Democrats running for President 2020

[Newman]

From the Yahoo piece linked above:

McAuliffe's decision comes as former Vice President Joe Biden considers whether to enter the 2020 Democratic field. McAuliffe is widely viewed as part of the party's mainstream, occupying much of the same political space as Biden.

There's a popular Irish song called "Lanigan's Ball" that has in its refrain a call and response with the words,

I step out,

and I step in again!

and I step in,

and I step out again!

McAuliffe steps out, and Biden steps in again:

Joe Biden Is Running for President

The former vice president will make his candidacy official with a video announcement next Wednesday, according to people familiar with the discussions who have been told about them by top aides.

I thought the MeToo allegations might do him in, or that the emoluments accruing to his son through his status as V-P might matter.

[Newman]

Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton Joins Democratic Race For President

[Newman]

Joe Biden Is Running for President

The former vice president will make his candidacy official with a video announcement next Wednesday, according to people familiar with the discussions who have been told about them by top aides.

Well, not quite so fast.

Biden abandons plan to launch 2020 bid in Charlottesville

Joe Biden Reportedly Delays Wednesday Campaign Announcement

[Newman]

Biden's in

The AP story Drudge is headlining has a nifty graphic of the candidates to date:

Here's his announcement video, about three and a half minutes, but it begins with a dewy, gift wrapped Big Lie, so I only listened to the first minute.

Of course, Biden had to withdraw from his first presidential run because of some blatant plagiarism, which in a way is also a lie, or at least false pretenses. So do Democrats truly believe Trump was saying neo-Nazis included some very fine people?

Probably. To them it's as real as the Russia Collusion phantasm.

And apparently Biden believes the lie has become established enough to launch his campaign with it.

[Billy Jingo]

So do Democrats truly believe Trump was saying neo-Nazis included some very fine people?

I don't. He was probably talking about the unreconstructed Confederates, not the Nazis.

To them it's as real as the Russia Collusion phantasm.

Depends on what you mean by "collusion." If you mean prosecutable conspiracy, it appears Mueller didn't find enough evidence so that is out for now. If you mean coordination between the Trump Campaign and Russians or their agents, the report hints that it occurred but a great deal of the issue is redacted. Trump and his campaign were obviously the beneficiaries of Russian espionage and it could be they were merely opportunistic in their actions; which is pretty fucked up in and of itself but it might explain the reports that you are not supposed to mention Russian efforts on his behalf it in front of Trump since it taints his victory.

[80zephyr]

I don't. He was probably talking about the unreconstructed Confederates, not the Nazis.



Depends on what you mean by "collusion." If you mean prosecutable conspiracy, it appears Mueller didn't find enough evidence so that is out for now. If you mean coordination between the Trump Campaign and Russians or their agents, the report hints that it occurred but a great deal of the issue is redacted. Trump and his campaign were obviously the beneficiaries of Russian espionage and it could be they were merely opportunistic in their actions; which is pretty fucked up in and of itself but it might explain the reports that you are not supposed to mention Russian efforts on his behalf it in front of Trump since it taints his victory.

Obama said it is impossible for the Russians to subvert our elections. Its one of the few things he ever said that makes sense.

Mark

[Billy Jingo]

Obama said it is impossible for the Russians to subvert our elections

Show me.

[80zephyr]

Show me.

Starts at about the 2 minute mark.

Mark

[Billy Jingo]

Starts at about the 2 minute mark.

Mark

The question he was answering had nothing to do with Russia subverting the election. It was about Trump claims that the election was rigged and wanting people to go to polling places and look out for fraud, I guess.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to ask you about the election. Donald Trump is telling his supporters that the election is rigged and asking them to monitor certain areas on Election Day.

How concerned are you about the potential for violence?

And what about after Election Day?

Are you worried the results of the election may be distrusted?

And for Prime Minister Renzi, the offensive in Mosul has begun.

Are you concerned about what happens after liberation?

And, Mr. President, if you want to weigh in on that as well…

(CROSSTALK)

OBAMA: I do.

QUESTION: … appreciate it.

OBAMA: OK.

One of the great things about America’s democracy is we have a vigorous, sometimes bitter political contest and when it’s done, historically, regardless of party, the person who loses the election congratulates the winner, who reaffirms our democracy and we move forward.

That’s how democracy survives because we recognize that there’s something more important than any individual campaign. And that is making sure that the integrity and trust in our institutions sustains itself.

Because democracy, by definition, works by consent, not by force. I have never seen, in my lifetime or in modern political history, any presidential candidate trying to discredit the elections and the election process before votes have even taken place.

It’s unprecedented. It happens to be based on no facts; every expert, regardless of political party, regardless of ideology, conservative or liberal, who has ever examined these issues in a serious way, will tell you that instances of significant voter fraud are not to be found, that — keep in mind, elections are run by state and local officials, which means that there are places like Florida, for example, where you’ve got a Republican governor, whose Republican appointees are going to running and monitoring a whole bunch of these election sites.

The notion that somehow if Mr. Trump loses Florida, it’s because of those people that you have to watch out for, that is both irresponsible and, by the way, doesn’t really show the kind of leadership and toughness that you want out of a president.

If you start whining before the game’s even over, if whenever things are going badly for you and you lose, you start blaming somebody else, then you don’t have what it takes to be in this job because there are a lot of times when things don’t go our way or my way.

That’s OK, you fight through it, you work through it, you try to accomplish your goals. But the larger point I want to emphasize here is that there is no serious person out there who would suggest somehow that you could even — you could even rig America’s elections, in part, because they are so decentralized and the numbers of votes involved.

There is no evidence that that has happened in the past or that there are instances in which that will happen this time. And so I’d invite Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes.

The Link

[Newman]

That whole video from October 2016 groans with irony, especially considering how the tables turned when Hillary lost. Consider at about the 1:44 mark:

"Whenever things are going badly for you and you lose, you start blaming somebody else? Then you don't have what it takes to be in this job," gesturing toward the White House.

There's even a memorable thread here on the subject,

Excuses for the Clinton loss

[Newman]

I'm here to help, BJ. You are so right, the questions stem from Trump's remarks:

The question he was answering had nothing to do with Russia subverting the election. It was about Trump claims that the election was rigged and wanting people to go to polling places and look out for fraud, I guess.

But the answer is independent of that context. It stands as a general comment.

The subject of the sentence removes the answer from the smaller referent of the question:

But the larger point I want to emphasize here is that there is no serious person out there who would suggest somehow that you could even — you could even rig America’s elections, in part, because they are so decentralized and the numbers of votes involved.

[Billy Jingo]

But the answer is independent of that context.

No, it isn't. You are taking an answer about in-person voter fraud and applying it to Russian interference. It doesn't work.

[80zephyr]

No, it isn't. You are taking an answer about in-person voter fraud and applying it to Russian interference. It doesn't work.

So what was the larger point Obama was emphasizing?

Mark

[Billy Jingo]

So what was the larger point Obama was emphasizing?

Mark

That the presidential election is too de-centralized for voter fraud to work as a means to “rig” an election.

Voter fraud is kind of Republican boogen and Trump was playing to that. Even afterward, Trump claimed voter fraud was why he got fewer votes nationally.

[Newman]

No, it isn't. You are taking an answer about in-person voter fraud and applying it to Russian interference. It doesn't work.

No, I'm listening to what he said.

It doesn't suit your purpose, I guess, but that's just too bad.