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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 21:52:23 GMT
One way or the other, best just to get this shitshow of a by-election out of the way. If Galloway wins, so be it. He will make the HoC 'entertaining' in his own self-aggrandising way for a few months, then come the GE, Labour can announce a new candidate [let's hope they make exhaustive checks first, eh?!] , boot gorgeous George out and get some normality back into our politics!
All in all this seems likely to be a most unpleasant campaign, maybe even more unpleasant than the last very unpleasant one in Batley & Spen.... anyone spot the common theme?
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 21:43:54 GMT
Agreed, although I've noticed over time, that CNN, MSNBC et al have become less 'balanced' ..this may be part of a "if you cant beat em, join em" mentality,which is depressing but understandable/inevitable
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 14:34:32 GMT
I can't get on board with this idea that you just "fall" for a niche conspiracy theory by accident. Can you imagine the same if a candidate endorsed the Great Replacement, shape-shifting lizards, Bill Gates using COVID jabs to make you subscribe to Office 365 etc? Publicly expressing such a thing in a meeting is your choice and your responsibility. Likewise, why is a man with a record of fighting antisemitism now expressing such dodgy suggestions? Without wishing to engage in hyperbole, history has provided plenty of examples of people who consider antisemitism to be foolish and then indulge in it for political gain. Can we leave the hon member for Leicestershire NW out of this please
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 1:48:28 GMT
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 1:20:33 GMT
The "make european nations contribute more" isnt new. The "I think my mate Vlad should invade a few of them with my blessing" is jawdropping..even by his standards!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 0:27:34 GMT
I'd forgotten about that! I guess my brain can only retain so many vile and depraved things he's come out with over the years!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 0:17:20 GMT
He was vile to many of his 2016 rivals eg; Cruz, Carson etc, and they still supported him. I suspect the number of Republican who publicly refuse to support him will be limited to the genuinely moderate and a few oddballs. Cruz did famously decline to endorse him at the 2016 RNC when giving a speech, but then he decided to around September if I remember correctly. Then became more of a big supporter as Trump’s term went on Indeed. This is commonplace for Trump. He said some disgusting things repeatedly about Cruz's wife..things that would have me punching him in his face! But Cruz is as cowardly as the rest and caved in.
Haley's comeback was smart. To the effect of "my husband is serving his country in the military overseas..something you would know nothing about". Great attack line if it had been said by a Republican about a Democrat. Sadly it will bounce off Trump like a fly off a closed window!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 12, 2024 0:05:09 GMT
All I know is that all these various "issues" with numerous candidates are going to make the prediction competition a nightmare!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 11, 2024 14:50:25 GMT
My friend is refusing to campaign further in this in the light of the comments. Labour can disown him (Ali, not my friend of course!) in advance, or if he does scrape in the Whips would need to have very sharp words with him demanding a retraction, an apology & an undertaking that he will not say rubbish like this in future. I now wish both he & Galloway could lose, but that's not a realistic hope well they could always vote for the Green candidate instead...oops
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 11, 2024 14:30:55 GMT
As someone posted in the comments below it, this is the price for failing to invest in education!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 11, 2024 11:45:02 GMT
I've said it all along a "final-term Trump presidency" with the handbrake off and nothing to lose is literally a threat to Western democracy. Alas, america is sleepwalking into something apocalyptic and those who could act to prevent it, refuse to act. Very worrying times!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 10, 2024 12:00:06 GMT
A few observations on the Crewe Central result, an area I knew quite well having represented parts of it for 10-26 years. 1. The winning candidate effectively ran as an independent localist.2. He runs one of the few long-established businesses on the street that runs through the heart of the ward. 3. By donating half his business premises as a Covid vaccination centre he effectively gained local hero status. 4. The Labour Party locally is not, never has been, good at campaigning. 5. The two most deprived wards in Crewe now have Conservative councillors. There are no Conservative borough councillors in Nantwich. The world is upside-down. 6. At least Silvester made no progress. 7. It is an area with big issues and petty issues. The petty ones swing more votes than the big ones.
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 9, 2024 15:13:43 GMT
Alas, whether Biden has dementia or other serious cognitive issues isnt the point. What is crucial is whether he is perceived to have them - esp when encouraged in that perception by the usual suspects - by large swathes of voters.
I think the latest press conference was the"tipping point" for me.It looked horrendous, both literally & in terms of the optics. In fact,the ruling that - to paraphrase - "we wont be charging him as it isnt even clear whether he has the mental capacity to know what he was doing re the classified docs" is the worst outcome for him. Obviously the best would have been full exoneration,then a guilty verdict which would only have put him on a par with Trump (on that single charge). This pronouncement however will be doubled &tripled down on by Trump & all his acolytes. All the "he isnt really in charge; he's manipulated by'the deep state'" stuff will be regurgitated ad nauseum,but with this ruling giving it a whiff of credibility!
Ive lambasted the GOP grandees for lacking the guts to stand up to Trump and being too spineless and scared of him rather than putting the long term interests of their party before this man. I now have to start thinking exactly the same of the senior players in the Dems. It seems increasingly obvious that , whilst Trump is clearly "not fit" for high office, Biden is "not competent for or capable of" high office. To not act now, in the long term interests of the party (and the short term interest of the country &the world in avoiding 4 years of Trump with no handbrake) is bordering on criminally recklessness.... and all to avoid hurting the pride of the current incumbent?
Whilst I appreciate its too late for anyone to "stand against" him now, there is no reason why a friendly word in his ear by senior figures in the party shoulsnt be said today, tomorrow, the next day and every day until he agrees to "voluntarily stand down due to health issues". There is no shame in growing old. NO disgrace. NO dishonour. And in many ways it could be argued as a great personal sacrifice for the benefit of the nation! The question is will he really allow pride and hubris come before all that?
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 8, 2024 23:58:51 GMT
3 results - 3 gains. All losses by 3 different parties. All gains by 3 different parties.
That can't happen all that often!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 8, 2024 23:24:07 GMT
CHESHIRE EAST UA, Crewe Central Con 335 Lab 277 CF 128 WEP 22 Green 12 CON GAIN FROM LAB. Con 43.3% Lab 35.8% PCF 16.5% WEP 2.8% Grn 1.6%
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 8, 2024 23:16:07 GMT
GWYNEDD Criccieth WILLIAMS, Sian (Plaid Cymru) 381 ALLPORT, John (Independent) 129 JOYCE, Andrew Richard (Liberal Democrat) 11 GENTRY, Bernard (Conservative) 9 Spoilt paper 1 PC 71.9% IND 24.3% LD 2.1% Con 1.7%
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 8, 2024 22:33:03 GMT
From Redfield Wilton Scotland Westminster VI (3-4 February): Labour 34% (-1) SNP 33% (-2) Conservative 18% (+1) Lib Dem 8% (-1) Reform UK 4% (+2)Green 2% (–) Alba 1% (NEW) Other 0% (-1) Changes +/- 9-11 January
La Reform En Marche?
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 8, 2024 22:19:12 GMT
Anybody going to be watching the Carlson interview with Putin? Lands at 11pm tonight AIUI
I think I will out of curiosity, although I think we all pretty much know already how it will go and..err cui bono!
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 7, 2024 22:18:52 GMT
Blaenau Gwent: Ind 52, Lab 39, Green 9
Cheshire East: Lab 51, PCF 19, Con 20, Green 8, WEP 2
Gwynedd: Ind 40, PC 36, LD 12, Con 12
W Northants: Con 46, Lab 27, LD 27
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Post by manchesterman on Feb 7, 2024 15:49:24 GMT
I agree that that's likely how this would pan out..in normal times. As we all know,these are not normal times, esp in US & UK politics.
Anything short of Trump actually being dead by convention-time (i.e. if, in the unlikely scenario,he is either legally barred or physically too ill,but alive) I expect he would just have to "endorse (annoint)" a successor and the GOP - in its current cowardly state - would just fall in line. My money would be on Don Jr, as - like most tyrants & wannabe dictators - they like to keep it in the family.
Also, if a bust-up at convention did damage the GOP candidate [provided it wasnt a family member] in November, do you really think Trump could care less?
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