Octopus Overlords

Elon Musk “interviewed” Trump on X last night and it did not go well. It was delayed and then people couldn’t get on, all due to a supposed DDoS attack. Trump’s speech sounded strange, like a person having problems with their dentures. Then lastly there was this gem about a conversation he supposedly had with Putin:

https://x.com/rawstory/status/182331775 ... NcXCfN8s1g

"It's just one of those things, and we would talk a lot about Ukraine," Trump said. "It was the apple of his eye, but I said, 'Don't ever do it, don't ever do — you can't do it, Vladimir. You do it, it's going to be a bad day. You cannot do it.' I told him things what I'd do and he said, 'No way,' and I said, 'Way.'"

Jaymann wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2024 2:39 pm So let us count the groups that DonOld/Vance have alienated:

Women
Blacks
Hispanics
Cat owners
Muslims and other non-Christians
Veterans
Moderate Republicans
Educated people
College students
Immigrants
Swifties

Did I miss any?

Oh yeah, I forgot Unions. They are suing Musk for for firing workers threatening to go on strike and DonOld for praising this action.

Jaymann wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2024 2:20 pm They are suing Musk for for firing workers threatening to go on strike and DonOld for praising this action.

UAW Files Federal Labor Charges Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk for Attempting to Intimidate and Threaten Workers

The UAW has filed federal labor charges against disgraced billionaires Donald Trump and Elon Musk for their illegal attempts to threaten and intimidate workers who stand up for themselves by engaging in protected concerted activity, such as strikes.
...
Under federal law, workers cannot be fired for going on strike, and threatening to do so is illegal under the National Labor Relations Act.

“When we say Donald Trump is a scab, this is what we mean. When we say Trump stands against everything our union stands for, this is what we mean,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “Donald Trump will always side against workers standing up for themselves, and he will always side with billionaires like Elon Musk, who is contributing $45 million a month to a Super PAC to get him elected. Both Trump and Musk want working class people to sit down and shut up, and they laugh about it openly. It’s disgusting, illegal, and totally predictable from these two clowns.”

Scraper wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2024 8:41 am

Also…

"I see you have braces. I have braces, too."

Carpet_pissr wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2024 2:00 pm Think how amazing that would be if he just keeps railing against Biden up until the election. I love it.

If he does it pretty much guarantees him a win against Biden...

Trump says he’s ‘entitled to personal attacks’ as he hammers Harris on inflation with grocery props

Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he thinks he’s “entitled to personal attacks” on his Democratic rival, adding he’s “very angry” at Vice President Kamala Harris and questioning her intelligence.

Trump was asked during a news conference whether his campaign needs more discipline as he faces a Democratic ticket newly energized since Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the party’s presidential candidate.

“As far as the personal attacks, I’m very angry at her because of what she’s done to the country. I’m very angry at her that she would weaponize the justice system against me and other people, very angry at her. I think I’m entitled to personal attacks,” Trump said at his New Jersey golf club, where he invited reporters in his quest to saddle Harris with Biden’s unpopular economic record.

“I don’t have a lot of respect for her intelligence and I think she’ll be a terrible president,” he added.
...
Trump also took issue with Democrats branding him and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, as “weird.” Harris is “weird in her policy,” he said.
...
At one point, as Trump talked about the 2020 election he lost, he noticed a box of cereal.

“I haven’t seen Cheerios in a long time,” Trump said. “I’m going to take them back to my cottage.”

As he turned to walk back inside, Trump did not respond to shouted questions about when he last went grocery shopping.

“I haven’t seen Cheerios in a long time,” Trump said. “I’m going to take them back to my cottage.”

That's weird.

Narrator: They weee not, in fact, rated equal.

If any veterans were still going to vote for DonOld this should be the final nail in his coffin.

Jaymann wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 12:23 am If any veterans were still going to vote for DonOld this should be the final nail in his coffin.

Are we living in two different countries?

Maybe the emphasis is on should. But we all know the veterans who were voting for Trump before these offensive and inane comments about the Congressional Medal of Honor are still 100% going to be voting for him after.

That’s why it’s a cult of personality. It doesn’t matter what he says.

Purely anecdotal, I've seen a lot of posts online about veterans who are done with Trump after that statement. Not saying it's enough to swing an election, but that remark REALLY pissed off a lot of military folks.

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:47 am Purely anecdotal, I've seen a lot of posts online about veterans who are done with Trump after that statement. Not saying it's enough to swing an election, but that remark REALLY pissed off a lot of military folks.

I don't see how this is any worse than the things General Kelly reported him saying. Maybe because this is on film and the stuff Kelly reported is not? I don't know, but it's clear that Trump doesn't have any respect for the military, he just sees them as pawns.

I'm wondering if it's just a "final straw" type deal. I think there are a lot of Trump voters who have seen him crashing and burning so badly that they just need an excuse to back up their decision not to vote for him. This is something they can point at as a face-saving example of why they're now "forced" to vote for Harris or stay home.

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:47 am Purely anecdotal, I've seen a lot of posts online about veterans who are done with Trump after that statement. Not saying it's enough to swing an election, but that remark REALLY pissed off a lot of military folks.

With 80 days to recant. I honestly don't see anyone who was voting TFG and Shady changing now for any reason. This is now about mobilizing people who were going to stay at home. Now vets who were staying at home, I could totally see that being a difference maker.

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:57 am I'm wondering if it's just a "final straw" type deal. I think there are a lot of Trump voters who have seen him crashing and burning so badly that they just need an excuse to back up their decision not to vote for him. This is something they can point at as a face-saving example of why they're now "forced" to vote for Harris or stay home.

I still love your optimism. Even when I can't see it.

Scraper wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:54 am

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:47 am Purely anecdotal, I've seen a lot of posts online about veterans who are done with Trump after that statement. Not saying it's enough to swing an election, but that remark REALLY pissed off a lot of military folks.

I don't see how this is any worse than the things General Kelly reported him saying. Maybe because this is on film and the stuff Kelly reported is not? I don't know, but it's clear that Trump doesn't have any respect for the military, he just sees them as pawns.

I think he denigrates the military because they are the one group of people in the US still regarded as inherently admirable.

Since Trump evaded military service, he has to look down on it. For a malignant narcissist, *nothing* can be allowed to outshine the Ego.

I'm not buying it. Anyone who thought he had any level of respect for troops (especially those who were caught/injured/killed rather than being as awesome as he'd have been were it not for those nasty bone spurs) is a zero-information voter.

LordMortis wrote:With 80 days to recant. I honestly don't see anyone who was voting TFG and Shady changing now for any reason.

Because you're coming at it from the perspective of someone who keeps up with politics. Which a LOT of voters out there do not.

It's not optimism on my part. It's seeing social media posts on FB, Twitter, TikTok, etc. of veterans or moderate Republicans saying, "Hey I'm not voting for Trump now because of reason X." They're out there. How many remains to be seen, but there's ample evidence it's happening in both polls and in people's own words.

I mean think about it - if every Trump voter will always vote Trump no matter what, then how did he lose in 2016? People can and do change their minds. All the time. Especially those who have only a casual relationship with politics, which is the majority of voters, not the minority.

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:57 am I'm wondering if it's just a "final straw" type deal. I think there are a lot of Trump voters who have seen him crashing and burning so badly that they just need an excuse to back up their decision not to vote for him. This is something they can point at as a face-saving example of why they're now "forced" to vote for Harris or stay home.

Key phrase there being "have seen him".

I had a fascinating lunch last week with a conservative co-worker. He's not a full-on MAGA (says he really dislikes Trump) but is an extremely low-information voter who just "doesn't pay attention to politics". He strongly believes that none of the media can be trusted and what little news he does get would be from conservative sources, likely Fox News.

We got talking about some of the batshit insane things that Trump continues to say in his rallies. Everything from the weird shit about windmills all the way to some of the more vile, racist, disrespectful, and mysoginist garbage he spews. My co-worker had not seen ANY OF IT. Not a single one of the things Trump says that we either laugh about or are disgusted by ever makes it into his view. He didn't believe me when I mentioned the whole Hannibal Lecter and "sharks and batteries" thing and figured it was probably just "taken out of context anyways because the media is dishonest". All of the things that we find immediately disqualifying about Trump? He doesn't even know they happened.

Part of the reason that Trump is very comfortable saying shit like this is because he knows that it will never hit low-information voter's radar. And, unfortunately, those are the people who will ultimately decide the election.

(For the record, this co-worker is voting for Trump solely because "Kamala opened the borders". )

Scraper wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:54 am

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:47 am Purely anecdotal, I've seen a lot of posts online about veterans who are done with Trump after that statement. Not saying it's enough to swing an election, but that remark REALLY pissed off a lot of military folks.

I don't see how this is any worse than the things General Kelly reported him saying. Maybe because this is on film and the stuff Kelly reported is not? I don't know, but it's clear that Trump doesn't have any respect for the military, he just sees them as pawns.

Because he denies that was said - where in this, is very very clear and is said by him, clearly - and what he is getting at here is so plain and obvious, it cannot be said be someone who truly honors the sacrifices made by a soldier. And he cannot say he did not say this - or mean this.

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 10:14 am
I mean think about it - if every Trump voter will always vote Trump no matter what, then how did he lose in 2016? People can and do change their minds. All the time. Especially those who have only a casual relationship with politics, which is the majority of voters, not the minority.

First of all, Trump won in 2016, IIRC - and in 2020 (when he lost) he had gained 10 million more voters than he had in 2016.

Unagi wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 10:16 am

Scraper wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:54 am

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:47 am Purely anecdotal, I've seen a lot of posts online about veterans who are done with Trump after that statement. Not saying it's enough to swing an election, but that remark REALLY pissed off a lot of military folks.

I don't see how this is any worse than the things General Kelly reported him saying. Maybe because this is on film and the stuff Kelly reported is not? I don't know, but it's clear that Trump doesn't have any respect for the military, he just sees them as pawns.

Because he denies that was said - where in this, is very very clear and is said by him, clearly - and what he is getting at here is so plain and obvious, it cannot be said be someone who truly honors the sacrifices made by a soldier. And he cannot say he did not say this - or mean this.

That didn't happen.
And if it did, it wasn't that bad.
And if it was, that's not a big deal.
And if it is, that's not my fault.
And if it was, I didn't mean it.
And if I did, you deserved it.

nailed it.

but I do think the very fine point that Trump made in that little ramble is going to probably keep a few people home. It's so strange, because as Trump is making his point - I mean, it hits you: He means this. And there is no question what he means.

Trump is hitting a raw nerve for certain veterans, and it’s spreading in their community. Rather than minimizing Trump’s statement, it’s amplifying it.

Finally.

Unagi wrote:First of all, Trump won in 2016, IIRC - and in 2020 (when he lost) he had gained 10 million more voters than he had in 2016.

Sorry, typing faster than my brain.

None of that negates the fact that people change their minds. I'm not getting the sweeping assertion that a person who voted for Trump at one time can't change their mind and vote for Harris. They clearly do. They clearly are.

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 10:47 am

Unagi wrote:First of all, Trump won in 2016, IIRC - and in 2020 (when he lost) he had gained 10 million more voters than he had in 2016.

Sorry, typing faster than my brain.

None of that negates the fact that people change their minds. I'm not getting the sweeping assertion that a person who voted for Trump at one time can't change their mind and vote for Harris. They clearly do. They clearly are.

In your defense, more Americans voted for Hillary than did for Donald.

Jaymann wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 12:23 am If any veterans were still going to vote for DonOld this should be the final nail in his coffin.

That statement is weird.

Zaxxon wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 9:16 am I'm not buying it. Anyone who thought he had any level of respect for troops (especially those who were caught/injured/killed rather than being as awesome as he'd have been were it not for those nasty bone spurs) is a zero-information voter.

Of which there are MILLIONS.

YellowKing wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:47 am Purely anecdotal, I've seen a lot of posts online about veterans who are done with Trump after that statement. Not saying it's enough to swing an election, but that remark REALLY pissed off a lot of military folks.

I'm glad to see it, but it's weird that was the last straw for them. He's displayed disdain for vets and the military for years.

edit: As usual, late to the party.

This would be a great time for Harris to release an ad highlighting all of Trump's anti-veteran, anti-military service statements and sentiments, including avoiding STDs being his own personal Vietnam.

Alefroth wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 2:05 pm This would be a great time for Harris to release an ad highlighting all of Trump's anti-veteran, anti-military service statements and sentiments, including avoiding STDs being his own personal Vietnam.

That will be the job of all those organizations with the disclaimer at the end of their commercial saying that they are not affiliated with the Harris campaign. I'm sure George Conway's Anti-Psychopath PAC is on the case...
https://www.psychopac.org/

Alefroth wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 2:05 pm This would be a great time for Harris to release an ad highlighting all of Trump's anti-veteran, anti-military service statements and sentiments, including avoiding STDs being his own personal Vietnam.

Yeah, there were a few of those commercials from before...save some money and just re-use those! Someone upthread mentioned that he seems to consider soldiers to be pawns. I think it's even worse...based on his conversations and demeanor, I think he considers them to be suckers and probably losers.

Am I the only one who can look at that image of Trump and immediately understand that he is dancing?


Or maybe he's hiding a chess piece in one hand, and trying to see if it's too obvious which hand is holding it?

I figured he was just practicing for Putin and Xi Jinping.

Remember how republicans swore up and down that after the assassination attempt, Trump was acting more like an elder statesman?

...yeah, neither do I.