Clinton v Trump - The Stretch Run Thread

[Lobohan]

@adaher

I’m not about to get into an argument over the distinction between the Clinton Foundation and the Clintons. IMO, there is none. It’s a slush fund for they and their friends’ benefit.

You’re not going to get into an argument about it, because you have no ability to make that argument.

Don’t mistake in your own mind, being unable to defend your position with being above the frackas.

[BobLibDem]

@adaher

I’m not about to get into an argument over the distinction between the Clinton Foundation and the Clintons. IMO, there is none. It’s a slush fund for they and their friends’ benefit.

Heavens to Betsy, the Clinton Foundation is a highly rated charity that does a lot of good work. Do you have any evidence that it is a slush fund other than your aversion to the Clinton name?

[elucidator]

Its a pity that they can’t live up to the daunting standards set by the Trump Foundation.

[iiandyiiii]

@adaher

I’m not about to get into an argument over the distinction between the Clinton Foundation and the Clintons. IMO, there is none. It’s a slush fund for they and their friends’ benefit.

This is fact-free nonsense, and you should feel bad about saying it.

[HurricaneDitka]

@simster

Cite that there is an active investigation please.

I’m sure you’re aware of the FBI’s usual practice of keeping such investigations secret, but there’s plenty of evidence that the FBI has been investigating the Clinton Foundation since last year (cite). Whether that probe is ongoing today is a bit of a mystery. The last information that I can find on it was some requests made in September.

… at times a sprawling cross-country effort … The probe of the foundation began more than a year ago to determine whether financial crimes or influence peddling occurred related to the charity.
…
Early this year, four FBI field offices—New York, Los Angeles, Washington and Little Rock, Ark.—were collecting information about the Clinton Foundation to see if there was evidence of financial crimes or influence-peddling, according to people familiar with the matter.

SNIP

Some FBI agents were dissatisfied with that answer, and asked for permission to make a similar request to federal prosecutors in Manhattan, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. McCabe, these people said, told them no and added that they couldn’t “go prosecutor-shopping.”

Not long after that discussion, FBI agents informed the bureau’s leaders about the Weiner laptop, prompting Mr. Comey’s disclosure to Congress and setting off the furor that promises to consume the final days of a tumultuous campaign.

[davidm]

A federal judge is asking questions about any RNC connections to Trumps poll watching efforts.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2016/11/rnc-trump-voter-fraud-pacts-judge-ruling-230578

Newark, N.J.-based U.S. District Court John Vazquez issued the order Monday after the Democratic National Committee went to court last week to allege that the RNC was violating consent decrees from the 1980s settling a case alleging that GOP pollwatchers sought to intimidate minority voters in a practice then known as “caging.”

The agreements allow the RNC to organize pollwatchers, but prohibit any effort to intimidate voters as they enter a polling place or to challenge individual voters, except as part of a program approved in advance by the court.
…
However, in August, Pence appeared to indicate there was a joint effort by the Trump campaign and the RNC to combat voter fraud.
…
The DNC also filed declarations from several of its pollwatchers Monday saying fellow pollwatchers at early voting sites in Nevada said they were sent by the RNC, but were told not to reveal that affiliation.

Trump’s antics could end up extending the consent decree beyond 2017.

[asahi]

Is it just me or does anyone else get the feeling Roger Stone and Steve Bannon are going to drop a fake scandal on us with 72 hours to go – one that’s huge and one that can’t be defended against in time before the election?

[elucidator]

They will try. They will fuck it up.

[adaher]

It has to be something plausible. The NY Times tried to drop a last minute affair scandal on John McCain, but it didn’t cause him to lose any support. He performed pretty much as the polls before the story expected.

It’s not enough to just drop a scandal. It has to be believable, conform to what people already expect of the candidate.

[JRDelirious]

@asahi

Is it just me or does anyone else get the feeling Roger Stone and Steve Bannon are going to drop a fake scandal on us with 72 hours to go – one that’s huge and one that can’t be defended against in time before the election?

I fully expect them to try.
Meanwhile the real Donald will spend next weekend gagged and sedated in an off the grid cabin far out in the woods.

[ThisIsTheEnd]

Killed Jon Benet?

Has a black baby she doesn’t know about?

[running_coach]

@adaher

It has to be something plausible. The NY Times tried to drop a last minute affair scandal on John McCain, but it didn’t cause him to lose any support. He performed pretty much as the polls before the story expected.

It’s not enough to just drop a scandal. It has to be believable, conform to what people already expect of the candidate.

That’s because the GOP doesn’t care about marriage vows.

[adaher]

Maybe not, but the story also happened to have no real evidence, not to mention the fact the NY Times had been sitting on the story since the primaries and chose to drop it right at the end.

[Elendil_s_Heir]

On a lighter note…

A funny Texas campaign ad: Gerald Daugherty Campaign: "Please Re-Elect Gerald...Please!" - YouTube

And a song about just what Obama might be thinking right now: Seriously - This American Life, Sara Bareilles, and Leslie Odom, Jr. - YouTube

[asahi]

@ThisIsTheEnd

Killed Jon Benet?

Has a black baby she doesn’t know about?

Nah, probably an “authentic email” from Wikifreaks purported to be from HRC making racially-insensitive jokes and disparaging remarks about all kinds of different people.

[Jonathan_Chance]

@HurricaneDitka

I’m sure you’re aware of the FBI’s usual practice of keeping such investigations secret, but there’s plenty of evidence that the FBI has been investigating the Clinton Foundation since last year (cite). Whether that probe is ongoing today is a bit of a mystery. The last information that I can find on it was some requests made in September.

Please don’t quote so extensively in the future. We’re very sensitive to copyright issues.

[CarnalK]

@asahi

Nah, probably an “authentic email” from Wikifreaks purported to be from HRC making racially-insensitive jokes and disparaging remarks about all kinds of different people.

Do you have an example from the past of Wikileaks releasing an “authentic email” that wasn’t an authentic email?

[elucidator]

How would you go about proving that?

[aceplace57]

I’ve been talking with coworkers and everyone I’ve talked to is fired up to vote. Several people mentioned they hadn’t voted in awhile. People realize this is a year they have to vote. I voted last week in early voting.

I think there will be a huge turn out. Mostly aimed at stopping Trump.

The Hillary vote should be out even stronger. This latest FBI investigation gave her a minor PR problem. Makes people realize they can’t take her victory for granted. She may trounce Trump by a even bigger margin.

[elucidator]

Full front anti-Facist alert! All hands on deck! Trump is within a whisker of winning! AAArrooooga! AAArroooga!

(That might be an exaggeration. If so, I will be ashamed. I expect I will get over it…)