Vote Counts in AZ & GA?

[GooooMarquette]

His campaign needs money, and if he's smart he's going to launch his next venture in the coming month. He needs to control the news cycle for a successful launch, imo.

^^^^^^^^

Bingo. He will never concede. If he did, it would take away the #1 thing he'll b!tch about for the first few years on the new Trump News Network. As long as he continues to play the victim card, the True Believers will continue to tune in.

[Pakuni]

And Bill Barr's memo yesterday had enough wriggle-room for Justice Department officials to ignore it completely.  All theatre.

Yeah. People are probably freaking out about Barr's memo more than they need to. The timing is sketchy, but he's basically telling US Attorneys to investigate credible claims that would alter the result of the election, and ignore the rest ... which is what they should be doing.
The vote gap is all these states right now is such that even if fraud is discovered, it's hard to imagine it being on such a scale that it would change tens of thousands of votes.

[The Lens]

I agree with the money part, that was my theory from day 1. 

And I agree with the AG Barr wiggle room.

Where I get concerned is what Pompeo said today and Gov Kemp's pressure on GA's SoS.  Plus nearly every GOPer signing off on it.   

I want to believe a lot of this is to keep the GA GOP base engaged until the run off, or as long as possible.  If Perdue and Loeffler had won outright, the GOP may have forced Trump to concede, but  now they need his base more than ever in GA.  It's essentially a national election. 

And I think both sides of the aisle can see Mitch's strategy, etc.  HOWEVER, there is a portion of Trump's base that sees less strategy and more call to arms and that's what scares me.

[Jockey]

In a smirking exchange with reporters, Trump Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in which Pompeo was just asked whether his State Department will be cooperating with the the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden. Pompeo's response: "There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration."

[The Sultan]

In a smirking exchange with reporters, Trump Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in which Pompeo was just asked whether his State Department will be cooperating with the the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden. Pompeo's response: "There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration."

Listen to the whole thing.  He's trolling and that's about it.

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1326227756263280641?s=20

[shoothoops]

The real fun begins if/when Trump says he is going to run in 2024. Several of those Senate Republicans and others supporting him now want to run in 2024.

[forgetful]

Yeah. People are probably freaking out about Barr's memo more than they need to. The timing is sketchy, but he's basically telling US Attorneys to investigate credible claims that would alter the result of the election, and ignore the rest ... which is what they should be doing.
The vote gap is all these states right now is such that even if fraud is discovered, it's hard to imagine it being on such a scale that it would change tens of thousands of votes.

It's a bigger deal than that. What he did violates official DOJ policy that has been extremely long-lived.

It is tantamount to saying you can now charge the president with crimes.

Historically, official policy dictates that you pursue all credible allegations of election fraud, but only after the election is certified to avoid any semblance of political influence/impropriety. He has thrown that out the window and essentially said they should investigate and possibly prosecute, now, before certification, and for political reasons.

[Pakuni]

It's a bigger deal than that. What he did violates official DOJ policy that has been extremely long-lived.

It is tantamount to saying you can now charge the president with crimes.

Historically, official policy dictates that you pursue all credible allegations of election fraud, but only after the election is certified to avoid any semblance of political influence/impropriety. He has thrown that out the window and essentially said they should investigate and possibly prosecute, now, before certification, and for political reasons.

So, what you're saying is that the timing is sketchy?
Nothing he said suggested prosecuting for political reasons.
Look, I detest Bill Barr. He's a political hack with the ethics of a phone scammer. But other than the timing, there's nothing untoward or inappropriate about this. And that timing was just a matter of tradition, not law.

[The Sultan]

A lot of what Trump and his minions are doing and saying is inappropriate for a number of reasons, but he isn't going to be seizing power and remaining as President.  The election will be certified and the transition will happen.

[forgetful]

So, what you're saying is that the timing is sketchy?
Nothing he said suggested prosecuting for political reasons.
Look, I detest Bill Barr. He's a political hack with the ethics of a phone scammer. But other than the timing, there's nothing untoward or inappropriate about this. And that timing was just a matter of tradition, not law.

There is an official policy that has been followed forever saying, no investigations on election fraud should commence until after the election has been certified.

The timing isn't the sketchy aspect. It is the fact that he entirely disregarded official policy, because the Trump WH wanted to leverage investigations to support their court cases.

There is a reason the head of the division immediately stepped down. This was a gross disregard for DOJ policy, and etiquette.

[Pakuni]

There is an official policy that has been followed forever saying, no investigations on election fraud should commence until after the election has been certified.

The timing isn't the sketchy aspect. It is the fact that he entirely disregarded official policy, because the Trump WH wanted to leverage investigations to support their court cases.

There is a reason the head of the division immediately stepped down. This was a gross disregard for DOJ policy, and etiquette.

If by forever, you mean the 1980s, then yes, the policy has been around forever.
Yes, Barr is trampling upon policy and etiquette. I do not care. It will have no meaningful impact on the outcome, which is what matters. In fact, his insistence on the investigation of only credible claims that would change the outcome is a good thing because there are no credible claims that would change the outcome. He's giving his prosecutors clear authority to tune out the noise and the inconsequential. Ignoring that while getting angry over etiquette is not seeing the forest for the trees.

[forgetful]

https://twitter.com/RepTedDeutch/status/1326242767966789638?s=20

Pretty powerful statement from a Republican.

"Pompeo notes the world is watching.

It's true.

And what they are seeing is a careless, foolish, and anti-democratic partisan barb from the Secretary of State that jeopardizes our election integrity."

[Jockey]

Listen to the whole thing.  He's trolling and that's about it.

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1326227756263280641?s=20

You will be a denier forever.

His statement, whether trolling or not, is meant to de-legitimize Joe Biden and fire up his fools. Posts like yours feed into that.

Pompeo, Barr and Trump are putting out feelers for their crazies to see if they are down for a coup.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

So now the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence has been fired as well and replaced with another of Nunes' pals. Gee, why what possible reason might Trump have for replacing key people in the intelligence community?

[GooooMarquette]

https://twitter.com/RepTedDeutch/status/1326242767966789638?s=20

Pretty powerful statement from a Republican.

"Pompeo notes the world is watching.

It's true.

And what they are seeing is a careless, foolish, and anti-democratic partisan barb from the Secretary of State that jeopardizes our election integrity."

Good for him. It is unfortunate that precious few Republicans are willing to speak out.

[MU82]

The real fun begins if/when Trump says he is going to run in 2024. Several of those Senate Republicans and others supporting him now want to run in 2024.

One reason (perhaps even bigger than the GA senate races) that most Republicans are still totally bending the knee to Commodus is  2024. Several want to run for president and will want his blessing if he decides not to run, and just about all of them will want to remain in Congress or governorships or whatever, and again will want his support.

[jesmu84]

Economic populism. Whichever political party embraces those ideas is set to win big for a long time.

Look at conservative florida raising the minimum wage.

Look at the fox news exit polls.

Look at the fact that left Dems and those who supported universal healthcare did better, even in swing districts, compared to the centrist/corporate/blue dog Dems.

The GOP won't latch on because those policies aren't trickle down.

The Dems are in the perfect position to embrace them,but they won't because the corporatist neolibs hold all the power.

In that scenario, the GOP will continue to win for a while at all levels.

[The Sultan]

You will be a denier forever.

His statement, whether trolling or not, is meant to de-legitimize Joe Biden and fire up his fools. Posts like yours feed into that.

Pompeo, Barr and Trump are putting out feelers for their crazies to see if they are down for a coup.

No, my Marquette education taught me to not simply take things out of context and not to echo talking points without investigating further.  Apparently yours did not.

He clearly states there is a process and there will be a successful transition no matter who is in place.  Is this great?  No obviously not. It would be better for the country from Trump to concede and step aside. 

But I am not going to feed into the frenzy that this is more than what it is.  Seriously, "down for a coup?"  Go out and get a breath of fresh air.  Maybe stay off the internet for awhile, because apparently you are ramping yourself for something that isn't even remotely close to what's happening here.

[Pakuni]

You will be a denier forever.

His statement, whether trolling or not, is meant to de-legitimize Joe Biden and fire up his fools. Posts like yours feed into that.

Pompeo, Barr and Trump are putting out feelers for their crazies to see if they are down for a coup.

Did you watch the entire exchange, or just the one line? It's clear from the entirety of his remarks he was trying to make a joke. A wholly unfunny, inappropriate and ill-conceived joke, but Kansan evangelicals probably aren't known for their senses of humor.
I thought only Q disciples believed Trump and his cronies were sending secret messages.

If you want to argue that Trump, Pompeo, etc., are playing a disgusting and dangerous game, I'm with you. If you think they're sending secret messages - during press conferences! - about an impending coup, we're going to have to agree to disagree.

[The Sultan]

This.  Exactly. 

https://twitter.com/ElieNYC/status/1326220453921361920?s=20

Elie Mystal
@ElieNYC
·
3h
Again, this is a grift disguised as a coup masquerading as a lawsuit.


Anyone who thinks this is some sort of grand plot to stage some sort of coup hasn't been paying attention to Trump ever.  He isn't a grand strategist.  He's never been one.  He's a grifter who needs cash and uses the courts to bully people around.

This is his MO.

[Pakuni]

One reason (perhaps even bigger than the GA senate races) that most Republicans are still totally bending the knee to Commodus is  2024. Several want to run for president and will want his blessing if he decides not to run, and just about all of them will want to remain in Congress or governorships or whatever, and again will want his support.

Yep. Right now, any Republican with aspirations for a Senate seat or beyond has to appease the base, and right now appeasing the base means showing fealty to their lord and savior. That's all this is. They don't believe there was election fraud any more than the rest of us.

[Jockey]

Did you watch the entire exchange, or just the one line? It's clear from the entirety of his remarks he was trying to make a joke. A wholly unfunny, inappropriate and ill-conceived joke, but Kansan evangelicals probably aren't know for their senses of humor.
I thought only Q disciples believed Trump and his cronies were sending secret messages.

If you want to argue that Trump, Pompeo, etc., are playing a disgusting and dangerous game, I'm with you. If you think they're sending secret messages - and press conferences! - about an impending coup, we're going to have to agree to disagree.

I always respect your opinions. You are not a flamethrower (as I try to be on occasion). We just disagree here. In a vacuum, your points would be spot on. But living in the current environment, Pompeo's comments are dangerous as one more instance of mocking and disputing the election outcome as it feeds into the republican narrative.

We have tens of millions of people in this country refusing to believe the election results. Statements like Pompeo's simply foment more unrest.

[shoothoops]

Biden's lead in Pennsylvania is now 49,598 and counting.

Biden's Georgia lead is 12,655.


NYC still has to count over 713k votes. Half a dozen big urban Biden area voters have more too add. Biden is going to increase his popular vote by 7 figures.

Arizona updates tonight.

[Pakuni]

We have tens of millions of people in this country refusing to believe the election results. Statements like Pompeo's simply foment more unrest.

Plenty of Nixon supporters insisted Richard Daley swiped the election for Kennedy in 1960.
Lots of people still believe Al Gore was elected president in 2000.
Many Clinton supporters believe Donald Trump stole the 2016 election.
The losing side not accepting election results is nothing new in this country.

I agree that it's scarier this time because too many people on the losing side today have AR-15s and have expressed a willingness to use them, and that's why this feels more dangerous. But I'm not losing sleep thinking about Donald Trump somehow convincing the U.S. military and its generals  - who hate him, by the way - to orchestrate a coup.

[The Sultan]

Plenty of Nixon supporters insisted Richard Daley swiped the election for Kennedy in 1960.
Lots of people still believe Al Gore was elected president in 2000.
Many Clinton supporters believe Donald Trump stole the 2016 election.
The losing side not accepting election results is nothing new in this country.

I agree that it's scarier this time because too many people on the losing side today have AR-15s and have expressed a willingness to use them, and that's why this feels more dangerous. But I'm not losing sleep thinking about Donald Trump somehow convincing the U.S. military and its generals  - who hate him, by the way - to orchestrate a coup.

Nor the courts.