Markets Grapple With Debate Debacle, EU Tariff Threat, China Antitrust Probe Into Google
"If the US presidential debate had, in election night fashion, flashed up a picture of the smiling candidate who was seen as having won, it would have been Vladimir Putin, that critic of decadent and decaying liberalism", Rabobank's Michael Every chided on Wednesday, lampooning what, by all accounts, was a disastrous spectacle for American democracy.
If you're wondering who American believes "won" what cannot properly be described as a "debate", the answer is depends on who you ask. One person
“This is not going to end well” may be the one moment during the entire night when Trump was genuine. It will take a huge landslide to avoid a contested election. Trump is telling us he will not go quietly if he can make any claim of victory. And that is coming from a guy who still won’t concede that he lost the popular vote in 2016. Trump’s primary focus is not on winning the election, but making it close enough for him to stay in office by contesting the election in the courts or through other means.
And while Trump’s attitude alone is not sufficient to cause the bad ending, his many supporters will stand with him on this. The NY Times had a revealing article yesterday about how many Trump supporters do not believe he could lose unless the election is rigged: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/us/politics/trump-power-transfer-republicans.html Here is a sample:
Sylvia Rhodes Blakey, 73, of Green Valley, Ariz., was categorical: The only way Mr. Trump will lose is if the Democrats rig the election in favor of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, she said.
“There’s going to be massive attempts at fraud,” Ms. Blakey said. “There are so many illegals that have the names of dead people, and they’re voting on those ballots.”
It will be up to Senate Republicans — many of whom are thirty days away from losing their seats — to stand up for the rule of law and orderly transfer of power and prevent the U.S. from following the same blood-soaked road as the Roman republic.
I think it’s important to remember that there is probably a not insignificant number of Republican Senators who would be happy to see Trump go and would happily defend the integrity of the results if it means they are able to rid themselves of the Trump anchor. They’ll just be crossing their fingers that they can hold onto a Senate majority to thwart Biden’s agenda.
I still think Biden will win comfortably enough to leave no doubt among anyone who isn’t part of the Trump cult. It may look close on election night in a couple states but WI and MI will likely be comfortable wins, and if PA and AZ are close on election night, it’ll be pretty clear that Biden will win due to the blue shift. I could see a couple states being close enough for recounts (Florida, it’s always Florida, but also OH and NC), but they likely won’t matter to the outcome at that point. Trump needs a hail mary at this point to turn it around and democrats have had plenty of time to prep for any attempts to challenge the results.
Proud Boys, those who manned Portland roof tops in the past with tacit law enforcement approval is standing by until called by our President to put things into order he prefers. If this sounds like Hitler’s Brown Shirts it is because it is VERY similar.
Mitt Romney, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you….
Do some analyst’s comments about the Prresident’s impact on the market give anyone out there pause? The country can be going to he’ll n a handbag but most analysts only seemed to be concerned about some Trump policy that might squeeze the next penny out of the market.