#NeverBernie, or What I Saw in Las Vegas

 

I believe that Bernie Sanders poses an existential danger to our Republic, so is it incumbent on me to do all that I can to stop him. To that end, after leaving work on Friday, I drove 250+ miles to Las Vegas. Once I arrived, I googled “Nevada Biden Office” and drove to the nearest office, arriving at 9:16 p.m. after they had finished their last class.

I spoke to the staffer asking how I could help. She gave me a crash course on how to be a “Precinct Captain.” I learned more about the byzantine nine-step caucus procedures that probably 99% of people who have not been in a caucus know about. It was mind-numbing. I was then given a bag with written instructions, a t-shirt with “Biden Precinct Captain” emblazoned on it inside an outline of Nevada, and a huge four-inch button with Joe’s smiling face and “Biden Precinct Captain” on it. Ah, the swag! I then went to Walmart to get a battery pack to supplement my iPhone. The first hotel I went to was sold out. I finally tumbled into bed just before 1 a.m. I set my alarm to get up at 5 a.m. given that I had a 6:45 a.m. meeting to go to.

I woke up at 4:58 a.m. Was I tired? Sure. But I was energized. I zoomed over to “The Strat” (formerly known as “The Stratosphere”) and went to their Starbucks to meet with other “out of town” team members. I was 15 minutes early. I followed the Jack Reacher maxim to never miss a chance to eat, so I got oatmeal and a Danish. (I was surprised to discover that unlike any other Starbucks I have ever gone to, this Starbucks charged for soymilk for my oatmeal. The server noted “I am on camera” as she apologized.)

We had a great crew of people, several from Arizona and California who had driven in and one man who had flown in from New York! Then we were sent off to another Biden Headquarters to receive more last-minute instructions. While there, I picked up more tee-shirts. Then I was off to Desert Oasis High School in Enterprise, Nevada. Since I was running early, I followed the Jack Reacher maxim and stopped at Denny’s to fuel up.

I got to Desert Oasis High School before 9:30 a.m. This was the time for the campaign staff to check-in. Since I was out of state, I was given an orange armband designating that I was an “observer” and could not talk once the caucus started. The Bernie campaign had the most volunteers, followed by Pete, Joe, Amy, Steyer, and Warren. All of the volunteers were respectful and friendly. The most common statement by a volunteer for Campaign A to a volunteer for Campaign B was to praise the strong points of the other candidate. (Note: I did not strike up any conversations with anyone from the Bernie campaign, as I have nothing positive to say about him.) At 10:00 a.m. the doors were opened to the voters. The place was packed. There were massive lines some 20 deep. But there was no complaining. Of note, some of the early voting sites had had waits of up to four hours, so this was seen as a better option. By far, the most popular person in the cavernous hallway was a member of the Nevada Assembly who was there to hand out free water bottles to her constituents. Smart lady.

I was given the list of people from my precinct who were “1’s” and “2’s” and was told to call them. I left voice-mail messages and a couple of messages with people who relay to the voters. I got two voters. One said that she had a family emergency and could not come. The other one, Valerie, said that that she would be seeing me at the Middle School. “Oh no, they have combined precincts, we will be at Desert Oasis High School.” “Thank you, dear, I would have gone to the middle school, and then would have gone home. How will I recognize you?” “I am a 67-year-old bald man.” “I will look forward to visiting with you.” More about Valerie later.

At noon, they stopped accepting voters. The toughest job in the room was to be designated as a “stopper,” the person who would stand at the end of the line and not allow anyone else into the line.

I stood behind where people were checking in and offered them “Team Joe” stickers. Next to me was a nice lady who was begging people to consider Amy as their second choice.

Despite the long lines, people were of good cheer and chatted to each other. My precinct area started to slowly fill up. I mentioned that since I was out of state, once the caucus began, I would not speak once the caucus got going. I asked if any Biden voters would be willing to serve as “Biden Precinct Co-Captains” noting that they would get a cool t-shirt like mine and a huge four-inch button. Two women volunteered and I gave them their swag.

I was walking by an elderly black woman with a cane. She said “Gary?” My response was “You must be Valerie! I am so happy to see you!”

We finally got started at 1:20 p.m. We had 19 voters, and observers from the Biden, Sanders, and Klobuchar campaigns. (The three observers and the Precinct Chair had all parachuted in from out-of-state.) We then started this intricate process. First, we elected our Precinct Chair. Then she asked for someone who had clear handwriting to serve as our Precinct Secretary. Two different people counted the 19 voters present. Okay. Please raise your hand if you are voting for Biden. Six hands went up. The Chair saw that Valerie had a cane, so she asked that Biden voters all cluster around her. The original alignment of people present was as follows:

  • 6 Biden
  • 5 Buttigieg
  • 3 Sanders
  • 5 Warren

I was thrilled. Sanders had only three people. Ha, ha, ha.

The next step was the great reveal of what the “early votes” were. Ugh. They were as follows:

  • 1 Bennet
  • 4 Biden
  • 5 Buttigieg
  • 25 Sanders
  • 4 Steyer
  • 2 Warren
  • 1 Yang

Ugh. 25 for Sanders! Yikes! Adding the numbers together we had:

  • 1 Bennet
  • 10 Biden
  • 10 Buttigieg
  • 28 Sanders
  • 4 Steyer
  • 7 Warren
  • 1 Yang

The total number of people was 63. 15% of 63 is 9.45 people. Rounding up would be 10 people. Biden and Buttigieg were barely viable. Warren was not. The five Warren voters were crest-fallen. They were such a committed earnest group. I felt sorry for them (but not sorry for Warren as she is almost as bad as Bernie). I turned to Valerie. “You made the difference. If you hadn’t been here, we would not be viable.” She smiled back at me.

The early voters had to designate their first three to five choices on their early votes, so those votes were reassigned as follows to the three viable candidates:

  • 6 Biden
  • 10 Buttigieg
  • 27 Sanders

Then the poor five Warren supporters were given a harsh choice. They could join the Biden, Buttigieg, or Sanders groups. Or they could leave. The five crushed Warren supporters consoled each other. They were heartbroken. They did not understand how anyone could not see the obvious merits of Warren. The Chair said that each of the five would need to make their own decision. The three remaining groups were each given one minute to make a pitch to the forlorn Warren supporters. The Sanders voter said “Elizabeth was my second choice. Please join us.” I forget what the Buttigieg voter said. The Biden voters turned to me to speak. I said that I couldn’t speak as I was not a Nevada voter. One of my appointed “Co-Captains” then stood up and said that Biden had the best chance of beating Trump. People started joking about washing a Warren voter’s car if they would join their group.

Biden got only one of the five Warren voters, and Buttigieg and Sanders each got two of the Warren voters.

The final result adding the early votes and the voters in the room was:

  • 13 Biden
  • 17 Buttigieg
  • 32 Sanders

We had nine delegates to send to the County Convention. There were 62 votes altogether. (One of the early voters did not include Biden, Buttigieg or Warren, so their vote didn’t count.)

Here’s how the math went:

  • Biden: 13 X 9 / 62 = 1.8571 delegates
  • Buttigieg: 17 X 9 / 62 = 2.4286 delegates
  • Sanders: 32 X 9 / 62 = 4.5714 delegates

Using the first round of rounding this ended up with

  • Biden: 2 delegates
  • Buttigieg: 2 delegates
  • Sanders: 5 delegates

Since we were assigned nine delegates, this all worked out.

However, there are terribly complicated rules as to how to round up if this had resulted in eight delegates or round down if there were 10 delegates. If those rules ended in a tie, then we entered the world of chance. In Iowa, they flipped coins. But this was Nevada. They would draw cards, with an Ace being high and a Two being low. If they had the same number, then they went by suits, with Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs in that order. Thank goodness we didn’t get to that level of detail. (This is not unlike the NFL where one year under Tom Landry where the Cowboys had to beat the Redskins by at least 15 points in the final week of the season to get past the eighth or so tie-breaker. What a mess.)

The final step was to elect delegates to the County Convention. The three people who had made pitches to the Warren delegates all decided that they wanted to go to the County Convention. I assume that the other delegates will be filled in by their campaigns in the future.

The observers took pictures of the worksheet and texted it to our headquarters. At 2:50 p.m. we were done.

I got back on the road to Flagstaff. I was dead tired. I had resolved to stop driving long distances at night in the last year. But heck, Flagstaff was only 250 miles away. I zoomed along the interstate. I noticed that I had a sore throat coming on. It began to rain. The sky grew dark. And I persisted. When I arrived in Kingman, I decided to drive through town. I then noticed blue and red lights wig-wagging behind me. I pulled over. The officer came up to me.

“Do you know why I stopped you?”

“No.”

“Do you notice that it is raining?”

“Yes.”

“Do you notice that it is twilight?”

“Yes.”

“What would that suggest to you?”

I paused and could not think of the answer. Then, “Oh, I should turn on my lights.”

“Yes. I flashed my brights at you twice, but you ignored me. Are you almost home?”

“No, I live in Flagstaff [150 miles away].”

“You might want to get a room to stay the night as you appear to be exhausted. I don’t want to scrape your body off of the pavement.”

I took this as good advice. When I was in my 20s I would be in a seminar in LA until 2 a.m. and then drive 400 miles to get home. Driving 150 miles is a piece of cake. But I am now 67 years old. I got a room, and then treated myself to a nice dinner. I went to bed at 9. I slept for 11 hours.

A final thought. Caucuses may have made sense 100 years ago when people needed focus groups to come to decisions. But they appear to be hugely ineffective and inefficient. My heart went out to Valerie who was exhausted by the process. I hope that we have seen the last caucuses in America. They are a relic that needs to be retired.

Published in Elections
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  1. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    We lost the House in 2018.

    As per usual for a midterm election for a newly incumbent president. What was unusual was the gains in the Senate. You keep repeating this as if it’s a slam dunk argument. It isn’t.

    • #61
  2. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    We lost the House in 2018.

    As per usual for a midterm election for a newly incumbent president. What was unusual was the gains in the Senate. You keep repeating this as if it’s a slam dunk argument. It isn’t.

    Yes and no. 

    It is usual for the incumbent party to lose some House seats in the midterm election.  However, the gross percentage votes for all Republican candidates for the House versus the gross percentage votes for all Democrat candidates took a huge nosedive, much higher than what we would usually see at a midterm.

    As for the Senate, there were very few Republican seats up, and lots of Democrat seats up in 2018.  Percentage wise we should have done much, much better.

    • #62
  3. DrewInWisconsin, Influencer Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Influencer
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Gary, why can’t you vote for President Trump? What keeps you from this? If you are the Republican you claim to be, then voting for President Trump is a no-brainer.

    • #63
  4. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    We lost the House in 2018.

    As per usual for a midterm election for a newly incumbent president. What was unusual was the gains in the Senate. You keep repeating this as if it’s a slam dunk argument. It isn’t.

    Yes and no.

    It is usual for the incumbent party to lose some House seats in the midterm election. However, the gross percentage votes for all Republican candidates for the House versus the gross percentage votes for all Democrat candidates took a huge nosedive, much higher than what we would usually see at a midterm.

    As for the Senate, there were very few Republican seats up, and lots of Democrat seats up in 2018. Percentage wise we should have done much, much better.

    It might be helpful, for context, to compare 2018 with 2010–both first time mid-terms for controversial presidents.  I’d be interested to know the results but not enough to do the heavy lifting (at least right now).

     

    • #64
  5. Marjorie Reynolds Coolidge
    Marjorie Reynolds
    @MarjorieReynolds

    PHCheese (View Comment):

    Joe had two major brain operations and had his skull opened for hemorrhages. You don’t come away the same.

    I didn’t know that. Now I feel sorry for him. Did he have no family at all to talk him out of running when he’s clearly three sheets in the wind.

    Oh yeah I forgot about Hunter.

     

     

    • #65
  6. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Influencer (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    But, Bernie is a Socialist. If he is nominated by the Democrats, he will have a chance of winning. That cannot not happen.

    So, does this mean you’re going to do the right thing and vote for President Trump?

    I am reserving judgment. If there is a 3rd Party Romney-Flake ticket, I would likely vote for it. Remember, in 1912, the incumbent Republican President came in third. That could happen again.

     

    Which party won that election?

    • #66
  7. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    We lost the House in 2018.

    As per usual for a midterm election for a newly incumbent president. What was unusual was the gains in the Senate. You keep repeating this as if it’s a slam dunk argument. It isn’t.

    Yes and no.

    It is usual for the incumbent party to lose some House seats in the midterm election. However, the gross percentage votes for all Republican candidates for the House versus the gross percentage votes for all Democrat candidates took a huge nosedive, much higher than what we would usually see at a midterm.

    As for the Senate, there were very few Republican seats up, and lots of Democrat seats up in 2018. Percentage wise we should have done much, much better.

    It might be helpful, for context, to compare 2018 with 2010–both first time mid-terms for controversial presidents. I’d be interested to know the results but not enough to do the heavy lifting (at least right now).

    Actually, I stand corrected.  Here are the results from Wikipedia:

    2018:  R 44.8%, D 53.4%

    2016:  R 49.1%, D 48.0%

    2014:  R 51.2%, D 45.5%

    2012:  R 47.6%, D 48.8%

    2010:  R 51.7%, D 44.9%

    2008:  R 42.6%, D 53.2%

    Damn!  I hate to be wrong.  But the swing in 2010 was indisputably greater than the swing in 2018. 

    As the Greatest President of the Twentieth Century once said, “We are entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts.”

    • #67
  8. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Influencer (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    But, Bernie is a Socialist. If he is nominated by the Democrats, he will have a chance of winning. That cannot not happen.

    So, does this mean you’re going to do the right thing and vote for President Trump?

    I am reserving judgment. If there is a 3rd Party Romney-Flake ticket, I would likely vote for it. Remember, in 1912, the incumbent Republican President came in third. That could happen again.

    Which party won that election?

    Thats how we got our Fascist Progressive Racist Democrat president.

    But I don’t think Romney is Teddy Roosevelt . And Trump is at 95% with real Republicans.

    • #68
  9. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Influencer (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    But, Bernie is a Socialist. If he is nominated by the Democrats, he will have a chance of winning. That cannot not happen.

    So, does this mean you’re going to do the right thing and vote for President Trump?

    I am reserving judgment. If there is a 3rd Party Romney-Flake ticket, I would likely vote for it. Remember, in 1912, the incumbent Republican President came in third. That could happen again.

    Which party won that election?

    Thats how we got our Fascist Progressive Racist Democrat president.

    But I don’t think Romney is Teddy Roosevelt . And Trump is at 95% with real Republicans.

    Um, Trump was only at 91% in the New Hampshire Primary, and lots of folks took the Democratic ballot.  Of course, in the Soviet State of Arizona, we don’t have no stinking elections in the Republican Party this year.

    • #69
  10. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    Don’t let politics kill you. Good you got some sleep. 

    They are all socialists. Outright like Bernie, stealth socialists, or incompetents like Biden who will enable socialists. There are also Republicans who are at the very least socialist enablers.

    It’s the stealth socialists and the enablers who are bigger threats than Bernie.

    There are two reasons why establishment Democrats oppose him 1) he’s not in their cabal of grifting and he will upset their schemes 2) he is too up-front about his goals, which they believe is a losing strategy. Both are accurate assessments. Bernie will turn the heat up too rapidly waking up the frog and inciting him to jump out of the pot. So, of all the possible winners from the Democratic side, Bernie would be ( maybe) the only one from which freedom and capitalism could recover from.

    Doesnt anyone on the NT spectrum consider what would happen in a future where Trump loses in 2020. It would matter why, of course, but if it was seen as work of the deep state or something other than him suffering a massive political or personal implosion, you will probably have a John Galt situation or an uprising in the GOP. Possibly a nascent civil war.

    The Republicans wouldn’t win another election for decades, and by then, that ‘party’ would be something very different. Meanwhile, Democrats will march toward socialism and implementing their new brand of social fascism unimpeded. The two factions of Democrats, the semi-socialists interested in total control (Clintonista types) compromise with the well-meaning do-gooder socialists (Bernie bro’s) and you get a very bad mix. Of course watch them blame everything they cause to happen to the American economy and culture on Trump, and Trump voters.

    You don’t think they can find a way to do that? Then you haven’t studied American history or Venezuelan history or German history, or Russian history….

    It will all be over. I’m not kidding.

     

    • #70
  11. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    We lost the House in 2018.

    As per usual for a midterm election for a newly incumbent president. What was unusual was the gains in the Senate. You keep repeating this as if it’s a slam dunk argument. It isn’t.

    Yes and no.

    It is usual for the incumbent party to lose some House seats in the midterm election. However, the gross percentage votes for all Republican candidates for the House versus the gross percentage votes for all Democrat candidates took a huge nosedive, much higher than what we would usually see at a midterm.

    As for the Senate, there were very few Republican seats up, and lots of Democrat seats up in 2018. Percentage wise we should have done much, much better.

    It might be helpful, for context, to compare 2018 with 2010–both first time mid-terms for controversial presidents. I’d be interested to know the results but not enough to do the heavy lifting (at least right now).

     

    Turns out that was the right question to ask.

    • #71
  12. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    We lost the House in 2018.

    As per usual for a midterm election for a newly incumbent president. What was unusual was the gains in the Senate. You keep repeating this as if it’s a slam dunk argument. It isn’t.

    Yes and no.

    It is usual for the incumbent party to lose some House seats in the midterm election. However, the gross percentage votes for all Republican candidates for the House versus the gross percentage votes for all Democrat candidates took a huge nosedive, much higher than what we would usually see at a midterm.

    As for the Senate, there were very few Republican seats up, and lots of Democrat seats up in 2018. Percentage wise we should have done much, much better.

    It might be helpful, for context, to compare 2018 with 2010–both first time mid-terms for controversial presidents. I’d be interested to know the results but not enough to do the heavy lifting (at least right now).

     

    Turns out that was the right question to ask.

    Yea, and I was wrong dammit!  And you were right!  Oh well.  One less argument I can make about Trump.  Grr.

    • #72
  13. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Actually, I stand corrected. Here are the results from Wikipedia:

    2018: R 44.8%, D 53.4%

    2016: R 49.1%, D 48.0%

    2014: R 51.2%, D 45.5%

    2012: R 47.6%, D 48.8%

    2010: R 51.7%, D 44.9%

    2008: R 42.6%, D 53.2%

    Damn! I hate to be wrong. But the swing in 2010 was indisputably greater than the swing in 2018.

    As the Greatest President of the Twentieth Century once said, “We are entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts.”

    Gary, national popular vote totals for House elections can be a bit misleading, especially in non-Presidential election years, because many districts are so heavily tilted one way or the other.  I find it more useful to look at total seats gained or lost:

    2018:  R 199, D 235 — D+41
    2016:  R 241, D 194 — D+6
    2014:  R 247, D 188 — R+13
    2012:  R 234, D 201 — D+8
    2010:  R 242, D 193 — R+63
    2008: R 178, D 257 — D+21

    There was an oddity in 2018, as one election was declared invalid in NC, due to allegations of absentee ballot fraud (by Republicans).  A Republican won a subsequent special election for the seat.

    If we’re going to look at how Presidents’ parties performed in the first House election of their first term:

    Trump lost 41 seats in 2018 (R’s lost control)
    Obama lost 63 seats in 2010 (D’s lost control)
    Bush 43 gained 8 seats in 2002 (R’s retained control)
    Clinton lost 54 seats in 1994 (D’s lost control)
    Bush 41 lost 7 seats in 1990 (D’s retained control)
    Reagan gained 16 seats in 1982 (D’s retained control)

    The results before 1994 are less meaningful, as the Democrats had control of the House from 1955 through 1994.  I think that Bush 43’s good performance in 2002 related to his strong popularity post-9/11.

    • #73
  14. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Influencer (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    But, Bernie is a Socialist. If he is nominated by the Democrats, he will have a chance of winning. That cannot not happen.

    So, does this mean you’re going to do the right thing and vote for President Trump?

    I am reserving judgment. If there is a 3rd Party Romney-Flake ticket, I would likely vote for it. Remember, in 1912, the incumbent Republican President came in third. That could happen again.

     

    Which party won that election?

    Good point, Buckpasser, and 1912 was really weird in another way.  There were two prior Republican Presidents on the ballot, competing against each other and splitting the vote.

    Thinking about it makes me inclined, just a little bit, to take some dynamite to ol’ TR’s face at Mount Rushmore.

    • #74
  15. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Me at 7:00 a.m. at “The Strat” before the Nevada Caucus.

    Damn!  I couldn’t import the picture.  Oh well.

     

    • #75
  16. E. Kent Golding Moderator
    E. Kent Golding
    @EKentGolding

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    OldPhil (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    minimal content in conversation

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    When Bernie steps down, most likely after Super Tuesday, what is your contingency plan? And, thank you for the detailed first hand account of your caucus experience.

    I doubt that Bernie will step down after Super Tuesday. 528 does a couple of projections every day. Right now, the odds are as follows:

    Sanders 44%

    No one (contested convention) 42%

    Biden 10%

    Bloomberg 4%

    Warren .3%

    Buttigieg .1%

    See https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-primary-forecast/?ex_cid=rrpromo

    I’m thinking the poster probably meant “When Biden steps down,”?

    If Biden steps down, then only Mike Bloomberg can take Bernie out.

    I can see Hillary,  Liz, or Amy Suiciding  Bernie.   Bernie could even die of natural causes.

    • #76
  17. EDISONPARKS Member
    EDISONPARKS
    @user_54742

    We all have “different” hobbies which someone may find completely unappealing, or quite possibly, a colossal waste of time (ie: I golf).

    But going to a neighboring state, caucusing for a political party which is not your own, for a candidate who does not have a snowballs chance in hell of making it past the South Carolina Primary, is a very odd use of ones leisure time to say the least.

    • #77
  18. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    EDISONPARKS (View Comment):

    We all have “different” hobbies which someone may find completely unappealing, or quite possibly, a colossal waste of time (ie: I golf).

    But going to a neighboring state, caucusing for a political party which is not your own, for a candidate who does not have a snowballs chance in hell of making it past the South Carolina Primary, is a very odd use of ones leisure time to say the least.

    It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved before.  

    I would have preferred to use my time working for Bill Weld in the Arizona Republican Party Primary, but it was canceled by the Republican Party.

    • #78
  19. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    I hear you. I really don’t know what I would do with a Bernie/Trump race. I really don’t know.

    Here’s a suggestion from a guy who sounds like he knows what to do:

    Gary Robbins:

    I believe that Bernie Sanders poses an existential danger to our Republic, so [it is] incumbent on me to do all that I can to stop him.

    • #79
  20. Norm McDonald Inactive
    Norm McDonald
    @Pseudodionysius

    O.J. Simpson 2020 – He’d Like To Take A Stab At It

    • #80
  21. Norm McDonald Inactive
    Norm McDonald
    @Pseudodionysius

    EDISONPARKS (View Comment):

    We all have “different” hobbies which someone may find completely unappealing, or quite possibly, a colossal waste of time (ie: I golf).

    But going to a neighboring state, caucusing for a political party which is not your own, for a candidate who does not have a snowballs chance in hell of making it past the South Carolina Primary, is a very odd use of ones leisure time to say the least.

    • #81
  22. rgbact Inactive
    rgbact
    @romanblichar

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

     

    You may be right. On the other hand, if Bernie wins, it will be a very dark day for our Republic.

    Keep in mind Gary, if Trump wins, then we’re going to get Trump JR in 2024 guaranteed. Bernie’s followers otoh want action, not just a Twitter warrior. When he’s actually elected, and gets nothing done and the government is shutting down every 4 months and ISIS runs wild and he has no major media defenders……his incompetence will be fully owned by the Left. So, I’d hold off on NeverBernie. Play the long game.

    • #82
  23. DrewInWisconsin, Influencer Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Influencer
    @DrewInWisconsin

    rgbact (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

     

    You may be right. On the other hand, if Bernie wins, it will be a very dark day for our Republic.

    Keep in mind Gary, if Trump wins, then we’re going to get Trump JR in 2024 guaranteed. Bernie’s followers otoh want action, not just a Twitter warrior. When he’s actually elected, and gets nothing done and the government is shutting down every 4 months and ISIS runs wild and he has no major media defenders……his incompetence will be fully owned by the Left. So, I’d hold off on NeverBernie. Play the long game.

    Don’t listen to this Bernie Bro, Gary. He’s trying to cloud your mind.

    • #83
  24. KentForrester Coolidge
    KentForrester
    @KentForrester

    Gary, you are probably the most politically committed of any member of Ricochet. 

    Your posts elicit more responses than any other Ricocheter.  (I wish mine elicited such a response, but I have no talent for politics or controversy.)

    For those reasons, I think you’re one of the most valuable members of Ricochet.  

    I’m glad you’re back after your little sojourn away from Ricochet. 

    • #84
  25. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    rgbact (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

     

    You may be right. On the other hand, if Bernie wins, it will be a very dark day for our Republic.

    Keep in mind Gary, if Trump wins, then we’re going to get Trump JR in 2024 guaranteed. Bernie’s followers otoh want action, not just a Twitter warrior. When he’s actually elected, and gets nothing done and the government is shutting down every 4 months and ISIS runs wild and he has no major media defenders……his incompetence will be fully owned by the Left. So, I’d hold off on NeverBernie. Play the long game.

    The prospect of DJTJ in 2024 is reason enough to vote against Trump and to stop the Trumpization of the Republican Party.

    • #85
  26. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Gary, you are probably the most politically committed of any member of Ricochet.

    Your posts elicit more responses than any other Ricocheter. (I wish mine elicited such a response, but I have no talent for politics or controversy.)

    For those reasons, I think you’re one of the most valuable members of Ricochet.

    I’m glad you’re back after your little sojourn away from Ricochet.

    You are extremely kind.

    • #86
  27. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    That was interesting.  Thank you.  But I’ll never understand how a Reagan Republican could dream of voting for any of the Democrats.  The party has gone bananas and must lose big if there is any hope of redeeming it, which means the country.  It’s ( the country) already almost too bureaucratized to be redeemed.  Trump is strange in many ways.  But what has he done in real terms that make it impossible for you to choose him instead of a moron, disconnected, dishonest, crook like Biden, and I agree he’s the best they’re offering. .  Don’t answer.  It’s just a puzzlement. 

    • #87
  28. philo Member
    philo
    @philo

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    We lost the House in 2018.

    As per usual for a midterm election for a newly incumbent president. What was unusual was the gains in the Senate. You keep repeating this as if it’s a slam dunk argument. It isn’t.

    Yes and no.

    It is usual for the incumbent party to lose some House seats in the midterm election. However, the gross percentage votes for all Republican candidates for the House versus the gross percentage votes for all Democrat candidates took a huge nosedive, much higher than what we would usually see at a midterm.

    As for the Senate, there were very few Republican seats up, and lots of Democrat seats up in 2018. Percentage wise we should have done much, much better.

    It might be helpful, for context, to compare 2018 with 2010–both first time mid-terms for controversial presidents. I’d be interested to know the results but not enough to do the heavy lifting (at least right now).

    EXHIBT A: March 29, 2019

     

    • #88
  29. Ontheleftcoast Inactive
    Ontheleftcoast
    @Ontheleftcoast

    drlorentz (View Comment):

    And despite running for president for 32 years, he has never won a presidential primary. Ever.

    Maybe because he’s always running for the United States Senate.

     

    • #89
  30. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Gary’s situation here reflects in general the conundrum several #NeverTrump people at The Bulwark, the WaPo and elsewhere have run into over the past week, which is basically the realization that the Democrats aren’t simply #NeverTrump, they’re also #NeverRepublican, #NeverConservative, and in an apparently growing trend, also #NeverCapitalism.

    That’s a lot more to buy into than what I think they were expecting just a month or two ago, when the thought was the Democratic primary voters would offer them up someone palatable like Joe Biden (who, judging by his speech Monday night, apparently has decided to forgo his presidential bid and run for the Senate in South Carolina against Lindsey Graham). Mike Bloomberg’s stumble at the debate last week combined with Bernie’s showing in Nevada has really caused the conflicted feelings to set in.

    If you’re a Nicole Wallace or a Joe Walsh, hatred for Trump overrides everything, and they will rationalize to themselves why True Conservatives will back Bernie if he’s the nominee this fall. Others who still have the dignity not to try to lie to themselves about what Sanders is all about can simply vote third party or sit this presidential election out, if they can’t bring themselves to mark the ballot for Trump. But if you’re the type who pundits for food, that’s going to be a problem for the next seven months, since you really can’t take a stand on anything one way or another if you’re refusing to vote for both guys when Trump has a four year track record now to judge him by. It was far easier in 2016 to vote for an Evan McMullen based on the hypothetical that Trump would destroy America as we know it, or at least gut the conservative movement if elected.

    • #90
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