Scott Walker Dropping White House Bid - Reports The Wisconsin governor is reportedly set to become the second Republican candidate to bow out of the 2016 US presidential race. 22:41, UK, Monday 21 September 2015
Incredible that just 2 months ago he was leading the polls and 6 months ago he was the supposed GOP establishment favourite.
It's fun to watch HYUFD squirm and try to defend the utter hypocrisy being shown here. A smarter person would just give up for a few hours and hope it will all be forgotten (the Cameron option perhaps).
But these Loyalists are nothing if not zealots and they just cannot give up a thread on Scotland hate no matter what sort of contortions their arguments require,.
Its fun to watch nats like you try to deny that Corbyn's election has boosted the Scottish Tories when the facts are clear, yougov had the Tories on 21% in Scotland yesterday, Comres the Tories on 23% in Scotland. In both polls the SNP were also below the 50% they got at the election. Attack me all you like, I let the facts speak for themselves
Your reaching desperation is becoming more and more comical. You are now a mere parody of the typical Tory supporting, Labour voting North British Loyalist.
Now Corbyn has been elected, and the SNP are untouched, SLAB unboosted, you turn to a brand new straw clutching argument, and worse you are trying to base it on two tiny subsamples, one of which you have already said is rubbish.
Please don't stop, your comedy value is excellent.
First the SNP is not untouched, they won 50% at the election, comres yesterday had them down to 49%, yougov had them down to 44%. Yougov yesterday had SLAB up to 28%. As for the Scottish Tories when one poll shows them up it could be an outlier, when two do it suggests a trend.
I would not worry too much. Especially about Dair - he does come across a bit sour faced at times. I'm not too fussed about Labour - they have had a long run in Scotland to no real effect. The Tories can only offer - well Conservative policies really, so whilst I hope they can propose them sensibly (as they did last May) a big burden still rests with the Scottish electorate. I grant you that (in a nice way really) Scotland is a bit peculiar in what it wants - it is not really clear what it wants I suppose - but the Tories can only do their best to divine what that is. Lets wait and see.
Oh I am not worried about Dair, he is the leading cybernat on pb and anyone who does not have Salmond and Sturgeon's portrait on the wall and Braveheart on perpetual re-run on the DVD player will be derided as a 'loyalist.' Scotland is clearly not natural Tory territory, outside of the Borders, so for the Tories to be back over 20% would be an achievement for them
I really hate the word "shag". It sounds so, I don't know, hairy and perfunctory. A quick poke on a nylon carpet in some second rate and faintly smelly B&B. Lust is wonderful. Sex is great. Fuck is awesome. But "shag" - so common, as Alan Bennett's mother might have put it (except she wouldn't, of course).
I think your interpretation of "shag" is spot on, and I think that's the beauty of the English language. "A quick shag", particularly with the right intonation, describes exactly what it is. I think your hatred of the word is actually tribute to its qualities, Ugly words have as much right to the light as lovely words.
I love the English language. I love its vulgarity and muscularity and clarity and the way you can paint pictures with words. I love the way it soars above the quotidian and can in a moment bring you to earth with a bump. It is wonderfully supple and musical.
But - at the risk of shocking Mr C Royale even more - in communication - as indeed in sex - speed is not a virtue.
I have learnt the hard way that, in communication, speed can indeed be a virtue.
My wife was backing up her truck, me in the passenger seat.
Me "Honey, mind the back of the ...." Crunch as she hits my car. Wife "Why didn't you just yell 'STOP!'?"
That conversation could work in other contexts too.
:0
Especially if it's a Dodge Ram
In Amman, saw a bumper sticker on a Dodge Ram - Dodge the father, Ram the daughter. Seemed somehow inappropriate for the Middle East.
It was in fact a Chevy 3500 dually, crew cab extra long bed. Alas, the car was a Volvo. Not a fair match.
I still can't believe I actually watched that game last night. And paid for the priviliege. Three times.
How early in the season can you sack the head coach?
Kirk Cousins is not, IMO, a franchise quarterback. But he will do well so long as the Skins have a decent running game and his line can protect him. With time in the pocket, he can be accurate if not spectacular.
Apparently he and RG3 are no longer on speaking terms.
It also says he did not take it himself, was embarrassed others were, but did not feel he could say anything
Then he's a weak tosspot. He's the PM for fecks sake. Any hint of him turning a blind eye to some posh twat snorting Columbian marching powder in his presence could well be terminal for him.
Why? It was well known Blair attended dinners with celebs like George Michael where drugs were taken. What do you expect him to do, demand his protection officers arrest half his fellow guests?
| would expect a sensible politician to make his excuses, leave and not come back. It is way too risky, even by association.
Never mind Blair and George Michael - With his wife in Australia, Blair allowed himself as PM to be taken by Rebecca Brookes to a party where he was plied with ... lobbyists.
Oh - ''some posh twat snorting Columbian marching powder'' is a pretty poor way to talk about SeanT.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
It also says he did not take it himself, was embarrassed others were, but did not feel he could say anything
Then he's a weak tosspot. He's the PM for fecks sake. Any hint of him turning a blind eye to some posh twat snorting Columbian marching powder in his presence could well be terminal for him.
Why? It was well known Blair attended dinners with celebs like George Michael where drugs were taken. What do you expect him to do, demand his protection officers arrest half his fellow guests?
Well, yes. He can't spout stuff like this
"I don’t believe in decriminalising drugs that are illegal today. I’m a parent with three children; I don’t want to send out a message that somehow taking these drugs is OK or safe.”
Then just turn a blind eye to his mates doing a few lines while he's around, because he feels a bit awkward. If he gets himself into those sort of positions, perhaps he really isn't fit to be PM.
He was invited to a party with several high profile figures, not a drugs orgy, it has zero ability concerning his ability to PM and rumours are both Obama and George W Bush managed to become president having had at least a past acquaintance with the white snuff
But not actually during their presidency?
Well neither has Cameron during his premiership, but given the number of parties with A Listers US presidents attend I would not be surprised if some drugtaking was going on when they were on the premises
Fiorina, buy at 15; Rubio, buy at 8; Kasich buy at 25s only.
Trump, hold at 7s. Bush, hold at 2.75ish
Carson - unsure as bookies have him at 9s where betfair has him at 20s. I think the latter right.
Others effectively sell.
I'm sure others will have strong and different opinions but let's not forget this morning RichardN thought Walker was in with a shout!!
Feeling a little smug that I said he was all but down and out in that same thread.
What's the next event on the calendar?
Next GOP debate 28 October in Colorado First Dem debate 13 October in Las Vegas
Next Trump gaffe - tomorrow? Next batch of Hillary emails - end of the month.
Ta muchly.
Would say, Biden, have to be at the Dem debate if he wanted to run, practically speaking?
Practically he has until Nov.27th which is the filling date for him to enter the N.H primary.
His focus would be on North Carolina, not immediately a very friendly state for him unless he can get the Black Caucus to endorse him over Hillary.
In fact, I think his would-be backers want him to make up his mind yesterday and will become very unforgiving if he dithers beyond the end of this month. He would IMO do himself harm if he were not at the first debate and then decided to throw his hat in the ring at a later date.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. .
True - as most of us are not in a position to make up our minds based off the facts, it's just 'someone said x, can you believe that based on your gut?' A copout answer really - she wanted to sell copies, and Ashcroft dislikes Cameron, whatever the truth or not of the accusations short of the photo emerging and being proven genuine it will not otherwise be proven, so taking the risk to publish on scant evidence is purely for those personal reasons. Which is fine, but don't dress up as more than it is.
The coach that needs firing looks like Chip Kelly.
Yes, I was talking about Chip Kelly.
I have NFL gamepass (payed for), but that game was blacked out becuase it was on Sky. I can only watch Sky on my 4" phone (payed for). So I payed to watch it PPV.
And regretted it for 3 straight hours
You need to move to the USA and get DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket Max. TimT and myself will help with any cultural problems.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
Isabell Oakshott is the daughter of the LibDem lefty fanatic Lord Oakshott a big critic of the Tories. Her excuses on Newsnight were not convincing. Dodgy dad, dodgy daughter?
The Times -- ''Scotland Yard abandoned a central part of its Westminster paedophile investigation last night, claiming it could no longer stand by its assertion that three children were murdered by VIP child abusers. The Metropolitan police retreated from a controversial statement last year in which it said that lurid allegations about a sadistic child-sex group at the Dolphin Square apartment complex were “credible and true”. '' What a way to run a police force...
The Times -- ''Sensational claims that David Cameron engaged in obscene activities with a pig’s head while a student at Oxford were unravelling last night after the authors of a new biography admitted they had failed to corroborate the story. The prime minister was subjected to humiliation and ridicule yesterday over claims that he performed an indecent act with a pig during a bizarre initiation ritual. One of the authors said, however, that they “couldn’t get to the bottom” of the charge, but printed it anyway ... Friends of the prime minister vigorously contest the account, pointing out that he was not even a member of the exotic Oxford club where the ceremony is supposed to have taken place.'' (will it be in the book when published as opposed to the Daly Mail extract? Or will it be the biggest book pulp in Biteback history?)
Many I suppose will be surprised at the moderate nature of the Bullingdon Club in the hierarchy of Oxford drinking clubs.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
The papers do tend to overplay their hand, though. A bit like the incessant hoo ha over Corbyn and his tie etc. At some point it tips over into bullying. This weekend I was speaking to someone who is small "c" conservative, doesn't like Corbyn at all but felt that, though Corbyn was a bit scruffily dressed, the press were being ridiculously OTT over a republican not singing "God save the Queen". Cameron could benefit from the same sense that papers are being used to pursue some private vendetta.
And while I don't favour at all state regulation of the press, you'd have thought that some of them would remember that they're not particularly popular. Cameron may not sue - but there are others who might be attacked/hurt and who might feel less constrained about answering back.
I'm more interested in the cui bono question. Why now? And who benefits?
The coach that needs firing looks like Chip Kelly.
Yes, I was talking about Chip Kelly.
I have NFL gamepass (payed for), but that game was blacked out becuase it was on Sky. I can only watch Sky on my 4" phone (payed for). So I payed to watch it PPV.
And regretted it for 3 straight hours
You need to move to the USA and get DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket Max. TimT and myself will help with any cultural problems.
Scott, do I remember you used to live in PA or somewhere like that?
The DirecTV ads on TV using various QBs as themselves and their own alter egos are very funny.
Corridors of powder: Drug scandal at the Houses of Parliament after ... www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Corridors-powder-Drug-scandal-Houses-Parliamen...
Jul 14, 2013 -
Traces of the class A drug were found in nine toilets throughout the Palace Of Westminster, the meeting place of the UK's political elite. Just saying.....
The real news tonight announced on Newsnight by Mark Urban to Maitlis, is that over the weekend Russia has snuck a further 25 jets, including bombers and 20 helicopters into their airbase at Lakatia, Syria, making 50 first class strike force to be used in defence of Assad.
Whether you wory about Dair or nor does not change the fact that your posts are pretty extreme in their blind hope of the Tory revival in Scotland which is rather like the great white hope of American heavyweight boxers.
No serious commentator uses cross breaks to establish anything at all except over a run of a large number. At any rate the sub samples yesterday were contradictory and were for Westminster elections not Scottish Parliament ones.
We have had many as 8 real polls in Scotland since the May election and all show the SNP substantially even touching 60 per cent in two, Labour down and the Tories going exactly no-where.
That may change , of course, but you just make yourself look silly relying on the paltry evidence that you have presented. Not as silly as the Prime Minister looks right now but silly nonetheless.
@MTimT Dez is out for 8 weeks, Romo for about 8 weeks - is the Kirk Cousins era dawning in DC?
I still can't believe I actually watched that game last night. And paid for the priviliege. Three times.
How early in the season can you sack the head coach?
Kirk Cousins is not, IMO, a franchise quarterback. But he will do well so long as the Skins have a decent running game and his line can protect him. With time in the pocket, he can be accurate if not spectacular.
Apparently he and RG3 are no longer on speaking terms.
Is anyone on the team on speaking terms with RG3?
The main thing I know about American Football is that you have to have a running game. Big admirer of John Riggins. But I have to say its all passed me by for a great many years now,.
Over the weekend, Russia deployed a dozen Su-24 Fencer and another dozen Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack planes, bringing to 28 the number of combat aircraft at the base, a senior United States official said on Monday. Until the weekend, the only combat planes on the base had been four Flanker air-to-air fighters.
The real news tonight announced on Newsnight by Mark Urban to Maitlis, is that over the weekend Russia has snuck a further 25 jets, including bombers and 20 helicopters into their airbase at Lakatia, Syria, making 50 first class strike force to be used in defence of Assad.
Watch out for fireworks over the next few weeks.
Uncle joe and the Ruskies have been at loggerheads since WW2. The one difference is they just fight it out in other people's countries.
Whether you wory about Dair or nor does not change the fact that your posts are pretty extreme in their blind hope of the Tory revival in Scotland which is rather like the great white hope of American heavyweight boxers.
No serious commentator uses cross breaks to establish anything at all except over a run of a large number. At any rate the sub samples yesterday were contradictory and were for Westminster elections not Scottish Parliament ones.
We have had many as 8 real polls in Scotland since the May election and all show the SNP substantially even touching 60 per cent in two, Labour down and the Tories going exactly no-where.
That may change , of course, but you just make yourself look silly relying on the paltry evidence that you have presented. Not as silly as the Prime Minister looks right now but silly nonetheless.
Yes, but all the polls you are talking about were taken pre Corbyn's election, since Corbyn's election yougov had the LDs in Scotland down to 2%, so there has clearly been a shift from the LDs to the Tories and coupled with the fall in the SNP share that could explain the rise
The coach that needs firing looks like Chip Kelly.
Yes, I was talking about Chip Kelly.
I have NFL gamepass (payed for), but that game was blacked out becuase it was on Sky. I can only watch Sky on my 4" phone (payed for). So I payed to watch it PPV.
And regretted it for 3 straight hours
You need to move to the USA and get DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket Max. TimT and myself will help with any cultural problems.
Scott, do I remember you used to live in PA or somewhere like that?
The DirecTV ads on TV using various QBs as themselves and their own alter egos are very funny.
For those who haven't seen them here are a couple, starting with Tony Romo -
@MTimT Dez is out for 8 weeks, Romo for about 8 weeks - is the Kirk Cousins era dawning in DC?
I still can't believe I actually watched that game last night. And paid for the priviliege. Three times.
How early in the season can you sack the head coach?
Kirk Cousins is not, IMO, a franchise quarterback. But he will do well so long as the Skins have a decent running game and his line can protect him. With time in the pocket, he can be accurate if not spectacular.
Apparently he and RG3 are no longer on speaking terms.
Is anyone on the team on speaking terms with RG3?
The main thing I know about American Football is that you have to have a running game. Big admirer of John Riggins. But I have to say its all passed me by for a great many years now,.
Actually, you need balance between the running and throwing games. Traditionally, you establish the run early in the game so that the defense has to set up to prevent the run, then you punish it with the throwing game, which in turn opens up the defense for longer runs.
The coach that needs firing looks like Chip Kelly.
Yes, I was talking about Chip Kelly.
I have NFL gamepass (payed for), but that game was blacked out becuase it was on Sky. I can only watch Sky on my 4" phone (payed for). So I payed to watch it PPV.
And regretted it for 3 straight hours
You need to move to the USA and get DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket Max. TimT and myself will help with any cultural problems.
Try VPN. Google it, find the best deal and you should be able to get US TV with out a problem on your computer (as long as you use the USA link). Of course you won't be best friends with GCHQ.
Damian McBride @DPMcBride 1h1 hour ago Just won the quiz at the Prince Regent in Cambridge. Every team was trying to think of pig-related names. That's what I call cut-through.
Damian McBride @DPMcBride 1h1 hour ago Just won the quiz at the Prince Regent in Cambridge. Every team was trying to think of pig-related names. That's what I call cut-through.
Corridors of powder: Drug scandal at the Houses of Parliament after ... www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Corridors-powder-Drug-scandal-Houses-Parliamen...
Jul 14, 2013 -
Traces of the class A drug were found in nine toilets throughout the Palace Of Westminster, the meeting place of the UK's political elite. Just saying.....
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
Probably the worst defence to a libel action the court will have heard.
And it leaves Lord Ashcroft - and Isabel Oakeshott - open to being on the wrong end of some extremely dodgy reporting "to allow people to make up their own minds" whether that reporting was a steaming pile of pooh...
On topic, I expect this pig stuff will stick. I'm less clear what that will mean in practice. We already knew that David Cameron had been quite wild at university and that he's posh.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
What sort of journalist puts a salacious claim like that in her book when she can't even say it's definitely true herself? How can people decide for themselves when she won't even provide any further information of what the source is?
It sounds like she has published something she knows is untrue, and is now trying to row back on it. Her journalistic integrity is shot.
I haven't contributed to this site for all that long but I have already gone through at least three supposed Tory revivals based on the occasional sub samples and many desperate suggestions that the SNP were just about to lose ground. Mike even once suggested that real polls were innacurate because of Scottish accents on the telephone!
What then happened? The Tory vote went down yet again at the election and the SNP swept the field.
Right now real polls suggest that the SNP are winning again for the Scottish elections. There is not a shred of evidence that Corbyn will make any difference to Labour never mind to the Tories. Things could change of course but at this point your lot are sunk yet again. If and when you get real evidence to the contrary then cite it but don't clutch at straw polls - they will break in your fingers.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
Probably the worst defence to a libel action the court will have heard.
And it leaves Lord Ashcroft - and Isabel Oakeshott - open to being on the wrong end of some extremely dodgy reporting "to allow people to make up their own minds" whether that reporting was a steaming pile of pooh...
Anyway, if there is a court case, I doubt there will be one [ Remember: Andrew Mitchell ], we will get to know who the "contemporary" Tory MP is.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
I'd always quite liked Oakeshott but this single source reporting of allegations sounds like quite a risk. She also acknowledged on newsnight that these allegations had been very carefully drafted and had been included to allow the reader to make up their own mind. So it comes down to "this bloke told me this titillating story that I've been unable to substantiate but which I've published anyway so that you can make your own mind up". She must have been paid quite a lot. Even if, as you say, Cameron won't sue, her reputation will be damaged unless substantiation is forthcoming.
Doubts about the veracity of these racy bits also undermine the suggestion that Cameron knew the truth about Ashcroft's non-dom situation before he said he did. This is the real issue on what has been revealed this far.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
I'd always quite liked Oakeshott but this single source reporting of allegations sounds like quite a risk. She also acknowledged on newsnight that these allegations had been very carefully drafted and had been included to allow the reader to make up their own mind. So it comes down to "this bloke told me this titillating story that I've been unable to substantiate but which I've published anyway so that you can make your own mind up". She must have been paid quite a lot. Even if, as you say, Cameron won't sue, her reputation will be damaged unless substantiation is forthcoming.
Doubts about the veracity of these racy bits also undermine the suggestion that Cameron knew the truth about Ashcroft's non-dom situation before he said he did. This is the real issue on what has been revealed this far.
He took notes apparently and a timeline will not be too difficult to work out.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
The papers do tend to overplay their hand, though. A bit like the incessant hoo ha over Corbyn and his tie etc. At some point it tips over into bullying. This weekend I was speaking to someone who is small "c" conservative, doesn't like Corbyn at all but felt that, though Corbyn was a bit scruffily dressed, the press were being ridiculously OTT over a republican not singing "God save the Queen". Cameron could benefit from the same sense that papers are being used to pursue some private vendetta. And while I don't favour at all state regulation of the press, you'd have thought that some of them would remember that they're not particularly popular. Cameron may not sue - but there are others who might be attacked/hurt and who might feel less constrained about answering back. I'm more interested in the cui bono question. Why now? And who benefits?
Ashcroft gets to vent some bile, sadly. As for the Corbyn comparison yes you have a point. But the Corbyn thing is here and now not a bit of pointless fiction. Corbyn is demonstrating to all and sundry what he is... good luck with that if he wants to lead a party and win an election. What he shows is that he does not really know how to nor is really interested. Ignoring that point hardly makes it any less of a pressing one for the PLP. Ed Miliband is hardly a good example of what happens when you look a berk. You would have thought Corbyn would have picked up on that.
I'm surprised Scott Walker is going to drop out of the White House bid, given the front three in the polls are clearly bubble candidates.
He sank like a stone over the summer. He was a Johnny One Note candidate, harping on how he won 3 elections in 4 years, and turned round Wisconsin. It got tedious to hear.
In dropping out, Walker encouraged other Republicans to do the same so that "voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current front runner." In making that plea, Walker did not name the current front-runner, businessman Donald Trump.
I'm surprised Scott Walker is going to drop out of the White House bid, given the front three in the polls are clearly bubble candidates.
He sank like a stone over the summer. He was a Johnny One Note candidate, harping on how he won 3 elections in 4 years, and turned round Wisconsin. It got tedious to hear.
In dropping out, Walker encouraged other Republicans to do the same so that "voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current front runner." In making that plea, Walker did not name the current front-runner, businessman Donald Trump.
Sure, but look how volatile the race was last time. He could have still had his second chance. Trump, Carson, Fiorina are all jokes, and Bush, Rubio, Kasich have all committed ideological faux pas.
I'm surprised Scott Walker is going to drop out of the White House bid, given the front three in the polls are clearly bubble candidates.
He sank like a stone over the summer. He was a Johnny One Note candidate, harping on how he won 3 elections in 4 years, and turned round Wisconsin. It got tedious to hear.
In dropping out, Walker encouraged other Republicans to do the same so that "voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current front runner." In making that plea, Walker did not name the current front-runner, businessman Donald Trump.
Sure, but look how volatile the race was last time. He could have still had his second chance. Trump, Carson, Fiorina are all jokes, and Bush, Rubio, Kasich have all committed ideological faux pas.
Fiorina is not a joke - and the race is probably more volatile this time.
Now we apparently have new libel laws [We write any old rubbish that we can think of and let people "make up their own minds" whether its true] will Mike let us have a free-for-all on posting all those incredible, lurid allegations we've come across on the internet over the years but have never been able to repost on PB because "PB Moderator" has said Mike doesn't want to be sued?
I haven't contributed to this site for all that long but I have already gone through at least three supposed Tory revivals based on the occasional sub samples and many desperate suggestions that the SNP were just about to lose ground. Mike even once suggested that real polls were innacurate because of Scottish accents on the telephone!
What then happened? The Tory vote went down yet again at the election and the SNP swept the field.
Right now real polls suggest that the SNP are winning again for the Scottish elections. There is not a shred of evidence that Corbyn will make any difference to Labour never mind to the Tories. Things could change of course but at this point your lot are sunk yet again. If and when you get real evidence to the contrary then cite it but don't clutch at straw polls - they will break in your fingers.
These are not straw polls they are scientific and none of the pre election polls before May had the Tories over 20%, night
I'm surprised Scott Walker is going to drop out of the White House bid, given the front three in the polls are clearly bubble candidates.
He sank like a stone over the summer. He was a Johnny One Note candidate, harping on how he won 3 elections in 4 years, and turned round Wisconsin. It got tedious to hear.
In dropping out, Walker encouraged other Republicans to do the same so that "voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current front runner." In making that plea, Walker did not name the current front-runner, businessman Donald Trump.
Sure, but look how volatile the race was last time. He could have still had his second chance. Trump, Carson, Fiorina are all jokes, and Bush, Rubio, Kasich have all committed ideological faux pas.
Fiorina is not a joke - and the race is probably more volatile this time.
Fiorina ("Fury") 161 - the prison planet in Alien 3.
Surely the main impact of this story is that it makes it much more likely that Cameron will follow through on his promise, and resign before 2020. Which in itself is a result for anti-Tories, given Cameron's relative popularity.
Other than that, I doubt it will shift a single constituency. It might not shift a single vote.
I am wholly unmoved by it. I read far worse stuff in my work. I am not typical however.
I am curious as to how the lawyers got comfortable if Oakeshott has no credible evidence supporting the allegations.
I'm surprised Scott Walker is going to drop out of the White House bid, given the front three in the polls are clearly bubble candidates.
He sank like a stone over the summer. He was a Johnny One Note candidate, harping on how he won 3 elections in 4 years, and turned round Wisconsin. It got tedious to hear.
In dropping out, Walker encouraged other Republicans to do the same so that "voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current front runner." In making that plea, Walker did not name the current front-runner, businessman Donald Trump.
Sure, but look how volatile the race was last time. He could have still had his second chance. Trump, Carson, Fiorina are all jokes, and Bush, Rubio, Kasich have all committed ideological faux pas.
Fiorina is not a joke - and the race is probably more volatile this time.
Fiorina's only claim to fame is running HP into the ground.
The real news tonight announced on Newsnight by Mark Urban to Maitlis, is that over the weekend Russia has snuck a further 25 jets, including bombers and 20 helicopters into their airbase at Lakatia, Syria, making 50 first class strike force to be used in defence of Assad.
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
Isabell Oakshott is the daughter of the LibDem lefty fanatic Lord Oakshott a big critic of the Tories. Her excuses on Newsnight were not convincing. Dodgy dad, dodgy daughter?
Isabel Oakeshott, co-author of book, says she's reporting the pig claim in order to "allow people to make up their own minds". #newsnight @jimwaterston
I heard this earlier... Sounds very, very dodgy. They have clearly gambled that they can print any old rubbish and the Camerons won't sue them because Dave is Prime Minister...
And regrettably they are probably right.
What sort of journalist puts a salacious claim like that in her book when she can't even say it's definitely true herself? How can people decide for themselves when she won't even provide any further information of what the source is?
It sounds like she has published something she knows is untrue, and is now trying to row back on it. Her journalistic integrity is shot.
If there's anyone I feel sorry for in this - apart from Cameron's kids - it's Oakeshott - her journalistic career is in serious trouble - as I suspect she fully appreciates
Stepping back, the only "winners" in this - so far- are the Daily Mail. The losers:
Cameron - subject of ridicule based on a story which is quite possibly untrue Ashcroft - shafted by the Mail with it's "Revenge" headline - clever hedging from the Mail. Oakeshott - sold her journalistic integrity for a vengeful billionaire's shilling. Cameron's family - the idea that your parents actually did sex more often than was strictly required to create them can be an unpleasant revelation - so goodness knows what this will do....
Oakeshott added: “What we have said is that this is the account that we were given and we initially dismissed it as a joke. However the source repeated it on a number of occasions so we have left people to decide for themselves whether it’s true.”
Oakeshott added: “What we have said is that this is the account that we were given and we initially dismissed it as a joke. However the source repeated it on a number of occasions so we have left people to decide for themselves whether it’s true.”
How can people "decide for themselves" without knowing the name of the source?
Isabel Oakeshott is being a little disingenuous here,- the allegation may be true, or not, but without knowing the source of the allegation which I believe is the norm in a biography, a small but vital part of the decision process is missing.
I did find this bit amusing however: Oakshott said: “Let’s put this story in context because it is a few paragraphs in a book which is some two hundred thousand words long.”
The 'context' becomes clear - she's either anxious to change the subject, or an idiot.
Surely the main impact of this story is that it makes it much more likely that Cameron will follow through on his promise, and resign before 2020. Which in itself is a result for anti-Tories, given Cameron's relative popularity.
Other than that, I doubt it will shift a single constituency. It might not shift a single vote.
It's interesting to note that Hills have recently taken down their "When will David Cameron cease to be leader of the Conservative Party?" market and that no other bookie is running with this or any similar market. My own guesss is that win or lose, DC will give up the top job within a year of the result of the EU referendum. Assuming that takes place in early May 2017 which seems the most likely date, he could be gone by the time of the party conference four months later. As Labour have recently shown very effectively, it's not a great idea to drag out leadership elections.
Surely the main impact of this story is that it makes it much more likely that Cameron will follow through on his promise, and resign before 2020. Which in itself is a result for anti-Tories, given Cameron's relative popularity.
Other than that, I doubt it will shift a single constituency. It might not shift a single vote.
It's interesting to note that Hills have recently taken down their "When will David Cameron cease to be leader of the Conservative Party?" market and that no other bookie is running with this or any similar market. My own guesss is that win or lose, DC will give up the top job within a year of the result of the EU referendum. Assuming that takes place in early May 2017 which seems the most likely date, he could be gone by the time of the party conference four months later. As Labour have recently shown very effectively, it's not a great idea to drag out leadership elections.
Good evening, Peter. Fancy seeing you here at this hour!
Comments
It was in fact a Chevy 3500 dually, crew cab extra long bed. Alas, the car was a Volvo. Not a fair match.
Oh - ''some posh twat snorting Columbian marching powder'' is a pretty poor way to talk about SeanT.
And regrettably they are probably right.
In fact, I think his would-be backers want him to make up his mind yesterday and will become very unforgiving if he dithers beyond the end of this month. He would IMO do himself harm if he were not at the first debate and then decided to throw his hat in the ring at a later date.
On the same campus yesterday Bernie Sanders had over 3,000.
That's a perfect example of the 'enthusiasm gap'.
What a way to run a police force...
The Times -- ''Sensational claims that David Cameron engaged in obscene activities with a pig’s head while a student at Oxford were unravelling last night after the authors of a new biography admitted they had failed to corroborate the story.
The prime minister was subjected to humiliation and ridicule yesterday over claims that he performed an indecent act with a pig during a bizarre initiation ritual. One of the authors said, however, that they “couldn’t get to the bottom” of the charge, but printed it anyway ... Friends of the prime minister vigorously contest the account, pointing out that he was not even a member of the exotic Oxford club where the ceremony is supposed to have taken place.''
(will it be in the book when published as opposed to the Daly Mail extract? Or will it be the biggest book pulp in Biteback history?)
Many I suppose will be surprised at the moderate nature of the Bullingdon Club in the hierarchy of Oxford drinking clubs.
And while I don't favour at all state regulation of the press, you'd have thought that some of them would remember that they're not particularly popular. Cameron may not sue - but there are others who might be attacked/hurt and who might feel less constrained about answering back.
I'm more interested in the cui bono question. Why now? And who benefits?
The DirecTV ads on TV using various QBs as themselves and their own alter egos are very funny.
www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Corridors-powder-Drug-scandal-Houses-Parliamen...
Jul 14, 2013 -
Traces of the class A drug were found in nine toilets throughout the Palace Of Westminster, the meeting place of the UK's political elite.
Just saying.....
Watch out for fireworks over the next few weeks.
I used to go to The Vet for Dallas Philly games.
Whether you wory about Dair or nor does not change the fact that your posts are pretty extreme in their blind hope of the Tory revival in Scotland which is rather like the great white hope of American heavyweight boxers.
No serious commentator uses cross breaks to establish anything at all except over a run of a large number. At any rate the sub samples yesterday were contradictory and were for Westminster elections not Scottish Parliament ones.
We have had many as 8 real polls in Scotland since the May election and all show the SNP substantially even touching 60 per cent in two, Labour down and the Tories going exactly no-where.
That may change , of course, but you just make yourself look silly relying on the paltry evidence that you have presented. Not as silly as the Prime Minister looks right now but silly nonetheless.
Over the weekend, Russia deployed a dozen Su-24 Fencer and another dozen Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack planes, bringing to 28 the number of combat aircraft at the base, a senior United States official said on Monday. Until the weekend, the only combat planes on the base had been four Flanker air-to-air fighters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfavFFw194A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSNPiMnNPpU
They are based on a series of Rob Lowe commercials...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbB9ANVQ1Ws
http://dailym.ai/1MFrXYi
"He [David Cameron] can scratch a pig's back so effectively the creature sighs".
Lived for a while in Little Italy.
Living near Philly no wonder you hate the Cowboys
Just won the quiz at the Prince Regent in Cambridge. Every team was trying to think of pig-related names. That's what I call cut-through.
http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/revellers-Swansea-traces-Class-drugs-says-cop/story-26176698-detail/story.html
http://www.sheptonmalletjournal.co.uk/Castle-Cary-pubs-taking-stand-traces-Class-drugs/story-20669897-detail/story.html
http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/Police-swoop-test-pub-loos-drug-use/story-12651781-detail/story.html
just saying...
One thing not mentioned about the Ashcroft book regarding his weed smoking. Not denied by anybody.
And it leaves Lord Ashcroft - and Isabel Oakeshott - open to being on the wrong end of some extremely dodgy reporting "to allow people to make up their own minds" whether that reporting was a steaming pile of pooh...
Who knows, we could be supporting Assad soon.
It sounds like she has published something she knows is untrue, and is now trying to row back on it. Her journalistic integrity is shot.
I haven't contributed to this site for all that long but I have already gone through at least three supposed Tory revivals based on the occasional sub samples and many desperate suggestions that the SNP were just about to lose ground. Mike even once suggested that real polls were innacurate because of Scottish accents on the telephone!
What then happened? The Tory vote went down yet again at the election and the SNP swept the field.
Right now real polls suggest that the SNP are winning again for the Scottish elections. There is not a shred of evidence that Corbyn will make any difference to Labour never mind to the Tories. Things could change of course but at this point your lot are sunk yet again. If and when you get real evidence to the contrary then cite it but don't clutch at straw polls - they will break in your fingers.
Doubts about the veracity of these racy bits also undermine the suggestion that Cameron knew the truth about Ashcroft's non-dom situation before he said he did. This is the real issue on what has been revealed this far.
I think Mike is right about this. The social media is alive with increasingly inventive ways to make the Prime Minster look ridiculous.
#justsaying
As for the Corbyn comparison yes you have a point. But the Corbyn thing is here and now not a bit of pointless fiction. Corbyn is demonstrating to all and sundry what he is... good luck with that if he wants to lead a party and win an election. What he shows is that he does not really know how to nor is really interested. Ignoring that point hardly makes it any less of a pressing one for the PLP.
Ed Miliband is hardly a good example of what happens when you look a berk. You would have thought Corbyn would have picked up on that.
In dropping out, Walker encouraged other Republicans to do the same so that "voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current front runner." In making that plea, Walker did not name the current front-runner, businessman Donald Trump.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/09/21/scott-walker-suspends-presidential-campaign/
I know his niece quite well.
Come on Mike. What do you think?
http://conservativepapers.com/news/2015/09/20/czechs-and-slovaks-against-refugees-and-merkel/
I am curious as to how the lawyers got comfortable if Oakeshott has no credible evidence supporting the allegations.
Today the Mail's revelation is that 'Rich MP has rich friends'......
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3243870/The-secrets-Dave-s-Chipping-Snorton-set-Drugs-parties-gilded-world-Cotswold-elite-s-oh-home-with.html
Meanwhile, the more damaging revelation - about when Cameron knew about Ashcroft's non-dom status largely passes undiscussed.....
Cameron - subject of ridicule based on a story which is quite possibly untrue
Ashcroft - shafted by the Mail with it's "Revenge" headline - clever hedging from the Mail.
Oakeshott - sold her journalistic integrity for a vengeful billionaire's shilling.
Cameron's family - the idea that your parents actually did sex more often than was strictly required to create them can be an unpleasant revelation - so goodness knows what this will do....
In a poll that came out the last week in July, he was leading in Wisconsin.
In other political news = On Face the Nation yesterday, Hillary Clinton said she was the ultimate outsider.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/sep/22/lord-ashcroft-biography-david-cameron-defence-book-syria-libya
How can people "decide for themselves" without knowing the name of the source?
I did find this bit amusing however: Oakshott said: “Let’s put this story in context because it is a few paragraphs in a book which is some two hundred thousand words long.”
The 'context' becomes clear - she's either anxious to change the subject, or an idiot.
My own guesss is that win or lose, DC will give up the top job within a year of the result of the EU referendum. Assuming that takes place in early May 2017 which seems the most likely date, he could be gone by the time of the party conference four months later. As Labour have recently shown very effectively, it's not a great idea to drag out leadership elections.