Saturday, November 12, 2022

Money Well Spent: The Big Blue Breakwater


In the wake of the collapse of the Ride Tide as is came up against the Blue Breakwater, today let's you and I turn our attention to a very specific subset of that species of media pundits who specialize in “Scolding Democrats for Not Being Republican-Lite".   That self-serving ideological template that Beltway pundits and Never Trumpers impose on everything Democrats do.  "You know, if the GOP really is an existential threat, as Dems claim, why aren’t they taking it seriously by doing [whatever their godawful advice du jour happened to be that day.]  

Or, “Sure Democrats claim they don’t want to defund the police, but “people” believe they do!  It’s “out there” and Biden needs to respond.”

Or, “Sure trans athletes in  high schools may seem like a small issue but the Radical Left…[yadda yadda]…alienates 'normal voters'".  

If you 've been paying any attention at all since these deadbeats got run out of their own party crashed ours, you've heard just endless shit like that, from the commanding heights of the op-ed pages of American newspapers, to their sinecures on CNN and MSNBC, to their podcasts and websites which are underwritten by CNN and MSNBC .

Well, as some of you probably remember that about five months ago, many Savvy Pundits got all the way up on their high horses to savage a small number of Democrats for running ads in Republican primaries.

Ads which were perfectly truthful and said, more or less, “So and so believes crazy things.  Forced birth.  Everyone should own a bazooka.  Etc.  And so and so is too conservative for our state.”  

This was strategy  Claire McCaskill successfully used in Missouri to bring the late Todd "Legitimate Rape" Akin to the attention of Missouri Republican primary voters, who loved the madness coming out of his mouth and nominated him, after which McCaskill beat him in the general election.

Well this time around, idea that a tiny number of Democrats would deploy exactly strategy for exactly the same reason drove the Savvy Pundits crazy.  Which was objectively hilarious, because literally all these ads did was accurately describe Darren Bailey, for example, as the nut job he is.  

You see, what the Savvy Pundits didn’t want you to think about was that the only way such ads could be effective was if the GOP base really was as batshit as we Liberals have always said they were, and all the Savvy Pundits have always denied.

Anyway, out of all the hundreds and hundreds of federal and state races happening across the country, Democrats ran such ads in only 13 races.  I did the math a few months ago, and it came to something like “0.77%” of all races, so not exactly a trend sweeping the nation, but it was yet another opportunity for the the Savvy Pundits to berate Democrats for the sin of doing politics, and they grabbed it with both hands and ran with it.

Here is what Politico was writing in August about the GOP primary in the race for New Hampshire's 2nd District U.S. House seat:

Dems interfere in GOP primary in New Hampshire

A Democratic group is airing cable TV ads boosting a pro-Trump candidate in one of New Hampshire’s competitive House districts. 

Democrats are once again meddling in a GOP primary — this time in a competitive New Hampshire House district, with the goal of elevating a far-right candidate over a moderate backed by GOP Gov. Chris Sununu.

The intervention in the race to take on Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster comes from an unlikely source: Democrats Serve, a new PAC that backs Democratic candidates with public service backgrounds. The group has booked some $94,000 on cable TV to boost Bob Burns, a pro-Trump Republican who is campaigning as the “only pro-life candidate” in the Sept. 13 primary...

It was on NPR.   It was in the WaPo.  It was in Axios.  

Democrats play with fire in GOP primaries

The Never Trump Bulwark crew were in quite the tizzy.  Here's Mona Charen on her Bulwark podcast asking the Never Trumper's newest favorite political philosopher, Yacha Mounk, a question in the form of a long tirade. 

Mona Charen on her Bulwark podcast: 

Charen:  But then there's this other problem, which is the democrats wanting to flirt with the crazies Republican candidates, because they assume what could possibly go wrong, that they'll be easier to beat. So this Mastriano guy who won the Republican nomination did so with an assist from Josh Shapiro, the state attorney general who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination but, uh, he spent uh, between ... the estimates range from between half a million to three quarters of a million bucks running an ad urging voters to choose Mastriano because he figured he'd be easier to beat. Now Mastriano, he attended the stop...he not only denies the validity of the 2020 election, he attended the "Stop The Steal" rally, he chartered busses to take people he continues to spread conspiracy theories related to voting machines. He wants to end all state contracts with the companies that were in charge in 2020. He spoke at a conference that featured Qanon themes and he would require all Pennsylvanians to re-register to vote. Now, y'know, you might say "Well, yeah, that guy should be easy to beat" but is that a reliable and safe thing for any responsible politician to do in today's America? To just assume that the nut cases can't get elected?

Yacha Mounk: No, this is absolutely irresponsible. And I mean, y'know, I mean, look, let's not have a false equivalency here, but it's the Republicans who are going around saying stop the steal and boasting as Mastriano has, about his ability to appoint a secretary of state who can reverse account and basically undermine the integrity of the 2024 elections. But for Democrats -- who are rightly warning about this danger -- to then go and try to elevate the worst of those candidates is just morally wrong and strategically stupid...I hope that Josh Shapiro will sleep very, very badly at night.  I'm very angry about this!

Here is MSNBC's favorite, gay, man-bunned, Berkley-residing Conservative-on-loan-from-The-Bulwark, Tim Miller, slapping Democrat's wrists for not [checks notes] putting party over country.

But of all the scolding, shrewish pundits raining cavils down on the tiny number of Democratic campaigns who were doing this, the most perfectly distilled example came from the King of Sternly Lecturing Stoopid Democrats On How Politics Should Be Done, Mr. David Brooks of The New York Times.  From June 30, 2022 (with emphasis scattered here and there): 

Why on Earth Is Pelosi Supporting the Trumpists?

The moral idiocy of promoting the extremists.

Wow.  Sounds bad.  "Pelosi" and "moral idiocy" in one word-spurt.  Quote:

The Democratic Party is behaving recklessly and unpatriotically. So far, Democrats have spent tens of millions to help Trumpist candidates in Republican primaries.

Wow.  Sounds even worse.  It's not just "Pelosi" but "Democrats" generally who are behaving "recklessly and unpatriotically."  It's "Democrats" who have spent "tens of millions to help Trumpist candidates..."

Golly!  Tell me more David Brooks!

In the next paragraph...

In Illinois alone, the Democratic Governors Association and Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker spent at least $30 million to attack a Trumpist’s moderate gubernatorial opponent. 

Oh.  So the lion's share of those "tens of millions" Brooks was shitting himself over "Democrats" spending was actually spent by one guy.  My governor.  Who, as an actual multibillionaire, certainly had the money to spend and then some.  

Thanks, Citizens United! 

So, jumping ahead from the Savvy Pundit's Hot Reproachful Summer to the bracing, Fall post-election weather, how did all of this reckless, unpatriotic Democratic tomfoolery work out?

Well of the 13 primaries in which Dems spent money, the most extreme crackpot lost in seven of them,which leaves only six.  

And of those six…Democrats won ALL of those seats on Tuesday.  

Won all of them by ten points or better.  

In the race for Illinois governor, JB Pritzker (D) beat forced birth crackpot Darren Bailey (R) by 13 points.

In the race for Maryland governor, Wes Moore (D) beat far-right crank Dan Cox by 23 points.

In the race for Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro (D) beat Confederate cos-play elections denier Doug Mastriano (R) by 13 points.

In the Michigan 3rd District, U.S. House race, Hillary Scholten (D) beat far-right John Gibbs (R) by 10 points. 

In the race for Senate in New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan (D) beat crazy Don Bolduc (R) by 10 points. 

And that Kuster (D) vs. Burns (R) race that Politico was all worked up about?  Democrat Annie Kuster kicked Bob Burns' ass by 13 points.

So did this finally knock enough sense into our Savvy Pundits so that they've finally learned to shut their holes about that which they know not?  

Of course not.

Because there is a Club.

And you and I ain't in it.


Burn The Lifeboats



9 comments:

Ian said...

Speaking of clubs, did you see Bloody Bill Kristol's newest media frenzy? He is working on gatekeeping new-never trumpers. I laughed and laughed about it because I remembered you calling that trick out years ago.

Cheez Whiz said...

One thing that doesn't ever get mentioned at all in these Democrats "supporting" Republicans complaints is the content of those ads. Those ads (as far as I can tell, like I said the complainers never touch the content) simply describe those Republicans as extremists who support Trump and the Jan 6 insurrection. That's support? That's ratfucking?

Davis said...

I am old enough remember the 1972 section, when Republicans undermined the Muskie campaign so they could run against McGovern.

driftglass said...

Deleted the following comment by Cheez Whiz in error. The management regrets the mistake:

"I think I've got it. These pundits saying those ads "elevate" the crazy pants candidates are terrified that voters in the general election will love them some crazy pants and elect them. I'm not sure if the pundits are profoundly cynical or profoundly stupid about voters, but either way it would be Democrat's fault if they won, so win/win for the pundits."

Robt said...

Guess if republicans believe it is fine enough to cover up meddling in elections for Trump by Russia.

Why wouldn't it be okay to dems to meddle with GOP primaries?

If Billionaires can singularly fund sente GOP candidates to be their GOP senate hamster. Why not S.C. senator call Georgia election officials and work them to do a favor to throw out enough ballots.

You know, because republicans believe so strongly in state rights. Just like they do with Free markets and Trade wars with China.
Been waiting to see if Senator Lindsey on behalf of Hershel Walker campaign. Inserts the words into Walker's mouth that Hershel if elected would vote with the GOP majority to repeal the banning of slavery. As a good republican Walker would support Jim Crow laws and Warnok would vote with those radical lebtards.

By the way, if the Dems were to hang on to the House of Reps. They could save some money on new drapes which the GOP would not be using after pre purchasing them.

Commander Cody said...

I’m hoping TFG does run in ‘24 because I believe he will lose bigly.

Unknown said...

My favorite part of all this is the unspoken assumption that the Ds are the only ones who could possibly be responsible, and therefore they are the ones who MUST be responsible.

I don't care how much money Pritzker dumps into an R race, if the Rs REJECT THE CRAZY, the CRAZY WON'T WIN. But no - R craziness is a fact of nature, like gravity. The only thing that could possibly moderate Rs craziness is D responsibility.

Rs are not responsible - it's like being a caretaker for violent mental patients

dave said...

if brooks were REALLY for democracy he'd be jumping with joy at the defeat of the foes he's been pretending to hate for this last decade. he can't because he doesn't...tax cuts can't happen without the base.

so he trots out the 'what can you?' schtick showing what a fuggin hypocrite he is (his best posture) or more likely someone in a tweed jacket who is just another dangerous chucklefuck anti-american with a few reliable inches stuck in the girly parts of the grey lady...

anyone taking brook's advice on anything is like getting the spoon out of the disposal while it's running...real bad idea.



Robt said...

LNow most of the media running the stories that should have ran during the election.
The massive daily inflation and how we are all going to die because Biden created inflation with his spending and policies. Hell, just confirming a SCOTUS justice raised inflation 10 fold.
Now the election is over, I have only caught one report of inflation and it is in regards to how the republicans believed inflation would wave them in for a sweeping control of everything.
Too hard to report that inflation is world wide and America was fairing much better than most other nations.
Nope, needed that narrative the GOP wanted.
The media went silent on abortion.
NAZI like, many GOPers running for office . Ran against that main stream media. Never once mentioning the FOX or the snooze-MAX. Not even the INFOWARS or the Sloppy Steve internet fascist festival.
I guess when they say they will imprison journalists, I am supposed to be triggered to know they mean "Lib media or any moderate media".
ONe thing for sure is, I noticed there are a lot. I mean a lot of republicans getting into legal troubles and find themselves appealing their cases all the way to the Supreme Court now.
For them, it is not going all the way to the SCOTUS. It is simply dropping in for a life line they believe ( rightfully) they will receive from the high court.

Get a subpoena, ask Justice Thomas for help. Subpoena to turn over emails, "Hey Justice Kabana. Need a delay to show up and testify in a Georgia state investigation into election tampering, Lindsey calls on a confirmation debt owed to him from those justices. Caught with stolen secret documents at your Golf resort. Find that judge you gave that lifetime seat on the bench you could have never gotten by merit and file a lawsuit for procrastination reasons not in law. Not quite asking for the favor from Ukrainian president he were impeached for but nearby.
But now, the media are anxious to tell us all that they new and should have reported during the election when we were deciding to cast our ballots.
There is one thing and one thing only Biden and the Dem Senate majority could do for me. That is, nominate 4 justices to the SCOTUS. Confirm all 4. McConnell cleared the path by removing the filabuster on SCOTUS . CI woould not call it court packing or court stacking. More like court balancing.
It is obvious several of those GOP confirmed SCOTUS justices are merely pretending to be legal minds and using legality reasoning on cases they here. Wearing robes does not make them something other than extreme Federalist constitution hating republicans.
Think of it,
Then candidate for president JFK pressed of his Catholic faith forcing him to obey the Pope as an America president.
presidential candidate John Kerry pressured to answer in TV debate, his Catholic obedience and if president what he would condone of abortion.
But, mind you. There are NO RELIGOUS tests for president. Unless you are Democratic.
After Catholic Justice Alito rules on Roe with his religious glasses on and can only find an 18th century English judge who was remanded for sentencing women to death because he judged them as witches.. yet never mentioning any historic research of that well established law that would show in favor of Roe. There was just nothing he could find to mention.
After Alito and his federalist acting crew pretending to be justices stuck down Roe.
Alito fly's to the Vatican to receive accolades from the Pope and his following.

But hey, I am merely an American citizen and even less than that as it pertains to republicans.