Election 2020

[Kevin Seitzer]

I'd like for my next president to be someone that can hire actual professionals for important federal positions instead of toadies and cronies

Yes !

[Sour Masher]

Its interesting because Rogan has a history of elevating some awful voices from the right. However, last week he had Cornel West on for 2 hours, and it was a great interview that seemed to really change Rogan's perspectives on a lot of issues. It helps that Cornel West compared Rogan to Richard Pryor to butter him up. I highly recommend the West interview if you missed that one.

Yeah, I listen to him and his comedy crew mates a lot and it is clear the whole crew leans libertarian a bit and certainly seem to lean more sympathetic to some alt-right perspectives than most, at least the anti-pc side of it. But they, and Rogan especially, have such tremendous reach, and he is really open to giving a wide range of people a fair chance to share their views, so he is an important platform, and often gets out of the way and let folks talk in a way they hardly ever get to do anywhere else. I do wish he knew more about some of these issues and was able to ask some more pointed questions and push back some on some issues. Most of what he knows seems to come from previous interviews, at least on areas outside his wheelhouse.

[gcstomp]

I love the Rogan podcast. He gets everyone, from crazy big names, to the best experts in whatever field, and gives them a real chance to talk without jumping in every few seconds like they do on the big networks. The Bernie one posted above is well worth a watch. Bernie explains how the debates are really insulting to the candidates as no one can flesh out povs of important subjects in 45 second bursts and 15 second rebuttals, it just leads to the loudest clown with the shouted out zinger to be proclaimed as the "winner".

Rogan has had Musk on for a couple hours, where we learn how this guy is brilliant, and world changing, but also is being slammed by regulatory forces of govt as well as stockholder demands to perform like a trained monkey to meet shareholder objectives while Musk is the guy who can do substantial good on a freakin global scale if he was given just an inch to tackle problems. We all get a friends perspective on that brilliant dude who wants to do good but also is really stressed, which made for a great episode.

Rogan has had multi hour segments with Neil Degrasse Tyson, Bourdain, David Goggins, Sam Harris, Henry Rollins, Russell Brand all with extended respectful approach and you cant help wish the debates gave even 1% the chance that these podcasts do in letting you learn the perspectives of these people. Watch the Tulsi Gabbard one and you will learn a giant multiple more about her than watching 10 of the dopey debates.

As far as the D candidates, I like all the top 5, all earnest with similar platforms. K Harris would so eviscerate Trump in 1 on 1 debates but any of the top 5 will be better prepared, way more knowledge, and present better on the debate stage than Trump.

[revo]

You honestly don't think Biden 30330 has lost a step?

I'm not denying Biden of 2008 could beat Trump, but I think it's becoming clear he's not the same speaker. He mumbles and stammers a lot, and confuses people and places... he stops in the middle of sentences and waves his hands... he looks old. Am I seeing things?

It's definitely obvious that he's lost a step, which does make it frustrating. However, I don't see how you can constantly be pounding on his [apparent age-related] missteps yet support a guy who's almost 2 years older and who could fall off the age cliff at any moment.

But see, when you get polls like this in North Carolina, you say to yourself -- ok, let's just get Trump out of office, and clearly Biden won't run for a 2nd term. So that's why his VP is key, which is why it should be Harris.

North Carolina: Trump vs. Biden	        Civitas/SurveyUSA	Biden 49, Trump 41	[B]Biden +8[/B]
North Carolina: Trump vs. Sanders	Civitas/SurveyUSA	Sanders 47, Trump 43	Sanders +4
North Carolina: Trump vs. Warren	Civitas/SurveyUSA	Trump 43, Warren 44	Warren +1
North Carolina: Trump vs. Harris	Civitas/SurveyUSA	Trump 44, Harris 43	Trump +1
North Carolina: Trump vs. Buttigieg	Civitas/SurveyUSA	Trump 43, Buttigieg 41	Trump +2

[Sour Masher]

But see, when you get polls like this in North Carolina, you say to yourself -- ok, let's just get Trump out of office, and clearly Biden won't run for a 2nd term. So that's why his VP is key, which is why it should be Harris.

Harris has gone really hard at Biden. You think they can get past that for her to be the VP pick?

[B-Fly]

Harris has gone really hard at Biden. You think they can get past that for her to be the VP pick?

Yes, I think they could. That said, I too worry about Biden. He hasn't looked sharp.

[revo]

Harris has gone really hard at Biden. You think they can get past that for her to be the VP pick?

I don't know. I think once the nominee is settled, the DNC has to come up with the best course of action to bring out every possible voter in every possible area. That's why I think the VP pick, assuming the nominee is Biden, needs to be either a minority or a woman, or ideally both. If Biden and Harris can't overcome their petty differences to oust Trump, then we have some major problems.

[B-Fly]

I don't know. I think once the nominee is settled, the DNC has to come up with the best course of action to bring out every possible voter in every possible area. That's why I think the VP pick, assuming the nominee is Biden, needs to be either a minority or a woman, or ideally both. If Biden and Harris can't overcome their petty differences to oust Trump, then we have some major problems.

But at least so far, Biden is polling better with Blacks than the Black candidates are. He's doing poorer with white liberal progressives.

[revo]

But at least so far, Biden is polling better with Blacks than the Black candidates are. He's doing poorer with white liberal progressives.

Key word: black "candidates." How about Abrams or Gillum?

[B-Fly]

Key word: black "candidates." How about Abrams or Gillum?

Abrams is more popular with progressives than Harris or Booker, I think. I'm just not sure that's where Biden would need to shore up support, although I have several Black friends on Facebook who are unhappy with his latest gaffe about "poor kids" being "just as smart as white kids".

[Teenwolf]

But at least so far, Biden is polling better with Blacks than the Black candidates are. He's doing poorer with white liberal progressives.

This is exactly why he's so vulnerable. Obama didn't pick Biden because Biden appealed to black voters, he picked Biden to appeal to white voters. Biden's actual record, working with segregationists, constructing the crime bill, the crack vs powder cocaine sentencing disparity, on and on. I hope Kamala Harris could expose his weakness, but it seems like he's mostly skated so far. People need to keep seeing Biden fail, I guess... I always heard that voters don't usually start paying attention until after labour day, right? I just have to hope, because if he becomes the nominee, he would deflate turnout and lose. No question.

[Teenwolf]

Yes, I think they could. That said, I too worry about Biden. He hasn't looked sharp.

The same day that he made the massive gaffe about poor kids being just as smart as white kids, he referred to Theresa May as Margaret Thatcher for the 2nd time since May, AND, he fumbled a statement at a rally, saying "we choose science over fiction! We choose truth over facts!"... uh... what? He didn't even correct himself, he's so out of it. Those 3 errors in the same day. Brutal. He's a trainwreck.

[GwynnInTheHall]

I will respectfully disagree...I've seen Obama, Clinton, and just about every other politician over the past 35 years, and Joe Biden is just about the best speaker I've ever witnessed. He connects to the crowd in a very personal way, he sometimes goes off script, which can get him in trouble, but it's almost always because it's something that he feels passionately about.

He's been doing this forever...Trump has not. Trumps opponents were totally unprepared for his "style" during the 2016 primaries, so he won the nomination. HRC basically mopped the stage with him during their debates...he's simply not very good at it. I'll take Biden and his stage presence vs Trump all day long.

I understand your point, though I don't think he's the same speaker now in comparison to when youvé seen him.

He's looked weak and confused in the past 2 debates and continues to muff questions and statements. They may seem and even actually be inconsequential, but Trump will use anything to his advantage and his base LOVES it when he's a petty little name calling prick.

It's going to take someone who will call Trump out and in language that resonates--so If Biden can't look Trump in the Eye and call him a Liar to his face on National TV, he's going to have trouble.

Whomever is on that stage with Trump at the end is going to have to provoke him into losing it in front of the entire nation, you aren't going to get that needed response by saying--Well President Trump, that's just not true--you're going to have to say--You ,sir--are a Liar. It HAS to be strong and a direct attack. I'm using Trump's Lies as an example, but there's a TON of ammunition the eventual Dem Nominee with have and MUST use.

If they play this nice, we'll get Trump for another 4 years.

Aggression is the play here and I just don't see that in Biden.

[DMT]

I understand your point, though I don't think he's the same speaker now in comparison to when youvé seen him.

He's looked weak and confused in the past 2 debates and continues to muff questions and statements. They may seem and even actually be inconsequential, but Trump will use anything to his advantage and his base LOVES it when he's a petty little name calling prick.

It's going to take someone who will call Trump out and in language that resonates--so If Biden can't look Trump in the Eye and call him a Liar to his face on National TV, he's going to have trouble.

Whomever is on that stage with Trump at the end is going to have to provoke him into losing it in front of the entire nation, you aren't going to get that needed response by saying--Well President Trump, that's just not true--you're going to have to say--You ,sir--are a Liar. It HAS to be strong and a direct attack. I'm using Trump's Lies as an example, but there's a TON of ammunition the eventual Dem Nominee with have and MUST use.

If they play this nice, we'll get Trump for another 4 years.

Aggression is the play here and I just don't see that in Biden.

Didn't Biden say he wanted to challenge Trump to a fight?

[GwynnInTheHall]

Didn't Biden say he wanted to challenge Trump to a fight?

Somewhat, but like the internet, until you're face to face bravado is an easy get.