US Presidential Election, Nov 5th 2024

[KS55]

I saw a BBC report from a teacher in West Palm Beach where Trump is due to vote. She's voting for him because of his "biblical world view". I thought some of my teachers were bad, but fucking hell. It really is a different world in parts of the US.

Can Trump vote in FL as a convicted felon?

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

The West Wing is one of my favourite shows of all time and, at the risk of being ridiculed for admitting it, I have watched every episode at least three times. I am also a bit of an Aaron Sorkin fan (and critic, at times).

But, despite having the full Blu-ray series set (and it being fairly easy to watch online, as well), I have not been able to bring myself to watch even a single episode since 2018.

I tried after Trump was elected, but I found that it had become depressing to watch. It is a very aspirational depiction of government, politics, and public service in general, as opposed to the likes of House of Cards, VEEP, or The Thick of It. And, I think it is reasonable to say it actually makes the show less realistic (though, in the best way), as politics has always been a very seedy profession, and people like Jed Bartlett and members of his staff tend to get nowhere near the top echelons of power in real life. And I watched it when it was still airing as a younger, more idealistic and optimistic person that had not yet been beaten down by experience.

And trying to watch the show now, many years later, after years of effort to affect positive change in various realms and locals with very mixed results, and during/after Trump’s presidency, is like watching videos of a close mate that has recently passed on: they don’t necessarily capture the whole reality of your friendship with them (most of the bad bits will have not been recorded for posterity), and most often represent an idealised version of them as a person, but they do generally reflect what you loved about them, what you desperately miss now that they are gone, and watching them just reminds you of the deep loss you feel.

I love WW too. I think that the episodes translate more-or-less to a Democratically run White House.

 

[AliBobbyJ]

I've got CNN on while working and the amount airtime they've got to fill with meaningless waffle is genuinely really impressive.

Reminds me of Test Match Special on the radio when in lieu of cricket action they talk about the pigeons on the grass or the cakes they've received from listeners.

 

[supercity88]

Can Trump vote in FL as a convicted felon?

Yes, in Florida they defer to the rules in the state that brought the conviction which in this case is New York. The rules there allow you to vote if you are not doing jail time.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

The West Wing is one of my favourite shows of all time and, at the risk of being ridiculed for admitting it, I have watched every episode at least three times. I am also a bit of an Aaron Sorkin fan (and critic, at times).

But, despite having the full Blu-ray series set (and it being fairly easy to watch online, as well), I have not been able to bring myself to watch even a single episode since 2018.

I tried after Trump was elected, but I found that it had become depressing to watch. It is a very aspirational depiction of government, politics, and public service in general, as opposed to the likes of House of Cards, VEEP, or The Thick of It. And, I think it is reasonable to say it actually makes the show less realistic (though, in the best way), as politics has always been a very seedy profession, and people like Jed Bartlett and members of his staff tend to get nowhere near the top echelons of power in real life. And I watched it when it was still airing as a younger, more idealistic and optimistic person that had not yet been beaten down by experience.

And trying to watch the show now, many years later, after years of effort to affect positive change in various realms and locals with very mixed results, and during/after Trump’s presidency, is like watching videos of a close mate that has recently passed on: they don’t necessarily capture the whole reality of your friendship with them (most of the bad bits will have not been recorded for posterity), and most often represent an idealised version of them as a person, but they do generally reflect what you loved about them, what you desperately miss now that they are gone, and watching them just reminds you of the deep loss you feel.

I know exactly what you mean, but even pre-Trump the West Wing was always a very rose-tinted view of Clinton-era politics. I love the show and that's part and parcel of it. Even the credits music is so unnecessarily over the top 'positive America'.

It struggled to find its voice post-9/11 and went down a weird direction in its latter seasons with several "action" storylines that didn't really make sense for that show. I assume this was down in part to 24 becoming a massive hit around that time and the studios thinking "we should have a bit of that".

 

[supercity88]

Reminds me of Test Match Special on the radio when in lieu of cricket action they talk about the pigeons on the grass or the cakes they've received from listeners.

That's often better chat than the cricket.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Reminds me of Test Match Special on the radio when in lieu of cricket action they talk about the pigeons on the grass or the cakes they've received from listeners.

Or in pro cycling when they start going on about vineyards and cheese haha

 

[Bazzmand Show]

I saw a BBC report from a teacher in West Palm Beach where Trump is due to vote. She's voting for him because of his "biblical world view". I thought some of my teachers were bad, but fucking hell. It really is a different world in parts of the US.

What's crazy is he's never given any indication she's religious whatsoever.....

 

[mancboy]

What's crazy is he's never given any indication she's religious whatsoever.....

which is astounding considering the amount of money he could scam if he went down that route

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

When Harris first became the putative nominee, I rashly forecast that she would win all seven swing states and I’m sticking to that. I also said she would win a red/purple state, maybe FL or TX. Chances….

With any luck your forecasts will prove out - and that, as a consequence, you're not rash... but are, instead, a fucking genius!

Here's hoping that you're the Einstein of election outcome predictions :-)