Trump, Clinton......

[lucafen4]

At the risk of being accused of nit-picking, HC was only in the government for Obama's first term. John Kerry took over at State for the second term. So the streak ended in 2012.

Pretty sure that was only so she could run for President.

[Instant Karma]

Pretty sure that was only so she could run for President.

It's not as if that would have been a necessity - they're not mutually-exclusive. She didn't even announce until last year. There are sitting governors, congressman, etc. who run for POTUS. I expect she just wanted some time away from the grind.

[iwinthings]

There are other options out there if people were willing to not vote Democrat/Republican. It's clear that politics is a total sham, even in so called free western countries. Time is much better spent doing about a billion other things rather than participating in that gong show. At least it's entertaining as an outsider. I hope Trump wins just for the laughs.

[rtstr]

I am writing in John Scott.... Heck, if we can get him to be the All Star Game MVP over true talent I don't see why we can't get him to be President over a couple of bozos.

[Doug Glatt]

I just wish Hunter S. Thompson were alive to cover this election & travel around with Trump. That is a book I would travel to Aspen and dodge 12 gauge buckshot to get autographed. Imagine what he would have to say... Where have all the Gonzo's gone?

I think Matt Taibbi has done a pretty good job covering politics for Rolling Stone the past few years. Nobody can replace the Good Doctor. He was a unicorn in a world of jackasses.

[NoWayOut]

I can't help but wonder, if the Founding Fathers could have seen into the future and saw a trump Presidency would they have gone ahead with the rebelling against England? Obviously the answer is yes, but when confronted by such a terrifying possibility your mind wanders to things that can give it respite from contemplating such darkness. This whole trump deal is the ultimate bastard lovechild of politics and our bizarre celebrity fetish.

The scary thing is it's the angry white-trash bigots that are the biggest trump supporters, although there are also the blind party loyalists that will vote for whoever their party nominates solely because they put party ahead of country. Anyway the white-trash are a group that I think tends to sit elections out normally. They just sit on the sidelines and piss, bitch, moan about how the Moose-limbs, and Gays, and Messicans, and every other group is ruining their lives. What havoc will they unleash on the world, not just the U.S., if they decide to get up, get out, and vote in their sociopathic candidate? We shall see.

It has been said the election is really Clinton vs Pence since trump will be impeached within the first year if he wins. And given the hatred within the Republican hierarchy for trump that may be a very easy thing to do. Of course I could see that jackass declaring martial law if they did that too. Hell just think about what he could/would do if Hilary wins the election? He's already saying she and the Dems are rigging the election. Wow, batshit crazy! We're not even through primary season and he's already screaming the general election is rigged. If Hilary wins trump will make Dubya/Gore 2000 look like a minor kindergarten temper tantrum. I guess if your a student of abnormal psychology you are actively rooting for this outcome as it would be a treasure trove of material for scholastic study. Of course trump has already been the gift that keeps on giving in that regard.

I'm personally at a real crossroads. For the first time in my lifetime there is no Democrat or Republican that I can in good conscience vote for. Kind of sit back and wait to see who pokes their head up as an Independent or Libertarian and go from there. I do think Hilary is the lesser of the two evils but I can't see myself casting my vote for her. Just like we had our first African-American President, I think the time has come to seriously consider voting in a qualified female Presidental candidate. It's just that I don't think Hilary is that candidate.

[PenguinHunter]

Anyone ever seen the show - Scandal?

Is the election trying to win ratings away from the show? There is enough going on in the election to have a show similar to Scandal.

[pmorrow]

I'm personally at a real crossroads. For the first time in my lifetime there is no Democrat or Republican that I can in good conscience vote for. Kind of sit back and wait to see who pokes their head up as an Independent or Libertarian and go from there.

CNN is covering the Libertarian Party's Town Hall tonight at 9 et.

[NoWayOut]

CNN is covering the Libertarian Party's Town Hall tonight at 9 et.

I'll have to tape it. Gotta work tonight.

[Instant Karma]

I expect that it's too late for a third party candidate to emerge in any meaningful way at this point. The last two third party candidates who gained any traction, John Anderson and Ross Perot, started independent campaigns after losing out in the primary process. The only candidate that fits that bill now is Bernie Sanders and he doesn't appear interested in mounting an independent bid.

All is not lost, however. I think it's entirely possible that Trump would quit the campaign if a) the GOP continues to turn on him, b) his campaign continues to lose donors (and staff), and c) if the gap between himself and HC widens very far into the double digits. He's a take-his-ball-and-go-home kinda guy, and if people don't let him call the tune I certainly wouldn't put it past him to just quit.

What does he lose? He''l spin it in such a way that miscreants and losers were cheating him and not being "fair" and "nice" to him.

[Loch]

What does he lose? He''l spin it in such a way that miscreants and losers were cheating him and not being "fair" and "nice" to him.

He's already spinning the story that if he loses it will be because the election is rigged.

[iwinthings]

I can't help but wonder, if the Founding Fathers could have seen into the future and saw a trump Presidency would they have gone ahead with the rebelling against England? Obviously the answer is yes, but when confronted by such a terrifying possibility your mind wanders to things that can give it respite from contemplating such darkness. This whole trump deal is the ultimate bastard lovechild of politics and our bizarre celebrity fetish.

The scary thing is it's the angry white-trash bigots that are the biggest trump supporters, although there are also the blind party loyalists that will vote for whoever their party nominates solely because they put party ahead of country. Anyway the white-trash are a group that I think tends to sit elections out normally. They just sit on the sidelines and piss, bitch, moan about how the Moose-limbs, and Gays, and Messicans, and every other group is ruining their lives. What havoc will they unleash on the world, not just the U.S., if they decide to get up, get out, and vote in their sociopathic candidate? We shall see.

It has been said the election is really Clinton vs Pence since trump will be impeached within the first year if he wins. And given the hatred within the Republican hierarchy for trump that may be a very easy thing to do. Of course I could see that jackass declaring martial law if they did that too. Hell just think about what he could/would do if Hilary wins the election? He's already saying she and the Dems are rigging the election. Wow, batshit crazy! We're not even through primary season and he's already screaming the general election is rigged. If Hilary wins trump will make Dubya/Gore 2000 look like a minor kindergarten temper tantrum. I guess if your a student of abnormal psychology you are actively rooting for this outcome as it would be a treasure trove of material for scholastic study. Of course trump has already been the gift that keeps on giving in that regard.

I'm personally at a real crossroads. For the first time in my lifetime there is no Democrat or Republican that I can in good conscience vote for. Kind of sit back and wait to see who pokes their head up as an Independent or Libertarian and go from there. I do think Hilary is the lesser of the two evils but I can't see myself casting my vote for her. Just like we had our first African-American President, I think the time has come to seriously consider voting in a qualified female Presidental candidate. It's just that I don't think Hilary is that candidate.

Just vote for Gary Johnson. Easy. I have no clue why Americans are so afraid of voting for a third party.

[rtstr]

Just vote for Gary Johnson. Easy. I have no clue why Americans are so afraid of voting for a third party.

Because as long as American politics are controlled by a two party system, voting for a third party candidate is a wasted vote. At the end of the day a President does not win based on how many votes they get, they win based on how many electoral votes they get (I believe you need like 270something). Electors do not have to vote the same as the population in their state did-- although they often do. Third party candidates would never even come close to that total. The system is set up in such a way that a President will always be someone who was nominated by a primary party (Democrat or Republican). Hence why we are where we are today.

And to clarify I'm not saying it's a wasted vote in a sense that it serves no purpose-- I understand the moral and societal benefit of it-- but that benefit unfortunately has nothing to do with the outcome of the election, at least so far in history. The absolute best it can do is slightly derail another candidate, but it won't get yours in.

[Instant Karma]

Because as long as American politics are controlled by a two party system, voting for a third party candidate is a wasted vote. At the end of the day a President does not win based on how many votes they get, they win based on how many electoral votes they get (I believe you need like 270something). Electors do not have to vote the same as the population in their state did-- although they often do. Third party candidates would never even come close to that total. The system is set up in such a way that a President will always be someone who nominated by a primary party (Democrat or Republican). Hence why we are where we are today.

And to clarify I'm not saying it's a wasted vote in a sense that it serves no purpose-- I understand the moral and societal benefit of it-- but that benefit unfortunately has nothing to do with the outcome of the election, at least so far in history. The absolute best it can do is slightly derail another candidate, but it won't get yours in.

This^. It has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with math.

He's already spinning the story that if he loses it will be because the election is rigged.

Indeed. I'm only proposing that the timetable could possibly be accelerated to the point that he doesn't make it to November.

Actually, it's sort of amusing to hear Trump complain about something being "rigged", when he himself is rigging the game to his advantage. If Trump wins then it's because of his own merits, but if he loses, it's not because he's a loser that no one wants, but rather because saboteurs and evildoers are plotting against him. Either way his ego emerges unscathed.

[Goldendelicious]

I wish Trump would bring up Monica Lewinsky at his next rally