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It's not that the Republicans "got played" it's that, at least in the short term, dumping Biden has given Democrats a brief reprieve--a collective sigh of relief. If all that got Harris was an evening up in the polls of the summer months (which rarely predict elections accurately), then she's likely to be sunk by October when everyone is paying attention to the two candidates and what they do or don't stand for.

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Abigail is right. Polcies not personalities. The left attacks personalities to avoid talking about policies. Trump is playing into their hands, and falling for their trap. Kamala's base has no idea what her policies are, but the blind sheep are rallying around their new queen anyways. Joe Biden changed the legal definition of woman on day one, via executive order (13988) making sex and gender identity the same in the law, thus erasing women's rights. This led to barbaric, pro rape legislation being passed in blue states like SB132 which allows fully intact, male transfers into the female prisons. 45% of transfers are registered sex offenders. And if they choose, although not required, they can get cosmetic surgeries on the tax payers dime. As a result, women are being assaulted and impregnated. Two rapes recently happened in Madera CA by the same inmate (People V Tremiane Caroll). Kamala claims she's the party of women's rights. She's the party of pro rape policies for women. And all I hear from the left is how Donald Trump is a rapist. They support rape. If Republicans focused on these horrific policies, it would be slam dunk. Allowing males in female prisons is a U.N. human rights violation. This has never been brought up at a debate. Women's, Title IX civill rights, have been rewritten, yet all I hear about is how Donald Trump took away abortion. Policies not personalities. Focus on this.

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Which came first, the foolish electorate or the less-than-stellar candidates? I don't know the answer, but I do know this: we really have just 2 choices for president this November. That's the way it is, so let's stop moaning about how bad they both are and focus on picking the one that will do the least harm. We have a good sense of what Trump will do, since he has already held the office. Meanwhile, Harris has shown she is all-in for the California way. See? It really isn't hard.

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A pox on both their houses. Trump is an evil, ignorant, narcistic moron, Harris is a naïve, babbling, far left progressive. Neither have any principles, both will destroy this country, taking much of the world with us, in their own different ways. How can Americans be so stupid? Do we deserve this?

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Wrong. Biden/Harris admin has done more damage and taken more rights away than Trump ever did. Rewriting Title IX without courts, voters or congress involved, is the greatest violation of my rights in my lifetime.

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I too wonder how the election process for president has produced these two awful candidates. Woe to America.

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Kamala is worse.

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Vote for Kennedy. Main stream media's assault on him is just politics. I've listened to dozens of hours of podcasts with Kennedy and he's my kind of Democrat - a classical liberal. Watch "The Real Debate" to get a taste of him... https://www.youtube.com/live/L9wKJw-7tEM?si=al_N0yxPqf1dAg8h His platform is awesome. Immigration, Economy, Education, all of the high points, he hits them just right. He's qualified, experienced and a proven leader.

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Not very aligned with him.

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Agreed. Another pointless jab: Americans aren't sitting around the kitchen table fretting over whether Harris is truly black or not. After focusing on race, Trump fell and Harris rose significantly in Polymarket.

If only we had a statesman who could truly unite. There are so many effective and powerful ways to do so. But neither candidate is showing an ability to be that person.

Also: I've been disappointed neither candidate is presenting themselves as an advocate for an expanded middle class, and greater ease of those in poverty rising to the middle class.

History has taught us that a financially independent middle class is the linchpin of freedom. It's the only class that can speak truth to power. The rich may simply try to get favors, while the poor are dependent on the govt.

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Republicans: The Charlie Browns of Politics....

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Modern Democrats: The Mao Zedong of Politics.....

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Under Harris, EVERY STATE IS A BORDER STATE. Can't believe the Republicans are using this quote from their Leader to run against her. It could easily encompass jobs, housing, crime as topics of discussion. Both parties seem increasingly oblivious to the voters.

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What most Americans want is solutions to our many problems. How about both parties tell us what their solutions are for the problems Americans prioritize, such as regulation of immigration, doing something about the cost of groceries, addressing access to energy, providing public education that prepares kids for future employment, etc.

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The birther style BS needs to stop. It’s childish, stupid, and incredibly off-putting, I imagine, to people who aren’t sporting the hats to begin with.

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Agree. It's a losing point.

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Excellent. I have my doubts that Trump and Vance can follow your great advice. There are votes to be had among independents and moderates - enough to win the election - but I’m not sure the Trump campaign has the skills or will to reach out to them. We’ll see in three months.

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Agreed - they need to focus on the moderates and indies.

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The Republicans didn’t get “played”! Everyone with eyes in their heads knew Biden wasn’t going to make it. Yeah, maybe they are surprised by the ease with which the party slipped Harris into the slot but they should have been ready for some action that would allow the “powers that be” to select the nominee. Why aren’t the Republicans hammering the Democrats on the truly dangerous lie that Biden could lead the country for 4 more years? Force Harris to speak on her own and allow people who haven’t been watching her for four years to see how shallow a person she is.

PS it seems like at least some of her former staff is willing to speak the truth!

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Trump got played by agreeing to the debate. He should have waited until after the convention, but he's so convinced of his own superiority that he didn't think strategically. Which has always been his problem.

The debate performance was not the cause of Biden's departure from the ticket, but it was the catalyst.

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Disagree. Trump took a bullet, he can handle Kamala.

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I wonder about at Trump/Vance rallies if they should have a faux debate with Kamal by playing a comment on the video screen, then giving how their policies would differ. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Force the media to report on the clips played of Kamala...maybe? They could throw out everything brought up in this article that she has said. Kind of like when Clint interviewed the empty chair. Only play a video clip of her, then reply. Maybe?

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That is a knock out idea. She's said lots of stuff and made lots of insane policy proposals.

Make the one "Crazy Kamala Quote" a regular part of every rally.

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If they jump brought up the Biden/Harris policies, it would be a slam dunk. Biden/Harris admin. is authoritarian.

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That's too deep for Trump's campaign to handle. Just a few more personal insults will put him back on top. [/s]

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Doesn’t seem to matter who you talk to, most everybody thinks the whole system is breaking. You can almost feel it in the air. There’s only one thing to consider regarding the election: who is it we want as the commander-in-chief when it breaks? When the Middle East war spreads? When Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran decided it’s time to make their move? When the civil unrest at home break out? When the $35 trillion debt becomes unsustainable? When this thing comes crashing down, our concerns about abortion or abortion rights is going be so far down your list of priorities you won’t even remember it. Our concerns about gender ideology or trans rights probably not gonna be top concern. We’ve come to a place where we have more rights, freedoms, and wealth than any humans in history. And we got here because we are the strongest nation in human history. We may be on the brink of that ending. Vote accordingly.

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Agreed. I haven't voted FOR a candidate in over 30 years (Ross Perot was the last one), always against "the other guy". I was a lesser-of-two-evils voter. So...

6 months ago I was voting for against the Democrats because they'd gone insane

2 months ago I was voting against Biden because I thought the lawfare was unjust.

After Butler, I'm voting FOR Trump.

In a time of such global uncertainty, I want my country led by a man whose instinct is to shake his fist at bullets.

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While everything AS said is true it shouldn’t make a lick of difference in the real world. If Harris can win with the state of the country and the world at large then we are beyond fucked. If we are back to worrying about mean tweets then we are just whistling past the graveyard. She is an existential threat the free world, on purpose! The other shit is irrelevant. If not enough Americans understand that already and will be swayed by Rachael Maddow then we are wasting our time. I want to believe, cheating aside that people have had enough, want a reset and won’t just give up our country. I could be wrong as England and France have clearly waived the white flag. I hope I’m right.

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Vance is the reason Trump will lose. Trump chose a clone who appeals to nobody but MAGAS. Still time to make nice to Haley ( and vice versa) for the good of America. I’ll also take Tulsi, who can also get independents as well as women. Can’t take another four years of progressives.

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He picked someone who can continue his agenda in 2028 regardless of whether he wins of loses 2024.

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He should have chosen Tulsi. She's a winner.

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Tulsi, yes. Haley, no.

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Totally agree. Tulsi would be a great choice. He would have to Bend the Knee to get Nikki Haley. However the latter duo would be a landslide victory. Vance needs to find an excuse to bow out.

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Tulsi.

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Exactly. He did nothing to draw in the votes he needs to win.

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I'm gobsmacked that you advocate for either Tulsi or Haley equally. They are literally diametrically opposite lol

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I prefer Tulsi who demolished Harris in Iowa, but I’m looking for votes and don’t care which one. Trump’s self inflicted wounds will hand this do nothing the presidency.

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Kamala is much worse than "do nothing". She's a professional sellout and I think incredibly dangerous. I think Tulsi is the way Trump can win.

A Harris presidency will hand Israel over to islam in a bloodbath. And hand this nation over as is happening in the UK and Ireland.

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