Althouse: Iowa caucus!

February 1, 2016

Iowa caucus!

At long last. The time is here....

ADDED, 5:54 the next morning: Thanks for keeping up the comments. I'm up and watching all the speeches. Rubio, Trump, Cruz, Hillary, Bernie... I've watched them all.

266 comments:

«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 266 of 266

Birkel said...: If lies caused physical pain, you would do it less. I hope somebody helps you with that some day, "Rhythm and Balls".; 2/2/16, 12:12 AM
cubanbob said...: Birkel said...
Positives about Cruz:"

Some people here tonight just don't understand that a candidate who isn't either a communist and isn't a grifter, criminal and a traitor is sufficiently positive.; 2/2/16, 12:15 AM
Sammy Finkelman said...: I didn't understand the reference to Tiger Blood, though. Google searches indicate that it seems to indicate some sort of invulnerability, meaning, I suppose, you think Marco Rubio should have been disappointed at coming in third.

But, you write sarcastically, he has tiger blood - i.e., that can't hurt him.

But the thing is, anyway, everyone can see coming in third is very good in Iowa in these circumstances [where nobody gets above 30%, and the leaders may have lower ceilings of support] and the prediction markets now make Marco Rubio the most likely candidate to win the nomination.; 2/2/16, 12:16 AM
Birkel said...: I referenced "winning" and "tiger blood" you simpering mewl.

That was a reference to Charlie Sheen. You are dull, Simpleton Fink.; 2/2/16, 12:18 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Some people here tonight just don't understand that a candidate who isn't either a communist and isn't a grifter, criminal and a traitor is sufficiently positive.

But a total phony and liar who pretends to hate the organization he's trying to get hired to lead will do just fine.

The money he wastes on shut-downs is ok because, hey, GREAT PUBLICITY!

At least with Trump, the saving grace is that the guy actually doesn't fuck around with the organizations he gets paid to run.

But then, the last thing you're looking for is someone who knows what they're doing. You're looking for a figurehead. A symbol. An empty suit.

Just put a Cruz pin bobble-head on the top of the White House and be done with it, then. What a bunch of clowns.; 2/2/16, 12:19 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Shorter Cruz Campaign selling-point:

I HATE THIS COMPANY! IT SUCKS AND SHOULD BE BURNED TO THE GROUND!

NOW HIRE ME TO LEAD IT!

/total cognitive dissonance fail.; 2/2/16, 12:22 AM
Birkel said...: You have established your name calling bona fides "Rhythm and Balls".

What else do you have?; 2/2/16, 12:22 AM
Drago said...: That Cruz! Single-handedly shutting down the govt! Oh to wield such power!

Obama would be so jealous, assuming he read about it in the papers in-between the endless rounds of golf.; 2/2/16, 12:22 AM
gadfly said...: Blogger Rhythm and Balls said...
He understands that the federal bureaucracy is the enemy of the people of the United States. He wants to end subsidies and corporate welfare, taking direct aim at the bureaucracies. He plans to unleash the ingenuity and creativity of the American worker from Leviathan's tentacles.

Can you translate this into English?

Feel the Bern!; 2/2/16, 12:23 AM
Birkel said...: LIBERAL ELECTION SLOGAN:

"We were the ones who broke it. So we know where the fault lines are and should be hired to fix it with more of the same."

You are a sluggardly simp.; 2/2/16, 12:24 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: On MSNBC, Brian Williams is with Rachel Maddow. There is a low stench of panic and defeat in the air. They are confused. I love it!; 2/2/16, 12:26 AM
Birkel said...: Tell the truth, just once, "Rhythm and Balls".

How many times have. You needed to Google my insults to understand exactly what I mean? Even your insults are dull and lazy. I blame socialism which has drained your will to compete effectively.; 2/2/16, 12:27 AM
Drago said...: I find it difficult to believe that a battle hardened liberal lion like Brian Williams was capable of panic!; 2/2/16, 12:27 AM
Sammy Finkelman said...: Bay Area Guy said...2/2/16, 12:07 AM

I am feelin' the Bern tonight! .... Bernie now needs to destroy Hillary in NH!

That you can almost take for granted. Althogh h needs to do it, it is not enough.

What Bernie needs to do now is to destroy Hillary in Nevada and South Carolina.

But then it's a case for Super Bloomberg!! (If Trump or Cruz look like they are lokely to win the Republican nomination)

What if Bloomberg decides on March 1 that things are going to happen one way, and then things don't urn out that way? Does he drop out? Or what?; 2/2/16, 12:28 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: You have established your name calling bona fides "Rhythm and Balls".

What else do you have?

Tonight?

Not sure.

Refresh me on the mood and interests of the others accompanying us tonight on this thread and I'll let you know.

But if you want me to cut to the chase (which I believe I've amply hinted at), I'll just say this: Cruz is a disaster. There are so many others that would do the process and your party much better than him.

Nominating and (forbid) electing him is a worst-case scenario, and would just repeat more of the mistakes that got your party and our country into the position that it's in. This time on steroids.

You guys don't seem to realize that this has been the Republicans' problem for decades. Empty posturing with the same useless as-long-as-you-hate-the-government-everything's-ok rhetoric.

What has it accomplished?

Cruz is a doubling-down on it.

As much as you hate the average voter, I think they'll have wisened up enough to have at least figured that much out.

But in the meantime, It's just throwing away into the garbage the whole energetic, productive, healthy, dynamic debate that this campaign had finally become.

Don't double-down on stupid and failed. Just don't.; 2/2/16, 12:28 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: I blame socialism...

No.

What you mean is that you blame society, because you fit in so poorly with it.; 2/2/16, 12:30 AM
cubanbob said...: "But a total phony and liar who pretends to hate the organization he's trying to get hired to lead will do just fine.

The money he wastes on shut-downs is ok because, hey, GREAT PUBLICITY!"

So you think that a choice between two liars, one who is a communist who isn't honest enough to come out of the closet among his numerous lies and the other who besides being a grifter, criminal and traitor who is also a notorious liar and who is trying to out commie the commie is somehow better than Cruz?

As for shutting down the government, as a net taxpayer most of what the government spends and taxes me at 39.6% is simply robbing me blind to buy someone else's favors I can only wish it be shut down for eight years.; 2/2/16, 12:36 AM
Sammy Finkelman said...: Birkel said...2/2/16, 12:18 AM

I referenced "winning" and "tiger blood" you simpering mewl.

That was a reference to Charlie Sheen. You are dull, Simpleton Fink.

No, just ignorant. I might not make a good Jeopardy contestant because there are certain categories I am more or less ignorant of. And when I looked it up, and saw the Charlie Sheen comment...

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Tiger+blood

...well, at least I could see what you were trying to say. Maybe.

Except that idea is wrong. Marco Rubio is not like Charlie Sheen in thinking that coming in third is like winning, because it really is like winning. Charlie Sheen was being absurd, but Marco Rubio wasn't. There are (often) three tickets out of Iowa.; 2/2/16, 12:36 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Cruz hates "New York values" and then applauds Trump's description of them during 9/11.

I mean, come on. The guy is as phony as Hillary. Phonier, even.

Is this what your party wants? Because I think it's just quite possible to do it.

An anti-government crusader who's as phony as Hillary the pretend pro-government crusader.

It's amazing you can't see this.

Thanks for the opportunity to break it down to you.; 2/2/16, 12:37 AM
Sammy Finkelman said...: Sanders is not a communist, because a communist is far more and far different from being obsessed with income and wealth inequality.; 2/2/16, 12:39 AM
Birkel said...: You just aren't good as a concern troll. It's not your bailiwick. And nobody here takes you seriously. And especially not in that role. Just stop. It's embarrassing.

I will have to ask around about my many failures within society. It will surprise my employees, my spouse, my kids, my parents, my alma mater and my stock broker to learn of my many faults and failures. Thank my stars and garters I have a random, low-functioning internet troll to set me straight.

Hell, now I may have to sell my beach house in penance.; 2/2/16, 12:39 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: So you think that a choice between two liars, one who is a communist who isn't honest enough to come out of the closet among his numerous lies and the other who besides being a grifter, criminal and traitor who is also a notorious liar and who is trying to out commie the commie is somehow better than Cruz?

I don't know if it's a lie to confuse western Europe with the USSR or just ignorant. But either way, it isn't true.

As for shutting down the government, as a net taxpayer most of what the government spends and taxes me at 39.6% is simply robbing me blind to buy someone else's favors I can only wish it be shut down for eight years.

Which has nothing to do with the fatuousness and waste of shutting down the government.

In any event, I seriously doubt you make enough to be taxed that much. But my understanding is that voting Republican has taught you to believe that if you pretend you're a captain of industry, perhaps one day you'll become one.

There are other things the country has to worry about right now. Helping refugees from communism feel that the USSR isn't still alive and kicking just isn't one of them. Sorry. Most of the rest of your nation already got that memo in 1989.; 2/2/16, 12:41 AM
Birkel said...: Go ahead, Simpleton Fink, and define the various gradations of collectivist and how they descended from various French and German philosophers. We wait in rapt attention.

If I had gone to high school in Iowa, I would have been a multiple time state champion in sports. Third place = winning.; 2/2/16, 12:43 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/2/16, 12:44 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: I will have to ask around about my many failures within society. It will surprise my employees, my spouse, my kids, my parents, my alma mater and my stock broker to learn of my many faults and failures.

Add your director, producer, agent and acting coach to that list.

They are not the only ones who will vote. But your contempt for the rest of America is noted.

Hey - at least you have a shiny image of perfection to preserve. Now try to convince everyone else of why your interests are so much more important than theirs - Mr. Better Than Everyone.; 2/2/16, 12:46 AM
Birkel said...: Just better than you. Be precise.; 2/2/16, 12:47 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: No, now I know you're just an asshole.

Who still hires a stock broker in 2016?

And now I know you're full of shit.; 2/2/16, 12:49 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Birkel's worse than 319 million Americans.

But I, little ole me, I is the only American who's not as good as him.

Poor me.

I will have to do a sad Derek Zoolander face now.

;-(; 2/2/16, 12:51 AM
Birkel said...: You are correct. Stock brokers were outlawed by Bernie Sanders in 2019, retroactive to 2012.

Socialism is awesome.; 2/2/16, 12:55 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: So, let me get this straight, Birkel.

You don't have a financial advisor, but an actual broker?

Is this how you try to convince me that you're better than me? (But not those 319 million other Americans).

You're a totally enterprising, wealth-creation machine - a neat little dynamo engine of small business capitalism...

And you need a broker?

Yep. Cruz is your man. People vote for the liars they can identify with.; 2/2/16, 12:58 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: And BTW, if your wealth is what makes you so much better than me - but not the 319 million other dregs of capitalism, then you're actually pretty poor.

Poor Birkel. Not even in the top 90%, let alone the top 1% and yet, he fantasizes about owning businesses, beach houses, (stock brokers), fame, fortune, fiddlesticks and fudge.

You are America, Birkie. Don't let the other Americans in this anti-social non-society of ours forget it.

They don't matter. It's your own dreams that keep capitalism and the economy alive. No matter what actually happens in real life.; 2/2/16, 1:01 AM
Birkel said...: You assume so well and with so little basis, it would be a shame to stop you now.

I understand that brokers no longer exist. Perhaps some day environmentalists will understand their extinction.; 2/2/16, 1:02 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Good night.

Send me pictures of Iowan beach houses filled with scantily clad babes and brokers to peruse in the morning.

Twat.; 2/2/16, 1:03 AM
Birkel said...: I wrote "I will have to ask around about my many failures within society. It will surprise my employees, my spouse, my kids, my parents, my alma mater and my stock broker to learn of my many faults and failures. Thank my stars and garters I have a random, low-functioning internet troll to set me straight."

"Rhythm and Balls" read "wealth".

I am better than you at reading.; 2/2/16, 1:04 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: I understand that brokers no longer exist.

Not for people who know what they're doing.

You must understand, Mr Ted Cruz supporter - I'm trying to figure out if you're an actual liar or if you really do own businesses, beach houses, etc., and DON'T know how to manage your own investments.

You could be a specimen worth studying, you see. A capitalist who doesn't understand capitalism.

We have more than a few of these, in our country.

Think of yourself as an anthropological case study.; 2/2/16, 1:05 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: "Rhythm and Balls" read "wealth".

It was patently obvious that was the point you were trying to make, Mr. Out of Touch.; 2/2/16, 1:06 AM
Birkel said...: 300,000 registered brokers in America, btw.

I googled that fact for you, "Rhythm and Balls".; 2/2/16, 1:08 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Ok so you hate socialism, but Ted Cruz will make it so that you can better manage your lack of wealth.

FTFY. Thanks for helping to set the record straight.

It actually makes more sense.; 2/2/16, 1:08 AM
Birkel said...: So you read family as a "wealth" of love and support?
You are lame.; 2/2/16, 1:09 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Did you also google the number of registered hair-dressers, cosmetologists, and aestheticians?; 2/2/16, 1:09 AM
Birkel said...: As an organizing system, any collectivist ideology will leave the ruling class wealthy and everybody else destitute.

As an organizing system, largely free exchange will increase the prospects of average people more than any other system ever tried.

My opinion matters little to those truths, played out across the globe.; 2/2/16, 1:12 AM
Birkel said...: R&B: Nobody has a broker. You are a liar.

Me: There are 300,000 brokers licensed in the United States. (Implication: Somebody uses them.)

R&B: Hairdressers, damn it!!; 2/2/16, 1:19 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: As an organizing system, any collectivist ideology will leave the ruling class wealthy and everybody else destitute.

Which does absolutely nothing to explain the state of affairs in America.

Reading an Ayn Rand book does not make you an economist. Or anything else, really.; 2/2/16, 1:20 AM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: No one with the interests Cruz is deployed to protect uses a broker.

But you Republicans are such dreamers.

Wake me up when y'all wake up.

Unfortunately that probably won't happen until the third consecutive presidential election drubbing/ass whooping this November.; 2/2/16, 1:22 AM
Anonymous said...: OK, from news articles, the votes count for the Democrats is actually the number of state delegates chosen by the individual caucuses.; 2/2/16, 2:01 AM
Jon Ericson said...: Politics brings out the worst of... some.; 2/2/16, 2:11 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/2/16, 2:30 AM
Unknown said...: ????? i don't understand
Acemaxs31.com/obat-herbal-stroke-ace-maxs; 2/2/16, 2:46 AM
dustbunny said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/2/16, 3:58 AM
dustbunny said...: Tim in Vermont: Andre the Giant and Samuel Beckett in a convertible?? There is so much to unpack in that image; 2/2/16, 4:08 AM
Humperdink said...: Sure glad I went to bed before you-know-who wandered into the discussion.

BTW the aforementioned individual stated: "Cruz hates "New York values" and then applauds Trump's description of them during 9/11.".

Probably the most stupid comment he has written. Policemen/fireman values versus DeBlasio/Cuomo/Doomberg values. Sheesh.; 2/2/16, 5:23 AM
Jaq said...: Did Hillary really win six consecutive coin tosses? That sounds a lot like her cattle futures luck.; 2/2/16, 5:46 AM
Rusty said...: (sniff) What's that smell?
Oh. Yeah. Fear.; 2/2/16, 5:49 AM
Jaq said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/2/16, 5:53 AM
Jaq said...: That's how her cattle futures plays with her "adviser" Red Bones, who also worked for an industry her husband regulated, operated.

"Heads you win, tails I lose" - Red Bones.; 2/2/16, 5:55 AM
Phil 314 said...: R&B is the Piedmont Piper of Althouse.; 2/2/16, 5:57 AM
Brando said...: What does it say about Clinton that she cannot even take out Bernie Sanders after her party tried to coronate her? She really is an absolute mess of a candidate and her handlers should mercifully convince her to stay out of politics. Shame on DNC morons like Wasserman Shultz for helping keep the field clear for her. Obviously Democrats just aren't into more Clintons, no matter what their shills say.

Trump's "upset" (and Rubio's "triumph") just go to show that this is all just a battle against expectations. Had Rubio been projected to win and Trump projected to be at the back of the pack (especially after skipping a debate and having no real ground game) this would be seen as a humiliation for Rubio and a big win for Trump. Overestimates in poll positions are a curse.

After New Hampshire I expect we'll see a few drop out and if Rubio still leads the non-Trump/non-Cruz candidates, it'll be a three man race going to the South.; 2/2/16, 6:02 AM
Oso Negro said...: Valium would help that crash R&B.; 2/2/16, 6:38 AM
Jaq said...: I disagree about Rubio. Somebody had to win the category of "neither of those schmucks." I think this was a big win for Rubio over Jeb.; 2/2/16, 6:40 AM
Nichevo said...: 1. Brando, and others who keep making this mistake, it's not coronate, it's crown.

2. So did Ted Cruz on ethanol hurt himself or has the power of that issue diminished? Or did they admire his honesty?

3. Did Cruz hurt himself with that voting violation mailer?

4. Did Trump hurt himself with pulling out of the debate, the last minute remark about the wounded warriors taking a little ride, or something else?

5, Did Rubio do anything for or to himself at any particular moment?

6. Anything clever on the other R candidates ?

7. Do any Democrats, liberals or leftists have anything interesting to say about their side of the caucus? For their candidates?

8. Meanwhile, now Trump is blooded, has votes, has been in it. And, he is not quite winning, though you could hardly describe this as a crater.

So, now you see, anti-Trump people, all you have to do is compete. Your invocations of whatever it is that you're trying to invoke in order to get him to quit the race or disappear, are not effectual. What is effectual is opposing political speech with more political speech.

9. Isn't it nice that Citizens United has enabled all these voices to be funded and heard?; 2/2/16, 6:40 AM
damikesc said...: I mean, come on. The guy is as phony as Hillary. Phonier, even.

In defense of Cruz, he didn't put CIA assets' lives in danger to avoid any oversight.; 2/2/16, 6:41 AM
Brando said...: "What if Bloomberg decides on March 1 that things are going to happen one way, and then things don't urn out that way? Does he drop out? Or what?"

I think it's simple--if Bloomberg jumps in and then by Labor Day sees that his candidacy is more likely to result in the worse of two evils (though whether he would think Trump or Sanders is worse is anyone's guess) he will drop out and endorse the one he considers the lesser of two evils.

I'm not sure what effect Bloomberg would have on the race. He is to Hillary and Sanders' right on a lot of economic issues but to the GOP's left. But then he could run as anything, as Trump showed us.

I don't mind Bloomberg much--I disagree with him on a lot but overall he did a decent job as mayor during some challenging times and that is a much harder job than anything the other leading candidates ever did.; 2/2/16, 6:51 AM
Brando said...: "I disagree about Rubio. Somebody had to win the category of "neither of those schmucks." I think this was a big win for Rubio over Jeb."

That it is--the real news on the GOP race is the non-Cruz/non-Trump candidate (I won't call him "establishment" considering he upended Crist, who was supported by Trump, so if Rubio is "establishment" and Trump is not then that word is meaningless) may have been decided in Iowa. But New Hampshire might reverse that.

"Brando, and others who keep making this mistake, it's not coronate, it's crown."

I know but I sort of like "coronate" better. It sounds more incompetent.

"So did Ted Cruz on ethanol hurt himself or has the power of that issue diminished? Or did they admire his honesty?"

I hope this leads candidates in the future to understand they don't need to pander on that issue.; 2/2/16, 6:56 AM
Oso Negro said...: As a Ted Cruz supporter, I understand that Ted may or may not be able to demonstrate the values that he espouses. But no one else in the race does, and certainly the Democrats are oriented to different values. A couple days ago I posted that to believe Trump would be the nominee required one to believe that he would appeal to either mainstream Republicans or conservative Republicans. Both those groups had their shot at supporting him in Iowa and he dominated neither. While it is distressing that 24% of Iowa caucus goers bought into his strongman routine, it is worse to think that the Democrats there split between communism and Clintonism. The media will continue to milk Trump for entertainment value, and pimp Rubio because they hate Cruz. That the establishment on both sides of the aisle hate Ted is one of his strongest selling points, and the reason he is more likely to eventually accrue Trump voters than is Rubio.; 2/2/16, 7:02 AM
Jaq said...: I finally figured out why Cruz creeps me out. He keeps sending emails to an address that he got because one time I gave money to McCain, but he words them as if I had specifically signed up for his campaign. I haven't, these "Drop everything right now" and "You did it!" emails are offputting. They assume a connection that is not there.; 2/2/16, 7:54 AM
Big Mike said...: Rubio, Trump, Cruz, Hillary, Bernie... I've watched them all.

Better you than me, lady. Better you than me.; 2/2/16, 8:26 AM