PA-SN 2022 megathread: Shrek vs. The Wizard of Oz

[Morning in Atlas]

Lamb's campaign is already looking like a Major Yikes.

Ideally Fetterman and The Progressives hold his feet to the fire for this lack of support for Pelosi, since that's what seems to work best.

Is the fact that John Fetterman held an unarmed black jogger at gunpoint, and continually tries to justify / refuses to apologize for it, really not disqualifying for you?

I support Kenyatta, FWIW, and also prefer Arkoosh to either of the frontrunners, and would have preferred Dean or Houlahan over either of the frontrunners, but if it comes down to just the two frontrunners, which I suspect it will, I do feel that it has to be Lamb over Fetterman because of the jogger incident (and more importantly, Fetterman's present-day response). Fetterman cannot be trusted to protect black lives. If he gave a serious, mea culpa speech, and decided to center his campaign on issues of racial justice, I'd certainly reconsider.

Also, I feel that Fetterman is a caricature of what blue state Dems think Trump voters look like / want their politicians to look like. The guy has been the face of the opposition to the idea that PA's election was stolen; I can assure you he isn't converting any Trump voters. Not saying he would necessarily lose, but I hate these phony arguments in favor of his supposed electoral prowess.

I've already condemned that specific incident where he held a jogger at gunpoint.

I also don't think that incident should define him and that he has atoned through his actions of support for the black community. Nevertheless, if you think it's disqualifying I'm not going to complain or hold it against you (especially if you're black).

I hope Kenyatta or Lamb hold his feet to the fire for it.

[Morning in Atlas]

I want Keyanetta

I would be fine with Kenyatta as well.

Also very funny to see the #KHive jumping ship from Kenyatta because he praised Cori Bush.

[Morning in Atlas]

I want Keyanetta

I would be fine with Kenyatta as well.

Also very funny to see the #KHive jumping ship from Kenyatta because he praised Cori Bush.

Worth noting that this is only a portion of the "K-Hive"; it seems to be a source of internal division (to the extent that an un-organized / loosely defined group can have "internal division" haha, I am wary of discussing as if they're an official, organized group). But I've seen several of the larger K-Hive accounts reiterating their support for Kenyatta and critiquing the Lamb defectors for overreacting to one photo.

For what it's worth, I am what you'd probably call K-Hive (strong supporter of any political ambitions the VP has and very sensitive to attacks on her that I feel are rooted in racial / gender biases - but I don't actually post on Twitter, just lurk), and I am still fully supporting Kenyatta (though I do think Lamb > Fetterman, due to the jogger incident).

Fair. The MAGA wing of the KHive would be a better term for it.

[Morning in Atlas]

Fair. The MAGA wing of the KHive would be a better term for it.

That feels like a low blow but I’ll ask in good faith what you mean by MAGA wing? When I think of MAGA on the left, the closest parallel would be a) ppl who won’t support the Dem nominee because they aren’t left enough b) people who buy into the same sort of conspiracy theories (“DNC rigged the primary against bernie,” “Nina only lost because of dirty Jew money,” etc.) For all of some K-Hiver’s faults, you can’t dispute that they are unfailingly loyal Dem votes

I’m genuinely curious what you mean by MAGA wing, not trying to start some proxy argument with you considering we probably see eye to eye on 98% of political topics and I’m a huge fan of all your NH insights

There is a smaller (but very vocal) part of the KHive that, in my opinion, views the Democratic left as a larger threat than the GOP and would have gladly thrown the election to Trump if Bernie won the nomination. Basically, this group of fans is more concerned with their idea of the Democratic Party than the party's well-being itself.

When I talk about the MAGA wing, I'm talking about the people who promised not to support the Democratic nominee if they were too far left and boosted far-right smears against Bernie and AOC. I'm talking about the people who sent death threats to Bernie, defended the murder at Charlottesville as an "accident", and the people who turn on any politician for praising The Squad. I'm talking about the people who called for a journalist's head because she asked Lisa Murkowski about Neera Tanden's mean tweets.

This wing (which does have nonzero influence) does have some sway and it is a bit troubling. But in the grand scheme of things, it's all just a bunch of Twitter drama that doesn't matter. I think we all know that you're not a part of the MAGA wing.

[Morning in Atlas]

I am happy to inform you all that my friend is a Keyanetta-wanter.

[Morning in Atlas]

"At least one" credible Republican is considering jumping in to stop Parnell.

I'm thinking someone like Smucker or Meuser who hasn't worked to antagonize Trump.

[Morning in Atlas]

I really hope that people here don't dismiss this as "Who Cares?" and "Nothingburger". There are a lot of things that can be overlooked, but domestic abuse is not one of them.

I think it's absolutely disqualifying, but I doubt enough Pennsylvania voters feel the same way.

lmao like clockwork

[Morning in Atlas]

How did none of this come out during Parnell's Congressional run?

Anyway, if Parnell is the nominee, this race is likely D. People in this thread seem to think that PA is like Alabama, which I assure you is not the case. PA Rs need to stem the bleeding with voters in the Philly suburbs, and Parnell would be absolutely toxic to suburbanites.

Honestly the fact that Lamb didn't make this an issue is the biggest red flag against his supposed electability.

[Morning in Atlas]

Not surprised to see Conor Lamchin go along with Pelosi's Betrayal.

[Morning in Atlas]

Not surprised to see Conor Lamchin go along with Pelosi's Betrayal.

There is no universe where Lamb is even remotely comparable to Manchin.  And there was nothing wrong with that Tweet. 

One is a clown that masturbates over bipartisanship, whines about soshulizum like a Republican, and will gladly sell out the will of his constituents and the Democratic Party for donorbux.

The other is Joe Manchin.

[Morning in Atlas]

Clearly anyone who isn't totally progressive is now labeled a "Joe Manchin" which is the exact type of purity tests that the Democratic party doesn't need right now.

Yeah, good, okay.

Tell your candidate calling anyone who isn't a corporate asskisser a "socialist" isn't the type of purity test either. But of course, making hyperbolic comparisons is only okay when the centrists do it.

[Morning in Atlas]

I consider you a friend and I say this with all due respect, but I genuinely have no idea what you’re even talking about.  From everything I’ve read, the Manchin-Lamb comparison makes about as much sense as insisting a cow is really a walnut.  Lamb has been nothing but a team player who has backed progressive policies and moved to the left once he got elected.  He didn’t try to screw us with BBB and while you may prefer Fetterman, Lamb would be a solid addition to the Senate Democratic Caucus in his own right (and a committed vote for abolishing the filibuster).  

Other than not participating in meaningless virtue-signaling over a pot bill that was clearly DOA no matter what he did, I can’t even think of any votes he’s cast that would give progressives a legitimate cause for complaint.  I could be missing something (in which case please fill me in), but otherwise this is pretty silly.  Like, I get that you want Kenyatta or Fetterman, but come on.

I'm diametrically opposed to anyone who's a part of the Problem Solvers Caucus, especially affter the stunt that leadership pulled. He also was one of the most conservative members in Congress in 2018, when he was representinging much redder territory. Sure, that might not be a problem right now, but come 2026 or 2028, when PA starts to get redder, what's stopping him from stepping up and becoming the next Democrats' Lieberman or Manchin?

[Morning in Atlas]

Disappointing to see ConoR Lambchin attempting to pull the wool over his state's eyes.

[Morning in Atlas]

https://twitter.com/kenklippenstein/status/1460665616478658562?t=CAAcJhUIuR6kwNG...

The cope is incredible.

[Morning in Atlas]

First, you have the Lamb simps whining about "purity tests" and "making stretch comparisons" after Lamb tried to redbait.

Now we have them crying tHe iNTeRCePt when they reveal FEC-corroborated info that Lamb is beholden to big banks.

At least have the dignity to support a reliable Democrat like Kenyatta.

[Morning in Atlas]

Also very thankful that Our Future President is too busy governing to get into Twitter feuds with critical journalists.

[Morning in Atlas]

Lamb is to the left of Sinema. Not every moderate is a Sinema or a Manchin, don’t believe some of the Fetterman stans fearmongering.

Probably not Sinemanchin but quite possibly another Menendez/Coons/Feinstein.

IMO that's his ceiling.

[Morning in Atlas]

Nah, Lambchin loses even harder.

Fetterman could be Presidential material, but let's all get back to reality for a second. Harris exists.

[Morning in Atlas]

Nah, Lambchin loses even harder.

Fetterman could be Presidential material, but let's all get back to reality for a second. Harris exists.

This is pure nonsense, there is no evidence the man has any special political talent or appeal to anyone outside of democratic voters. He's literary never won a competitive election that wasn't a dem primary.

It's like if the republicans had some non-binary colored hair black person running who occasionally make some greenwaldian arguments on the left but is otherwise a traditional trumpist republican in terms of policy and rhetoric started hyping them up as an electoral god because they won a few primaries with a trump endorsement.

He's the democratic version of Winsome Sears
.

So he ends up winning the general in an upset. Count me in!

[Morning in Atlas]

Lamb is to the left of Sinema. Not every moderate is a Sinema or a Manchin, don’t believe some of the Fetterman stans fearmongering.

Sure. Maybe Lamb isn't as bad as Sinema.

But as long as he keeps calling Fetterman a socialist I'm going to call him a Manchinist. Keep that same energy when your candidate's the one making the ridiculous comparisons.

[Morning in Atlas]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWmCqW1sUzr/?utm_medium=copy_link

I for one want the next nominee to be a sigma male.

[Morning in Atlas]

The only reasons liberals make the Randy Bryce comparison is because of his image. John Fetterman has actually won the races he had run in in the past, unlike Bryce. He was a perennial, bad candidate who happened to get noticed because of the district he was running in.

The DAE LE IRONSTACHE XD comparison is the laziest piece of political analysis I've seen recently, and that's coming from someone who's bearish on Fetterman's appeal with the WWC.

[Morning in Atlas]

Great news!

Very glad to see our lovely establishment voters coalescing around a real Democrat. Don't let Lambchin's siren song fool you!

[Morning in Atlas]

https://twitter.com/JonathanTamari/status/1482838748924633088

The establishment hates leftists more than Manchincrats. Pass it on.

[Morning in Atlas]

https://twitter.com/JonathanTamari/status/1482838748924633088

The establishment hates leftists more than Manchincrats. Pass it on.

Not every Democrat who runs against someone you like is a Manchincrat.  Pass it on.

Let's see... conservative and a habitual flip-flopper except for when it enriches him and his family.

Sounds like a Manchincrat to me.