Friday, November 06, 2020

Looks like Joe may win Georgia -- and the election



I had planned not to write another post until the election was called. But Steve Colbert is beyond magnificent in the video embedded above. Even if you're not a Colbert fan, you should watch this one. He's dressed the way I usually feel.
 
I need to point out one fact which most liberals would prefer to forget. 
 
At one point in the above monologue, Colbert plays an instantly-infamous clip of a Trumper in Arizona screaming nonsense about the "Biden crime family." That man's outburst was terrifyingly inane, no doubt about it. But is that asshole really so very different from the left-wing maniacs who -- with just as much ferocity and just as little evidence -- screamed about "the Clinton crime family" throughout the 2008 primaries? 
 
I remember those days. I'll never forget.  And I'll never forgive.

Kos and D.U. and Huffpo and TPM were filled with anti-Clinton conspiracy theories -- Vince Foster, "the Clinton death list," Whitewater, all of it. Democratic sites overflowed with commentary that was every bit as repulsive, thoughtless and paranoid as what we're hearing right now from the Q qretins. These displays of Clinton Derangement Syndrome were not occasional or sporadic; they came every minute of every hour of every day -- and they came from (putative) liberals. Kos published at least one death threat against Hillary. 
 
In 2008, Keith Olbermann broadcast a plea to have Hillary murdered. He did not apologize until years later. Is there any substantive difference between Olbermann 2008 and the beer-addled Arizona Asshole seen in the video embedded above?
 
The BernieBros recapitulated the same "Clinton crime family" madness in 2016. They were just as hideous as the Trumpers are now. Never forget. Never forgive.

Lefties condemn Trump supporters who act like raving Bedlamites. But when progressives act in the same disgusting way, Democrats ignore or rationalize obnoxious behavior. That double standard must end.
 
On another topic:

Purple Blacks are gold. In the preceding post, I argued that the Democrats paid too much attention to African Americans and not enough to Hispanics. For the most part, I still feel that way. If Dems had focused more on Hispanic voters -- for example, if Biden had picked a Latina running mate -- we might have won Florida and even Texas. (As I write, there is still a chance that AZ will go red.) Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for letting Trump peel off so much of the Hispanic vote.
 
But I may have been premature when I used this phrase to sum up the situation: "Black ain't purple. Brown is purple." 
 
Frankly, it's still hard for me to get used to the idea of Georgia as a purple state. I'm an old dog, and that is one hell of a new trick. But if Biden wins there -- and he just now pulled ahead in the counting -- we will unquestionably have Black voters to thank. (Also see here and here.)
 
I, for one, will offer those thanks on my knees and with tears of gratitude in my eyes.
 
So let me restate my position. In most of the country, Black ain't purple. African Americans tend to live in solid blue states (NY, CA, IL) or solid red states (the south), while Hispanics outside of California tend to live in battleground states. That's why I think the party should stop talking about African American issues all the damn time, and should be downright obsequious in courting people who speak Spanish. 
 
I really like Joy Reid, but why isn't there an Hispanic equivalent of Joy Reid on MSNBC? Why aren't there more Hispanic "talking heads" on that network?
 
That said: It is also true that Black voters helped Biden win Michigan -- and right now, it looks as though they've given us Georgia. 
 
Purple Blacks are gold.

13 comments:

margie said...

Ironic no?
Black Americans save America.

Joseph Cannon said...

You're right, margie. But I still say that is should have been Black and Hispanic Americans who saved America.

No. That's wrong.

It should be WORKING CLASS Americans who save America. I'm sick of Identity politics. I prefer class politics.

Josh said...

@Joseph (proprietor at large),

You don't prefer class politics or IDPOL. You are right-wing through and through and wish to make the Democratic Party into a solidly right-of-center party, while casting Republicans as the greater evil with the GOP as a "far-right" party. You are anti-feminist, anti-communist, anti-progressive, anti-class consciousness to the extreme. You're only issue with Trump and his ilk, really, is purely aesthetic and cosmetic. If Trump was more well behaved, like Obama, you'd be comfortable with him.

All you do is rant and rail about "Bernie Bros" and anyone who doesn't support your conservative extremism, albeit with Obama-esque decorum.

Oh and if you think President Trump is going to concede, you really need to lay off the Biden Kool-aid, dude.

Anonymous said...

What Margie said, I find myself keep saying that
As for the Clinton's bashing don't let uncle Joe go off easily. Still remember his remark that he would have won against Dump 2016. This coming from a guy who never won a primary before except the last one and because the choice was between him and Sanders. Do I need to say more? Then after four years everyone saw who Trump is and don't need to go over that, he is crawling into the white house. No Joe you wouldn't have won just thank your lucky stars bc this is the only circumstances you could win. To calm down I keep reminding myself what Anita Hill said (we have special circumstances) yes Joe bc of that you're in the white house.

Ivory Bill Woodpecker said...

The reality of America is that class and identity cannot be separated. The basic tribalism of primates (including us talking apes) ensures that pure class politics is only possible in mono-ethnic societies.

And welcome back, Mr. Cannon. I thought I was going to be obliged to walk away from here.

******************************************

Weekly reminder:

Friday nights 8 PM - 9 PM North American Central Time:

The Magical Mystery Tour. Host Tom Wood takes a look at the Beatles from a different angle each week.

Friday nights 9 PM - 12 AM North American Central Time:

Beaker Street, the legendary rock radio program, has returned. Iconic host Clyde Clifford has returned from his medical absence.

Both shows can be found at Arkansas Rocks.

If you can't catch Beaker Street live, MP3 files are available soon afterward at this site.

OTE admin said...

Pennsylvania is Biden's and it is over, no matter how Georgia ends up. Biden took the lead early this morning.

Nevada will go blue as well.

OTE admin said...

Furthermore, Joe ran NO ground game whatsoever. This tight victory was the result of NO GROUND GAME. He would have won by much more if COVID hadn't been around. Trump continued with a campaign like nothing happened.

Yes, it should have been a "landslide," but landslide elections will never happen again in presidential elections after 1984. The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, one of the worst developments in the history of the country, guarantees this country will always be closely divided. Many of these radical rightists are in fact millennials, so the left better not think the Baby Boomers are responsible for the current state of affairs. They aren't, and the far right isn't about to die out as the baby boomers gradually do.

Anonymous said...

Hispanics are not all alike. In FL it was Cubans who supported Trump. They came ahead of the boatlift, before Castro took over. They are wealthy professionals who consider themselves above other Hispanics. Of course Trump appeals to them. Obama tried to normalize relations with Cuba. They don't forgive him that. There is no way Biden is going to get their votes.

On the border between Mexico and Texas, there are landowners who are unsympathetic to immigrants. They like Trump's hardline policies toward them. Those Mexican Americans are not going to support Biden either. (See the film Lone Star.) They consider themselves different than, better than, other Mexican Americans, especially those in relative poverty.

Those are the groups that Trump made inroads with. Biden isn't going to appeal to those voters with a Democratic message. So, you can blame Biden for "ignoring" Latinos, but it is more complex than you wish to make it and the problem was not a lack of campaigning but a more varied demographic, inconsistent with stereotypes. There has always been a conservative faction within Hispanic communities and putting someone Hispanic on MSNBC isn't going to change that.

Anonymous said...

It remains to be seen just how the breakdown of votes will be reported.

But it remains a strong possibility that hackers have been at work in the voting systems in many key states. Uncertainty of outcome could go on for a while.

If the Georgia recount flips a Biden outcome to Trump, we can bet there’s real trouble.

But for the time being, I’m enjoying the picture of Trump thrashing around, nearly drowning drowning in a churning sea of his own chaotic dishonesty.

Joseph Cannon said...

Josh, YOU are the Kool-Aid swiller.

Feminism and the right have been working hand in hand for decades. In the 80s, the Satanic Panic was a feminism/evangelical co-production. In the 90s, they teamed up to give us Monicagate, the anti-pornography movement, and a new Victorianism. Nevertheless, throughout those years, I tried to remain sympathetic to feminism, even as the totally insane Andrea Dworkin contingent took over the whole movement.

I finally turned against feminism altogether when they destroyed Al Franken and Garrison Keillor. Especially Franken. Unforgivable.

If Al is your idea of "right-wing" -- and I suspect he is! -- what can I say? You're a nut.

You call me "anti-commuinist" as though everyone should consider that epithet a terrifying insult. So...you really think that a PRO-communist attitude is going win over the masses? You think THAT's the way disempower the right, and to reverse the rise of fascism?

What a WACKO you are!

For as long as this blog has been around, I've identified myself as anti-prog and pro-liberal. The term "prog" is my personal way of referring to what is now more commonly derided as the "SJWs."

Even before this blog started, I've always considered Identity politics dangerous to liberalism.

You judge a tree by its fruit. What has Identity politics accomplished? Its adherents have only managed to make fascism seem attractive to a new generation.

Just as the German KPD succeeded only in helping the Nazis to power, assholes like you have succeeded only in helping White supremacism gain muscles. The great enemy of fascism has always been Liberalism (broadly defined). Liberals try, imperfectly, to uphold the values of the Enlightenment. Unfortunately, those values which are now under attack by both the right and the left.

Ivory Bill: I do not believe what you say about "primates." The great problem with Identity politics is that it forces people to think about race all the time. Race consciousness invariably creates racISM.

Scientific studies have proven this principle. Racism slowly seeps out of the room when people of different backgrounds get together, maybe have some burgers and brew, and talk about anything BUT race. Baseball, Marvel movies, gardening, cars -- anything.

Everything goes well until some well-meaning young idiot shrieks: "1618! George Floyd! 1618! THINK RACE! THINK RACE! At all times you must always THINK RACE!!!" The moment that happens, those feelings of bonhomie evaporate. It all goes to hell.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Robin DiAngelo is not an anti-racist. She's not even human. She is a machine that MAKES racism.

margie said...

It's exhausting trying to figure Americans out. But whoever they are and whatever race or class they are, over 70 million of them wanted to send an old, whiny, manchild with no filter back to the White House after watching him trash everything and everyone American. That is horrifying!

Anonymous said...

Its over... President Shitstain lost. Biden won PA and therefore won it all.. It's early Saturday morning.. Going back to sleep.

margie said...

Joseph,
I hope you are doing okay on Blue Saturday. You can exhale now and maybe have a little drink. Just checking on you.