The GOP and democratic party conventions are still a month away, but in truth both events are just archaic remnants of the past. Neither mean squat these days, except to give party activists a chance to dress up like complete fools while throwing a three, or four day bender. The nominations aren't decided on convention floors, or smoke filled back rooms any more. It is all settled and done long before then thanks to the primary elections held by the individual states.
These days there are only a couple of reasons to watch the conventions. First is to hear the acceptance speeches by the party's nominee for President and Vice President. The second is to hear the keynote address which sometimes is given by an up and comer, who might, someday end up a nominee, him, or herself. That happened in 2004, when the democratic key note was given by a lanky black kid no one outside of Illinois had ever heard of, named Barack Obama. By the time the then State Senator was done there wasn't a democrat who had heard him, who didn't believe Obama was the future of the party.
Whether that happens this year remains to be seen. Democrats seem too focused on the specter of Donald Trump they can't focus on the future and as long as Trump is running the show on the right the republicans have no legitimate future. It is either The Donald, or political Götterdämmerung.
Yes, given the circumstances we can all consider the Presidential campaign in full swing right now. The waiting is over. The media knows it, that is why they've scheduled the first debate between Biden and Trump before the conventions even begin.
So what are both of these old men saying to the voting public? Well, Mr. Biden went to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion. He delivered a couple of well thought out speeches, one on the exact spot Ronald Reagan gave a similar speech 40 years ago. Both were about the courage of American and Allied troops, the perils of isolationism, and the need for NATO to stand strong and united in a world threatened by run amok autocratic aggression.
Sunday, Mr. Trump appeared in Las Vegas and while six of his supporters had to be hospitalized for heat trauma and another 24 had to be treated on the site, he talked about the dangers of electric boats and sharks. Yes, we now know we can add battery powered boats and predatory fish to the ever-growing list of things Donald Trump is against.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump's republican ally, Senator Lindsey Graham told an interviewer that despite all the evidence available, the D-Day invasion was, "a failure." Prior to the Senator's re-evaluation of the known historical record, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene reminded followers Jesus Christ, just like Donald Trump, was a convicted felon. Several social media wags immediately pointed out there are several differences between The Savior and her man, Donald--one of the main ones being Christ wasn't convicted of illegally hiding payoffs to a porn star he had an illicit sexual encounter with.
This detail didn't seem to bother Greene who had previously called her fellow republicans, "useless," for not pursuing the impeachment of Joe Biden and had proposed an amendment to a bill, which would have, in her words, "defunded NATO."
Last week, Florida republican Congressman, Byron Donalds, who is black, spoke in Philadelphia at a GOP black outreach event and told people, "During Jim Crow the black family was together." He later added, "During Jim Crow more Black people were--not just conservative because Black people have always been conservative-minded--but more Black people voted conservatively."
Mr. Donalds' fond memories of strict racial segregation led MSNBC host, Michael Steele, who is also a Black republican, to go what is commonly referred to as, apoplectic. Congressman Donalds is currently currying favor with Donald Trump in order to be named his running mate.
Then, we have Martha-Ann Alito, who was taped saying, "I want to raise a Sacred Heart of Jesus flag because I have to look across the lagoon at the (Gay)Pride flag for the next month." The wife of Supreme Court Justice, Samuel Alito also admitted she likes to design flags in her head. One of her favorite potential designs being orange and yellow flames emblazoned on a white field with the Italian word, VERGOGNA which means, Shame, as in Shame on you. This all comes after Justice Clarence Thomas finally admitted that over the last 20 years he has accepted at least $41 million in gifts and trips from various conservative benefactors.
And finally word comes this afternoon that President Biden's son has been convicted of illegally purchasing a weapon while he was addicted to drugs. The conviction will, no doubt, create a bizarre sight over the next couple of days where we will actually witness the right wing celebrating the conviction of a man who bought a gun in the United States--a scene completely unheard of until now.
The first Presidential debate is June, 27th. One participant is a felon, the other, the father of a felon. Buckle up America. The 2024 election season is here and in the words of Donald John Trump in another context, "It will be wild."
6-11-24
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