Carl Muecke illustration
Joe Biden appears to have a commanding lead in the polls. This gives me little comfort. Hillary Clinton held what appeared to be a similar unstoppable advantage four years ago. And although she won the popular vote by 3 million votes, Donald Trump topped the Electoral College.
As I've written before, about 80,000 votes in three Midwestern states gave us this nightmare. It could happen again. And if it does, I don't think the Democrats will simply fold their tents. Both sides are lawyered up and this election might not be settled immediately, barring a Biden landslide.
Trump may refuse to concede or leave. Who knows the mischief he and the Republicans have planned. The lies, vote suppression, and Kremlin interference of 2016 will be on steroids this time. No wonder the Atlantic's Barton Gellman wrote an article entitled "The Election That Could Break America."
My day job, along with writing an article on Arizona's role in the election for CNN Politics, have me slammed today. So I'll leave it for you. Please discuss in the comments section.
It looks like a blowout.
Posted by: Petro | October 12, 2020 at 03:53 PM
Should he lose the election (fingers crossed) Donald won’t go quietly. He won’t be in a hurry to wear an orange jumpsuit and flip flops.$70K bought him possibly the world’s worst comb over. I’m eager to see what the prison barber can do with his hair.
Posted by: Richard Thurston | October 12, 2020 at 03:58 PM
Freud's Death Wish concept has little or nothing to do with suicide as such, but with compulsively reckless behavior (the kind DJT has always exhibited throughout his life/business career). Since becoming President his state of mind has clearly worsened in this regard--so unfortunately, anything is possible, and his party and his followers appear to be ready to follow him all the way to the end.
Posted by: Lee Poole | October 12, 2020 at 04:28 PM
You Hope Petro
but
http://www.poletical.com/2020-trump-narrow-victory-polls-trafalgar-group.php
Trump's Very Narrow Path To Victory October 10th, 2020 | TC
"Very few pollsters were right in 2016, but the one that stands out is Trafalgar Group. As I mentioned in my previous poll analysis, they were the only polling agency to correctly predict that Trump would win Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. This time around, however, even Trafalgar is showing a significant decline in support for Donald Trump in key battlegrounds. This all makes Donald Trump's path to victory more narrow than it was at this time last year."
Posted by: Cal Lash | October 12, 2020 at 04:29 PM
Jon good to hear from you.
Posted by: Cal Lash | October 12, 2020 at 04:30 PM
Not hoping. Saying it looks like a blowout.
Not saying it's going to be a blowout.
Saying it looks like it.
Just saying.
Posted by: Petro | October 12, 2020 at 04:36 PM
The Vatican says a fifteen year old tech whiz who died a decade ago used his influence in heaven to cure a cancer patient in Brazil. The person being rammed through for the Supreme Court believes in that bullshit. If a person is still a practicing catholic these days, what they are saying is that the molestation of small boys is a small price to pay for entrance into their idea of heaven.
Posted by: Ruben | October 12, 2020 at 05:53 PM
The Chinese influence over this election will be monumentally more interfering than that of Russia. China has far more to lose if Trump returns to office; this fact alone should give Democrats reason for optimism. The hope should be that they also interfere in Senate elections which could also be extremely important.
Posted by: Joe | October 12, 2020 at 08:49 PM
Ruben, i checked with George Carlin.
He said its
Posted by: Cal Lash | October 12, 2020 at 09:03 PM
Likely to go on into 2021.unless virus packs another wallop.
Posted by: Redhead | October 13, 2020 at 04:39 AM
I'm reminded of Jerzy Kozinski's Being There, in which, through the character Chance, he demonstrates how easily we are seduced by the media image of a candidate, that like Chance we "prefer to watch," and that no matter how vapid his/her words, we believe that the image is the candidate. It's getting tougher and tougher to remain upbeat about all of this. I have already voted, and will retreat, now, to the garden.
Posted by: Pete Fredlake | October 13, 2020 at 08:55 AM
Ruben and Cal-just received a religious verse from my dear sister,who I dearly love, but disagree with regarding religion.Any suggestions?
Posted by: Mike Doughty | October 13, 2020 at 10:16 AM
If a person expresses their belief with their chosen god, no harm, no foul.
If a person uses their belief to FORCE their views on others, much harm, big foul. Strike back at them until they stop or go away.
Sounds like you sister is just sharing a thought, no foul.
Posted by: Ruben | October 13, 2020 at 10:44 AM
Your friendly neighbours to the north (nope, no winter in Ajo AZ this year) are with you hoping for the best. And Jon, I'm not sure, but does PA qualify as a "midwestern state"?
Posted by: NormW | October 13, 2020 at 11:10 AM
Hey, Norm, are there any of your Canuck buddies willing to risk it (if they could even get in) to winter down here this year?
Posted by: DoggieCombover | October 13, 2020 at 11:18 AM
Mike
I would write her a note thanking her for sharing mythical poetry.
I have been discriminated and mentally and physically tortured by religion since I was born.
I have been and am still surrounded by Baptist, Catholic, Methodists Mormon, and Presbyterian relatives and of course millions of non-relatives.
I do my best to try and like these folks but find it difficult. Although since sequestering since 10 March 2020 it’s been rather relaxing. Actually I’ve enjoyed the sequestering. It has allowed me to read a lot more and at 80 I have been getting my Swedish Death Cleaning chit done.
I would tell your sister you love her mucho and to keep sending those cards and letters and emails and texts. There is always the delete key and out here in the great Sonoran Desert we have need for paper to start our campfires.
Thank god for Plagues
https://www.livescience.com/58638-science-of-the-10-plagues.html
Posted by: Cal Lash | October 13, 2020 at 11:30 AM
Norm, sorry you cant join us in the
Great Sonoran Desert (what's left of it)
But I suspect you would find it upsetting as the Orange Aliens environmental despoilers are busy destroying pristine desert at the border and Ajo is infected like a plague of locusts with these earthly devastators.
Posted by: Cal Lash | October 13, 2020 at 11:37 AM
As an Independent, I sent in my ballot all with democrat picks. The reason: The republican party at the national and state levels have violated what I see as the most egregious act a person or organization could commit against this country and against the spirit of this country. They tried at every turn to deny folks the right to vote. And in addition, make it difficult for folks to vote. UNFORGIVABLE.
Posted by: AzRebel | October 13, 2020 at 11:51 AM
As a lifelong Democrat, I know that my party can screw up anything. Democrats are always worried, often with good reason.
But my guess is that the polls will prove pretty accurate this year. Biden is a better candidate than Clinton. (Low expectations help.) Trump is running a remarkably poor campaign. The anti-Trump voters are hugely energized because this guy has us worried. I suspect we'll see a solid Biden victory. That assessment is worth every penny you paid for it.
As for shenanigans if Trump loses, that would prove harder than you might think from a legal standpoint.
Ross Douthat of the Times had a column recently about why there will be no Trump coup. I think he was substantially correct.
So be of good cheer, fellow Eeyores.
Posted by: El Kabong | October 13, 2020 at 04:37 PM
Dropped off my mail in ballot at the Pinal County recorders office in AJ.
Place was swarming with early voters.
Didnt see anyone that looked younger than 65.
Posted by: Cal Lash | October 13, 2020 at 06:18 PM
MAGA 2020!
Posted by: Andrew | October 14, 2020 at 01:36 PM
I agree with El Kabong. As horrifying as it is to contemplate 45% of Americans approving of our anti-American, pro-Russian president, the fervor among the sane is palpable. We will prevail.
My fear is that going forward the Democrats will begin to rush toward the briar patch of their own righteousness. This is particularly true among younger Democrats who don't have a particularly sophisticated grasp of politics and what it can accomplish. Most Americans are not left-wing. They are not susceptible to the kind of wishful thinking that Bernie's zealots regularly indulged in. They want, above all, to conserve their advantages, not toss them away in a fit of ideological purity. Democrats either meet them halfway or forfeit the election to the hard right, who will gladly pummel any Democrat who overpromises with new and expensive policies and programs.
Republicans will be rubbing their hands in glee next January, encouraging Democrats to revolt against their centrist leadership, while also stoking resentment among their own white nationalist partisans. Biden has one shot here, which is to appeal to the few sane Trump supporters out there who are not willing to burn down the house of democracy in a fit of rage against modernity. Winning this election, by contrast, is going to look like the easy part. The hard part will tax our resolve in ways nothing else ever has. We either find a way to heal our deep divisions or democracy as we know it is finished.
Posted by: soleri | October 14, 2020 at 02:28 PM
I am with AzRebel. Same reasons for a Demo straight ticket for me.
Posted by: eclecticdog | October 14, 2020 at 10:22 PM
As hard as I find it to believe that a third of the electorate still supports Trump after watching his act for 4 years, it's not what the majority of Americans want. I think he goes down bigly, but I won't believe it until PeePee weighs in with more of his profound predictions, such as "there will be no debates!" and calls for a Trump win.
And then the Democrats can get busy demonstrating their unfitness to govern, just like the Republicans have been doing.
I just want the blessed silence to descend when Trump is gone, just like when Arpaio was sent down the road kicking horse turds, and a sheriff quietly went to work actually doing his job instead of showboating.
Posted by: DoggieCombover | October 15, 2020 at 07:48 AM
DoggieCombover: nope, none of my fellow citizens are admitting to travelling to the US this winter (although a couple are planning to visit expat communities in Mexico, not sure how good an idea that is).
Cal Lash: we've already lost 2 friends in Ajo to the new plague, the big beautiful wall is still a go, and they've opened up Cabeza Prieta Wildlife REFUGE to wildlife genocide (pronghorns excepted).
Friends, please stay safe this winter and always.
Posted by: NormW | October 15, 2020 at 02:36 PM
Good Seattle Times Column by Talton in his Front Page:
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/trump-vs-biden-pandemic-has-flipped-the-economy-as-an-issue/
Posted by: Cal Lash | October 16, 2020 at 10:25 PM
Bookmarking this. Can't wait to return for the salt.
Posted by: ὀστρακισμός aka PepeLeGreek | October 19, 2020 at 04:43 PM
Pepe, did you intend to say - with the salt? Makes more sense that way. See you then.
Posted by: toughterry | October 22, 2020 at 02:42 PM
When I look at the two presidential candidates and the leadership of the house and the senate, I can’t help but think of the wicked, hooded emperor from the original Star Wars movie. As long as all these old, wicked, corrupt characters are at the helm of our country, we will continue our slide into an ugly future.
McConnell, Pelosy, Feinstein - witches and warlock.
Posted by: Ruben | October 23, 2020 at 11:41 AM