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2023-08-25 07:00 by Karl Denninger
in Politics , 324 references Ignore this thread
Canned Softballs
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My respect for Tucker Carlson has hit a low point.

What he aired against the debate was a softball-laden pile of mush with Trump as, of course, the main course.

Yes, I had the temerity to listen to the whole thing.

There was not a word about the green energy scam and how Trump would fix it in a second term.  Nor a word about any of the pandemic failures, most-particularly in the medical field where hospitals were paid for toe tags -- literally.  Nor a word about the three platform planks that disappeared on election night in 2016.

As for Ukraine, which was touched on, what stick does the US have at this point?  We couldn't have a conventional war with Russia and not get our asses kicked. Oh sure, we could do plenty of damage, but how would we get the men and material over there?  Aircraft? They have missiles. Ships? They have submarines. Yes, we have both too, but realities of war aren't what they were in WWII or WWI.  Now virtually any nation of any materiality can "see" things from space or from far enough away via aircraft that wherever it is the other side knows it -- and knows what it is.  This means if its valuable enough it can be blown up or sunk.  This has been on display in Ukraine now for well over a year and it ought to be obvious to any casual observer; you can't mass a force somewhere without it being detected before you can complete the staging.  This is why you're seeing the sort of warfare that is in evidence; so-called "air superiority" is a bad joke in the modern era between reasonably-competent forces.  Sure, when we're fighting goat-herders it works.  Against a competent adversary with modern electronic warfare -- not so much.  Never mind that Zelinskyy has a serious problem too; do you intend to depose him and if so, how? How would you get him to agree that Crimea, for example, is going to remain Russian and Ukraine will be a formal DMZ with international monitoring and compliance enforced?  Good luck with that.

How about Nuland and the rest of the Gong Show brigade?  That includes Pence, by the way, who Trump selected as VP.  Where was that part of the questioning?  You did hear in the "debate" last night the old Vietnam-era trope about "we have to fight them there so we don't have to fight them here!"  Well, we lost in Vietnam; we walked out with our tail between our legs.  Did we fight them here as a consequence?  Just asking, because that was the justification for doing it.

did hear "I will finish the wall."  That's nice.  What are you going to do about the 20 million or so who you and all your predecessors let in, along with the wild-eyed and very illegal exploitation of H1b and H2b visas -- in the latter case in active "cooperation" with literal hot-rack "conversions" for housing that recaptures a large part of the wages paid.  Yeah, not a word.

Nor was there one word about the 50% expansion of the federal budget, the inflation it caused and any acceptance of responsibility for it, despite it being his responsibility since Trump was the one who did it originally.  Well?  Pray tell how are we going to get rid of the inflation problem and recover affordability for average Americans without reversing that budget increase?  Not stopping further increases -- reversing it.  How and where will that be done and why wasn't it asked?  "Growing into it" will require a decade or more during which the average American gets screwed. Do you really think it will all stay together and be ok for that long?

I fully get it why Trump didn't want to show up at the debate.  Why should he?  He's up double-digits in the polls so there's no upside to his doing so; leave aside whether Fox is "biased" or not the fact of the matter is that when you are that far ahead you can only hurt yourself -- especially when there are myriad issues you could be curb-stomped over, and the above is a partial list.

Tucker, of course, knows all this.  Its probably reasonable to assume that as a condition of said interview Trump insisted that he get to preview the areas of question and discussion in advance, and that Tucker would not deviate from it.  Well, fine, but then did we really get anything other than a campaign speech, all burnished up?

Meh.

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Comments on Canned Softballs
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Mekantor 181 posts, incept 2009-01-12
2023-08-25 07:17:11

Trump needs to be interviewed by a sane adversarial person who knows these topics and specifically where to probe.
I don't know who that could be.
Tickerguy 198k posts, incept 2007-06-26
2023-08-25 07:17:26

He'd never agree to that @Mekantor

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"Anyone wearing a mask will be presumed to be intending armed robbery and immediately shot in the face. Govern yourself accordingly."
Mikeyjm2 174 posts, incept 2011-10-20
2023-08-25 07:26:05

I have not watched the interview and after reading your take, I am glad I didn't waste any time on it. The only questions I cared about Trump answering weren't asked in the first place. So we have a year+ of political theater to look forward to. Same as it ever was... same as it ever was...
Blanca 574 posts, incept 2020-07-25
2023-08-25 07:31:11

The Ukraine war has clearly demonstrated that the nature of warfare has changed. Expensive aircraft carriers (at $15B each) and manned aircraft (F35 at over $100M each) can be rather handily eliminated with the newer, and relatively inexpensive, missiles that the Russians have. Russian air defenses are very good, better than US. And their artillery delivery is astonishing. Pound away at the enemy positions, devastate the targets, destroy the enemy's hearing and morale, and move the guns a few miles closer to the target. Rinse and repeat.

The US is TALKING about sending F16s to Ukraine. It won't matter. They are clearly visible to Russian air defenses and will be blown out of the sky. Never mind it takes a year to train an English speaking pilot in one and they need clean runways (which Ukraine doesn't have). They will be as effective as the jabs.

This war has shown that the US is incapable of winning a conventional war against the Russians. Our stocks of ammunition are nearly gone. The Patriot missile has performed poorly. Soon the Ukrainians will run out of cannon fodder and then what? American boots on the ground? In an election year? Don't count on that.

Will the DOD rethink its force posture and move to less expensive weapon systems, and produce more of those? I doubt it. There's too much grift available in a $100M plus aircraft and relatively little in several thousand dollar artillery shells.

There will be calls for trillions more to buy all the snazzy "Wunderwaffe" weapon systems that the Pentagon likes to fight the Russians. Will Trump force the Pentagon to wise up? Nah - he's still touting the obviously deficient and deadly jabs.
Ocdawg 494 posts, incept 2019-03-14
2023-08-25 07:32:02

2024 "election"= shitburger= no substance

Now, for the entertainment factor:
smiley

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The quest for the Three-peat begins...
GO DAWGS!!! SIC 'EM! WOOF! WOOF!! WOOF!!!

smileysmileysmiley
Htp 32 posts, incept 2023-08-10
2023-08-25 08:09:45

We cannot "vote harder" to escape this tyranny. It will implode on its own or be overthrown by the application of violence and disobedience, or both.

Which grifting puppet is installed matters little. The rest of the world sees the emporer isn't wearing clothes and they are preparing for our downfall. The sheeple here are living in disarray. The cavalry isn't coming, whether in the form of Trump or the Indian fellow.

None of this theater really matters. It's vexxination and masking time again.
Jazen 4k posts, incept 2007-07-17
2023-08-25 08:10:06

They are all the same, power hungry and without integrity.

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I hate our Government, but I still love America.
Prof_dilligaf 552 posts, incept 2021-09-02
2023-08-25 08:10:12

Quote:
You did hear in the "debate" last night the old Vietnam-era trope about "we have to fight them there so we don't have to fight them here!"


From Michael Herr's Dispatches: "Roof of the Rex, ground zero, men who looked like they'd been suckled by wolves, they could die right there and their jaws would work for another half-hour. This is where they asked you, "Are you a Hawk or a Dove?" and "Would you rather fight them here or in Pasadena?" Maybe we could beat them in Pasadena."
Chromehill 1k posts, incept 2010-03-03
2023-08-25 08:10:23

During the debate, I will give Nikki Haley some credit for pointing out that the 2.2 trillion bill Trump signed in response to Covid is a huge cause of our economic problems.

How can you interview Trump or any ex-President and not ask questions about their failures?

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'Power, like the reproductive muscle, longs to be exercised, often without judgement or right' - Gerry Spence

"Above all, while defending our own vital interests, nuclear powers
Veeger 1k posts, incept 2013-02-13
2023-08-25 08:12:28

You. Cannot. Vote. Your. Way. Out. Of. This.


There is not a politician alive, nor ever has been who would tell you the truth on any of these issues. (It would de facto mean that they would never win the votes--ergo, see the above.)

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I remember the Diamond Princess.


Slowly at first, then all of a sudden.

Indianarube 1k posts, incept 2020-03-22
2023-08-25 08:12:34

So WWE theater it is*. Kayfabe. Controlled opposition. It's all fake and gay. It's all a fucking scam.

The sad part is nearly everyone is so brain washed they actually believe there is a two party system at the national level.

* For those unaware, Donald J. Trump is in the WWE Hall Of Fame.
Nelstomlinson 961 posts, incept 2011-12-21
2023-08-25 08:12:44

I have come to believe that Trump really was playing N-dimensional chess - but against us, not for us.

Trump was never what we wanted him to be. He was never a populist, never wanted to stop the destruction of our nation. I'm reasonably sure he did want to restore the US empire to the glory days of the '60s. I think he honestly did want to import a better class of replacements for us. Thus, the wall and other measures to slow the flow of Shitholians from the Turd World. He wants to replace us with Indians and Chinese instead of Skinnies and Squatemalans.

When I voted for him in '16, I hoped he would burn down the GOP, and maybe damage the Dems and the DC Swamp in the process. He did none of that.

Trump was and is great entertainment, and he's certainly a master of rhetoric, and of holding frame. He was never our guy, never on our side, never going to save us.
Dingleberry 830 posts, incept 2011-11-06
2023-08-25 08:25:58

Trump gets softballs from Tucker.

Brandon gets protection from the establishment media. A veritable Secret Service 2.0.

I'd say the media has been gone for quite some time now.

TG watched the interview so we wouldn't have to, hopefully he did so on an empty stomach.

Thank God for the web and alternative sources (including this site). At least while the web is still relatively open and informative. Who knows how long that will last though. Free speech is fast becoming "hate speech", "misinformation", etc.

If you want actual facts, reality, logic and TRUTH about anything on TV or in print.....you are going to have to dig.

A lot.



Nelstomlinson 961 posts, incept 2011-12-21
2023-08-25 08:26:19

Saw a meme the other day.

Picture of Nimrata Haley and Vivek Ramaswarthy debating on stage. Caption: US Democracy is two Indians debating how much American money to send to Israel.

Sounds about right.
Unwashed 113 posts, incept 2023-06-23
2023-08-25 08:31:45

I watched 10 minute of the repub debate and got disgusted and turned it off. Tried trumps interview and the same disgust overcame me and turned it off. What a disaster his country has become.

Cmoledor 2k posts, incept 2021-04-13
2023-08-25 08:44:04

All sides are being played. Ill just keep my happy ass out of all of it. Fake and gay. Kayfabe. All a scam. WWE. Kabuki. Does that cover it?

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The whole world is one big fucking scam
Full throttle till the end. Ocdawg
Take the stick you tried to beat me with and go fuck your own face. Ishmael
Eoinw 168 posts, incept 2021-07-14
2023-08-25 09:01:08

I appreciate an American recognizing that the mighty US military is outclassed by the Russian military. It's not easy to overcome a lifetime of conditioning that the US military is omnipotent. Love of ones own military is the Achilles' Heel of every nationalist in every country.

The Pentagon signaled that it understood its military weaknesses 2 1/2 years ago, when the Iranians attacked the US base in Iraq and America just took it. The media didn't even freak out about it when Trump quietly backed down. So the billionaires controlling them didn't want war then either.

Now we've had 30 months of continuing economic ruin. I guess the near future will determine who wants WW3 at all cost now - to distract from the economic/social collapse.

This is a problem which is now beyond fixing. No one person can fix it, certainly not Trump!
Tickerguy 198k posts, incept 2007-06-26
2023-08-25 09:14:01

I wouldn't necessarily call it "outclassed" @Eoinw; the nature of war has simply changed, and whether we like it or not that's fact. The Russians are only in the better position here due to geography.

If China tried to land 100,000 troops on American soil they'd get pantsed before they got within a thousand miles of the coast for the same reason. Ditto if Russia tried to invade us. Never happen for the same reason; they can't get the men and material here without it being destroyed.

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"Anyone wearing a mask will be presumed to be intending armed robbery and immediately shot in the face. Govern yourself accordingly."
Bayportbob 60 posts, incept 2009-06-23
2023-08-25 09:35:43

Re: The new war engagement methods. The videos I've seen of small kamikaze drone warfare by the Russians are devastating. 100's or more of hard & soft assets taken out by cheap kamikaze planes & drones. There are high flying reconnaissance drones spotting for targets & then confirming the hits.
Twainfan2 1k posts, incept 2018-12-04
2023-08-25 09:35:58

Tucker does it for ratings which enriches him. Trump won't agree to an interview that might have tough questions.

None of the big names in so called conservative media will ask any tough questions. Notice how exactly zero of them have Karl on as a guest? I even emailed Beck and his band of morons several times asking them to invite Karl on, might as well have sent them to the void. Clay and Buck are even worse. They slobbered all over Vivek the other day. Its sickening listening to them on their knees servicing these clowns. So called conservative media is no better than the left wing commie media.
Andyk 147 posts, incept 2008-09-21
2023-08-25 09:36:16

There IS one broken Trump promise from 2016 that looks like he will pay dearly for...
Not Locking Her Up!
Now they're gonna lock him up!
Jwm_in_sb 6k posts, incept 2009-04-16
2023-08-25 09:43:33

RE Vietnam, no we didn't end up "fighting" them here but millions of them ended up here largely in Socal.
Flappingeagle 5k posts, incept 2011-04-14
2023-08-25 09:45:51

Quote:
He'd never agree to that @Mekantor
because it would expose him as the uninformed, shallow buffoon that he is.

My disdain for Trump made me finish that comment even though everyone who reads it already knows it.

Flap

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Here are my predictions for everyone to see:
S&P 500 at 320, DOW at 2200, Gold $300/oz, and Corn $2/bu.
No sign that housing, equities, or farmland are in a bubble- Yellen 11/14/13
Trying to leave
Abelardlindsey 2k posts, incept 2021-03-26
2023-08-25 09:48:26

Quote:
There was not a word about the green energy scam and how Trump would fix it in a second term. Nor a word about any of the pandemic failures, most-particularly in the medical field where hospitals were paid for toe tags -- literally. Nor a word about the three platform planks that disappeared on election night in 2016.


This are the top issues for me as well. Additionally, what my friend used to call the ratchet of fascism or state of exception, with all the data collection, surveillance, censorship and what not.

This is why I cannot get thrilled about the debates. I know they will not touch on these issues.

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Its all in the mitochondria
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