Presidential and election briefs — April Fool's version

April Fool's Day! But, don't get fooled by the MSM.

The NYT blames a "post-pandemic malaise" for affecting 2024 electoral politics. Funny, you folks didn't say that in 2022. It wouldn't be anything like two craptacular presidential candidates, would it? Funnier yet, The Atlantic spouts its version of the same dreck and specifically talks about it affecting Genocide Joe. (By date stamp, it was actually earlier.) There you go — MSM tribalism and incestuousness on trends hard at work.

In reality? Inflation is still above pre-COVID levels. Workforce participation rates are still below pre-COVID levels. Income inequality has continued to increase slightly. And, if you want a new job, a new home, or a new car that requires a move to a tight housing market? Still no bueño. Biden would like you to compare now to the worst of COVID, and see what a genius he is, but that likely isn't happening. As I said on Twitter to Zachary D. Carter? Inflation is still above pre-COVID levels and unemployment has started creeping up again. 

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April Fool! 

RFK Jr., after fooling CNN and the rest of the MSM with a list of alleged Veep candidates that didn't include the one eventually rumored, did indeed pick that person, Nicole Shanahan, almost as deep in the antivaxxer derpity as he is himself. Since Genocide Bob is paralleled by Genocide Joe and Genocide Don, and Trump, despite his MAGAts, brags on the COVID vaccines because, yes, they started rolling out while he was still president, is apparently willing to make this a centerpiece of his campaign. 

April Fools, self made at the time:

“RFK Jr. is a radical leftist—an environmental whack job who loves EV mandates, wants to end gasoline powered engines. He’s no Independent. RFK Jr. is an AOC lover and opposes really any human advancement, preferring that we all live in caves by candlelight, except of course supports charging stations for your $150,000 electric car that can only drive a few miles before dying just like his presidential campaign,” Trump’s communications director said.

I guess The Donald's "the truth is what I say it is" has infected all the new staffers he hired at the RNC. Maybe it was a prerequisite? I was half-joking, but half-serious, when I typed that out. Apparently, at least on the election fraud lies, it IS a prerequisite.

The DNC says Bob Jr. nominated her for her money. 

I say, given the goo-goo description he offered of her, his current wife, Cheryl Hines, should watch out. Didja get a pre-nup? A BlueAnon on Twitter agrees, noting Bob Jr. has cheated on both his previous wives. And, he cheated WITH Hines while in the marriage before theirs. TNR has much more, although it comes off as halfway giving him a Robert Sapolsky "Determined" pass with talk of him being "heir to the family sex-addition gene."

That said, per Politico, is this a lead-up to ditching the indy campaign and planting his flag in the Libertarian Party? Weirder things have happened. Per Libertarian bitching about him not really being antiwar, maybe the new Mises Mice are OK with that, at least on genocide by Israel.

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April Fool! You should be this far ahead!

Yes, I've bagged on Jill Stein for not divesting of her mutual funds that have oil, tobacco and DEFENSE stocks. The latter is especially important post 10/7. And, AFAIK, she's never looked at how well, or how poorly, those companies do on BDS issues, speaking of 10/7.

That said, she has qualified for federal matching funds (some of which will pay off 2016 campaign debt caused by changes in FEC rules that she probably should have dealt with better in the first place).

That said, with Bob Jr. clearly more and more of a wingnut and Cornel West more and more of a WTF, she's still the most visible option on the left, even if not the best.

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April Clue!(lessness)

Yes, indeed, why HASN'T Genocide Joe contacted Chris Christie? Or Larry Hogan? Or other semi-never Trumpers? 

I reached out to every current Republican lawmaker who has refused to commit to Trump in the general election. Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) Mitt Romney (Utah), Todd Young (Indiana), Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) all said the same: they’ve not heard from Biden. “It is surprising,” Collins told me. “It’s especially surprising because President Biden does understand the Senate, he has personal relationships with some of us.”

Now is the time (speaking purely in chess match / horse race terms). True that most of them come from states where they might not be a lot of help, but still. Besides that? As Martin notes, they're not likely to endorse him, but, if they could at least be made into neutrals, that's enough.

The piece is also funny for a side note:

Joe Biden was also the one who as vice president did so much of the outreach to members of Congress, governors and mayors. And, if we’re being honest, Biden was the person who was frustrated that the detached president he served wasn’t more willing to use the power of the office to woo their fellow office-holders.

And, that's totally true about the Ice King, Dear Leader.

Biden IS now targeting Nikki Haley voters, but that's far different from talking to her — or to any of the above.