New Developments III

[Okri]

Fuck. Just... fucking hell.

[Greg]

Well, the House does have a Speaker now, obscure Louisiana representative Mike Johnson who supported Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

[Greg]

At least one poll has RFK Jr. taking more votes away from Trump than from Biden.

"Biden beats Trump, RFK Jr. in three-way race: poll:"

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4 ... race-poll/

[Sabin]

I'd like to talk about how wrong I was about RFK Jr. for two reasons. The first my failure to recognize his appeal. The second is because, y'know, the world changed. Obviously, if this much can change in two weeks, who knows maybe it changes again. Maybe it all ends with RFK Jr. becoming President. What do I know?

I was clearly wrong about RFK Jr.'s appeal. It's been borne out in every major poll. I still think he has some lefty vibes that could hurt Biden, but it's clear that it hurts Trump a lot more as evidenced by the conservative panic mode around his candidacy. Watching him foolishly walk into one lion's den after another only to discover *GASP* maybe Sean Hannity wasn't his friend after all has been very enjoyable. It also erases any doubt in my mind as to whether his campaign was due to some version of messiah complex or if it was a cynical spoiler campaign. It's messiah complex. It has to be. Messiah complex, lots of money, and lots of access.

But even if that didn't happen, what could his campaign be today? The world changed. Even though RFK Jr. is known for anti-vax and general conspiracies, his main issue really is Ukraine. He's been running as an anti-war machine candidate. But he's generally pretty supportive of Israel. I don't see what appeal an RFK Jr. candidacy has when he's just out there saying "We shouldn't be giving money to Ukraine. We should be giving it to Israel."

At first I thought he could do very well as a third party candidate, taking from both, but ultimately hurting Biden. I was wrong. For one week, RFK Jr. looked like he was a Trump spoiler. But now I'm having a hard time seeing him get 1%. What's his appeal now?

Who knows where we'll be two weeks from now?

[Greg]

. . . and Jim Jordan fails to win the Speakership on the first ballot. More balloting is postponed until tomorrow. Like I said, the Republicans say they don't believe in government; and, by golly, they're keeping their word.

[Big Magilla]

I just want to say this: I don't know if everyone's busy or if restraint in posting re: the current crisis is a conscious choice, but I really appreciate it right now.

News coverage has been excellent. It's too horrific to trivialize with unnecessary commentary right now.

[OscarGuy]

Hakeem needs to make a deal with the Biden 18 to become speaker...

Though, if Will Rogers had lived to see this, he wouldn't call the Democrats disorganized anymore.

[Okri]

Scalise just dropped his bid for Speaker, leading the Republicans back to square whatever.

It really is something.

[Sabin]

Greg wrote
Scalise just dropped his bid for Speaker, leading the Republicans back to square whatever.

Brett Baier just said that he's hearing crazy things on the hill: "Jesus of Nazareth could not get 217 right now."

Also, I just want to say this: I don't know if everyone's busy or if restraint in posting re: the current crisis is a conscious choice, but I really appreciate it right now.

[Greg]

Scalise just dropped his bid for Speaker, leading the Republicans back to square whatever.

[OscarGuy]

Because at least far left Dems are smart enough to realize getting some of what you want is better than getting none of what you want. Reagan made a deal with the religious wing of the party and that wing enabled all the anti-cultural elements to worm their way into the Party and those people cannot be reasoned with.

[Sabin]

OscarGuy wrote
Pelosi is teaching Jeffries as they go, so he's getting the best tutelage. The site I read for political news suggests that Pelosi may well be one of the most consequential house speakers in history.

Totally. To be clear, I don't mean to diminish Pelosi. I do think she's one of the most consequential Speakers in history.

But I do think that the Republican Speaker of the House is an increasingly impossible job with every new, increasingly more batshit wave of Republicans.

[OscarGuy]

Pelosi is teaching Jeffries as they go, so he's getting the best tutelage. The site I read for political news suggests that Pelosi may well be one of the most consequential house speakers in history.

[Sabin]

taki15 wrote
Nancy Pelosi was really a titan of the House. She made everything look so easy when in fact we see now how difficult it is to bring together a caucus.

I agree, but I think Hakeem Jeffries will do just fine once he's up.

I think it's just their side/caucus.

[taki15]

Nancy Pelosi was really a titan of the House. She made everything look so easy when in fact we see now how difficult it is to bring together a caucus.