3d12's recent activity

  1. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #2 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
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    Sorry if it makes you feel disparaged, but "We can chew gum and walk at the same time" is one of my favorite political slogans so far. We'll get you there, friend. One step at a time. And yes,...

    Sorry if it makes you feel disparaged, but "We can chew gum and walk at the same time" is one of my favorite political slogans so far. We'll get you there, friend. One step at a time.

    And yes, that moment was particularly amazing: After spending 30+ seconds claiming he does take responsibility, he then quickly does a lateral and passes it to China. Foul play, but that topic had gone too far overtime to throw the flag.

    5 votes

  2. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #2 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
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    Some very salient points were made throughout, I think this was definitely the better of the two debates. I'm glad both candidates mostly respected each other's speaking, there was definitely an...

    Some very salient points were made throughout, I think this was definitely the better of the two debates. I'm glad both candidates mostly respected each other's speaking, there was definitely an improved decorum over the last debate.

    It was interesting to see Trump spend so much time trying to promote this laptop "story" and calling Biden a corrupt politician. He was obviously speaking to his base there, so I guess I'm just in awe that he's not trying to pull his usual "maybe it's true maybe it's not, lots of people are saying it" garbage and is instead doubling down on that being a major selling point. It seems somewhat hollow for anyone who's been paying attention to how corruptly this administration has been run.

    I was glad that Biden was able to stand firm and lay out his plans in a calm, efficient manner. It gave especially sharp contrast to the ramblings coming from the other podium. I feel like on the coronavirus questions he kind of floundered, like he didn't want to over-promise and under-deliver, so he instead spent his time attacking Trump's failures, but once the topics turned to the economy and social justice I think he really found his stride.

    Also, I love that "come on, man" is basically a campaign slogan at this point. Biden almost seems like a sitcom character during these debates, with how often he's looking into the camera. This whole debate was a goldmine for incredulous Biden reaction expressions and frustrated Trump wanting-to-speak expressions. If I were an ambitious gif-maker I'd be having a heyday.

    Oh, oh! And bonus points for "no president (with the possible, possible exception but maybe not) since Abraham Lincoln has done more than I have for black people" -- I knew he had tweeted something to that effect at one point but to see that said live actually made me burst out laughing. Along with "I'm the least racist person in this room" -- said to a moderator who is a person of color. (Who took it in stride, what a pro) I'm super-glad that Biden turned that around on him too with "Abraham Lincoln over here..." Oh man, on one level it's kind of sad that presidential debates have turned into a contest of zingers, but on the other level it's so humanizing to see these people get so frustrated with each other.

    9 votes

  3. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #2 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    Still, he talked over the moderator more than Biden, which I was happy for. Overall, between the two debates, this was definitely the one to watch.

    Still, he talked over the moderator more than Biden, which I was happy for. Overall, between the two debates, this was definitely the one to watch.

    6 votes

  4. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #2 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
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    This part confused me worst of all. I could have sworn he just said that removing the individual mandate made it not Obamacare anymore... So, why are we still painting it as that specific demon?

    but then it was good so it's not Obamacare

    This part confused me worst of all. I could have sworn he just said that removing the individual mandate made it not Obamacare anymore... So, why are we still painting it as that specific demon?

    4 votes

  5. Comment on Trump & Biden 2020 US Presidential Town Halls Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
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    It's a bit different when you're paying someone else for the airtime vs flaunting your own stuff. I think the only non-ABC ad that aired during the Biden town hall was for D+?

    It's a bit different when you're paying someone else for the airtime vs flaunting your own stuff. I think the only non-ABC ad that aired during the Biden town hall was for D+?

  6. Comment on Trump & Biden 2020 US Presidential Town Halls Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    I'm glad that moderator said that to him, even if he seemed like he didn't even hear it, that's something I think needs to be said to this guy more. To be honest, like kfwyre I too am morbidly...

    I'm glad that moderator said that to him, even if he seemed like he didn't even hear it, that's something I think needs to be said to this guy more. To be honest, like kfwyre I too am morbidly curious about how that town hall went -- did you watch it?

    9 votes

  7. Comment on Trump & Biden 2020 US Presidential Town Halls Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    To be quite honest, the ad breaks were so distracting to me, that I actually found myself basically tuned out. I'll have to go back and re-watch, I started multitasking when the first ad break...

    To be quite honest, the ad breaks were so distracting to me, that I actually found myself basically tuned out. I'll have to go back and re-watch, I started multitasking when the first ad break came on and never really tuned 100% back in.

    6 votes

  8. Comment on Trump & Biden 2020 US Presidential Town Halls Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    You really nailed it on: That was 100% my thought there too, I think that one whiffed so hard you could almost tangibly hear the "whoosh" sound as Biden sailed right past the guy.

    You really nailed it on:

    When George Stephanopoulos asked the man if he'd heard what he needed to after Biden's answer, and the man said something like "I believe I have", it didn't sound positive -- it sounded defeated.

    That was 100% my thought there too, I think that one whiffed so hard you could almost tangibly hear the "whoosh" sound as Biden sailed right past the guy.

    4 votes

  9. Comment on Trump & Biden 2020 US Presidential Town Halls Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
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    Thanks for posting this @kfwyre -- I'll post the recap: July 17: The dates for each presidential debate are announced by the commission (source, went by the date of the wikipedia footnote)...

    Thanks for posting this @kfwyre -- I'll post the recap:

    July 17: The dates for each presidential debate are announced by the commission (source, went by the date of the wikipedia footnote)
    September 30: First presidential shitshow debate (not posting a source for that mess, but it happened)
    October 8: The commission announces that, due to Trump's positive COVID diagnosis, the next debate (scheduled in July for October 15) will be virtual (source)
    October 8: Trump campaign announces they will not attend the next debate (source)
    October 14: NBC announces they will be hosting a town hall with Trump on 10/15, scheduled for the same time as the debate (now Biden town hall) was originally scheduled (source)

    In short: #BoycottNBC

    15 votes

  10. Comment on Presidential debate: Trump refuses to take part in virtual TV event in ~news

    3d12
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    Not to mention there's millions of people he could pay to provide him with negative test results. He didn't specify it would be Trump's test results specifically, only that he will have "posted...

    Not to mention there's millions of people he could pay to provide him with negative test results. He didn't specify it would be Trump's test results specifically, only that he will have "posted some," whatever that actually means. Presumably to Twitter?

    3 votes

  11. Comment on Presidential debate: Trump refuses to take part in virtual TV event in ~news

    3d12
    Link Parent
    Yep. And nobody even bats an eye. This is "par for the course." Even the BBC in the linked article when selectively quoting this statement completely left that part out. And for me, this type of...

    Yep. And nobody even bats an eye. This is "par for the course." Even the BBC in the linked article when selectively quoting this statement completely left that part out. And for me, this type of language as an official statement from the presidential office is simply abhorrent. Slandering one's political opponents is one thing, but this is either slandering a neutral body or declaring the entire political election system as their enemy. Any guesses as to which?

    17 votes

  12. Comment on Pence/Harris 2020 US Vice Presidential Debate - Discussion Thread in ~talk

  13. Comment on Presidential debate: Trump refuses to take part in virtual TV event in ~news

    3d12
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    I think it's worth reposting the exact text of the statement given by the Trump campaign regarding this move, especially since it is quoted but not reproduced in full in the linked article: Bill...

    I think it's worth reposting the exact text of the statement given by the Trump campaign regarding this move, especially since it is quoted but not reproduced in full in the linked article:

    “President Trump won the first debate despite a terrible and biased moderator in Chris Wallace, and everybody knows it. For the swamp creatures at the Presidential Debate Commission to now rush to Joe Biden’s defense by unilaterally canceling an in-person debate is pathetic. That’s not what debates are about or how they’re done. Here are the facts: President Trump will have posted multiple negative tests prior to the debate, so there is no need for this unilateral declaration. The safety of all involved can easily be achieved without canceling a chance for voters to see both candidates go head to head. We’ll pass on this sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden and do a rally instead.”

    I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions from that text.

    28 votes

  14. Comment on Pence/Harris 2020 US Vice Presidential Debate - Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    There was this, and one other question that would have been a slam dunk, and Harris dodged them for what I thought was no reason at all. Especially when the answers can be as straightforward as:...

    There was this, and one other question that would have been a slam dunk, and Harris dodged them for what I thought was no reason at all. Especially when the answers can be as straightforward as:

    Presidential disability:
    "While I don't want to assume the worst, it's something we've discussed and have planned for, and will deal with if it happens."

    Policy Differences:
    "While it's true I have sought in the past to enact more climate change measures than Joe is willing to move forward with at this time, we've reached a compromise on policy that we feel furthers both of our goals acceptably."

    Surely I'm missing something. It can't be this easy, can it?

    6 votes

  15. Comment on Gone But Also Forgotten in ~creative

    3d12
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    I don't have much for feedback aside from that the picture is ominously beautiful and I like what you've done with it so far. On a second deep look, the brush is pretty blurry in the top-center of...

    I don't have much for feedback aside from that the picture is ominously beautiful and I like what you've done with it so far.

    On a second deep look, the brush is pretty blurry in the top-center of the photo, but I don't know if that's something you can do anything about in the darkroom phase or not. The lightness on the left side is a little intense, it feels like the contrast of the leaves starts to disappear about 1" (on my screen) in from the left side, not sure if that was an intentional artistic choice or not. I like it, personally.

    1 vote

  16. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #1 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    I might make this into a t-shirt. I think this accurately summarizes my thoughts on the matter better than I could.

    Because we live in a democracy politicians are obliged to court their support, but nobody who isn't a politician is obliged to pretend willful ignorance and an inability to take civic duties seriously is anything but a personal failing.

    I might make this into a t-shirt. I think this accurately summarizes my thoughts on the matter better than I could.

    3 votes

  17. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #1 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    Sadly, this has happened more often than you know. Chris Wallace recently (within the last few months as I recall) interviewed Trump at the WH and was accused of representing a "fake news" network...

    I'd like him to try to blame Fox of liberal bias.

    Sadly, this has happened more often than you know. Chris Wallace recently (within the last few months as I recall) interviewed Trump at the WH and was accused of representing a "fake news" network with "liberal bias" because he wouldn't accept Trump's obviously made up statistics.

    If you haven't yet heard of One America News, it's the new "real news" for the alt-right. It's Trump's preferred network. It makes Fox look like NBC, from the little I've seen of it.

    5 votes

  18. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #1 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    Sorry, I should have articulated better. My point is, regardless of the truth content of either person's accusations, being willing to engage in discussion about each others' families would have...

    Sorry, I should have articulated better. My point is, regardless of the truth content of either person's accusations, being willing to engage in discussion about each others' families would have opened the debate to new lows. Not that Trump wasn't trying to bring it there already, I'm just saying I'm glad Biden didn't want to start slinging that mud back. In my opinion that would have shown severe character weakness, very much like that which Trump is displaying in trying repeatedly to steer the conversation in that direction.

    Whether the net gain would be a positive for Biden if he had brought it up, I don't claim to know. But it certainly would have lowered my view of him, at least. There's a time and a place for those things, and this debate was neither.

    10 votes

  19. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #1 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    My two cents is, I tuned in to see why I should be supporting Biden. Obviously, I will vote for anyone who's not Trump. But at this point there's literally millions of people in this country who...

    My two cents is, I tuned in to see why I should be supporting Biden. Obviously, I will vote for anyone who's not Trump. But at this point there's literally millions of people in this country who are qualified to run on that platform. So I tuned in to hopefully make a transition from "voting for my only viable option" to "being excited about a Biden presidency."

    And to be quite honest? I wasn't too impressed. Biden delivered a great energy during his DNC acceptance speech that I feel was missing here, probably due to the distraction of being shouted over, but regardless it did not give me the impression that Biden has a firm plan for the future and can take charge on the "hot button" issues of social justice while simultaneously trying to please wall street and "suburban white america." Maybe he needs some uninterrupted time to articulate those thoughts, but as a first impression this debate did not get me very jazzed.

    Now, the Harris/Pence debate? That one I'll mostly be watching for entertainment value.

    6 votes

  20. Comment on Trump/Biden 2020 Presidential Debate #1 Discussion Thread in ~talk

    3d12
    Link Parent
    I prefer that he took the moral high road here and wanted to disengage from that topic completely. I feel like the interaction you describe would have only enabled Trump to stoop to lower attacks...

    I'm annoyed that Biden didn't have a prepared line of attack about the rampant nepotism and tax fraud Trump is engaging in with his own kids.

    I prefer that he took the moral high road here and wanted to disengage from that topic completely. I feel like the interaction you describe would have only enabled Trump to stoop to lower attacks and denigrated the integrity of the whole debate, personally. But yeah, now that you say that, that seems like a strategy they probably considered at some point.

    16 votes