Battlegrounds; Real and Imagined

Another jam packed week means another jam packed show: We’ve got the Ricochet Podcast’s Senior Court Packing and Confirmation Correspondent, John Yoo to help us sort out the coming SCOTUS confirmation hearings, and we’ve got Lt. General H.R. McMaster, U.S. Army, ret. to talk about his new book, Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. Also, a Ricochet Podcast Presidential Debate Preview and the weirdest Emmy’s ever.

Music from this week’s podcast: Roar by Katy Perry

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  1. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    11:01 AM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    Only if Kozak, Drew or Bryan also sits for the cream pie event!

    See, Gary, the thing is, nobody but you wants to hit them with a cream pie. All of us would take a shot at you. It’s the law of supply and demand. 😁

    You know what my price is. Kozak, Drew or Bryan, and I am in.

    Well, Drew has declined.  We have heard from Kozak or Bryan yet.

    • #121
  2. Taras Coolidge
    Taras
    @Taras
    11:10 AM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I gave $100 twice to Jamie Harrison who is running against Graham. I didn’t give again to Mark Kelly because my mother likes Martha McSally. I gave $100 to the best Democrat running for the Senate, Steve Bullock of Montana. I gave $100 each to the Dems running for the Senate in Alaska and Iowa, and had to look up their names. After Ted Cruz ran his mouth in committee, and Amy Klobuchar took him apart on You Tube, I kicked her $100.

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I have given away dozens of t-shirts that say “Republicans for Biden.” I have ordered a dozen more to give away.

    Is single payer worth it?

    Getting rid of Trump and Trumpism is worth it.

    We must destroy the country in order to protect it.

    No, we must destroy Trump and Trumpism, to save the country and party.

    Gary, perhaps you haven’t thought it through completely.

    Defeating Trump in 2020, especially if they defeat him dirty, will merely preserve his eligibility for 2024, when he will be only slightly older than Biden is now, and probably in much better shape mentally.  

    Trump remains the de facto head of the Republican Party until then.

    • #122
  3. The Cynthonian Inactive
    The Cynthonian
    @TheCynthonian
    11:28 AM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Taras (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I gave $100 twice to Jamie Harrison who is running against Graham. I didn’t give again to Mark Kelly because my mother likes Martha McSally. I gave $100 to the best Democrat running for the Senate, Steve Bullock of Montana. I gave $100 each to the Dems running for the Senate in Alaska and Iowa, and had to look up their names. After Ted Cruz ran his mouth in committee, and Amy Klobuchar took him apart on You Tube, I kicked her $100.

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I have given away dozens of t-shirts that say “Republicans for Biden.” I have ordered a dozen more to give away.

    Is single payer worth it?

    Getting rid of Trump and Trumpism is worth it.

    We must destroy the country in order to protect it.

    No, we must destroy Trump and Trumpism, to save the country and party.

    Gary, perhaps you haven’t thought it through completely.

    Defeating Trump in 2020, especially if they defeat him dirty, will merely preserve his eligibility for 2024, when he will be only slightly older than Biden is now, and probably in much better shape mentally.

    Trump remains the de facto head of the Republican Party until then.

    @Taras, you just made Gary’s head explode.  

    • #123
  4. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis
    11:46 AM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Taras (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I gave $100 twice to Jamie Harrison who is running against Graham. I didn’t give again to Mark Kelly because my mother likes Martha McSally. I gave $100 to the best Democrat running for the Senate, Steve Bullock of Montana. I gave $100 each to the Dems running for the Senate in Alaska and Iowa, and had to look up their names. After Ted Cruz ran his mouth in committee, and Amy Klobuchar took him apart on You Tube, I kicked her $100.

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I have given away dozens of t-shirts that say “Republicans for Biden.” I have ordered a dozen more to give away.

    Is single payer worth it?

    Getting rid of Trump and Trumpism is worth it.

    We must destroy the country in order to protect it.

    No, we must destroy Trump and Trumpism, to save the country and party.

    Gary, perhaps you haven’t thought it through completely.

    Defeating Trump in 2020, especially if they defeat him dirty, will merely preserve his eligibility for 2024, when he will be only slightly older than Biden is now, and probably in much better shape mentally.

    Trump remains the de facto head of the Republican Party until then.

    I hadn’t thought of it before, probably because Gary’s random perambulations have no weight or significance, but that would be correct.

    • #124
  5. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    1:14 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Taras (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I gave $100 twice to Jamie Harrison who is running against Graham. I didn’t give again to Mark Kelly because my mother likes Martha McSally. I gave $100 to the best Democrat running for the Senate, Steve Bullock of Montana. I gave $100 each to the Dems running for the Senate in Alaska and Iowa, and had to look up their names. After Ted Cruz ran his mouth in committee, and Amy Klobuchar took him apart on You Tube, I kicked her $100.

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    I have given away dozens of t-shirts that say “Republicans for Biden.” I have ordered a dozen more to give away.

    Is single payer worth it?

    Getting rid of Trump and Trumpism is worth it.

    We must destroy the country in order to protect it.

    No, we must destroy Trump and Trumpism, to save the country and party.

    Gary, perhaps you haven’t thought it through completely.

    Defeating Trump in 2020, especially if they defeat him dirty, will merely preserve his eligibility for 2024, when he will be only slightly older than Biden is now, and probably in much better shape mentally.

    Trump remains the de facto head of the Republican Party until then.

    If Trump is decisively defeated and we continue to lose legislative and congressional seats as we did in 2018, there will be plenty of room to replace Trump.

    Was Jimmy Carter the de facto head of the Democratic Party after he was defeated?  We’re Gerald Ford or George H.W. Bush the de facto head of the Republican Party after they were defeated?

    America is so “over” Trump.  

    • #125
  6. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    1:17 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes.  I just ordered 5 more.

    • #126
  7. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones
    1:21 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this. 

    • #127
  8. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis
    1:27 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this.

    Because Reagan’s Ghost.

    Or something.

    • #128
  9. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones
    1:34 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    America is so “over” Trump.

    I’m not sure I buy this. I think he’s made a lot of changes that are going to stick. He increased awareness of a lot of negative things that wasn’t getting proper illumination by the press.

    One of my big worries about Trump was he didn’t know enough about government and didn’t have any experience speaking under “civic pressure”. As far as I’m concerned, that all netted out.

    I was extremely worried about him screwing up foreign policy. That stuff is insanely complicated. He’s doing really well if you ask me. The Middle East looks great just because he looked at it with different eyes and applied some creativity.

    I was also worried about his inflationist mentality, but this really isn’t the time for that anyway.

    • #129
  10. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    1:39 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this.

    I just ordered ordered 5 more 2XL t-shirts.  I also gave away my fourth “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts.

    • #130
  11. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones
    1:42 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this.

    I just ordered ordered 5 more 2XL t-shirts. I also gave away my fourth “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts.

    Devastating rhetorical come back. How do you do it?

    • #131
  12. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis
    1:46 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this.

    I just ordered ordered 5 more 2XL t-shirts. I also gave away my fourth “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts.

    Devastating rhetorical come back. How do you do it?

    It takes no thought at all.

    And I mean that.  None.

    • #132
  13. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones
    1:51 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    I can understand harsh criticism of Trump. I can’t understand wanting to change him out for the risk of socialism.

    The Democrat platform was pretty loony. They have babbled about how they are going to control him. Kamala Harris is just going to do whatever is good for Kamala which could include buying the whole socialist agenda.

     

     

    • #133
  14. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    1:57 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this.

    I just ordered ordered 5 more 2XL t-shirts. I also gave away my fourth “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts.

    Devastating rhetorical come back. How do you do it?

    It’s a gift.

    • #134
  15. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis
    2:05 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this.

    I just ordered ordered 5 more 2XL t-shirts. I also gave away my fourth “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts.

    Devastating rhetorical come back. How do you do it?

    It’s a gift.

    You should return it.

    • #135
  16. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    2:33 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I can understand harsh criticism of Trump. I can’t understand wanting to change him out for the risk of socialism.

    The Democrat platform was pretty loony. They have babbled about how they are going to control him. Kamala Harris is just going to do whatever is good for Kamala which could include buying the whole socialist agenda.

    At least the Dems have a platform.  It appears that our platform is whatever Trump impulsively utters as a Tourette’s patient.  

    • #136
  17. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones
    2:39 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I can understand harsh criticism of Trump. I can’t understand wanting to change him out for the risk of socialism.

    The Democrat platform was pretty loony. They have babbled about how they are going to control him. Kamala Harris is just going to do whatever is good for Kamala which could include buying the whole socialist agenda.

    At least the Dems have a platform. It appears that our platform is whatever Trump impulsively utters as a Tourette’s patient.

    Why does that net out for you? 

    What policies of the last four years by the Republicans are you against? 

    Just to be clear, platforms are mostly bogus, but this one supposedly lists every single socialist thing you could possibly want in this era and country. It’s supposed to be really bad.

    I find it very hard to argue with any of the Michael Anton video I have posted.

    • #137
  18. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    2:54 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I can understand harsh criticism of Trump. I can’t understand wanting to change him out for the risk of socialism.

    The Democrat platform was pretty loony. They have babbled about how they are going to control him. Kamala Harris is just going to do whatever is good for Kamala which could include buying the whole socialist agenda.

    At least the Dems have a platform. It appears that our platform is whatever Trump impulsively utters as a Tourette’s patient.

    Why does that net out for you?

    What policies of the last four years by the Republicans are you against?

    Trump.

    Just to be clear, platforms are mostly bogus, but this one supposedly lists every single socialist thing you could possibly want in this era and country. It’s supposed to be really bad.

    I find it very hard to argue with any of the Michael Anton video I have posted.

     

    • #138
  19. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis
    3:18 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I can understand harsh criticism of Trump. I can’t understand wanting to change him out for the risk of socialism.

    The Democrat platform was pretty loony. They have babbled about how they are going to control him. Kamala Harris is just going to do whatever is good for Kamala which could include buying the whole socialist agenda.

    At least the Dems have a platform. It appears that our platform is whatever Trump impulsively utters as a Tourette’s patient.

    Why does that net out for you?

    What policies of the last four years by the Republicans are you against?

    Trump.

    Just a second.  Who has Tourette’s, now?

     

     

    • #139
  20. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones
    3:58 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    481: BIDEN IS MOST PROGRESSIVE MAJOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SINCE GEORGE MCGOVERN. @LANHEECHEN  

         https://wabcradio.com/episode/482-joe-bidens-campaign-promises-illustrate-completely-a-countdown-to-socialism-devinnunes-ca-22/

    https://wabcradio.com/episode/481-biden-is-most-progressive-major-presidential-candidate-since-george-mcgovern-lanheechen/

     

    482: JOE BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES ILLUSTRATE COMPLETELY A “COUNTDOWN TO SOCIALISM.” @DEVINNUNES CA-22

     

    • #140
  21. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti
    3:59 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    kedavis (View Comment):
    For the same reason that Gary would like to throw pies at Kozak, Drew, and/or Bryan: people don’t like being shown that they are wrong.

    Once again, you are wrong. Amazing. 

    • #141
  22. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston
    4:33 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Does Gary believe that XX can become XY and XY can become XX and that people can be required to affirm this. I realize that for a Democrat it can be hard to affirm that almost everything he’s believed in the last five years is wrong. I hope that Gary will never have to face the reality of a Biden/Harris apocalypse for personal freedom since Trump’s re-election prevented it from occurring,

    • #142
  23. DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow
    @DrewInWisconsin
    4:35 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    At least the Dems have a platform. It appears that our platform is whatever Trump impulsively utters as a Tourette’s patient.

    I’m sorry this is happening to you.

    • #143
  24. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant
    5:17 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    If Trump is decisively defeated and we continue to lose legislative and congressional seats as we did in 2018, there will be plenty of room to replace Trump.

    The reason we lost in 2018 was not Trump, but because the Republican legislators did not follow through with their promises.

    • #144
  25. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    6:33 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    I can understand harsh criticism of Trump. I can’t understand wanting to change him out for the risk of socialism.

    The Democrat platform was pretty loony. They have babbled about how they are going to control him. Kamala Harris is just going to do whatever is good for Kamala which could include buying the whole socialist agenda.

    At least the Dems have a platform. It appears that our platform is whatever Trump impulsively utters as a Tourette’s patient.

    Why does that net out for you?

    What policies of the last four years by the Republicans are you against?

    Trump.

    Just a second. Who has Tourette’s, now?

    Okay, Donald Birtherism McCain Charlottesville Kurds Mattis Obstruction Ukraine COVID-19 Trump.

    • #145
  26. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins
    7:08 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    If Trump is decisively defeated and we continue to lose legislative and congressional seats as we did in 2018, there will be plenty of room to replace Trump.

    The reason we lost in 2018 was not Trump, but because the Republican legislators did not follow through with their promises.

    There was a massive revulsion to Trump by women, the young, the college-educated and most of all, the suburbs.  Now Trump is losing the elderly, or the Gray Wall.

    • #146
  27. DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow
    @DrewInWisconsin
    7:25 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Just a second. Who has Tourette’s, now?

    Okay, Donald Birtherism McCain Charlottesville Kurds Mattis Obstruction Ukraine COVID-19 Trump.

    The guy at the troll farm who runs the Gary Robbins account for the evening shift can be funny.

    • #147
  28. Taras Coolidge
    Taras
    @Taras
    7:25 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):
    America is so “over” Trump.

    I’m not sure I buy this. I think he’s made a lot of changes that are going to stick. He increased awareness of a lot of negative things that wasn’t getting proper illumination by the press.

    One of my big worries about Trump was he didn’t know enough about government and didn’t have any experience speaking under “civic pressure”. As far as I’m concerned, that all netted out.

    I was extremely worried about him screwing up foreign policy. That stuff is insanely complicated. He’s doing really well if you ask me. The Middle East looks great just because he looked at it with different eyes and applied some creativity.

    I was also worried about his inflationist mentality, but this really isn’t the time for that anyway.

    @garyrobbins — Apparently, Republicans are not “over Trump”:

    Trump’s approval rating among Republicans for the first half of 2020 is 91% compared with 69% Republican approval for Bush in the first half of 2008. If we compare approval ratings among Republicans for Bush’s entire second term with Trump’s first term, Bush’s average overall approval was about eight points lower than Trump’s average: 78% vs. 86%.

    Indeed, Trump’s average support level among his fellow partisans is higher than for any president of either party since Eisenhower.

    https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-06-28/donald-trump-approval-ratings-election

    Maybe it’s time to stop pretending to be a Republican — especially a “Reagan Republican”, for the love of God!

    • #148
  29. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt
    7:34 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Watch out. This kind of thing could catch on.

    • #149
  30. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte
    7:37 PM EDT ⋅ Sep 27, 2020

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Incidentally, I have given away three more “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts in the last few minutes. I just ordered 5 more.

    I’d love to know why you think the socialists aren’t going to keep the ground a take if you get your way. They have a whole system for this.

    I just ordered ordered 5 more 2XL t-shirts. I also gave away my fourth “Republicans for Biden” t-shirts.

    Why do you always tell us about your donations and your t-shirt purchases?

    • #150
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