# Can the Democrats win the Alabama senate special election in December? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 13, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504 "2017-08-13T00:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 34
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/661 "2017-11-15T00:03:13Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I think you’re right about those particular depths. > > But a big part of the ‘we’ll wait and see’ prevaricating from big-name Republicans has rested on the unlikelihood of Moore being convicted of any crime stemming from his actual activities with little girls. Statutes of limitations, too many years passed for victims and witnesses to seem credible, etc. > > **Convicting him of current possession of unlawful materials (underage porn) seems more like something that’s a real possibility. And if that were to occur, then the hemming and hawing by the GOP would become moot.** Trials just don’t move that quick. Even if they found such materials, arrested him tonight and arraigned him tomorrow, there’s no way the case would be fully adjudicated in time. You’d have allegations of kiddie porn – no conviction. Now, one would think that might be enough… but allegations of child molestation haven’t been enough, so… Anyway, I don’t think anything that delays the election further is good for anyone. They’ve already delayed it once, and if they do it again, it’s literally saying to the entire state that the election won’t go forward until they find a Republican that can win. Pretty banana republic. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/662 "2017-11-15T00:41:51Z")
[Evangelicals fight with honor](https://politicalwire.com/2017/11/14/robocall-claims-washington-post-reporter/): > [@](#): > > At least one person in WKRG-TV‘s viewing area received a robocall seeking more damaging information about Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore (R). > > Here is the text of that voicemail message: > > **Hi, this is Bernie Bernstein, I’m a reporter for the Washington Post calling to find out if anyone at this address is a female between the ages of 54 to 57 years old willing to make damaging remarks about candidate Roy Moore for a reward of between $5000 and $7000 dollars. We will not be fully investigating these claims however we will make a written report. I can be reached by email at [albernstein@washingtonpost.com](mailto:albernstein@washingtonpost.com), thank you.** ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/663 "2017-11-15T00:46:09Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > [Evangelicals fight with honor](https://politicalwire.com/2017/11/14/robocall-claims-washington-post-reporter/): Every time I think I can’t be more disgusted… ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/664 "2017-11-15T00:53:45Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Anyway, I don’t think anything that delays the election further is good for anyone. They’ve already delayed it once, and if they do it again, it’s literally saying to the entire state that the election won’t go forward until they find a Republican that can win. Pretty banana republic. I wouldn’t suggest delaying the election for the outcome of a trial. If child-porn were to be found, and a DA who would dare to take evidence against The Mighty Moore to a grand jury emerges, that in itself would stop a lot of the ‘we have to wait to see if the allegations by these women are proven’ bullshitting. Well, okay, it wouldn’t _stop_ the bullshitting–but it would render it a lot less respectable. Even the staunchest Republican would hesitate to associate with so flimsy an evasion. Such a development would tie the GOP much more firmly to a defense of the ‘make use of kids to get your jollies’ philosophy. And that’s a connection that’s not going to be good for them, electorally. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/665 "2017-11-15T00:57:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > [Evangelicals fight with honor](https://politicalwire.com/2017/11/14/robocall-claims-washington-post-reporter/): I wonder if at the end of the robocall there’s still a bit of the “John McCain fathered a black baby” 2000-election push poll, left not quite fully erased? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/666 "2017-11-15T01:08:09Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I wouldn’t suggest delaying the election for the outcome of a trial. > > If child-porn were to be found, and a DA who would dare to take evidence against The Mighty Moore to a grand jury emerges, that in itself would stop a lot of the ‘we have to wait to see if the allegations by these women are proven’ bullshitting. Well, okay, it wouldn’t _stop_ the bullshitting–but it would render it a lot less respectable. Even the staunchest Republican would hesitate to associate with so flimsy an evasion. > > Such a development would tie the GOP much more firmly to a defense of the ‘make use of kids to get your jollies’ philosophy. And that’s a connection that’s not going to be good for them, electorally. I appreciate your reasoning. If we were dealing with normal supporters, I think something Moore close in time would surely be helpful. But… these are people who are so whacked out, they actually believe they’re doing the Lord’s Work™ by voting for the perv. I’m sure they’d find a reason to believe the kiddie porn was planted or something equally conspiratorial. ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/667 "2017-11-15T01:27:00Z")
The RNC has ended its support of Roy Moore: [https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/14/rnc-cuts-off-moore-244904](https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/14/rnc-cuts-off-moore-244904) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/668 "2017-11-15T02:01:20Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I appreciate your reasoning. If we were dealing with normal supporters, I think something Moore close in time would surely be helpful. But… these are people who are so whacked out, they actually believe they’re doing the Lord’s Work™ by voting for the perv. I’m sure they’d find a reason to believe the kiddie porn was planted or something equally conspiratorial. The things these people do in the name of leveling up with the lord disgust me. It’s okay to molest teenage girls because Jesus, it’s okay to force them to have their molester’s child because Jesus, and it’s okay to not provide them with the means to cure the STD their assailant saddled them with so the Good Christian can provide charity in the name of a little holy XP, should they see fit to do so. Because Jesus. All the evidence indicates Right-wing Christians are sub-par human beings. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/669 "2017-11-15T02:47:39Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > The things these people do in the name of leveling up with the lord disgust me. It’s okay to molest teenage girls because Jesus, it’s okay to force them to have their molester’s child because Jesus, and it’s okay to not provide them with the means to cure the STD their assailant saddled them with so the Good Christian can provide charity in the name of a little holy XP, should they see fit to do so. Because Jesus. > > All the evidence indicates Right-wing Christians are sub-par human beings. Who says all of this shit? What sort of strawman have you set up to vent your rage against Christians? This is nobody I have ever met. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/670 "2017-11-15T02:52:39Z")
It looks to me like [Bannon’s plans](https://www.npr.org/2017/10/14/557805965/bannon-it-s-a-season-of-war-against-the-gop-establishment) are moving forward right on schedule. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/671 "2017-11-15T03:03:46Z")
Lessee. Your party has been making the ‘Mary was younger than Joseph’ gambit to excuse Moore’s sexual predations (seeming to forget that the Virgin Mary was, well, a virgin), it’s not hard to find a right-winger who thinks women should be forced to bear children against their will, and right here on this very board I’ve read that the government should stay out of the health insurance business because that removes an opportunity for a Christian to attain grace through charitable acts. And I’d like to make something clear. I don’t harbour any rage against Christians. I disagree with them in that I see no reason to think there’s any sort of God hanging around, much less one who says what Christians claim it does, but that’s fine; they disagree with me too. The rage (contempt, really) is based on the right-wingedness of the Christian Right, not the Christianity. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/672 "2017-11-15T03:09:28Z")
By sheer happenstance, I just caught Sean The Big Giant Head Hannity slip the dirk into Judge Teeny Boink. Hallucination possible, confirmation pending. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/673 "2017-11-15T03:37:51Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > It looks to me like [Bannon’s plans](https://www.npr.org/2017/10/14/557805965/bannon-it-s-a-season-of-war-against-the-gop-establishment) are moving forward right on schedule. Bannon lost a bunch of momentum on this one. He was halfway through his “I’m better at being Trump that Trump and Moore is the proof” victory tour(he gave a speech in Macomb county the other day) when this shit his fan. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/674 "2017-11-15T03:41:55Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > By sheer happenstance, I just caught Sean The Big Giant Head Hannity slip the dirk into Judge Teeny Boink. Hallucination possible, confirmation pending. …sorry, but “huh?” ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/675 "2017-11-15T03:43:34Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Who says all of this shit? What sort of strawman have you set up to vent your rage against Christians? This is nobody I have ever met. For your reading displeasure > **[Analysis | ‘Take the Bible…’: And thus began the worst defense of Roy Moore](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/11/09/this-defense-of-roy-moore-is-amazingly-bad-from-start-to-finish/?utm_term=.06f1d8f14a88)** > > Alabama state Auditor Jim Zeigler would like to bring the Bible into this. > [@](#): > > Alabama state Auditor Jim Zeigler (R) > … > … > “Take the Bible — Zachariah and Elizabeth, for instance. Zachariah was extremely old to marry Elizabeth and they became the parents of John the Baptist,” Ziegler says, choosing his words carefully before invoking Christ. “Also take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus.” > > ``` > “There’s just nothing immoral or illegal here,” Ziegler concluded. “Maybe just a little bit unusual.” > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/676 "2017-11-15T03:48:44Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Bannon lost a bunch of momentum on this one. He was halfway through his “I’m better at being Trump that Trump and Moore is the proof” victory tour(he gave a speech in Macomb county the other day) when this shit his fan. I’m not sure Bannon sees this as the catastrophe for his cause that you do. If Moore stays in, and I see no indication he won’t, he will most likely win. If he is expelled from the Senate then the Bannon/Trump base will see this as a plot by the atheistic-liberal-socialists to destroy America. In fact, they will see it as a plot by the atheistic-liberal-socialists to destroy America in the unlikely event he loses. I don’t think those who believe Moore did nothing wrong are confined to Alabama. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/677 "2017-11-15T04:10:52Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I’m not sure Bannon sees this as the catastrophe for his cause that you do. If Moore stays in, and I see no indication he won’t, he will most likely win. > > If he is expelled from the Senate then the Bannon/Trump base will see this as a plot by the atheistic-liberal-socialists to destroy America. > > In fact, they will see it as a plot by the atheistic-liberal-socialists to destroy America in the unlikely event he loses. > > I don’t think those who believe Moore did nothing wrong are confined to Alabama. I put it at 50/50 rather than most likely win. Bannon has a put together a legion of the damned coalition, but he has to grow it beyond the despicables and praising a pedophiliac won’t grow his influence. But anyway this isn’t about the Trump/Bannon base. The are lost already. But the battle for 2018 and 2020 is for the Independents and disgusted republicans. And they are overwhelmingly disgusted with the idea of a pedophile in the Senate. This is a lose-lose-lose-lose for the GOP in every way. Either there is a Dem out of Jesusland, or the Senate refuses to seat him and deepens the Party war, or he becomes a major point of stench for all of them, and embarrasses them daily with stupid statements, or they go full banana republic and keep pushing off the state election until they have someone they like in place to win. In the relative scale of a Senate election From Alabama, thought to be the simplest putt there could be politically, it is hard to imagine a way this could have gone worse for them.Trump, Bannon and McConnell all take some up the tailpipe from this. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/678 "2017-11-15T04:25:56Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > ::SNIP:: > In the relative scale of a Senate election From Alabama, thought to be the simplest putt there could be politically, it is hard to imagine a way this could have gone worse for them.Trump, Bannon and McConnell all take some up the tailpipe from this. I can’t say I disagree. I just don’t think Bannon sees it that way. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/679 "2017-11-15T05:08:35Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > For your reading displeasure > [‘Take the Bible…’: And thus began the worst defense of Roy Moore - The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/11/09/this-defense-of-roy-moore-is-amazingly-bad-from-start-to-finish/?utm_term=.06f1d8f14a88) I disagree with those statements. In any event, those statements are nothing like the post I responded to about molestation and no treatment for STDs from child rape. ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/680 "2017-11-15T05:14:17Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > By sheer happenstance, I just caught Sean The Big Giant Head Hannity slip the dirk into Judge Teeny Boink. Hallucination possible, confirmation pending. Yes, it’s true… [Sean Hannity](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sean-hannity-roy-moore-senate-race_us_5a0bb0e3e4b0bc648a0eb4b7?ncid=edlinkushpmg00000313) has called for Roy Moore to drop out of the race. That means Trump _has_ to do it too… for Fox has spoken. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=33) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=35)