Kosh's Shadow 2/4/2020 3:04:46 AM

1

The Iowa caucuses have declared a winner:

Beetlebaum!

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 4:17:25 AM

2

lucius septimius 2/4/2020 4:48:53 AM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 1:

I heard it was Pat Paulsen.

lucius septimius 2/4/2020 4:54:04 AM

4

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 6:03:07 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 4:

+++++++++++

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 6:24:00 AM

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They were going on and on on NPR this morning about how nobody knows the trouble I've seen the results of the Iowa caucuses, because some app malfunctioned, or the people using it didn't know how, or both---and how this "denies the winner (when that winner is established) momentum for the New Hampshire primary next week."  Some only-semi-paranoid musings:

1) The "app malfunction" lays all kinds of lovely groundwork: for the non-winners to contest the "winner" ("How do we know the tallies are accurate?"), which will lead not only to a lot more infighting in the near term, but will lay a foundation for doubting electronic tallies in the general election this fall.  If Trump wins, charges of "hacking" and "inaccurate tallies"---already a certainty---will be through the roof.  Meanwhile, the balkiness of the app/incompetence of the users is just one more reason to ditch electronic doodads in elections generally.

2) It's been obvious for some time that Biden's doorstop/placeholder candidacy is faltering, and that Bernie's insurgent campaign, which the Democrat powers that be want to derail, is surging.  "App troubles" give the Democrat PTBs a means for turning in a cooked tally that bolsters Biden and undercuts Sanders.  The DNC is desperate to prop up Biden until they're ready to trot out the non-Bernie "party unity candidate," and to undercut Sanders' momentum any way they can.

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 6:38:44 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 6:

None of what you wrote there is in the slightest "semi-paranoid".  The prospect of a Sanders nomination, followed by a Trump landslide, is terrifying the DNC.  It takes little in the way of imagination - much less paranoia - to picture the DNC party brass yesterday pushing the button (so to speak) to stop the pro-Sanders results that were coming in. 

Oh, and speaking of Sanders, his latest proposal is to seize control of electricity production.  But don't you dare call him a "socialist"!  Except when he calls himself a socialist.  Then it's okay.  I think. 

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 6:45:58 AM

8

And the company that made the Iowa caucus voting app is named "SHADOW".  Really.

(Oh, and it's run by a bunch of former Hillary campaign hacks.  Are you surprised?)

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 6:47:47 AM

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In #8 Occasional Reader said: And the company that made the Iowa caucus voting app is named "SHADOW".  Really. (Oh, and it's run by a bunch of former Hillary campaign hacks.  Are you surprised?)

Link

doppelganglander 2/4/2020 6:53:45 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 6:

Aside from the mysterious unity candidate,  I agree with you. I think that person will be Biden's VP candidate and he will conveniently retire early in his term. Biden has no idea this is happening,  of course.

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 6:57:17 AM

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lucius septimius 2/4/2020 6:58:59 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 6:

I'm still convinced that Joe is the Edmund Muskie of this election, lacking only his "Canuck" moment.

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 7:01:55 AM

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In #8 Occasional Reader said: And the company that made the Iowa caucus voting app is named "SHADOW".  Really.

So, they know what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

JCM 2/4/2020 7:02:11 AM

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buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 7:02:53 AM

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In #12 lucius septimius said: I'm still convinced that Joe is the Edmund Muskie of this election, lacking only his "Canuck" moment.

I'm sure he smells musky, too...

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 7:03:59 AM

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In #8 Occasional Reader said: And the company that made the Iowa caucus voting app is named "SHADOW".  Really. (Oh, and it's run by a bunch of former Hillary campaign hacks.  Are you surprised?)

Let the "Shadow government" jokes begin!  

And, of course, let us fondly recall Hillary's unsecured private email server.

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 7:20:13 AM

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Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 7:39:27 AM

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I just e-mailed a reflexively (D)-voting friend to say, "I could not be happier with the results of the Iowa caucus."

Couldn't resist. 

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 8:05:23 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 18:

Let's recall the "Caucus Race" in Alice in Wonderland, where "everybody won, so everybody must have prizes."

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 8:15:27 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 19:

Oh, wow... I recall the line (I think it's "all have won, so all shall have prizes"), but had forgotten that it was in regards to the Caucus Race.  I'm surprised I've not seen that reference made today yet.  (Of course, in this case, it's more like either Nobody Has Won; or Trump Has Won.) 

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 8:17:25 AM

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In #20 Occasional Reader said: (I think it's "all have won, so all shall have prizes")

Apparently it's: “Everybody has won and all must have prizes.”

lucius septimius 2/4/2020 10:05:14 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 21:

Maybe they should replace the Donkey with the Dodo as the symbol of the party.

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 10:25:22 AM

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Syrah 2/4/2020 10:32:37 AM

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doppelganglander 2/4/2020 10:47:06 AM

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Reply to Syrah in 24:

No one likes Bloomberg. Buying votes is still technically illegal.

Occasional Reader 2/4/2020 11:03:02 AM

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In #22 lucius septimius said: Maybe they should replace the Donkey with the Dodo as the symbol of the party.

Heh.

And I'd be perfectly happy for the Democratic Party to go the way of the dodo.  (At least the party in its current form, and for that matter, current substance, such as it is.) 

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 12:00:11 PM

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In #22 lucius septimius said: Maybe they should replace the Donkey with the Dodo as the symbol of the party.

I thought the Dough/Dough was the symbol of the "pay to play" party.

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 12:31:14 PM

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Love Letters to the Sanders
---apologies to Patsy Cline, and "Love Letters in the Sand"

On a day in Ioway
We passed the time away
Writing love letters to the Sanders

How you laughed when we tried
To swell the Leftist tide
With our love letters to the Sanders

You made a vow to tally
Votes we cast for our dude
But now evidently
Once again, Bernie's screwed

Now we just wait sadly
To see whom the DNC
Likes o'er our love letters to the Sanders

You made a vow to tally
Votes we cast for our dude
But now evidently
Once again, Bernie's screwed

Now we just wait sadly
To see whom the DNC
Likes o'er our love letters to the Sanders

doppelganglander 2/4/2020 2:30:50 PM

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Well well. Who claimed victory without results last night? Mayor Pete. Who has eked out a tiny lead over Bernie based on partial results? Mayor Pete. Whose campaign paid Shadow, developer of the caucus vote counting app, for unspecified services?

I'll let you guess that one.

buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 3:04:04 PM

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Iowa results i-cumin in!
Lhude sing cucu!

---traditional

doppelganglander 2/4/2020 4:11:21 PM

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buzzsawmonkey 2/4/2020 4:35:06 PM

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Reply to doppelganglander in 31:

As I've said before, the problem with Pete Buttigieg is not that he's homosexual; it's that, being homosexual, he is not being held to account for the gay-rights movement's overreaches in its attacks on the First Amendment and its efforts at sexual recruitment.

Let "Mayor Pete" be forced to defend the gay-rights assaults on bakers and florists; let him be forced to justify "drag queen story hours" and efforts to impose "transgender transitioning" on underage children.

His presidential bid would be over in a week at most.