Jump to content

2024 Presidential Election Thread - Let's keep the party going.


bolverk

Recommended Posts

4 hours ago, LurkingHorn said:

Wait, if Trump loses this year, people think 82 year old, even more senile Trump is going to be the candidate in 2028? That’s not going to happen though in a strange way, I’m sure the DNC would love it. Almost a guaranteed victory unless the Harris administration is a total disaster. 

It’s Haley in ‘28 and I don’t think I there’s a close 2nd. 

4 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

He lost in '20, led an insurrection in an attempt to stay in office, was impeached twice, and has 34 felony counts on him at the moment, and yet, here we are.

The GOP was fully consumed by the Trump Organization.  And you think the GOP is gonna allow Haley to have the nomination in '28?

If in 3 1/2 years he is still able to muster an attempt at a campaign, I think some shit will go down - either the BMDs won't fund him at all, or the primaries will be far tougher than they were, or we could see a third party run.

And I do think a lot of Republicans will bail on someone that they don't believe can help them win.  Losing is a sin, and losing to Sleepy Joe and Bi-racial Kamala will do it for them.  Toss in that a fuckload of conservative Republicans are publicly supporting Harris/voting against Dotard as well.

And in addition to the BMDs, there's a whole shitload of Republican politicians right now who are not going to be patient enough to wait until 2032 if he thinks he can run in 2028, because they aren't going to want to see what new crop of up-and-coming Republican politicians will be fighting them in the primaries in 7 years. 

And given how PACs work, we could easily see some of the BMDs telling Haley or somebody else to run against Trump and they'll fund her as a third-party, in an attempt to break Trump's hold on the party.  All it takes is the threat of peeling off 5-10% of the GOP and MAGA is neutered in terms of Trump winning.  Republican BMDs do not want to wander in the wilderness for 12 years. Shit, some of those fuckers are as old or older than Trump.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

You don't get the fully open spigot, pouring every dollar into your pockets, unless you're a candidate.  If he loses, he will announce his campaign for 2028 within 90 days.  It ALSO gives him the argument of "ELECTION INTERFERENCE!" to scream about regarding his continued prosecution.

He has found the most lucrative, ego-stroking exercise of his life.  He won't let go of it till he's dead and buried.

I fucking hope he does. He’s going to drain the Republican Party of all life and money until he dies. He’ll be holding smaller and smaller “rallies” in hotel conference rooms rambling about random old movies. I want his life to end as pitifully and insignificantly as possible.

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, cactusflinthead said:

The only way I can imagine Trump not running in 2028 is if he is dead. Because unless the GOP primary voter is somehow changed over the next few years they are going to keep heading down the road to crazyville. 

Sensible, credible, thoughtful people are becoming rare in the GOP. It's populated by gifted liars and buffoonish grifters. It's going to have to start at the local level. But, I don't see much evidence that there's any movement away from the stoking of fear and hate. 

So, until he's dead and gone AND Fox et al stop giving credence to outright lies the GOP has to contend with it's own base to find electable candidates. 

There is a culture of losing in that party.  They'd rather lose, play the victim, and blame everyone else.  Trump is that in human form.

It's like a college football program where winning isn't the most important thing.  Making certain boosters happy, keeping a coach, lack of money, etc.  

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

He really is tired. This is from earlier today.  He slurred some words the few minutes I listened, and he rambled about Biden and Biden using teleprompters.

tired2.thumb.jpg.f0db313923e23ed765de37dd64aa9319.jpg

Those scrolls at the bottom.....

Where are those coming from?

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

If in 3 1/2 years he is still able to muster an attempt at a campaign, I think some shit will go down - either the BMDs won't fund him at all, or the primaries will be far tougher than they were, or we could see a third party run.

And I do think a lot of Republicans will bail on someone that they don't believe can help them win.  Losing is a sin, and losing to Sleepy Joe and Bi-racial Kamala will do it for them.  Toss in that a fuckload of conservative Republicans are publicly supporting Harris/voting against Dotard as well.

And in addition to the BMDs, there's a whole shitload of Republican politicians right now who are not going to be patient enough to wait until 2032 if he thinks he can run in 2028, because they aren't going to want to see what new crop of up-and-coming Republican politicians will be fighting them in the primaries in 7 years. 

And given how PACs work, we could easily see some of the BMDs telling Haley or somebody else to run against Trump and they'll fund her as a third-party, in an attempt to break Trump's hold on the party.  All it takes is the threat of peeling off 5-10% of the GOP and MAGA is neutered in terms of Trump winning.  Republican BMDs do not want to wander in the wilderness for 12 years. Shit, some of those fuckers are as old or older than Trump.

While you are correct, all of that happened this last time and he still won without even debating the field.

It's not the BMD's and the party.  It's the voters.  

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go fuck yourselves, Firefighters.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/03/fire-fighters-union-declines-presidential-endorsement-00182372

Vice President Kamala Harris suffered a blow Thursday as the union representing more than 300,000 career firefighters and emergency responders declined to make a presidential endorsement, two weeks after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters made a similar decision.

Leaders of the International Association of Fire Fighters gathered this week and determined “by a margin of 1.2%” against picking a candidate, according to General President Edward Kelly.

  • Rage+1 2
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Vice President Kamala Harris suffered a blow Thursday as the union representing more than 300,000 career firefighters and emergency responders declined to make a presidential endorsement

Strong “neither team needed a TE and neither team signed one.  Advantage: Texas A&M” vibes from Politico.

  • Hook 'Em 3
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

If in 3 1/2 years he is still able to muster an attempt at a campaign, I think some shit will go down - either the BMDs won't fund him at all, or the primaries will be far tougher than they were, or we could see a third party run.

And I do think a lot of Republicans will bail on someone that they don't believe can help them win.  Losing is a sin, and losing to Sleepy Joe and Bi-racial Kamala will do it for them.  Toss in that a fuckload of conservative Republicans are publicly supporting Harris/voting against Dotard as well.

And in addition to the BMDs, there's a whole shitload of Republican politicians right now who are not going to be patient enough to wait until 2032 if he thinks he can run in 2028, because they aren't going to want to see what new crop of up-and-coming Republican politicians will be fighting them in the primaries in 7 years. 

And given how PACs work, we could easily see some of the BMDs telling Haley or somebody else to run against Trump and they'll fund her as a third-party, in an attempt to break Trump's hold on the party.  All it takes is the threat of peeling off 5-10% of the GOP and MAGA is neutered in terms of Trump winning.  Republican BMDs do not want to wander in the wilderness for 12 years. Shit, some of those fuckers are as old or older than Trump.

Seems like they should have thought of all of that sometime in January 2021.  You would think that another loss would seal the deal but none of this makes sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

There's really no better evidence that people are voting against their interest than major national unions failing to endorse Harris.

They believe that they selflessly put the country first by voting Trump who will restore the republic to the greatness of unchallengable white man rule. He'll save us from the immigrants: these dangerous motherfuckers.

image.png.0a0420390ca86268d066bc623c9c75fa.png

The boy is smiling because he can't hardly wait to sell the ten pounds of fentanyl they have hiding in their asses so they can buy a nice four bedroom house in the 'burbs after they kill the current residents and eat their pets. 

  • Rage+1 6
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

They believe that they selflessly put the country first by voting Trump who will restore the republic to the greatness of unchallengable white man rule. He'll save us from the immigrants: these dangerous motherfuckers.

image.png.0a0420390ca86268d066bc623c9c75fa.png

The boy is smiling because he can't hardly wait to sell the ten pounds of fentanyl they have hiding in their asses so they can buy a nice four bedroom house in the 'burbs after they kill the current residents and eat their pets. 

Don’t forget signing up for disability and welfare benefits which are both notoriously easy to get and generous. 
 

 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Go fuck yourselves, Firefighters.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/03/fire-fighters-union-declines-presidential-endorsement-00182372

Vice President Kamala Harris suffered a blow Thursday as the union representing more than 300,000 career firefighters and emergency responders declined to make a presidential endorsement, two weeks after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters made a similar decision.

Leaders of the International Association of Fire Fighters gathered this week and determined “by a margin of 1.2%” against picking a candidate, according to General President Edward Kelly.

In my experience, police and firefighters are generally folks with fierce unions and tremendous benefits who are also somehow are against unions for everyone else. In other words, selfish ‘for me but not for thee’ MAGA shitheads. Fuck ‘em..

Edited by Degenerate Gardner
  • Hook 'Em 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's really no better evidence that people are voting against their interest than major national unions failing to endorse Harris.

CRAPers. I fly with one every trip. Conservative Republican Airline Pilots. Most are ex air force or navy and took an oath to defend the constitution while also supporting a Russian asset and traitor.

That baboon won't be running. Y'all act like he's not going to prison or house arrest for life.
  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Drool 1
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Degenerate Gardner said:

In my experience, police and firefighters are generally folks with fierce unions and tremendous benefits who are also somehow are against unions for everyone else. In other words, selfish ‘for me but not for thee’ MAGA shitheads. Fuck ‘em..

No endorsement from firefighters is actually pretty positive considering how quickly our brave boys in blue jumped on Trump's dick.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Degenerate Gardner said:

In my experience, police and firefighters are generally folks with fierce unions and tremendous benefits who are also somehow are against unions for everyone else. In other words, selfish MAGA shitheads. Fuck ‘em..

Yup. Every firefighter I’ve known is well within the trump wheelhouse. I’ve heard one say he doesn’t like socialism, etc, someone mentioned that they are part of a union and republicans are against them, response was “it’s not a union it’s just for firefighters.” Didn’t hear any follow up but my guess is that they justify the disconnect because their counterpart is the evil government and not benevolent private industry.

  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

No endorsement from firefighters is actually pretty positive considering how quickly our brave boys in blue jumped on Trump's dick.

The police union was magnanimous enough to not endorse anyone in 2012, rather than Romney. Other than that, you have to go back to 1996 when they endorsed Bill Clinton as he basically ran unopposed (sorry, Bob) as the last time the nod didn't go to the GOP. I suspect it will be decades before that changes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Thrawn said:

Is there a separate report with the number of black jobs created? I bet it was zero. Or at least that is what I'm sure we will hear from the orange shit stain later today.

Black jobs were down 254,000.  All of the jobs taken were black jobs.

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is October 4 and this is my (current) prediction - 

Harris (and Dems) look particularly stronger in the Midwest than they do in the Sunbelt, just like in 2022.  I currently have Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in Harris' column, along with Nevada, which has gotten progressively less and less buzz lately, making me think it's invariably in her column. 

Harris 276, Trump 219

We've gotten mixed polling in Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina.  I'm more inclined to put Arizona (abortion on the ballot + Kari Lake) and North Carolina (Mark Robinson) in Harris' column as of today and Georgia as a toss-up still.  The lack of any big statewide (gov or Senate) race in Georgia likely keeps it as tossup/tilt-R.  I think it will be the closest state of the 7 swing states.

Harris 303, Trump 219, TBD 16 (Georgia)

  • Hook 'Em 6
  • Drool 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Go fuck yourselves, Firefighters.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/03/fire-fighters-union-declines-presidential-endorsement-00182372

Vice President Kamala Harris suffered a blow Thursday as the union representing more than 300,000 career firefighters and emergency responders declined to make a presidential endorsement, two weeks after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters made a similar decision.

Leaders of the International Association of Fire Fighters gathered this week and determined “by a margin of 1.2%” against picking a candidate, according to General President Edward Kelly.

The only two Democrats they haven’t endorsed in the last 40 years are Hillary and Kamala. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

He really is tired. This is from earlier today.  He slurred some words the few minutes I listened, and he rambled about Biden and Biden using teleprompters.

tired2.thumb.jpg.f0db313923e23ed765de37dd64aa9319.jpg

Ok, this is like the 4th or 5th screen grab lately with an absolutely insane shit scrolling across the bottom line.  Are these all jokes?  Or are they real life?  Because holy fuck if they are real.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Aqua Buddha said:

There is a culture of losing in that party.  They'd rather lose, play the victim, and blame everyone else.  Trump is that in human form.

It's like a college football program where winning isn't the most important thing.  Making certain boosters happy, keeping a coach, lack of money, etc.  

Aggy.  All you had to say was aggy.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, tx ind said:

If we get NC and PA called early the shitposting coming from Truth Social will be epic

FL gets called pretty quickly on election night, regardless of outcome. So if we see a suburbs continue to shift left in places like Orlando and Tampa and Miami shift left, it bodes well for the rest of the night.

Of course, the longer they can’t call Florida (even if it’s eventually a Trump win, the better everyone should feel. He won FL by 3.3 and it was called at 11:30pm

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just stoked to be pretty much locked in a position (I agree on Nevada) where winning Pennsylvania makes Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina irrelevant bonuses.

It will be funny to watch Dotard scream again about how he supposedly won an election that he lost by 70 EVs and 7-8 million votes. Because of all the obvious fraud everywhere that no one can even identify, much less prove.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

The only two Democrats they haven’t endorsed in the last 40 years are Hillary and Kamala. 

Note, the President of the union changed after the 2020 election. Previous President was an ally of Biden's. New guy previously brought in a guy pardoned by Trump to be his right hand:

https://theintercept.com/2020/09/18/firefighters-union-iaff-schaitberger-trump-kelly-golsteyn/

 

Quote

 Ed Kelly, a young rising star in the Massachusetts labor movement, won his bid to become General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Fire Fighters, or IAFF: the union representing 320,000 firefighters and paramedics across the U.S and Canada. The position is the second most powerful in the union, behind the presidency, which has been held for the last two decades by 74-year-old Harold Schaitberger, a close ally of Joe Biden.

Soon after, Kelly tapped combat veteran Mathew Golsteyn to serve as his chief of operations. The low-key hire came at the recommendation of Kelly’s brother, Greg, who had overlapped in Afghanistan with Golsteyn. But Golsteyn was not just any Green Beret: He had earned a spate of shocking headlines just a year earlier for alleged war crimes, for which he was ultimately pardoned by President Donald Trump in November 2019. In the month following the pardon, Golsteyn joined Trump onstage at a secretive fundraiser for the Florida Republican Party, helping them net $3.5 million in donations.

In 2015, Golsteyn had been stripped of a Silver Star after disclosing in a CIA polygraph interview that he had shot and buried an unarmed Taliban fighter he thought was a bombmaker, and later dug up the remains and burned them in a pit. The revelations roiled the CIA, which quickly notified the Pentagon, sparking a two-year investigation in which the U.S Army concluded in 2013 that Golsteyn had knowingly violated the laws of war. While investigators did not find enough evidence to bring criminal charges, in an internal Army memo previously reported by The Intercept, Golsteyn was reprimanded for a “complete lack of judgement and responsibility” and told he had “discredited” himself and the U.S military.

But in October 2016, just a month after joining the firefighters union, Golsteyn was asked on Fox News if he killed the suspected bombmaker, to which he replied, “Yes.” This new public admission sparked army investigators to quickly reopen their investigation, and two years later charged Golsteyn with murder.

The new probe and criminal charges became a cause célèbre among conservatives, who rushed to Golsteyn’s defense. Golsteyn’s lawyer called the murder charge a case of “political correctness” and following an interview with Golsteyn’s wife in December 2018 on the president’s favorite news program “Fox & Friends,” Trump got involved.

Support Us

Search for:

Politics

Justice

National Security

World

Technology

Environment

Support Us 

Special Investigations

Voices

Podcasts

Videos

Documents

About

More Ways to Donate

Impact & Reports

Join Newsletter

Jobs

Become a Source

© THE INTERCEPT

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Terms of UsePrivacy

Politics

Justice

National Security

World

Technology

Environment

About

Support Us

Firefighters’ Union, a Key Biden Ally, Confronts a Barr Investigation and Trump’s Pardon Power

IAFF's president and his second-in-command are caught in a high-stakes brawl ahead of union elections and the race for the White House.

Rachel M. Cohen

September 18 2020, 6:00 a.m.

Share

Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, speaks during the IAFF Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 2019. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In August 2016, Ed Kelly, a young rising star in the Massachusetts labor movement, won his bid to become General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Fire Fighters, or IAFF: the union representing 320,000 firefighters and paramedics across the U.S and Canada. The position is the second most powerful in the union, behind the presidency, which has been held for the last two decades by 74-year-old Harold Schaitberger, a close ally of Joe Biden.

Soon after, Kelly tapped combat veteran Mathew Golsteyn to serve as his chief of operations. The low-key hire came at the recommendation of Kelly’s brother, Greg, who had overlapped in Afghanistan with Golsteyn. But Golsteyn was not just any Green Beret: He had earned a spate of shocking headlines just a year earlier for alleged war crimes, for which he was ultimately pardoned by President Donald Trump in November 2019. In the month following the pardon, Golsteyn joined Trump onstage at a secretive fundraiser for the Florida Republican Party, helping them net $3.5 million in donations.

In 2015, Golsteyn had been stripped of a Silver Star after disclosing in a CIA polygraph interview that he had shot and buried an unarmed Taliban fighter he thought was a bombmaker, and later dug up the remains and burned them in a pit. The revelations roiled the CIA, which quickly notified the Pentagon, sparking a two-year investigation in which the U.S Army concluded in 2013 that Golsteyn had knowingly violated the laws of war. While investigators did not find enough evidence to bring criminal charges, in an internal Army memo previously reported by The Intercept, Golsteyn was reprimanded for a “complete lack of judgement and responsibility” and told he had “discredited” himself and the U.S military.

But in October 2016, just a month after joining the firefighters union, Golsteyn was asked on Fox News if he killed the suspected bombmaker, to which he replied, “Yes.” This new public admission sparked army investigators to quickly reopen their investigation, and two years later charged Golsteyn with murder.

The new probe and criminal charges became a cause célèbre among conservatives, who rushed to Golsteyn’s defense. Golsteyn’s lawyer called the murder charge a case of “political correctness” and following an interview with Golsteyn’s wife in December 2018 on the president’s favorite news program “Fox & Friends,” Trump got involved.

Throughout all of this, Kelly offered unwavering support on social media for his chief of operations and helped fundraise for Golsteyn’s legal defense.

Meanwhile, ahead of what is often described as the most important presidential election in generations, a series of escalating disputes among IAFF leadership have increasingly spilled over into public view. Schaitberger, a key Biden ally, is locked in bitter in-fighting, grappling with leaks to right wing media, and confronting a federal investigation from a Justice Department that’s been unabashed in its willingness to use federal power for the president’s political gain. It comes as Biden is fighting Trump for votes among elderly and white working-class voters, where the firefighters union is a key validator, so much so that Trump has worked hard to undermine the value of the endorsement.

Things heated up earlier this year when Kelly accused Schaitberger of financial impropriety. Schaitberger has been blasted for lavish spending before, but the crux of the new allegations hinged on whether Schaitberger received pension benefits too early; prior to being elected IAFF president in 2000, he served as an IAFF union staffer for 24 years. The elected position and the staff position earn pension benefits from two separate funds, and Kelly charges that Schaitberger drew from his staff pension benefits too soon, in violation of federal law and union rules. The IAFF has pointed to legal counsel it received at the time of Schaitberger’s transition, and maintains they have done nothing wrong. Earlier this month federal authorities launched a criminal probe into the accusations, while the union’s executive board has launched an internal review.

So yeah, I'd say the new President is a Trumper. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites



×
×
  • Create New...