September 12, 2019

I'm not thinking: Finally, the big showdown. I'm thinking: At least I don't need to put up with 2 nights of this anymore.

The NYT is putting me on alert:
The top 10 Democrats will be on a single stage for the first time. That means a matchup months in the making — between former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — will come to fruition. Here are the key dynamics to watch for....
I think I'll just watch it when the time comes. I don't need to pre-watch in my imagination, do I?
... Look for Mr. Biden to talk about getting progressive plans done, and Ms. Warren to speak about embracing ambition over caution....
Amusingly, that's a softball for feminist analysis — especially "embracing"... but also ascribing practical know-how to the man and puffy exuberance to the woman. "Ambition" is only presented as positive because it goes with a woman. And if it were a man with ambition, the ambition would come from inside him. It wouldn't be visualized as something exterior that he would "embrace." I suspect the writers unconsciously think that ambition is male and that a woman may only embrace it.

And now I'll pass on trying to find anything interesting to say about the debate in advance. I dread the ordeal.

70 comments:

Ken B said...

More non-news. Here is the news content: names, date, time. The rest is speculation or bullshit.

mikee said...

While I think Biden is the Democrat sack of excrement chosen by the party to lose to Trump, I also believe that the other lying sack of excrement, Warren, could lose to Trump just as well.

Trump won this election when he said, in response to the Squad, that the vile lies of the left "would not be allowed to go unanswered." All he has to do is keep that up, and he wins in a landslide not unlike Nixon v McGovern.

Qwinn said...

@mikee,

No, he also has to dissuade massive voter fraud, somehow. Otherwise its going to be epic. I really hope he's got a plan...

Rory said...

Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang, and Julián Castro.

tim maguire said...

a matchup months in the making — between former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts

That's funny because, according to the polls, Sanders is in 2nd place. At least they're not still pretending Harris is a serious candidate.

bbkingfish said...

Don't watch. I don't, and I'm a democrat.

Think of these pre-pre-primary debates as made-for-tv reality shows, produced by the media as grist for the 24x7 news cycle. Because that's what they are.

Trump, with his background in professional wrestling promotion and reality shows, was able to grasp this. To his credit, he turned to his advantage the media's preference for spectacle, and rode it all the way to the White House. I always have given the Don credit for this. It was a helluva achievement, really.

Dave Begley said...

There will be lots to talk about after the debate after China Joe makes a terrible mistake. Also look for one of the lower ranked ones going after China Joe on China. Maybe the failed mayor of South Bend. He's got nothing to lose. Or Ying Yang.

Dave Begley said...

How about my Ying Yang nickname?

I like it!

Beto also might go after China Joe. He should, but he's too stupid.

Ken B said...

“Don’t watch. I don’t and I’m a Democrat.”

There is a certain logic here. Not watching being the only way one can remain a Democrat.

tim maguire said...

We need to get Gabbard in there to bring down the next contender.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Who wants to give illegal entrants free tax payer funded heath care?

*the entire democratic field!*

doctrev said...

I don't even care about the election, much less the debates. Oh, maybe Trump will win or not, but stressing about the long odds is like stressing about an election in Iran. The Ruling Party is going to go all out, but then that was their plan in 2016, too. Look how well that worked out. Emotionally I still want the President to win and will do everything in my power to make that happen, but I'm not going to be filled with negative emotions about whatever cheating happens for the Dems. Either Trump wins and everything is great, or Trump loses and the game really starts.

Whichever dwarf rises to face Trump doesn't matter to me. If anything I hope they run Michelle Obama and she gets absolutely HUMILIATED by a man who's earned more than she can ever dream of. But if I don't care about the result, why on Earth would I care which puppet the Dems try to win with?

whitney said...

Reporters don't have anything else to do but makeup predictions about the future. That's their whole world. But they probably talk about living in the present while they're in yoga class

iowan2 said...

Flying over Huston for the Debate, will be an anti socialism banner.

Sponsored by the RNC (President, Donald J. Trump)

traditionalguy said...

Ching Chang China Joe first needs to admit that he is totally paid for ChiCom stooge. That will put all of the rest of his answers into context.

chickelit said...

Big showdown? This debate is more like Jimmy Stewart preparing for the "big showdown." It's about getting riled enough to take on Liberty Valance.

Birches said...

Wh, even Thursday night football is better than this.

Wince said...

Debate video clips will cement the socialist branding of Trump’s airplane banner.

In fact, a commercial with a miniature banner plane flying in and around the Democrats as they debate their leftist bona fides would be hilariously effective.

Bay Area Guy said...

This is a group of losers, who are too delusional to recognize their loser status.

Leland said...

The socialist activist are already doing silly stuff in Houston like repelling off bridges during rush hour traffic. Making them late to work is a surefire way to get blue collar workers to support Democrats.

tim in vermont said...

Amusingly, that's a softball for feminist analysis — especially "embracing"... but also ascribing practical know-how to the man and puffy exuberance to the woman. "Ambition" is only presented as positive because it goes with a woman. And if it were a man with ambition, the ambition would come from inside him. It wouldn't be visualized as something exterior that he would "embrace." I suspect the writers unconsciously think that ambition is male and that a woman may only embrace it.

Funny how much “feminist analysis” sounds like the reading of Tarot cards, A.K.A. “feminine analysis.”

I missed a trick because there are something like 22 cards in the major arcana of a Tarot deck, but it’s too late to make that joke about the Democrats running.

tim in vermont said...

LOL, I googled to double check the 22 cards thing and the first link called them “trump” cards.

tim in vermont said...

I don’t disagree with your point about “embrace” either. But I do think that that is what she is doing. I think it’s the right word. Maybe that’s because I am irredeemably sexist.

FrankiM said...

Althouse’s son may live blog it. He’s a smart young man.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Big showdown, eh? Well we can always hope for a hair-pulling, eye-gouging, (and since Biden will be onstage) ass-grabbing brawl.

Otherwise, color me uninterested.

Tom T. said...

They gamed the system to keep Gabbard out. They only recognized polls where she was too low, and excluded the ones that would have qualified her.

PM said...

Joe's 10K chiclets ftw.

Limited blogger said...

These dems make me laugh. Of course I'll be watching it.

Bay Area Guy said...

"They gamed the system to keep Gabbard out."

Yup. Tulsi took out a Top Tier candidate, Kammy. Unpardonable sin.

God, I hope she runs 3rd Party.

Shouting Thomas said...

You’ve outdone yourself with shameless, goofy feminist bitching here, Althouse.

Warren gamed the quota system by pretending to be an Injun.

And, you’re claiming she’s being treated unfairly. She should have been bounced out of Harvard on her ass for fraud.

How can you fail to insist that her lying and cheating disqualifies her? Are you operating on your everybody’s an asshole, so women are entitled to be total assholes logic here?

She’s a very dangerous demagogue. She’s really a Chavista. She advocates confiscating and outlawing the fossil fuel industry to pay for her lunatic commie green Utopia. She wants to do precisely what the commies did in Venezuela. I think she means it, too.

You are a very admirable woman and great legal mind until you wade into this shit. Then, you plunge into an hysterical abyss.

traditionalguy said...

Will a desperate DEM bring up Warren'ancestors who were indian fighters serving in the Tennessee Militia under Jackson in his Wars against the Seminoles? But that might help her in Scots-Irish areas.

Shouting Thomas said...

So, in fact, Warren benefitted fraudulently from claiming to be an Injun, in addition to claiming the usual perks for being a woman.

Any limit you’d consider on this kind of greedy, wildly self-interested fraudulent behavior by women?

The reality is that women have had their asses kissed and promoted to the front of the line for 70 years.

Women have too much, not too little.

And you’re still bitching. The stereotype is right on the money. No matter what women have, you included, they will find a way to bitch for more.

Michael K said...

No, he also has to dissuade massive voter fraud, somehow.

Yes and that is very important in CA and AZ, where trial runs worked well in 2018. I don't see how you stop it in CA. WA and OR have also 100% mail ballots which are easy to "harvest." Maybe poll watchers trained to deal with it.

Chris of Rights said...

It is interesting that they talk about ambition with Warren and it's complimentary. That word is not always used as a compliment for a man.

"But Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man."

Rosalyn C. said...

For all the hysterics by our media/Democrat/political establishment about Trump's complete incompetence, implying anybody could do a better job, there is something odd in the fact that Democrats still don't have an obviously dynamic and viable candidate (i.e., not "an Old Folks' Home lothario.") Instead, the Dem's focus is a never ending attempt to impeach Trump rather than win an election. That's not how we choose presidents.

I'm beginning to think people secretly accept that Trump is a good president and will get a second term and everything will be fine.

Warren is generating some excitement at her rallies but as soon as she starts speaking all the excitement evaporates. I'm very curious to see how she performs tonight.

Otherwise as far as the Democratic Party is concerned I think they could get desperate and pick somebody everyone knows and trusts, who can look the part. Draft someone from the media, Hollywood, etc. I suggest the Dems nominate Tom Hanks or Denzel Washington. Otherwise, yawn...

Sebastian said...

"a woman may only embrace it"

Yes, life is so unfair to women, and they are so mistreated by even progressive writers, and why don't they take us serious?

Anyway, what will really happen, of course, as with Hill, is that Lizzie and the other women will get a pass on things men are routinely called on, that they get to bitch about misogyny cuz why else would anyone dislike them, and that they'll have the nice reasonable Althouses in their corner to look out for sexist depredations by unwoke commentators. Women are special, after all, so the double standard is the only correct general standard.

Rory said...

"there is something odd in the fact that Democrats still don't have an obviously dynamic and viable candidate"

If they vote for your obviously dynamic and viable candidate, they might just believe in the candidate. If they vote for your hack, you own them.

readering said...

Don't think writer is using ambition in same sense as AA. Means more like, think big when it comes to policies. By definition all the candidates have personal ambition.

Ralph L said...

I don't think they meant her ambition but that Warren wants to push ambitious changes.

LA_Bob said...

"... Look for Mr. Biden to talk about getting progressive plans done, and Ms. Warren to speak about embracing ambition over caution...."

Look for Mr Biden to stuff his foot into his mouth and Ms Warren to do a War Dance.

readering said...

Great minds!

LA_Bob said...

Maybe look for Kammy to start a cat fight with Lizzie. Kammy has the Evil Eye; Lizzie has the Tomahawk.

Who will win?

Chris of Rights said...

|Blogger Ralph L said...
|I don't think they meant her ambition but that Warren wants to push ambitious changes.
|
|9/12/19, 11:34 AM

Then why not say that explicitly? No, they're being deliberately vague.

Ralph L said...

Then why not say that explicitly?

They're 27 and know nothing.

M Jordan said...

Watching the Dem debate is similar to watching a tryout for point guard of the Washington Generals. The Globetrotters are amused at this endeavor.

Yancey Ward said...

It is do or die for Harris, Beta, and Booker. I have already written Beta off, so I expect nothing from him tonight. Booker has some real talent as a politician, and might be able to do something tonight- he was the best performer from the last debates who made it to this one, but he has to start making something happen now, not later.

YoungHegelian said...

Rumor has it that Yang is going to crowd surf.

Browndog said...

I'm interested to see if the Stewards of Reality, the MSM, are able to memory hole Tulsi.

If they were to give her any coverage, let alone favorable coverage, she'd be at the top of the polls.

After this next shitshow there will be screams for Tulsi. The response will be "Who's Tulsi?"

tim in vermont said...

“Hold My Beer” - Warren 2020

tim in vermont said...

I think that the well known ones are kind of near the top of their support, and the lesser known ones are going to take a lot less fire.

Michael K said...

Booker has some real talent as a politician, and might be able to do something tonight

To me, he is an example of regression to the mean. His parents are IBM executives. Maybe he figures playing dumb is better to his audience in Jersey.

robother said...

Warren or Harris should demand that Biden reveal HIS Green Nude Eel.

Clyde said...

And no Marianne to at least add some zest to the night. I'm guessing it's gonna be pretty zest-free.

Bilwick said...

Aka "Reason Takes a Holiday."

readering said...

Andrew Yang may provide some zest.

John henry said...

Mayor pete yesterday suggested national ID cards for illegal aliens. In his city he did this so people could pick up their kids from daycare, prescriptions etc (his words, not mine)

I am vehemently against any kind of national ID card.

I am in favor of states and cities doing this so people without ID can have some.

I was under the impression the states already did this. Perhaps not all states?

Just think, all these millions of people without ID would have id. Then they could be required to show ID when voting.

I wonder if anyone will ask hizzonor da mare about this tonight?

John Henry

stevew said...

Thanks Prof, for doing the work I'm unwilling to do! These debates, and the GOP ones leading up to 2016, are boringly predictable. The only tension and uncertainty is whether Sleepy Joe goes in for the kill on Warren. I predict no, he's too nice and she hasn't risen to the appropriate threat level. Sanders has, IMAHO, topped out and so can be ignored. Joe can safely walk the high road and offer non-threatening platitudes.

Or I could be completely wrong. Predictions in this sort of thing are not a strength of mine.

stevew said...

One more thing: why is it ok to exclude legitimately declared candidates? I think I know the DNC choose some arbitrary threshold, but still seems anti-democratic.

John henry said...

9/12/19, 11:37 AM

 Bob said...

Maybe look for Kammy to start a cat fight with Lizzie. Kammy has the Evil Eye; Lizzie has the Tomahawk. 

Who will win?

Dream big, Bob.

Maybe they can both lose.

Root for injuries!

Metaphorically, of course. I don't support physical violence.

John Henry

Ralph L said...

Then they could be required to show ID when voting.

We (NC) start picture ID in 2020, over 5 years since the original law passed thanks to hacks in black. They issue non-license ID at the DMV. My dad got a notice for what works from the Board of Elections but I didn't. Different rules for over 65. Oddly, military ID works despite its lack of address.

Andrew said...

The other contenders could put an end to Biden tonight by looking at him and saying one of the following:

"Joe, how many grandchildren do you have, and what are their names?"

"Joe, please name the past five presidents in reverse chronological order."

"Joe, name the last five cities in which you have had rallies."

"Joe, as quickly as you can, name the other candidates who are up here with you tonight."

And then, when he inevitably melts down: "It's over, Joe. Thank you for your service. Goodbye."

FullMoon said...

Having seen clips of Biden here and there, I was genuinely surprised at how frail he looked as he walked on to the stage during the CNN climate propaganda show.

I thought he was one of those old guys who never gained weight and stayed in good shape, like one of my grandfathers.. But on Cnn he looked like a formerly in good shape old guy who has lost a lot of weight and is now fragile and weak. Any kind of a fall, and he will break a bone, guaranteed.

Booker is gay and not acknowledging it. Worse, he is lying and pretending to be hetero.

Would like gay commenters opinion on whether that is detrimental in these times.

Biden and Warren may actually believe they have a chance. The rest are in it for recognition, maybe VP slot, and possible future runs at the prize in 8,12,16 or even twenty years from now.

tim in vermont said...

"Warren or Harris should demand that Biden reveal HIS Green Nude Eel.”

Bankwalker Biden would see that as playing to his long suit.

Sebastian said...

It's Warren/Booker. Althouse will agonize, and then, in the end, choose Lizzie, cuz she's "serious," "competent," and "expresses American values"--i.e., favors abortion on demand at any time.

bagoh20 said...

A woman's ambition is often to embrace a man's ambition, and to live off it forever if possible. I might do that too if I was a woman or gay, but not if I was both.

Warren embraced the identity of Native Americans so she could embrace the ambition of affirmative action. Then Trump's ambition crushed it all like a giant orange bolder.

bagoh20 said...

Some women's ambition is to embrace a man's ambition, and to live off it forever if possible. I might do that too if I was a woman or gay, but not if I was both.

Warren embraced the identity of Native Americans so she could embrace the ambition of affirmative action. Then Trump's ambition crushed it all like a giant orange bolder.

PuertoRicoSpaceport.com said...

Is Biden's "eel" (iykwimaityd) green?

Perhaps that is the real SS objection to him swimming in the nude.

John Henry

D 2 said...

Why is it Warren over the others? I recall - even round here these dusty shadowy parts - reading some folk saying Amy K might have staying power when the field was 47 or whatnot. why of the "Senator" group, it is/was Warren who got to be pushed to the top of the rung of consideration pretty early on, to the likely detriment of the others within that clique.

Can't be because of personal charisma (sorry) and I am baffled to think that if you liked her ideas, that you think she is any different from Bernie, whom you would have liked already, cause of being in his camp in 2016. Why change your Bernie horse to a Liz horse? Hmm

I generally try to sit out the politics commentary and its details details, but it is odd to see a Senator from Mass be propped up, when you'd think that votes from places like Minn matter more...

Gk1 said...

I have to ask an obvious question. If you were trying to lose a nationwide presidential election what would you do differently? Offer "free" healthcare to people who jumped the turnstile over prospective immigrants duley following the rules and regs we set up to gain entry?

Promise guaranteed income to able bodied men and women who can sit on their asses all day and benefit just as much as people getting up every day to work like normal adults?

Promise to put blue collar workers out of work by banning and entire energy sector in the very states you need to win in the electoral process?

I'm sorry these guys are tanking a fight worse than Sonny Liston vs. Muhammed Ali

Gk1 said...

I'm with Fullmoon. Slow Joe looks shrunken and fragile. He doesn't have enough in the tank to run for president much less serve. Maybe if we went back 100 years and he could campaign from is front porch like Woodrow Wilson or Howard Taft did but those days are long gone.