Something is wrong with this split-screen picture. On one side, former president Donald Trump rants about mass deportations and claims to have stopped “wars with France,” after being described by his longest-serving White House chief of staff as a literal fascist. On the other side, commentators debate whether Vice President Kamala Harris performed well enough at a CNN town hall to “close the deal.”

Let’s review: First, Harris was criticized for not doing enough interviews — so she did multiple interviews, including with nontraditional media. She was criticized for not doing hostile interviews — so she went toe to toe with Bret Baier of Fox News. She was criticized as being comfortable only at scripted rallies — so she did unscripted events, such as the town hall on Wednesday. Along the way, she wiped the floor with Trump during their one televised debate.

Trump, meanwhile, stands before his MAGA crowds and spews nonstop lies, ominous threats, impossible promises and utter gibberish. His rhetoric is dismissed, or looked past, without first being interrogated.

  • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
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    27 days ago

    I’m not even American but this voter-shaming is both frustrating to read and fucking stupid. Nobody—and I repeat, nobody—is going to vote because they were blamed by a random guy on the internet who refuses to acknowledge their very real concern that voting for Harris would be voting for genocide.

    • AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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      27 days ago

      And not voting for Harris gets you three genocides. Gaza, Ukraine, and the LGBTQ community at home. So, yeah, anyone that “can’t vote for genocide” is a moron or a shill.

      • sorval_the_eeter@lemmy.world
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        26 days ago

        OK thought exercise for you: If the LGBTQ folks cant be bothered to care about the murder of gazans, why should I be bothered to care about LGBTQ folks? I’m not LGBTQ myself. How about Ukrainians, or disabled people? I’m not one of those either.

        If you are OK turning your back on them, then your turn, as LGBTQ, or black, or muslim or disabled, or mormon or vegan or…whatever is just a matter of time. So you can stand up for basic human rights or you can stand alone when it comes to your rights. Take your pick.

        • AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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          25 days ago

          Cool. If people weren’t acting like morons I wouldn’t be calling them morons and if I was part of the Harris campaign instead of some asshole on the Internet I might try to be more diplomatic about it. But I’m not going to coddle a bunch of people who are too stupid to understand the implications of a two party system.

          • jatone@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            27 days ago

            snicker someone doesn’t know how voting works clearly when living in a blue/red state.

            also can someone find me a rabies shot? this one is foaming at the mouth.

    • GrundlButter@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      27 days ago

      And given that American voters exist in a 2 party system, nobody should be under the illusion that they have any other choice. Don’t encourage people to delude themselves into thinking there is a better alternative. They’re right, you’re right, what’s the best option?

      • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
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        27 days ago

        That’s y’all’s problem to figure out, but bullying people into voting simply doesn’t work. Don’t respond to a statement of facts with “should”.

        • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
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          27 days ago

          They are not high info influencers they’re low-brow bullies with almost no understanding of the way the world works. Since they don’t have a leg to stand on morally, all they can use is accusations that others are as ignorant as they. So it’s not like they gonna stop, runnin their gums is all they got

        • GrundlButter@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          27 days ago

          I’m not trying to bully people into voting, just making sure that this dangerously short sighted bullshit doesn’t go unchallenged. Thank you for proving my point.

    • nfh@lemmy.world
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      27 days ago

      Opposition to genocide isn’t an option on the ballot, you can’t vote for it, especially not for president. And not voting sends a very clear message whether you intend it or not: “I don’t care”.

      Do you value minimizing harm? If you care most about genocide, Harris seems to be the least-worst option. But if you care more about ideological purity than harm reduction, you can vote for a non-serious candidate like Stein, or none at all. Nobody will ever solve this kind of problem at the ballot box, that isn’t how democracies work, but if letting things happen instead of exerting what little power you have eases your conscience, that’s your right. Doing so does mean a greater risk of a Trump presidency, especially if you live in a swing state.

      I would rather minimize harm, so I’m voting for Harris, and encourage others to do the same.