“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”
― Benjamin Franklin
5
NOTHING said by any Republik-an should be believed. They're incapable of objectivity, AND they are dishonest to boot. They're all about denying and covering up the truth. Why they're even taken seriously anymore is completely mystifying. They've made complete fools of themselves.
4
@Mike
... and of some of their supporters.
I am sure it had to be reported so the King would not throw one of his hissy fits. Maybe the Republicans should start to look he is going to be impeached and each day new revelations come out. Oh, right the Deep State, no when people start to catch on that when you stand up to a bully/thug nothing he can do. Today he was told to pay $2 million since that fake charity of his was a money machine for him and three kids. I love it he paid $25,000 for a Tim Tebow helmet (where is Tim anyway) and two paintings then when he files his tax return he claims they are only worth $925 sound familiar the same reason when we see his tax returns and that is coming it will prove his fraud as Cohen said of putting up or down the values on his holdings then the accounts to help with the fraud will sing or they will be going to jail. One does not mess with the Southern District of New York Federal Attorney who could care less about King Trump. The man is so delusional he is not at fault for the loss he almost as Kelly Anne said pulled him across the finish line. The whole group are patheitc and they forget one thing in life there is always pay back time and they are going to get theirs. Jim Trautman
5
The main pollers, Five Thirty Eight, ranked the Republican polling as poor, go figure. That’s the only way they show their supporters a new shiny thing. But the fact is, the blue wave continues, and the more that people get angry, the more they realize neither Trump, nor anyone on his orbit cares one iota about the people who voted for him. Trump cares about the swamp and those who inhabit the swamp. They haven’t gotten to the point of eating their own....yet.....but that time is fast approaching.
As more and more comes to light about Ukrainegate and Giuliani’s involvement, Trump and his supporters in the Senate, will have to either circle the wagons, or risk their own political future. Because if the Senate, Graham and others lets Trump violate the law, two things will happen, Trump will continue to press other countries to investigate his political rivals, and two, that opens the door for democrats running for office, to ask for the same thing, dirt on Trump, and his family, and given Trumps past, I’m sure there’s lots of dirt on him, and his family.
And if we’re going to be investigating Biden’s son, even though no evidence exists that there was any wrongdoing by Hunter Biden, then Trumps family is open to the very same investigation into enriching themselves because of the position of Trump, and again, given their background, and the fact that Beavis and Butthead, Don and Eric, have had mentorship on the fine art of tax evasion, and violations of the Emolument Clause.
5
@James One thing the media was and continues to be lax about his real real estate property. I worked in the late 60's for the City of New York and the Trumps owned a good bit of what is a nice word then there is not a nice word slum housing. The city pays for the apts. and at that time little kids were eating the lead paint and becoming seriously ill. Their head office would never go in as requested and strip the paint and put new unleaded paint on after all the city was paying the bills. Had to go to court they always knew they would lose, but dragged it out as long as possible. Hey, it eats into the profits. Check his fathers history with certain investigations. Also never discussed his connections to the mob. Anyone that does business in NYC in construction does business with the mob simple fact of life in any big city. Also jumped over he admited during the campaign his building were built with Chinese steel why he openly said so "Because it was cheap" so where was that concern for the steel workers. It is all about him always was and if the Deutche bank and the Russians had not fronted him laundered money most of his businesses would have been gone long ago. Since the bankrupt casinos no American bank would touch him with a ten foot pole. Good news most of his properties are going belly up or being sold off. After he leaves office the real fun of the Trump brand will begin. Jim Trautman
3
What will it take for Republicans to jump ship? He will always lie and jumping ship would require clear evidence that the Evangelicals are abandoning him. That will not happen unless they decide that saving our democracy and electing leaders who are of good character is more important than bashing the LGBTQ community and abolishing reproductive freedom.
4
I hope Republicans believe this. It will hasten their eventual defeat.
3
Has Ronna dropped the Romney from her name? No longer wants to cash in on that connection? While it may have served her well in Michigan, the rest of the country didn’t have a Romney governor and his son has gone to the dark side and it’s in the presidential offerings.
Trump also invented air conditioning, the internet, and ice cream. Just for starters. Stay tuned for more startling revelations!
3
@cody McCall,
Funny they just interviewed the real scientists that did invent the protocols for the internet. The internet was actually developed by the military, the idea being, that you couldn’t take out all command and control. So they just expanded on that already existing idea, and developed the way you log in to a server that could be in a whole different country, like it was local. So that’s really what they developed, in fact one of them works for Google. They were on PBS Nightly News yesterday.
1
Like Stacy Abrams I expect this will not end very well for Governor Bevin.
3
Trump's visit to Kentucky invigorated people to vote for Beshear and likely cost Bevin the election. But please Republicans keep sending Donald out to the States that won him the election by about 72,000 votes in 2020, democrats would encourage that!!
Trump's walls are crumbling which is why he tried to get Ukraine to lie about Biden.
3
I'm trying to think if there's been a day since this man took office when someone--a friend, neighbor, colleague, family member--hasn't said something to the effect of "What's wrong with this GOP?" and have not come up with either a day or explanation. Lately, this nagging sense of something dangerously amiss has become a drum beat.
It's not just that they're misinformed, ignorant, stubborn, and misguided...states of being we can and should excuse because they can be corrected or reversed.
No. What is stunning is the degree of duplicity, the habitual gaming of politics, data, and statistics, the reflexive lying, and the unconscionable support of a president guilty of crimes. There is no explaining or excusing their collusion with wrongdoing.
Yesterday, four different people asked me if I had a theory for why the GOP can't grasp that its fate is tied to his. I don't have the foggiest. If they're playing a game of brinkmanship, they've calculated wrong. The gap in Kentucky should tell them that they've backed the losing horse. It's not clear anymore if they even know how to change course.
It's the politics of annihilation. Cynically, they've assumed that it's they who will be destroying the left, but there is accruing evidence that we just may squeak out a win. And the liberal agenda is NOT about destroying anyone; it's about returning this nation to some semblance of normalcy. That's a low bar but the GOP has done its best to make even that unreachable.
2
That’s exactly what the GOP is doing specifically Graham, and let’s remember Graham is the one that said, if Trump gets the nomination it will destroy the GOP, and we would deserve it, he said. But suddenly Graham doesn’t seem to think that lying is impeachable, seems he forgot Clinton’s impeachment. Graham was also asked what kind of evidence would you need to convict Trump, Graham replies, I would need to see evidence of a Quid Pro Quo, well seems they have that now. Graham’s new position, that since the deposition was taken behind closed doors, that the testimony is somehow tainted, unusable. Again Graham and Trey Gowdy, seem to forget that once upon a time, they both were defenders of closed door depositions. In fact Gowdy held 135 closed door depositions, before moving their Benghazi investigation to the public, and after all that closed door depositions, Clinton, was found to have done nothing wrong.
Once upon a time, Graham opined that the day Nixon ignored the subpoena, he could be impeached, he went on to say that no crime had to be committed to be impeached, that impeachment amounted to a “cleansing of the White House”. Graham was also all for closed door depositions as a house member during the impeachment of Clinton. The only thing that changed is who’s sitting in the Oval Office, and the fact that he’s a Republican, lying is the impeachment precedent republicans have set, now that’s not good enough, suddenly that precedent that the GOP set isn’t impeachable.
1
You are a confederate in the nerve gas cloud of lies perpetuated by Trump and his sundry loyalists when you give him false credit for coining the expression- Truthful Hyperbole.
Tony Schwartz, the actual penitent writer of The Art of the Deal’, actually coined it, with the title and virtually everything in the book.
Please give credit where it is due and refrain from feeding the Trump monster.
1
@Robert Thanks for clearing that up, Robert, as that line in the story worried me. I doubt that Trump knows what hyperbole means and I am sure he could not pronounce it.
More lies...that’s all the GOP can come up with these days.
2
“...the President always looks to spin a loss...”
How does one “ spin” dividing a nation of diverse Peoples, traditions, legacies, distorting history?
How does one “spin” betraying comrades in arms?
How does one “spin” desecrating the Presidency?
How does one “ spin״ goulashing accessible, available, generalizable FACTS, with unnourishing “alt-fact” fictions and fantasies?
How does one “spin” empowering white supremacy behaviors while enabling a toxic WE-THEY culture that violates created, selected, targeted “the other(s)”?
How does one “spin” the spread of transmuting praying to...into preying on...by faux religionists?
How does one “spin” “kidnapping,” caging, neglecting and traumatizing innocent children?
How does one “spin” being complicit in starving to death children in Yemen?
How does one “spin” a documented history of BEing a racist, a misogynist, a philanderer?
How does one “spin” BEing a chronic exploiter of others?
How does one “spin” a lifetime-lifestyle of BEing personally Unaccountable for one’s words and deeds?
How does one “spin” creating risks to America’s national security?
How does one “spin” seeding, nurturing and harvesting political and other types of corruption?
How does one “spin” being a virile-enemy of environmental well-being.
How does one “spin” challenging the Constitution?
How does one “spin” disempowering the underpinnings of democracy’s principles, norms, values and ethics?
How does one “spin” weakening mutual trust, respect,civility and help?
1
the Trump faithful will tell you he walked on water. Not 'could' but actually did walk on water. and how dare you say otherwise.
1
What is a ' dubious claim'?
' A rose by any other name' ?
Writing and speaking clear American English prose is a rapidlly vanishing " deplaning" and ' undocumented' and ' African American 'virtue.
1
As a male, it really pains me to see any woman supporting trump.
As a male, trump is the epitome of everything a real man hates.
He's a liar, a cheat, a racist, a sexist.
How in the world could any woman support him after his comment on grabbing women by the ......?
Frankly, his current spokesperson looks like an abused woman.
Women, trump is not the man you want to be associated with.
You are being a victim if you do.
4
@J Prufrock,
I would totally agree, I wasn’t raised like that, I was raised quite differently, hitting my own sisters would trigger a lecture on the moral pitfalls of hitting women, or degrading women, my stepdad wouldn’t have stood for that behavior from me or my brother. Anyone of color, women, any minority that sidles up to Trump for whatever reason is a traitor to their own people or gender.
Trumps a racist, at the very least, why would someone of color back a man that denigrates minorities, Trump has sexually assaulted women, grabbed them in very inappropriate ways, and by the way, one woman making that accusation that’s one thing, but when 16 have stepped forward, there’s a pattern. In fact the Republitards aggressively go after any woman that has the gall to point a finger at Trump and say he grabbed me. Because that’s their M.O. modus operandi, destroy the messenger, they are willing to after decorated Lt Col, that have the gall to testify against Trump. But that what guilty people do, they kill the messenger.
1
Kim in North Korea claims to have shot a 34 on a golf course once.
Heaven forbid he ever plays with Trump. They'd be tied at 15 after 18 holes.
It seems to be a pattern with insecure despots.
3
So shameful that Ronna Romney McDaniel has no shame. She has gone by Romney forever but trump told her she had to drop the Romney name. These Repubs just let trump act like a dictator rolling them over.
1
It isn't a dubious claim, it is an intentionally misleading claim. The NYT is far too generous with its word choice.
1
Hahahaha. Who on earth would expect a 17-point lead for any Democrat in Kentucky, red Kentucky? Even if the Republican is annoying and disliked? What a ridiculous pretense.
1
I don't buy that, and wonder that President Trump is losing his cognitive abilities, as he appears to slip and make errors at this poorly delivered speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/TomJChicago/status/1192418814669021185
1
Hey Trump, keep digging, you'll pop up in China soon.
1
“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became truth. ‘Who controls the past’ ran the Party slogan, ‘controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.'”
—George Orwell, “1984”
2
Close only counts with hand grenades and H bombs.
Thank you New York Times for correcting the record.
The lies and gaslighting from this administration are so constant that it’s almost impossible for the public to keep up with what’s true and what’s not.
Please, let’s have more of this kind of reporting!
2
Trump.
You're guy lost.
Get over it.
2
Republicans never let an opportunity to lie pass them by.
1
Republicans don’t like facts. The party got hijacked by Southern evangelicals after the Civil Rights Movement and it has been on a downward spiral ever since. These are people who literally believe that Noah literally put two kangaroos on an ark in the Middle East in a time before anyone knew the world was round, before anyone had mapped the latitude and longitude of Earth, before anyone living in the Middle East had ever heard of Australia or a creature like a kangaroo. They even make their kids sing a song about it. I am 37 and I can still sing the whole thing. “Elephants and kangaroosies, roosies!” and they don’t see a thing wrong with it. Their kids grow up unable to process higher level science but by golly they’ll vote Republican! Facts? Who needs facts!
I’ve got news for you:
I worked for the RNC for the campaign of 1988.
President-Elect George H. W. Bush won, with a campaign run by Lee Atwater. Our campaign attacked Massachusetts Democrat Mike Dukakis with everything we had: polluted Boston Harbor, taxes (always taxes!), and the one that haunts me: Willie Horton, a murderer granted parole who went off and committed rape and murder.
Dukakis, of course, had nothing to do with his release but had appointed members of the Parole Board.
We won the election (with a lot of help from Dukakis riding in a tank.).
After the inauguration, Field Operatives (like me) were let go. Ok, I saw it coming: new regime means new staff.
BUT: I got a phone call from a wonderful woman who had been with the RNC (and damn good at her job!) since Eisenhower, telling me she had just been told she had 2 hours to vacate her office. Everything, except her files, has to go, she cried.
She was told this by a 20-something Evangelical from South Carolina.
She said, and I remember: “He told me, “It’s our Party now. Thank you for getting me here.” She cried.
Atwater had sold the soul of the GOP for a victory, something he didn’t need to do and something he died regretting it.
That day was the end of the “Big Tent’ GOP as I knew it.
The earth is flat, Trump says so.
MAGA.
2
Governor Bevin should have campaigned against his Libertarian competitor as well. There were 28000 conservative votes sitting on the sidelines.
1
No incumbent Republican Governor in Kentucky, or anywhere else in the south, has required any help staying in office in the last 30 years or so. Trump assumed he could swoop in pretending to "save" Bevin, and lap up the sweet milk of gratitude and awe. I seriously doubt he would even have gone if he had thought Bevin had a chance of losing.
3
There may be many WH applicants for DWTS once Trump's unique brand of fact-challenged, unhinged "winning" is put before the voters in 2020.
(No wonder he has never even acknowledged (!!!) Russian election interferece - he cant "win" without it.)
1
"Night is day. Day is night. We have always been at war with Eurasia"
3
Until fairly recently I used to live in Michigan where Ronna Romney McDaniel has been involved in Republican politics for awhile. I therefore always knew that she was the rather dimwitted niece of Mitt Romney, appointed to her position, first with the Michigan Republican Party, then with the RNC as a gimme to her uncle since she couldn't do much harm there, but I mistakenly viewed her as untalented, not dishonest. Now it seems she's willing to lie in order to ingratiate herself to Trump. Another bonehead move!
2
Fantasyland, a book by Kurt Andersen, should be required reading for every American. It is a five hundred year history of how you have gone so far down the rabbit hole you will never find your way back. A suggestion for a real attempt at it might start with using the term “lie” instead of “dubious claim”, or “lie” instead of “truthful hyperbole”. You might all start to laugh hysterically whe someone mentions Joseph Smth or “Pastor” Paula White and the prosperity gospel. But that seems just a dream for a nation in search of the rabbit.
2
McDaniel has become a "Baghdad Bob" just like Spicer, Sanders, Conway, Grisham and Mulvaney. Their lips are moving. They are lying. Call these lies, not hyperbole. Lies.
3
Are there any newspapers or news outlets in Kentucky that have picked this story up?? That would be a great follow up.
1
Republican politicians will live with Trump as long as it's politically necessary. But they won't die with him. Once (or if) Republican voters turn against Trump en mass, they will run from Trump and deny they ever stood with him. Republican pols are like weeds. They ruin everything but are hard to get rid of.
1
Accuse the other side of that which YOU are guilty of. Republicans are spreading FAKE NEWS to gaslight and keep people brainwashed. I cannot believe what I am seeing in this country. I am absolutely beside myself at the deception.
Pure propaganda. Despicable. They know that many people are seeing through the lies. They are so desperate that their propaganda will be turned up 100 notches from here on out. They won't get away with any of this.
2
Keep hugging that tarbaby GOP.
POTUS, House Senate all blue in 2020 at this rate.
1
We know what Trump thinks of losers. Bevin's lucky. Trump isn't discarding him yet; may have some shady use for him. Claiming falsely to erase a 17,000 vote deficit is a variation, I suppose, on casting Bevin to the lowest depths by calling him a dog.
Let the con man keep deluding himself and others. Most sane Americans know the truth and are doing all we can to end this reign of terror and ignorance.
1
If only Kentucky had the electoral college, eh Donald?
2
When “closing gaps” wins races, this will be something. Til then it’s kofefe.
2
There are no lies as dubiously credible as those people tell themselves. The current crop of Republicans in leadership positions, from McDaniel to Graham, and a lot of the so-called base, and deluding themselves with high octane prevarication. They really believe this stuff--and no amount of logic, data, or sane argument is going to change that. Such is the nature of the beast itself.
3
The Republicans always have a good spin. Look at Lindsey Graham, trying to make cookies out of a big mess. And now there is Kentucky. Yes, Trump really helped the Democrats. Send him out again in the next election involving a Republican.
2
The great lesson that I hope we all learn from Kentucky Election Day 2019: Matt Bevin is refusing to concede, even though he has lost, and the Republican Party is behind him, because they fear the downfall.
Does anyone, even a Trump loyalist, think that Donald Trump will concede if he loses the Presidential Race in 2020? Based on what evidence?
Donald Trump still says the he won the popular vote against Hilary Clinton in 2016 (he did not), that there were 1,000,000 fake 2016 votes by Democrats (there were not), that his inauguration drew a larger crowd than Obama's (demonstrably false), and on and on.
Donald Trump cannot stand to be seen as a loser, he cannot stand to be wrong. He will use a Sharpie to doctor a weather map on TV, for weeks on end, simply because he cannot admit he made a mistake.
Trump cannot be allowed to run in 2020, because our Nation cannot stand a repeat of the Contested Election of 2000, but this time without any semblance of the rule of law. We can't take it.
All the Republicans who are about to say "yes, there was a Quid Pro Quo, but we have an election in one year, let the electorate decide" need to think very carefully about the path upon which they are embarking.
6
I don't find Ms. McDaniel impressive. Nor credible. Nor competent. I don't know how anyone else does either.
3
As long as the Republicans are bragging about coming in a close second that's fine by me.
3
What's that they say about the game of horseshoes? "Almost counts." Seems The Donald is a horseshoe kind of guy.
1
Make it Up and Bake It. This is what we can expect from the GOP moving forward through this election year and into next year.
Bevin is claiming "irregularities" in the voting process that he just lost by a significant margin in Kentucky. This will be the blueprint from the GOP all the way through to when 45* loses his re-election in 2020.
Another note I must share. How is it in our known universe that these two words ever co-exist in any sentence: Republican Woman? This is an oxymoron is ever there was one.
2
Every article that mentions Ronna McDaniel should note she dropped the use of her maiden name, Romney, at Trump's urging. This woman is not exactly a profile in fortitude.
5
Not quite sure who they are, but the Trafalgar Group had Bevin up by 5 last week.
1
LIE is the key, vital ingredient in this Trump Republican Party.
2
Wait a second. Wasn’t it 900 points down? Yeah, if it weren’t for the president’s support, the loss would have been really embarrassing.
We have the Russians, Julian Assange, Roger Stone, Rudy and his buds from Kyev,or Moscow, or Long Island or Miami-somewhere and now with the appearance of a pollster that earns a C/D rating from 538, we have the trifecta.
The legitimate polls will now be weakened by the dumpster's mob and potential voters who don't follow the news closely will be mislead straight down the garden path.
Is there an organization that certifies polling groups? If not, maybe one should be created. At the very least, MSM could start included pollster's credibility and ownership when they include results in articles.
More and more every day I feel like Alice on her way down the rabbit hole. Where are those tarts?
1
Trump didn't win the popular vote, in fact he didn't win the election at all. No Trump didn't win Hillary lost because she was widely hated. Now Trump is more hated than Hillary. The DNC can nominate a potted plant and beat Trump. Heck they could renominate Hillary and she would win in a popular and electoral college landslide.
Nothing riles up the base like Trump and Dems love it!
Trump did not coin the term "truthful hyperbole." That was his ghostwriter for Art of the Deal, Tony Schwartz. Trump merely took credit.
1
This man's ego knows no bounds, and the enablers aim to strike it. Let their base think it's no contest. Please.
1
Continued gaslighting of Trump's base and attempted gaslighting of those of us who know the look and sound of an attempt to twist reality.
I think some people .. Trump's supporters.. cannot admit to themselves that they believed in and supported an untrustworthy racist charlatan.. They have to grapple with what that says about themselves.
I pray the time is approaching when this cesspool is drained..
Until then, we will just continue to hear more lies about the previous lies that were told about those other lies.
I wonder if these sycophant minions go home and brag about what they are doing.. I wonder if on Sunday morning in church they sit well .. or squirm just a little.
At the end of the day, when we are alone with ourselves, we know .. If we have been dishonest and untruthful.. If we have hurt others.
Trump's sycophant minions will have to decide if they want to be on the wrong side of history or continue to be on the right side of Trump.
They do not realize that only those with the last name of Trump or Kushner are safe.. Everyone else is like New York shoe gum gum.. Ready to be roughly scraped away and disgarded.
I bet he even has mean girls nicknames already picked out .. Ready for when the day comes they decide enough already with the lies, ducking reporters' questions and weakly trying to defend the indefensible.
I wonder.. Where would we be if President Obama had behaved this way?
1
Typical Republican spin. If you win, preen and strut, and declare Trump the Biggest Winner Ever. If you lose, blame voter fraud, the "deep state", and the Forces of Satan. And declare Trump the Biggest Winner Ever.
1
Nothing coming from trump, his cronies or the republicans national committee can be believed. They are liars with no ethics.
1
"In a dubious claim" is synonymous with anything the spews from Trump's mount.
Trump is an eccentric person who cannot stand the normal outcomes of competition. That Republicans act to make him happy with no rational gain possible from doing so is bizarre. It’s like some kind of voluntary affinity with him and his cockeyed ways.
whatever a loss is still a loss. What is clear he's energizing Democrats
1
if this article is correct, she is taking on the techniques of the NYTimes that inflate democratic party wins but applying it to Republicans - see the article about her in Fox. It appears the Republicans may been far more successful than the democrats in yesterday's elections overall if you actually do the counting. btw the reason the democrats have been gaining in some "suburban" districts is really because they are becoming less white suburban and more minority majority. A good example is the district I live in North Coastal San Diego county. The same goes for the districts that flipped in Orange County - that trend toward democratic majority in those former Republican districts were taking place before trump.
@sh this provides an unbiased and accurate review of the 2019 election results. Unlike the usual NYtimes story that obfuscates in the favor of democrats, it appears the Republicans did better overall
https://ballotpedia.org/Election_results,_2019
Trump has helped to get candidates elected. I give him credit for the Blue House of Representatives, the elected Blue Virginia legislature and the Governor elect of Kentucky ( if it isn't stolen from him)
If I was an incumbent Republican Senator up for re-election, I would rather stand next to Romney than Trump.
3
This is so creepy, hitlers playbook kinda creepy. Build up the demigod and fool people into thinking its all for the good of the nation, their nation, not "others" nation. They have no conscience.
7
@EAP Are you talking about dems? That is very much how they put it. Elect us to save democracy and the good of our nation. This is politics, no?
The mendacity of Republicans, their gaslighting and their sycophantic pandering to Trump know no bounds.
They are an embarrassment and history will excoriate them.
21
Gaslighting is about convincing people that what is is not. It’s not voluntary but being taken in by a deceitfully convincing actor. These people are just repeating demonstrably wrong facts in the cynical belief that few will bother to pay attention.
@Andrew Are you not an American citizen? If not what do you know? Do you live in the here? Things are going pretty well for your average American. Democrats fight Trump based on personality and not policy. America is still rejecting lot of far left policy as these last elections show.
Kentucky offers not just a view of how Trump can energize voters, but Bevin's contesting of the result of the gubernatorial election also will be a dress rehearsal for Trump's contesting the results of the 2020 election should he lose. Kentucky has no provision for recounts. The recanvassing is not likely to turn up sufficient votes to change the outcome.
Bevin will not go easily. Indeed, he is already complaining, without evidence, that the vote was rigged. He is unlikely to agree with the outcome of the recanvass effort. When he further contests the results, it will be up to the Kentucky legislature to decide. It has Republican supermajorities in both houses.
How this turns out will tell us a lot about what will happen in 2020.
13
@Steve Did you forget about Stacey Abrams? She did what you are saying Bevin's will do. I believe he will concede after whatever recounts they do. Assuming he still loses after the recount.
@Bryce There is no recount in Kentucky. God bless him if he does concede after the recanvass.
Given that 13 votes is the largest number ever found in a recanvass, it's hard to believe he will let it stop there.
Ms. Abrams's situation was far different. She was not the governor, nor did she have a legislature packed with her party to appoint her governor for a second term.
When in doubt, lie. When not in doubt, lie anyway. Lie, lie, lie and keep lying as you keep losing.
13
...and when you're tired if lying...steal
Lets hope that Mr. Beshear and the democrats have their lawyers and observers in place. I imagine that they do.
The republicans will try every trick in the book to steal the election. They are talking about recounts and checking absentee ballots. They will try any type of chicanery.
There is even talk of "letting the state legislature" decide the election.
Lets don't have a repeat of Florida 2000 - Bush v Gore.
17
I sure don't see how this election is good news for Democrats. The Republican Kentucky govenor. who by all reports that I read, was wildly unpopular and maybe actually hated. And he lost by only 5,000 votes...a man who was hated. Let's note that every other Republican won in Kentucky. This sounds very dangerous for the November 2020 elections. If you have someone who was so disliked and yet lost by such a small margin, bodes bad bad news for November 2020. It seems to me that the Republican propaganda machines are making people forget that the policies for this country are hurting us. We're pulling out of the climate accord...let's just watch all the coastal cities go under water. When it's too late to do anything. Let's see what happens when all of the countries we have tossed to the wolves turn to other countries...how do you think isolationism will work in the 21st century? How do you think you'll raise an army to protect us when you've made a huge portion of the US population feel disparaged and in danger from their own fellow citizens? How will you feel when the economy tanks because of the tariffs kick in? How do you think the coal miners will react when they see their industry does not come back? How do you think people who believed the myth about the wall and who would pay for it particularly when they see how much money was taken from defense to pay for the wall and how that money was wasted by showing the holes in the newly built wall. Show it all via video.
5
Soon we’ll be hearing about consecutive holes-in-one on his numerous, taxpayer-funded golf outings; about the new era of economic prosperity tariffs have brought; about how trump is truly the global expert on everything; and about how trump has been restoring vision to the blind and healing the lame.
5
@Alex Idk about Canada, but ignoring Trumps outbursts the U.S. is doing great! If the next election was decided on the Economy, Trump would win by a land slide. 2020 will be decided on Trumps personality rather than policy. The only way dems will lose is if they keep proposing far left policy alienating moderates and independents. They truly need a moderate candidate to win.
I'm betting that Bevins does all he can to get the election thrown into the state legislature. In other words, if the voters elect a Democrat, do whatever it takes to nullify the will of the people. Just look at North Carolina.
8
@Frank O Well the voters elected Republicans for the other Kentucky elections. What's one more if that's the way it goes? I doubt it will come to that though.
As 2020 approaches, DJT will increasingly be viewed as a boat anchor where Republicans are in close statewide races. Counting DJT rallies in the states where Senate elections or other statewide contests are close may prove a better measure of DJT diminishing prospects than any poll.
2
Trafalgar Media reported Bevins (R) +5 on Beshear (D) on Nov. 2.
Trump visits on Nov. 5.
Bevins (R) loses by -0.4 to Beshear (D).
Yes, Trump does energize voters. He's been energizing voters ever since 2016. It's just that since 2016, he's energizing ALL voters.
76
@Rob Tai Since nearly every American election of consequence is usually decided by a few percentage points either way, what you're saying is the "president" put his foot on the accelerator and still managed to lose, or that he got the turn-out the Republican party in KY was looking for and it still came up short. This is bad sign in that a reliable red state, the GOP car is out of gas.
4
Should we take Trump seriously?
Of course he is going to lie, to say anything to avoid being blamed for a loss.
That's what losers with weak egos do. They deny rather than owning and learning from their mistakes. Very dangerous to have a President like that
10
Donald, your efforts resulted in a loss, you lost! It was a "perfect" loss, perfect!
10
Apparently, "close but no cigar" is enough for the Trump crowd. Didn't anyone tell them that they lost the Kentucky governorship? Oh, I forgot. One must never upset the king.
6
@bea durand Everything Trump has said about Kentucky is true so far. Just look at this article. He said if they lose the governorship the media would paint it as a great loss. He was right. That's exactly what's been happening. Not even mentioning that repubs won all the other KY elections. Whatever, people will always confirm their biases no matter what.
Close only counts in hand hand grenades, horse shoes and nuclear war. I’m concerned because he has the button for the later.
3
This article reinforced my belief that politicians (of all stripe) are failing to recognize the world (and its problems) as they are and how to realistically approach them. They much prefer to live in their ideological bubble.
3
Second place is not the winner. It doesnt matter how close, loss is a loss..
9
The Trump brand has always been clouded by hype. He has never been as successful or as wealthy as he has claimed. The reason he continues to try to shield his tax returns is that he knows how embarrassing it will be to reveal to his supporters that they paid more taxes than he did. He’s a carboard figure and the heat that’s coming for him in the impeachment inquiry is likely to show how much of Trump, Inc has been built on sand. Let the ocean wash it away.
17
Republicans smear others in President Trump's name daily, and too many elected officials and journalists skillfully avoid challenging such perverse behaviour. I am reminded today, that the US Senate is an outdated club of mostly low brow, double talking, unenlightened, cob webbed old men on both sides of the aisle. Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, generally seems to be an honorable man, but when he was shown a video of Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana hollering insults about Speaker Pelosi while standing next to Trump, he answered that "Kennedy is my friend, a nice guy in person and very smart". Why couldn't he roundly condemn Kennedy's behaviour, instead of offering such piffle, sans a full throated defense of the Speaker? I recently saw Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut offer an almost verbatim response to Chuck Todd about "his friend" Senator Johnson's obnoxiously rude behaviour on Meet the Press. And why is it so difficult for CNN and NBC interviewers to respectfully and assertively brush back such deflections. We live in a time that cries out for a show of courage from journalists and elected officials alike, but we are mostly witnessing rampant mediocrity and haplessness, while an aspiring despot marauds all over the seat of governance from the White House. But fear not people, all of the aforementioned players are very adept at mealy mouthing "thank you for your service" to men of honor like Colonel Vindman.
5
“...why couldn’t he...”
Because, perhaps, he would have to BE personally accountable
to an aware self, as well as to others in
his life space, family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and
even to strangers, who choose
not to BE willfully
blind,
deaf,
indifferent
complacent about...
complicit in...and
ignorant about...
WHY can’t-DON’T so many of US
choose to contribute to making a
needed difference that creates a
viable, sustainable, equitable
DIFFERENCE for the well-being, and
menschlichkeit for ALL?
It's a waste of time and effort to dispute the majority of claims and statements made by President Trump and his administration.
However, I'm all for including "intentionally lying to the American people" in the Articles of Impeachment.
6
A Trump biographer recently said that Trump, in his seventies, is essentially the same person he was as a seven-year-old—a narcissistic bully never willing to accept responsibility and always eager to blame others for the damage he leaves in his wake. He and his goal-post-shifting enablers remind me of the boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar who always has a pat set of excuses at the ready: I didn’t do it, he/they made me do it, even if I did it, it’s ok, you can’t prove I did it, etc. Whatever his wide-ranging rationales and pseudo-justifications, one thing is certain: Rick Wilson was presciently spot on when he titled his recent book, “Everything Trump Touches Dies”. Let us hope and pray the same does not ultimately apply to our once-proud nation.
8
I don't understand how asserting the GOP was in a 17 point hole in Kentucky is good news for them.
4
@Karin Republicans were not in a 17 point hole. Bevin's was. KY does not like Bevins one bit. The other elections prove that they like republicans.
When it dawns on Republican politicians that The Donald is a net drain on their voter support, they'll throw HIM under the bus.
2
Hear that Mr. McConnell? That is the sound of inevitability!
4
All these wonderful, useful...ahem...exaggerations.
What would be interesting to know is, who, really gave Trump the phrase "truthful hyperbole"? Donald's personal, functional vocabulary fails to demonstrate that he is the likely origin.
The current Republican Party may well be the greatest mass delusion/hysteria episode of all time.
2
@Glen Its always funny to me seeing posts like yours. Not only is it ironic, but its so easy to see that republicans and democrats use the same type of insults at each other over and over. You should be attacking specific policies you don't like instead of insulting the entire republican party based on your one sided world view.
Most of us, I suspect, are looking forward to that special day in November of 2020 when the NY Times and any other papers will be able to proudly proclaim in the largest point-size possible:
TRUMP
LOSER!
7
Eventually everyone in the Republican party will be required to lie in order to support Trump’s delusional statements .
2
The three years that Trump has been president there has been about a total 9 seats in House or the Senate or the Governorship that have flipped to the Democrats.
Let the sycophantic votaries of the tTrump era live in their fool’s paradise.
Cry for the beloved country
26
Trump helped Bevin overcome a 17-point deficit just like Kim jong il shot a 38 under par with 5 hole-in-ones
71
The NYT has the nicest, most polished way of calling a corrupt criminal organization nothing more than a pack of worthless liars!
I believe that is a genuine frustration for many of us throughout the country. We perceive the media as nothing more than being cheerleaders at a "winner take all" political game in which the media just makes the fact that donald is no more than a entitled grifter who happened over time to luck his way in to the Presidency of the United States.
I'll admit that makes donald a championship caliber con artist but it doesn't mean our entire democracy is not now on the ropes.
Isn't it time for the media to wake up, call a spade a spade and tell the public exactly in no uncertain terms exactly who this character is and what this country is up against, exactly?
Why don't you start with an in depth explanation as to the severity of the crime that was Trump University and why donald had to not only settle fraud charges but had to pay back his fraud victims before he could be inaugurated to the Presidency of the United States of America! Do you really think the general public understood this? Really? And that's just for starters. You know it, we all know it.
American capitalism. Sometimes I wonder?
53
@KC thanks!
1
@KC I’m with you all the way! But these GOP’ers live in a parallel world of deception, deceit and lies. They’re delusional and revived flat-earthers. You can’t even talk to them. They’re completely “gone.” But don’t despair. The overwhelming majority of Americans are reasonable, rational, well-informed and see these people for what they are: trumptown cultists whose compound is short-lived.
3
No matter how you dice and slice it, flipping the governorship to a Democrat in KENTUCKY is NEVER gonna be a win for Trump and even his mindless minions know that. Just another spin attempt. Is anyone really still listening?
27
@ManhattanWilliam
A win is win. Bevin was highly unpopular, but all the other Republicans won their race. Beshear will have to govern with them if confirmed.
1
Bevin was actually down 157%, if you count the voters who fraudulently intended to vote against him although they did not live in Kentucky. So, really, Trump's appearance scared off the, um, 600,002 out of state fraud voters who were going to come to Kentucky to vote illegally against Bevin. The consequence is a stunning comeback by Bevin against the forces of evil. Actually, I am now told it was 3,000,000 voters who intended to cast their ballots illegally -- the same 3,000,000 who voted for Hillary illegally. God Bless Trump for keeping voting honest and fair. And may his efforts have the same wonderful effect on the 2020 up and down ballot races!
70
@William Fordes can you please tell us who/what your sources are for declaring that 600,000 out of state fraud voters were coming to Kentucky to vote illegally and who "told" you it was actually 3,000,000? Do you really think that or am I missing something?
4
Why does the left continue to insist that voter fraud is a myth? People cheat on tests, they cheat on their taxes, they cheat on their spouses, they cheat at golf, they cheat at cards, they commit insurance fraud, wire fraud, etc, etc, they lie on their resumés, they run massive online deceptions like fake charities and massive romance scams— but somehow, some way, inexplicably, and defying all common sense, the left wants us to believe cheating when it comes to voting doesn’t exist? Ridiculous. Add to that the overwhelming ease for someone to commit voter fraud, combined with the relatively nominal risk at getting caught, and it’s even more inconceivable that cheating at the polls doesn’t happen.
3
@William Fordes Please site your evidence for voter fraud. I believe we had an investigation by republicans and zilch was found that is none in 2016. We could look at a certain election in which a republican colleted absentee ballots illegally.
7
What can you say, the man can't lose! If the GOP is falling all over their own feet to feed his insatiable ego NOW, imagine what will happen in 2020, WHEN he loses. It will be all out war on the election system to invalidate votes, and make the transition process the worst ever feared by the founders.
2
@cheryl I don't believe you. All election predictions as of now have Trump winning by a landslide or losing in a very close race. It all depends on voter turnout. You people have also been saying the same things since Trump took office, calling for impeachment, saying the GOP is dying/falling apart, trump is attacking our democracy etc...Its getting old. In regards to war on our election system, who are the one that want to get rid of the electoral college? That seems like a pretty big attack on our system if you ask me.
is it "dubious" though? because that implies it's doubtful or perhaps suspect, when really there is no evidence I've seen to indicate it's anything beyond a straight up lie generated to make Trump look like he actually helped Bevin in Kentucky.
we have trump & squad actually making up nonsensical words like "truthful hyperbole" and "alternative facts." when we fail to use direct, forceful language we simply reinforce their language games and aid them in sowing misinformation and disinformation. this is informational warfare and those who oppose trump are losing.
1
@Jessica C. You want some facts. A republican did lose the governorship in KY, but republicans won and control the rest of KY government. IDK how much of a win you want to give dems on that one. The governor is going to be fighting his own government the entire time if he chooses to actually push left policy. Not to mention he lost to a hated republican. If he wants to keep his seat he needs to govern pretty moderately and work with a republican government. Otherwise he is out the next election.
I hope FiveThirtyEight publishes a prediction, in late October and early November 2020, that shows Donald Trump winning both the popular vote and the Electoral College in the greatest landslide in the history of landslides.
You know, so the Trump voters don't bother voting.
8
@Karen Lee With the way the media has been running under this president, there is a high chance of republican voter turn out no matter what. Republicans do not want anything to do with what the dem candidates are offering. Voter turn out is probably going to break records this time around.
Let's not get so lost in the weeds* in talking about Trump that we lose sight of the main point - the Republicans lost an election in a red state where they had the sitting governor with all the advantages that redness and incumbency brings. They lost because they chose a man for the job who was utterly and irredeemably awful.
What is wrong with this party? Why do Republicans insist on picking the likes of Matt Bevin, Paul LePage, Sharon Angle, Todd Aiken, Sarah Palin and, of course, Donald Trump.
Let's see if they wake up. If they chose Roy Moore in Alabama again, that will be a another gift for the Democrats come November.
*(I don't like this phrase; wouldn't lost in the jungle be better? After all, if you're "lost in the weeds" wouldn't the weeds have to be extremely tall and/or you be extremely short?)
3
@Thucydides I agree with you. They need to stop running terrible candidates. Same can be said for some of the dems though too. Moderates are the ones winning these close elections.
I’ve never liked Republican policies. But I’ve always accepted that we have two major parties, we’re going to disagree on issues, and everyone has a right to be equally respected and heard.
When did the GOP become this? Continual lying? Just making stuff up? Since when do Republican voters embrace behavior they wouldn’t accept from their own toddlers?
Reality always wins, and it’s going to win in 2020.
5
Considering Trump's considerable use of 'truthful hyperbole', and out and out lying, could we ever depend upon his sworn truthful testimony if he ever goes on trial?
3
Now all Republicans are lying like Trump. Didn't take long or too much soul searching.
4
There is no mention that Bevin was, according to polls, the most unpopular Governor in all 50 states (source: Alison Camerata on CNN morning show) and little mention that almost all down ballot Republicans won. It would take a magician (Trump does not qualify) to have turned this around for Bevin. The state still seems red. Alabama proved that even in deep red states the candidate cannot be awful. Virginia, as I recall, went for Hilliary so now it's trending more blue. Democrats have to turn red states into blue or they will lose again. Having Warren at the top of the ticket will assure that outcome; Biden on top and Trump goes to Mar-A-Lago.
3
81% of Americans thinks Trump lies all the time (40%) or at least some of the time (41%). But Republicans voters don't care, so GOP politicians have taken to outright lying, knowing they won't be called out for their lies. We all now accept that that when a GOP pol says something, there is a good chance it is a lie and the pol doesn't care.
2
Mitch McConnell won big in Kentucky this week.
His 33 year old former Senate counsel was elected as Attorney General in a state had never seen a man of color win state-wide office.
The fact Bevin primaried Mitch in his last Senate contest is all you need to know about where Bevin sits on the political spectrum.
Doesn't matter if he lost by 20 points of .2 of a point..he lost..and the fact the guy who won is one of the most conservative Democrats in America should tell the DNC something.
Don't come to Kentucky selling your GDN, M4, and OB plans (open border).
The new Democrat Governor will reject them before you hit the end of the bridge in Paducah.
4
So in other words, you can see Kentucky from your house. Just not where the vote went in the coal districts.
Well, I guess this is what happens when the leader of your party is a prolific liar.
I'm sure glad I'm not associated with these people. I'll be glad when their house of lies comes tumbling down, and we can recover and progress.
Any headline that starts with "Trump claims..." or "Republicans say..." automatically has no credibility with me.
4
The only gap Trump has closed recently is the 17 minute gap he is covering up in the altered summary of his conversation with Ukraine's Zelensky.
1
1 + 1 = 3 again. Up is down. Black is white. All is dandy, we're the winningest ever and the best president in the history of the world is having one corrupt action discovered after another. GOP is certainly the way to go.
I always wonder if Trump supporters (and god knows how you can be one at this point) believe these blatant out and out lies or if they know they’re complete fabrications and go along with them with some sick sense of self satisfaction. I have to believe, I need to believe, there’s a baseline of basic human intelligence out there.
3
I think that the main takeaway from Kentucky is what happened in the suburbs, and is consistent with the blue trends in other suburbs around the country. And what seems to me to be the case is that the Trump "brand" is failing in the suburbs---just as that brand is also failing in his properties, many of which have stagnant or falling revenues.
Trump's brand is obscenity and blaming others. Many Americans, especially those in suburbs who already live in a performance-based and diverse culture are simply turned off by the Trump "brand"---and once it's tarnished it's hard to bring back. Good riddance.
85
@Oxy Mora
I don't take the revenue and profit numbers from his properties/organisations seriously. There is a good chance the Trump organisation is deflating the numbers so less tax has to be paid or perhaps a tax loss can be declared.
3
@Sam the Trump name is poison.
1
@Oxy Mora Re: "Trump's brand is obscenity and blaming others."
Don 't forget the lying and the cheating in his "brand", too. And the whining.
He's utterly impotent, and useless. When he is gone, maybe we can all take a breath.
2
A lot of people are saying that president Trump was sobbing for hours on end after his candidate's loss, despite his having begged his rally audience to get out and vote, expressing in a crackling voice his deep fear of losing.
20
@Samm Yes, many people are saying he broke down and sobbed. It was embarrassing !
4
Snake oil and tonic. The traveling caravan sells it all in the circus that our country’s political landscape has become in heretofore unimaginable dimensions.
It’s what you get when elected officials lawmakers forget why they are there and the oath that they took to protect the Constitution. Instead they appear to be intent on destroying it.
It’s all about unethical marketing to win at all costs. Maude was right. God will get them.
9
Only now do I realize why my high school English teacher made me read Sartre, Camu and Orwell. Thank you Mrs. Gooch.
17
@A. Reader If I may, I'd like to include an addendum. In looking back on this, I recall that she did not interject any opinion, nor were the novels even discussed. We weren't even tested on them. She just made us read them. I think she understood that some of it was over our heads. I now recall how dark and depressing the literature was, especially for us young adults, especially the Kafka. It was only in later reflection, did I understand.
1
If in fact trump did not close a 17-point gap, then I say let him keep pretending he did. Hopefully he continues to delude himself and his supporters to oblivion in 2020.
12
Let them continue with their delusions. Their faces at subsequent losses will be priceless.
3
Lie, cheat and steal is the GOP playbook. It is all I need to know. So, they didn’t win and now they have to lie about the results and cheat and steal the election if given a chance.
You now know what they will say and do when Trump looses the election next year.
8
Whatever the interpretation of the outcome of these elections the level of swing I expected against Trump after the way so-called President of America has conducted himself so far has been appallingly poor or very little. Which means all the outpouring against Trump is falling on deaf ears. Trump still has enough supporters. American society does not see what Trump is doing as wrong enough to rebel against. It is to me very surprising. Personally I would hold the office of President to a much higher level than this man is conducting himself like an autocratic King. Republican herd is with him. So expect more of the same brash behaviour from Trump.
3
@Venugopal
Your comment is spot on. Our two nations suffer from a similar problem at the top.
1
My god, we are living through an ongoing avalanche of Russo-Republican lies. Up and down all of their offices and political organizations, lies have become their common currency. And not just lies, but bald-faced lies.
6
There is no claim off-limits to shameless liar. If Trump gets a second term, this will be why.
"The economy is great because of me, we're well-respected around the world, I stopped North Korea and ISIS, and we won the trade war."
Heck, /I'd/ elect me based on these claims.
1
The more Trump and the RNC delude themselves about how much Trump is hated, the better for the country. Seriously, it says something when non-presidential elections are swarmed by anti-Trump voters. Usually, these elections are a Republican strength. 2020 could be a bloodbath, but that’s the downside of Fox News warping people’s minds into thinking Trump is the messiah.
3
Ronna McDaniel has a middle name--Romney. Yep, Mitt is her dad. Party first, Constitution and nation a distant second.
6
@Carl Ian Schwartz
Ms Romney, Ms Huckabee, Mrs Gingrich. Horse trading to co-opt potential critics.
@Carl Ian Schwartz I guess she doesn't listen to what her Dad is saying about Trump.
1
@Jay Becks "Horse" or an allophonic noun?
Bevin had to run a campaign based on approval of Trump, because he had done nothing but harm to the state. We are now running campaigns based on tribal loyalty. So when Democrats started impeachment proceedings, this helped closed Bevin's gap. You could say that closing the gap was due to Trump.
In 2020, we will have an election with Joe Biden as a poor proxy for Obama, and he will further deteriorate Obama's legacy, as his candidacy will divide the left. Many are unapologetic in refusing Hillary (though nothing to do with the murders). So we will have Cult of Trump vs. Cult of Obama - anything to avoid issues!!! Guess what? Issues are messy and costly, and people want to put their head in the ground. The media should not help this ... oh yeah, media likes the status quo.
1
@Debra
Cult of Obama? False equivalence.
And he's a billionaire!
1
Trump claims about anything are the making of false suppositions and lies. The idea that things are never as they appear are doubly true about any Trumpian assertions.
17
Yes he did. He helped the Republicans. All Republicans should have him visit before an election.
Always.
29
Yes, yes they should. Then we will have more results like the one in Kentucky.
5
he helped bigly.
people are saying it was the greatest, most perfect help ever.
they said "sir, you really are helping!"
1
So she lied - call it as it is.
44
@marchfor sanity No, no, we're liberals. We're not allowed to say mean things about other people, like call them liars when they are blatantly lying through their teeth.
The emperor has no clothes...
28
If only the voters of Kentucky would see that Mitch McConnell doesn't have their best interests at heart and send him packing as well. And not just Mitch McConnell. How about Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, Mark Meadows, Steve Scalise, Kevin McCarthy, liars and hucksters all.
73
Don’t forget Nunes and Jordan
10
@Brad
Yes, you're right. There's so many of them it's hard to keep them straight. And let's not even get started on the most corrupt Cabinet Secretaries in history, and an Attorney General who thinks he's Trump's personal attorney.
1
"Since then, the president’s aides have slashed their polling team in half and have kept their data closely held."
Republicans: If on the eve of battle the leader you're serving demands less intelligence, you should run for your life. In a fair contest, you will be routed.
Democrats: Nominate Biden (pair him with a progressive VP if it will placate your self-immolating base) and get Trump out!
20
So... the President and other top Republicans lied? Imagine that!
60
The phrase "dubious republican claim" is redundant.
107
It doesn’t really matter because even if Trump closed a 50 point gap, The Times would find a negative way to spin it.
10
What would be a positive or even neutral way to report this story?
Sometimes stories where people LIE can only be reported as negative.
52
@Pablo
Pablo dear Trump could never close a 50 point gap so your point is moot.
Besides, the Republican LOST.
6
@Pablo Do you really believe that Trump closed a 17-point gap? That's the point of the article...suspending reality.
8
Under who what why when how reporting this is a three paragraph story.
In this adventure in post journalism gossip there are about fifteen paragraph before the story. It takes work to find the story in the report.
9
Cults of personality are like that. “After the Chairman visited our factory, we met our monthly quota in two days!”
54
Why is it...that everytime I read another article about the marvel's of Donald Trump I keep flashing back on scenes of the Godfather where Fredo is being taken out on the lake to go fishing?
28
When will this pathetic pandering stop .
It seems the Republicans have one strategy to praise and excuse Trump
We as a Nation are better than this.
23
"Dubious claim." Stop hedging. It was an outright lie and the NYT knows it. Moving into the next election the Fourth Estate has got to call things as they are and not use euphemisms, esp. when it comes to Trump. He's trying to out Newspeak Newspeak and anyone who doesn't use clear, true language about him becomes complicit in his lies.
96
More outright lies from Republicans — what a shock!
23
Up Is Down
Down Is Up
The Gaslighting Over People party would like your vote in governing a $20 trillion economy and complex nation of 330 million Americans.
The Republican Party welcomes you their UpsideDown world.
Who needs reality....when fantasy, fiction and fraud are so appealing ?
Nice GOPeople.
31
Where’s the presidential sharpie?
31
Dear NYTimes: using your thesaurus to bend over backwards to avoid being called unbiased is not just a lost cause, you’re enabling those who seek your publications destruction (which is merely an appetizer for them). Please consider language more simple and direct. It’s not “dubious”, it’s either “false” or a lie.
83
@Frank
I agree.
Either do the work to fact check it for the truth, or do not report on it.
Too much going on to waste your time on "dubious" reports.
Who cares anyway. We all know that regardless Trump's staff will tell him any lie to avoid a Donald nuclear meltdown.
Trump must be loads of fun to work for.
And as a bonus, they will exit with a Maga coffee mug and a damaged reputation.
9
It’s all in the service of propping-up the fragile ego of the GOP Dear Leader. Republican sycophants know no bounds in their pursuit of genuflecting and protecting Trump, reality be damned. McDaniels come off as an outright fool.
14
Part of the danger with a pathologically narcissist President who can’t or won’t share power is that others who should be leaders kowtow in dangerous ways.
Trump rallies are always at least as much about him gaining greater glory. Anyone of leadership who doesn’t help with this will become dispensable.
And thus, the lies are sustained and inflated by those around him who do not really care about honestly serving the everyday voters.
11
This is a terrific description of the issues involved in measuring the length of the President's coattails. What is left out is an effort to measure the head wind against Republican candidates he generates among democrats and independents who might have stayed home were it not for their disgust with Trump.
Let's say Trump dragged 10% more of his base to the polls. Then calculate an increase of 11% in Gov. elect Beshear's vote generated by repulsion to Trump and we would get the less than one percent difference which sunk the less than charming outgoing governor who appears to be looking for a way to steal the Kentucky election.
I don't say that's the right number but it is evident that the Trump effect generated anti-bodies. Antipathy to Trump and an attractive Democratic candidate are likely the driving forces behind a huge increase in voters in the Kentucky off-year election. Many were swing voters because down ballot winners were Republicans.
3
Just remember, polls are fake. Unless they help the Trump agenda.
12
1. Who still believes in polls?
2. If Trump wins 2020, will the time rethink how they do polls?
1
@Mike F Polls aren't the tooth fairy.
The Republicans won the Mississippi gubernatorial race in 2015 by 34 pts. This year they won by 6.
16
Some readers believe this outrageous claim is an intentional lie. I think not. The Republicans are suffering cognitive dissonance. They can’t believe voter suppression and gerrymandering hasn’t guaranteed their invincibility. They are just soothing their discomfort.
8
It's about time that Republicans had to put lipstick on a pig and characterize a close loss as a win, because Democrats have been doing that for the past 3 years. This may be a real inflection point...finally.
This is Soviet-style propaganda. Reality means nothing—it’s all image, it’s all perception, it’s getting enough people to agree to believe lies. Trump—and the GOP—have delved into KGB territory. Fox News, et al, have pretty much joined them. Will America?
9
"...and who has no qualms about engaging in what he long ago coined euphemistically as “truthful hyperbole” if he thinks it helps him."
Why won't the Times and other media come right out and say flat out the truth about Trump: "...and who has no qualms in lying if he thinks it helps him."
Quit pussyfooting around. Quit using euphemisms (especially his). Say it plainly, factually, and clearly: He lied. Every time.
18
Excuse me but 5,000 plus votes is more than just a few thousand. Words matter, NYTimes. A recount is not needed.
Don’t allow the republicans to steal this election too!
13
@Karen Schifano
I found it curious that no recount is allowed in elections for governor in Kentucky. That is why the Republicans are calling for a "recanvassing" which is essentially a rerun of the machines with no ballots looked at. Other than delay, I am not sure what that rerun accomplishes.
@Lynda I'm not clear about the entire process, but once the "recanvassing" is complete the process moves to the legislature. Guess who has super-majorities in both houses? There is a very high possibility that this election can/will be stolen from the majority of voters.
One benefit we have derived from Trump’s meetings with Kim Jong Un is that the White House and the Republican Party have become fluent in North Korean-style propaganda.
20
Is there some reason each new lie from Trump/Fox/Republicans must be answered and on the top of the news feed? We have two such articles today.
9
Surely history will judge harshly all who aided and abetted the depths of lies that have been non-stop in this administration.
Trump will be known as our most dishonest President.
7
I assume before going to work for Trump that McDaniel was a thinking, honest person. She’s obviously drunk the Trump cool aid! I wonder if one day she’ll look back with shame at her lying for Donald Trump. It took Scaramucci a year before he recovered his senses after leaving the Trump orbit and is now a vocal critic of Trump. Recovery is possible Ronna. But your reputation will never be the same.
8
The Emperor’s New Votes, should we call this story?
5
Is there anyone in Kentucky, or in the entire world for that matter, who hadn’t already made up their mind prior to the President’s visit?
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AS long as these jokers continues to self delude, there’s A good fighting chance for America.
The GOP should go out fun business....their “ brand “ is tainted and corrupted.
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The guy lost, but "I closed the gap",
I can imagine a SNL skit of Trump spinning his earthly behavior to Saint Peter. " Sure, I molested women, but shouldn't I get credit for limiting myself,"
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@Frank Casa "I only attacked the pretty ones though"
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@Frank Casa
Me thinks SNL in the next 1-2 weeks may be must watch TV to see how they play this...
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Why lie about the pre-election polls? Because Trump's ego must be stroked. Because Trump voters need to believe that their hero is a mortal god who ALWAYS comes out on top. And so truth must defer to a lie and reality must bend before the myth of Trump. Any Republican operative who wants to keep her job knows this.
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@Stephen N . Agree. It’s a house of cards, always only a few acceptable truths away from collapsing, so constant lying must continue to keep it aloft.
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The only true thing that Trump can claim is that his administration will go down in history as one of the most dishonest administration's that this nation has ever seen.
If Trump decides to give you his backing, then I would suggest that you watch your back.
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@BTO If Trump gives anyone his backing I suggest they reconsider their position.
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"It is not uncommon for supporters in either party to try to highlight their president’s political influence."
Why do you even bother including this falsest of equivalencies? Attempting to compare Trump and his minions to prior presidents is dangerous -- even if you follow it in the next sentence with "...but..." Plain and simple: there IS no prior administration that lies like this one. Stop trying to whitewash it to sell papers.
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@Muskrat : Thank you for saying this. The Times goes to this equivalencies canard too often in regards to Trump and the modern GOP.
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@Muskrat
Point taken, but it is true that the practice isn’t limited to just Republicans -Trump is just more egregious in his practice of it. Democrats hurt themselves, especially with more mainstream and independent voters, by sometimes trying to portray themselves as pure, incorruptible and ever virtuous. History clearly shows us that neither party holds a monopoly on such ideal perfection.
Defense of that effort usually comes down to asserting that their policies are more humane, smarter, etc. - regardless of whether or not one accepts that as true, it deflects from the actual point, that both parties have at times engaged in dirty and corrupt dealings. Both parties have their liars and sycophants who will do or say absolutely anything for political gain. Yes, Trump is the vilest demonstration thus far (and hopefully will never be outdone on that score) but a holier than now smugness isn’t helpful.
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@George S : He stated “prior presidents” not just Democratic ones. Your point is valid, but the reference was directed at Trump. Not sure it amounted to being “smug”.
One could say that the smug lies and actions of the Bush Administration (the Cheney one) have proven more detrimental than Trump’s, but in the long run that may not be true.
This helps answer the question of how far Republicans are willing to go with their strange calculus of embracing Trump: all the way to their political deaths. It’s one thing to cynically support fantasy narratives when it’s politically expedient and about somebody else. But to have your own polling data telling you that Trump is a personal liability but you insist the opposite and double down on him anyway? But maybe in the end they’ll be right: a world in which reality is set by the ones who repeat the lies loudest and most often.
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@BF
History is written by the conquerers.
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@BF Well-said but we will never surrender to such a world, a world of lies, deceit and deception just because it’s loudest. We’ve come much too far. And the “mute” button is a great invention.
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@Armo
Sorta, kinda.
But historiography is a lot more complicated than that.
If the truth is that the KY gubernatorial race was so close up to voting day, perhaps the GOP should consider that deploying this corrupt excuse for a president energized the Democratic base that wants to preserve decency and democracy in this country.
Then perhaps they can keep him out of states and cities on the grounds that he might actually do some of their candidates harm.
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This hand waving is purely an external, face-saving exercise designed to assuage the ego of one person. Savvy Republican officeholders know want happened at the ballot box on Tuesday (and in 2018). Internally, they face a reckoning and some deeply uncomfortable choices.
Republicans, there is still time to make the right choice for our country. And now, it seems, the honorable choice might also be the politically favorable one.
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@Michael Sapko
But will they?
And what is Plan B for the Republicans?
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@padgman1
If conservatives become convinced that they can not win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. The will reject democracy.” ― David Frum .
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They're stuck.
Box of rocks: Trump
Hard place: The dirt on them concerning self-enriching schemes with foreign government riches funneled through American non-profits.
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I hope donnie campaigns for mitch mcconnell in 2020.
And it would be lovely, so lovely, it would make my day/week/month/year, if Amy McGrath were to win.
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@FilligreeM
I agree. To support MoscowMitch's opponent, Amy McGrath:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/amymcgrathkentucky
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@FilligreeM Well, if McGrath wins you can be sure that Trump will be sure to let us all know that it was not his fault, that McConnell dug his own grave and he could do nothing to salvage Mitch.
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Sadly I had hopes for McGrath until she called herself a “proTrump” Democrat. An oxymoron if there ever was one. As a citizen of Louisville, Kentucky (which voted overwhelmingly for Beshear), I am hoping someone else will toss a hat into that race.
Give credit where credit is due. Donald Trump did not coin the phrase “truthful hyperbole.” He is not nearly clever enough to have thought up that phrase. The term comes from "The Art of The Deal," and was coined by the co-author of the book, Tony Schwartz. Mr. Schwartz has written about how in writing the book he observed Mr. Trump closely. It soon become obvious to Mr. Schwartz that telling untruths was integral to who Mr. Trump is. To try to put a positive spin on what is typically considered a negative character trait, Mr. Schwartz invented the term "truthful hyperbole," which Mr. Schwartz wrote met with Mr. Trump's approval.
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@IMS, Trump would also pronounce it "hyperbowl".
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@IMS Except that little of Trump's hyperbole (or any Republican these days) is remotely truthful. His illness has progressed from hyperbole to full on delusion.
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@IMS [email protected]
After he explained to him what "hyperbole" is, I presume.
I predict Ms. McDaniel’s political career will be short-lived. That’s what happens when you’re on the wrong side of history.
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@JJ I beg to disagree.
Ms. McDaniel is adept at lying; that probably means a bright future in republican politics. If she is really good at it she could be on the way to Fox.
"you're on the wrong side of history." I wish that were true but I am dubious. Lying and the use of racial/cultural/religious antagonism have been used in Southern politics for several hundred years. The republicans are expert at using hate and division in politics. I would not count them out yet.
I hope that the democrats will wake up and start voting. They apparently have in Virginia; maybe they will in other places.
Best wishes and stay positive.
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@JJ Maybe she's angling for a spot on "Dancing with the Stars".
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Trump's GOP endorsements are now 'poison.'
Nobody wants to be seen with a corrupt, soon-to-be-impeached loser who can't 'fully deliver' a victory.
It's a bad visual with a bad man.
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For once Trump was right in predicting that a loss for Matt Bevin (KY) would be interpreted as a failure for his presidency. As his minions attempt damage control, it’s worth noting that historically GOP-dominated Delaware County PA just flipped to ‘blue’ for the first time since the Civil War. So it’s fair that he should be given credit for that one too.
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@Misterbianco Describing is as "a failure" implies incorrectly that the entire presidency is not a failure.
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“Dubious”, huh. Not “outright lie”?
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@Wm. Blake
Also tired of the euphemisms; they've helped normalize depravity. So, yes, let's call it what it is. Yet another LIE.
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@Wm. Blake
So sick of the elaborate lengths to which the media still go to avoid calling out lies as lies.
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Trump’s white evangelical followers have elevated him to a quasi-divine status, the divinely appointed Warrior who will win their Cause once and for all.
In this view, even Trump’s losses, no matter how obvious, are somehow wins.
For those in in the mainstream Christian tradition by the way this is known as idolatry.
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@Paul McGlasson That's so true. I obtain news across the spectrum of news sources- Christian outlets frequently tie Trump to Revelation and fulfilled prophecy. It's a reverse of the scientific method where some predetermined outcome looks for evidence in any narrative that can fit into a very square hole.
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@Paul McGlasson He’s their veritable golden calf.
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And as Achilles can tell us, a calf that sticks itself out is just begging for trouble.
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The only part of McDaniel’s statement that’s true is that no one energizes the base like Trump.
She’s just talking about the wrong base.
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As it becomes increasingly apparent-- although it's ever been thus-- that Trump is going to use his remaining time in office (when he's not golfing) travelling the country at taxpayer's expense from one bombastic 'rally' to another,I'm perplexed that he can get away with this ! What about the real business of governing ? Or does he consider his work is done after making the already wealthy even more rich. There ought to be a law !
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@Russell C.
And don’t forget he stiffs local governments fro all the costs associated with his rallies. A grifter to the bone!
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Real business of governing? He gave up on that on Jan 20, 2017. Unless you count watching Fox for six hours a day as “governing”....
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@Russell C. How about an impeachment article called "Dereliction of Duty" with all his executive time and campaigning with all the travel & security at taxpayer expense.
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