[Watchman]

The new nominee, while still a cunt, at least has the experience and background as a senior prosecutor in Florida (where else?) to make me wonder if this was the plan all along - nominate a load of human disaster zones, then once the media furore builds up, replace them with someone more competent and less outwardly awful. The new person looks 100 times better than they probably are, and avoids a lot of scrutiny.

We're so used to "ha ha, isn't he stupid?", that we forget there's a lot of cunning there, and face it, he outplayed us.

I was thinking more along the lines of " we'll put up a clown, then get him to stand down, and then pick someone who has the right qualifications and experience, and everyone will say yeah that's better"...... but all the time hiding the fact that she is an evil bitch who is there just to carry out Trump's retribution in the style of the Game of Thrones

[The Weeping Angel]

The new nominee, while still a cunt, at least has the experience and background as a senior prosecutor in Florida (where else?) to make me wonder if this was the plan all along - nominate a load of human disaster zones, then once the media furore builds up, replace them with someone more competent and less outwardly awful. The new person looks 100 times better than they probably are, and avoids a lot of scrutiny.

We're so used to "ha ha, isn't he stupid?", that we forget there's a lot of cunning there, and face it, he outplayed us.

Nah he fucked up by thinking the Republicans would go along with Gaetz he's a lucky huckster not some master strategist.

[Andy McDandy]

Yes, and I remember Napoleon's views on luck.

[The Weeping Angel]

Yeah and I know how often he acts on impulse and barely thinks things through.

[satnav]

Ultimately Trump has already achieved what he set out he achieved. He has won a second presidential election and with it the ability to pardon himself of most of his crimes and misdemeanors. Anything else he achieves will be a bonus.

He doesn't need a long term strategy because in two years time the Republicans will be focussed on what happens next and who will be their next presidential candidate. If Trump starts coming up with outrageous ideas in two years time many Republicans might start to kickback if they think it could damage their future prospects.

[Youngian]

Trump can appoint as many rapists, thieves and paedophiles as he likes to senior positions it won't be a deal breaker with the US electorate. I'm sure Mary Beard can name worse leaders of a declining empire but it's still all very sad.

[Youngian]

Some reasons to be cheerful as to why Trump is unlikely to put the kibosh on America's clean energy boom despite his best efforts. Much of which is prevalent in red states like Texas.

[mattomac]

Ultimately Trump has already achieved what he set out he achieved. He has won a second presidential election and with it the ability to pardon himself of most of his crimes and misdemeanors. Anything else he achieves will be a bonus.

He doesn't need a long term strategy because in two years time the Republicans will be focussed on what happens next and who will be their next presidential candidate. If Trump starts coming up with outrageous ideas in two years time many Republicans might start to kickback if they think it could damage their future prospects.

The most interesting article I saw over the election is what follows MAGA or how does it follow Trump, plenty of acolytes but no one is Donald.

[Philip Marlow]

I was contemplating how much of Elon Musk’s thing is about him being an aggro dickhead who enjoys ‘winning’ in the same way Trump does, and how much of it is about him actually being quite thick, when I can across this. I do wonder what interesting times may lie ahead.

[Youngian]

Trump will obviously have an almighty falling out with Musk and his VP as well. Vance is smarter than Trump and a more professional operator. That will irk on Donald from day one.

[Crabcakes]

Apparently he’s already getting sick of Musk.

Also, talking of Musk and sick, I assume he is seriously unwell based on his bizarre torso shape. Can’t imagine the amount of horse powder he’s on is doing much to help as well.

Would be a very strange end to things if Musk, Trump and Putin all expired in short order. The conspiracy nuts would go wild, ignoring the fact you have a morbidly obese 78-year-old with the diet of a 1990s teenager, a drug-addled sociopath who probably hasn’t slept in 5 years, and a man in his 70s who has looked fairly sickly for about a decade and has an extraordinary level of stress.

[satnav]

I was quite hoping that Trump and Musk might take off in one of Musk's rockets to takeover the rest of the universe.

[Andy McDandy]

Operation Golgafrincham B Ark would be amazing.

[Abernathy]

The very strong rumour is that Trump plans to dismiss 15,000 trans military personnel in one of his first executive orders as president (in his first term, he banned trans people from enlisting in the armed forces, but allowed serving trans personnel to remain in post).

Outrageous, and a decision based entirely on rank prejudice.

I just hope against hope it isn’t just a sign of what’s to come.

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump- ... ty-1991052

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Today's cliché: When people tell you who they are, believe them.

[Philip Marlow]

Apparently he’s already getting sick of Musk.

It could get deliciously messy if Trump decides he’s had enough of the little twerp’s constant presence and tries to get rid of him. Musk is not a man who reacts at all well to being slighted.

[Youngian]

A lying draft dodger firing 15,000 military volunteers could get sticky for Trump. Hundreds with moving stories of bravery of how they put their lives on the line for Uncle Sam. Or is that a dated stereotype of Republican voters that they're flag saluting John Waynes who will give a toss?

[Andy McDandy]

Sadly, I think many would react much like Gary Lewis's character in Gangs of New York does when he sees a black man in a church. Shouldn't be there in the first place, what's a weirdo like that doing, probably trying to queer up one of Our Boys.

The military is, to them, another fetish object. They don't care about the complexities of its makeup, of how it operates, any of that. They want their idealised version. They don't get that Full Metal Jacket and Platoon were not "How to" guides. If they were British, they'd be demanding chocolate box tin soldiers in nice shiny red uniforms.

[Abernathy]

Would be a very strange end to things if Musk, Trump and Putin all expired in short order. The conspiracy nuts would go wild, ignoring the fact you have a morbidly obese 78-year-old with the diet of a 1990s teenager, a drug-addled sociopath who probably hasn’t slept in 5 years, and a man in his 70s who has looked fairly sickly for about a decade and has an extraordinary level of stress.

I was just musing to myself the other day that if that “assassin” in Pennsylvania had been a better shot, or more particularly if another successor succeeds at some point in despatching The Donald in the manner of JFK after he takes office, would anybody that matters in the USA give a flying fuck, or would there be basically a huge sigh of relief (combined with “buyer’s remorse”) ? Mind you, then there’d be President Vance (shudder).

[Oboogie]

The Martyrdom factor would be a massive boost to the hard right, Trump would be deified - statues would spring up everywhere and Washington would be re-named Trumpton.