US Election Week 2020

[The Brain]

Just woke up. Are ya winning, sons?

define winning

I sure do!

[Sheilbh]

Trump claiming he's won lots of states clearly. He hasn't yet and it's not clear. It's a "fraud on the American public".

But - this feels less confrontational than I was expecting and honestly it sounds like he knows he's losing. I could be wrong but this is almost how I imagine a Trump concession speech would go - claim victory "we will win this, and we already have won this" before reality which is "fraud" and "theft".

Again I could be wrong but I also suspect the Supreme Court might not rule the way Trump wants (because the GOP are likely to keep the Senate).

Edit: Although watching ABC, I still don't think the American media is fit at covering this.

[FunkMonk]

America's 2020 Season Finale is a two-parter, apparently.

[Sheilbh]

Interestingly Pence doesn't declare victory and does say "while the votes continue to be counted, we're going to remain vigilant" and "I truly do believe, as you do, that we are on the road to victory". If the GOP were losing the Senate I think Republicans might lash themselves to Trump, with the Senate I think they'll now not back him.

Edit: Also Rahm Emanuel agrees with me that it's not about the law it's pure politics and this sounds like he's lost and knows he's lost. This is how Trump will concede - by actually winning until it was stolen from him. Because he's never a loser but is, often, a victim.

[Razgovory]

Why does this keep happening?

[Tamas]

Interestingly Pence doesn't declare victory and does say "while the votes continue to be counted, we're going to remain vigilant" and "I truly do believe, as you do, that we are on the road to victory". If the GOP were losing the Senate I think Republicans might lash themselves to Trump, with the Senate I think they'll now not back him.

Edit: Also Rahm Emanuel agrees with me that it's not about the law it's pure politics and this sounds like he's lost and knows he's lost. This is how Trump will concede - by actually winning until it was stolen from him. Because he's never a loser but is, often, a victim.

That he might does not actually believe his baseless lies is of little consolation and even smaller surprise. But a considerable number of dumb people will want to believe him and will try to act on that.

Dangerous and destructive lies are not okay just because they are made to further political gains

[Syt]

Biden winning the race but GOP keeping the senate sounds like a horrible outcome. I doubt Mitch and his minions would be more cooperative this time around and would do everything to sabotage him.

[Sheilbh]

That he might does not actually believe his baseless lies is of little consolation and even smaller surprise. But a considerable number of dumb people will want to believe him and will try to act on that.

Dangerous and destructive lies are not okay just because they are made to further political gains

Yeah - I'm not excusing it and you're right. But as I say it was less confrontational than I was expecting and it feels more to me like setting up a victim narrative rather than actually going to really fight everything. That might be wrong and it could change.

I'd note that as well as Emanuel, Tony Blair's former comms director Alastair Campbell's also tweeted "he knows he's lost" so I don't feel entirely crazy

[PJL]

Biden winning the race but GOP keeping the senate sounds like a horrible outcome. I doubt Mitch and his minions would be more cooperative this time around and would do everything to sabotage him.

It's still better than the alternative though. I'd take gridlock any day over another Trump win.

[Sheilbh]

Biden winning the race but GOP keeping the senate sounds like a horrible outcome. I doubt Mitch and his minions would be more cooperative this time around and would do everything to sabotage him.

Probably keep another 100 Federal judge positions open before the Trump (Don or Jr) 2024 campaign

It's still better than the alternative though. I'd take gridlock any day over another Trump win.

I'm less sure. I almost feel like winning the Senate matters more.

[Solmyr]

From Twitter:

"The authoritarian president of a former British colony has preliminary declared victory for the ruling party in a country-tearing election. Opposition leaders and the media resist the president's calls to leave millions of votes uncounted. The EU monitors the situation closely."

[Josquius]

Biden was never going to be a revolutionary president. Holding the line is the best we could expect. So the senate stopping him from doing much... Meh.
On the other hand trump being the one to continue to set the agenda would not be a great thing.

Surprised on the senate. The anti trump republican vote?

[Sheilbh]

Biden was never going to be a revolutionary president. Holding the line is the best we could expect. So the senate stopping him from doing much... Meh.
On the other hand trump being the one to continue to set the agenda would not be a great thing.

Surprised on the senate. The anti trump republican vote?

Trump's appointed 1/3 of the Supreme Court and a lot of judges in the lower courts. If Biden wins, I doubt the Senate will let him appoint any for four years in the hope that Trump (or Jr) win in 2024 - maybe I'm over-cynical but....

The other point is there is a huge polling failure here even just on the national popular it looks like it's way off.

[celedhring]

Damn, I knew I would wake up to some nailbitter shit. 

Looks bad for Biden in the rust belt. That mail vote better be as overwhelming as it has been touted. Seeing Trump's quotes it looks like his campaign isn't that sure of a win...

[Solmyr]

Meanwhile, a dead guy got elected: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/04/gop-state-legislature-candidate-in-north-dakota-who-died-of-covid-wins-election-433998