By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas |...It gets going. That's Joe Biden in the rear-view mirror. Kamala Harris is on the hoof, as we say in Texas. She's hot to the news media, hotter to her supporters. I mean, "White Dudes For Kamala Harris"?
Not even Hillary or Bernie Sanders created so much road dust.
This election seems to have it all. A Republican who is said to have had sex with a couch (VEEP nominee JD Vance), another who is - egads!!! - a convicted felon with a cultish mob behind his effort.
And wait until we get the Democratic Party's VEEP nominee.
The stadium roof will fall!
Election Day, this November 5th, cannot get here soon enough. High drama hits Middle America. Everybody's hyped-up. The band has been cued. Americans are double-checking their voter cards. Family dinner has accepted open talk on politics.
Harry Nilsson is around here somewhere: Everybody's talkin'.
Can you hear a word they're saying. It's instant analysis, Baby. Who's up and who's down, the goods on truth and lies, our political food tasty as a rack of BBQ ribs over in Lockhart. Someone get me Narda on the phone. That would be my ex-wife and I need to get something off my chest about our marriage. Coming clean is good for the soul and the country.
The vote will matter perhaps more than it usually does this time.
No retreat.
Democracy or WTF knows what?
Candidate Harris, fighting for the America we all know, is on the rise. That group of White Dudes headed by some famous Hollywood types (Jeff Bridges, for one) got everybody so excited on a Zoom call that her campaign added more than $4 million to its coffers.
Is this America, or what?
It is, and we should all be thankful for it...
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A bit of online dust yesterday with our Comments feature. Some readers reported getting "Failed to publish" notices when submitting their thoughts. It fans over. Keep trying, is what we've been saying...
ReplyDeleteEven my Republican-loving 79 year old uncle is voting for Kamala. He voted Trump in '16. He didn't vote in '20. He's Voting Kamala in '24.
ReplyDeleteGood for him!
DeleteIt damned straight is a race to the finish. The Democrat V.P. candidate will be someone with 1.) national brand recognition 2.) who helps solve a problem 3.) who brings new pov on a key policy issue 4.) who brings a swing state.
ReplyDeleteIt will be Mark Kelly. 1.) Astronaut 2.) the border 3.) common sense gun control and 4.) Arizona
Kelly would be good, as would be Shapiro of PA.
DeleteKelly would be okay. Trump wouldn't dare go after the astronaut, would he? ha ha
DeleteWalz is a bulldog. He killed it on FOX News appearance yesterday/
DeleteI don’t really care if the Republican Party suddenly turned into Ike/Ford/McCain/Romney moderates...I want the putrid stench of Trump, MAGA, and Project 2025 to be their legacy long after we assume room temperature, passed from mother to daughter, father to son, and their grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteYou said it.
DeleteWho could vote for him at this point? you'd have to be clinically insane
ReplyDeleteDonald Trump says Kamala Harris, who's married to a Jewish man, "doesn't like Jewish people" ??????
ReplyDeleteRump is not smart enough to debate Kamala one on one, so now he attacks her family. What a despicably horrible bunch this Maga group are. Any chance they had at my vote is GONE.
DeleteIt's obvious that this man gets dumber every time he opens his mouth...He really needs to pay for his crimes
DeleteScariest thing about Vance is if trump is elected and dies he’d be president!
ReplyDeletenext Quarterpounder and large fries.
DeleteYou're right. Interest is through the roof! Kamala brings Obama energy and people are more than excited. Republicans really made a mistake calling for Biden to step down. Trump picked the worst running mate who is the laughingstock of America and I love that for trump
ReplyDeleteBreak it gently to your Trump supporter friends and family members. It’s over for Trump.
ReplyDeleteEcho that.
DeleteTrump is TOO OLD!!!!
ReplyDeleteEnough said.
Don-Old
DeleteFor me, it’s weird to let your life be consumed by hate for the sake of a politician.
ReplyDelete(first time I've used the word 'consumed' all year)
While I agree there are too many unknown variables to be confident about this race, Harris is not helping herself by not naming her VP. The mail ballots are going out very shortly.
ReplyDeleteAlso I would not underestimate the Indian vote in Texas. For now Allred is holding his own in the Senate race.
So long as Hinojosa if the Chair of the Texas Democratic Party, south Texas will not be a powerful voting block for the Democrats. Texas has lost Democratic seats throughout Texas since he took over. Just look at South Texas.
Democratic National Convention in Chicago is August 19-23. You think maybe you can wait on that? And - what Indian vote are you talking about? It's miniscule!!!
DeleteWell actually Kamala is going to her pick Tuesday. Research shows Black and Indian vote are about 15%, For a Democrat to win statewide they must fight block by block. The momentum is building. The % may be small in terms of the entire vote, but it adds up. in terms of Allred the polls are all over the place, and in fact too small to be credible. A huge turnout could flip Texas Blue.
DeleteWell, if you lump in Indians with Blacks...then you have a point. Indians alone are irrelevant. Blanket statements do not work here.
DeleteYou are not getting it, small groups together make a difference. The Indian vote could be the last few votes which put Harris and Allred over the top, Democrats cannot win in Texas unless they are seeking to fill the glass one small group after another. the Indian vote is part of that full glass which can put her over the top.
DeleteWell, okay. Here's your next assignment - How many Indian voters are there? Singularly, what percentage of the overall state vote? The Alabama-Coushatta tribe in East Texas seems to be the largest of that tiny bloc. Nothing on the Asian Texan vote?
DeleteI wouldn't be too hard on @9:41. He may simply be wanting to discuss his issue, and that's why we're here, isn't it?
DeleteYou are still missing the point. Democrats can only win with each small group, Every small group my be made to feel they matter. there are no reliable numbers as to how many Asian Indians actually vote in Texas. It is really simple, Democrats cannot win unless they fight block by block, and in this contest, each voting block no matter how small they are. It is all those small voting blocks in Texas which could be all the difference for Harris and Allred.
DeleteThanks for your input. Only one thing I'd add - it's "voting blocs." Plus, you could give us your thoughts on the Hispanic bloc.
DeleteThe Hispanic voting bloc is very diverse. The biggest problem is South Texas does not vote in large numbers. Why? because we tossed Hinojosa out on his butt in favor of Republican Casco. Then the Texas Democratic Party disrespected South Texas by rewarding him as the Party Chair. We know the history of these fake Democrats in South Texas. This is why since Hinojosa took over the Democratic Party Democrats have been losing more and more elections.
DeleteThey must address the Hinojosa factor or lose. I am not saying it should be done publicly. It should be done quietly behind closed doors.
The next problem is Central Americans who can now vote are more independent. The Democrats have to earn their vote. The old guard Mexican American voters are loyal to the Democrats, but they tend to not vote.
Two groups were at war with one another, Mexican American Democrats, Tejano Democrats who were new. Ann Richards lost to George W. Bush because the Latino leadership was too busy fighting each other.
If they continue to refuse to address the low turnout in South Texas they will lose.
Now Venezuelan and Cuban voters lean toward the Republicans.
There is no uniting voice. Gilberto Hinojosa is too divisive.
Agree on Gilberto Hinojosa. He comes across as comfortable and lazy. You rarely see him doing a damned thing in the valley, where he lives!!! His wife is an elected something or another in Brownsville.
DeleteOn Gilberto, to know him is to hate him. When his wife was running for JP, she was on a non-profit Board which oversees construction of housing and in part for Section 8. Her campaign finance report which anyone can see on line at the elections office clearly shows she took money from at least one plumbers union. Mind you she was a Board member awarding contracts to plumbers/contractors. The complex in question has had many endless plumbing problems.
DeleteShe remained on the Board which oversees rental properties while working as a JP which oversees evictions. No conflict of interest there. She resigned from the Board when a stink was made.
The Manager of the for-profit Bank which oversees financing for the non-profit only has one office and one phone line, which is the same as his as the Director of the non-profit. So he refers banking contracts from the non-profit to his for-profit bank. No conflict of interest there.
During the last redistricting of JP-2, his wife's opponent was removed from his precinct which is at most 10 minutes to the JP office and put in the JP district for Port Isabel, which is at least 30 minutes. This is all on tape, wherein you see Commissioners' Court vote for the changes to only reverse themselves after the vote when Hinojosa's wife opponent showed up. This is documented on tape. They revoted and put him back into JP-2
I do not believe his wife knows about any of this. But Gilberto certainly knows.
If the Democrats would show some back-bone and demand Gilberto resign, the valley would turn out.
Kamala's here. Something very dark and heavy and the feeling of rot, doom and futility has been lifted. The sun is shining again.
ReplyDeleteThe sun will come out tomorrow.......
DeleteUSA leads in medals won at the Paris Olympics...but China and Japan have more Gold...
ReplyDeletei notice we're winning mostly silver and bronze.
DeleteEvents where we're strong are still in play. Like basketball, both men and women's
DeleteDonOld trump is going to jail for the rest of his life
ReplyDeleteElection night will be wild. Trump will declare victory very early and Republicans in Congress will immediately accept his idiocy. They will then file lawsuits in Blue States to overturn results and, of course, he has the Supreme Court.
ReplyDeleteDemocrats better be on their toes that night. Republicans do have their district court judges too......
DeleteWhat’s most encouraging is the number of outstanding choices Kamala Harris has for her VP.
ReplyDeleteMinnesota Gov. Tim Walz sounds good, but Kamala can win with Mark Kelly, too.
DeleteLike Netanyahu, we don't have plan other than winning the fight, and hoping the losers decide to stop causing themselves and others pain.
ReplyDeleteSo, you really have nothing.
DeleteOh, we have much more. Keep your handkerchief ready on November 5. You'll need it wipe tears from your face, you losers!
Delete@ 11:10 Sending you a roll of Charmin so you can wipe that off your face.
DeleteRed Rooster is probably an obese gabacho, so I say send him two rolls.
DeleteI wouldn't mess with Red Rooster if I was you guys.
Delete@1:05 Typical, weak-ass bluster from a clown. Where's your sister, RED MEAT? is she next on here?
DeleteRED MEAT? Let's see a photo of her. 5'1", 260 lbs? ha ha ha
Delete@2:10 PM You win the Internet!!!
DeleteReverend Terry Anderson of a massive, Black conservative Houston church just made his church roar with an epic and fiery endorsement of Kamala Harris. Sorry, Donald Trump!
ReplyDeleteDidn't a big, pro-Trump evangelical church burn down in Dallas earlier this week? Yes. GOD works in mysterious ways..........
DeleteThe only freedom Trump is fighting for is his own freedom. It's all about him staying out of prison!
ReplyDeleteFor young people out there, who are VOTING....think about your PARENTS and your GRANDPARENTS. If you love them, don't let Project 2025 come into existence BECAUSE THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY THAT DAY WORKED SO HARD FOR WILL BE GONE!!!
ReplyDeleteAny person supporting Trump needs to ask themselves some serious questions
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that the GOP seems to have forgotten what actual strength is. Here’s a clue, though: it isn’t insulting and attacking your own allies while acting like Putin’s puppy when you’re in the presence of a dictator. Donald Trump’s bluster and bulls**t are the opposite of strength.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Mayra Flores. A good candidate doesn't need to worry about their competitor. They need to worry that their message and strategy is easily understood by the people. ESL English won't cut it, girl.
ReplyDeleteShe has no chance against Vicente Gonzalez. None.
DeleteIf you believe Trump's shooting was a conspiracy, you have to believe the Secret Service was part of the conspiracy.
ReplyDeleteHoax. Orchestrated by Cheeto
DeleteHit by an AR-15 bullet...no scarring on the ear.
DeleteDonald Trump just panicked as fact-checker SNOPES verified today that an embarrassing photo of his running mate JD Vance blacked out on the floor with his pants down and his belt unbuckled is 100% real. How humiliating…
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the day of 'Silence of the Trumps'
ReplyDeleteDonOLD and Vance have that ICK factor.
ReplyDeleteWe Democrats aren’t worried about Trump rally crowd- they are lost to the darkness.
ReplyDeleteWe want everyone else.
America's heart is beating stronger and stronger. She will win. Thanks, Kamala.
ReplyDeleteKamala expected to make VEEP choice by Monday, if not sooner. Republicans are weaker by the day!!!
ReplyDeleteBig rally in Philadelphia with her VEEP nominee schedule for next Tuesday!!!
DeleteThe more you learn about Trump the more nauseating it gets
ReplyDeleteEven though trump has seemingly gotten away with crimes; stoking violence, we must not lower ourselves to that. Even though trump belongs in prison for a multitude of reasons, we don't take the law into our own hands. There are rules. Without them, we live with the animals. What is it that makes us Americans? The rulebook. By following the rules, we have freedom.
ReplyDeleteWith polls indicating a tight presidential race, the GOP is thinking strategy after election day. You should know that some Trump election deniers are now in positions of power as election officials. They are part of a vote certification refusal movement. If valid elections are denied certification, it could cause confusion and chaos across the country.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans keep harping on how gas and food is expensive, yet there are articles out there showing that people are flying more and spending more. The fearmongers from the GOP keep trying to tell everyone that the country is in turmoil. The truth is the only turmoil is that diseased infected party, led by a convict.
ReplyDeleteWhat a freaking fool he is. May he rot in jail.
ReplyDeleteOur courts have let us down mightily. Whatever happened to all those bonds Trump was supposed to post in his appeals? It was all forgotten. He hasn't paid a dime to the woman he defamed, and Judge Merchan postponed his July sentencing on the Hush Money case until the middle of September!! The case in Florida involving the classified documents he took from The White House was dismissed by a judge Trump appointed and the Republican-led Supreme Court has been taking his side every chance it gets. Trump should have been jailed long ago. All this does is make everybody no longer believe in the Rule of Law and that now-fake "No one is above the law" psalm we have been living for decades. Enough!!!
DeleteTrump should just endorse Harris and call it a day. He’s done.
ReplyDeleteTrump speaks, takes questions at National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago today. He bombed, argued and even took on a FOX News black woman reporter. Disaster!!!
ReplyDeleteThe press completely bombed on the NABJ comments wherein Trump question when Harris became black. Instead of focusing on the answer they focused on the question. The question is potentially valid. It would not be the first time a mix-raced person of any group tried to pass as someone else. They should have validated the question and then go through her history, attended Howard U., has spoke about her heritage and attending Howard U. So the answer is she held herself out as mix-race from day one.
ReplyDeleteWhen you attack a question you come across as trying to cover-up the answer. The answer is clear, Harris has been publicly half-black she attended Howard, Here is part two. How can Trump and others claim she is a DEI hire, at the same time they are claiming she a Johnny come lately mixed-race black woman.
I like Harris. Yes she has made mistakes. Join the club.
But the fact is she in not the first black anything, and same for Obama. They are both mixed-race who have earned their place at the table.