Mega-Thread: 2020 United States General Election

[Breccia]

I hoping the lawyers can help with that.

Yeah, I guess if they know there's a problem ahead of time they can "arm" themselves with the most dangerous weapon in the US: paperwork.

[cubby]

Yeah, I guess if they know there's a problem ahead of time they can "arm" themselves with the most dangerous weapon in the US: paperwork.

ROFL - exactly, and not entirely unjokingly. Having trained attorneys who know who to call and when is perhaps the best weapon against the litany of violent idiot cult Trumpists that are bound to show up at polling stations. Right off the bat, any illegal campaigning (signs, etc) and the people/group must be removed from the area.

Also - some others here might be wondering why attorneys. Because we are arrogant fucks who don't put up with a lot of shit, including from armed idiots. Arrogance is usually bad, but in some cases really has a part to play.

[Benggaul]

He also took credit for saving the 1.8 million hypothetical people who haven't died yet (which @Benggaul will trim down later today) despite, you know, state and locals doing their job while Trump did nothing. He said we're turning the corner on COVID, expect @Benggaul to shoot that down too.

Yep, it's in the Trump thread. Won't cross-post it here for obvious reasons, but he is, as usual, full of shit.

[Rasulis]

Harris County had another 100k day, three days in a row.

Over 400k Hispanics in Texas already voted. That's 525% of same time in 2016.

Florida early voting starts Monday. High in the mid to high 80s and drizzly. Typical Florida. Not too miserable.

[Saladbar]

First day of early voting opened in NC today. Participation was up about 40% compared to 2016 (~250k vs 166k) for the first day.

I worked the polls as an election official all day at a voting center in one of the more populous counties in the state. Covid is not keeping people away. There may be a record number of absentee ballots, but the "old hand" poll workers say they have never seen a first day so busy. The only first day that may have rivaled this one was in 2008 when Obama was running for his first term. Obama won NC in 2008.

I heard many unsolicited comments from voters (mostly older) who were saying they felt it was imperative for them to come out and vote and they felt this may be the most important election in their lifetime. Saw lots of very passionate and motivated voters today. It gave me some hope for the country; let's see if my hope lasts for more than a few weeks.

[Felya]

Joke's on him, then; the final debate moderator is another NBC anchor.

Isn’t this also a sit down foreign policy debate? Something that is completely out of his scope? Even my Trump supporting, Israel can do no wrong, family... thinks Trump doesn’t have a clue what he is doing on foreign policy. It’s the only way I agree with them...

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I worked the polls as an election official all day at a voting center in one of the more populous counties in the state.

Thank you!

[Eviscero]

First day of early voting opened in NC today. Participation was up about 40% compared to 2016 (~250k vs 166k) for the first day.

I worked the polls as an election official all day at a voting center in one of the more populous counties in the state. Covid is not keeping people away. There may be a record number of absentee ballots, but the "old hand" poll workers say they have never seen a first day so busy. The only first day that may have rivaled this one was in 2008 when Obama was running for his first term. Obama won NC in 2008.

I heard many unsolicited comments from voters (mostly older) who were saying they felt it was imperative for them to come out and vote and they felt this may be the most important election in their lifetime. Saw lots of very passionate and motivated voters today. It gave me some hope for the country; let's see if my hope lasts for more than a few weeks.

Did you confirm they were voting for Biden?

[Edge-]

https://www.sacbee.com/news/californ...246488945.html

Trump administration denies CA's request for disaster assistance following the wildfires. They won't say why, and I'd like to say I want to withhold judgment, but they've made it painfully clear that they view a states request based on how the state voted. Ignore that CA has more registered Republicans than some states have people residing in them, and this hurts them too.

I'd be delighted to find out it was denied on a technicality and can be resubmitted for approval. But I won't hold my breath.

[eschatological]

Also - some others here might be wondering why attorneys. Because we are arrogant fucks who don't put up with a lot of shit, including from armed idiots. Arrogance is usually bad, but in some cases really has a part to play.

I'm not arrogant, I'm just better than you and I'm gonna let you know it.

[postman1782]

I'd also like to say that he's STILL answering questions despite it not being aired for ratings. He's STILL talking to people who decided to stick around.

Because he actually cares. Trump is only doing it for himself and his ginormous ego.

[Felya]

I'm not arrogant, I'm just better than you and I'm gonna let you know it.

That’s the thing, people often confuse arrogance with charisma. People who try to act charismatic, often come off arrogant.

[Benggaul]

Did you confirm they were voting for Biden?

You can't, legally. I think even that much would be considered "electioneering".

[Felya]

You can't, legally. I think even that much would be considered "electioneering".

Yeah, let’s not get them in trouble...

[Saladbar]

Did you confirm they were voting for Biden?

Of course not. I'm sure some voted for Trump and some for Biden. When I'm working there I'm neutral. I make no judgements based on party affiliation, age, gender, race, etc. My job is to facilitate a fair and accessible voting process. I go out of my way to avoid seeing any ballot selections voters are making. I don't want to know; it is none of my business. Of all the people I worked with today, I only know how one of them voted for President, and that's only because they needed special assistance because of their disabilities.

With that being said, I'm also not a moron (not usually). Some peoples intentions are quite clear based on the comments they make.

[Shadowferal]

Of all the broadcasters that have held debates it seems that Savannah Guthrie came away with not only her reputation intact, but enhanced.

[Felya]

Of all the broadcasters that have held debates it seems that Savannah Guthrie came away with not only her reputation intact, but enhanced.

Yeah, it’s what the headlines popping up on my screen are saying... didn’t watch... set down to play Hates... 2 hours later, I’m like... wtf... did I forget to eat dinner?

That’s a good game...

[Milchshake]

So the election is, Mr. Rodgers vs Mary Trump's Crazy uncle.




Other than Chapo Trump House, who doesn't love Mr. Rodgers?

Mr. Rodgers probably loves them anyways.

[Rasulis]

So the election is, Mr. Rodgers vs Mary Trump's Crazy uncle.




Other than Chapo Trump House, who doesn't love Mr. Rodgers?

Mr. Rodgers probably loves them anyways.

Only evil loathsome people hate Mr. Rogers.

At the end of Trump's town hall, the NBC News YouTube channel showed 153,660 viewers were watching. ABC News's YouTube channel showed 507,445 viewers at the end of Biden's town hall.

We'll see what Nielsen rating says.

GOP Senator McSally Uses Taxpayer Money for Robocall As She Trails Behind Dem Challenger in Polls

Democrats are blasting Republican Sen. Martha McSally for sending voters a taxpayer-funded robocall praising her own response to COVID-19 as she continues to poll behind her Democratic challenger Mark Kelly.

The communication would have normally been prohibited only weeks before an election but McSally's robocall was allowed under a Senate waiver permitting calls that provide information about the pandemic. McSally's call, heard by some Arizona voters on Tuesday night, included language similar to that used in her recent campaign speeches, according to a Thursday report from The Daily Beast.

"I'm calling today to give you an update on my work to combat COVID-19. I'm fighting hard to deliver additional resources to Arizonans still struggling due to the pandemic," McSally said in audio of the pre-recorded call obtained by Democratic PAC American Bridge, according to the outlet. "I will keep fighting to break the gridlock and get more relief out to Arizona."

McSally's Communications Director Amy Lawrence defended the call in a statement obtained by Newsweek, saying that the senator's office had "received clear guidance from the Senate Rules Committee that this form of communication via robocall is permissible."

"Since the pandemic began, the Senator has hosted 19 telephone town halls and robocalls that focused on COVID-19," Lawrence said. "This is a first in a century pandemic and hundreds of constituents reach out to our office each week looking for help."

"Senator McSally has and will continue to keep her constituents apprised of COVID updates, and make them aware that if they need help on COVID related issues, that her office is here to assist," she continued. "It is for communication such as this that Senate Rules provided an exemption."

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While the polls clearly show Trump is going to lose the election, this article brought up a interesting point...https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/...-edge-jpmorgan

The 2020 presidential race may be closer than the polls suggest, according to an analysis of voter registration trends by JPMorgan Chase.

Changes in the number of voters registered to each of the major parties have proven to be a significant variable in election outcomes in the past, according to strategists at the New York-based bank, which analyzed trends in some of the battleground states that will be crucial to an electoral college victory.

Former Vice President Joe Biden leads President Trump by 9.2 points nationally, according to an average of polls compiled by RealClearPolitics, but his lead is at a tighter 4.9 points in hotly contested states.

Four years ago, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also outstripped Trump in national polling and won the popular vote by nearly 3 million, only to lose the electoral college, where she took just 227 votes to Trump’s 304.

This year’s campaign may be won or lost in some of the same battlegrounds as that race, which has made them focal points for politicians, pollsters and observers alike.

In Pennsylvania, for example, a blue-leaning state that Trump won by 44,292 votes in 2016, the Republican Party has since picked up nearly 200,000 voters.

JPMorgan says the gains suggest Trump could win the state by a margin of more than 240,000 in the upcoming election.

Similar progress in battlegrounds Florida and North Carolina suggest Trump may take those states by a larger margin than in his first campaign as well.

I still think it will be a close election. And we may not know for sure who the winner is for several days.

At this point, I think we can stop talking about polls and actually look at early numbers. Since you mentioned FL, here is Florida. Also, what the Fox article failed to take into account is the rapid rise of No Party Affiliation voters in FL. Most of of them are young millennials which tend to vote Democrats. FL early in-person voting starts Monday. We'll see who is more excited.

[DingDongKing]

Unsure what you mean. Could you elaborate? Not sarcasm, just a bit confuzzled.

Sidenote, what's really jarring in the Trump townhall is that there's a black lady behind Trump. She's perpetually nodding at all his bullshit. I can't for the life of me what she's nodding at. The man is literally just vomiting diarrhoea.

Second sidenote, some senior citizen Democrate just thirsted over Trump. Awkward.

Well, that part is now explained.

Thanks to @Edge for clarifying.

[postman1782]

Do we talk about Senate races in here too? Because it isn't a good week for Joni Ernst and her Senate Re-election bid.

This week she has had an investigation brought onto her for her "dark money" donations to her campaign. https://www.rawstory.com/2020/10/jud...k-money-group/

And then she apparently flubbed pretty hard on a question in last night's debate. The debate moderator is a local NBC channel moderator, though I believe that station is ran by Sinclair, if I am not mistaken. But it was just a simple Agriculture question, the price of corn and soybeans. Theresa Greenfield answered it and correctly. Joni Ernst was way off. https://twitter.com/GreenfieldIowa/s...11419913347072

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joni-...b6dc2d17f5a0d9

You would think, with one of the biggest producers of corn and soybeans in the country, and there is a lot of farmers in the state that she needs to win, she would need to know about agriculture and their prices, instead of being nearly 2 dollars over on the actual bushel of soybeans. Sad thing was, that after she got it wrong, she blamed it on audio, since the debate is remote hosted, and then she tried to say that Greenfield didn't answer the question, even though she did, and then she said she was responding on corn, and even then she was wrong about the price.

That moment in the debate, certainly won her zero votes. Though I think some of the farmers in my state would vote for an ear of corn with an R next to it, over a Democrat that will actually help them. Especially considering they voted in people like white nationalist Steve King for so long. Glad he is done, as far as Iowa Congressman now though.