2nd Republican debate of 2023-24

[Kraken]

They are gathering again on Wednesday. From what I gather, as one who doesn't pay much heed to Republicans, Haley will try to pull away from the pack while DeSantis will be fighting to reverse his slide. The GOP's big donors have been saving their money in the absence of evidence that any of these people can become a trump slayer. Will this debate change their minds? Trump himself will try to steal the spotlight by using automakers in Detroit.

[El Guapo]

I saw a DeSantis campaign ad today, by virtue of being near the NH television markets. What was funny was that the ad portrayed the election "as a choice between two candidates", namely DeSantis and some unnamed person running against him. The best part was that the last contrast between DeSantis and this mystery opponent was that "DeSantis won re-election in 2020" and the other guy did not.

At least DeSantis is kind of sort of hinting at the possibility that maybe Trump did not win the 2020 election.

[Kraken]

I saw a DeSantis campaign ad today, by virtue of being near the NH television markets. What was funny was that the ad portrayed the election "as a choice between two candidates", namely DeSantis and some unnamed person running against him. The best part was that the last contrast between DeSantis and this mystery opponent was that "DeSantis won re-election in 2020" and the other guy did not.

At least DeSantis is kind of sort of hinting at the possibility that maybe Trump did not win the 2020 election.

NH media doesn't leak this far south, so thanks for taking one for the team.

I read that FL's GOP spanked DeSantis today by overturning a provision that candidates have to swear a loyalty oath to get on the ballot, which was enacted to exclude one particular candidate. It's the first time they've showed any spine since DeS started terrorizing the state. Yeah, DeS might be losing FL.

[Kraken]

Not following along, are we?

[Holman]

I saw a DeSantis campaign ad today, by virtue of being near the NH television markets. What was funny was that the ad portrayed the election "as a choice between two candidates", namely DeSantis and some unnamed person running against him. The best part was that the last contrast between DeSantis and this mystery opponent was that "DeSantis won re-election in 2020" and the other guy did not.

At least DeSantis is kind of sort of hinting at the possibility that maybe Trump did not win the 2020 election.

One funny thing is that all the DeSantis ads on Twitter now have comments disabled.

Not really a sign of a healthy campaign.

[Unagi]

I'm probably not the first to say it... but when I see Doug Burgum

I keep picturing Sam the Eagle

[Unagi]

lol - when two people are shouting over each other, this is always when DeSantis realizes he's a nobody and has to be the third dog barking. I wonder how many times that exact thing transpired tonight.

[Isgrimnur]

[Kraken]

Vox opines that the Republican debates are fake.

At this point, the only things that could stop Trump are his death or incapacitation. Everyone in the political world — including the debate’s organizers and non-delusional rival candidates — is aware of this fact. Trump isn’t participating in the debates because he doesn’t need to: He would be lowering himself to share a stage with people who pretend to be rivals, but are really just the warm-up act for his coronation.

That doesn’t mean the debate is entirely pointless. The other candidates get something out of being on that stage, like improving their future political prospects or satisfying a need for attention. And if you squint, you might get an actually interesting window into the policy debates that will define a post-Trump Republican Party.

But, of course, we are not yet even close to “post-Trump.” In presenting it as an actual presidential debate, rather than a discussion between somewhat prominent Republicans, the debate’s organizers are lying to you. With Trump absent, and facing no serious challengers, this is all make-believe politics — a ritual the party goes through to cover up the dark reality of what the party has become.

The debate is fake. Donald Trump’s grip on the GOP is not.

[malchior]

The only way to deal with this nonsense is to watch a clip thread - here is one (the Scott clip) that struck me as incredibly...odd. It's idiotic and it got a huge pop from the crowd. It doesn't even make a lick of sense.

Edit: One plausible theory I have heard about him is that they appreciate that Tim Scott can say the racist shit they want to. He was a hair away from saying slavery taught gave black people work ethic.

[LordMortis]

You know what's annoying? The air TV is giving TFG for not participating. Even giving more time to his "rebuttal" than to all of the field combined. So everyone else gets on stage and prepares while he sits back with a team and goes armchair QB after the fact.

So yeah, if it wasn't a sham before, media is anointing TFG again. He wants to talk about how media control stuff. It's literally always for his benefit because they want eyes and ears and clicks for their bottom line and he gives it to them.

I don't even want to watch local media, as TFG was in town last night because Biden was here the day before.

At least I no longer give media money directly.

[malchior]

You know what's annoying? The air TV is giving TFG for not participating. Even giving more time his "rebuttal" to all the field combined. So everyone else gets on stage and prepares while he sits back with a team goes armchair QB after the fact.

So yeah, if it wasn't a sham before, media is anointing TFG again. He wants to talk about how they control stuff. It's literally always for his benefit because they want eyes and ears and clicks for their bottom line and he gives it to them.

I'm mostly with you however I don't think they've anointed him though. He's unfortunately simply far ahead of the others. However, they still don't have to repeat the mistakes of 2016 and give him free endless coverage.

[Carpet_pissr]

The only way to deal with this nonsense is to watch a clip thread - here is one (the Scott clip) that struck me as incredibly...odd. It's idiotic and it got a huge pop from the crowd. It doesn't even make a lick of sense.

Edit: One plausible theory I have heard about him is that they appreciate that Tim Scott can say the racist shit they want to. He was a hair away from saying slavery taught gave black people work ethic.

He also strongly defended his pro “school choice” stance here in SC which is absolutely, and obviously an attempt to allow (white) parents to move their kids from schools with black kids, and have taxpayers foot the bill.

That’s putting it very bluntly, but I don’t think I’m overstating it.

At the very least it’s a direct attack on public education, but it’s very much also a race issue, sadly, and this asshat supports that.

[Kurth]

Fake debates. That's absolutely the right take.

They're almost like a series of Stalin-era show trials.

[Smoove_B]

They're almost like a series of Stalin-era show trials.

On the other hand, anyone thinking Chris Christie is a legitimate savior can now be reminded of how he went after Jill Biden during this debate.

He's an irredeemable POS, surrounded by like-minded peers.

[malchior]

Fake debates. That's absolutely the right take.

They're almost like a series of Stalin-era show trials.

Or current era Russian state tv where pundits argue fake issues while the boss does whatever the heck he wants. It's also especially nuts that the fake journalists involved somehow didn't bring up how the front runner wants to see the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff executed or was just found to have committed fraud by a judge in NY. It's all entirely 100% Grade F baloney.

[Alefroth]

Tim Scott survived the Great Society. It couldn't have been that bad.

[YellowKing]

They do the same thing with climate change denial, anti-vax, etc. They cherry pick the one nutjob that goes against the grain of 99% and point to them as proof that whatever they believe is not insane. I have no doubt the GOP just *loves* it when they "have a black friend" to "prove" they're not racist.

[Zaxxon]

Still waiting for a first GOP debate.

[Carpet_pissr]

Still waiting for a first GOP debate.

Ha!

Also love how Tim Scott claims he grew up in the ‘inner city’ …of Orangeburg, South Carolina! There aren’t rolly eyes big enough.

Population: 12,481

But let’s give him some help: pop. Orangeburg county: 83,223

[coopasonic]

Still waiting for a first GOP debate.

Ha!

Also love how Tim Scott claims he grew up in the ‘inner city’ …of Orangeburg, South Carolina! There aren’t rolly eyes big enough.

Population: 12,481

But let’s give him some help: pop. Orangeburg county: 83,223

That's where my wife got her first job out of college (how the hell she ended up there from Rochester, NY is still a mystery to me), the tough streets of Orangeburg were pretty scary. I will say when I moved down to Columbia I was in a big hurry to get the New York plates off my car before anybody found out I was a yank... you know because they couldn't tell when I talked 6 times faster than anyone else in the area.