Chad Benson of Radio America joins Jim Geraghty of National Review for another Three Martini Lunch. First up, cheers to good polling numbers for Amy Coney Barrett. Speaking of polling, for round two Jim argues that if Trump loses, it will be because he lost the suburbs, and it will be largely because of personality, temperament, and how he treats people, not necessarily because of his policies. Finally, a discussion about a recent headline from the Brennan Center.

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Published in: Elections, Politics

There are 16 comments.

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  1. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Educated? Try suburban white indoctrinated women.

    If they were truly educated, and/or intelligent, they wouldn’t be basing so many decisions on their feels.

    • #1
  2. FredGoodhue Coolidge
    FredGoodhue
    @FredGoodhue

    Many people have views on issues, but those views are not firm, or thought through.  They have jobs, families, hobbies, and other interests to occupy their thoughts.  But they do see someone of poor character, and come to the conclusion that they don’t want to vote for that person.

    • #2
  3. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    FredGoodhue (View Comment):

    Many people have views on issues, but those views are not firm, or thought through. They have jobs, families, hobbies, and other interests to occupy their thoughts. But they do see someone of poor character, and come to the conclusion that they don’t want to vote for that person.

    And then they cover their eyes and ears when voting for someone like Biden…

    If they think decorum is so important, why not cover their eyes and ears and vote for Trump?  At least that way they get good policies and judges and stuff!

    • #3
  4. Lois Lane Coolidge
    Lois Lane
    @LoisLane

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time.  Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016.  I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.  

    I love ACB is doing so well.  She deserves to do well.  I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.  

    • #4
  5. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time. Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016. I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.

    I love ACB is doing so well. She deserves to do well. I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.

    I daresay Biden is at least arguably worse.  Unless you can show me where Trump has falsely blamed a “drunk driver” for the death of his child and first wife.  I don’t see any of Trump’s “bloviating”… trumping…. that.

    • #5
  6. Lois Lane Coolidge
    Lois Lane
    @LoisLane

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time. Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016. I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.

    I love ACB is doing so well. She deserves to do well. I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.

    I daresay Biden is at least arguably worse. Unless you can show me where Trump has falsely blamed a “drunk driver” for the death of his child and first wife. I don’t see any of Trump’s “bloviating”… trumping…. that.

    You’re confusing substance with decorum.  These are different things.  Biden has always been the bloviating blowhard that Trump is.  I think a little bit of it is generational.  I don’t know.  I’ve never liked either of them, so the only thing I have left to judge really are positions.  

    • #6
  7. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time. Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016. I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.

    I love ACB is doing so well. She deserves to do well. I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.

    I daresay Biden is at least arguably worse. Unless you can show me where Trump has falsely blamed a “drunk driver” for the death of his child and first wife. I don’t see any of Trump’s “bloviating”… trumping…. that.

    You’re confusing substance with decorum. These are different things. Biden has always been the bloviating blowhard that Trump is. I think a little bit of it is generational. I don’t know. I’ve never liked either of them, so the only thing I have left to judge really are positions.

    No, I’m not confusing them at all.  What puzzles… even irks… is when people say they’re voting for Biden BECAUSE – apparently no matter how well the economy has done, etc – Trump is just too “rude” and stuff.  But people can only say that if they’ve essentially ignored Biden for the last nearly half-century.

    IFF (that’s math-speak for if-and-only-if) someone’s standard is that they can’t vote for someone who is “rude” or whatever, their only credible option is to vote for NEITHER of them.  Anyone claiming they can vote for Biden but not Trump on the basis of “character” or “rudeness” or whatever, is either deaf-dumb-and-blind, or just plain stupid.  Or perhaps evil.

    • #7
  8. Taras Coolidge
    Taras
    @Taras

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time. Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016. I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.

    I love ACB is doing so well. She deserves to do well. I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.

    I daresay Biden is at least arguably worse. Unless you can show me where Trump has falsely blamed a “drunk driver” for the death of his child and first wife. I don’t see any of Trump’s “bloviating”… trumping…. that.

    You’re confusing substance with decorum. These are different things. Biden has always been the bloviating blowhard that Trump is. I think a little bit of it is generational. I don’t know. I’ve never liked either of them, so the only thing I have left to judge really are positions.

    No, I’m not confusing them at all. What puzzles… even irks… is when people say they’re voting for Biden BECAUSE – apparently no matter how well the economy has done, etc – Trump is just too “rude” and stuff. But people can only say that if they’ve essentially ignored Biden for the last nearly half-century.

    IFF (that’s math-speak for if-and-only-if) someone’s standard is that they can’t vote for someone who is “rude” or whatever, their only credible option is to vote for NEITHER of them. Anyone claiming they can vote for Biden but not Trump on the basis of “character” or “rudeness” or whatever, is either deaf-dumb-and-blind, or just plain stupid. Or perhaps evil.

    “Well, you know, I agree with Kerensky’s policies — but Lenin has better manners!”

    • #8
  9. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Taras (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time. Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016. I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.

    I love ACB is doing so well. She deserves to do well. I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.

    I daresay Biden is at least arguably worse. Unless you can show me where Trump has falsely blamed a “drunk driver” for the death of his child and first wife. I don’t see any of Trump’s “bloviating”… trumping…. that.

    You’re confusing substance with decorum. These are different things. Biden has always been the bloviating blowhard that Trump is. I think a little bit of it is generational. I don’t know. I’ve never liked either of them, so the only thing I have left to judge really are positions.

    No, I’m not confusing them at all. What puzzles… even irks… is when people say they’re voting for Biden BECAUSE – apparently no matter how well the economy has done, etc – Trump is just too “rude” and stuff. But people can only say that if they’ve essentially ignored Biden for the last nearly half-century.

    IFF (that’s math-speak for if-and-only-if) someone’s standard is that they can’t vote for someone who is “rude” or whatever, their only credible option is to vote for NEITHER of them. Anyone claiming they can vote for Biden but not Trump on the basis of “character” or “rudeness” or whatever, is either deaf-dumb-and-blind, or just plain stupid. Or perhaps evil.

    “Well, you know, I agree with Kerensky’s policies — but Lenin has better manners!”

    Frankly I just don’t see that “accusing Ted Cruz’s father of being involved with JFK’s assassination” (sounds more like a jab at the tin-foil-hat crowd), is as bad as falsely accusing a “drunk driver” of killing your child and first wife.

    • #9
  10. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    2016 taught me not to trust polls. That’s not a guarantee the President will be re-elected, but it means I don’t worry as much.

    Jim’s anticipatory schadenfreude at the defeat of the President is no surprise.

    • #10
  11. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time. Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016. I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.

    I love ACB is doing so well. She deserves to do well. I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.

    Lois, I hope you will be voting Trump in 2020.

    • #11
  12. Lois Lane Coolidge
    Lois Lane
    @LoisLane

    Patrick McClure (View Comment):

    Lois Lane (View Comment):

    I’ve watched politics for a very long time. Joe Biden is no better than Donald Trump when it comes to decorum, and I did not vote for Trump in 2016. I learned a while ago, however, that I do not approach politics like most of my peers, whatever I do.

    I love ACB is doing so well. She deserves to do well. I have no qualms at all saying she is a decent, smart, competent person.

    Lois, I hope you will be voting Trump in 2020.

    I am.  It’s been a hard decision because Trump is hard for me to take, honestly, and I don’t agree with all of his actual positions.  I literally cried when General Mattis resigned from his cabinet, and I am clear-eyed on the fact that Donald Trump will never inspire me to follow him, as some leaders do.  I do not admire him.  I do not trust him.  I find him embarrassing. 

    However, I can say those exact same things about Joe Biden, who probably annoys me more because he seems to get a complete pass on being the exact same kind of guy.  He’s even constantly called “nice” while acting in the same blowhardy way.  I don’t get it.  

    So, on balance, I agree much more with what is on the Trump side of the ledger per what he has done outside my critiques of his style. 

    Plus I am a pro-life Catholic, and Biden’s policies are death.  I am also a pretty big fan of freedom.  I see less and less of this on the Left, however nicely they force me to do what they want.  

    That said, I have no idea if my vote will matter.  I have a very poor record of choosing winners.  I am definitely a minority in my voting group of highly educated white women who lives in a suburb again.  (I left the city.  Urban life was a complete drag during Covid.)

    All I can ever do is vote my conscience, which I will do on the actual day.  

    • #12
  13. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    I know how you feel LL. In 2016 I held my nose and voted for him. Now, having been told by so many of my “betters” I’m stupid, gullible etc, as I watched America becoming better and stronger, I’ve become a Trump fan. 

    He was, and still is, of a character that I never thought we’d see in the Whitehouse.

     

    • #13
  14. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Patrick McClure (View Comment):

    I know how you feel LL. In 2016 I held my nose and voted for him. Now, having been told by so many of my “betters” I’m stupid, gullible etc, as I watched America becoming better and stronger, I’ve become a Trump fan.

    He was, and still is, of a character that I never thought we’d see in the Whitehouse.

     

    In a bad way, or a good way?

    • #14
  15. Patrick McClure Coolidge
    Patrick McClure
    @Patrickb63

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Patrick McClure (View Comment):

    I know how you feel LL. In 2016 I held my nose and voted for him. Now, having been told by so many of my “betters” I’m stupid, gullible etc, as I watched America becoming better and stronger, I’ve become a Trump fan.

    He was, and still is, of a character that I never thought we’d see in the Whitehouse.

     

    In a bad way, or a good way?

    Still not sure.  Good overall for the country, so good in the final outcome.  But I wish he was smoother in his damage to  liberals.   A shiv to the Democrats’ kidneys instead of a machete to the neck.

    • #15
  16. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Patrick McClure (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Patrick McClure (View Comment):

    I know how you feel LL. In 2016 I held my nose and voted for him. Now, having been told by so many of my “betters” I’m stupid, gullible etc, as I watched America becoming better and stronger, I’ve become a Trump fan.

    He was, and still is, of a character that I never thought we’d see in the Whitehouse.

     

    In a bad way, or a good way?

    Still not sure. Good overall for the country, so good in the final outcome. But I wish he was smoother in his damage to liberals. A shiv to the Democrats’ kidneys instead of a machete to the neck.

    I dunno about that, I suspect that a lot of the people who need to be better informed, wouldn’t notice a shiv.

    • #16
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