Vermillion

@PoisonedIvy Facing multiple charges now in Massachusetts including rape. Time for a thread title update

What proof do you have that it's either of these things?

AOC is waiting for Chuck to retire to run for U.S. Senate. I'm going to go as far as to say she's well aware that she'd be likely to lose the Electoral College regardless of her platform. Her increased turnout from a coalition of low turnout voters on her economic message would inspire an equal opposite reaction in turnout in the culture wars. I see Obama comparisons being made on being able to overcome that but the circumstances here are very different. For starters, McCain wasn't as invested in his base's racism and thus their coalition couldn't overcome those looking for a default alternative to two wars and a recession even if it was a black man. Vance would be a continuation of Stephen Miller's white nationalism but the GOP attempting to run Marco Rubio would be a fascinating exercise they'd still win on "expertise" against AOC regardless of the corruption and incompetence. Solely on branding, to blue collar old white union halls, AOC comes across as Dora the Explorer.

If Kamala decides not to run, the older black vote is up for grabs. Shapiro, Newsom and Beshear will lose the general election. As will a hypothetical AOC for entirely different reasons. Whitmer's bizarre destruction of any future political career and ripping off the mask to hurtle rightward both @ClashAndBurn and @Communion crowed repeatedly here would happen but I still haven't processed it. Which leaves Ossoff, who Josh and Gavin will be hellbent on wrecking in the primary out of spite, leaving him badly wounded in the general. How he plans to excuse everything he voted for in Congress is beyond me but I don't know how else he's getting young Latino men in Upper Midwest cities to turnout for him. Actually, anyone left of middle to turn out for him. Democrats can't be a stand-in window dressing default placeholder reaction to fascism. That's the lesson here. Kamala's Liz Cheney strategy bombed and Elizabeth Warren's milquetoast progressivism bombed too but Ossoff's not a delusional pig like Gavin and Josh to think solely because he's a guy that strategy will work. Which leaves economic proposals that recent generic ads leave little to admire. Ossoff threading the needle is the only chance for 2028 even with Vance's abysmal internals (barring Van Hollen as a dark horse which is just wish fulfillment on my end at this point). I'm genuinely at a loss. Wes Moore is being insanely overhyped at Beto levels, as is Andy. As of now, Ossoff can't beat Vance solely because the latter's an awful candidate - he has to actually get turnout in the first place. The DNC's abysmal fundraising numbers are the first major omen for 2028 - it's over already. They're not willing to leave old fundraising models. They're relying on Biden's victory as their sole argument when he won solely on the pandemic.

I regret not getting some show exclusive merch unlike the t-shirts I'd gotten earlier online. The DC crowd night 1 was probably one of if not the most hype crowd of any show I've been to regardless of genre which is saying something. So cool to see so few phones out too.

Did you read the article?

Watch the Kehlani subplot to this entire story and whether it has legs with other artists as a cultural barometer outside just the Zionist hedge funders that own the stadiums. It's a fascinating dive into what kind of changes in terms of booking influence could occur - track the arenas on down. As a sidebar, there are stats out there on lost followers, etc. to counter the notion that as the last monoculture star Ed was impenetrable. He has enough investment properties that the wealth isn't going anywhere but cultural influence is more amorphous. That Robert Kraft attempted to lead the stadium backlash and expected smooth sailing is beyond parody given his history. I get the mentions here on pressure now to avoid public pro-Palestinians stances from these artists but what's lost here is that proud Zionism is now an economic risk too. That can't be discounted.

Taylor's initial rejection was due to the sponsorship but I'm convinced even afterwards she's continued saying no - the question is why. Miley we know has said no multiple times so that's a nonstarter. P!nk's backlash is immense right now but that won't make a difference with the Zionist stadium owners. Who knows where that leads. I buy the explanation here the most that this is pre-damage control for Jay-Z himself to perform.

lol at anyone expecting better from Ed

@YourFavoriteWeapon Title should be updated

So many here still insist AOC is running which strikes me as giving the political instincts of a, well...nevermind. AOC is waiting for Chuck to retire. I've been consistent on that.

Humility or smarts? There's gotta be internal polling on black voters not budging, which makes Buttigieg that much more idiotic Now all that's left to hear from is Josh Shapiro who's still fuming about her team rightfully questioning his Zionism and Jon Ossoff who's still being bizarrely hyped by Hasan Piker despite his record.