OldPhiKap
Super Moderator
I think she will absolutely crush this issue at the DNConvention. And it will kill Trump that her ratings will be much greater than the RNC’s.
2024 U.S. Presidential election
- Thread starter JasonEvans
- Start date
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
Member
It's almost like a human can be two things at once!
CameronBornAndBred
Well-known member
As I said yesterday, I fully expect him to do this. Questioning why is fruitless, just know it's going to happen, he can't help himself.
Johnny is replacing James Clarke as one of Arkansas' two statues in the capitol's statuary hall. Clarke was a turn of the century governor and senator and an avowed white supremacist, so this will be an upgrade.
OldPhiKap
Super Moderator
Something about old dogs not learning new tricks.
Macro, I think this sort of thing just reminds voters that the election is now a choice between returning to the past or something new in the future. And that favors Harris, bigly.
I think you're largely right here. I also think (although I have no proof of this) that there were a fair number of people in the country who were sick of the Clinton's - Bill, Hillary and Chelsea. I mean, they had been in the news cycle, almost non-stop, since 1991 or 1992. Those are us who are old enough remember the almost non-stop drama of the Clinton years - his girlfriends (alleged); Monica Lewinski; Whitewater; Vince Foster, the lawyer who killed himself, Hillary's "I'm no Tammy Wynette (sic), standing by my man", etc. The drama didn't really seen to end, even after Bill left the White House and Hillary pursued her own political career. They seemed to be able to drain all of the oxygen out of the room, no matter what they did. Plus, I think there were many disaffected Americans who really didn't think Hillary was going to change anything in Washington, so they went into the polling booth, thinking "what the heck, I'll vote for Trump and see what he can do".
unix_joe
Member
The best stories don't over-explain. They allow the reader's imagination to fill in the missing pieces.
It's effective because other terms have been thrown around so much that they've lost meaning. Racist. Fascist. Nazi. Sexist. Hypocrite. These accusations have lost all meaning.
But "weird" makes you sit back and think about it. And your mind fills in the blank. Yeah, now that I think about it, that person is pretty weird, about xxxx issue. You and I might not even be thinking about the same thing, but we both figured out something that's offputting and weird about the candidates. Why does Vance even think about these things? That's pretty weird.
And because our mind filled in the blank, it's an idea that sticks. But there's nothing concrete for Trump and Vance to respond to, because they might respond to something that we haven't even thought of yet, that also happens to be weird. The more they push back, the weirder they become.
I think it's brilliant.
JasonEvans
Host, The Duke Basketball Roundup
Ehh, I would say it is "when they go low, we go medium and laugh at them"
bundabergdevil
Member
As a thought experiment, I have trouble even envisioning what a modern civil war would look like.
I'm not sure there is much strategy beyond that. Still, there is no denying Trump is really good at it. That's what I'm acknowledging.
I am also continually amazed how he can say and do things that would severely damage the careers of other politicians. "I like people who weren't captured." (From somebody who did not serve, no less.) "Find 11,780 votes." Only accepting election results if he wins. Leaving a wake of people who did his bidding bankrupt and/or in jail. The recent race attacks on Harris. The sheer volume of lies, which range from brazen to petty (and frequently unnecessary). And where most people would back down when called out, he frequently doubles and triples down. It's unreal.
This would be a good counter; “I can be two things at once; just like you are both old and unfit for office”
Disclaimer -- these are purely my opinions. I may very well end up being wrong. But right now, this is my take.
I believe that one of the keys in a political race is to define your opponent. My 100% superficial take on how recent candidates have been framed (or are about to be framed) is:
Clinton = Liar
Biden = Old
Trump = Weird
Harris = Phony
Implying that Harris isn't what she says she is, and that she's changed what she says she is, is all part of seeding the idea that she is phony. Describing her as Indian is just the first step of this. He is going to lean into it, and this will become a big theme of his campaign.
SkyBrickey
Member
I think this is spot-on, but there's another layer too.
Trump and his supporters want to appear strong and intimidating. They want us to fear him. And many of us do - not him as an individual, but we fear what he will do to our country. They love calling out "liberal tears".
But when we tag him as "weird", it's funny. We laugh at him and it feeds the narrative that there's nothing to fear, that the emperor has no clothes. This is relaxing to our side and infuriating to the Trump side. It bursts the bubble of intimidation.
Native
Member
I imagine what he's attempting—and failing—to do is accuse Harris of politicizing her own identity, such that she markets herself as Indian to Indian audiences and African-American to African-American audiences. As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, it does not seem like it will be an effective tactic.
SkyBrickey
Member
Harris=Phony? I mean, possibly, but I'd be surprised if that gains much traction. I think labeling her a California Liberal is a more effective play for him...
burnspbesq
Member
Cheung needs a better editor.
Asked about his boss’ riffing on Hannibal Lecter, he apparently said the following:
bsky.app
Dude, the couch thing had all but died out. You had to bring it back? And what does that even mean?
Asked about his boss’ riffing on Hannibal Lecter, he apparently said the following:
6’3” pool boy bitch 🦩 (@milesklee.bsky.social)
UPDATE: We now have an... interesting statement from the Trump campaign on the Hannibal Lecter stuff. [contains quote post or other embedded content]
bsky.app
Dude, the couch thing had all but died out. You had to bring it back? And what does that even mean?
SkyBrickey
Member
Yeah, this says less about Trump and more about the 47% of Americans that support him unfortunately. They are willing to line up behind a lying, cheating bully as long as he can give them a "win".
burnspbesq
Member
I kid you not, there is a “Deadheads for Kamala” online event tonight.
That's because using "weird" takes away power. It's not like "fascist" or "racist" or "deplorable" which can be embraced by the subject and/or the supporters. It doesn't come off as combative just descriptive. Instead of being full blown confrontational it just opens the door with the idea that something is off and lets people draw there on conclusions. If you are advocating that you are the standard bearer of normal and are called out as weird it's absolutely insulting especially if your brand is masculinity. On the flip side if you've been called weird all your life you embrace it so it can't be used against you. The fact that it seemed to form organically outside of focus groups and polling just makes it that more effective. It's elegant in it's simplicity.
Furniture
Member
The weird thing is kinda corny and brilliant at the same time imo. It allows people to address some of the wild and nasty things that are said in a nice way and then pivot to solid message against the other candidate. The way Shapiro talks about Trump hugging the American flag and then pivot to some excellent counterpoints is great use of it.