2020 Presidential Election

[lotusland]

Um -- let me tread lightly on this:

Michael Cohen just released the forward of his upcoming book, "Disloyal." I do not want to link it; you can find it on the web if you want.

Calling his allegations "salacious" is vastly understating it.

Will it change any minds in the election? Probably not. But if he is doing a talking tour on TV about his assertions in the few weeks before the election, it will certainly dominate some headlines. It is a pretty sordid tale he claims as truth.

By “talking tour” do you mean remote tv interviews from home? I think he’s still under house arrest but in person interviews really aren’t a thing anyway.

[OldPhiKap]

By “talking tour” do you mean remote tv interviews from home? I think he’s still under house arrest but in person interviews really aren’t a thing anyway.

Yes. The Court specifically rejected DOJ's assertion that Cohen could not talk about his book or publish it. I could see a remote interview on CNN, MSNBC, and the networks.

I still expect Trump to sue personally to stop the book from coming out, on the theory that it is all attorney-client privileged material and therefore should not come out. Cohen is smart to get some of this stuff out there before Trump tries to get a gag order. You cannot enjoin a completed act. And if Cohen has not already been disbarred, his felony certainly would cause him to lose his license anyway.

[lotusland]

Yeah, I hear you. I think it is really difficult to do "the dance" as Trump's VP -- shifting positions, some issues of logic, etc. Pence has it down pretty good. I can't see anyone else stepping into that role without some major flubs.

Nikky Haley has straddled the line pretty well between Trump and the establishment and she’s been a rumored Veep replacement for awhile now.

I don’t really see a clear advantage for either tho. Pence is already a former red state governor who is well connected to the GOP establishment. Ditching him seems like a setback there. Haley might help some with women and immigrants but my gut is that women an immigrants have already made up their minds about Trump. I’m sure she would accept but she would least be concerned that being on the losing end with Trump could be worse for her presidential aspirations than remaining on the sidelines.

[lotusland]

If only there was a way to vote without endangering people by in-person exposure to other people on one crowded election day. Fantasy, I know.

Maybe some day, our continued mastery of technology and of moving important documents from place to place can envision and implement such a system.

We all do our taxes online and most of us are working from home. I should have a voting app on my phone.

[CameronBornAndBred]

By “talking tour” do you mean remote tv interviews from home? I think he’s still under house arrest but in person interviews really aren’t a thing anyway.

Yes. The Court specifically rejected DOJ's assertion that Cohen could not talk about his book or publish it. I could see a remote interview on CNN, MSNBC, and the networks.

Mary Trump's interview was Rachel Maddow's highest ratings show ever.

Her one-hour interview with Rachel Maddow last Thursday reached 5.2 million people, the biggest audience ever for one of Maddow’s shows and largest ever for a regularly-scheduled show on MSNBC, the Nielsen company said.

https://apnews.com/b99f5268717b2fc09b63868be354d51d

Any interview with Cohen is going to draw in millions of viewers as well, plus be talked about on news services all week after it airs.

[lotusland]

I wonder how Pence would react to such a move, especially if DT changes course and acknowledges COVID response shortcomings and blames them all on Pence. Months ago when they made a big show of naming Pence the COVID lead I told my wife that they were just setting him up to be the fall guy.

Would Pence fight back? How would Christian Conservatives respond if Mike Pence starts to bad mouth DT? Is it too big of a risk for DT?

I’m sure they abandon Trump immediately on principal. BWAHAHAHHA I crack myself up!!

[SouthernDukie]

Would Pence fight back? How would Christian Conservatives respond if Mike Pence starts to bad mouth DT? Is it too big of a risk for DT?

No; they wouldn’t abandon Trump regardless; and I don’t know.

[OldPhiKap]

Ah, Trump rolls out birtherism on Kamala Harris. I guess Oakland is not part of the US?

I think this will backfire on Trump in the polls. Those who believe this are already in the a Trump camp. Most others will find this repulsive and desperate, as well as yet another time he has tried this same trick (he used it against Ted Cruz who actually was born outside of the Us, and against Obama until he had to admit it was bunk).

[dudog84]

Ah, Trump rolls out birtherism on Kamala Harris. I guess Oakland is not part of the US?

I think this will backfire on Trump in the polls. Those who believe this are already in the a Trump camp. Most others will find this repulsive and desperate, as well as yet another time he has tried this same trick (he used it against Ted Cruz who actually was born outside of the Us, and against Obama until he had to admit it was bunk).

Did that ever happen? I'm not aware.

[sagegrouse]

Did that ever happen? I'm not aware.

When asked about the Obama made-up story: "I don't care about that anymore," I recall Trump saying in September 2015.

[OldPhiKap]

Did that ever happen? I'm not aware.

Yup — about 45 days before the 2016 election he reluctantly admitted it:

https://www.npr.org/2016/09/16/49428...as-born-in-u-s

[dudog84]

Yup — about 45 days before the 2016 election he reluctantly admitted it:

https://www.npr.org/2016/09/16/49428...as-born-in-u-s

Oh, ok. "I finished it"

Late last night, his campaign issued a statement saying Trump, quote, "did a great service to the president and the country" by raising questions about Obama's birthplace.

[MarkD83]

Has anyone seen Trumps or Pences birth certificate. How do we know they were born in the USA

[dudog84]

FINALLY! After all the blather, myself included, something that will 'move the needle'.

Trump pledges to end the payroll tax if he is re-elected. The end of Social Security and Medicare.

Edit: No link because there are no articles yet, but I watched the video. No ambiguity.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Ah, Trump rolls out birtherism on Kamala Harris. I guess Oakland is not part of the US?

I think this will backfire on Trump in the polls. Those who believe this are already in the a Trump camp. Most others will find this repulsive and desperate, as well as yet another time he has tried this same trick (he used it against Ted Cruz who actually was born outside of the Us, and against Obama until he had to admit it was bunk).

OK. I'll say it. Anyone who a) believes what Trump (or his people) is saying on this topic, and b) isn't really troubled by it is intellectually and morally unfit to vote. The president is not allowed to just throw speculation out there, particularly about the citizenship of a candidate for vice president. Saying "I heard someone say it" doesn't excuse it. I am embarrassed to be an American. How many people died today? What's the plan for opening schools? Focus, people, focus.

[Tripping William]

OK. I'll say it. Anyone who a) believes what Trump (or his people) is saying on this topic, and b) isn't really troubled by it is intellectually and morally unfit to vote. The president is not allowed to just throw speculation out there, particularly about the citizenship of a candidate for vice president. Saying "I heard someone say it" doesn't excuse it. I am embarrassed to be an American. How many people died today? What's the plan for opening schools? Focus, people, focus.

And yet I learned on Facebook today that Harris is an “anchor baby” who is therefore ineligible to become President when Biden dies in office. The same post posited that her selection as VP is part of a scheme to make Nancy Pelosi the President when Biden inevitably passes away in office.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Mary Trump's interview was Rachel Maddow's highest ratings show ever.
https://apnews.com/b99f5268717b2fc09b63868be354d51d

Any interview with Cohen is going to draw in millions of viewers as well, plus be talked about on news services all week after it airs.

The upcoming book is all over the news websites and pundit shows already tonight.
Mary Trump's book outsold "The Art of the Deal"...the whole entire run of that book's sales, in one week. Cohen's will likely do the same.
Also, to add to the upcoming literature list, Bob Woodward has his second book coming out soon. Titled "Rage", it includes data sourced from comprehensive interviews with many people behind the scenes, including Trump. (POTUS did not sit down with him for his first book, "Fear".)

[mkirsh]

Higher taxes result in employed people having less discretionary cash to hand out their car windows to unemployed people, standing at an intersection or freeway off ramp, holding a cardboard sign.

I gave $5 away a couple days ago.

Higher tax rates increase the relative value of charitable giving as the deduction “saves” more

[Rich]

Photo Aug 13, 9 08 35 PM.jpg

Now back to your regularly scheduled message board...

[lotusland]

OK. I'll say it. Anyone who a) believes what Trump (or his people) is saying on this topic, and b) isn't really troubled by it is intellectually and morally unfit to vote. The president is not allowed to just throw speculation out there, particularly about the citizenship of a candidate for vice president. Saying "I heard someone say it" doesn't excuse it. I am embarrassed to be an American. How many people died today? What's the plan for opening schools? Focus, people, focus.

I believe his source was “a lot of people” who are “saying it” which is perfectly acceptable as evidenced by the 2016 election. How else would we have learned that Ted Cruz’s father assassinated Kennedy??