A phrase to watch for as we move forward to 11/16...

[candycorn]

As pretenders drop out and the better equipped work to solidfy their gains and collect mor delegates, we're going to be reminded by the press of every stripe that "Politics is a profession." I think Mr. Trump will learn that hard lesson in the upcoming months and weeks.

I'm often amused that some here (and elsewhere) seem aghast that there are professional politicians. Would you tust your car to an amateur mechanic or your cat or dog to someone who moonlights as a vet? Don't we benefit immeasurably from having professional soldiers who are (as the Marines say) "No better friend and no worse enemy"? You visit professional doctors, see professional trainers, study under professional educators and spend your money watching professional athletes.

Yet professional politicians? Oh my goodness...how terrible...

 

[Shrimpbox]

What claptrap. Let's see didn't a two year neophyte nobody of a senator beat the presumptive professional woman candidate. I wouldn't trust my country to a rank unaccomplished amateur but a lot of,other Americans did to their chagrin.

 

[candycorn]

What claptrap. Let's see didn't a two year neophyte nobody of a senator beat the presumptive professional woman candidate. I wouldn't trust my country to a rank unaccomplished amateur but a lot of,other Americans did to their chagrin.

Obama wasn't the most experienced politician but he is a proessional politician. The way he's routinely outsmarted the GOP should be enough evidence of that.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

As pretenders drop out and the better equipped work to solidfy their gains and collect mor delegates, we're going to be reminded by the press of every stripe that "Politics is a profession." I think Mr. Trump will learn that hard lesson in the upcoming months and weeks.

I'm often amused that some here (and elsewhere) seem aghast that there are professional politicians. Would you tust your car to an amateur mechanic or your cat or dog to someone who moonlights as a vet? Don't we benefit immeasurably from having professional soldiers who are (as the Marines say) "No better friend and no worse enemy"? You visit professional doctors, see professional trainers, study under professional educators and spend your money watching professional athletes.

Yet professional politicians? Oh my goodness...how terrible...

Trump is not serious. He knows he has little chance at a nomination. He merely wants to be in on the argument, and frankly, he makes several good points.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

Obama wasn't the most experienced politician but he is a proessional politician. The way he's routinely outsmarted the GOP should be enough evidence of that.

He hasn't so much outsmarted the Republicans as much as built a messianic aura around himself with the help of his pocketed media friends, an aura that was bought into by the Democrats' created proletariat voting bloc who are in bulk not nearly educated enough to see through it, and love getting free stuff at someone else's expense.

Rob Peter to pay Paul, and you will always get Paul's vote.

 

[Auld Phart]

What claptrap. Let's see didn't a two year neophyte nobody of a senator beat the presumptive professional woman candidate. I wouldn't trust my country to a rank unaccomplished amateur but a lot of,other Americans did to their chagrin.

Obama wasn't the most experienced politician but he is a proessional politician. The way he's routinely outsmarted the GOP should be enough evidence of that.

Outsmarted?

By having Bottleneck Reid block legislation?


HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Nyvin]

It's a completely different game now...with unlimited campaign contributions allowed 1 single donor can make what was once a fringe wacko candidate "viable" with a single $30 million donation to his Super-PAC.

Before the wacko candidates would get winnowed out because the big donors would lean toward where the other big donors are leaning toward, so more donors meant more money, which meant more donors, which meant more money, etc etc etc.

Now it doesn't matter how "many" you have....you just have to pander to select set of billionaire(s) and champion their causes and you can be completely on par with the top tier in advertisements and campaign staff.

The Democrats have mostly avoided this mess with Clinton scaring all but the stalwarts (Sanders) and the "I have nothing to lose" (O'Malley, Chafee, Webb) candidates, none of which are a serious threat to her. The Republicans however, are deeply entrenched in this new free-for-all styling of presidential politics.

What that all means for the Republicans is the Establishment-style of one man domination of money doesn't work anymore. You can't control what the Kochs do, you can't control what Sheldon Adelson does, you can't control what Paul Singer does...etc etc, and just 1 of them can donate TENS OF MILLIONS now. It's a mess, and the Establishment knows it and is seeing it with what's happening to Jeb.

 

[candycorn]

As pretenders drop out and the better equipped work to solidfy their gains and collect mor delegates, we're going to be reminded by the press of every stripe that "Politics is a profession." I think Mr. Trump will learn that hard lesson in the upcoming months and weeks.

I'm often amused that some here (and elsewhere) seem aghast that there are professional politicians. Would you tust your car to an amateur mechanic or your cat or dog to someone who moonlights as a vet? Don't we benefit immeasurably from having professional soldiers who are (as the Marines say) "No better friend and no worse enemy"? You visit professional doctors, see professional trainers, study under professional educators and spend your money watching professional athletes.

Yet professional politicians? Oh my goodness...how terrible...

Trump is not serious. He knows he has little chance at a nomination. He merely wants to be in on the argument, and frankly, he makes several good points.

And Romney actually thought he was going to win on Election night a few years back. I would hope you are right but if a three-time loser like Romney can be duped into not even having a concession speech ready...I would not be too surprised if an egomaniac like Trump thinks he has not only a chance but a good chance.

What is more telling about the Romney campaign is that it isn't the job of the candidate to have a concession speech handy. It's the job of the campaign manager and/or the campaign's communication director. Any of the three can tell the speech writers to come up with one; none of the three did. Either the three were the only 3 people in the world who didn't know they would lose or they were completely delusional.

 

[candycorn]

Obama wasn't the most experienced politician but he is a professional politician. The way he's routinely outsmarted the GOP should be enough evidence of that.

He hasn't so much outsmarted the Republicans as much as built a messianic aura around himself with the help of his pocketed media friends, an aura that was bought into by the Democrats' created proletariat voting bloc who are in bulk not nearly educated enough to see through it, and love getting free stuff at someone else's expense.

Rob Peter to pay Paul, and you will always get Paul's vote.

Gee, another victimization response...whaaaaaaaaaaaa media......whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....free stuff.
I'm still waiting for my "free stuff" I supposedly got for voting for Obama (so is every one else).

As for his ability to routinely destroy GOP opposition history speaks for itself.

 

[candycorn]

What claptrap. Let's see didn't a two year neophyte nobody of a senator beat the presumptive professional woman candidate. I wouldn't trust my country to a rank unaccomplished amateur but a lot of,other Americans did to their chagrin.

Obama wasn't the most experienced politician but he is a proessional politician. The way he's routinely outsmarted the GOP should be enough evidence of that.

Outsmarted?

By having Bottleneck Reid block legislation?


HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The Boehner shutdown is called the Boehner shutdown for good reason; Romney actually thought he was going to win in 2012 (as many here did), McConnell didn't want any part of Obama's rath and came out to say that there would not be any more shutdowns or budget showdowns.

Seeing Obama work these chumps in Congress is almost like I would imagine Jodi Ernst was doing to those pigs...

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

And Romney actually thought he was going to win on Election night a few years back.

Romney may not have won anyway, but he certainly lost the election when he refused to bury Candy Crowley on the spot for her lie in the last debate.

Republicans are too damned polite, and that is in part why they lose. They refuse to street-fight.

 

[Shrimpbox]

Well candy I agree with you that we have a bunch of dummy republicans who make,Obama LOOK smart. But once he lost the house what legislation can you point to that Obama has passed. Yes he kept,the status quo on the budget and debt ceilings but Obama is using executive orders because he can't outsmart the congress or better he can't work with congress. Obamas so called genius is just a mirage created by the media and himself and the race deal,where any criticism of Obama is not legit because it is all racial. Give me an hour debate with this serial liar and I will eat his lunch. Remember, aside from a better ground game the biggest reason he won in 2012 is because he perpetually lied about obamacare and as mr billy said, republicans are just too polite.

And for all those whining about money, the Dems raised more money in 2012 than the republicans. And the biggest fat cat donor was a democrat, who contributed more money by far than any republican people. Another false straw man.

 

[jwoodie]

As pretenders drop out and the better equipped work to solidfy their gains and collect mor delegates, we're going to be reminded by the press of every stripe that "Politics is a profession." I think Mr. Trump will learn that hard lesson in the upcoming months and weeks.

I'm often amused that some here (and elsewhere) seem aghast that there are professional politicians. Would you tust your car to an amateur mechanic or your cat or dog to someone who moonlights as a vet? Don't we benefit immeasurably from having professional soldiers who are (as the Marines say) "No better friend and no worse enemy"? You visit professional doctors, see professional trainers, study under professional educators and spend your money watching professional athletes.

Yet professional politicians? Oh my goodness...how terrible...

Nice Straw Man argument. A profession is a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill. Do you consider obfuscation a skill?

 

[Nyvin]

Well candy I agree with you that we have a bunch of dummy republicans who make,Obama LOOK smart. But once he lost the house what legislation can you point to that Obama has passed. Yes he kept,the status quo on the budget and debt ceilings but Obama is using executive orders because he can't outsmart the congress or better he can't work with congress. Obamas so called genius is just a mirage created by the media and himself and the race deal,where any criticism of Obama is not legit because it is all racial. Give me an hour debate with this serial liar and I will eat his lunch. Remember, aside from a better ground game the biggest reason he won in 2012 is because he perpetually lied about obamacare and as mr billy said, republicans are just too polite.

And for all those whining about money, the Dems raised more money in 2012 than the republicans. And the biggest fat cat donor was a democrat, who contributed more money by far than any republican people. Another false straw man.

How did he lie about Obamacare in 2012? The "You can keep your doctor" thing was said in the 2007-2008 campaigning, before the law was written, let alone passed.

Also the Democratic Senate did pass both Immigration Reform and ENDA after 2010, but the Republican House never brought either to a vote. It's on Congress to deliver bills to Obama's desk, not the other way around. Both of those bills had bipartisan support in the Senate and likely would've passed in the House if they were brought to a vote. The Republicans didn't want them to pass simply because they didn't want to give Obama anymore legacy to go on.

Republicans are not too polite, 86% of ads during the 2012 president cycle paid for by Republican Groups were negative. The Republicans attacked Obama on everything they had. The ACA was brought up countless times with myths of it "destabilizing the healthcare industry" and other things that never actually happened.

 

[westwall]

As pretenders drop out and the better equipped work to solidfy their gains and collect mor delegates, we're going to be reminded by the press of every stripe that "Politics is a profession." I think Mr. Trump will learn that hard lesson in the upcoming months and weeks.

I'm often amused that some here (and elsewhere) seem aghast that there are professional politicians. Would you tust your car to an amateur mechanic or your cat or dog to someone who moonlights as a vet? Don't we benefit immeasurably from having professional soldiers who are (as the Marines say) "No better friend and no worse enemy"? You visit professional doctors, see professional trainers, study under professional educators and spend your money watching professional athletes.

Yet professional politicians? Oh my goodness...how terrible...

Professional politicians are by definition corrupt. They got into the business to advance themselves and their interests. Usually at great cost to the people they claim to represent.

 

[Shrimpbox]

Well Nyvin, you haven't disproved my point. It is a function of leadership to bring opposing parties together and craft a deal. Obama didn't want to do it and he didn't try to do,it. He is a failure as a leader. That is a consensus not just my opinion.

Obama continues to tout his healthcare plan, calling it a success. His definition of success is buying the votes of people who are getting free healthcare( including illegal alien ) and impoverishing the middle class. My healthcare payments just went up again this week, AGAIN. Doctors are voting with their feet and leaving in droves. He said everything was going to be ok and better and as everything with Obama , it's a lie. He has had so many opportunities to do great things and he has squandered every one of them. The man strategize a like a faculty lounge but governs like a Chicago machine.

Back to candys op. Obama is using our tax money to create a political machine that will allow him to be a kingmaker for years to come. Hilary will be beholden to him all through the election. She can only win recreating his coalition. Republicans can't tell yet.

 

[candycorn]

And Romney actually thought he was going to win on Election night a few years back.

Romney may not have won anyway, but he certainly lost the election when he refused to bury Candy Crowley on the spot for her lie in the last debate.

Republicans are too damned polite, and that is in part why they lose. They refuse to street-fight.

Funniest post ever. The GOP wrote the book on tough/dirty campaigning. Karl Rove's antics are legendary. The Dark Master of dirty campaigning was Lee Attwater who got Reagan and Bush Sr. elected. From Willie Horton to the Swift Boating of John Kerry. Kerry simply turned the other cheek.

•There wasn't enough red meat on the menu. The Kerry campaign tamped down direct criticism of Bush, fearing that harsh convention rhetoric would repel swing voters. One result: Kerry's ratings went up, but Bush's ratings didn't go down significantly.
USATODAY.com - So why did Bush not Kerry get the bounce

Sometime around 2005, the Dems decided they were not going to take it anymore and begin to hit back. If I recall correctly, the DNC in 2004's chairman made sure that no speaker said Bush's name during their address. I believe he was only mentioned twice from the podium.
Speeches from the 2004 Democratic National Convention

It was good to see them fight back and put the bullies in their place.

 

[candycorn]

As pretenders drop out and the better equipped work to solidfy their gains and collect mor delegates, we're going to be reminded by the press of every stripe that "Politics is a profession." I think Mr. Trump will learn that hard lesson in the upcoming months and weeks.

I'm often amused that some here (and elsewhere) seem aghast that there are professional politicians. Would you tust your car to an amateur mechanic or your cat or dog to someone who moonlights as a vet? Don't we benefit immeasurably from having professional soldiers who are (as the Marines say) "No better friend and no worse enemy"? You visit professional doctors, see professional trainers, study under professional educators and spend your money watching professional athletes.

Yet professional politicians? Oh my goodness...how terrible...

Professional politicians are by definition corrupt. They got into the business to advance themselves and their interests. Usually at great cost to the people they claim to represent.

Not true. If it were true, you'd have a lot more than 20 people running President. Most do not even go for their Partys' leadership in the houses of Congress. You'd have a lot more 3rd parties given that you can sometimes raise almost as much money from a private citizen as you can get given to you by a Party.

Your post is wrong in part. There are some who do seek nothing but personal aggrandizement. But most retire and you never hear from them again. Quick question..is Dan Quayle even still alive? Is Mike Dukakis? Geraldine Ferraro? Lloyd Bentsen? I really do not know if any of them are. And these are folks who were at the top of their tickets. For every one of them, there are hundreds of House and Senate members who are anonymous. Now, maybe they just failed at personal enrichment but that is a lot of failure for people who are "by definition corrupt".

 

[CrusaderFrank]

It's a completely different game now...with unlimited campaign contributions allowed 1 single donor can make what was once a fringe wacko candidate "viable" with a single $30 million donation to his Super-PAC.

Before the wacko candidates would get winnowed out because the big donors would lean toward where the other big donors are leaning toward, so more donors meant more money, which meant more donors, which meant more money, etc etc etc.

Now it doesn't matter how "many" you have....you just have to pander to select set of billionaire(s) and champion their causes and you can be completely on par with the top tier in advertisements and campaign staff.

The Democrats have mostly avoided this mess with Clinton scaring all but the stalwarts (Sanders) and the "I have nothing to lose" (O'Malley, Chafee, Webb) candidates, none of which are a serious threat to her. The Republicans however, are deeply entrenched in this new free-for-all styling of presidential politics.

What that all means for the Republicans is the Establishment-style of one man domination of money doesn't work anymore. You can't control what the Kochs do, you can't control what Sheldon Adelson does, you can't control what Paul Singer does...etc etc, and just 1 of them can donate TENS OF MILLIONS now. It's a mess, and the Establishment knows it and is seeing it with what's happening to Jeb.

I hope the Koch's give Walker $1billion - each

 

[candycorn]

As pretenders drop out and the better equipped work to solidfy their gains and collect mor delegates, we're going to be reminded by the press of every stripe that "Politics is a profession." I think Mr. Trump will learn that hard lesson in the upcoming months and weeks.

I'm often amused that some here (and elsewhere) seem aghast that there are professional politicians. Would you tust your car to an amateur mechanic or your cat or dog to someone who moonlights as a vet? Don't we benefit immeasurably from having professional soldiers who are (as the Marines say) "No better friend and no worse enemy"? You visit professional doctors, see professional trainers, study under professional educators and spend your money watching professional athletes.

Yet professional politicians? Oh my goodness...how terrible...

Nice Straw Man argument. A profession is a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill. Do you consider obfuscation a skill?

No.

I think a blend of public speaking, negotiating ability, strategically deploying any clout you may have, timing your moves to optimize reaction (or lack of reaction) are definitely skills a professional politician has in her/his toolbox. Obfuscation may be in the box at times but there usually isn't a nuanced amount of obfuscation.