2020 Democratic Candidates Tracker

Status
Not open for further replies.
Brainster said:
....
Biden supporters were still moving forward with plans for a fund-raiser in Philadelphia on Thursday hosted by Comcast executive David L. Cohen
Click to expand...
.
Click to expand...
Biden is clearly in touch with the hipper, younger Democratic voters. "Endorsed by the big executive at Comcast!" That's right up their with other highly relevant campaign messages like "hey fellow kids, I drink Zima too!" and "Joe Biden - he knows how to stop your VCR from blinking 12:00."
 
CNN: Bernie Sanders just gave the best political answer on impeachment

Bernie Sanders said:
"At the end of the day, what is most important to me is to see that Donald Trump is not re-elected president, and I intend to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen.

"But if -- and this is an if -- if for the next year, year-and-a-half, going right into the heart of the election, all that the Congress is talking about is impeaching Trump and Trump, Trump, Trump, and Mueller, Mueller, Mueller, and we're not talking about health care, we're not talking about raising the minimum wage to a living wage, we're not talking about combating climate change, we're not talking about sexism and racism and homophobia, and all of the issues that concern ordinary Americans, what I worry about is that works to Trump's advantage."
Click to expand...
 
Ziggurat said:
It often doesn't work out that way. And sometimes even when they can pay back their loans, they would have been better off without them.

The fundamental misconception is that student loans are for the benefit of students. They aren't. Their purpose, from a political perspective, is as a subsidy for universities.
Click to expand...
It's says a lot that you blame the victims of the loan sharks.
 
Venom said:
What is this.
Click to expand...

It's a figure of speech, referring to a common character in American society: The unreconstructed elder who, because of certain cultural attitudes towards age, feels entitled to behave badly without serious consequences. Biden is a textbook example of the type, being a man, being old, and being somewhat inclined to dirty behavior.

Let me know if you need further clarification on what "dirty" means in this context.
 
theprestige said:
It's a figure of speech, referring to a common character in American society: The unreconstructed elder who, because of certain cultural attitudes towards age, feels entitled to behave badly without serious consequences. Biden is a textbook example of the type, being a man, being old, and being somewhat inclined to dirty behavior.

Let me know if you need further clarification on what "dirty" means in this context.
Click to expand...

Sounds more like an ageist slur against any older man who behaves in a sexually suggestive manner, as if older men don't have that drive. But it's a little besides the point of whether his behavior on cam is inappropriate or not. I think it definitely is, but there's no need to pretend he's some deviant because he happens to be 76.
 
TragicMonkey said:
No, I won't. Touching people who don't want to be touched is bad. It's not the worst thing possible, but it's still bad. If you want to excuse a dirty old man for getting handsy with women that's up to you. I, however, am under no obligation to excuse him for doing it or you for accepting it.
Click to expand...

I think it was creepy (I'm not a Biden fan anyway). But are you saying unwanted touching is the same whether it is sexual in nature or not? :boggled:

Because there are lots of people that touch too much, invade people's space, things like that who are not doing it for any sexual reason at all. Some people are simply socially challenged.
 
theprestige said:
It's a figure of speech, referring to a common character in American society: The unreconstructed elder who, because of certain cultural attitudes towards age, feels entitled to behave badly without serious consequences. Biden is a textbook example of the type, being a man, being old, and being somewhat inclined to dirty behavior. Let me know if you need further clarification on what "dirty" means in this context.
Click to expand...
Where do you get off calling Biden's behavior 'dirty' when no one, even women who didn't like his invasion of space called it sexual.

George HW Bush pinching a nurse's butt is dirty old man behavior.

Biden was creepy, yes, in an embarrassing grandfather way, not in a dirty old man way.

Are you saying there is no difference? Or do you have evidence Biden's touching was sexual?
 
Venom said:
Sounds more like an ageist slur against any older man who behaves in a sexually suggestive manner, as if older men don't have that drive. But it's a little besides the point of whether his behavior on cam is inappropriate or not. I think it definitely is, but there's no need to pretend he's some deviant because he happens to be 76.
Click to expand...

The essence of the "dirty old man" archetype is that his intentions are unwelcome and his behavior inappropriate.

Is DOM really an unknown term these days? I would have said it was quite widespread (the term, as well as the behavior) from at least the second half of the twentieth century.
 
Skeptic Ginger said:
I think it was creepy (I'm not a Biden fan anyway). But are you saying unwanted touching is the same whether it is sexual in nature or not? :boggled:

Because there are lots of people that touch too much, invade people's space, things like that who are not doing it for any sexual reason at all. Some people are simply socially challenged.
Click to expand...

I said it's "bad". I didn't say whether it's "the same" as anything else. And I thought you said you were up on psychology? Everything's sexual, whether the person doing it knows it or not.
 
BobTheCoward said:
Nations are not sentient. It can't make a wish. It can't really do anything.
Click to expand...

The phrase is being used as an abstraction to describe the collective priorities of the citizenry that comprise the nation. It was not meant to be literal.

acbytesla said:
Fair warning tyr. Bob is notorious for pedantic sophistry. It's a black hole that even light can't escape.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was aware. Honestly I think Bob's posts, even pedantic ones, often have value. He's also one of the most internally consistent posters on the boards, which even though I often disagree with it I admire both that and the self-awareness he displays. Even the neutral pedantry can serve to force us to communicate in a more manifest manner. That is to say, it can reduce unintended miscommunications.

While I think he too often takes crap for it, I do also acknowledge that many times the line of reasoning is actually unproductive. It's hard to know until a few posts in.
 
BobTheCoward said:
This is bad for mayor Pete. Peaked too early.
Click to expand...

Nah, it's smart. He gets a good starting boost, and plenty of time for the cycle to come back around and give him another peak closer to the primaries. This is especially important for him, since he won't want to waste his next peak just getting people used to the idea of him.
 
Skeptic Ginger said:
Where do you get off calling Biden's behavior 'dirty' when no one, even women who didn't like his invasion of space called it sexual.

George HW Bush pinching a nurse's butt is dirty old man behavior.

Biden was creepy, yes, in an embarrassing grandfather way, not in a dirty old man way.

Are you saying there is no difference? Or do you have evidence Biden's touching was sexual?
Click to expand...

Would you make that distinction if it were a Republican? Being pawed without consent is unpleasant whether the person doing the pawing has a boner or not. Rather than twist into a pretzel to defend Biden can't you just admit his behavior wasn't good?
 
BobTheCoward said:
This is bad for mayor Pete. Peaked too early.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't rule him out, but he has seemed like the a great pick for VP or other top role to me. I'd like a Warren/Buttigieg ticket as a great combination of policy and character.

(Subject to change with more information, as is true of literally everything.)
 
Venom said:
Sounds more like an ageist slur against any older man who behaves in a sexually suggestive manner, as if older men don't have that drive. But it's a little besides the point of whether his behavior on cam is inappropriate or not. I think it definitely is, but there's no need to pretend he's some deviant because he happens to be 76.
Click to expand...

It's not an ageist slur, though. A younger man would be called a douchebag, or a creep. The figure of speech exists because we generally expect young men to mature as they grow older, and eventually learn not to behave like douchebags and creeps. But we also recognize that some of them won't. And to a certain degree, we cut them some slack for it. It's more of an ageist dispensation. "Yes, his behavior is bad, but it's not the end of the world, and it's probably too late for him to change anyway, so just smile and move on."
 
TragicMonkey said:
Would you make that distinction if it were a Republican? Being pawed without consent is unpleasant whether the person doing the pawing has a boner or not. Rather than twist into a pretzel to defend Biden can't you just admit his behavior wasn't good?
Click to expand...

This.

Whether or not the woman who grab my arm or my hair are getting sexual thrills from it or not, I don't like it. Biden's conduct, and his continued befuddlement over the problem, is not good. Yeah, it's not Trump, or Moore, or a dozen other Republicans that Republicans give a pass to, but so?

This is going to be a running theme from me, but just because the Trump GOP will not do it's duty or uphold their stated morals is not justification for the Dems to do the same. Sure, writing off external criticism might well be justified, but the Dems can't write off all internal disagreement as out of touch, or mean, or in bad faith because it's less than the GOP's sins. Of course it is, but so?
 
TragicMonkey said:
Would you make that distinction if it were a Republican? Being pawed without consent is unpleasant whether the person doing the pawing has a boner or not. Rather than twist into a pretzel to defend Biden can't you just admit his behavior wasn't good?
Click to expand...

I already said the behavior was creepy. I don't care what his politics are.

If Great Aunt Elsie plants a lipstick smeared kiss on little Billy's cheek at the family reunion and it creeps Billy out, is that sexual touching?
 
Last edited:
Skeptic Ginger said:
Nonsense.

And you said it was "dirty" not just "bad".
Click to expand...

Another one unfamiliar with a common English term. Is it actually English, as in primarily used in England and not in the US? I know it came up in episodes of Rumpole of the Bailey back in the 70s. Not Rumpole himself, of course, but some of his clients.
 
Skeptic Ginger said:
I already said the behavior was creepy. I don't care what his politics are.

If Great Aunt Elsie plants a lipstick smeared kiss on little Billy's cheek at the family reunion and it creeps Billy out, is that sexual touching?
Click to expand...

Ordinarily I'd say "you'd have to ask Elsie's therapist" but wasn't there a thread earlier, something about whether people could do a psychological diagnosis remotely without examining the patient? Perhaps such a skill could be applied to imaginary persons as well as real ones.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top Bottom