224 Comments
Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Yes, the comment of Tim Waltz' son is an ad not possible to buy. It seems Kamala Harris choose the dad the American people needs, instead of the bully that forced himself upon them.

A lot of comments I see still does not recognize the great move by Biden: he defied the shitstorm from his own party to step down at the right time, which was not until Trump was nailed to his candidacy. Only that way he could turn the weaponized use of 'age' against Trump himself. Look now who is too old to be the president, and give the credit for that to a very clever politician.

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I will always love Joe Biden for remaining calm, understated, ethical, and effective during four grueling years in office. You.cannot buy integrity, heart, and personal courage, nor can you spin it.

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Joe Biden has been conducting a master class in how to get things done, and most certainly has continued that with his timing in stepping aside to endorse Kamala. Amongst many things that please me in VP Harris becoming POTUS #47 is that I am sure she will have Joe on advisement should she ever need it. She has gained many talents and abilities in her own right, but Joe has also prepped her for role as Commander in Chief.

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I have thought the exact same thing, Lynn. Joe is not going anywhere, and she will need him. She is ready, but is not as experienced in negotiating as Joe is. However, if she can hold on to many of Biden's advisors, (if they are not already too exhausted, e.g., Anthony Blinken), she may be good at this next stage. I do feel that Joe Biden is unrivaled in his negotiating skills, but people can learn. People trust Joe Biden, and she will have to earn that.

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Kamala Harris does have experience in negotiating in high stakes situations. As Attorney General of California, she went after the big banks who had sold home buyers risky mortgages that were backed by unconventional, unstable financial products that fell apart and triggered the financial crisis of 2008 (the Great Recession).On behalf of California home buyers who lost their homes due to the greed of these banks, AG Harris secured

a settlement of $20 billion. This was a huge victory for those home buyers who’d been ripped off by the banks.

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Mary Ann, I'm thinking about negotiating with the Congress. She has some good experience, but she does not have 50 years of negotiating with a (sometimes Republican) House and a Senate with a slight majority. Hopefully, Biden will coach her with those kinds of negotiations. (I think she will master it, but it might take time.) Also, it would be great if we won the House and increased our majority in the Senate!

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Harris can have a Kitchen Cabinet like FDR, with Joe Biden as chief cook and bottle washer. I envision Michelle and Barack sitting there too.

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And on the legislative end- Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House! If that can happen, this country can really get things turned around.

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And intended or not, the media who is pro-Trump and anti-Kamala is still show casing Trump's age by running to film him every time he calls. He looks pathetic and does not realize it because no one tells him. I am from the midwest and we speak truth to power and would not let someone walk around with their slip up their underwear, or their fly unzipped. Yet, that is not who surrounds Trump. No one who cares about him, just people who want their own glory by association. The glory of being A--holes!

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I love the analogy of not letting someone walk around with their slip up their underwear or their fly open. That’s hilarious!!

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Exactly! Trump clearly has no one in his life who truly cares about him as a person. Because of that, he is allowed to run wild. What a family, huh??

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He wears his fly 😈

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I dare say Clinton played into that last night, by pointing out that he's 78, and he knows he's too old to be president. That was another master stroke, carefully deflected away from Biden, but pointing directly at the age Trump is.

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I love all of the arm chair quarterbacks. They knew he would go long and be able to say the things that others couldn't.

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Yes, indeed. I have thought for a long time that Biden is America's grandpa, while Trump is America's abusive, pervy uncle. Walz -- down-to-earth, comfortable in his own skin, competent, and normal -- is America's dad now, and that's a good thing.

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Joe Biden will forever be my favorite and the most accomplished President of my lifetime. I have felt from day one that the transition was well planned and executed. It was as smooth as silk...everything that needed to happen seemed to appear on schedule. Perhaps having Covid again reminded Joe that the time to pass the baton had arrived. He did so with dignity and aplomb.

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Amen, Olof!

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Well said! We must never forget what we owe President Biden. He has kept this country on track during a politically turbulent and, because of Trump, surreal era. Because of him, I could and can sleep at night. We can only hope this momentous light and joy we are now experiencing as a party will continue as strength and resolve to overcome the darkness we are up against come November.

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Having Oprah speak, and then her delivery, were brilliant. I didn't know she was a registered Independent, and what better voice to reach out to Independents and Undecideds--who were 26 % of voters in 2020.

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If we get out the millions of unregistered folk who trend Democratic, and those that failed to vote in 2020, we win.

https://www.fieldteam6.org/

Need help phone banking today. https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/?q=phone%20banks&tag_ids=20038

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From FT6 August 20

We sent 271,967 texts last week! ✨ That’s almost 40 thousand each day!

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That's only BYOP. FT 6 Textbanking has sent out millions in the past 7 weeks. Also Textarcade. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6arcade24

BTW, we only send to people who are not registered and trend Democratic. Stats show that 3 contacts are most effective. A lot of the people we contact were dropped from the rolls. In FL standing alone, more than a million.

Phone banking sometimes finds entire households, apartment buildings, neighborhoods filled with people who were dropped. Also getting returns from people who used voting by mail but were rejected. Our phone banking is pretty much limited to these folks.

BTW, this is the magic device. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ft6arcade24

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I didn’t know that. I thought I was texting as you have been encouraging us to do. And never could decipher the difference.

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Thank you!

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Impressive, Colleen!

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Very kind. With BYOP (see Daniel’s message) one can only text about 115-120 each day. So that’s a lot if individual 100/day texts! I hope they help!

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Yes she was perfect

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Yeah. That surprised me too and it did kind of add to her credibility. (Just an aside. She looked fabulous. She has definitely lost weight— her life long struggle.)

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So smart, Ellie!

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Clinton speech was long but he said one thing that I think was critical (among others) was that since the end of the Cold War 51 million jobs have been created of which 50 million were created under Democratic administrations. This parallels an article back in I believe 2018 the NYT published showing the economy over a 50-60 year period always riding under Democratic administrations. Of the 50 million almost a third of those created under Biden Harris. Clinton, Obama and Biden all entered their administrations with the economy in recession and worse. Thanks Robert.

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Just as demolition is a lot easier than construction, and criticism is easier than actionable advice, it's always easier to make a mess than to clean it up. Democrats have been the adults in the room, cleaning up Republican messes for too long. Let's give the Republicans a Time Out in November!

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Yes. That’s so true!!

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founding

Thanks, Christopher, for reminder. Clinton did meander, but the jobs statement was critical. I am often puzzled that this fact is not emphasized often enough. My best wishes, Jill, for a return to “feeling well”.

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I could hear Simon Rosenberg’s voice in my head saying “thank you for saying this “.

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As he was saying that, I had in my mind's eye Simon Rosenberg's chart on job creation - yep, yer fact check was right President Clinton 🤗

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Exactly, Christopher. I don't care if Clinton went long. He said some great stuff!

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

As someone who spent a good part of my career working to keep my colleagues on message, can I just say that this convention has been over-the-top brilliant? Literally every speech I heard had similar ideas and underlying themes. Every night. From amazingly diverse people. Impressive doesn’t begin to describe it!

And what a bench we have!!!! Mayor Pete! Governor Moore! Amanda Gorman! So many.(I missed Josh Shapiro and will try and catch it today.)

And then my Governor takes the stage and owns it. And the tears rolled all night because love, decency, honor and courage were back in the political limelight! This post-menopausal cat lady just can’t wait to hear from Kamala!

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I'm with you, Sheila! She apparently has no fear of everyone around her being excellent speakers! I appreciate her confidence and her intelligence. And whoever planned this Convention! Truly unbelievable! And they must have had to make some major adjustments overnight! Good job, everyone!

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28 years in Strategic Communications with a TON of speaker training and I REALLY want to know who their agencies are, because they deserve a ton of recognition!

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Another awesome speaker not named by Robert in his letter was Hakeem Jeffries. I think he's destined for higher places although, right now, I'd be thrilled if he can become the Speaker of the House. Sending the spineless Mike Johnson to the back benches would be good for our whole country.

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I loved Hakeem Jeffries speech. I will work hard, as much as I can, to help make him Speaker of the House. Thank you Nancy Pelosi for recognizing his great leadership and passing your torch.

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Good call. Nancy Pelosi's contributions should never be underestimated. Did her actions serve to provide an example to Biden?

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I'm struggling to like both Jeffries and Pelosi right now for how they treated Joe Biden, a great man who I feel was pushed off the stage and off the ballot by their leaking information to the press that must have been humiliating for Joe Biden. Yet he expresses no anger at the people who did this. Joe Biden is a class act! I have serious questions about the rest of them, including Jamie Raskin!

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Kathleen, I know. I wrote Jamie Raskin a postcard when he said that, telling him I never thought of him as an idiot but I did now. However, I've done some re-thinking. My new theory is that Joe Biden set them all up to call for him to step down, because he needed that political cover. Why? Because he'd always planned to do this. He didn't *want* to run in 2020, he felt he *had* to run. And what better way to pass the torch than the way he did it? If he hadn't done it that way, we'd all be wrangling about Mayor Pete vs. Shapiro vs. Whitmer ad infinitum. This way, his hand-picked, hand-trained protégée was pretty well guaranteed what we've all celebrated as a seamless transition. Consider that it wasn't an accident. Then Pelosi, Jeffries and Raskin can still be our heroes, and Joe can be even more brilliant that we thought he was.

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Considering Pelosi & Biden haven't spoken since, I don't think it was that calculated. I think he saw the poling numbers, met with a handful of people (not including her) and made the decision. You can't get the machine Harris launched overnight rolling like that. You need runway to flip a switch like that. What was masterful was waiting until after the RNC for idiot to choose the VP.

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Christina, that's really interesting! I hope you're right!

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I cannot look at it that way, Christina! I don't believe that is what happened. But if it brings you peace, then it's okay to think that!

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Brilliant and possible. L&b&L

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Brilliant AND Possible - especially re Kamala’s uncontested choice. L&b&L

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We may take issues with the optics, but I think the outcome was the right one. i.e. the one that improves the chances that the Democrats will prevail in November.

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It might have been the right one, but for the wrong reasons. When liars and bias forces the hand of a great man, it's a bad outcome even if it's the right outcome under the circumstances created by the liars and bias. I'd vote for any democrat, and wouldn't share anything to their more public detriment, but I have had many of my previous obviously too naive admirations biffed and dented. Fortunately, there are some new ones shaping up which promise to rise to my high expectations.

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Agreed. I had a bittersweet feeling each time Biden was praised during the Convention. Reminiscent of Mark Anthony’s speech in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”.

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I was grateful for the comprehensive approach in covering Project 2025.📕

SNL comedian Kenan Thompson:”You ever seen a document that could kill a small animal and democracy at the same time?”

Florida Rep Debbie Wasserman Schulz:” For the people of my state, Project 2025 isn’t just a threat, it’s a reality that we battle every single day!”

Her 3 minute speech:⬇️

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbmX1Yx2hQE

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Having tried to single out whose voice was the "best" I heard last night, I have to conclude it was each and every one of them, from the known to the all important unknown. The We, the People, All of Us This Time Americans whose "small voices" joined with the "big voices" advocating for continuing the freedoms that we all hold as truths that are self-evident.

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Indeed, the "best" voice? The people!

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

It is pitiful how narrow-minded and warped JD Vance is about childless adults. He cannot imagine that though childless themselves, childless adults can and do vote for public school improvements, vote for school board members whose ideas promote the complete education and welfare of children. Why wouldn't childless adults want to live in a world where children have been well-educated and socialized? They are the future.

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And Oprah’s comment about a hypothetical fire in the house of a childless cat lady and we would go back and save the cat too, had me in stitches.

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I think it’s because that’s how they think—if there’s nothing in it for me and mine, why would I contribute? The thing is, most Americans aren’t really like that. The Republicans are in trouble, at least of Harris/Walz can penetrate the information bubble.

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Exactly. Their pathological approach to life is being exposed for its lack of humanity and empathy.

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I loved Clinton's comment about whenever trump comes out to speak, he "opens his lungs by saying me me me me me me"!

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Please tell Jill to get a good rest and get well soon. The photos are beautiful. And thank you , thank you for calling out the press for whining about policy papers they never intend to publish. Let’s go back to dancing and moving forward.

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One of the key messages of last night was that immigration makes the country stronger, that while complex it can be managed well, and that Trump is personally responsible for the scuttling of a historic bipartisan immigration bill. Given “our assignment” to reach out to undecided and disaffected voters in our midst, this message helps.

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founding
Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Night 3 and they are still keeping us rocking. My husband and I can't stop watching it. So many stars in the Democratic Party...who knew...I am so proud and so ready to fight. Seeing Benny Thompson was a delight. So many superstars of all ages. We are blessed with abundance. Let's Go.....

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We're looking at a bounty of Dem POTUSs for the next generation or two 💙

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Robert Hubbell, you are a living, breathing miracle of a grand human being! Thank you for sharing your lovely, smart, hard-working self with us. 💙

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Aug 22·edited Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Vice President Harris certainly has her work cut out for her with her acceptance speech on the closing night of the convention. It's not that she has to clean a cauldron of chaos, but she has to continue the cavalcade of coherence, and make a speech that clears the bar that was set so high by those who spoke before her.

I am certain that she is up to the task, and will demonstrate her humanity, humility, and infectious enthusiasm. Then, it will be our turn.

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Wonderful comment, Bob -- 3C's -- "continue the cavalcade of coherence!" VP Harris's assignment and our mission for the next 74 days -- and beyond, when the Trump campaign will move again into insurrection mode, but Trump will not have the power of the Presidency behind him, nor the bully pulpit of the Presidency to twist into a tool of his bullying of the American people.

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3Cs - Alliterations rock these days! (Lookin' at you, Hakeem Jeffries)

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And the truly amazing Amanda Gorman!

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Her poetry made me think of the way Lin-Manuel Miranda writes, at least for Hamilton! All those internal rhymes, etc. She was excellent!

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Trump doesn’t need the bully pulpit of the Presidency. The media give him more attention than the actual President.

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founding
Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Robert, Wonderful recap. Jill, feel better!

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Aug 22·edited Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

We started watching on PBS. Then, in their wisdom, they cut to some pundits including David Brooks and other worthies, while the speakers were continuing. I'm appalled at that decision making. We don't need pundits putting their spin on things we are seeing with our very own eyes in real-time. Please stop. We switched to C-Span and were grateful.

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We've been on CSPAN the whole time. And and and Jessica Craven sent me to the youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClkO4MArT2WKWj32YDD_-Ew

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After confessing that since I'd cut the cable cord a few months ago, I found the best uncommentaried version on Fox, someone suggested C-Span. I was able to find it on my TV's youtube app. I'm grateful. After watching Fox, I felt like I needed a shower!

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Yes. I just do the youtube channel. They don't even have pundits to try to shove forward.

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Yes, same here! I switched from MSNBC to PBS thinking it would be better , then went with CSpan

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Yes. Anyone interested enough in watching is ill served by talking heads. You'd think PBS, of all networks, would understand.

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Aug 22Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Wishing Jill a speedy recovery and hope the rest of the family and you stay well! It has seemed for a long time that President Clinton has been struggling neurologically. Let's give him the grace he deserves.

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Good comment, Lisa. Let's be kind to our friends who travel with us in their own way and magnanimous to those who are coming over. On the latter group, realize that It is not an easy thing to change what is to many a deep seated conviction. Trump took over the core of the Republican Party, much of conservative Christianity -- including white Evangelicals and anti-abortion Catholics -- and the rich and prosperous Republicans of Wall Street and the corporate C-suites, and made this conglomeration of interests into a religion serving his own ego. It will be hard to give that up. We don't have to convince them they were wrong. and certainly not inherently evil or stupid. We just have to convince them that there is a better way for this time and for the country we all love. Some of the best work of the convention has been showing Donald Trump's betrayal of what many Republicans want and Republican leaders agreed to on immigration and the Border -- only to try to game the horse race of the election in his favor. Lawrence O'Donnell said this morning on MSNBC that the most consequential statement of the night was made by Geoff Duncan, Republican, who is the former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. Speaking directly to his fellow Republicans, he said, "If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024, you are not , a Democrat -- you are a patriot." I think this is a very important point. In any way we can, we need to echo that statement to all of our fellow citizens.

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Mea culpa on my errant comma. Duncan's quote, "If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024, you are not a Democrat -- you are a patriot."

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Love your insight, Patrick. I also love what the mayor of Mesa, Arizona--a Republican--said. That if you were a Republican, you need have no shame or fear about voting for Harris, because there was nothing left of the Republican party you belonged to for decades.

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Yes, that was a terrific statement by Duncan, and I hope many repeat it!

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