August 22, 2020

"Mr. Biden is far better known than Mr. Dukakis was and he has shown a resilience to caricature that Mr. Dukakis did not have."

"Mr. Trump is viewed unfavorably by a big swath of voters. His lack of credibility with many Americans has undercut his ability to deliver an attack. The nation is more pessimistic than it was when Mr. Dukakis faced Mr. Bush, who as Ronald Reagan’s vice president was effectively running as an incumbent.... 'This is going to be tricky for them: Biden is a pretty well-known quantity,' said Susan Estrich, who was Mr. Dukakis’ campaign manager. 'The way you usually burst balloons is paint the other guy as a risk.' Mr. Dukakis, proud and disdainful of politics, refused to believe these kind of attacks would hurt them, and did not heed the advice of his staff that he fight back. He allowed Mr. Bush to define him before Labor Day.... His opponents even raised questions about Mr. Dukakis’s mental fitness, decades before Mr. Biden faced the same. Conservative groups were circulating rumors, with no substantiation, that Mr. Dukakis was hiding the fact that he had been treated for depression. As the summer came to an end, Mr. Reagan was asked if Mr. Dukakis should release his medical records. 'Look, I’m not going to pick on an invalid,' he said. Mr. Reagan later said this was a failed joke, but by design or not, it succeeded in thrusting the rumor to the center of public attention. Mr. Dukakis called a news conference to say he had never struggled with mental illness."

From "A Glimmer of Hope for Trump? How Bush Mounted a Comeback in 1988/For Biden, a cautionary tale. For Trump, a search for his own Willie Horton" (NYT).

103 comments:

Sean Gleeson said...

Bush was "effectively" running as an incumbent, in 1988? I thought he was literally running as an incumbent, for his second term.

Sean Gleeson said...

Oh no, wait, that was in 1992. Sorry, need coffee.

tim maguire said...

A glimmer of hope? Anyone who credits Biden as likely to win before the first debate is kidding himself. Experience and the most historically accurate indicators we have all favor Trump. If Biden does well in the first debate, then maybe, but for now I wish I were in a country where you could bet on politics because the 56-43 Biden lead is like free money.

ConradBibby said...

Biden's one and only strength in this race is that he's not Trump. Most of his support derives from that simple fact. Otherwise, he holds no intrinsic appeal. He's a mediocre politician at best with no record of accomplishments and, at 77, he's well past his sell-by date. And while all of the "energy" among Dems is coming from the far-left side of things, Biden doesn't even have that background to offer. This election may not be a Reagan vs. Mondale-scale mismatch, but I don't see how Biden can win if it takes this much gaslighting to try to portray him as a viable candidate.

Sebastian said...

"Mr. Biden is far better known."

OK, so ask Americans about his top three accomplishments during his 40+ yeas in DC.

Or a little quiz:

1. Biden finished in ___ place in law school.
2. True/False: Biden supported gay marriage before Trump
3. Biden _____ the Iraq War.
4. Hunter Biden received ____ from Burisma and. ____ from China.

Lucid-Ideas said...

"Resistance to caricature"

This is what happens when you fail to clean your crack pipe. There's more memes floating around about Biden then are versions of 'distracted boyfriend'.

Dave Begley said...

Biden is a senile old man who sniffs little girls’ hair.

See Power Line’s This Week in Pictures for effective takedowns of Biden.

RichardJohnson said...

"Mr. Biden .... has shown a resilience to caricature that Mr. Dukakis did not have."
That claim doesn't exactly increase the NYT's credibility.

madAsHell said...

Michael Dukakis. What a delightfully forgettable fellow.

Slow Joe is a much better sniffer-of-hair.

Thankfully, the women-think is hidden behind a pay wall.

rehajm said...

viewed unfavorably by a big swath of voters.

'big swath'- WolframAlpha is having trouble with that conversion...

RMc said...

Biden is a pretty well-known quantity

This...is NOT a good thing.

rehajm said...

Last I heard the Dukakis tank helmet sits enshrined under plexiglass on a pedestal. Biden can't take off his tank helmet.

gspencer said...

"Mr. Dukakis called a news conference to say he had never struggled with mental illness."

If you vote Democrat that's a fact already in evidence.

Sydney said...

A”resilience to caricature” = they’ve been making fun him his whole life. Even his “friends”

rehajm said...

'This is going to be tricky for them: Biden is a pretty well-known quantity,' said Susan Estrich, who was Mr. Dukakis’ campaign manager. '

Did everyone else guffaw out loud at the idea of going to the Dukakis campaign manager as an authority on anything?

mikee said...

Dukakis v GWB is not the correct comparison for Biden's campaign this year.
Think instead of McGovern v Nison.

Nixon was publicly loathed, and McGovern was a powerful long time Senator well known to the public. McGovern wasn't personally derided by Nixon; McGovern's idiotic leftist policies were attacked instead, to great effect, in a time of civil unrest by leftist idiots. Same, same today. McGovern didn't do so well in the election. I predict the same for Biden.

Yes, the electorate is different today, but the electorate isn't suicidal enough to vote for Biden's self-destructive leftist policies, at least not yet.

Kevin said...

Shorter NYT: Biden could lose bigly.

Kevin said...

Biden is running on gun control, climate, racial justice, and open borders.

Trump is running on blue city riots, energy independence, jobs, and America first.

The Dems have abandoned working class Americans.

That’s the dog the NYT is muzzling.

Jamie said...

Hmm. Dukakis/Biden comparisons, eh? Assurances that Biden isn't like Dukakis, more particularly?

What are those internal polls saying?

Birches said...

I don't know anyone who is actually inspired by Biden except the press. These guys are pushing him so hard it's a little uncomfortable.

I think their fawning is for two reasons. Number one: they're leftists and want their side to win. Number two is far more interesting: they still want to believe they can control the American people through their narratives and reporting.

exhelodrvr1 said...

A "glimmer of hope"?

The Tangerine Tornado said...

They keep writing as if Biden is in the lead and Trump needs to catch him.

Clyde said...

Trump doesn’t need a Willie Horton. He has hundreds of violent rioters who are legitimate poster children for what is wrong in Blue America.

Big Mike said...

Trump has not yet begun to attack Joe Biden. Stupid, disgusting little creatures like Inga and Freder and Howard the mis-educated fool may have forgotten Burisma. Trump is going to remind them, and everyone else. Trump is going to make the case that the sham impeachment was a total coverup for corruption that is party-wide and very deep. And it will be easy because it’s true.

Birches said...

I mean my second point is the real reason why that whole post office hysteria happened. The press wants to reassure themselves they can still whip up the populace.

Birches said...

I mean my second point is the real reason why that whole post office hysteria happened. The press wants to reassure themselves they can still whip up the populace.

D.D. Driver said...

Mr. Gleeson: that is an easily Wikipedia'd fact. Or maybe I'm missing a joke.

Big Mike said...

BTW, it turns out that former ambassador Marie Yovanovitch lied under oath during the impeachment trial. Can we start sending people like her to jail?

Johnathan Birks said...

Dukakis could think and speak in complete sentences. No one ever credibly accused him of rape. A paragon of virtue compared to Biden.

Mattman26 said...

"Mr. Trump is viewed unfavorably by a big swath of voters. His lack of credibility with many Americans has undercut his ability to deliver an attack.”

Substitute “the New York Times” for “Mr. Trump” and “Its” for “his.”

There, I fixed it.

D.D. Driver said...

Everything about this year is black swan-ny. I think trying to make a prediction is almost comical. If you would have told me six months ago that I would actually contemplate voting for Biden, I would have said you are nuts. But, I did when Trump was threatening to use the military on U.S. citizens.

But then, if you would have told me any time before yesterday that I would contemplate voting for Trump, I would have said you are nuts. But here we are, with Biden threatening to turn America into a Medical Police State at the precise moment that we are grappling with over policing.

I'd really prefer not to vote for either of these authoritarian shitheads. But, one of them may say or do something so fucking crazy, so terrifying, so over-the-top that I have no choice but to vote for the other authoritarian shithead.

I'm not making any predictions whatsoever.

Bay Area Guy said...

Journalistically speaking, it appears that Slow Joe has grabbed the Grey Lady by her "you-know-what".

Iconochasm said...

Tim, you certainly can bet on politics. The term to search for is "prediction market".

MD Greene said...

Trump doesn't have a Willie Horton, darn it, so the New York Times helpfully puts both names together in the same sentence to suggest the idea anyway.

Lord Clanfiddle said...

It's anecdotal, I admit, but we've just returned from dropping a son off for a new year of college in Ann Arbor. We were there for a couple of days and did a fair amount of driving around town. During that period I saw exactly two Biden yard signs. That seems to me clear evidence of a big enthusiasm gap among the lefties.

Leland said...

I think Dukakis' loss included picking a bad campaign manager.

Michael K said...

Dukakis was running on "The Massachusetts Miracle." What has Biden ever done ? Gates, in his book, described Biden as "wrong on every foreign policy issue that has come up." Biden is a typical Washington long time incumbent. On the take for years building a fortune from graft. His family is just as corrupt. Multiple plagiarism scandals. Multiple lies about his history that have been exposed years ago.

Now, he is in a state of rapid mental decline. He gave a weird recorded speech and I look forward to see what his handlers do about debates. There is no way he can appear on a stage with Trump looking competent. Democrats are hoping to vote for the faceless bureaucrats they think will run an administration. Harris is a cypher. She is unlikeable and shrill.

Democrats hope for an administration of Vindmans.

Michael K said...

I did when Trump was threatening to use the military on U.S. citizens.

A not very observant LIV. Which "US Citizens" were you referring to ? Those burning down the churches or those burning down the cities ?

Unknown said...

Bringing up Dukakis might remind folks that Biden ran and lost to Dukakis 32 years ago when he should have been in the prime of his career. A good chunk of the he electorate hadn't been born at this time.

Susan said...

'big swath'- WolframAlpha is having trouble with that conversion...
-------


It's a small swath the size of a big swath.

My spell check wanted to change swath to death, and that seems pretty meta to me.

Andrew said...

Concerning lawn signs: I live in central Ohio. Over the past few months, Biden lawn signs have been virtually non-existent, even in the wealthier and more liberal sections of town. I have seen many "Black Lives Matter" signs all over the area. And Trump signs are frequent, which surprises me (because these days that takes courage).

On a different topic, I'm wondering how many people would recognize the name "Joseph Fournier."

He was the teenager that Willie Horton knifed 19 times, and then left in a trash can to bleed to death. Say his name, Democrats.

Lincolntf said...

Random anecdote: When I was a kid at Cape Cod for the summer, Kitty Dukakis would get black-out drunk on the beach next to ours. Almost a daily occurrence. I grew to feel bad for her when I realized what a problem she had. Nobody ever said anything, but everybody knew. Her father was a famous composer/conductor(?), and he had a nice condo a few doors down from our relatively humble cottage. Only saw Mike there once, I said "Hi" and he waved me off. Total dick move.

Iman said...

Blogger rehajm said...
Last I heard the Dukakis tank helmet sits enshrined under plexiglass on a pedestal. Biden can't take off his tank helmet.


Gratuitous Rocky & Bullwinkle tag please...

Tommy Duncan said...

When I watched Biden's speech at the DNC convention I expected the MST3K guys to show up in a Zoom window.

AllenS said...

D.D. Driver said...
when Trump was threatening to use the military on U.S. citizens.

Not only the dumbest comment that I've read today, but the most idiot comment that I have ever heard of in my lifetime.

narciso said...




nowadays they would bring in horton as a guest speaker:

https://dailycaller.com/2020/08/21/democratic-national-convention-donna-hylton-convicted-murderer-kidnapping-thomas-vigliarolo/

Michael K said...

Kitty Dukakis would get black-out drunk on the beach next to ours. Almost a daily occurrence. I grew to feel bad for her when I realized what a problem she had.

This fits with my recollection that is was his wife who had the mental problems.

clint said...

Looking for a Willie Horton?

Did they not even listen to Biden's speech? Covid-19 is the Willie Horton of 2020.

D.D. Driver said...

"A not very observant LIV. Which "US Citizens" were you referring to ? Those burning down the churches or those burning down the cities ?"

Does it matter? There was a time not long ago when conservatives believed that not every problem---even "really bad problems"---need a federal solution. Local law enforcement is one of those problems. It's a big deal to me, and ask yourself how you will feel if Biden rolls his federal law enforcement into your town. You know: "to keep you safe."

Thuglawlibrarian said...

Wow, hard to believe I am reading something so negative toward Trump in a NYT Opinion piece.

rcocean said...

Standard Media Reactions:

Republicans spreading rumors about the D's - HOW DARE THEY! Where's the proof?

Democrats spreading rumors about the R's - Always credible. R's must prove it wrong.

All I can remember with the Duke, is how the Press went on and on about how great Kitty was. Then found out AFTER election, she'd tried to drink Drano and commit suicide.

Fernandinande said...

From the "worst attraction in every state" twitterings, we scroll down to discover that Biden failed to cure stuttering because "Joe Biden cared", so "imagine what he could do for all of us".

exhelodrvr1 said...

bay Area Guy,
"it appears that Slow Joe has grabbed the Grey Lady by her "you-know-what"."

Not a big deal, though. He eased into it by first sniffing her hair.

rcocean said...

The Duke killed himself with his defense of will horton (Every program has a few errors) and his extreme social liberalism ("I'm a proud member of the ACLU" "If Kitty was raped and murdered, I'll want to the killer to live")

Its funny, but if the Duke had run in 1992 instead of 1988 he probably would've been elected. No more cold war, and Bush I was disliked by everyone.

rcocean said...

Why isn't Biden out making speeches like Trump? Why isn't he showing up on TV -especially Fox - and answering some tough questions? How can we elect someone who hides in their basement with a mask on? Crazy.

rcocean said...

The Democrats really love candidates from Minnesota and Massachusetts. Since 1960 we've had:

Mondale and Humphrey from Minnesota
JFK, Duakais, Kerry from Massachusetts

JFK squeaked in. The other 4 lost. Its hard to place Hilary. Where is she really "From"? She hated Arkansas, has she ever been back there since 1992? Same with Illinois. Left for college and never looked back. I suppose she's a New Yorker now. That's where she seems to feel most at home.



Michael said...

A glimmer of hope? Don't stare at that glimmer in November, NY Times. You could go even more blind.

Rocketeer said...

Good grief, the NYT is absolutely stuck in the past and there is no way out for them. I almost feel sorry for them, and their sensitive, coddled readers. Only almost though.

They have no idea what's coming.

Amadeus 48 said...

We are watching different movies in this country. In my movie, Biden is a gibbering, brainless backslapper who got elected from a state that has had a 30 year dry spell of talented public servants and whose longevity has blurred his fundamental repulsiveness. Trump is a resilient show biz huckster who has accomplished a substantial part of his agenda against furious and unrelenting resistance from the court eunuchs in both political parties.

Tune in for the next installment, in which Joe claims to have raised the dead, and Trump issues an executive order nationalizing both the Oregon national guard and the Portland Police Department.

Big Mike said...

There is something this year that is akin to Willie Horton and the furlough program that Governor Dukakis set up, that is the release of violent criminals from jail due to concerns that the poor fellows might catch coronavirus. A few weeks ago that included a convicted rapist, who promptly murdered the woman who testified against him. He killed himself when police tried to arrest him, saving the state of Virginia the cost of another trial, but it would have been better for his victim if he’d stayed in prison.

Wince said...

For Trump, a search for his own Willie Horton (NYT).

This is the "Republican searches" variation on the "Republicans pounce" or "Republicans seize" spin story.

Al Gore and Mike Dukakis himself, through his policies, both Democrats, gave Bush and the country Willie Horton.

Why "search" when the Democrats have the penchant of dropping one in your lap every time.

Birkel said...

Willie Horton was first brought to light by Democrats in the primaries.
And he was released by Dukakis in a stupid move.
Stupid on the merits.
Stupid on the politics.

Meanwhile, the riots are real.

Known Unknown said...

"But, I did when Trump was threatening to use the military on U.S. citizens."

Another person who fails to understand Trump. That was never truly on the table. It's the Art of the Deal and you keep falling for it.

Derek Kite said...

Take notes, we are witnessing something that will cause historians to scratch their heads in bewilderment.

A rather strange outsider beats a sloppy and overconfident machine politician. The Washington consensus blows a gasket, and are dismayed that he doesn't resign over one of the dozens of sloppily concocted scandals.

The Democrat primaries are best summed up by the introductions during the first debate; everyone had to share their preferred pronouns.

The end result is best described as nominating a horse; someone so beyond their prime and necessitating strong back room management, providing a healthy and well funded forum for the vicious war within the Democrat party to continue hopefully into the next administration.

The media seeking relevance and yearning for something suitable on their gravestones are jumping at the chance of it being 'Carried a senile old man into the presidency'. So far the marker of success is that Biden could carry a speech past the length of time they could hold their breath.

It is going to get worse. Embarrassingly worse. Clinton fainting then kissing a child to show her health level, times 10. I place a 25% chance that Biden will show up somewhere without his pants, and a 75% chance of punching someone out.

There were a few journalists who quit a week ago in disgust, oddly didn't make the news. We will see more, and some prominent ones.

DEEBEE said...

Wuhan flu vaccine might be months away, but NYT seems to have begun public trials for ‘anti-Joe&Hoe” vaccine.

Skeptical Voter said...

Unlike Life Long Republicn Chuck--I'm a life long registered Democrat although I don't vote straight ticket for either party.

In 1972 I was young and still somewhat under the influence of my father who had taught me that Richard Nixon was the Devil incarnate. That said I loathed McGovern--but could I vote for Nixon? I wrestled with the choice in the voting booth--but I was in California and figured Nioxon would probably carry the state. And so I voted for McGovern knowing he'd lose California. But if there had been any chance that McGovern might eke out a victory, I would have cast my vote for Nixon.

Similar predicaments will be faced in voting booths this November.

Birkel said...

I make a prediction:

D.D. Driver will vote for Biden with nary a thought.
Be better Moby.

narciso said...

indeed,


https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/curtis-houck/2020/08/21/russia-obsessed-nets-ignore-former-green-beret-charged-spying

Tomcc said...

ConradBibby: Biden's one and only strength in this race is that he's not Trump.
He's also not HRC, so I count that as two.
I'm of the opinion that the "mostly peaceful" rioters and looters in major cities will benefit Mr. Trump with the non-crazy voters and will carry him to another narrow victory.

Jupiter said...

"Random anecdote: When I was a kid at Cape Cod for the summer, Kitty Dukakis would get black-out drunk on the beach next to ours. Almost a daily occurrence."

Yeah, well, her husband publicly stated that he would be OK with having her raped and murdered. Can't have been a very happy marriage.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

"...[R]esilience to caricature that Mr. Dukakis did not have."

AFNIE. Asserts facts not in evidence. Tactic is so common in liberal favoring pronouncements it now red flags itself.

Exist a plenitude of Biden aspects for caricature and/or ridicule - plagierism, verbal gaffes, groping, hair sniffing - albeit distinct from Dukakis' score spots.

One shared name memes: "Slow Joe," "Hidin' Joe Biden," and the subliminal "Du-caca."

==============
Then there is that other Progressive tactic, now so ubiquitous as to be difficult not to notice - attributing to the other side a criminal or amoral act or intent which is far more prominent in their own behavior. Should be a word for that, but "ässholery" is the only one comes to mind

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...


Insider Info Leaks From Obama Camp: “Obama Can’t Stand Biden.
He Thinks He’s a Joke… Obama’s Crew Thinks Biden Is a Damn Fool”

https://illicitinfo.com/2020/2020/08/22/insider-info-leaks-from-obama-camp-obama-cant-stand-biden-he-thinks-hes-a-joke-obamas-crew-thinks-biden-is-a-damn-fool-says-bongino/

Joe Smith said...

"Biden is a pretty well-known quantity..."

Biden is pretty well-known as a buffoon...an olde-tyme, back-slapping caricature of a machine politician.

Even his best buddy Barack thought so...

Trying to get young folks excited about Joe is like trying to get them excited about Al Jolson.

JAORE said...

Biden IS well known.... as a nonentity.

As a will-o-the-wisp.

As a flip flopper.

As a serial plagiarist.

As a story teller of biographical fiction.

As....

But,apparently a candidate doesn't have to have any really positive traits, just so long as his negatives can be glossed over by a compliant press.

JAORE said...

"Michael Dukakis. What a delightfully forgettable fellow.

Slow Joe is a much better sniffer-of-hair."

Biden has a height advantage.

Static Ping said...

When the New York Times, the propaganda arm of the Democratic Party, prints stories about how Trump could win, that indicates they are very, very nervous that they are going to lose.

It has become quite obvious that the summer polls are essentially just there for propaganda purposes and have no relation to reality. That has been noted for future reference.

Yancey Ward said...

Idiot. Bush was never behind Dukakis, and everyone knew it. The media try every single election to convince you that the Republican can't win in the Spring/Summer of election year, and like clockwork, the polls "tighten" up as the election nears and the Republican makes a "comeback".

Basically, the media work as a team with the Democrats to suppress Republican turnout by claiming the Democrats are ahead by 10+ points, even though only two elections in my lifetime have been decided by a margin that big, and both were won by Republicans.

I don't know who to credit for it, but a commenter here regularly points out that any poll showing the margin greater than 5% is to be tossed out as biased. If Trump loses, he won't lose by more than 3-4%, and if Biden can't actually campaign like a normal candidate, then Trump will win easily.

tcrosse said...

Back in 1988 SNL did a Bush-Dukakis debate, with Dana Carvey and John Lovitz. At one point, after Carvey/Bush says something particularly fatuous, Lovitz/Dukakis looks to the camera and says, "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy".Here it is.

MacMacConnell said...

Dukakis and Biden have lots in common, both were 52 years old when they got the Democrat nomination for President and both had three stokes that nearly kill them.

hstad said...

This man lives in a 'bubble'. If he had been watching the DNC convention he would've noticed that 4 days of speaker after speaker dividing our country and its people. Culminating in a little know activist stating - speaker who supports abolishing the police, prisons and “real abolition, not watered down DNC abolition”. Joe Biden gives a speech about uniting the USA after every speaker in his convention did the opposite. Did Joe actually know what was being said using his name? I doubt it!

Michael K said...


Blogger D.D. Driver said...
"A not very observant LIV. Which "US Citizens" were you referring to ? Those burning down the churches or those burning down the cities ?"

Does it matter? There was a time not long ago when conservatives believed that not every problem---even "really bad problems"---need a federal solution.


I seem to remember that not one issue concerning federal troops (or whatever other straw man you put up) was about state and local matters. Trump offered, if the local D officials requested help, but the other issues all concerned federal property, like federal courthouses or the White House.

Your straw man is too close to the arsonists you seem to support.

Big Mike said...

Its funny, but if the Duke had run in 1992 instead of 1988 he probably would've been elected.

No. Because the case for pushing Dukakis was the “Massachusetts Miracle” and by 1989 the so-called “Miracle” had collapsed and the state was in economic free fall. The Boston Herald and various conservative economists tried to tell the rest of the country that the alleged economic success was built on smoke and mirrors, and dubious accounting, and the collapse of the state’s economy was coming fast. But few were listening.

Jupiter said...

It's a big deal to me, and ask yourself how you will feel if Biden rolls his federal law enforcement into your town. You know: "to keep you safe."

I agree that ideally, federal law enforcement should not be used to enforce public order, except perhaps in DC. It was a mistake to send DHS agents with no crowd-control training to deal with Portland's professional mob, one that Trump quickly and wisely corrected.

But when Trump sent federal agents to Portland, it was to protect federal property that Portland's mayor refused to protect, against rioters and arsonists. If Biden wins this election, they will be coming to take our guns away. There will be blood. Lots of it.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

After Hillary lost, the media decided to blame the Russians... and make sure a democrat never loses again. That's why the media is an open arm to the democrat party. They don't even hide it now.

MeatPopscicle1234 said...

Blogger D.D. Driver said...

Does it matter? There was a time not long ago when conservatives believed that not every problem---even "really bad problems"---need a federal solution. Local law enforcement is one of those problems. It's a big deal to me, and ask yourself how you will feel if Biden rolls his federal law enforcement into your town. You know: "to keep you safe."

8/22/20, 9:22 AM

----------------

The difference is that these domestic terrorists were attacking federal property and endangering the lives of federal employees. The President has total authority under 40 U.S. Code § 1315 to tell the Secretary of the DHS to deputize federal agents and use them to enforce the law with respect to federal property.

This is a lot different than rolling tanks down central avenue and using live ammunition against rioters.

rehajm said...

He Thinks He’s a Joke

Is the anyone living or dead he would elevate above himself?

Drago said...

Yancey Ward: "Idiot. Bush was never behind Dukakis, and everyone knew it. The media try every single election to convince you that the Republican can't win in the Spring/Summer of election year, and like clockwork, the polls "tighten" up as the election nears and the Republican makes a "comeback"."

Correct. The hoax polls had Dukakis up over Bush by 10 in TEXAS in August of 1988!!

There is no doubt that the marxist socialists, like LLR-lefty Chuck's, will lie about everything.

The good news?

As with LLR-lefty Chuck's exposure as a lefty at Althouseblog, the media will never recover from their exposure as rank lefty partisans who were never anything else.

bagoh20 said...

Can you think of anything Trump could do that would GARNER praise from the media? I bet even if he endorsed Biden he'd get attacked for it, probably for waiting too long.

He likely saved hundreds of thousands of lives just with his China travel ban alone, which of course he was heavily criticized for by his opponent among others. They were saying come on down and party like it's 2019. How many infections and deaths did that cause. It had to lead to many of the key early insertions of the virus.

That could make a great ad if they are smart enough to use it. There is so much material for powerful ads, but I know it won't be done well, or at all.

effinayright said...

D.D. Driver said...
Everything about this year is black swan-ny. I think trying to make a prediction is almost comical. If you would have told me six months ago that I would actually contemplate voting for Biden, I would have said you are nuts. But, I did when Trump was threatening to use the military on U.S. citizens.
**************

You have a piss-poor understanding of the Constitution and American history if you believe the POTUS does not have the authority to counter insurrection in a state, or to use federal force to enforce federal law or protect federal property.

Does the name Orville Faubus strike a familiar note? Or how about Abe Lincoln?

Yancey Ward said...

tcrosse,

Wrong link, but interesting to find you watched a bit of "Candide".

MacMacConnell said...

Was it Susan Estrich's brilliant idea to copy Margret Thatcher's famous ride in a tank? Compare Thatcher's photo op with Dukakis'. Dukakis looks like a political douche. Thatcher is hauling ass across a West German field, the Union Jack and Thatcher's scarf flapping in the wind a la "Lawrence of Arabia".

bagoh20 said...

Far fewer Americans considered Dukakis to be mentally diminished compared to how many can simply see it with Biden. Nobody really needs to suggest it or make the case. Trump haters are very similar to Reagan haters they are unmovable, illogical, emotional, and just wrong on the facts, just like with Reagan

MacMacConnell said...

Dukakis did well in Texas, he only lost by 10 points! ;-O

Michael S. Kochin said...

Dukakis is more Presidential at 86 than Biden was at 46
https://www.telegram.com/news/20190926/former-governor-dukakis-talks-political-involvement-campaign-strategy-at-clark

James K said...

“ Bush was ‘effectively’ running as an incumbent,”

No, it’s usually a big disadvantage to run from the same party as an outgoing 2-term President. I believe Bush was the only winner with that handicap in at least the last 100 years. Lots of losers (Nixon 1960, Gore 2000, McCain 2008, Hillary 2016, at least).

And it’s not so easy to unseat a real incumbent after one term. Just Bush 41 and Carter in the last 100 years, I believe.

Big Mike said...

@DD Driver, legally Trump’s oath of office requires him to protect federal property and the lives of federal officials. The precedent is Lincoln resupplying Ft. Sumter in 1861.

StephenFearby said...


Prescient comment:

Jamie Naismith
Los Angeles
15m ago
"Blue govs and mayors, progressives and black leaders who want to see Trump lose had better get seen as being against looting and rioting, and ideally get that all to stop. The looting and riots in Chicago, Portland, and elsewhere are the Willie Horton of this election."

The problem is that many in the Left now deem looting and rioting as politically correct.

AllenS said...

D.D. Driver said...
It's a big deal to me, and ask yourself how you will feel if Biden rolls his federal law enforcement into your town.

Since the closest town to me is Star Prairie WI, and since it only contains 561 residents, why on earth would Dumb Joe Biden send federal law enforcement here? There is no rioting.

Check out the Democrat run cities where there actually is rioting. I'd bet that most of the residents would like to see the Feds show up and start shooting.

phantommut said...

A glimmer of hope? Don't stare at that glimmer in November, NY Times. You could go even more blind.

The NYT Editorial Staff is probably worried that they'll get canceled by both their readership and their junior staffers if they even suggest Trump has a good chance of winning. The Left has gotten that insular and angry.

Gk1 said...

I can still remember Nate Silver almost getting excommunicated from the NY Times for merely suggesting Trump had a 32% of winning the 2016 election a week out. There were furious write in campaigns by activists to get rid of that shill Silver.

The same thing would happen at this point if the NY times showed the real polling for Joe in the red and purple states he needs to win. It's like the crystal ball lady at the fair telling the middle aged divorcee she will meet someone talk dark and handsome. Where is the money in telling her she will die a lonely old crone? Joe's green energy, gun grabbing,BLM & Antifa coddling, big taxation policy is not going to win Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, Florida or the other liberal wet dreams showing Biden up by 10. That's just nonsense. What will the NY Times do when polls shows Trump running away with it in October?

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Sebastian said...
"Mr. Biden is far better known."
OK, so ask Americans about his top three accomplishments during his 40+ yeas in DC.


Bingo. Joe is known for molesting children, plagiarizing, and saying stupid things to which people respond "Oh, that's just that Joe!"
If Joe is known for anything positive, I don't know what it is

D.D. Driver said...

I make a prediction:

D.D. Driver will vote for Biden with nary a thought.
Be better Moby.


Genuinely-I hope I don't feel compelled to vote for Trump or Biden. There are no small government candidates in this race. I actually believe in small government. 100% of the time. Republicans only care about small government when democrats are in charge.

Sam L. said...

I despise, detest, and distrust the NYT.