Post Yet-Another-GOP-Debate Thoughts

Ken AshfordElection 2016Leave a Comment

(1)  I can’t hide my contempt for this party and those beholden to it.  Even the questions were horrible.  The moderators would mischaracterize what Obama has said and done, and then ask the candidates about it — like, “Last night in the State of the Union, Obama said that ISIS isn’t a problem.  Your thoughts on how we deal with ISIS?” … Read More

Can You Hear The Dog Whistles?

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Republicans, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

This: Rep. Peter King (R-NY) told Politico Thursday that Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) should “go back under a rock” after the GOP nominee hopeful said rival Donald Trump “embodies New York values.” Cruz talked about Trump’s campaign rally songs Tuesday and said he thought the real estate mogul might start playing Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” … Read More

Yet Another GOP Debate Tonight

Ken AshfordElection 2016Leave a Comment

Tonight’s debate is the second-to-last one before Iowa, and the dynamics are a little different: Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are finally going after each other on the campaign trail, because they are running neck and neck in Iowa.  In Iowa, if the polls can be believed (and I’m not sure polls are as reliable this year), Trump has perhaps … Read More

The Lyingest Liar Of 2015

Ken AshfordElection 2016Leave a Comment

Every year, Politifact does their “Lie Of The Year”.  In 2009, it was “death panels”.  Last year, it was Ebola exaggerations.  This year, there were so many from… well, I’ll let them tell it: It’s the trope on Trump: He’s authentic, a straight-talker, less scripted than traditional politicians. That’s because Donald Trump doesn’t let facts slow him down. Bending the … Read More

Democratic In-Fighting – Yes, It Exists

Ken AshfordElection 2016Leave a Comment

Associated Press: A summary of computer logs show that four aides to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign accessed proprietary voter data compiled by the campaign of rival Hillary Clinton. And the records also show that the aides conducted 25 separate searches of voter information and some saved the results. That’s according to a person familiar with the data logs … Read More

Did Ted Cruz Leak Classified Information During The Latest GOP Debate?

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Republicans, War on Terrorism/Torture, Wiretapping & SurveillanceLeave a Comment

It went down like this.  While Rubio and Cruz were debating each other’s records on national security and surveillance, Cruz got into some details about what the bulk data program covers. “What he knows is that the old program covered 20 percent to 30 percent of phone numbers to search for terrorists,” Cruz said, referring to Rubio. “The new program … Read More

Another Debate Tonight As Trump Stays Ahead

Ken AshfordElection 2016, RepublicansLeave a Comment

Yes, I’ll probably live-tweet the debate tonight. Meanwhile, Cruz leads in Iowa (according to one poll), but the story remains Trump Trump Trump. Ever since is incendiary and divisive comment about blocking Muslim immigration, Trump has become the darling of the pants-wetting and/or white supremacist right. Here’s what happens at Trump rallies: But it quickly became clear Monday night that … Read More

The Trump Backlash Continues

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Immigration and Xenophobia, Polls, Republicans, Right Wing Punditry/Idiocy, Tea Party, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

A $6 billion golf community under construction in Dubai is removing his name from the project. Trump was tossed from a respected business network in Scotland, where the billionaire says he invested more than $300 million in golf courses and other developments. And Lifestyle, a retailer that does business in an enormous marketplace spanning the Middle East, India and Africa, … Read More

Trump May Have Hit The Ceiling

Ken AshfordConstitution, Election 2016, Godstuff, Immigration and Xenophobia, Republicans, Rightwing Extremism/Violence, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

Donald Trump has defied political pundits for months now.  When he first attacked John McCain, the thought was that it would kill him in the polls, but then he went up.  And that’s been the story for over four months now.  He keeps on appealing to the worst-of-the-worst conservative base and his numbers go up. But many are now saying … Read More