# OK Alabama **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 12, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253 "2017-12-12T02:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/241 "2017-12-13T17:48:24Z")
_Republicans when they lose:_ Why do we keep running weak, screwball candidates? This has to stop! _Republicans when they win:_ MAVERICK ROGE BUILD A WALL AROUND THE MOON BASE SUCK IT LIBTARDS Sorry guys. You cheerfully rode the douchebag rocket skyward for the last 20 years. Have fun riding it into the ground for the next 20. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/242 "2017-12-13T17:57:49Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > A parcel from Moore’s speech on [CNN.com](http://CNN.com), of course he’s saying “It ain’t over”. At worst, he’s a teen fucking loon. At best, he’s fucking delusional. > > \*"…But we also know that God is always in control. > > You know, part of the thing – part of the problem with this campaign is we’ve been painted in an unfavorable and unfaithful light. We’ve been put in a hole, if you will. And it reminds me of a passage in Psalms 40. I waited patiently for the Lord, that’s what you got to do. He inclined to me, heard my cry, brought us up out of a horrible pit, out of slimy clay and set me feet on the rock and established my goings and put a new song in our mouth. Praise to our God. Many shall see it and hear it and shall be moved by that, if you will. > > And that’s what we’ve got to do, is wait on God and let this process play out."\* I got some quotes for HIS ass… Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will announce to them, I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’ Matthew 23:27-28″Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Romans 10:3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. _I like the next one…_ Matthew 24:51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. _And as far as his constant and sickening bleating about Christians and values bullshit…_ Romans 2:14-15 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. _I like this one too, as Moore apparently thought he’d never be called on his racism and child molesting…_ Luke 12:2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. I guess those are enough. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/243 "2017-12-13T18:00:31Z")
I remember a few weeks back trump was backing Moore, saying he preferred that the people of Alabama decide whether they think Moore is guilty. Does this count as a “guilty as charged” finding? ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/244 "2017-12-13T19:10:09Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I remember a few weeks back trump was backing Moore, saying he preferred that the people of Alabama decide whether they think Moore is guilty. > > Does this count as a “guilty as charged” finding? He meant the white people. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/245 "2017-12-13T19:17:19Z")
I have to say, this was a pleasant surprise. I assumed Moore would won. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/246 "2017-12-13T19:26:07Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > He meant the white people. Pardonnez-moi, he meant the white _Christians_. He did not, for example, mean the Jesus-hating Jewish lawyer that everyone now knows Roy Moore employs, because Moore is so not a bigot. The one Moore and his lovely wife call “Goldstein the Jew”. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/247 "2017-12-13T19:42:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Ann Hedonia** : > > The NY Daily News hits it out of the park with their cover. > > The headline is “Screw You and the Horse You Rode In On” I dunno. How old is the horse? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/248 "2017-12-13T21:02:31Z")
It is perhaps not surprising that the Alabama Republican Party very quickly announced their complete disinterest in any sort of recount. They’re probably already commissioning signs for the seat in 2020 that have “S/He Is Totally Not Roy Moore” with spaces above it where you can put the candidate’s name in with a Sharpie. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/249 "2017-12-13T21:13:24Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I would also include Kamala Harris in this list. Joe Biden threw out Senator Harris’s name this morning in suggesting potential Presidential candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/250 "2017-12-13T21:16:44Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Pardonnez-moi, he meant the white _Christians_. He did not, for example, mean the Jesus-hating Jewish lawyer that everyone now knows Roy Moore employs, because Moore is so not a bigot. The one Moore and his lovely wife call “Goldstein the Jew”. Nor George Soros, who he said will burn in hell. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/251 "2017-12-14T03:00:15Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Oh, and yay, Alabama! Is this a good predictor for strong turnaround in the mid-terms? Can’t link on phone, but Nate Silver addressed thus today on [www.fivethirtyeight.com](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com). His conclusion: yes. In the last 20 years, there has been a pretty strong correlation between results of special elections in the first two years of a Presidential term and midterm results. At this point, for the Democrats to not take the house in 2018, that correlation would have to be weaker than it has been at any time during that period. Not a guarantee, but definitely a good sign. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/252 "2017-12-14T03:41:25Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Can’t link on phone, but Nate Silver addressed thus today on [www.fivethirtyeight.com](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com). His conclusion: yes. > > In the last 20 years, there has been a pretty strong correlation between results of special elections in the first two years of a Presidential term and midterm results. At this point, for the Democrats to not take the house in 2018, that correlation would have to be weaker than it has been at any time during that period. > > Not a guarantee, but definitely a good sign. Keep in mind that by 2009, the democrats controlled a huge number of state legislature seats (I think there are 7300 total in America). After the 2008 election, the democrats controlled about ~4000, and they lost 680 seats in the 2010 blowout election. The GOP now control ~4100 seats. The GOP won the 2010 election by an 8 point margin (53-45). Some polls show the democrats winning the 2018 elections by a 15 point margin. I have no idea what that means, but could it possibly mean 1000 state legislative seats could flip in 2018? Fox news constantly likes to talk about how ‘under Obama, democrats lost 1000 state legislature seats’. Which is true. However the dems started at a very high level in 2009 and most of those 1000 seats were lost in 2010. Could the democrats get back to where they were in 2009, when they controlled something like 2/3 of state legislatures? If all goes well, not only could the democrats win the federal house in 2018, they could win the federal senate and possibly 800+ state legislature seats and who knows how many governorships. Just so long as we turn out. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/253 "2017-12-14T04:44:18Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Can’t link on phone, but Nate Silver addressed thus today on [www.fivethirtyeight.com](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com). His conclusion: yes. > > In the last 20 years, there has been a pretty strong correlation between results of special elections in the first two years of a Presidential term and midterm results. At this point, for the Democrats to not take the house in 2018, that correlation would have to be weaker than it has been at any time during that period. > > Not a guarantee, but definitely a good sign. How many special elections in the last 20 years involved a candidate who had the senior senator from his state and own party say he was writing in another candidate? I can’t help but think that the circumstances here are unique enough to keep it from being a good predictor of anything. After the last election I haven’t been able to make myself read anything from Nate. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/254 "2017-12-14T06:31:04Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I remember a few weeks back trump was backing Moore, saying he preferred that the people of Alabama decide whether they think Moore is guilty. > > Does this count as a “guilty as charged” finding? I recall reading somewhere (can’t cite…on my phone with different browser) that Trump has already tweeted that he wished Moore had won, but that Trump was right when he said that Moore couldn’t win. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/255 "2017-12-14T07:19:05Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > How many special elections in the last 20 years involved a candidate who had the senior senator from his state and own party say he was writing in another candidate? I can’t help but think that the circumstances here are unique enough to keep it from being a good predictor of anything. > > After the last election I haven’t been able to make myself read anything from Nate. From what I’ve read, generic R is +28 over generic D in Alabama. So a combination of horribly unpopular R President, huge asshole R candidate, and a kiddy-diddling scandal was worth about 30 points. Most other states don’t have such a wide gulf between generic candidates, especially outside of the evangelical hellholes. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/256 "2017-12-14T07:21:11Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I recall reading somewhere (can’t cite…on my phone with different browser) that Trump has already tweeted that he wished Moore had won, but that Trump was right when he said that Moore couldn’t win. Found a cite: > **[Trump: Roy Moore's Loss Proves 'I Was Right'](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-roy-moore-loss_n_5a30fca1e4b07ff75afeeb29/amp)** > > Trump initially backed incumbent Sen. Luther Strange (R) in the Alabama special election. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/257 "2017-12-14T11:52:30Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Can’t link on phone, but Nate Silver addressed thus today on [www.fivethirtyeight.com](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com). His conclusion: yes. > > In the last 20 years, there has been a pretty strong correlation between results of special elections in the first two years of a Presidential term and midterm results. At this point, for the Democrats to not take the house in 2018, that correlation would have to be weaker than it has been at any time during that period. > > Not a guarantee, but definitely a good sign. I fully admit to predicting the race wrong and one of the main reasons was my fear that voter suppression efforts would help Moore get past the finish line. As it turns out, despite some very serious voter suppression efforts, black Alabamians voted anyway, and in very large numbers. I don’t think Alabama - or its neighbors to the West, Mississippi and Louisiana, for that matter - are any more progressive. But what the race shows is that black Americans are alarmed at what they see and they’re not staying home. What concerns me is that Republicans nationwide also see this and are probably determined to find even more ways to rig the vote. Republicans are increasingly, desperately becoming anti-democratic because from their point of view, they are fighting for their survival. They know that the majority of people do not share their worldview, and while that makes them vulnerable, it also makes them dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/258 "2017-12-14T12:13:49Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Found a cite: > > [Trump: Roy Moore's Loss Proves 'I Was Right' | HuffPost](https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5a30fca1e4b07ff75afeeb29/amp) That’s Trump _claiming_ he said Moore can’t win. You need to cite the actual quote. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/259 "2017-12-14T16:47:03Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > That’s Trump _claiming_ he said Moore can’t win. You need to cite the actual quote. And they say the tangerine turd has no clue how to politic. He takes a public stance on each side of the issue, and when that issue matures, he points out that that is the side he was on. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253/260 "2017-12-14T16:50:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > How many special elections in the last 20 years involved a candidate who had the senior senator from his state and own party say he was writing in another candidate? I can’t help but think that the circumstances here are unique enough to keep it from being a good predictor of anything. > > After the last election I haven’t been able to make myself read anything from Nate. The article looks at ALL the special elections from this year, federal and state-level, not just the Alabama election. There have been about seventy contested ones. On average, Democrats have beaten the district’s partisan lean by a _lot_ (12 points if you look at all elections, 16 if you look only at federal ones). Here’s another way of thinking about it: On average, state legislative special elections [rarely result in a net gain of more than three seats for either party](https://ballotpedia.org/State_legislative_special_elections,_2017#Historical_data). In 2017, Democrats have had a net gain of _eleven_ seats in special elections (in addition to the 14 they picked up in Virginia). Alabama had some weird circumstances that undoubtedly helped to put Jones over the top, but it’s part of a much bigger national trend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-alabama/804253.md?page=14)