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Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

The wonderful thing about this is the MSM has actually not participated. The only coverage this gets is when he indulges his most pressing urge and grabs the first available microphone. I pray that Carville's "feeling" that she is not going to lose by a little comes true, that it's not going to be close and she wins. You cannot poll the massive numbers of young people who've registered to vote, first because they breathed a sigh of relief when Harris became the candidate and second when Taylor Swift "signed up" tons of others. If the closeness of the race is accurate, these folks are not being counted and they will make the difference. We won't know until after this is over, but I too have a feeling there's something else going on. The numbers do not make sense even with the crazies who will vote for him no matter what. I have nothing but hope to place on this hope. And if this isn't something, get a load of Vance's latest ultra weirdness about car safety belts and seats making baby production decline. I can't wait for this debate. We have down-to-earth Walz against the ever more bizarre by the day inauthentic Vance.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

The only pollster I pay attention to is Simon Rosenberg on The Bulwark, who says the "white male polling industrial complex" is not taking into account the effect of Dobbs. If women show up, we win. If Gen Z shows up, we win. I'll make the prediction right now. It's not going to be close.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

AGREE!!

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I pray that you are correct in your prediction! We currently reside in a deep red state and the ridicule, and downright nasty comments I hear on a daily basis directed toward Ms. Harris are appalling. If Orange Man wins in November we are planning to leave this state for a "blue" one where sensibility is more the norm.

If Orange Man loses in November we still may move because I predict trouble here...big time, with a capital "T". It could get really ugly real fast. There are already local reports of property damage being done to homes and vehicles displaying Harris/ Walz campaign signs. One incident involved a pellet gun being shot at windows of a home when residents were there and another involved an attempt at arson.

Me thinks it's time to move on!

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Even in my blue state (MA) what I see of MAGA unleashed is downright scary. MA also has pretty decent gun control regs. I don't think I could live in a red state that allows open-carry.

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Why I have spent the money to redo my house here in DeSantistan. If Orange Foolius lucks out, I can flip and head for saner pastures.

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

In 2016 when people were polled on the phone by humans they were embarrassed to admit they were planning on voting for Trump.

In 2024 I believe they are afraid to say they do not plan to vote for Trump. I imagine most people reading this are defiant and not worried about reprisals for what we post here. However, when you get a call on the phone? That could be anybody. How many Democrats out of a hundred just hang up on pollsters because they have no way of knowing if it's a legitimate poll? Even if it is legitimate they may think their IDs could end up on a persecution list later. Even if only 7 or 8 think that way that's enough to make a huge shift in numbers.

This is the reason I agree with James Carville. I think this will be a huge Nixon level blow out for Harris.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I've had this phone conversation several other places and I am really old now and all of us old people agree, our cell phones ring and we don't answer any number we don't recognize and even when we do, we most often let it go to voicemail or get a text. So I don't know. Young people do not access MSM anywhere near the degree anyone over 40 does. So I don't know. And I don't know anybody who has dug into this. I just know for the few things I do know, I'm a bit more optimistic that she wins.

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I agree. I use my cellphone as little as possible. The surveillance possibilities and risks are enormous (and constantly growing), and too few people understand the hidden power of their cellphone apps to subtly control their lives.

For an example relevant to the 2024 election (the economy and price gouging), take a look at this article in The American Prospect about surveillance pricing -- "One Person One Price" <https://prospect.org/economy/2024-06-04-one-person-one-price/> -- and how the success of this discriminatory pricing strategy (which includes "surge pricing" pioneered by Uber and the airline industry) is particularly effective with cellphone apps that allow datamongers to assemble a constant flow of data about people who often live their lives on their cellphones. The article appeared in an issue of the magazine devoted entirely to this topic: "How Pricing Really Works" <https://prospect.org/pricing>.

For a wide-ranging and exhaustive treatment of this phenomenon, see Shoshana Zuboff's "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power" <https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/shoshana-zuboff/the-age-of-surveillance-capitalism/9781541758001/>.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Agree!!

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I hope. I hope. I hope.

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There have been confirmed reports that agents of Florida’s Office of Election Crimes and Security have knocked on the doors of voters who signed petitions for Amendment 4, the abortion rights referendum, asking if their signatures were legit. Intimidation much? Earlier this month, seven Democratic members of Florida's congressional delegation asked the DoJ to investigate. See https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/09/12/florida-democrats-wants-doj-to-investigate-voter-intimidation-on-amendment-4/

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And apparently the pollsters have not taken into account the over 65's who are politically a force and who do NOT answer their cells with unknown numbers. I don't know what their methodology is, but it appears to be antiquated.

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I suspect they are primarily calling numbers attached to landlines, and how many youngsters even know what a landline is these days, much less actually have one.

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He puts on his Columbo hat. "Ah, just one more question JD. Does your couch have safety belts?"

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Millions and millions of uteri will be voting in this election...

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Whenever I get an email solicitation with James Carville's mug on it, I deep-six it immediately, even if I like the candidate. If they want my $$$, they've got to upgrade their hucksters.

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I do the same, just like I mute my TV when I see the mutant A**hole pop up .

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That's too bad.

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Mary Virginia Hughes: And, third, because all of the youngers have cell phones and few, if any, answer unknown numbers.

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author

Deleted "image not found". Sorry.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Look at the support for this scumbag—-first weep, then get max as hell and phone bank, write postcards, knock on doors—- what ever is your thing. Be doingdsomething.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Sorry. Typing on phone. MAD as hell……

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Why doesn't substack tell us these things? Under a comment you've posted, at the right margin on the same line with Like Reply Share, are three faint dots—actually an icon that lets you edit or delete when you click.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

The dots don’t show up on many phones for some reason.

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They show up, but you can’t edit on iOS or iPadOS.

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I know I get Delete. Will have to look for Edit. Would be nice! Thank you difny!

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

That would not let me edit tonight alas.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Yeah. Hiccups do happen sometimes.

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You can edit if you do it from your browser. Not while you're in the substack app directly.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Yes! Lots of folks still support the OrangeNazi. An acquaintance reported her son, who is a Freshman at a university in Indiana, PA, attended a recent Rally but wasn't able to squeeze in because 70,000 people converged from the area for this event; organizers couldn't fit everyone inside. (Oh, yes, the school arranged to hold all classes online that day to accommodate all who wanted to attend.)

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

With a population of 14,000 people, I severely question the number of 70,000 people. The entire county only has 83,000 people. I am not questioning you, but I am questioning that number. That would have made national news, it didn't.

Kamala Harris' largest rally was 18,000. She has been mopping up the floor with her large crowds. 70,000? Nope, not real, never happened. Again, not you, but your acquaintance's son either miscounted or made it up. That number is not believable.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Sounds really credible, the son of an "acquaintance"?? Keep watching that MAGA news.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Impossible,Tom. I"m not going to see my long-time dental hygienist for several months for follow-up thumb-nail sketches of news from Pa's Red-friendly countryside.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

70k does not sound right. More like 7k. Mebbe he put on an extra zero

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Agreed about the numbers but I reported what he said because it was probably his first Rally and he was overwhelmed. We don't talk about politics in the dentist's office and I think she (and son) missed the punch line about this Rally. It was well attended (in Trump country) and as he droned on, people walked out. The teenager might have found a seat if he stuck around.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

lol, must have been one of those secret rallies! Don’t give up a good hygienist! Mine is the same!

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Well Donnie do nothing

Trump, what jobs did YOU do

while in school/college(sic) to

help defray some of your

expenses?

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Pay others to take his tests or do his homework

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

That was the SATs which he still had to take after completing some credits at St Johns University in Queens. He was a pathetic student.

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👍👍👍🤪😂 “Stable genius,” my ass.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

And one of those expenses was paying someone with an actual brain to take tests for the stable genius… so hard to get by on $400 million from the Klan daddy…

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Grabbed ...

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Hopefully this election will nail his coffin shut. We cannot afford to get complacent when Kamala beats him because his acolytes aren't going anywhere, we must continue to be vigilant and call out the racist misogynists who do his bidding.

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Unfortunately it's not only the hardcore MAGAs. It's also the Project 2025 crowd, the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society, ALEC, and the rest of them who were hoping to ride Trump into their own world of "originalist" so-called democracy. And we've still got the SCOTUS majority to deal with.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I think the kind of help he needs is lying down and never getting up, that's the kind of healing we could all use. Come on two all-beef patties, sauce, cheese, and fries do your thing.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Oooooh, I so want to like what you have said, then I remember who is joined at the hip to him........the Shillbilly from Ohio. He's nastier, younger, and not gaga. So if the grim reaper is going to call in the chits, let it be now, before election day.

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“Shillbilly” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

😂😂😂

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Just yesterday I completed my quest to visit all 50 states with a seven-day, seven state, 1,278-mile driving trip from Oklahoma City to Kansas City through Iowa to Nebraska City through South Dakota to Fargo, North Dakota to Minneapolis. I saw more "Wall Drug" signs than Trump signs, plus I saw Harris signs in unlikely places. The worst thing I saw was a T-shirt store at the Mall of America in MN that had Trump merchandise and TWO pairs of those fugly gold shoes in their window.

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

i like those observations a lot, Mary! Off-topic: I'll always have a soft spot for Wall Drugs, Wall, South Dakota, which paid pennies on my salary for years. When the Village Voice wasn't known even in all NYC boroughs, Wall Drugs ran a one-inch display ad every issue, week after week, year after year. Heaven only knows how they learned of the Voice originally, or how many travelers were drawn miles out of their way by the ad. The Wall Drugs folks were and still are marketing geniuses. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Drug

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

And now it's watches for 499$. The grift continues!

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27

I'm cheered to know Wall Drugs still exists. Much like Famous Boomland!

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Is the Jackalope still residing at Wall Drug?

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The 2 limited edition shoes are still there, collecting dust

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Am grateful you brought this up, Lucian. As usual mainstream media fails to recognize Trump's litany of fixations including the Kamala-Mickey D fixation. It's not normal for someone of any age to engage in such behavior. Doing so disconnects a person from the reality around them. Not exactly an attribute the nation needs in a President/CinC.

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Orange It has never been normal. I believe the stories that he was a nasty, violent bully even as a child.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Lucian; while I value your expertise and your opinions greatly, I have to disagree on your last point that Donald Trump needs help. He needs help like the rats in New York City need help.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

He actually needed help some years ago, but his money-running children were not willing to risk their inheritance on Payne Whitney. Now we all suffer.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Does Payne Whitney still exist? He's indicted and hasn't been sentenced yet. The Empire State may end up offering mental health.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I think it still exists. And I believe he's lost his chance to plead insanity

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Not too late to plead dementia.

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He would rather fall down the golden escalator than admit he's dementing.

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86 45 STAT!!!

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Perhaps he'll face another defamation suit. He is barking mad. This the hill he wants to die on? The plaques and tangles must be fighting for space.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Hahahahahahaha.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I believe TFG is beyond help. No coming back to reality. I was just thinking over coffee and reading Heather this morning that he could even die befote the election and still manage to just get 270 EC votes. NYT might just keep headlining rabbit holes as usual and say nothing about it.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Agree about his pathological personality. He was, is, and always will be a narcissitic POS.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

If that's your real name, it's a wonderful name.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

So right!

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

If tangeranus wins the election I swear to pete I am moving to Portugal for the next four years.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Norway for me. I wonder where Michael Cohen is headed.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Unless you are a Norwegian citizen? Longest you'll be allowed to stay? 6 months - I wonder if they will take us in as political refugees? Same for Switzerland and Canada. Sigh.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

I would try to maintain a low profile!! Maybe apply for dual citizenship?

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Norway only started allowing dual citizenship 5 years ago. Ummm, better luck in Spain.

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27

Consider France. You can apply for a long-term, renewable resident visa (not just a short tourist-class visa) with proof of normal means of support -- don't have to be super-rich or have a job -- ideal for retirees, students, or the self-employed.

Most countries are very difficult to arrange a long-term stay in without being a millionaire or having a family connection or "right of return" or having an employment guarantee, or full-time student status.

But hey, if you have a Canadian or Irish grandparent, I'd encourage anyone to apply for a dual citizenship passport as a hedge. ("Right of Return" clause for those places, and perhaps others as well.)

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If you have an Italian grandparent or parent, you can get residency there. I'm actually leaving for a trip to Italy very soon to look at houses and apartments. I've lived there before so know a bit about it. Worth exploring.

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Molto bene!

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You can also get Italian citizenship if you've got a parent or grandparent born in Italy. E da vero bello.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

He's not saying- and he said he will use another name.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Yes, I heard that.

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Norway is so, so expensive. I would have to apply for asylum as a refugee. Norway treats refugees really well.

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It'd be nice if Norway could accept tens of millions of distraught, desperate American refugees from Trumpism!

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You can apply for residency under a few categories. Worth exploring.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Switzerland for me.

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Porto will be overrun!!!

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

We all know what he REALLY needs. And it sure as hell isn't help!

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

This is a very familiar strategy from the Trump trick bag. When he is caught in a whopper, say claiming immigrants in Springfield , Ohio are eating pets, he creates another story/controversy to shift the attention of the press and public from his having been caught in whopper, or, as in this case, a Big Mac.

It is all a distraction to give him something to shift the narrative off ofhis vapid and often meaningless rhetoric. He creates a Big Lie and makes it his "Issue du jour" and , as we have seen too often, the press/media simply reports (actually regurgitates) it with all the emphasis he makes of it. And, he has, once again, fooled the not so rigorouus press to play the game by his rules.

In the medicine shows of the past the barker would spin tall tales about the magical healing power of the elixier he was selling. Some in the crowd fell for it, but, more in the crowd were so distracted they failed to notice the pickpockets working the crowd and stealing from them. A Trump rally is nothing more than a New Age medicine show. And, the rubes keep showing up to not just have their pockets picked but, in some cases, to buy the elixir which in this case is going to leave them and our nation with a huge hangover.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Yep, bait and switch

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Great analogy, he lies, promises proof, and next day moves on to a bigger lie. The press goes for the shiny ball and never follows up on his failure to document the last lie. In the meantime he and Melanie promote new and more outrageous grifts to separate the rubes from their retirement savings.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

If him saying the democrats defeated Napoleon isn’t going to be discussed, I give the hell up.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

HA!

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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Trump doesn't care if people believe him or not. He doesn't campaign very much. He plays golf a lot. After all, he's counting on winning the presidency by cheating and lying his way through the election and Electoral College - including suppressing the vote, bogus court cases, and having his GOP, SCOTUS, and foreign allies and bots helping him, too.

Why would he work hard to win when he believes it's sooooo easy to play people. Great scary articles in the latest Atlantic magazine about him and his plans.

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Sep 27Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV

Also, a great piece on Drumpf family history on Frontline the other night

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