2024 US Presidential Elections Megathread

[Josquius]

I haven't paid any attention to him at all so doubtless old news to most.
But the RFK bear story

BBC News - Dead bear another strange twist in RFK Jr's faltering campaign
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mnn8zneppo

RFK+5%

[Jacob]

In addition to what's already been said, I think weird has real traction because:

1) A big part of Trump's schtick is being a bully, picking on the "weird". One of the foundations of the radical right is that there are laws that protect the in-group and/ or that punishes the out-group. Weirdos are, almost by definition, the out-group and that undermines Trump's aura of being "strong" and "a winner".

2) It allows people to bring up Trump's many many short comings and vile traits without it easily being dismissed as hysterical in some way. You can discuss how Trump is weird in a cheerful, non-emotionallay invested, non-complicated way.

2.5) After bringing whatever weird thing Trump is doing up, it puts him and his proxies in the position of having to deny it which, as we know, only reinforces the message. "No it's totally NOT weird how deferential Trump is to Putin and how enamoured he seems to be with two-bit dictators like Kim; there's ACTUALLY a good reason...."

3) It's adjacent to "creepy" which very much rings true when it comes to Trump and his coterie, so it doesn't seem a stretch. It's also adjacent to "sad loser" which is what Trump does not want to be and what he uses to browbeat his opponents, so it hits him viscerally.

Trump and his cronies may come up with an effective counter at some point, but for the time being it's a pretty solid rhetorical move.

"Trump was buddies what that child rapist Epstein. You can't tell me that's not creepy. Those guys are WEIRDOS!"

[Norgy]

I think we've all been on a bender where we end up on a steak house with a dead bear in our car. Right?

[crazy canuck]

I think we've all been on a bender where we end up on a steak house with a dead bear in our car. Right?

If I had a nickel...

[Razgovory]

In addition to what's already been said, I think weird has real traction because:

1) A big part of Trump's schtick is being a bully, picking on the "weird". One of the foundations of the radical right is that there are laws that protect the in-group and/ or that punishes the out-group. Weirdos are, almost by definition, the out-group and that undermines Trump's aura of being "strong" and "a winner".

2) It allows people to bring up Trump's many many short comings and vile traits without it easily being dismissed as hysterical in some way. You can discuss how Trump is weird in a cheerful, non-emotionallay invested, non-complicated way.

2.5) After bringing whatever weird thing Trump is doing up, it puts him and his proxies in the position of having to deny it which, as we know, only reinforces the message. "No it's totally NOT weird how deferential Trump is to Putin and how enamoured he seems to be with two-bit dictators like Kim; there's ACTUALLY a good reason...."

3) It's adjacent to "creepy" which very much rings true when it comes to Trump and his coterie, so it doesn't seem a stretch. It's also adjacent to "sad loser" which is what Trump does not want to be and what he uses to browbeat his opponents, so it hits him viscerally.

Trump and his cronies may come up with an effective counter at some point, but for the time being it's a pretty solid rhetorical move.

"Trump was buddies what that child rapist Epstein. You can't tell me that's not creepy. Those guys are WEIRDOS!"

The weird thing is getting traction.  I'm kinda sad that this is what motivates people rather than "I'm going to be a dictator"

[FunkMonk]

"Weird" used to be useful against the left because of, for instance, weirdos who drenched themselves in blood and screamed "No blood for oil" at protests that blocked highway traffic.


That democrats have turned it against Donald  and JD so easily is both a masterstroke of rhetoric and a sign of how the public now sees the right vs the left.

[Jacob]

Saw by first video of Walz, and he seems like a good pick. Saw someone describe his vibe as "big dad energy".

[Valmy]

I mean now it is right wingers once again who are outraged about something once a week or so.

[Jacob]

Wait... was it Walz who brought the weird thing to the fore?

[Valmy]

Wait... was it Walz who brought the weird thing to the fore?

He was the first guy I heard say that. But I am hardly plugged in.

[Sheilbh]

Probably it's my 2016 PTSD coming out again, but what's your take on the new Democrat "smear" on Trump and Vance, i.e. "weird"? Can't it fire back because it gives the same dismissive "we've already won this" impression that Hillary had in '16?

I've not really seen it on Trump. I think it would work on Vance (and has). Less sure on Trump.

But I do really like the attacks on Trump as weak - "say it to my face". I think that's exactly the right line to take.

[Sheilbh]

"Weird" used to be useful against the left because of, for instance, weirdos who drenched themselves in blood and screamed "No blood for oil" at protests that blocked highway traffic.

Yeah - also I think in the 2010s the left was very, very much too online. I now think it's the right that is way, way too online.

No bigger example than the DeSantis campaign or the weird Taylor Swift conspiracies. And I think in a weird way one of Trump's strengths is that he is basically a linear TV/analogue guy. So while DeSantis let young online weirdos do ads with sonnenrads, Trump's response to the Swift conspiracy stuff was "let's say I like her music about 25% less now".

[Oexmelin]

But I do really like the attacks on Trump as weak - "say it to my face". I think that's exactly the right line to take.

Yep. Trump, and pseudo-fascists, like to portray themselves as strong, manly, winners. You need to call them losers, mediocre, and weak.

[Admiral Yi]

I know it's Fox, but the comment about Walz possibly being vulnerable on handling of the George Floyd riots got me thinking.

[Tonitrus]

It will definitely be one of the GOP's main attack lines.