226 Comments

I was at a Republican Caucus tonight - my first as I usually Caucus Democrat. The AP called the results before our meeting even began. We had 240 people in attendance. Here's how the vote came down:

VR - 16 votes; Trump 51 votes; DeSantis - 64 votes; Haley 109 votes. My guess is that by the time the Republicans tally the state numbers - Trump will have barely won, if he wins here at all. The press used polling numbers to determine the outcome, not actual votes. WTF???? What ever happened to facts?

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I'm not good at math, but it appears that some didn't vote? Unfortunately that's what a lot of Seniors do not realizing this causes a problem! Had to nag my Mother to get out and vote & even with a broken back, her & my Father voted blue & dropped off her mail ballot in person to make sure it went in the box ❣️

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As with Trump's agenda and today's GOP, facts are a thing of the past.

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Actually it’s the reporters jumping the gun and reporting Entry Polling not the actual final count. Tomorrow morning the numbers may end up a lot closer than the runaway reported in the evening. At least one caucus in Council Bluffs was still hashing things out at 9 pm and another had just finished. Needless to say I won’t be living in Iowa much longer.

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I just double checked the addition and it is correct. This was a precinct caucus, one of 1681 precincts in the state.

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Julie - given that you checked the numbers, then Trump definitely may be in more trouble. I wasn’t listening to the caucus. But I heard enough comments from Iowa before the caucus that people were tired of the divisiveness and wanted to move on. The numbers you reported are more reflective of what I was hearing.

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The four Republicans at my table said those same things about divisiveness, Kay.

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He'll have declared war before you get the chance. He's half way there already

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(The total did come to 240)

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They do that frequently. It's almost like they think real votes don't matter. I'm on the left coast so they're always proselytizing the winner before our polls close and I hate that.

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I agree. It irks me and I’m in Iowa. I’m fine with the East Coast reporting local election results but national (and Congressional) election reports should be withheld until the West Coast polls close. I don’t care if that means folks have actually wait for facts verses predictions.

It’s time East coast based news reporters realize just how much they may be affecting voters on the West coast by calling races before a huge portion of the population has had a chance to vote. I know this will never happen. But I can wish.

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I don't think any results should be announced until all votes have been counted no matter how long it takes.

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Jan 16
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Because voters on the West Coast don't have anything to do with Iowa ?

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I was refering to “Election Day” in November. And probably also might be an influence on Super Tuesday. Only State candidates results-NO news on the National races.

State may give hints as to National outcome but not reveal the data for any National race.

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Reporters and MORNING JOE SHOULD.JUST SHUT UP AND STOP!.

We DEMOCRATS DO NOT WANT TO HEAR RUMP'S NAME!

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Morming Joe's, Joes 'Accused of murdering a staff member by the president Trump.

Still besties?

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*Joe

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Stealing elections is WHAT THEY DO in trumplandia. . .

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That’s ridiculous!!!!!

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How can you say that's ridiculous when he tried to steal an election, he just didn't get away with it?

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Jane: my comment was related to Julie Stauch’s comment that the AP called the results before their caucus meeting even began. Sorry to both of you that I wasn’t more clear. Nikki Haley seems to be having an effect on other Republican voters who are tired Trump and his “chaos”.

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Iowa was hardly a surprise but losing not only a top attorney but his entire firm is a nice blow. I suspect you're educated guesses are correct about the reasons - Trump wants to testify and he probably has not paid his bills. I hope Trump does testify in the E. Jean Carroll II case. The more he talks the deeper he digs the hole.

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But his “testimony” is a rant to his cult. Instructions perhaps. Nothing comes from his mouth but destruction and chaos.

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A judge would not allow an attorney to quit his client the day before trial because of non-payment. The reason has to do with ethics, inability to control the client, or the client won't take counsel advice.

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The whole thing, including the rant in the fraud trial, is most likely scripted. I quit, my client doesn't listen, we need a delay so new lawyers can get up to speed.

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Thank you for this information and I can see how any attorney working for Trump could claim problems with their client concerning ethics, an inability to control the client and the fact that the client won't take counsel advice.

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I just have to wonder however the good that an attorney dropping out does Donald the Rump. Is he going to get to slow down the case while he replaces the attorney and they come up to speed? Maybe losing an attorney is common for Trump because he doesn't want the case to continue at the moment. It's an interesting strategy . tRump doing that doesn't surprise me at all. He wants to slow it down. Just thinking out loud.

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If Donaldo is not in a cage before his dictatorship begins I’m declaring war.

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“We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.”

---Martin Luther King Jr.

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Donald Certainly WILL if he looses...

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Agreed. He has already shown the world he believes violence is a legitimate form of protest for his followers to engage in. But we must condemn and never condone such actions. Then we will be able to show the world once again the true greatness of America. We speak at the ballot box and never with brutality.

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Well we try to use the ballot box but sometimes the pundits and predictions on the East Coast discourage voters on the West Coast.

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But he'll do it from the safety of a bunker or bomb shelter, possibly overseas. I suggest a penthouse in one of Putin's buildings.

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Yes, tRump's a Traitor. However, we all know what happens to anyone that "Putler" doesn't like any more... One can only hope

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YK -- there are a whole lot of things the Reverend Dr said that the mainstream never heard

https://youtu.be/ifh7NKE7lNw?si=xxp4QyjVV-GXWRp4

His daughter the other Reverend Dr had a whole reading list 📚 for us

https://twitter.com/BerniceKing/status/1746691544260792805?t=EWUMmCmUAbJHtDTSS1UXLA&s=19

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Says a murdered pacifist. No thanks.

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Indeed, I am not down for turning the cheek again. As my dad used to say, "Don't Start None, Won't Be None." I am not looking to start a fight, but if one comes my way, it is dukes up.

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Jan 16
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Gandhi and King found a better way with no violence to bring about freedom and liberty.

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I'm moving to Canada if they'll have me!

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Canadian dual citizen. Nowhere will be safe.

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I'm dual. As a Canadian, I can go to any former colony or protectorate of Britain and get residency or citizenship there. It's one of the perks we enjoy courtesy of the crown. Australia could look very good after November.

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My 3 SONS ARE DUAL CITIZENS, ALSO!

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True D'oh willl be GONE

FOR

SURE

next election in 2025

It will be a total wipe out vote just like his daddy's last election

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I too I LIVED THERE ALREADY DURING VIETNAM, MY HUSBAND WAS DRAFTED AND WHEN HE SAID HE COULD NOT KILL WAS BEATEN BY THE RECRUITS!

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Don't count on it!

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lol. I am with you

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Donald Trump’s followers will follow him wherever he goes.

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I'm with you in spirit.

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Couldn’t the loss of counsel be a tactical reason to delay the trial(s)?

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That was my first thought too...delay, delay, delay!

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Exactly. They’ve been trying this song and dance since the beginning. A smart attorney would ask for $500mil retainer, then declare him incompetent to stand trial. 😊

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That is his only logical defense, and besides that, it's true. He is deeply ill. But they would rather give him nuclear bomb buttons. ??? It's mad!

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It is mad. When he won in 2016 and refused Obama’s help to transition, my first thought was this crazy SOB has access to “the button”. He’s unhinged. Speaking of which, I hope there’s some way, legally, to have Cannon removed from his case and the bench.

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I like that lol

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How about incompetent.

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At some point, the judges will have sufficient material based on his past performance to just deny his ridiculous requests that clearly are made for delay.

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Or, our legal system will not allow that. The Rump and other criminals are allowed certain privileges in our courts that cannot be taken away. Is there an attorney in the house. Please answer this one for us. Thank you

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Exactly what I was thinking :(

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There are only certain reasons why a judge would permit an attorney to withdraw, especially at this stage. Trump still has Alina Habba and Michael Madaio as his attorneys, plus the others who have been working as part of the original team on this case.

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I agree. Without representation they can’t try him. They have to wait so delay, delay delay!

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Rump has many more criminal lawyers

!

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Regrettably, that's probably true. It's amazing that he could be elected but also found incompetent to stand trial!

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Not paying his bills and not listening to his attorneys would be ample reason for the firm to quit and let Trump's ambulance chaser attorney's file for a delay.

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I was also wondering about that.

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My thought exactly

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He is cooked.

The portion of more sane Republicans who are for Nikki, will vote Joe Biden if Trump ends being the candidate

The Republicans need to recreate their party.

democracy needs two sane parties.

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There was reporting I saw earlier today that said a significant percentage (maybe around 35% - 45%) of Haley voters would not vote for Trump; most would vote for Biden (though some would go third-party and some would stay home).

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I think so J.B. and what. is more, it is really difficult for a republican now to openly say they will vote for a democrat candidate. So it think the percentage might be higher for zJoe Biden.

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I sure hope you’re correct. Democracy needs a win!!

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Yes, small "d" democracy needs a win!

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Yes but is that true? That's what I want to know. Who reported that? Please give us a few more facts JB.

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I no longer remember. If I had remembered at the time of the comment, I would have included that. Feel free to take my comment with a grain or two of salt - I would.

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He lied about his intentions to attend a funeral in order to try to get a continuance of the trial in New York. The judge wasn’t having any of that.

Then the judge caught him planning to attend a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire scheduled at the same time as the funeral. The judge included a footnote in his order Indicating he knew about the rally. In federal court, this could be the basis for what is known as “rule 11 “ sanctions. It will be interesting to see if this is pursued when the case resumes.

Perhaps the days of TF-ingG getting a bye on all his bad behavior and walking off Scot free of consequences are over.

May it be so.

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Won’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes.

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LOCK HIM UP ALREADY!

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It’s all a divine comedy.🎭

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Come back, Tutone.

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Though what you say must be true, to engage with this playing field I hop on the down elevator.

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Thanks as always for your updates!

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“Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

---Martin Luther King Jr.

---“I Have a Dream” speech, August 28, 1963

If Donald’s lawyers are starting to bail on him then we are getting one step closer to justice being served. King also said “The time is always right to do what is right.” Glad his attorneys finally did what is right. Thank you Mary!

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He knows better than the generals, better than the doctors, better than the scientists. I'm guessing he knows better than the lawyers. Let him represent himself, with the assistance of the botoxed, lip-enhanced, Chanel-wearing child who appears to be sculpted by the same plastic surgeon who built Ivanka and Melanoma.

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Let’s not comment on peoples appearances. Everyone is doing their best to look their best.

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I would not ordinarily comment on (i.e., disparage) someone's appearance, but staring at that woman is like rubbernecking at a car wreck. I find myself wondering if they advertise for clones of Donald's other two wives (the current one and the one he can't legally marry in most US states) or is plastic surgery a requirement for getting that retainer. As for "doing their best to look their best", only the women seem to be required to do that. Maybe they should spend some of that time brushing up on the law. (Glasses don't really make a person look smart.) The men are contemptible AND not worth looking at anyway.

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Let’s focus our discussion on politics not appearance please. We need swing voters. Thank you.

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I am very happy that someone actually said what I was thinking about that lawyer. She is a total piece of..

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Maybe they don’t want to ruin their careers by having represented him or maybe they were all paid off to quit him.

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Time and Mary will tell us what the smoke and mirrors game being played is. Thank you.

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None of them are paragons of virtue or intellect.

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Of course, if Roy Cohn could resurrect a legal career after crashing and burning, anyone can be rehabilitated (in terms of being a lawyer).

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Great Quote Lisa

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Thank you.

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I wish I didn't have to be so afraid -

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I agree, Sheldon. I would be MUCH LESS AFRAID if third party candidates were not on the ballot.

I am glad Donald's lawyers are leaving him over his insanity.

Thanks, Mary. 💙

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But they might actually be doing him a favor, perhaps according to a pre-agreed plan.

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You don’t have to be. Just vote and invite all your friends to votes in November.

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I want to wish Ms. Carroll all the best for the days ahead. She has to see him and hear his voice, very disturbing.

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She’s so fired up I don’t think she’ll care because she has Kaplan to represent her.

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If I were her I’d welcome the chance to come face to face with that rat bastard.

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You are amazing! This must be so hard. Keep it up! Love you!

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Do you think this legal team leaving is a delay for the trails to start.

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Can’t the court appoint him counsel?

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Yes but they still would have to give that person time to become familiar with the material.

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The court would direct the past counsel to turn over all materials to a new one. It’s not as if the new one would have to start from scratch at all.

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Yes, probably that's the plan.

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The reason tacopino et al jumped ship ain’t what anyone Thinks.

It’s part of his defense in the felony cases in DC Florida and Possibly Georgia.

Everyone is just

Click baiting s___ now, but this mafioso is setting up his planned defense in these cases-BLAMING HIS ATTORNEYS!

At minimum, Tacopino IS THE FALL GUY-

& he KNOWS IT!

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I don't know if this is the intention, but it certainly will provide an excuse -- no doubt welcome to judge Cannon -- to delay trials so new attorneys can get up to speed.

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Isn't it a fact that he has several atty's ? Including the ones that didn't care for Taco ? I should think in a legitimate court of law, that fact means he is with representation - just down one. As such, I can't see a delay as a legally sound reason for delay. jmho of a non-expert. Hopefully brilliant J Vance might shed some sounder thoughts on it all.

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Remember Jack Smith formally asked just this question in court last week. Cannon said he had to wait for March even though in most trials these formalities are handled long before.

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"Oh, we need more time to prepare for trial Your Honor. Having just been retained, there is so much to go through to prepare. We need a continuance."

Just one more delay.

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Could be the plan...

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Does this mean he will be able to delay things again? Because he will need time to find new lawyers and they will need time to get up to speed?

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My concern exactly

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Can the court appoint someone to represent 45 to avoid delay? Surely everyone is familiar with his tactics by now.

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So goes Iowa goes absof-inglutely no one with a heart and a brain. Fifty percent of a dying party in a brainwashed red state. Iowa once had gravitas and educated citizens before FOX filth, Sinclair and propaganda radio the state.

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