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Culture War Roundup for the week of July 8, 2024

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At the same time, Trump is only leading by an average of three points, and he beat Clinton when she was only ahead by four.

While polling errors of that size are entirely plausible, it's worth noting that Trump's structural advantage in the electoral college is non-trivial. If he leads by 3 in the national polls come November, Trump is very likely to win. Realistically, Biden needs to be in the positive column in the national popular vote to have a good chance in the six key swing states.

Still the chances of Trump going till November from here without some sort of scandal either emerging or being manufactured are essentially nil

Will a scandal actually hurt Trump at this point? Anyone who's actually willing to vote for him doesn't care how many times he went to Epstein Island.

Because the answer is zero

Yeah, there's not much they can pull. Politically incorrect language? Baked in. Rape claims from decades ago? Baked in. Shady deals? Baked in. Conspiring with Russia? Who considering voting for him would believe it this time?

Sure, variance is baked into the cake of any reasonable projection this far out. I don't think that's any more likely than something absolutely insane occurring with the sundowner on the other end of things though.

It's too confusing anymore. People I talk to literally think the SCOTUS overturned his conviction because the prosecutor was fucking the judge.

They've been reading ahead to next session.

Don't you put that evil on me, nybs. If we have to hear about a THIRD disgusting love affair in the process of these cases...

I have no problem taking the other side for 2 reasons.

  1. He’s gotten smarter
  2. Narratives don’t stick like they use to. Some of this is Musks buying twitter so the algos can be cranked up for this is stupid. The other is too much has been exposed and I think to the median voter at a minimum narratives won’t be assumed but questioned. We just saw the coverup of does Biden have dementia exposed on national tv. The benefit of the doubt is going to Trump and they are going to need actual video of a Russian hooker pissing on Trump.

He’s gotten smarter

Scuttlebutt has it that his campaign discipline is due to his co-campaign manager Suzie Wiles; an accomplished politico who used to be a big DeSantis booster until he alienated her in 2023 at which time she switched to Trump.

He’s also Trump. He’s definitely burnt people before. Maybe grifter types (Cohen, Scarsmucci). I don’t think he was great at listening to people. Even if she’s very good he has also realized he needs that person.

Going by Nate Silver's model, Biden needs something like +2% in the national polls to have a 50% chance of winning the electoral college. Trump being up by 3% in the polls on Election Day gives a ~99.9% chance that he wins the election.