Never said that. I said the response to looting some sneakers was bringing in the National Guard with teargas, bayonets, and all sorts of cool weaponry. The response to committing fraud that led to $30 trillion in lost wealth gets a shrug of the shoulders from you.

Why does stealing stuff from a store get such a stronger response from law enforcement and our justice system than wage theft, fraud, and other white collar crimes? Because the latter does far more damage to this country and has destroyed far more lives.

This has nothing to do with Bernie. I'm sorry Kamala Harris spent her time prosecuting homeless people for truancy violations instead of criminals who defrauded innocent people out of their homes. We know where her priorities are.

Yes, Kamala loves punishing the poor. She sits in her room in her coat made of 101 Dalmatians, thinking of more ways to hate poor people.

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No, she just believes certain folks are above the law.

I think successful DAs also have some level of pragmatism and know that some people/crimes are really hard to prosecute, especially with near unlimited lawyer money. Not saying this is that situation but it's possible.

SI

No no. She choose not to do her job for the campaign donation equivalent of a 30 second ad, mid-morning in Sacramento. That makes way more sense.

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Why do you think Mnuchin donated? He is a staunch Republican who didn't donate to any other Democrats un that state (or anywhere from what I see). Why do you think she went against the wishes of her staff recommendations?

I have already said. He definitely wanted access. Doesn't mean it was a bribe. And she dropped for the reasons she gave. It takes two seconds on Google to find it.
Now let me ask you this, why do you think this former member of her staff told this story? Maybe for the book he was writing, and this was the only story that could help him sell it? Who here actually had a larger financial benefit? Kamala with a donation that was a fraction of what she had to raise, or the guy actually getting directly paid to tell this story?

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I should also add that Soros owned a huge chunk of that bank too and not only donated heavily to Harris and California Democrats, but set up a PAC for district attorneys across the US. Harris had two of her top aides who also worked for Soros foundations.

Probably just a big coincidence too.

Just saying it is weird that they caught a bank committing massive amounts of fraud and had other district attorneys say they wanted to file a civil enfocement and she blocked it. And that the bank involved happens to have multiple people who donated heavily to her.

But it's only enough money for a tiny TV ad. Wouldn't a smart man like Mnuchin understand this? Why didn't he donate to other Democrats for "access"? California is filled with them. Only one held the fate of his bank in her hands though.

He liked her suits.

Actually, he was told he could buy a "get of jail free card" for two radio ads in Kokomo.

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He could have gotten away with murder for a gift card to Shake Shack.

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Wouldn't it have been In N Out in Cali?

SI

In and Out gets you two homicides and a Grand Theft Auto.

Involuntary manslaughter at best.

Their fries suck.

So does anyone know what Biden has promised in his first 100 days (or honeymoon) period? What are his absolute top priorities in the first 2 years?

I did a search, found a hit but it was behind a paywall. Lots of articles on his policies but none that I've found that says this is what he will do immediately.

I'm guessing you might hear more after the official nomination.

Anyone planning on watching the convention? I think ABC is covering it and I assume there will be streams.

I'll probably have it on in the background.

4 nights is too long for me. Into Expanse s2.

Mon - maybe with Bernie. Haven't heard much from him lately

Tue - maybe with Bill

Wed - Kamala & Obama.

Thu - Dixie Chicks (or Chicks now) and Biden


BTW - I really hope Biden gives a great speech. If there are any signs of senility/dementia, it will NOT be good (it doesn't matter if it's a double standard with Trump). I'm for limiting the number of Presidential debates. There's no downside for Trump but there is downside for Biden.

I'm going to watch the big speeches- Obamas, Clintons, Harris, Biden. The rest I'll probably just tune in and out of. Not sure what it's going to look like in a virtual format.

It's 2 hours a day, IIRC, which isn't much. So I'll watch the whole thing (I generally do, but I couldn't take the Trump Republican convention in 2016 and had to turn it off)

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NBA is on with 4 games a day all week. Not interested in people who will talk about stuff they’re never going to fight for.

You could not pay me enough to watch that crap. 4 nights??

lol Meg Whitman is speaking at this along with Kasich

Speech after speech is such a drag. I'd tune in if they did a talent show, or maybe musical chairs with the Dem all-stars.

Why watch? It's not like anything happening isn't going to be reported later, or even matter to my day to day life. I'd rather watch baseball.

If Meg Whitman explains Quibi I will watch

Biden's genuine relationship with Bernie has made a huge difference compared to Clinton in 2016.

Bernie and Michelle Obama's speeches were fantastic. Great show for Day 1. And side benefit of a virtual convention - everyone sticks to time limits (and no wasted walking to podium time)

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I would have given anything to be a fly on the wall where ever Trump watched Michelle Obama’s speech from.

This is some hilarious counter-programming:

St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters to speak at Republican convention

Jeez. Seemingly anybody who defended that pair still went out of their way to point out they were defending their rights and not those particular people, because they have such a horrendous record of being remarkable assholes. They'll likely serve as a 5-second, untelevised segue to somebody/something else, rather than any kind of keynote speaker, but still.

OK, it's time to retire the phrase "This is the most important election of our lifetime." This worn out cliche is trotted out ad nauseam every election cycle. I've heard this so much over the years that I'm starting to think I'm immortal.

Can we please just be done with the Clintons?

I don't think it means anything electorally, but it's nuts that the DNC is going to have more connections to past GOP presidential candidates than will the GOP convention. It's like the GOP didn't exist before Trump.

Interesting strategy to have half your speakers be Republicans. But surely this is not a party that will comically lose to a reality star again.

Smart to have Colin Powell speak and remind us all that Biden voted for the Iraq War.

Wait so AOC just endorsed and seconded Sanders at the DNC? WTF?

I'm sure that was all planned and approved. Those things happen at every convention when a large block supported a losing candidate.

Ah ok would hope so. I agree we really need to get at least the Democrat broken up into two parties. Frankly I could maybe see the Biden dems and independents forming a centrist sort of party and then a more left leaning progressive party and a far right party.....oh and wherever “Libertarians” go;-)

Trump has plenty of good media folks available, but if they haven't been planning things for weeks their virtual convention portions will look sloppy. I'm really impressed with the planning and work done with the DNC. It isn't easy to make hours of videos from tons of different locations work together this well. With the digital format and lack of a crowd, all of the production elements are magnified.

That roll call was amazing.. Let's do that from now on (and I'm one who really likes the roll call in general). Jill Biden gave a really good speech as well. Bill Clinton looked much better than he did at John Lewis's funeral as well.

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Switched on FOX News to see what they were saying, sheesh....

They had a graphic that said " Dems trot out failed political candidates to support Biden" as they play video from 2 term president Bill Clinton.

If you get x number of delegates, you have to be formally nominated.

Thanks I get that but in essence and substance this was all procedural. Frankly it comes off divisive and petty of her to second Sanders at this point. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nominates Bernie Sanders at DNC

Wasn't he planning on Jacksonville until like 2-3 weeks ago? And it'll probably have sloppy parts because Trump plans on being front stage every day.

Greatest economy in both of our lifetimes, no pandemic, impeached for a blowj- I mean... lying under oath instead of something trivial like conspiring with a foreign power to influence our elections. Sounds like a failure when you put it next to Trump's accomplishments.

But you'd think even Trump and the Fox News crowd would appreciate a crime bill that incarcerates a lot of people unnecessarily, destroying bank regulations, and failed health care reform.

SI

IIRC she was asked to do so (as was Bob King) likely precicely because she was the obvious one to make that 'nod' and bridging both candidates in a way. It shows the progressive faction that Biden feels comfortable enough with their ongoing presence to have that connection between Sanders and the next generation made on this stage and by an actual progressive, not some token delegate.

I watched Michelle's speech after hearing that she did a great job.

It was overall pretty darn good. I didn't like how she went into popular vote & current social issues (e.g. not the specific issues themselves but seemingly blaming everything on Trump) but everything else was great. It would be great if Biden gave her some sort of significant role ... ambassador to Russia or his intermediary to BLM.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/...full-speeches/

Some great speeches tonight! Clinton and Warren nailed it and Obama is starting very well.

I miss having a fully functioning adult as a President

SI

I think a very serious argument could be made that this is the most important one in my lifetime.

SI

Kamala Harris is nailing this speech so far

I would argue that to this point, that 2008 was...in 2008. It could have remained the most important, but 2016 became it, soley because of the Supreme Court. Of course, too many people couldn't see the fucking truth of that, and now 2020, for obviously insane reasons, at least from the perspective of you and I, that this is once again, the most important.

The Obama speech was really good.

Agreed

SI

It carried through to the end. Fantastic Vice President speech!

Absolutely. I go back to Nixon re-elect, though I was only 1, and until Trump any other outcome than what happened wouldn't have made much difference. The Soviet Union would have still fallen, the tech boom would have still happened, 9/11, all of it. But if Trump wins again I think we turn down a very different path than if he loses.

My only hedge against saying that is that I expect the GOP to get even crazier and they could win in 2024 with an authoritarian who isn't lazy and purely self-obsessed.

Obama and Harris had great speeches. Clinton’s was good but thought Warrens fell flat.

Until 2024.

Dems come out with an inspiring message this morning. From the Biden campaign, the deficit won't really let us do anything. From the Dem Senate, if the GOP filibusters everything we may consider eliminating the filibuster, but let's wait and see.

Oh, well, we can't do anything will surely be an inspiring message for the 2022 mid-terms.

In my lifetime, I would guess that 1976 felt like "the most important" election (first post-Watergate). 1980 (Reagan revolution) turned out to be, but I don't think it was marketed that way at the time. 1984 wasn't. 1988 wasn't. 1992 wasn't. 1996 wasn't. 2000 wasn't. 2004 was (first post 9/11). 2008 was (economic disaster). 2012 wasn't. 2016 was (Trump was a candidate). 2020 is (Trump is a candidate).

His pauses were








wait for it






LONG.

So Biden speaks tonight.

If he manages to give a speech worthy of MLK and Reagan but has one 5 second bit where he stumbles over a word, then the headlines tomorrow will all scream DEMENTIA!!!!!!!!!

So that will be fun.

Not if The Orange Douche is still in the WH. It won't matter at all, because he will bequeath his title to whichever family member deserves it best. I certainly won't have any say over it.

Will it be recorded ahead of time?

I’m assuming it’s going to be Live. Kamala Harris’ speech was live. And if Biden does not do it live then people are going to talk.

i think he will be fine doing it live. Stick to your script, speak from the heart. I worry about him in debates getting pulled into the Trump vortex

Biden's not a great speaker, but he'll be fine. Look at his recent live speeches. He's fine.

I think that he will be fine.

But I also think that he will need to be perfect b/c BIDEN DEMENTIA! is such a juicy story for the media. All about 'dem clicks.

He won't be perfect. He'll almost certainly stutter, because he does that. But he ain't senile and saying so is a lie.

Biden did fine in the final DNC debate where it was just he and Sanders. He can have a teleprompter, a production team, his speech prepared beforehand, etc. for this one. Plus, he was on the stump for a good 7-8 months before Covid hit. He should be fine.

He knows what Trump is going to do. He knows Trump's comebacks are going to be more of a bullying nature. So, he can prepare for that.

I am hoping for a few good burns from Biden during the debates.

If I'm him, I have the "No, Donald, that's not Biden's America you're talking about - it's your America. Right here. Right now." Pick whatever point you want to use it on the best because that line needs to land.

SI

Biden's doing a pretty good job. Talking right into the camera with good energy.

Yeah I am biased but I never expected it to be this good. That could just be the bar is so low but he is a hell of a lot better than Trump regardless.

Can we please put the senile bullshit to bed now?

I'm gonna call that speech a win.

Yeah no kidding. I met Joe many years ago when I served in Bosnia in the 90s when I was a captain in the US Air Force during Operation Deliberate Force. I can say from the 45 second conversation he is genuine and a very decent human being.

Biden hit a home run when he needed it most. One of the best speeches I've heard him give. I really loved the light/dark dichtomy.

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Agree that he did well. I liked the ending about "soul of the country" (or was it nation).

I liked the other contenders coming together to talk about Joe (it would also have been great with a quick, joint Obama-Bill lead-in) . I thought Bloomberg was solid. His son & daughter and they bringing Hunter into the loop was great.

I'm not sure I liked the stuttering kid, it seemed too self serving but I could go either way.

Joe's autobiography was a tad long. I didn't like Julia Dreyfus as MC cracking jokes about Trump, didn't seem appropriate on the final night (did she do all 4 nights?). Jill coming to podium with a bunch of heads on TVs clapping seemed awkward also.

Alright ... it's time for a Trump vs Biden thread, someone going to start it?

The GOP is usually so good at those little strategic political things like setting expectations that it's amazing to see them fail so hard here. The problem is Trump doesn't understand or care about stuff like that. He can't help but insult Biden's intelligence at every turn.

These are great insights from the black voters in SC that revived Biden's campaign.

Second, Chris Richardson,who told @AsteadWesley --

“Black voters know white voters better than white voters know themselves."

“So yeah, we’ll back Biden, because we know who white America will vote for in the general election in a way they may not tell a pollster or the media"

— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) August 21, 2020

What's Latin for "pettiness over strategery"?

SI

I think the stuttering kid was brilliant on multiple levels and will be what people are talking about tomorrow. He had my wife (the suburban educated mother ie: the Obama-Trump swing voter) in tears, so I’d imagine his inclusion wasn’t for folks like most of us on this board and that it hit its mark well. I think it sends out the message that, “hey, you’re an asshole if you pick on people like this kid (who stutters like Biden)” and that it takes some bravery to power through a disability (like the kid and Biden).

I didn't watch the speech, but I am happy that I was wrong about predicting this morning's headlines.

I was trying to think of Dems who might speak at the RNC, and really Gabbard was the only one that came to mind immediately.

I'm assumig conservatives will also want Joe Walsh to speak at the RNC.

Not a lot of policy coming out of the convention. Seems like the campaign is just "you hate Trump so vote for me". Didn't work for Clinton but Joe is more likable. Still think they're in for a surprise if they don't do something to encourage youth voting.

I don't think policy matters in terms of the politics of this race, and I'm one that still believes nobody knows what Dems stand for. Right now the election is on very favorable ground for Biden. The argument right now is Biden saying Trump has been incompetent and malicious while Trump says, no I haven't and wanders off to talk about sharks and Sir stories. That's a great place for Biden.

Maybe that changes next week and maybe Biden pays for his lack of policy vision. A skilled GOP candidate could do that, but I doubt Trump can. As long as Trump's "policy" is that he's the only thing standing between white people and their black/brown rapists/murderers, Biden doesn't need to talk policy much and shouldn't spend his time on policy.

At the moment, the campaign goes like this:

Biden: Trump is a threat to the soul of the nation.
Trump: I'll take over Democrat cities and set the police to destroy Black Lives Matter.
Biden: See what I mean?

edit: That's the pitch to swing voters, and I don't think any policy proposals work better than that.

Just saying it was a strategy that didn't do well in 2016. At some point your party has to stand for something.

It's funny that you think people listen to policy at this point. Like a double digit percentage of people are opposed to a COVID vaccine, but you think facts matter. Funny

I think some people would like a reason to vote that goes beyond "he's not Trump". Maybe the party wouldn't be a doormat for another decade if they stood for something that people cared about.

Ok, so here is your job. What major policy initiative do you introduce/highlight that gets youth to the polls but doesn't lose you the voters that you know will show up?

I think this has been a problem and will be a big problem in 2022, but right now making this a policy election would only hurt Biden. The best strategy is to ask, do you want four more years of this shit?

Student loan relief and affordable health care options are a good start since they poll at the top among young voters.

Depending on what you offer, though, those are both net negatives.

I know A LOT of people on both side of the aisle who feel like they paid their loans and the younger generation should also. Hell, I feel that way sometimes, or at the very least ask what they would do for someone like myself who paid his loans off. I think student loan relief would be a nightmare platform with older dems and certainly undecideds. A lot of people already feel like younger generations get away with too much.