Mega-Thread: 2020 United States General Election

[kaelleria]

So... GA isn't going to end up being remotely close.... there's some evidence the military/overseas ballots are going to come from CDC employees...

[Thepersona]

Almost, but let's not jinx it.

Also this, i agree with the slaneeshi follower.

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So... GA isn't going to end up being remotely close.... there's some evidence the military/overseas ballots are going to come from CDC employees...

You have a source? I'd be giddy if that was the case

[Mormolyce]

Pretty much, yeah. But the networks are not calling it for a mix of reasons, including 2016 ptsd and milking the sweet add revenue

So this election has made me realise something I hadn't thought much about before - various media agencies informally "call" the election once the count reaches certain thresholds. The full count in all states takes months. But the actual concession of the loser isn't technically connected to either event, is it? They usually do this at some point after election night, usually when the outcome seems inevitable.

But there's not actually any requirement for them to do this, is there? So what we will have is a bunch of unofficial media "calls" at some point (they're taking their sweet time), then some time probably in December the last of the counts will finally complete (probably in California, I remember in 2016 it took forever for Hillary's full popular vote advantage to be tallied due to all the postal votes in Cali), but if Trump doesn't actually concede it won't be officially "over" until that time - plus any recounts and legal action.

Officially at least it might be in limbo until January.

[downnola]

So this election has made me realise something I hadn't thought much about before - various media agencies informally "call" the election once the count reaches certain thresholds. The full count in all states takes months. But the actual concession of the loser isn't technically connected to either event, is it? They usually do this at some point after election night, usually when the outcome seems inevitable.

But there's not actually any requirement for them to do this, is there? So what we will have is a bunch of unofficial media "calls" at some point (they're taking their sweet time), then some time probably in December the last of the counts will finally complete (probably in California, I remember in 2016 it took forever for Hillary's full popular vote advantage to be tallied due to all the postal votes in Cali), but if Trump doesn't actually concede it won't be officially "over" until that time - plus any recounts and legal action.

Officially at least it might be in limbo until January.

And in the case where there is no clear winning of the presidency in time for the inauguration, the speaker of the house becomes president.

Long live Queen Pelosi!

[Mormolyce]

No, Hillary conceded on the 7th... Jill Stein of Green Party filed a claim, but Hillary was not part of it.

There has never been a reaction like Trump’s in US history... there is no whataboutism for this...

I suppose there's the Bush campaign in 2000, they never said they wouldn't accept the outcome of course but they did try (successfully) to stop a recount and got the Supreme Court to install him.

[Ursus]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but they have finally found evidence of massive attempted fraud in the PA vote count: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/07/us/pe...sts/index.html

Two heavily armed men (and not-so-coincidentally QAnon worshippers) tried to deliver a truck full of fake ballots to the Pennsylvania Convention Center where votes are being tallied.

[Felya]

I suppose there's the Bush campaign in 2000, they never said they wouldn't accept the outcome of course but they did try (successfully) to stop a recount and got the Supreme Court to install him.

That was different, because it was one state, and it was based on news competing for a reaction. The current sentiment, isn’t really media driven. Like... they took Trump off the air, mid way through his conspiracy speech.

[Breccia]

Is there a chance to put Pence in charge until 20. January so he can work on a smooth transition? You know Trump isn't doing shit to help.

There are a few ways this can happen.

1) Trump voluntarily steps down and leaves Pence in charge. For example, if Pence was to pardon Trump and all of Trump's family and a bunch of Trump's friends and colleagues. We would be paying for a peaceful transition with blatant, obvious corruption.

Trump would do this, but not soon. This seems like the sort of thing he'd do Jan 19th around 11PM.

2) The stress of the election gets to Trump and he has a heart attack, stroke, syphillis flare up, or other medical issue that takes him out. Or, possibly, fakes this to secretly #1 above and make it look like this wasn't his plan. Based on the tweets and speeches we've seen, this is the most likely of the options but still not very likely.

3) Trump's actions get so illegal and so violent that the 25th is applied. Trump's cabinet is stuffed with yes-men who are apparently telling him not to concede, but, Trump could literally start bombing Iran, ordering federal troops to seize Philly, or tell his supporters to attack voting centers without subterfuge. The line Trump would have to cross to force this is faint and far away, but it does exist. We don't want to see it.

4) Or, as @Doctor Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus said, he gets impeached for basically the same reason. McConnell would be more likely to do this than Trump's cabinet, but barring massive violence or blatant theft he'd still be highly reluctant to do so. It would be admission of massive failure, even though he personally is safe for six years, his friends aren't.

5) And finally, and despite how often this comes up in these forums I find this highly unlikely, Trump could flee to Russia to avoid prosecution. This would force a delayed reaction to the above, since Trump's enablers would say "Well I'm sure he'll be back tomorrow...I mean in a few days...next week..he does plan to return eventually, Kif."

Trump is a narcissist, and a cult leader. He won't cede power willingly. So, wait for him to keel over, or wait for him to do something massively dangerous, before this happens.

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Two heavily armed men (and not-so-coincidentally QAnon worshippers) tried to deliver a truck full of fake ballots to the Pennsylvania Convention Center

This is, what, two or three groups of armed Trump supporters trying to commit crimes but being ratted out?

[Mormolyce]

Has the vote resumed in PA? I should just go to bed...

[Ursus]

This is, what, two or three groups of armed Trump supporters trying to commit crimes but being ratted out?

I'm not sure what's sadder: the fact that they tried this, or the fact that they actually thought it would work.

Imagine a couple random yahoos thinking they can just randomly show up to a vote-counting site claiming they somehow have custody of thousands of ballots that need to be counted that were mysteriously printed on regular printer paper for some reason, and thinking that that would actually be convincing.

[Mormolyce]

1) Trump voluntarily steps down and leaves Pence in charge. For example, if Pence was to pardon Trump and all of Trump's family and a bunch of Trump's friends and colleagues. We would be paying for a peaceful transition with blatant, obvious corruption.

Trump would do this, but not soon. This seems like the sort of thing he'd do Jan 19th around 11PM.

I'd be most concerned about this. Ford pardoned Nixon and while it tanked his "Presidency", there was no official nullification or anything so Nixon escaped justice. The US has apparently learned nothing from this so the exploit still exists.

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I'm not sure what's sadder: the fact that they tried this, or the fact that they actually thought it would work.

Imagine a couple random yahoos thinking they can just randomly show up to a vote-counting site claiming they somehow have custody of thousands of ballots that need to be counted that were mysteriously printed on regular printer paper for some reason, and thinking that that would actually be convincing.

QAnon supporters aren't exactly the brightest corn cob holders in the anus.

[Rommon64]

Has the vote resumed in PA? I should just go to bed...

The count, yes. Not trying to be a jerk, but we need to be careful with words if and when the usual suspects show up.

[szechuan]

lmao.

[Rommon64]

lmao.

Wouldn't it be amazing if they cut away from it to announce Biden's lead getting even bigger?

[Sunseeker]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but they have finally found evidence of massive attempted fraud in the PA vote count: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/07/us/pe...sts/index.html

Two heavily armed men (and not-so-coincidentally QAnon worshippers) tried to deliver a truck full of fake ballots to the Pennsylvania Convention Center where votes are being tallied.

Notice that they were charged for carrying loaded guns, not attempted election fraud, and that there were only alleged fake ballots.

[Flarelaine]

There are a few ways this can happen.

1) Trump voluntarily steps down and leaves Pence in charge. For example, if Pence was to pardon Trump and all of Trump's family and a bunch of Trump's friends and colleagues. We would be paying for a peaceful transition with blatant, obvious corruption.

Last I looked Presidents can still not pardon state charges. SDNY is waiting.

[dextersmith]

So when it's all said and done, it's looking like Biden will have 306 electoral votes. That is, by Trump's own definition, a landslide. Trump is the first Republican since 1948 to lose both Arizona and Georgia. How embarrassing and pathetic. He couldn't get elected dogcatcher.

The best thing he could do for both himself and the country, is to quietly slink away and never be heard from again. But we all know he is literally incapable of that.

He's bound to sabotage the inauguration some how, if he shows up at all.

[Felya]

Wouldn't it be amazing if they cut away from it to announce Biden's lead getting even bigger?

Biden needs to swing .1%, which I don’t see happening in an hour and a half.

[Belize]

lmao.

I will cut a check to whatever media calls the race during the press conference.

DO IT YOU COWARDS.

[passingthrew]

First, GA up tp 7k+, which is nice!

Second, Trumps twitter, my god its amazing! That should have been happening for four years.