Donald Trump 2020

[Born to Run 6,565]

My ring fingers are 3/4” longer than my index fingers.

I skimmed that article then bailed because it sounded like horseshit so let's test my comprehension- you have a smaller dick but are fertile and hit it off with ladies?

[NWBuck 8,547]

7 hours ago, washparkhorn said:

That's when a lot of people knew it. It's when the media knew it, and yet they played a dangerous game for money.

Malpractice by an institution of power in this nation . . . for ratings. 

We need credible news media in this nation - one that comes citations to facts and evidence (or receipts in modern usage).

Media polarized the electorate again in 2020. They energized the Trump base. We need a return to independent national news.  

 

I agree with you about the need for independent news... All of the above happens because news needs content to drive viewership and revenue. Controversy is good for business, and Trump from the start was a guarantee of content and eyeballs. Initially as a train wreck, then as "candidate loose canon", and finally as the source of vitriol (either against or for). 

And in all things, the cash register keeps ringing 

[DigglerontheHoof 21,053]

I believe I've read that the "Big 3" networks had always viewed their news divisions as more of a cost center than a profit center; kind of a "for the better good" approach.  Therefore, the news was read straight, with commentary that was clearly opinion separated from hard news. 

Once Ted Turner launched CNN and proved you could make "news" profitable, it all went to hell.  Not sure if that's exactly right but sounds like it could be. 

[Walden Ponderer 12,639]

14 hours ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

There is one and only one choice for the Dotard Regional Airport

https://www.flyeasterwood.com/

The best part about this is that the main road running into Easterwood is "Turkey Creek". 

Quote

"Hey, buddy, how do I get to Dotard Airport?"

"Head towards Snook and take the Turkey Creek exit."

 

[Walden Ponderer 12,639]

1 hour ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

I believe I've read that the "Big 3" networks had always viewed their news divisions as more of a cost center than a profit center; kind of a "for the better good" approach.  Therefore, the news was read straight, with commentary that was clearly opinion separated from hard news. 

Once Ted Turner launched CNN and proved you could make "news" profitable, it all went to hell.  Not sure if that's exactly right but sounds like it could be. 

You're not far off. The problem was with *how* Turner realized you could make it profitable. Back when CNN was just a 24 hour running loop of 30 minute news shows, it had good content, reporting-wise, but wasn't a money maker. It's when they started adding infotainment shows, which are the bane of civilization, that they started making money. Now, of course, actual news is hard to come by, because you've got nothing but talking heads for 24 hours a day.

 

EDIT:  I should add, that's not Turner's fault, or CNN's fault. That's on us, the dumbass, gullible human consumers who have allowed our society to go to shit because we can't pay fucking attention to what's actually going on for more than five fucking minutes without getting bored.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Walden Ponderer

[jimmyjazz 45,546]

2 minutes ago, Walden Ponderer said:

You're not far off. The problem was with *how* Turner realized you could make it profitable. Back when CNN was just a 24 hour running loop of 30 minute news shows, it had good content, reporting-wise, but wasn't a money maker. It's when they started adding infotainment shows, which are the bane of civilization, that they started making money. Now, of course, actual news is hard to come by, because you've got nothing but talking heads for 24 hours a day.

Speaking from experience, you also have long infomercials hosted by such luminaries as Tom Selleck, Joe Namath, and Chris Berman.  I had always thought that was the kind of thing only FOX News would air, but then the pandemic hit, I started working from home, and I'd put CNN on in the background.  It's mind-numbing.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by jimmyjazz

[Francisco 2.0 32,318]

I suspect Trump is gonna fire Cipollone and replace him with Sidney Powell any day now.  Subplot:  does Trump force Pence out after January 6 if Pence is not loyal enough?  Tune in!  

 

https://www.axios.com/trump-white-house-conspiracy-theories-d95450a4-c7a3-4579-a568-0473b18529c9.html

 

Quote

President Trump, in his final days, is turning bitterly on virtually every person around him, griping about anyone who refuses to indulge conspiracy theories or hopeless bids to overturn the election, several top officials tell Axios.

The latest: Targets of his outrage include Vice President Pence, chief of staff Mark Meadows, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, Secretary of State Pompeo and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

 

Quote

Trump thinks everyone around him is weak, stupid or disloyal — and increasingly seeks comfort only in people who egg him on to overturn the election results. We cannot stress enough how unnerved Trump officials are by the conversations unfolding inside the White House.

Top officials are trying to stay away from the West Wing right now. 

 

Quote

Trump is lashing out, and everyone is in the blast zone: At this point, if you're not in the “use the Department of Homeland Security or the military to impound voting machines” camp, the president considers you weak and beneath contempt.

Trump is fed up with Cipollone, his counsel. Some supporters of Cipollone are worried that Trump is on the brink of removing him and replacing him with a fringe loyalist. 

A source who spoke to Trump said the president was complaining about Pence and brought up a Lincoln Project ad that claims that Pence is "backing away" from Trump. This ad has clearly got inside Trump’s head, the source said.

 

Spoiler

Trump views Pence as not fighting hard enough for him — the same complaint he uses against virtually everybody who works for him and has been loyal to him.

Pence’s role on Jan. 6 has begun to loom large in Trump’s mind, according to people who’ve discussed the matter with him.

Trump would view Pence performing his constitutional duty — and validating the election result — as the ultimate betrayal.

A new fixation: Trump has even been asking advisers whether they can get state legislatures to rescind their electoral votes. When he’s told no, he lashes out even more, said a source who discussed the matter with the president.

And in an Oval meeting Monday night, Trump spoke with House Republicans about voting to overturn the result on Jan. 6 — a desperate vote that even Trump has privately acknowledged he's bound to lose.

The person who has the worst job in Washington, according to multiple administration officials: the incoming head of the Justice Department, Jeffrey Rosen. 

The consensus is he has no earthly idea the insanity he is in for. 

The next month will be the longest of his life.

 

 

[Chad Fuck 17,556]

Speaking from experience, you also have long infomercials hosted by such luminaries as Tom Selleck, Joe Namath, and Chris Berman.  I had always thought that was the kind of thing only FOX News would air, but then the pandemic hit, I started working from home, and I'd put CNN on in the background.  It's mind-numbing.
 
 
 
 

You’re better off putting a full live show from whoever on YouTube and then just letting them rip all day long. Anything from Led Zeppelin IV.

[TwiceHorn 31,263]

2 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

I believe I've read that the "Big 3" networks had always viewed their news divisions as more of a cost center than a profit center; kind of a "for the better good" approach.  Therefore, the news was read straight, with commentary that was clearly opinion separated from hard news. 

Once Ted Turner launched CNN and proved you could make "news" profitable, it all went to hell.  Not sure if that's exactly right but sounds like it could be. 

I heard a "bio" of Ted Turner and CNN on NPR.  He initially wanted nothing to do with news, but his broadcast license required it.  The original news on CNN, I guess really TBS or whatever it was back then, apparently was a sort of comedy-news, a sort of grudging acquiescence to keep the FCC off his ass.

Edited December 22, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,410]

Also when CNN was the exclusive 24 hour news channel, they devoted large blocks of time to other topics: sports, business/stocks, entertainment, etc. Political opinions only had 1 block of time. Crossfire? Then other channels like ESPN, CNBC, E! were expanded or created so cnn dropped competing topics. Over time political opinion segments grew and grew.

 

[DDD Dad 14,250]

Anything from Led Zeppelin IV.

Avatar checks out.

[Red Five 40,632]

20 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Also when CNN was the exclusive 24 hour news channel, they devoted large blocks of time to other topics: sports, business/stocks, entertainment, etc. Political opinions only had 1 block of time. Crossfire? Then other channels like ESPN, CNBC, E! were expanded or created so cnn dropped competing topics. Over time political opinion segments grew and grew.

 

CNN Sports Tonight with Nick Charles and Fred Hickman FTW. 

[LurkingHorn 1,044]

1 hour ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

I suspect Trump is gonna fire Cipollone and replace him with Sidney Powell any day now.  Subplot:  does Trump force Pence out after January 6 if Pence is not loyal enough?  Tune in!  

 

https://www.axios.com/trump-white-house-conspiracy-theories-d95450a4-c7a3-4579-a568-0473b18529c9.html

 

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Trump views Pence as not fighting hard enough for him — the same complaint he uses against virtually everybody who works for him and has been loyal to him.

Pence’s role on Jan. 6 has begun to loom large in Trump’s mind, according to people who’ve discussed the matter with him.

Trump would view Pence performing his constitutional duty — and validating the election result — as the ultimate betrayal.

A new fixation: Trump has even been asking advisers whether they can get state legislatures to rescind their electoral votes. When he’s told no, he lashes out even more, said a source who discussed the matter with the president.

And in an Oval meeting Monday night, Trump spoke with House Republicans about voting to overturn the result on Jan. 6 — a desperate vote that even Trump has privately acknowledged he's bound to lose.

The person who has the worst job in Washington, according to multiple administration officials: the incoming head of the Justice Department, Jeffrey Rosen. 

The consensus is he has no earthly idea the insanity he is in for. 

The next month will be the longest of his life.

 

 

Nobody could have possibly seen how this was going to end. Nobody. 

[Francisco 2.0 32,318]

4 minutes ago, Red Five said:

CNN Sports Tonight with Nick Charles and Fred Hickman FTW. 

And on Headline News at 25 and 55 past the hour:

 

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,410]

3 minutes ago, Red Five said:

CNN Sports Tonight with Nick Charles and Fred Hickman FTW. 

I was thinking the same thing but didn't post it because I couldn't recall Fred's last name. 

[Bateshorn 9,898]

1 hour ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

I suspect Trump is gonna fire Cipollone and replace him with Sidney Powell any day now.  Subplot:  does Trump force Pence out after January 6 if Pence is not loyal enough?  Tune in!  

 

https://www.axios.com/trump-white-house-conspiracy-theories-d95450a4-c7a3-4579-a568-0473b18529c9.html

 

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Trump views Pence as not fighting hard enough for him — the same complaint he uses against virtually everybody who works for him and has been loyal to him.

Pence’s role on Jan. 6 has begun to loom large in Trump’s mind, according to people who’ve discussed the matter with him.

Trump would view Pence performing his constitutional duty — and validating the election result — as the ultimate betrayal.

A new fixation: Trump has even been asking advisers whether they can get state legislatures to rescind their electoral votes. When he’s told no, he lashes out even more, said a source who discussed the matter with the president.

And in an Oval meeting Monday night, Trump spoke with House Republicans about voting to overturn the result on Jan. 6 — a desperate vote that even Trump has privately acknowledged he's bound to lose.

The person who has the worst job in Washington, according to multiple administration officials: the incoming head of the Justice Department, Jeffrey Rosen. 

The consensus is he has no earthly idea the insanity he is in for. 

The next month will be the longest of his life.

 

 

Trump can't force Pence out.  As Vice President, he is also a constitutionally elected official.  He's literally the only person in the Administration that Trump can't fire, assuming you accept Bill Barr's vision of an all powerful Executive.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Bateshorn

[Francisco 2.0 32,318]

Just now, Bateshorn said:

Trump can't force Pence out.  As Vice President, he is also a constitutionally elected official.  He's literally the only person in the Administration that Trump can't fire.

Oh sure, we all know that.  But do you think that Trump does?  How many ham-fisted attempts at "governing" has he done in the past month, much less the past 4 years?

Would it really surprise you if in the coming days, Mike Allen or Jonathan Swan writes an article how Trump asked around on how to fire Pence, because he wasn't sufficiently loyal enough?

[Hornius Emeritus 12,416]

8 minutes ago, LurkingHorn said:

Nobody could have possibly seen how this was going to end. Nobody. 

It's so illuminating into the core depths of Trump's character to see how he reacts when he doesn't get his way. Most people learn by the age of 5 or 6 that things aren't always going to happen the way they want them to, but this is a man who has literally never wanted for anything and who is now learning that lesson, publicly, at the age of 75. Arrested development writ large. 

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,546]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Speaking from experience, you also have long infomercials hosted by such luminaries as Tom Selleck, Joe Namath, and Chris Berman.  I had always thought that was the kind of thing only FOX News would air, but then the pandemic hit, I started working from home, and I'd put CNN on in the background.  It's mind-numbing.

 

 

 

 

Meatwad- "...ooooof SALESmen!"

[Red Five 40,632]

11 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

Would it really surprise you if in the coming days, Mike Allen or Jonathan Swan writes an article how Trump asked around on how to fire Pence, because he wasn't sufficiently loyal enough?

It would shock me if that hasn't happened. 

The "things Trump asked around about from 2016-2020" list which will be trickling out over the years will be staggering. To echo your question, would it surprise you if one day we learn that Trump asked about the possibility of nuking Portland or Seattle? 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23,356]

Trump resigning on January 19th and Pence pardoning him and the family is my projected outcome.  And Pence will do it b/c he won’t have a choice, politically speaking.  

[Upgrayedd 5,804]

1 minute ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Trump resigning on January 19th and Pence pardoning him and the family is my projected outcome.  And Pence will do it b/c he won’t have a choice, politically speaking.  

That's my bet.

[Hornius Emeritus 12,416]

Just now, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Trump resigning on January 19th and Pence pardoning him and the family is my projected outcome.  And Pence will do it b/c he won’t have a choice, politically speaking.  

Maybe he doesn't have any future political aspirations.  The only people who would vote for him are Trump supporters and Trump could end that support with one tweet. Pence knows that such a tweet is surely in the offing.

[Red Five 40,632]

What will the pardon be for? He can't just say "Um Dotard is pardoned for all the shit he did". 

[Francisco 2.0 32,318]

17 minutes ago, Red Five said:

It would shock me if that hasn't happened. 

The "things Trump asked around about from 2016-2020" list which will be trickling out over the years will be staggering. To echo your question, would it surprise you if one day we learn that Trump asked about the possibility of nuking Portland or Seattle? 

Absolutely not, for the same man questioned why we just didn't nuke hurricanes.

 

 

[Chad Fuck 17,556]

What will the pardon be for? He can't just say "Um Dotard is pardoned for all the shit he did". 

Pretty sure he can.

[Francisco 2.0 32,318]

6 minutes ago, Red Five said:

What will the pardon be for? He can't just say "Um Dotard is pardoned for all the shit he did". 

Here's a blueprint:

 

 

 

[Red Five 40,632]

Well shit. Yeah that's definitely happening.

[Biff Tannen 45,491]

13 minutes ago, Red Five said:

What will the pardon be for? He can't just say "Um Dotard is pardoned for all the shit he did". 

 

8 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

Pretty sure he can.

Yup.

[Biff Tannen 45,491]

7 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

Here's a blueprint:

 

 

 

1997?

[Francisco 2.0 32,318]

Just now, Biff Tannen said:

1997?

Yeah, I don't know what that is.  He passed in 2006, and it's possible this is some reproduction that he signed in '97 for an autograph.

Found it here:

https://potus-geeks.livejournal.com/897904.html

 

Here's  a copy of it from the Nixon library:

 

[Horn Under a Bad Sign 20,342]

It would be hilarious for Trump to resign in the belief that Pence will pardon him after becoming President only for Pence to renege on the agreement. It's a win'win for Pence. He gets to say that he was President of the United States and he also gets to say that, after learning/realizing the full extent of Trump's transgressions, he took the deal with Trump to make sure he (Trump) is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

 

[washparkhorn 9,935]

Ford's probably would have been diagnosed with CTE today. 

 

[Biff Tannen 45,491]

8 minutes ago, Horn Under a Bad Sign said:

It would be hilarious for Trump to resign in the belief that Pence will pardon him after becoming President only for Pence to renege on the agreement. It's a win'win for Pence. He gets to say that he was President of the United States and he also gets to say that, after learning/realizing the full extent of Trump's transgressions, he took the deal with Trump to make sure he (Trump) is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

 

It would be hilarious and has 0% chance of happening.  Pence would be hunted down by the cult.

[SimonBolivar 10,911]

1 minute ago, Horn Under a Bad Sign said:

It would be hilarious for Trump to resign in the belief that Pence will pardon him after becoming President only for Pence to renege on the agreement. It's a win'win for Pence. He gets to say that he was President of the United States and he also gets to say that, after learning/realizing the full extent of Trump's transgressions, he took the deal with Trump to make sure he (Trump) is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

 

Pence would be lynched and several secret service officers would be killed trying to prevent that lynching.

[Guest Lobo]

5 1/2 years is an interesting precedent as well from Ford to Nixon.  That'll cover any 2016 campaign shit that Trump was up to in order to get elected in the first place.  

There've been some temporary assignments of power while Presidents were in surgery, but would 24 hours in the Oval Office officially make Pence the 46th President, and then Biden the 47th President?  Because it would have been a full resignation by Trump and full ascension/swearing-in by Pence?  Also, 'Mother' as he likes to call his wife, would go wild on him that night in the Residency...she's always wanted to have sex with a sitting President.  Which would explain Mike's cuckold disposition.  I already bought some stuff that says Biden 46 on it.  If we hurry up Surly, we can make a bunch of Pence 46 shit in time for mid-January, and make a fuckton of money off his base.  

I thought that Trump resign/Pence Pardon/Biden Inaugurated thing was too "Knot's Landing" drama for the United States.  but I'm coming around on it.  Trump hasn't shut up about being the poor victim here in 7 fucking weeks.  Reagan complained less about being a victim after he got fucking shot.  He can certainly do it for four more weeks which paints his strategy nicely, "I need this pardon so I can come back to serve America later on down the road.  Who knows what the Democrats are plotting, fake charges, fake evidence.  etc?"  Pence looks less shady than Ford does to do this for the poor victim president.  Ford almost bounced back from the pardon to defeat Carter in '76 (one of the closer races of the 20th century by both popular vote and EC count).  Pence can still make a comeback down the road for Senator, SCOTUS judge, even President particularly if Trump dies or fades away or gets into legal trouble.  

Anyway, none of this helps Trump in his case with New York that is going ahead of schedule actually thanks to General James.  Another thing I've really come around on, thanks to having it beat into my head the former Deputy Secretary of Labor.  She's going to get him on some financial/civil/campaign fraud.  He'll have to go raise another legal donation fund to pay those fines.  And those idiots will donate it.  Without a hint of irony, helping him pay back millions to the state of New York, despite them electing him so they could give less money to the government.  And some of his minions are going to go to jail, either on federal charges or charges in New York.  A handful of people will have to be seen as being hauled off to jail, possibly even a family member.  But Trump himself cannot be sentenced to jail, nor taken to jail.  His penalties will be restrictions on what he can do in the future financially, politically, and he'll pay tens of millions in fines and penalties.  But he will never see a jail cell.  It's too divisive, it would cause more violence, and most importantly---it would cast grave doubts on the legal system's validity by tens of millions of Americans.  We can't, in one 12 month period, have ~70 million adult Americans decide that the two stalwarts of American Exceptionalism---Democratic Elections and the Rule of Law---are no longer valid.  Nevermind that same number suddenly don't believe in science or listening to the government's suggestions.  This isn't conspiratorial shit, They're just not gonna let those these two punctures in our inflated sense of worth happen.  /rant

[RPM 26,215]

2 hours ago, Walden Ponderer said:

You're not far off. The problem was with *how* Turner realized you could make it profitable. Back when CNN was just a 24 hour running loop of 30 minute news shows, it had good content, reporting-wise, but wasn't a money maker. It's when they started adding infotainment shows, which are the bane of civilization, that they started making money. Now, of course, actual news is hard to come by, because you've got nothing but talking heads for 24 hours a day.

 

EDIT:  I should add, that's not Turner's fault, or CNN's fault. That's on us, the dumbass, gullible human consumers who have allowed our society to go to shit because we can't pay fucking attention to what's actually going on for more than five fucking minutes without getting bored.

You can't really hang that on Turner, either. I don't know how far back newsmagazines go, but even the high holy Edward R. Murrow did infotainment. Of course back in the day it was scattered out over the week or month. Now it's 24/7. 

[Biff Tannen 45,491]

19 minutes ago, Lobo said:

We can't, in one 12 month period, have ~70 million adult Americans decide that the two stalwarts of American Exceptionalism---Democratic Elections and the Rule of Law---are no longer valid. 

Why not?  We're already there with about 30 million.

[Lagunamadre 1,975]

58 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Trump resigning on January 19th and Pence pardoning him and the family is my projected outcome.  And Pence will do it b/c he won’t have a choice, politically speaking.  

She gives zero fucks about that pardon. 

[TwiceHorn 31,263]

1 hour ago, Chad Fuck said:

Pretty sure he can.

Yep.  That's what Nixon got, basically.  Wasn't tested, though.

Quote

Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974.

 

[Underdog 28,445]

2 hours ago, Red Five said:

CNN Sports Tonight with Nick Charles and Fred Hickman FTW. 

RIP, Nick. 

[Texaspython 231]

2 hours ago, Bateshorn said:

Trump can't force Pence out.  As Vice President, he is also a constitutionally elected official.  He's literally the only person in the Administration that Trump can't fire, assuming you accept Bill Barr's vision of an all powerful Executive.

Technically, isn’t the VP apart of the legislative branch presiding over the Senate?

[hayden_horn 11,360]

13 hours ago, washparkhorn said:

That's when a lot of people knew it. It's when the media knew it, and yet they played a dangerous game for money.

Malpractice by an institution of power in this nation . . . for ratings. 

We need credible news media in this nation - one that comes citations to facts and evidence (or receipts in modern usage).

Media polarized the electorate again in 2020. They energized the Trump base. We need a return to independent national news.  

 

i really cannot disagree with this enough. sure, the media have given the trump fire oxygen, but that's on us, not them. we need the circus. we crave the circus. trump brought the circus we wanted, and the media just gave us the visual access we needed. 

that's what american gods got right. we have made the media a god. sow the wind, and you get to reap the whirlwind.

[Bozo_Casanova 26,277]

27 minutes ago, Texaspython said:

Technically, isn’t the VP apart of the legislative branch presiding over the Senate?

Thats an interesting question. So people say it's both. 

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,546]

Behind Pence's Wax Museum Face he's all "I can't believe I did a high school cheerleader run up to the podium for this motherfucker .... sure could go for some cock ..."

Edited December 22, 2020 by Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand

[DigDug 1,649]

3 hours ago, Red Five said:

CNN Sports Tonight with Nick Charles and Fred Hickman FTW. 

We got our first vcr with a timer back then, and first thing I did was to set it nightly to record Play of the Day.  Good times

[Neonmoon 38,127]

 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23,356]

 

[aggie08 21,424]

2 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

Pence would be lynched and several secret service officers would be killed trying to prevent that lynching.

Meh. A secret service dude would put two in the chest of the first wannabe warrior, and the rest would quickly realize that the kevlar vest they bought off discounttacticalwear.com doesn't do shit and bail like the absolute pussies that they are.

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,546]

9 minutes ago, Neonmoon said: