A Deeply Fractured US

[The Bread Guy]

Juicy, even if partially true ....

Donald Trump, Seeking Cash Infusion, Meets With Elon Musk

It’s not clear whether Mr. Musk will spend any of his billions on the former president’s behalf. If he does, he could erase Mr. Trump’s financial disadvantage in the 2024 race.

www.nytimes.com

Archived here if you can't get through via the original link.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Waiting to see whether the NYT pitches as much of a fit over troops providing order as they did about a guest op-ed suggesting same.

And, someone at the NYT has weighed in with a supportive editorial.

Deliciously amusing, since she's one of the people who object to the Tom Cotton guest editorial "back when".

Rampant hypocrisy at leading press institutions couldn't possibly be one of the factors behind social fracture and eroding trust in media.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Juicy, even if partially true ....

Donald Trump, Seeking Cash Infusion, Meets With Elon Musk

It’s not clear whether Mr. Musk will spend any of his billions on the former president’s behalf. If he does, he could erase Mr. Trump’s financial disadvantage in the 2024 race.

www.nytimes.com

Archived here if you can't get through via the original link.

Musk said he wouldn't be giving any money to either candidate.

Elon Musk Won't Donate To Either Of US President Candidate

Tesla CEO and owner of social media platform X Elon Musk on Wednesday announced that he has no plans to donate money to either candidate for US President., Worl

ground.news

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Some humour for a change

Biden takes advice ahead of SOTU from fictional presidents including Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas​

Biden takes advice ahead of SOTU from fictional presidents including Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas

President Biden took advice from actors who have played presidents on television and in movies, including Morgan Freeman and Michael Douglas, ahead of the State

ground.news

 

[FJAG]

Musk said he wouldn't be giving any money to either candidate.

There's giving money ... and then there is buying a president.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

There's giving money ... and then there is buying a president.

Le sigh.

 

[KevinB]

State of the Union,

While delayed (due to protestors blocking the motorcade), it was a surprising showing for POTUS. While I’m not his biggest fan, I think he proved without a shadow of a doubt that he still is remarkably competent.

While MTG showed herself as an ass as usual.

The Atlantic has a decent synopsis of it.

The Most Unusual State of the Union in Living Memory — The Atlantic

Republican members of Congress repeatedly heckled President Biden, who was happy to mix it up with them. March 08, 2024 Few leaders have so visibly enjoyed being president as Joe Biden. That might explain why he took so long getting down the aisle of the House chamber tonight, shaking hands and...

apple.news

 

[Brad Sallows]

While delayed (due to protestors blocking the motorcade), it was a surprising showing for POTUS. While I’m not his biggest fan, I think he proved without a shadow of a doubt that he still is remarkably competent.

Democrats were openly worrying he'd have a brain fart during the speech. I can guess anything that could be done was done.

The worries suggest the underlying problem is real and is being concealed. If the problem is real, it ought to be removed. That would mean finding another candidate. Almost any reasonable candidate should reduce the odds that Trump might win. But Democrats have convinced themselves they're powerless to do it without compromising chances of winning (a contested primary; a faction determined that if Biden is out Harris should be in). If they thought they could bypass Harris and anoint a selected governor or senator they might do it.

The election is eight months away; Biden is not going to grow younger or improve with age. There's no pandemic to excuse minimizing public appearances. It's improbable that voters will tolerate days of rest and rehearsals for one highly-scripted public appearance every week or two. Rolling him out after intensive preparation for one appearance and following up with a barrage of "See, this one time proves he's good to go!" op-eds isn't going to as helpful as his wishful-thinking supporters believe.

Democrats have the same problem as Republicans. Both sides are pointing at the other party's candidate and in effect saying, "Shoot your own mad dog!". Each of them refuses, which entirely undermines the plea to the other.

 

[Remius]

State of the Union,

While delayed (due to protestors blocking the motorcade), it was a surprising showing for POTUS. While I’m not his biggest fan, I think he proved without a shadow of a doubt that he still is remarkably competent.

While MTG showed herself as an ass as usual.

The Atlantic has a decent synopsis of it.

The Most Unusual State of the Union in Living Memory — The Atlantic

Republican members of Congress repeatedly heckled President Biden, who was happy to mix it up with them. March 08, 2024 Few leaders have so visibly enjoyed being president as Joe Biden. That might explain why he took so long getting down the aisle of the House chamber tonight, shaking hands and...

apple.news

I watched some of it. Biden gave a good performance. The question is can he keep that up.

 

[Brad Sallows]

I watched some of it. Biden gave a good performance. The question is can he keep that up.

Yes, if his appearances are strictly rationed with lots of downtime, tight scripts, no off-the-cuff remarks or scrums, and minders who can make it look like he knows where he's going when it's time for him to move somewhere. Also a public willing to believe that a good performance is substance rather than pure emperor's clothes theatre.

 

[KevinB]

Yes, if his appearances are strictly rationed with lots of downtime, tight scripts, no off-the-cuff remarks or scrums, and minders who can make it look like he knows where he's going when it's time for him to move somewhere.

I’d suggest his speech last night showed that he could mix it up and shoot from the cuff.

Also a public willing to believe that a good performance is substance rather than pure emperor's clothes theatre.

I’d say that both Parties have that issue.

I’m thinking my vote will be a write in for Nikki Haley as neither presumptive candidates really make me swoon.

 

[Brad Sallows]

I’d suggest his speech last night showed that he could mix it up and shoot from the cuff.

I doubt that it does. I don't know what to make of some critics' claims that he's on medication for these events. His delivery - pacing, tone, etc - is certainly way off. Almost everyone who supports him is using the words "forceful" and "fiery" today, so I know what talking points went out, but I've been immune to staged performances masquerading as oratory for decades. The only suitable venue for judging oratory is an impromptu event with no teleprompters. It was a campaign speech - not whatever kind of report the SOTU was originally intended to be - and it looked like one.

Democrats are well along on selling themselves the idea that's he's good enough to make it through an entire election campaign based on the results of one hour. Big mistake, perhaps a grave one, methinks. 8 months of opportunities to thunder in lie ahead.

 

[Quirky]

Sleepy Joe turned angry Joe and did nothing but yell, between mumbling about snickers bars, for about 2 hours. It's pretty accurate for the left, when you need to get your point across, you yell.

I'm glad they'll be building a port for hamas in gaza though, that should go well and won't endanger the lives of US soldiers.....

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Hitlers doctor used to spike him every morning with a cocktail of meth and other stuff. This gave him a veil of sanity and vigor that fooled millions. They thought he was 'forceful and fiery' also. In reality he was a drug addled manic dragging his country, and the world, into war and ruin.

 

[Remius]

Comparing Biden to Hitler wasn’t on my bingo card today….

 

[brihard]

Hitlers doctor used to spike him every morning with a cocktail of meth and other stuff. This gave him a veil of sanity and vigor that fooled millions. They thought he was 'forceful and fiery' also. In reality he was a drug addled manic dragging his country, and the world, into war and ruin.

So hypothetically if the president’s doctor is prescribing medication to manage one or another medical issue - physical health, mental health, whatever - are you saying that causes you to doubt his fitness to lead the country?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I’d suggest his speech last night showed that he could mix it up and shoot from the cuff.

Let's put him on stage with Trump then. Televised, town forum style. No canned question from a CNN moderator, or the like. No cue cards, telepromters or earpieces Let's see how well he can 'mix it up and shoot from the cuff,' when asked random questions from the audience, or debating Trump. If hes trying to prove he's fit and mentally stable, this is the only way to convince the electorate.

 

[Rifleman62]

....it was a surprising showing for POTUS.

You don't think it was a clone, do you?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

So hypothetically if the president’s doctor is prescribing medication to manage one or another medical issue - physical health, mental health, whatever - are you saying that causes you to doubt his fitness to lead the country?

If he's taking drugs to mask dementia or other cognitive functions, damn right I doubt his fitness to lead the country.

 

[Brad Sallows]

So hypothetically if the president’s doctor is prescribing medication to manage one or another medical issue - physical health, mental health, whatever - are you saying that causes you to doubt his fitness to lead the country?

Hypothetically, if the president's doctor is prescribing "uppers" for the president's public appearances, that's a huge problem.