Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Ghengis Jon]

The testimony yesterday just gets worse and worse for Trump. Perhaps I should change his moniker to America's Kwame Kilpatrick.
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[iam416]

This is what we all know it is. Vote on it. Move it to the Senate. Be done with it.

[lineygoblue]

I read somewhere that once the trial begins in the Senate, that its going to be scheduled for at least six hours a day, six days a week, and that all senators are required to attend. That means all the senators running for President will have to leave the campaign trail and actually be in DC for the proceedings. I expect the howling to be at maximum decibels from Sanders, Booker, Harris, et al as the trial goes into February and March ... prime primary season ...

Once the trial gets into the Senate, Trump will be allowed to defend himself. His legal team will be able to call as many witnesses as they like, cross examine all prosecution witnesses to their hearts delight, and basically drag the proceeding out as long as they like. I doubt Mitch McConnell would do anything to make Trump's legal team speed things up to accommodate the Senators that are seeking the presidency.

Meanwhile, Trump can fly all over the country, holding all the pep rallies he likes, drawing thousands, while his major opponents sit in DC, watching the Iowa primaries pass them by and maybe even going past "super Tuesday".

They could drag this thing out into April if they wanted to, maybe even longer. Its going to depend on how soon the House actually votes on the articles. Right now, it doesn't look like the articles will be in the hands of the Senate before the end of the year.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I doubt it can be dragged out indefinitely and there will be some limitation on witnesses. I'm not sure how big a role Justice Roberts actually plays. Trump's team may want to vomit conspiracy crap and to call in Glenn Simpson, Christopher Steele, Jim Comey, John Brennan, and the rest of the rogues gallery of Trump enemies, but if Roberts has any say that won't happen. McConnell doesn't want that shit either..

[Dr. Strangelove]

I haven't had a chance to look at this really but some people are describing it as the biggest leak in the history of Communist China. Some Chinese official gave the NY Times a trove of internal CCP documents all related to the concentration camp/extermination policy (whatever you want to call it) of Muslims in Xinjiang province.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/16/world/asia/china-xinjiang-documents.html

[iam416]

Yeah, so this is exactly why the NBA's stance on this was so motherfucking wrong. A lot of people have been trying to push this story, but it hasn't gained a ton of traction. Hopefully the NYT's bully pulpit will work. It's fucking abhorrent. And people here worry about some asswipe spray painting graffiti on a mosque.

[lineygoblue]

I doubt it can be dragged out indefinitely and there will be some limitation on witnesses. I'm not sure how big a role Justice Roberts actually plays. Trump's team may want to vomit conspiracy crap and to call in Glenn Simpson, Christopher Steele, Jim Comey, John Brennan, and the rest of the rogues gallery of Trump enemies, but if Roberts has any say that won't happen. McConnell doesn't want that shit either..

Unlike the Schiff hearings, the trial in the Senate is not going to be political. Well, its going to be 'political' but the outcome can't be determined by politics, like the Schiff hearings can. The trial will have to be determined by the law. If the House brings the 'evidence' that they have now, its going to be an easy win for Trump. However, if the House starts adding even more articles, then Trump will have to be allowed to defend himself vigorously against each and every charge. If he needs multiple witnesses to prove his case, Roberts will have to allow him to do so.

The House is up against all the seasonal 'recesses" here. They're going to recess for Thanksgiving, and then there will be the Christmas/New Years recess. As it looks right now, they are not going to get thru all these various hearings, have a floor debate, take a vote and issue articles of Impeachment before the end of the year. It just can't be done. That means about the earliest we may see actual articles voted upon and sent to the Senate, it would likely be mid-January. Then there will likely be a few weeks of procedural matters in the Senate before Roberts even bangs the first gavel. That means we're running smack into New Hampshire, Iowa and maybe even "Super Tuesday" before the trial gets going in earnest.

Bottom line, the Democrats would be better off to drop the whole thing, and run a good qualified candidate against Trump, and beat him in November. It would be a lot easier than going this route.

[Whitley]

Being easier does not mean that is the right thing to do. And there would not be this time frame if House Dem leadership had not needed to be dragged kicking and screaming all that way.

[Dr. Strangelove]

If Trump wants to call Diamond & Silk to the stand to defend him by calling Biden a homosexual and that the Democratic Party should be outlawed, I am pretty sure that Mitch MocConnell and John Roberts are not required by law to allow them to speak for as long as they and Trump want.

Trump will have far more leeway to call witnesses in the Senate but within reason. McConnell won't let him turn the Senate into a shitshow with one contemptible "witness" after the other plucked from Fox News and Youtube.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Trump's last two physical exams were announced well in advance. Today Trump drove out to Walter Reed, completely unannounced, and spent 2 hours being examined and having tests done. The press was asked not to even announce the destination until they had arrived at the hospital. Read into all that what you will.

[Ghengis Jon]

......Bottom line, the Democrats would be better off to ... run a good qualified candidate against Trump, and beat him in November. It would be a lot easier than going this route.

[lineygoblue]

McConnell isn't the one that determines who Trump can or can't call for witnesses. McConnell brings the articles to the Senate, and sets up the trial. After that, its Roberts' show.

Once this thing gets to the Senate, the Dems have no more control over the proceedings. Schiff, Pelosi et al will have to sit on the sidelines and watch like the rest of us.

McConnell sets up the dates and times for the trial, and its presided over by Roberts.

Trump and his legal team are going to be given a lot of leeway in defending him. That will include calling whatever witnesses that are necessary to debunk the House charges.

They should wait and get him in November.

[lineygoblue]

Trump's last two physical exams were announced well in advance. Today Trump drove out to Walter Reed, completely unannounced, and spent 2 hours being examined and having tests done. The press was asked not to even announce the destination until they had arrived at the hospital. Read into all that what you will.

Maybe he's a little bit like you and I.

I mean, when I go to get my yearly checkup, I don't go out on my front porch and say "HEY EVERYBODY, I'M GOING TO GET MY CHECKUP.... ANYONE WANT TO COME ALONG"???

Maybe he wanted some privacy? That's what I read into it.

[froot loops]

Unlike the Schiff hearings, the trial in the Senate is not going to be political. Well, its going to be 'political' but the outcome can't be determined by politics, like the Schiff hearings can. The trial will have to be determined by the law. If the House brings the 'evidence' that they have now, its going to be an easy win for Trump. However, if the House starts adding even more articles, then Trump will have to be allowed to defend himself vigorously against each and every charge. If he needs multiple witnesses to prove his case, Roberts will have to allow him to do so.

The House is up against all the seasonal 'recesses" here. They're going to recess for Thanksgiving, and then there will be the Christmas/New Years recess. As it looks right now, they are not going to get thru all these various hearings, have a floor debate, take a vote and issue articles of Impeachment before the end of the year. It just can't be done. That means about the earliest we may see actual articles voted upon and sent to the Senate, it would likely be mid-January. Then there will likely be a few weeks of procedural matters in the Senate before Roberts even bangs the first gavel. That means we're running smack into New Hampshire, Iowa and maybe even "Super Tuesday" before the trial gets going in earnest.

Bottom line, the Democrats would be better off to drop the whole thing, and run a good qualified candidate against Trump, and beat him in November. It would be a lot easier than going this route.

Bull fucking shit, dropping it is akin to giving him license to keep on doing this shit. It is fucking outrageous that anyone would condone this shit like you are. Boomer.

[Dr. Strangelove]

It's close (not as close as Kentucky) but Louisiana Democrat John Bell Edwards is going to win reelection. In a race where Trump made three personal appearances and again begged for people to "give me a win"

Similar trends as elsewhere. Edwards did better in the New Orleans suburbs than in 2015. Seems though that the rural turnout for Republicans was not as strong as they had hoped, especially in the Northeast part of the state where the Republican primary loser is from.