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

nightwyrm_zero Since: Apr, 2010
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#338277: Nov 8th 2020 at 6:13:37 PM

Wa Po had an amazing article about the fallout for the Trump campaign and supporters.

The end came in all the places you’d expect, in all the ways you’d expect, with all the people you’d expect. When news broke Saturday that Donald Trump’s reign was ending, the president was on a golf course that he owns in Virginia, playing his last round as a non-loser. In Washington, about 125 of his worshipful supporters gathered on the stoop of the Supreme Court to “stop the steal,” then circumnavigated the U.S. Capitol seven times, because that’s how the Israelites conquered Jericho, according to the Book of Joshua. And a pair of Trump’s most loyal surrogates made a defiant stand on the gravelly backside of a landscaping business in an industrial stretch of Northeast Philadelphia, near a crematorium and an adult-video store called Fantasy Island, along State Road, which leads — as being associated with Trump sometimes does — to a prison.

Rudolph Giuliani, America’s mayor turned Trump’s sloppy fixer, squinted into the autumnal sun at journalists who had assembled outside Four Seasons Total Landscaping — a choice of location that multiple Trump staffers could not account for, saying that it was the work of the campaign’s Pennsylvania advance team. Literally anywhere else would have conveyed more legitimacy on the enterprise, but legitimacy did not seem a high priority for one of the last battles of a lost war.

“Joe Frazier is still voting here — kind of hard, since he died five years ago,” Giuliani said in a meandering monologue, referring to the champion boxer who died in 2011 as an example of Philadelphia’s unproven election malfeasance. “But Joe continues to vote. If I recall correctly, Joe was a Republican. So maybe I shouldn’t complain. But we should go see if Joe is voting Republican or Democrat now, from the grave. Also Will Smith’s father has voted here twice since he died. I don’t know how he votes, because his vote is secret. In Philadelphia, they keep the votes of dead people secret.”

Where to begin?

Or rather: Where to end?

As Joe Biden marched slowly to victory last week, the Trump Train jackknifed. It raged about suspicious Sharpies in Arizona, about “irregularities” and “anomalies” in Georgia, about weaponized pizza boxes used to obscure democracy in Michigan, about “mathematical impossibilities” in Wisconsin, about ghosts in Philadelphia. What became clear is that Trump supporters thought Democratic votes, Democratic strongholds and Democratic methods were suspicious. Cities were suspicious. The turnout was suspicious. The mail was suspicious.

In reality, a preponderance of mailed-in ballots — which were counted last, in many places — had slowed the process and delayed the inevitability of Biden’s win. Poll workers were just trying to do their civic duty — extracting, flattening, scanning and counting ballots into the night — but this was not good enough for the president’s supporters. They showed up with instructions tailored to whatever way the tide was shifting.

“Stop! The! Count!” they chanted Wednesday afternoon outside the TCF Center in Detroit.

“Count! The! Votes!” they chanted Wednesday night outside the Maricopa County Elections Department in Phoenix.

“A lot of shenanigans,” Trump said from the White House briefing room Thursday.

Indeed. Top Trump lieutenants deployed to various cities in navy windbreakers with their names embroidered. The campaign set up a fraud hotline, which was eventually swamped with prank calls. They sent out desperate fundraising pleas for its legal defense fund. On his podcast, Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser, called for the beheading of Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases.

Outside the Clark County Election Center in Las Vegas, a news conference was interrupted by a hysterical man in a sleeveless tank that read “BEER BBQ FREEDOM.”

“The Biden crime family is stealing this election!” he screamed over and over again, as if repetition would make it true.

In Philadelphia, a demilitarized zone formed early Friday afternoon at Arch and 12th streets near the convention center, where ballot counting continued. To the south was a large, jubilant street party, in front of historic Reading Terminal Market. To the north were agitated Trump supporters engaging in magical thinking. On Friday, as the counting continued in the convention center, Biden fans held an impromptu street party on one side of a nearby intersection while Trump supporters seethed on the other side.

New Jersey resident Edward X. Young wore a button that said “Barron 2052,” referring to the president’s 14-year-old son. “I will never accept Joe Biden,” said Young, a horror-movie actor whose titles include “Maggots,” “Mold!” and “Gerry the Psychopath.”

Biden “is a senile gangster with the IQ of a sack of carrots,” he said.

That evening, a federal judge heard arguments from attorneys who wanted to stop the counting in Nevada’s Clark County because Republicans could not conduct “meaningful observation.” The judge wondered how to interpret the phrase. How many people should observe, and from what distance? Should observers be entitled to hear a ballot-counter’s every utterance? What if one of the poll workers had a soft voice and could not be overheard?

“At what point does this get to the ridiculous?” Judge Andrew P. Gordon asked.

His question was answered the following day, at Four Seasons Total Landscaping.

Sean Middleton, the company’s director of sales, was at a Bible study when he got the call to come to the shop and help prepare for Giuliani’s news conference.

“I was pretty happy because it got me out of Bible study,” he said Saturday, adding: “I have no idea why [the campaign] wanted to do it here. I don’t know how the government works. Maybe they saw on satellite images that we have a big back lot and proximity to [Interstate] 95?”

Middleton said he was not aware of any connection between the landscaping company and the Trump campaign, which did not immediately provide an explanation for why the news conference was held at that location.

Giuliani stood in the landscaping company’s dusty parking lot with campaign adviser Corey Lew­andowski, in front of a garage door plastered with Trump placards, flanked by a few disgruntled GOP poll observers, facing a gaggle of journalists. He claimed there was fraud; he also said GOP observers were prevented from witnessing fraud. About 30 minutes into his show, Giuliani was informed that the race had been called for Biden on television. He stretched out his arms, looked to the heavens and seemed to mock-crucify himself on the notion

“Come on, don’t be ridiculous,” Giuliani said. “Networks don’t get to decide elections. Courts do.”

“Stop the Steal” rallies popped up all over the country over the weekend, including at the Supreme Court on Saturday afternoon.

In Washington, Always-Trumpers who planned to encircle the Capitol were awash in positive emotions, despite heckles from people passing by. The president is “going to get that miracle that he needs because God will not let this nation fall into chaos,” said Bethesda resident Karen Simon, carrying a huge Trump flag. “Go home! The game is over!” someone yelled at the group. “What pathetic losers,” said another.

But the marchers had faith that God and Trump would prevail. And so, as in the Book of Joshua, they began their seven laps in pursuit of victory.

One. A marcher said the “Hail Mary” over and over again.

Two. A group of young men spoke of “malnourished socialists” and the Carter-Baker Commission on election reform.

Three. They were joined by a small group carrying a tapestry of Jesus Christ.

Four. There was talk of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and a pardon that was sure to come, and a truth that would finally be revealed.

Five. Across the river in Virginia, a crowd gathered outside Trump’s golf club. One sign said “You’re fired.”

Six. A stream of Biden supporters, on their way to a massive block party by the White House, doubled over in laughter at the marchers.

Seven. Victory was indeed coming, but not for Trump.

Edited by megaeliz on Nov 9th 2020 at 1:10:02 PM

minseok42 A Self-inflicted Disaster from A Six-Tatami Room (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
A Self-inflicted Disaster
#338278: Nov 8th 2020 at 6:17:55 PM

[up] The "Beer BBQ Freedom" guy was so symbolic, so typical that it would have been bad writing if this were a TV show

"Enshittification truly is how platforms die"-Cory Doctorow
TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#338279: Nov 8th 2020 at 6:18:13 PM

[up]x5

When are they usually supposed to do so?

From what I can gather, the standard seems to be "when it's obvious." They delayed, understandably so, in Bush v Gore until the Supreme Court settled that one.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#338280: Nov 8th 2020 at 6:20:29 PM

I presume, then, they're waiting for the counting to finish.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#338281: Nov 8th 2020 at 7:18:24 PM

Okay, here's something I keep getting stuck on. In 2018, Andrew Gillum, who was running for Governor, supported Amendment 4, which would have restored voting rights to people convicted of felonies who had completed their sentences. Gillum then and Joe Biden in 2020, both made a $15 minimum wage a part of their platform. Amendment 4 passed in 2018 65-25 and a $15 minimum wage passed this year 61-39, even as Gillum and Biden both lost the state in their respective elections.

Of course, Florida Governor DeSantis and the Republican-controlled state legislature promptly gutted Amendment 4, and they were urging voters to reject $15 minimum wage as well.

It's the same story in other states as well. "Red" states vote for Medicaid expansion while voting for the Republicans who try to stop it from happening and rejecting Democrats who support the measure, often on the same ballot.

So the perennial question is, how does the Democratic Party make Democratic candidates as appealing as their policy positions?

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#338282: Nov 8th 2020 at 7:21:24 PM

Politico ran an article on Biden's life which hammers home how he's been something of a Cosmic Plaything.

Politico: How Misfortune—and Stunning Luck—Brought Joe Biden to the Presidency

It’s been barely more than eight months since Joe Biden’s presidential campaign looked all but done. It’s been five years since the wrenching death of his oldest son derailed his shot to pursue the presidency from the vice-presidential slot—which looked at the time like the best chance he would have. And it’s been a dozen years since his last failed White House run, more than 30 since his first, and close to half a century since a car crash killed his wife and baby daughter weeks after he was elected to the United States Senate—nearly causing him to resign before he had cast a single vote.

The life of Biden, defined by cosmic swings of fortune, crushing personal tragedies and career-saving resurrections, has culminated with this: He is now, at 77 years old, the president-elect.

This line from Biden's aide Ted Kaufman stood out to me:

“I have said many times, if you ask me, who is the luckiest person I have ever known? I would say Joe Biden. If you ask me, who is the unluckiest I have known? I would say Joe Biden,”

I guess this is another way Biden's a Foil to Trump. Biden's been through a lot of horrible shit in his life, and that's given him a sense of empathy and the ability to cope with losses. Trump's an overgrown Spoiled Brat who has always been guarded from the consequences of his screw-ups, and he's defined by a Lack of Empathy and a total inability to accept defeat.

Edited by M84 on Nov 8th 2020 at 11:25:46 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#338283: Nov 8th 2020 at 7:26:21 PM

[up]x5. Personally I like the quote from the indy horror film actor from New Jersey.

New Jersey resident Edward X. Young wore a button that said “Barron 2052,” referring to the president’s 14-year-old son. “I will never accept Joe Biden,” said Young, a horror-movie actor whose titles include “Maggots,” “Mold!” and “Gerry the Psychopath.”

Biden “is a senile gangster with the IQ of a sack of carrots,” he said.

Edited by megaeliz on Nov 8th 2020 at 10:31:18 AM

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#338284: Nov 8th 2020 at 7:29:11 PM

Honestly, I didn't really have much of a clue about all the horrible shit Biden and his family have been through until recently. It only makes it even more fucked up that Trump and his stupid goons tried to spin a nothingburger scandal about his son, whose traumatic loss of his mother and sister likely led him to become an addict, in a hollow attempt to reproduce the Hillary email scandal. To say it's repulsive is putting it mildly.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Nov 8th 2020 at 12:29:52 PM

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#338285: Nov 8th 2020 at 7:48:46 PM

And his big brother to cancer :(

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#338286: Nov 8th 2020 at 7:59:20 PM

Because it came up in another thread, from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas AG Ken Paxton is saying that a single social worker is being arrested for elections fraud, in which they registered people from the assisted living facility at which they worked without the residents' or their family's consent. From the information currently given, it looks like one person committing a crime, and not indicative of a bigger voter fraud problem (which I imagine is what the conservative news sites are saying/insinuating).

Edited by nova92 on Nov 8th 2020 at 8:01:39 AM

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#338287: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:01:58 PM

So with Biden being more or less on track to taking the presidency, and the Democrats having an actually decent chance at sweeping both of Georgia's seats on the Senate to bring them to de facto majority control (50 seats plus VP's tie-breaker), there's one matter that I want to ask about: What can be done about the convservative dominance in the Supreme Court that had been built upon theft, strangling a federal investigation, and spitting on a dead person's dying wish, all with a heavy dose of blatant hypocrisy? I remember mentions in the past weeks of the constitution not actually defining what "[SCOTUS justices] shall serve in good behavior" means and that Biden wants to establish a commission to "take a look at the US judiciary", but didn't catch any actual explanations on how either of these could help in any significant way.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#338288: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:02:23 PM

@nova29: It doesn't seem like people draw the connection between policies that they vote on personally and the politicians they elect. And it also isn't helped by the fact that many people don not maintain a coherent personal politics.

More specifically from the side Conservative voters state and local policy referendums have the quality of being something that you are doing for yourself and your community, as opposed to a national policy that may see "other" people whom you dislike being benefited (possibly at your expense). So in that way it is easier for even fairly tribalistic Right-Wingers to swallow.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#338289: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:12:48 PM

[up][up][up][up]The article brought up his son's death too and how it nearly destroyed him.

But in Obama’s second term, with Biden in line to be considered as his successor, he was hit with another bolt of lightning—Beau Biden, one of the two boys pulled from that crumpled car, whose survival in ’72 in no small way, his father would say, saved him, too, was stricken with brain cancer. Two years later, in May of 2015, at just 46 years old, his first son was gone. “My God, my boy,” Joe Biden wrote. “My beautiful boy.” He couldn’t run. Not for president. Not then. Not in 2016.

Disgusted, but not surprised
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#338290: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:18:24 PM

I was reading megaeliz's quoted WaPo article and had a double-take at this line (emphasis mine):

As Joe Biden marched slowly to victory last week, the Trump Train jackknifed. It raged about suspicious Sharpies in Arizona, about “irregularities” and “anomalies” in Georgia, about weaponized pizza boxes used to obscure democracy in Michigan, about “mathematical impossibilities” in Wisconsin, about ghosts in Philadelphia. What became clear is that Trump supporters thought Democratic votes, Democratic strongholds and Democratic methods were suspicious. Cities were suspicious. The turnout was suspicious. The mail was suspicious.

Wait, what?

RAlexa21th Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer from California (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I <3 love!
Zettai Ryouiki Enjoyer
#338291: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:19:29 PM

The vote counters use pizza box to cover the windows of the counting centers.

Edited by RAlexa21th on Nov 8th 2020 at 8:19:43 AM

Continue writing our story of peace.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#338292: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:31:44 PM

Even though it doesn't necessarily make him any more effective as a politician, Biden seemingly being a caring and devoted family man also highlights yet another difference between him and Trump.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#338293: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:32:38 PM

If nothing else, Biden has the most morally deserved Presidential win in all of history.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#338294: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:33:59 PM

Meanwhile in Trump's family, the extended family (rightly) hates Donald Trump's guts (and the feeling is mutual), Trump's sons apparently don't call him "Dad", and at times I seriously wonder if Donald even remembers Tiffany exists.

Disgusted, but not surprised
DS9guy Since: Jan, 2001
#338295: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:47:56 PM

Trump campaign planning messaging blitz to fuel unsupported election questions

One idea being tossed around the campaign is whether it can run out the clock enough to put forward a Republican slate of electors in key states where President-elect Joe Biden won the popular vote. State laws vary on whether they can appoint electors that don't reflect the will of the people. One of the sources cautioned it was unclear how seriously this idea is being considered.

Please tell me this plan would never work.

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#338296: Nov 8th 2020 at 8:59:42 PM

[up] I wish Biden could investigate Trump and company and try them for Domestic Terrorism and Inciting Violence, but that would never fly sadly. At least we can still get the Q creeps.

Also, Graham says that if Trump and Republicans fail to 'Fight Back' against the Election, they'll never win another Presidential Election. I can only pray Graham is right (especially because Trump failed already).

Codafett Knows-Many-Things Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Waiting for you *wink*
Knows-Many-Things
#338297: Nov 8th 2020 at 9:09:58 PM

What's the purpose of the Electoral College meetings in December?

Just Having Fun
TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#338298: Nov 8th 2020 at 9:11:34 PM

[up][up][up]I'm pretty sure of the four states where he could attempt that, only one has Republican control of the legislature and the governorship. The latter needs to certify the electors, so the Democratic ones could simply refuse to certify the replacement slate the legislature offered up. Biden's win covers enough states that any attempt would only undermine Biden's victory, not eliminate it.

[up]It's the official tabulation of the votes.

Edited by TheRoguePenguin on Nov 8th 2020 at 9:12:04 AM

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#338299: Nov 8th 2020 at 9:15:07 PM

I don't even know why graham is humoring trump anymore. What's in it for him now that he's lost? I thought he was just a snivelling sycophant which wouldn't make sense now that trump is on his way out and the rest of the party knows it. I've been hearing people go so far as to say there's some kind of kompromat involved but idk if that even makes sense

Edited by Draghinazzo on Nov 8th 2020 at 2:15:40 PM

Codafett Knows-Many-Things Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Waiting for you *wink*
Knows-Many-Things
#338300: Nov 8th 2020 at 9:16:37 PM

[up][up] Thanks good to know.

@DS 9 Guy: Man, if any of these harebrained schemes work and Trump somehow magically manages to cancel out Biden's victory that is the end of America as a democracy. Because now elected leaders can just make shit up and break every rule we have concerning transition of power. That's what's really at stake here.

Edited by Codafett on Nov 8th 2020 at 9:16:47 AM

Just Having Fun

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