Making Trump the issue in all campaigns will not work
Up until November 2nd, I had a theory that Democrats making Trump the foil in every political contest was a bad strategy – and would not work. I came to that opinion because I believe the American voter is much smarter than Democrats and the media contend. They would look at the various candidates in terms of what they offer to the voters relative to the office they seek.
Based on the results of the recent election, I apparently was correct. According to the post-election polls, 17 percent of those who voted for Republicans in the Virginia races did not like – or did not vote for Trump. The vote for the three winning Republican for statewide office was about the same – meaning that the constant attack on Glenn Youngkin as a reincarnate of an evil Trump did not work at all.
The failure of the Democrat strategy was most clearly seen in the contest in which former Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe made Trump hatred the keystone of his campaign message. He called Youngkin, a Trumpian. An acolyte of the former President. A member of the concocted cult of Trump. Guilt by association. When Virginia voters saw and heard Youngkin, McAuliffe wanted them to see and hear Trump – the demonized Trump.
The vast majority of voters are capable of critical thinking – on both sides of the political chasm. They can judge candidates on their individual merits. Yes, there are a percentage of voters who stick with their political party no matter what. We generally refer to them as the base. The rest are partisan who “lean” one way or the other – and will pick-and-choose candidates on the merits. Then there are the so-called “independents,” who also tend to vote on the issues and swing back and forth. The latter groups are not inclined to pledge fealty to a person – even or especially President Trump.
The problem with many Democrat leaders is that they believe their own bullsh*t. They know more Americans align with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party. But that does not mean that they vote Democrat regardless of the issues. Union Democrats have often split from the more Progressive Democratic Party
To understand why Democrats fail when they build their strategies on strident partisanship, false assumptions and far left policies, you need to look at Gallup polls that show 36 percent of Americans claim to be conservative. Another 35 percent refer to themselves as moderates. Only one quarter see themselves a liberal.
That results in a lot of registered Democrats voting for conservative Republicans. Despite party labels and leftist claims, America is a right-of-center nation. 51 percent of all Democrats – according to Gallup – consider their Party to be “too liberal.”
The Trump-smear strategy is also failing when it comes to candidates who support Trump. Seven candidates who attended the January 6th rally – though not involved in the riot – won their elections to various offices. Trump endorsed candidates were not as toxic to the electorate as Democrats painted them.
Younkin wiped out a 16-point Biden lead in Virginia because the voters were not suckered into the Democrats exaggerated and false political narratives. They did not buy into the hysterical screeds of folks like MSNBC’s Joy Reid — who repeatedly proclaimed that ALL Republicans are bad … danger to the Republic … threat to national security …a danger to Democracy. Fortunately, not many voters are responding to her hyperbolic tantrums – at least not in a positive way. If nothing else, Reid’s basement ratings make that point.
Democrats and their media allies have invested such massive resources in trying to make all Republican candidates and voters look like clones of Trump … or cultists … insurrectionists … that they will find it difficult to disengage from that losing strategy – even though they, themselves, must also see how it failed so miserably in this past election – and will likely do so again in 2022. Yippeeeeee!!
So, there ‘tis.
Youngkin won because he kept Trump away. He didn’t outright repudiate Trump’s Big Lie, but didn’t let Trump campaign for him or even show up for an endorsement. Only after he won did he go full Trump-crazy. And as much as you’re crowing about the mid-midterm elections, Dems didn’t lose everything. They won in NJ and GA, and they’ve already won a couple of elections this year where Trump showed his support.
Other Republicans won’t be so lucky. 90% of members of Congress still refuse to say publicly that Trump lost and Biden won. They are sticking to the GOP script. They have been discouraging social distancing, mask wearing, and getting vaccinated – at the cost of thousands of their own supporters. Disgustingly, they figure that Biden will lose more voters than they will. What they forget is that live voters can change their minds, but dead voters can’t (and spare me your usual “back in my day dead people voted for Democrats in Chicago” rant). Public sentiment can quickly turn against leaders who encourage death amoung their supporters.
Despite 6% inflation since this time last year, the economy is strong. There is a bump in the supply chain because of COVID, but it will eventually smooth out. Unemployment, after hitting 15% at the end of Trump’s term, is back down to Obama levels. I would rather pay a little extra for food and have low unemployment and a great job, than the other way around.
Republicans have been winning the propaganda war – you and I both know there’s nothing to the whole Critical Race Theory being taught in grade school or high school (or even in most colleges), and eventually the message will get through that it’s just Republican bullshit. Same with the Big Lie – except for Trump’s 15% following who still believe it, and 90% of Republicans in Congress who say it, voters are getting tired of that one too.
In New York, they just empaneled a new grand jury to look further into Trump, Inc. The only people left in the company to subpoena are named Trump. Georgia is heating up their election tampering case as well. The two states seem to be competing to see which one can drag Trump away in cuffs first. And the House investigation into the Jan 6th coup attempt is gaining steam, and getting close to prominent Republicans. Not to mention the treasonous meetings at the Willard Hotel (and unsurprisingly, also at Trump Hotel).
Republicans are getting increasingly crazy – witness the threat against AOC by Gosar, and just about everything that Boebert and Greene do, and Cruz and Hawley, Gym Jordan… They’re trying to cause distractions because the House Committee is circling ever-closer.
The infrastructure bill has passed, and eventually the voting rights and BBB bills will pass as well. Biden is chalking up victory after victory. The Republican propaganda is built on lies, and you can’t fool voters forever. At some point, Dems will start taking the lead in talking points and getting the message out.
The Republican Party is married to Trump. It is the Party of Trump, the Party of chaos. Even when Trump goes to jail, he’s taken over the party. He’s sucking money out of Republican donors and preventing viable candidates from running. The vast majority of Americans don’t want to go back to the Trump crazy-train. Larry, even as you protest that you’re not a fan of Trump, you still carry hod for the Republicans and repeat their talking points. You are just another cog in the machinery of the Trump Party.
Brau, a bit rambling, but I like it.
Think you left out Boston where aAsian American progressive woman took the mayor’s seat. Larry likes to tout the black Virginia lieutenant governor has been groundbreaking I can’t see anything in Boston…
But the biggest news is Big Bird running for Senate in Texas. Yesterday it was announced that Cookie Monster will be Big Bird’s campaign manager and Ernie will take the spot of communications manager. Big Bird now has an experienced fictional campaign team to compete with Cancun Cruz.
Let’s go Big Bird.
In election news, we are still waiting for Larry to come up with statistics rather than antidotes to show how Democrats were massacred in this 2021 election season. I can’t find them yet.
Last I checked, and I keep saying, for 2021 governors races it was 500 ball for both teams. Historically, both the Virginia race and the New Jersey race always go to the opposing teams from the previous presidential race. This did not happen this time as Democrats handily took New Jersey even as the Republican loser creates his own big lie and will not concede.. why Republicans have to continue to act like losers is beyond me. If they win it’s a glorious show for democracy, if they lose somethings wrong and somethings been rigged.
No doubt that we lost in Virginia and that is sad and we need to learn from that. However, we lost by less than two points in Virginia and won by more than three points in New Jersey. I just don’t see that as a giant democratic defeat to trumpism. At best, it’s break even, but percentage wise, we win. Another lesson that should be learned. .
Further, as I keep saying, if the Virginia governor acts in a pragmatic conservative manner, he will prosper. But if he continues down the Trumpism path, he will be one term. If Mr Bruder is right, the Virginia governor is on his way to one term..
Rambling? Yeah, well it was a little late when I kicked this one out (not 4AM, like it says, more like 11PM)… And besides that, I was replying to, what, three? of Larry’s articles about Democrats supposedly getting massacred… All in all, I think Dems carried the week, and as usual, Republicans took first prize for Stupid home…
And of course, you mean “anecdotes” instead of “antidotes”… I guess you and I (and whatever happened to Ben?) are the antidotes to Larry’s rants.
Blaa blaa blaa. I think that you have a secret wish that your idiot now stinking up the White House, literally, could build a strong America like Trump did. Ain’t gonna happen. So just keep pulling for stinky joe. The pope and the royal family got a good laugh at him We changed his name from sleepy joe. He once said that beatoff O’roark would be his gun czar. How about his ass wiping czar? Someday they might have his drawers on display at his presidential library. Complete with hash marks. All of you commiecrats can line up for a sniff.
Trump killed hundreds of thousands of Americans with his pandemic policies and propaganda.as his own health expert, Brix, testified to Congress. He ran up the biggest deficit and debt in history as the rich got richer and the rest of us stayed behind. He crashed the growing economy he was given just like Bush before him. Highest unemployment ever.
He got us the vaccine without a deployment plan, it would have been even more chaos. But that doesn’t matter to Americans like you too scared to get the shot instead willing to roll the dice putting the rest of us at higher risk. That’s Trumpian legacy.
It will be over soon, Republicans starting to avoid him. And those that don’t are starting to stick out like open cancer sores on the party.
Such lies. You should be ashamed to lie on the greatest president we had in several years. People like you are the lowest scum on earth
“The greatest President we had in several years.” Well, that’s a lifetime achievement. Is that like comparing Trump to Trump? Several years?
“Lowest scum on earth?” How adult. If I get up from the gutter, can I step up on the curb with you?
What lies? Brix testified to Congress about Trump killing Americans through his incompetence and really bad decisions. She worked for him and supported his covid pressers. The deficit, debt, and economic crash are easily googled The demise of the middle class as the rich own more and more of American’s assets and we own less is also easily found; it accelerates under Trump. And Dan is not vaccinated, I say he’s afraid of the shot. Or, I can add, maybe he wants to play for the Packers.…:
Chris Christie is the next Republican to turn on Trump and call it like it is. Leave it to a Jersey boy to put a New Yorker in his place.. Always disagreed with Chris, but he is a power. Gotta love the bridge scandal, now that’s Jersey politics. Not sure that lap band worked though, I was rooting for him on that. Hopefully he will endorse Big Bird to tale on Cancun Cruz.
. ,
You mention Dan a lot. It’s like you have a man crush.
You want to play for the fudge packers You would like to be a tight end
Harold, Larry (Kuhn), Jerry, and Dan are like gay peas in a pod. They’re identical, interchangeable, and all seem to talk an awful lot about gay sex.
On board with Bruder and Stetson in replies to Larry’s usual tirade against Dems . From the top on down, Larry gives no mercy.
In Virginia Republican Glen won because he sucker punched good Virginians everywhere he stumped with perpetuating propaganda, Over and over he riled up crowds with promises. He promised, if he was elected, rest assured CRT would be taught in Virginia’s public schools. Truth is , CRT is not part of state mandated study K-12. Apparently, the general population in Virginia is not literate with regard to what is or is not being taught in the children’s school.
The same goes for all other States’ K—12 public schools. Some systems may teach a subject called “Black History” .
Glen spread prejudice and fear disguised in sacred conservative vestments.
Republican tactics assume their electorate is not well or even truthfully informed on facts central in keeping the Democratic Republic on coarse and Free. Fox News, News Max and the rest attempting the same grift are not legitimate information sources. Personalities making star status on Fox are paid exorbitant salaries to comment more outlandishly and more provocatively with each broadcast.
After objections were lodged the company line is, no intelligent person would believe that story, it’s all about entertainment.
Well, millions of Americans take Fox broadcasts as gospel truth.
Larry might consider turning his focus toward the Republican right media like Fox and clean out the moral rot in his backyard. Material for commentary is endless, at least as much as Larry has time for writing commentary.
My hope is this Reply will not be a victim of editorial cancellation. Previous of mine oddly vanished.
Damn art. I didn’t think of it that way. And still don’t. It’s simple. People rejected the commiecrats and next year will be a slaughter in the midterms
Funny, Republicans rant on and on about being “cancelled” and censorship (as they’re speaking in front of Congress or holding court on a FOX News program). But this website “accidentally” loses a lot of posts. And it often crashes when posts are submitted. And sometimes it posts twice. And at least once (that I could keep track of), it took out a couple of paragraphs from the middle and the end (and then posted the whole thing a second time).
And what’s the purpose of delaying posts for 12 hours or a day? It just stifles the conversation. Are they actually reviewing every comment before it goes out? Is it getting stuck in Larry’s AOL account waiting for his 1980’s telephone stuck in a 300 baud modem cradle until he can? Why review comments, to keep the profanity down? If that were the case, HaLaJeDa (that’s Harry, Larry, Jerry, and Danny) would have been out a long time ago. Are we hurting the authors’ feelings? Are they afraid we’ll drive away HaLaJeDa? Do they want some intelligent response from HaLaJeDa before they let opposing views through? Good luck with that, I don’t see any intelligence in that corner.
If PBP ever wants to play with the big boys, they’ll have to do better than this.
Yeah, none of us should feed the trolls, myself included :>) Just feel the need to respond to the ad hominem, racism, and trash talk at times. Too many times apparently :>)
Agree with Joseph and Frank, in the main.
On Trump, he is more an more making Biden his focus after prefacing each speech with iterations of his Big Lie. Trump’s unfitness for the office of President is self-evident from his not learning from past realities. True rational Republicans are critical thinkers who see through Trump to his false colored flag he waves so furiously.. Before Trump dumbed down Republican Party politics and dragged it down to his mobster like level, traditional Republicans valued truth and honored American constitutional democracy. intelligence , recognizing right from wrong and articulating what exactly is the difference does matter still. The, will the real Republicans please stand and come around before 2024 and repudiate Trump’s version of their party.
The Truth will set one Free. The uncomfortable reality for Republicans and Democrats is, neither party is sufficient on its own. Democratic governance requires two strong political parties. Dominance of one party leads to heavy handed anti-democracy autocratic king making.
Where, do we recognize deviation from democracy in present day America? It’s in political leadership’s demand for personal loyalty from all party members who look for or wish for support. Locality, then, trumps merit based on ability.
Virginia ‘s election was run and won by a candidate spreading conspiracy theory based fears. Critical Race Theory (CRT) became a major talking point and misinformation on CRT taught in the state’s public schools K-12 was a flash point. CRT just being mentioned heats up conversations to boiling over. Fear stoking became the most used tool by the Republican challenger and anti-CRT rhetoric was the fuel. Everyone fears the things unknown to us which sound harmful. Unconscionable persons instill fear in others and seek control in others decision process. Misinformation is disinformation targeted at those most vulnerable to becoming fearful. Truth on the subject of CRT being actually taught to Virginia’s young students, that it is not in subjects taught, is tossed aside. Emotion over ruled reality as votes were cast. Truth and reality, its proof, are inconvenient. In cases that turn on lies created conspiracy theories and propaganda there is an agenda with intent to deceive and monetize others’ ignorance. Trump has mastered the dark art of the grift , drawing in millions of people. And 100’ s of millions in dollars.
No, Virginia was won because people saw the truth
I think the dumbing down of Republican politics started well before Trump, he just crashed it all at once.
Reagan started with the Southern Strategy of going after the anti-black racist vote and also targeting the Christian right using the anti-abortion position. He created a sense among Republicans that the government was incompetent, and then proceeded to demonstrate. Newt Gingrich eliminated any hint of creating legislation to help solve problems, and turned the Republican Party strategy into game-theory – whatever would win, regardless of good or bad for the people, that’s what he went for (and winning meant getting more money from rich donors). W. and Cheney took it a little further, shamelessly using an attack on American soil to further enrich their own war machine buddies.
Yeah, won by 2 points, 63k votes on 3.2m, a freakin mandate….. Sounds like the people sent a mixed message.
Darned facts.
Lost NJ by 3%, so if the people spoke, they said you be BUSTED.
And you be busted? Why the Ebonics? Is you a negro ?
Are you a racist from the 50’s? U be busted at least is from this decade….. Most people realize the language you are using is reserved for racists and those ignorant of modern usage.
Ebonics? No, I like to think of it as transformation-generative grammar, thank you very much.
If it looks like a hood rat——- So keep your negro shit to yourself. Or speak English
U b a funny guy and most certainly you speak the words and language of the American racist. FYI, the word negro has been fading since the 1960’s probably about the time white sheets and hoods went out of style.
“It started its decline in 1966 and was totally uncouth by the mid-1980s. The turning point came when Stokely Carmichael coined the phrase black power at a 1966 rally in Mississippi. Until then, Negro was how most black Americans described themselves. But in Carmichael’s speeches and in his landmark 1967 book, Black Power: The Politics of Liberation in America, he persuasively argued that the term implied black inferiority. Among black activists, Negro soon became shorthand for a member of the establishment. Prominent black publications like Ebony switched from Negro to black at the end of the decade, and the masses soon followed. According to a 1968 Newsweek poll, more than two-thirds of black Americans still preferred Negro, but black had become the majority preference by 1974. Both the Associated Press and the New York Times abandoned Negro in the 1970s, and by the mid-1980s, even the most hidebound institutions, like the U.S. Supreme Court, had largely stopped using Negro.” https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/question/2010/october.htm
And to answer the ignorant racist comment (ignorant because they speak this stupid trope before they even look it up…..) about United Negro College Fund…. “It can be challenging for institutions and older people, who have seen racial terms come and go during their lifetimes, to adapt. The NAACP, founded in 1909, declined to change its name during the DuBois revolution but did stop using colored in all other contexts. Negro History Week, begun in 1926, changed to Black History Month in 1976. The United Negro College Fund is now trying to emphasize its initials rather than its full name. The last time the Supreme Court used the word Negro outside quotation marks or citations to other scholarship was in 1985. The writer was Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first black Supreme Court justice, who came of age during the time of DuBois. Despite public outcry, the U.S. Census still includes the word Negro, because many older people still use it.”
So continue to speak the way you do, we like it when racists identify themselves. At least Dan has the pride to self-identify as a proud Southern Native American racist. You, on the other hand, seem to hide behind the code-words like “negro.” Nice. Sweet.
When you actually have a cogent thought, we’re here for you. I’m your huckleberry,
So why can’t we have white history month? White entertainment television? The colored boys can shout black power. Why can’t we shout white power? Why isn’t there a white college fund? Why does a colored piece of shit in New York get away with threats of violence if the police enforce the laws?
I don’t know why you can’t shout white power. I think you do have white tv, white history, white college funds, and I have not a clue about your nyc rant.
Guess you’re just not white enuf, bro. You gotta keep your peeps on your women, sounds like some much be on the dl with the brothers.
I’m talking about the bastard in New York threatening blood shed if the new mayor enforces the laws. A BLM punk. God I hope that the scotus rules against New York in the recent challenge to their commie gun laws. And they probably will. Thank God for Trump and his appointees to the court. And the street punk ran when Dan Bongino tried to interview him on Fox News. He’s a chicken shit coward unless he has his mob with him.
I never identified as a racist. It’s you commiecrats that play the race card. And my ancestors were treated more badly than blacks. But I’m not a victim. I don’t live on a reservation and dance for whites
Have you ever considered publishing an e-book or guest authoring on other sites? I have a blog based upon on the same subjects you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my subscribers would enjoy your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e mail.
I will immediately snatch your rss as I can not find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly allow me recognise in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
more Russian bots…
“I never identified as a racist” No, actually you did. Now you are the self-proclaimed Southern Native American racist that walked it back but doesn’t dance for whites on the reservation. Although based on you calling Obama “the mulatto from Kenya,” I would say if it walks like a duck, squawks like a duck, then it’s certainly a dumb duck racist. You certainly continue to fit the bill.
As far as democrats weaponizing the race card, how does that work? Who has actually been wrongfully harmed in this fashion? Or is just a red herring that those empowering systemic racism like to throw so they can play the victim. Racists like you.
Start acting white and you will be a better person Quit playing monkey see monkey do
Oh I get it; start acting white instead of acting like a monkey. Like u b saying monkeys equal blacks. And whites act better. That is so clever. So creative, So fresh.
Were you laughing while you typed that?
Hey Larry, we have some more anecdotes and they come from your side of the aisle…..It’s the DNA I tell you. These boys have a missing chromosome….