Can't say I am surprised about any of it. Trump's as big a figure in the republican party today as it was when he became a president. Heck, some people in the cult literally believe trump is the current president and is currently leading at least a decent chunk of the US army while biden is a fake president. The conspiracy theories trump is milking (no idea if its intentionally or unintentionally tbh, I would guess a bit of both) are just that unhinged.
That's because Trump tells them what they want to hear, openly, and acts as if though he's not scared of the repercussions. Him being openly bigoted, to them, is him speaking "frankly." Plus, Trump did a great job in framing it as "us vs. them" where he painted the mainstream media that criticizes him as fake news, enemies because of different political views or whatnot.
Any way you spin it, he is a genius in terms of PR, at the very least.
so did anyone watched the debate? I am trying to group polls into different era to see how things change. For sure with each indictment, Trump polling went up. I usually don't watch right wing sources. But I did for the debate just to see how they would break down the debate. And Ben Shapiro did a good job of analyzing the different republican lanes. I also kinda find out who are the moderates. If they love Chris Christie. And surprisingly there are those rare republicans. Feel like the top 2 performers of the debate are both South Asian.
I thought Vivek was freaking brilliant. Although most of the things he said made like zero sense. But by attacking the entire stage in one row and without naming anyone specifically. By debate rule, if you don't name people, then they don't have extra time to rebuttal. But that also meant, everyone gunning for him which meant he got plenty of talking time and get the front runner treatment.
Desantis felt like Rudy Giuliani in 2008, Rick Perry in 2012, Scott Walker in 2016. They got all the hype pre debate season. And then fizzle out. Though Desantis probably last way way longer than the other 2.
I'm actually 6'3. The most I ever weighed was 233 lbs, and at that weight I looked way skinnier than Trump looks right now. I put him at EASILY 280 lbs.
so did anyone watched the debate? I am trying to group polls into different era to see how things change. For sure with each indictment, Trump polling went up. I usually don't watch right wing sources. But I did for the debate just to see how they would break down the debate. And Ben Shapiro did a good job of analyzing the different republican lanes. I also kinda find out who are the moderates. If they love Chris Christie. And surprisingly there are those rare republicans. Feel like the top 2 performers of the debate are both South Asian.
I thought Vivek was freaking brilliant. Although most of the things he said made like zero sense. But by attacking the entire stage in one row and without naming anyone specifically. By debate rule, if you don't name people, then they don't have extra time to rebuttal. But that also meant, everyone gunning for him which meant he got plenty of talking time and get the front runner treatment.
Desantis felt like Rudy Giuliani in 2008, Rick Perry in 2012, Scott Walker in 2016. They got all the hype pre debate season. And then fizzle out. Though Desantis probably last way way longer than the other 2.
I watched it. Not a Republican by any means, so it's actually hard to judge from that perspective. I usually go with the person I disagree with most being the most likely winner. My take was:
Haley - sounded way too sane by comparison. She will get nowhere in her campaign.
DeSantis - Performed poorly, a lot of beating around the bush and avoiding questions, but he has a lot of money to fund a campaign.
Vivek - Crazy. Fully denies climate change, and seems to be a really conservative Hindu.
Rest aren't even worth mentioning, IMO. Trump will maintain some base and he may even win the primary. Vivek's hinduism may turn off Christians.
Didn't watch but I have no idea how anyone could arrive at that conclusion when it comes to him, if you aren't buying what he's selling, that is.
He's way too slimey, obviously doesn't believe half of the things he says, and his Soros connection is a blemish for that crowd that's capable of getting him elected. He'll go nowhere IMO.
I'm actually 6'3. The most I ever weighed was 233 lbs, and at that weight I looked way skinnier than Trump looks right now. I put him at EASILY 280 lbs.
Didn't watch but I have no idea how anyone could arrive at that conclusion when it comes to him, if you aren't buying what he's selling, that is.
He's way too slimey, obviously doesn't believe half of the things he says, and his Soros connection is a blemish for that crowd that's capable of getting him elected. He'll go nowhere IMO.
You don't have to necessary agree with him. To be honest. He is the type that I hate. Depend on his goal, I will judge he will win the debate or not. If his goal was to replace Trump and some republicans are saying Trump may got disqualified from running. Then he did a good job. If his goal is a membership in Trump's cabinet, then he did a good job. If his goal is Trump's VP, that performance will not get him the VP. Haley would but Haley attacked Trump so I guess she would not get that spot. The VP usually the opposite of the President. Obama being a young freshman black guy, he pick a senior, more exp white dude. Or Trump with dubious religious cred picked Mike Pence. Trump in 2016 was perceived as more of a moderate. Trump in 2024 with a record is more of a far right. Haley, a female/minority, somewhat moderate would balance out the ticket. VIvek tried to be a Trump jr. So in that sense that is a fail.
In another criteria. Some people compare Vivek to Yang. Or heck even Ron Paul. They share a lot of online passionate supports (way less in numbers but you wouldn't know that due to how loud they are). Ron Paul share similar isolationist policies to Vivek. But Ron Paul is way more principle and does believe what he said. Yang too, I supposed. Vivek is much more of a con man. However, in term of debate. Ron Paul and Andrew Yang are pushover on the stage. Andrew Yang particular had so much trouble getting speaking time (though he did said his mike was cut). In that sense Vivek was much much better. He dumb down his platform so much into soundbites. Sound really good, but make no fucking sense.
However, the debates. Especially on the republicans' side. These are not about the substances. Not really about policies. Haley vs Pence for example. Haley is correct that they need 2/3 of the senate to pass these extreme abortion bills, and they should focus on things that can get compromise. While Pence reciting some bible verse, and go for the feel. That would have work way more than Haley. Unfortunately for Pence, the people who are susceptible to that. They hate his guts for being a "traitor" on Jan 6th. Vivek is all about the feel. And the feel is very strong with Vivek. MAGA. Make america great again. That is a good slogan. Compare to said Defunding the police. Beccause MAGA sound good in its first impression. Until you ask, what do you meant by that. What decades are we going back to? Defunding the police sound bad in its first impression. And need hours of explanation of what they actually meant. Blah blah about resources distribution. Blah blah blah. You just lose people the more you have to explain. Feel is super important. And Vivek is pretty decent with the feeling.
Even beyond the Soros thing, the fact that he is a practicing Hindu in a GOP primary work against him. That is why he is also great as a speaker, when he talk about religions and God. He sound so generic that if you don't know his background. You did think he talks about the Christian God. Unfortunate for him, the whole race isn't the debate stage. There will be attack ads on him via this angle.
Edit: another thing i failed to mention is that Vivek is a niche candidate before the debate. People don't know who he is unlike said a Pence/Desantis/Christie/Haley. He made an impression in the primary voters' mind. And get the news to talk about him. Remember, Trump's Mexico sending us their rapist etc. Sound unhinge. And I don't think he is some sort of a mastermind. But that statement was what propel him into among one of the front runner. You have to abandon your liberal common sense if you are a liberal, when you analyzing the republican primary.
Haley - sounded way too sane by comparison. She will get nowhere in her campaign.
DeSantis - Performed poorly, a lot of beating around the bush and avoiding questions, but he has a lot of money to fund a campaign.
Vivek - Crazy. Fully denies climate change, and seems to be a really conservative Hindu.
Rest aren't even worth mentioning, IMO. Trump will maintain some base and he may even win the primary. Vivek's hinduism may turn off Christians.
So if you saying Haley went nowhere. Desantis performed poorly. And the rest aren't worth mentioned. Then on that debate stage, Vivek is the big winner. Seemed like we agree with each others. I do think zooming out. Trump is the biggest winner. And by that Biden is even a bigger winner than Trump for that debate.
Oh I forgot about Yang. One way he and Vivek are similar is that both are sucking up to whatever gets them the most votes. Otherwise Yang is trying to do that by claiming centrism and no bias, while Vivek is blowing the right wing
Oh I forgot about Yang. One way he and Vivek are similar is that both are sucking up to whatever gets them the most votes. Otherwise Yang is trying to do that by claiming centrism and no bias, while Vivek is blowing the right wing
I viewed Yang as naive. I can understand the frustration of bipartisanship. When George Floyd event happened. There was an incredibly brief period where there is a huge momentum for changes to happen. Even among the right wing. Had the focus simply on Anti police brutality. But the movement lost focus just like Occupy Wallstreet before it. And they really got baited into the whole silly All lives matter. And then things spiral into left vs right. Another example would be nuclear energy, where I don't think it is a left-right issue. But it turned into a left-right issue. Or heck even crime, the way Hasan went after a local journalist for reporting a stupid decision by a rich streamer. Resulting in damage for the working class. Not really a left or right, turn into a race issue, conservative red meat fearmongering for Hasan.
The problem with Yang is that the people who annoyed with the establishment republicans are more extreme than the establishment republicans. Just like the people who called for a third party among the deemocrats are further to the left than the establishment democrats. I don't see how you can unified these groups that don't identify with the big 2 parties, when their views are completely opposite of each others. He think the people that don't like the labeled of democrats or republicans are moderates. But the opposite is more true.
Yang wasn't naive, he was slimey as well, and he got exposed when he tried to both side it with Zionists and Palestinians, and he said something else that made him lose even more popularity. He kept saying the wrong things and hurt his own image severely, thankfully. He actually had popularity and traction enough, which he ruined.
Yang wasn't naive, he was slimey as well, and he got exposed when he tried to both side it with Zionists and Palestinians, and he said something else that made him lose even more popularity. He kept saying the wrong things and hurt his own image severely, thankfully. He actually had popularity and traction enough, which he ruined.
I must have missed that. I kinda stopped paying attention to him when he start to make "losing political race" as a career. Which was the New York mayor race. The last time I heard of him was the founding of the Forward party. In which the democrats are very very suspicious of due to fear the party will act as a spoiler. In which then they announced they won't run any candidate to make sure Trump lose. To be honest, I can respect that.
M3J who do you dislike more Tulsi Gabbard or Andrew Yang? And if you were a Bernie Bro, what is your view of Warren during the 2020 election?
So according to Republicans, black people are enamored with Trump now because he's got a mugshot.
Because black people love criminals.
Funnily enough, I wanted one of these mugshot shirts to make fun of Trump, but if I wear one, I'll be perpetuating the narrative that black people are galvanized by Trump's arrest and using the image to show solidarity with the piece of shit.. So they ruined my fun. Fuck me I guess.
Funnily enough, I wanted one of these mugshot shirts to make fun of Trump, but if I wear one, I'll be perpetuating the narrative that black people are galvanized by Trump's arrest and using the image to show solidarity with the piece of shit.. So they ruined my fun. Fuck me I guess.
lol... do what you want to do. Because what you are telling me is you letting conservative media to either tell you what to do. Or set the narrative of your action. How about just F the larger context or whatever, and just do whatever you feel like it.
I pondered a bit about your dilemma. I think you shouldn't let the conservative media dictate what you do. However with that being say, maybe it best not to do it. Politics are very polarized right now. And by statistics, there a small percentage of crazy people with low inhibition that would do stupid stuffs over this. Like the recent shooting of a woman for displaying her rainbow flag. That goes with the opposite side as well for pro Trump stuffs, since the whole "punch a Nazi" kinda attitude is popular among certain circle. These political outfit just put target on your back.
If you ever get a chance go to the ElonMusk or Tesla subreddits, and go back in time to before the Thailand incident. It's bizarre. Elon actually had a serious, large bipartisan fan-base who damn near worshipped him.
If you ever get a chance go to the ElonMusk or Tesla subreddits, and go back in time to before the Thailand incident. It's bizarre. Elon actually had a serious, large bipartisan fan-base who damn near worshipped him.
The whole Thailand cave rescue thing was kind of the beginning of his public turn, wasn't it?
I think a lot of it was smoke and mirrors but he at least paid lipservice towards progressive ideas, etc
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I personally didn't have much of a negative opinion towards him either, felt like the kinds of things he put his money towards was interesting and forward thinking.
The whole Thailand cave rescue thing was kind of the beginning of his public turn, wasn't it?
I think a lot of it was smoke and mirrors but he at least paid lipservice towards progressive ideas, etc
I personally didn't have much of a negative opinion towards him either, felt like the kinds of things he put his money towards was interesting and forward thinking.
Pretty much. I've always been skeptical because I tend to get annoyed by those who have some sort of cult following around them. Anyone who has a pack of wolves waiting to jump on you at the hint of any criticism is hiding a mountain of things worth criticizing, IMO.
