AZ-SEN 2022 Megathread: Mastering the Art of the Thiel

[Senator Incitatus]

I think Masters clearly dominated Kelly, who is not an able speaker. Reasonable minds can disagree (to use a favorite phrase of Marc Victor's) over the margin, but I don't think Kelly could argue he won that.

The good news for the Senator is that he didn't need to win! He avoided any clear gaffe that would be used against him, so I don't think the outcome will really shift the race much in Masters's favor. Masters should continue to catch up as he impresses undecided and independent voters. Maybe he won a point or a half point in the polls tonight but not more.

edit: I agree that Masters frequently came off as robotic, but just as Kelly stumbling over his words won't matter, weird hand motions won't matter. Probably even less, since Masters still managed to deliver his zingers cleanly. Both he and Lake's rapid response teams are already beaming them out over Twitter.

[Real Texan Politics]

Masters killed it tonight.

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

Masters killed it tonight.

k bro

[Ferguson97]

I agree Kelly didn't do fantastic, but Masters did a really terrible job. He came across as a robotic nerd and I don't see how his framing wins over swing voters.

[Neo-Malthusian Misanthrope]

I watched this debate for some reason, and my lukewarm takes are:

• Kelly started weak but ended strong enough, and fought back well
• Masters was really bad at deflecting questions which brought his performance down
• I have no idea why the Libertarian was even there but he was hilarious

[Sestak]

Wait, why are so many Atlas posters watching Senate debates now?

[Devout Centrist]

Wait, why are so many Atlas posters watching Senate debates now?

no lives

[soundchaser]

Wait, why are so many Atlas posters watching Senate debates now?

I was at work and had it on in the background. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[kwabbit]

I don't think anyone was that good. The Libertarian prevents any candidate from getting too much momentum. Even if one candidate has a good line of attack, they are also playing defense because the Libertarian can always come in. It wasn't a complete back and forth where a candidate can get the upper hand on an issue It's back, forth, back, Libertarian argues with the moderator about time and sneaks in an attack, then end of question.

Kelly isn't a great speaker but he comes across as moderate and normal. Masters can speak better but he's a little creepy. This shouldn't change much.

The real important debates are in GA and mostly PA. If Walker can seem like he has a two-digit amount of brain cells, he could right the ship a bit.

If Fetterman is too impaired, that could make his health concerns more salient and really change the race. Oz has some rhetorical skills from TV and Fetterman has trouble knocking even softball questions out of the park because of his language issues from the stroke. Fetterman could accidentally say something costly if he can't find the right words.

[Senator Incitatus]

Wait, why are so many Atlas posters watching Senate debates now?

Have you seen the Broncos-Colts game?

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

The Libertarian will probably make this like the 2020 VP debate in that anyone who cares will probably just remember his antics and little else beyond Kelly=kinda boring and Masters=kinda creepy.

[Minnesota Mike]

Wait, why are so many Atlas posters watching Senate debates now?

Have you seen the Broncos-Colts game?

Yeah that set the NFL back 50 years. Still better than a political debate.

[wbrocks67]

I don't think anyone was that good. The Libertarian prevents any candidate from getting too much momentum. Even if one candidate has a good line of attack, they are also playing defense because the Libertarian can always come in. It wasn't a complete back and forth where a candidate can get the upper hand on an issue It's back, forth, back, Libertarian argues with the moderator about time and sneaks in an attack, then end of question.

Kelly isn't a great speaker but he comes across as moderate and normal. Masters can speak better but he's a little creepy. This shouldn't change much.

The real important debates are in GA and mostly PA. If Walker can seem like he has a two-digit amount of brain cells, he could right the ship a bit.

If Fetterman is too impaired, that could make his health concerns more salient and really change the race. Oz has some rhetorical skills from TV and Fetterman has trouble knocking even softball questions out of the park because of his language issues from the stroke. Fetterman could accidentally say something costly if he can't find the right words.

Given what happened at that press conference yesterday, I wouldn't bet on it

[Person Man]

I don't think anyone was that good. The Libertarian prevents any candidate from getting too much momentum. Even if one candidate has a good line of attack, they are also playing defense because the Libertarian can always come in. It wasn't a complete back and forth where a candidate can get the upper hand on an issue It's back, forth, back, Libertarian argues with the moderator about time and sneaks in an attack, then end of question.

Kelly isn't a great speaker but he comes across as moderate and normal. Masters can speak better but he's a little creepy. This shouldn't change much.

The real important debates are in GA and mostly PA. If Walker can seem like he has a two-digit amount of brain cells, he could right the ship a bit.

If Fetterman is too impaired, that could make his health concerns more salient and really change the race. Oz has some rhetorical skills from TV and Fetterman has trouble knocking even softball questions out of the park because of his language issues from the stroke. Fetterman could accidentally say something costly if he can't find the right words.

Given what happened at that press conference yesterday, I wouldn't bet on it

Testing the power of expectations.

[wbrocks67]

I don't think anyone was that good. The Libertarian prevents any candidate from getting too much momentum. Even if one candidate has a good line of attack, they are also playing defense because the Libertarian can always come in. It wasn't a complete back and forth where a candidate can get the upper hand on an issue It's back, forth, back, Libertarian argues with the moderator about time and sneaks in an attack, then end of question.

Kelly isn't a great speaker but he comes across as moderate and normal. Masters can speak better but he's a little creepy. This shouldn't change much.

The real important debates are in GA and mostly PA. If Walker can seem like he has a two-digit amount of brain cells, he could right the ship a bit.

If Fetterman is too impaired, that could make his health concerns more salient and really change the race. Oz has some rhetorical skills from TV and Fetterman has trouble knocking even softball questions out of the park because of his language issues from the stroke. Fetterman could accidentally say something costly if he can't find the right words.

Given what happened at that press conference yesterday, I wouldn't bet on it

Testing the power of expectations.

that's my point though - i would argue the expectations were low and yesterday he made it clear he was intent on *underperforming* those incredibly low expectations lol

[GeorgiaModerate]

CNN: Trump’s Arizona slate risks turning off independent-minded voters in key Senate and governor’s races

Pretty good article featuring interviews with several voters.

[xavier110]

CNN: Trump’s Arizona slate risks turning off independent-minded voters in key Senate and governor’s races

Pretty good article featuring interviews with several voters.

The great thing about their grift is that when they lose, they can point to more fraud as a way to justify violence and more lunacy.

While I want them to lose, I do fear what happens if/when Ds lead Rs in key races here.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/gridnews/status/1578394032199401472

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

https://twitter.com/gridnews/status/1578394032199401472

lol

[2016]

After yesterday Nights Debate MASTERS is back in the Game!

[soundchaser]

After yesterday Nights Debate MASTERS is back in the Game!

My man, ten people watched the debate and they've all posted in this thread already.

[HillGoose]

there was a debate last night?

[wbrocks67]

CNN: Trump’s Arizona slate risks turning off independent-minded voters in key Senate and governor’s races

Pretty good article featuring interviews with several voters.

This sounds very much like the numerous clips we got in 2018 with McSally and Sinema, where independent voters sided with Sinema because McSally was tied to Trump.

[Progressive Pessimist]

CNN: Trump’s Arizona slate risks turning off independent-minded voters in key Senate and governor’s races

Pretty good article featuring interviews with several voters.

This would be nice. And maybe that means there won't actually be as many frustrating split ticket voters as polls are suggesting. That's the real problem with many of this years' elections.

[ProgressiveModerate]

CNN: Trump’s Arizona slate risks turning off independent-minded voters in key Senate and governor’s races

Pretty good article featuring interviews with several voters.

This would be nice. And maybe that means there won't actually be as many frustrating split ticket voters as polls are suggesting. That's the real problem with many of this years' elections.

It doesn't seem like polls neccessarily suggests high number of ticket splitters, but rather Kelly and Lake are both the more well known candidates. I would be really surprised if Lake outran Masters by like more than 2 or 3% cause even though she's well known, she isn't more appealing.