vet him?

Vance on Tape: Rape and Incest, "inconvenient", no excuse for abortion ban exceptions. pic.twitter.com/THK52Bnsm1

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 2, 2024

I choose to believe the rumor that Don Jr and Eric forced him on Trump. If that were the case, you know they didn't.

Likewise, although I'm certainly scared of all the rumors of Republicans stacking the deck with election officials, I get some hope from how bad all of them are at everything.

Calling rape an inconvenience is a choice.

If this was the case Trump and the GOP wouldn’t be freaking out over the whole thing and they very much are.

Shapiro cancelled a couple of fundraisers this weekend (for himself). I have to imagine he's the pick. I kinda hope it's not Beshear, selfishly.

Nate Silver has already backtracked/updated his prediction from modest Trump electoral victory to toss-up.

I think we know who Simone is voting for

I love my black job 🖤 https://t.co/c5wPc6xOY3

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 2, 2024

My guilty pleasure fantasy if Harris wins: the next four years of watching the spineless whores like Rubio, Haley, Graham, and Cruz—who all knew better but bowed to Trump nonetheless—slowly and collectively poop their pants for the next four years as the long slow burn comes into clear view that he’s the clear leader for the 2028 nomination. I’d like to think I can rise above such petty thought, but right now if I’m honest it’s just Tune. Piper.

"Shapiro cancelled a couple of fundraisers this weekend (for himself). I have to imagine he's the pick. I kinda hope it's not Beshear, selfishly."

Every VP candidate did the same thing. I think they are probably planning on having some one on one interviews and planning with all of the candidates. Then the swimsuit competition on Sunday.

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Best line I've seen today:

If Kamala had tried to rent an apartment from Donald, he'd have known she was black.

I am doing my part in Texas to try and make Cruz an ex-Senator after the November election.

I just saw an analysis of the Texas Senate race that Cruz is on track to win comfortably. Anything can happen, but that would be a surprise.

Yeah. Kamala hype is fun. But liberal dreams of Blue Texas, Florida, etc. in 2024 are, IMO, overblown.

It would require something like Trump having a total meltdown and telling his supporters to not vote GOP downballot or something.

Six years ago, the polls had Cruz as +12, but he only won by +2.6.

But there was the moment. 2018, even some hope in 2020. At this point, I just don't see it.

Yeah, there's no doubt that Trump is the favorite in 2028. It's his party now.

+1 to whomever said that

I am wondering how exactly anyone thinks they're going to get the party back.

But his opponent then had some serious national name recognition and (I presume) corresponding Texas hype. I don't even know who's running against him this time.

All fun and games until some migrant criminal illegally crosses the border and becomes the greatest American gymnast of all time.

This isn't THE Rasmussen poll, but I believe this guy is still a right-leaning pollster.

.@ScottWRasmussen national survey @KamalaHarris 47%@realDonaldTrump 42%@RobertKennedyJr 6%

3,000 RV,
Conducted by RMG Research
July 29-31, 2024

— RMG Research (@RMG_Research) August 2, 2024

Whether Trump wins or loses, he's the GOP favorite for 2028. Physical incapacity would be the only thing that would prevent it.

It seems like there's no obvious heir apparent and I'd hope the MAGA base would fracture and turn on itself, hamstringing the party even further....but after seeing the excitement and turnaround for Harris, who everybody (myself included) thought was entirely unlikable makes me think there's a chance for someone on the right to capture the same lightning in a bottle.

Even though MAGA appears to be tied at the hip with Trump I imagine that they (and/or the non MAGA wing of the party) might get a burst of unexpected enthusiasm when finally presented with somethnig else. Even here we've got plenty of folks that have become forced Democrats, but might be attracted back to the GOP by someone sane.

Even logistically though; if there is no more Trump, there are still Trump kids and in-laws that would have their hooks in the party (certainly financially). If they don't want to leave, how do you get them out? A party seems like normally a thing that is there and no one really owns, collectively the group just says "ok, these folks are in charge now." What if those in charge just say "we own this now" and don't go away? I guess what I'm wondering is if there is any recourse the group at large can take to extricate them.

Kennedy may end up really hurting Trump. I've seen a couple recent polls and with Kennedy included Harris has been up right around 5 points.

Seeing PAC ads supporting Kamala during the Olympics.

"As America turns the page, Kamala is ready."

If she, as the sitting VP, manages to pull off making Trump seem like the incumbent, then she will almost certainly win.

Kyle Rittenhouse says he will not vote for Trump

When you've lost Rittenhouse you've lost the White House.

Kennedy is going to bow out and endorse Trump. That has been the plan all along

My therapist says people have to bottom out before they realize they need help. I view the modern GOP like that. Some guys have tried to rescue them from Trump, but until the party really bottoms out and starts overwhelmingly losing elections MAGA and the Trump stain will be a part of it.

even his rotting corpse