DL Open Thread: Friday, September 20, 2024

Filed in Featured, National, Open Thread by on September 20, 2024

‘black NAZI!’ Still Running For Governor In North Carolina.  I’m calling it now–Harris wins NC:

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson of North Carolina, the Republican nominee for governor with a long history of inflammatory and offensive remarks in the battleground state, on Thursday vowed to stay in the race as CNN reported that he had once called himself a “black NAZI!” and defended slavery on a pornographic forum.

In an 82-second video released before the CNN article had published, Mr. Robinson sought to undercut the report, which unearthed old comments that he had reportedly made on “Nude Africa,” a pornographic site with a message board.

Mr. Robinson, a social conservative who has been a strident opponent of transgender rights, also posted about how he enjoyed watching transgender pornography, according to CNN, describing himself as a “perv” who liked “tranny on girl porn.”

CNN said it had chosen to publish only some of Mr. Robinson’s messages, many of which were sexually explicit and graphic in nature. He made the comments between 2008 and 2012, according to the report.

To verify that Mr. Robinson was the poster behind the comments, CNN identified the username “minisoldr” as one Mr. Robinson used frequently online. In addition to matching biographical details, the report said, Mr. Robinson had listed his full name on the Nude Africa site along with an email address that he had used on various websites “for decades.”

Yesterday at midnight was the deadline for Robinson to pull out of the race.  He didn’t.  Q: Where do they find these people?  A: Donald Trump:

For years, Donald Trump has directly and indirectly foisted damaging candidates on the GOP, in ways that have obviously cost his party dearly — up to and probably including control of the Senate.

It’s not just his endorsements of several flawed statewide candidates who went on to badly underperform and lose key races; it’s also the ethos he’s created in the party. He’s placed a premium on owning the libs and devotion to Trump, and he’s devalued political bona fides. He has effectively encouraged his party to overlook a Trump-loyal candidate’s very obvious baggage, by dismissing it as lies from the liberal media or even viewing it as an asset.

This whole thing was also utterly predictable and potentially avoidable, but for Trump. Robinson has been saying highly controversial things for years, but he wound up getting only token opposition in the GOP primary. Trump helped grease the skids by signaling as far back as June 2023 that he would be supporting Robinson.

As much as that actual endorsement, though, it’s about Trump making Republicans believe they can win with candidates such as Robinson, despite all the evidence to the contrary in swing states in recent years. Robinson, a candidate who probably wouldn’t have stood a chance in a GOP primary a decade ago, wound up winning the primary by 46 points.

The irony here is that Trump this year has actually endorsed fewer obviously flawed candidates in key states, allowing some establishment-oriented Republicans to emerge from primaries.

But not everywhere. And now it’s throwing a wrench into his own race.

Sad.

From Texas–May Mean Nothing, But…:

In the race for the Senate, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio is the only Democrat to see his margin against his Republican opponent shrink since the debate, while Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas now trails his Democratic challenger well within the survey’s margin of error.

If you’re so inclined, check out his website and maybe contribute.  I know that campaign hours are precious, but as Daily Kos suggested, a Harris (County) For Harris rally just might help yield that 50th Senate vote.

Hillbilly Sheriff Kills Hillbilly Judge.  I’m all in favor of letting everybody in this neck of the woods have their own weapons.  Call it ‘culling the herd’.

Israel Wreaks Havoc On Lebanon:  Indiscriminate Destruction:

A large proportion of the injuries were facial and resulted in partial or total loss of vision. Dr Elias Warrak, an ophthalmologist at Mount Lebanon University hospital, stated that in 25 years of practice, he had “never removed as many eyes” as he had been obliged to do on Tuesday. Hospitals around the country, but especially in the southern suburbs of Beirut and the south of Lebanon, were overwhelmed as they struggled to keep up with the sheer volume of victims who required urgent attention. Still, by Thursday blood donors were being turned away from hospitals. Enough blood had been taken for the time being.

If the aim of the attack was to spread fear and panic in the streets of Lebanon, then it succeeded. I saw the terror in the eyes of ordinary people who had recognised it in the eyes of others, who feared for their own lives and those of their loved ones. The indiscriminate detonation of explosive devices in public spaces resulted in the killing and maiming of innocent bystanders and children. The method may have been hi-tech, “audacious” and “unprecedented”, but the outcome is all too familiar, old-fashioned and on-brand for a state that is being investigated by the international court of justice (ICJ) for a “plausible” genocide in Gaza.

Stop sending them weapons.

Trump Turns ‘Anti-Semitism’ Rally On Its Head.  Argues that certain Jews (you can guess which ones) deserve approbation.

Former President Donald J. Trump, speaking on Thursday at a campaign event in Washington centered on denouncing antisemitism in America, said that “if I don’t win this election,” then “the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss.”

Mr. Trump repeated that assertion at a second event, this one focused on Israeli Americans, where he blamed Jews whom he described as “voting for the enemy,” for the hypothetical destruction of Israel that he insisted would happen if he lost in November.

Mr. Trump on Thursday offered an extended airing of grievances against Jewish Americans who have not voted for him. He repeated his denunciation of Jews who vote for Democrats before suggesting that the Democratic Party had a “hold, or curse,” on Jewish Americans and that he should be getting “100 percent” of Jewish votes because of his policies on Israel.

Does he want to lose?

What do you want to talk about?

 

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  1. Joe Connor says:
    September 20, 2024 at 9:10 am

    This is tailor made for Claire to make her bones:)
    https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/education/2024/09/20/university-of-delaware-snubs-state-auditor-requests-says-its-private/75294181007/

    • El Somnambulo says:
      September 20, 2024 at 9:22 am

      I’m pretty sure that what’s shaping up to be a powerhouse progressive group from the Newark area share Claire’s thoughts. In fact, Sophie Phillips had a bill that would have challenged UD’s tax status. It, of course, got buried. Might not get buried this time.

  2. puck says:
    September 20, 2024 at 9:23 am

    Western Anti-Israel Liberals: Stop targeting civilians!
    Israel: (targets terrorists’ pants pockets)
    Western Anti-Israel Liberals: No, not like that.

    • Alby says:
      September 20, 2024 at 9:29 am

      Two hundred thousand wrongs don’t make a right.

    • Grant Brunner says:
      September 20, 2024 at 9:40 am

      This is one of your most absurd takes yet, and that’s saying something.

      Your brain is clouded deeply by propaganda and hatred.

    • Good Grief says:
      September 20, 2024 at 10:18 am

      Puck,
      As usual, you’re making an argument that makes a lot of sense- until you actually think about it for more than two seconds.

      The people who Israel blew up were not actively engaged in combat and did not pose an imminent threat- so they are not legitimate targets.

      Imagine if Hezbollah or Hamas booby trapped phones for thousands of IDF soldiers, and then blew them all up while they were off-duty, in civilian clothes- doing things like eating dinner with their family, shopping at the grocery store, and riding the bus.

      You’d call it terrorism, and you’d be right.

      This is not a way to fight a war, it’s a way to carry out a campaign of terror. Which is what Israel has been doing in Gaza, and now Lebanon, for nearly a year.

      • Eric Blair says:
        September 20, 2024 at 10:34 am

        Israel is a terrorist state. Always has been

      • puck says:
        September 20, 2024 at 10:46 am

        “The people who Israel blew up were not actively engaged in combat and did not pose an imminent threat- so they are not legitimate targets.”

        Hezbollah is regularly launching unguided rockets into Israeli towns. That is active combat. Carrying Hezbollah-issued comms devices means they are self-identified as part of the Hezbollah active combat. And yes, support troops behind the lines are legitimate targets in any war.

        • Alby says:
          September 20, 2024 at 11:06 am

          The exploding pagers were supposed to be part of an invasion of southern Lebanon. The aim wasn’t to simply kill and maim but to disrupt communications. When the sabotage was found out they decided to simply detonate them for the carnage.

          Not Israel’s finest hour.

        • Good Grief says:
          September 20, 2024 at 12:28 pm

          Yes Puck, this all makes sense and sounds logical for people who have done zero research of actual facts and have zero understanding of international law.

          Everyone else can see that Israel is flagrantly ignoring international norms and terrorizing its neighbors.

          By your same logic, Hamas or Hezbollah could legitimately kill any Israeli male between the age of 18 and 45 at any time- since most of them are either in active duty or reserves.

  3. elliej says:
    September 20, 2024 at 10:08 am

    Re: Trump’s support of flawed candidates: Trump’s has a long history of picking people for positions for which they are not qualified: Ben Carson, a surgeon, to head HHS BECAUSE HE IS BLACK; Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State — with no diplomatic experience — BECAUSE HE LOOKED THE PART!!!

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