Republicans can't replace their old man nominee, so they're pretending JD Vance is the GOP candidate

[marmar]

Republicans can't replace their old man nominee, so they're pretending JD Vance is the GOP candidate
Donald Trump's running mate weirds voters out, but at least he's not an incoherent mess like his boss

By Amanda Marcotte
Senior Writer
Published August 12, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) "What a stupid question this is!" Donald Trump recently raged at a journalist during a lengthy public meltdown that was billed as a "press conference." The reporter had correctly noted, "You have not had a public campaign event for nearly a week now." This factual observation set Trump off on a diatribe full of lies. "I’m leading by a lot," he insisted. "I am campaigning a lot," he pushed back. In reality, Vice President Kamala Harris is up two points over the former president in national polling. And while she's been hitting the road, even holding multiple rallies in a day, Trump has mostly been hiding out at Mar-a-Lago, only doing one campaign event in the last week in the MAGA-safe space of Montana. As Philip Bump at the Washington Post showed in a recent analysis, "Trump is holding far fewer rallies" and public appearances than he did in both 2016 and 2020.

....(snip)....

Trump's campaign managers surely know that the more voters see Trump, the more they hate him. Trump's team didn't go after President Joe Biden on the age issue just because it was low-hanging fruit. It was also a way to distract from the fact that their own candidate, who was never that cogent to begin with, is rapidly decompensating from age and the stress of being convicted of 34 felonies. Now Biden's out, and the "Is the candidate too old?" spotlight is on Trump.

Republicans won't be following Democrats by changing their candidate, however. Unlike Biden, Trump is a narcissist who will never accept the truth about his decline. And unlike Democrats, Republicans are too afraid of their leader to tell him the truth. But it's also clear that the GOP wishes they could do a switcharoo. Right now, the Trump campaign is acting like their candidate is not the ranting orange degenerate at all, but his much younger — though still quite weird — running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.

....(snip)....

At first blush, this would seem like a poor idea. Vance lacks charisma, isn't half as clever as he thinks, and has spent so much time marinating in the world of extremely online fascism that he just seems weird. He's a bearded doppelganger for the equally charmless Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who Republican voters couldn't reject fast enough during the presidential primary. Running a carbon copy of a guy who couldn't beat Trump in a primary seems, on paper, to be a uniquely stupid campaign strategy. Under the circumstances, however, it makes sense. Vance is annoying, but he can speak in complete sentences, largely avoiding all talk of electrocution sharks and Hannibal Lecter. There are fewer logistical issues in a Vance-centric campaign, as well. He's decades younger than Trump, and so has the energy to travel. Even if the rumors that he wears eyeliner are true, Vance cannot need the hours Trump must spend in hair and makeup just to be seen in public. No doubt the campaign wishes they had a substitute candidate who was less aggravating, but Vance surely looks better than their alternative: an ever-nuttier Donald Trump. ................................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2024/08/12/cant-replace-their-old-man-nominee-so-theyre-pretending-jd-vance-is-the-candidate/

[Fullduplexxx]

1. And they just found a pic of j d in Drag

[mahina]

13. Two now

[Lovie777]

2. UGH...........................................

[Diamond_Dog]

3. This description is perfect:

“Vance lacks charisma, isn't half as clever as he thinks, and has spent so much time marinating in the world of extremely online fascism that he just seems weird. He's a bearded doppelganger for the equally charmless Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who Republican voters couldn't reject fast enough during the Presidential primary.”

[Midnight Writer]

4. Vance is like DeSantis. Only without the personality.

[33taw]

5. I didn't know DeSantis had personality?

[dem4decades]

8. Vance is like DeSantis. Only without the boots. Neither has any personality.

[Skittles]

16. they're very similar

to me they both look like they are trying to mimic human behavior - badly

[Jirel]

6. Effectively, he IS the nominee. Beware.

It’s no joke, and several of these opinions are scary-wrong.

Think about it logically for a minute.

This freak is the VP nom.

I’m guessing Tangerine Palpatine is rapidly losing whatever marbles he had. That means they will run him as best they can, while having Corporal Press Release out getting face time and trying to normalize him to the electorate. Because if the GQP wins, whether Tangerine gets Baker Acted between the election and taking office, or is 25thed in his 3rd week in office, VANCE LIKELY WILL BE PRESIDENT ALMOST OUT OF THE GATES.

It’s time to take this seriously, and keep them from normalizing this Nazi. It’s time to fight hard, make the point that DonOld is failing mentally, and that they are truly running Corporal Press Release as their expected POTUS.

[Lonestarblue]

9. I think that's the plan and that's why Heritage Foundation leaders wanted Vance as VP.

He’s their guy and if Trump wins and staffs his administration with the people already vetted by the Heritage Foundation, then the loyalty will be to HF, not Trump and agency heads can simply force him out with the 25th Amendment.

Even if they just let Trump get more and more demented in office, it will be Vance making the decisions. Trump will not serve a full term.

[MiHale]

10. Vance will be parroting the decisions...

made by HF. I doubt either trump or vance would be allowed to make decisions, too much room for error.

[LearnedHand]

17. Agree. I thought this too.

This scares me even more. Shay-Dee won't disown P2025. He'll celebrate it.

[FakeNoose]

19. Of course, that's exactly why they must lose, and they will lose by a large margin

Blue Tsunami coming in November!

[magicarpet]

7. The scumiest of human degenerates,..

... dusted off,.. propped up,... and polished - in anticipation for holding the highest office of the US Presidency.

The GOP used to be better than this,... America still is. This Tangerine Menace clown show is so totally shameful & embarrassing.

[marble falls]

11. Jebus, wouldn't that put a kibosh on MAGAworld. Donnie steps back and Vance runs.

[usonian]

12. He's within earshot of candidacy.

[Sky Jewels]

14. Sleepy & Creepy, what a pair!

[Roy Rolling]

15. Makeup on men

I’ve worked the better part of my life in an industry where men frequently wear makeup. There’s reasons I won’t bore people with, but prominent eyeliner on this weirdo is clownish.

If he’s gonna wear makeup, hire a professional *union* makeup artist, which he’s 99% guaranteed not to get. They won’t work for him.

[LearnedHand]

18. Wait. I want to be bored.

Spill!

[Roy Rolling]

20. NDA

You have to join the hair and makeup union. I can’t divulge who is wearing what makeup. 😜

[LearnedHand]

21. 😂

Okay then