Sunday Thoughts August 20, 2023

The first debate of the 2024 cycle is this Wednesday. I may live blog it on the site or on Gab, assuming I have been properly medicated. In the past I have live blogged these debates, but I needed to be properly lubricated to do it. Drinking during the week is never a great idea, but the level of alcohol required to watch one of these things means taking a few days off afterwards. On the other hand, maybe I do it stone cold sober and see how much pain I can tolerate.

Hilariously, they still have not figured out who will be on the stage. It looks like some of the minor candidates have figured out how to game the system. The Bugman guy from North Dakota was the first to figure it out, but others have followed with their own scams. Of course, I am hoping all of them get on the stage, so it looks like a line at a bus station. That also increases the odds that one of the crazy guys does something very crazy in order to get attention.

These debates are a great example of how insulated and inward looking the political system has become over the last few decades. In the past, the campaigns would have prevented this sort of thing because they would have understood it was bad public relations. Team DeSantis would have demanded that the goofballs be removed so their guy could get more airtime and avoid being seen next to some guy named Bugman or the guy who reminds everyone of a Simpson’s character.

These days the campaigns are all run by people who live in Washington. The debate shows are for the entertainment of Washington.  The oleaginous consultants will be boasting to everyone about the lines they inserted into their robot’s mouth. The zombies from Conservative Inc. will be wheeled out to drool on about trivial nonsense as if it matters to anyone. This debate is a show for people who look at elections as a way to make money and pad their resume.

Topics

* Debate Prep (Link) (Link)

* The Corruption (Link)

* Tucker The Jerk (Link)

* Narrative Construction (Link)

* Polling (link)

Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.