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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#324377: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:29:46 PM

So, just to be clear, at the Democratic National Convention, we had...Colin Powell and John Kasich speaking?

Why, exactly? They're not even independents. They're part of the ruling party.

Edited by AzurePaladin on Aug 18th 2020 at 11:32:18 AM

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
thatindiantroper Since: Feb, 2015
#324378: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:32:51 PM

To send the message, "See! Even these guys think Trump needs to go!"

ScubaWolf from South Carolina Since: Feb, 2020
#324379: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:43:25 PM

This is...irritating to say the least.

Democrats Quietly Cut Opposition to Fossil Fuel Subsidies From DNC Platform

"In a move surprising absolutely no one"
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#324380: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:46:14 PM

Great. Sidelining AOC and her wing, and allowing Kasich (an anti-choice extremist) and Colin Powell (literally used his credibility to help sell the Iraq war), literal members of the Republican Party, to speak.

Nothing says "Big tent!" like trying to court members of the other party at the expense of your own activists.

[up] I'm not even surprised at this point.

Edited by AzurePaladin on Aug 18th 2020 at 11:48:04 AM

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#324381: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:46:28 PM

[up][up] Wonder why.

Edited by Parable on Aug 18th 2020 at 8:46:29 AM

Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#324382: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:48:18 PM

[up]x5 It should be noted that neither of them hold public office nor are running for public office (John Kasich was the governor of Ohio up until January 2019 and Powell hasn't been directly involved in politics since he was the Secretary of State in GW Bush's first term). So they are Republican in the sense they are registered with the party on paper and haven't explicitly disavowed their membership.

But it's hard to say they are members of the "ruling party" because they aren't technically in charge of much of anything.

Plus in the US it's basically impossible for a political party to revoke a person's membership. They can take steps to marginalize people they don't like, but they can't actually kick anyone out even if that person flagrantly performs public actions against the party's interests.

On the Democratic Party's side of the equation, it's just a simple matter of trying to reach out to people who consider themselves to be Republican for one reason or another but are disgusted with Donald Trump.

Edited by Falrinn on Aug 18th 2020 at 8:48:54 AM

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#324383: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:49:12 PM

I mean, whether you agree with them being there, the reasoning behind it seems fairly obvious, does it not?

AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#324384: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:50:18 PM

[up] I gathered the reason, "why" in this case is more of a "Are you kidding me!?

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
Ayasugi Since: Oct, 2010
#324385: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:56:15 PM

It shows that the Democrats can do something the Republicans cannot: Get big name members of the opposition party to support their candidate. With all the bemoaning of how polarized US politics has become, it's good to have an easy example of one party successfully reaching across the aisle for when enlightened centrists try to bothsides.

Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#324386: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:56:16 PM

The DNC is doing a smart thing here by allowing Republicans to come speak, because Trump's biggest problem as far as Republicans are concerned is that he really loves to fire up his own base but doesn't do shit to persuade new voters to join up.

The legend has returned.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#324387: Aug 18th 2020 at 8:56:42 PM

I mean, for better or worse, people generally seem to think highly of Collin Powell regardless of political party (or at least, that's the impression), and again doesn't seem particularly actively involved with politics anymore so that's one thing.

Kaisch sounds harder to justify. Although, honestly, what are the chances of either of them being there seriously influencing anyone's vote?

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#324388: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:00:06 PM

Kasich has, if I recall, been anti-Trump from day one.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#324389: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:00:48 PM

Kasich made a name for himself as a big Never Trumper, standing for the "Respectable" Republican Party when everyone else opposing Trump in the 2016 primary had already dropped out. Odds are he'll influence some Republican votes. Not a lot, probably, but as Michelle Obama said last night, just two votes per precinct in Michigan cost us the state in 2016. Every Republican we flip is helpful.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#324390: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:00:55 PM

Powell endorsed Obama (twice), Clinton, and now Biden. At this point he's a RINO the Dems are largely used to working with on stuff like this.

Kasich is harder to stomach, and a more clear Enemy Mine.

Has AOC and the progressive wing really been sidelined as such though? Sanders got a key speech, and I believe she's still on the list (I don't think she spoke yesterday?).

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#324391: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:02:14 PM

She spoke today, nominating Bernie for president as part of his delegate representatives.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#324392: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:03:51 PM

Oh, I thought she was getting a headline speech?

That does seem like she got a lesser role, though who knows what went on behind the scenes.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#324393: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:11:10 PM

Today at least did seem to give greater emphasis to party elders. Carter, Clinton, Kerry all got speeches.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#324394: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:14:08 PM

For all her Progressive-cred, Occasio-Cortez is still a freshman Congresswoman. I imagine there's enough of a hierarchy she's not getting a big speech early, if she does get a big one. Though she has enough name recognition to have something, I'm sure.

Edited by sgamer82 on Aug 18th 2020 at 9:15:58 AM

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#324395: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:15:26 PM

I suppose the DNC might also be wary of her poor national approval ratings.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#324396: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:23:31 PM

Warren and Obama tomorrow night.

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#324397: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:23:35 PM

We're trying to drive a wedge in the softer right of the Republican Party. Having old pre-Trump Republicans talk up Joe Biden is a coup for shaving away independent support of the GOP ticket, and even if they staunch the bleeding, that's still campaign money being spent in their own backyard.

AOC appeared as part of a procedural vote to second Bernie's nomination. She didn't give the headlining speech because she wasn't there to talk up the party's nominee; she hasn't even endorsed the ticket yet, for God's sake.

You know, the Democratic Party can stop sucking Bernie and ilk's proverbial dick for one night only and not be tantamount to a betrayal of the party platform, right?

Edited by CrimsonZephyr on Aug 18th 2020 at 12:27:37 PM

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#324398: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:27:41 PM

[up] Who said anything about Bernie? I definitely said activists.

You know Bernie is not the end all and be all of the Left side of the Democratic Party, right? And that its not unfair to be annoyed that the DNC apparently would rather suck up to war criminals and right wing ideologues rather than the other part of its own party?note 

Edit: She definitely did. Like, immidiately after.

Edited by AzurePaladin on Aug 18th 2020 at 12:30:19 PM

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#324399: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:32:22 PM

Hadn't she endorsed Biden months before also?

i'm tired, my friend
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#324400: Aug 18th 2020 at 9:33:30 PM

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what will bring in the key votes? You want to sell the Democratic ticket to some dumbass Joe Sixpack in the Midwest whose vote is, structurally, all-powerful. Do you headline the event's opening with AOC and the Squad, who they recoil from instinctively, or do you bring in some former opposition to make them think they're getting the elusive bipartisan experience they crave? We need to be flexible enough to recognize the value of multiple approaches to the same problem.

[up][up]She endorsed him like five minutes ago. My point was expecting her to headline today's event when she hadn't given her endorsement to a ticket whose nomination was a Foregone Conclusion for months would be a non-starter.

Edited by CrimsonZephyr on Aug 18th 2020 at 12:36:55 PM

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

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