Monday, June 20, 2016

Local Music Related News Flash....

We at TTWN just fond out that Como Girls Rock co-founder Luci Cook is undergoing her third heart transplant today (it might be going on as I type this).  Keeping her in our thoughts as she undergoes this procedure.  Here's hoping that everything goes well and for a quick recovery.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

The Little Debate That Wasn't

In the midst of the American primary race it can appear that people have forgotten that we have to get along after the conventions and elections.  However, while things can get heated sometimes it can be helpful to enjoy the little delights that happen to us. Or, in this case the little delight that didn't happen.

I'm talking about the press ballyhoo over whether Donald Trump would debate Bernie Sanders. a week or so back  Started from an off the cuff comment on the Jimmy Kimmel show where ztrump said he'd "love to debate Bernie," it' quickly grew steam when Bernie went ahead and took him up on it.

Almost instantly Clinton supporters and the mainstream media acted as if the sky was falling.  Many claimed this would only hurt Hillary Clinton and help Drumpf.  Some sources suggested that the Donlad was only joking.  Almost immediately Trump backed out, then claimed he'd do it if Sanders raised $10 million dollars for a "woman's health charity."  Then, when online news network The Young Turks offered $1 million and a couple of tech firms offered up $20 million in total, Donald Trump backed out claiming it wasn't right to debate the "second place finisher."

Does anyone else think Hillary Clinton should view this as the best primary election gift ever short of Trump being endorsed by Martin Shkreli(which happened shortly after this broke)?

Think about it - for a man like the Donlad who claims to never back down and tells it like it is this opens the door for a shitload of campaign ads and debate comments.  Some in the media think Trump would gain ammunition if he debated Bernie.  The mainstream media and many average people differ wildly on this.  A lot of people I know pretty much agree that if Donald trump chickened out of facing Bernie Sanders, how the hell will he be able to face Putin.  If former Senator and Secretary of State Clinton is as politically astute as her supporters claim she is she should already have this ready to use for ammo - and ready to pounce fifty ways to Sunday with it whenever and whereever necessary.

I know in the big picture this is only a small part.  However, it should put a smile on the face of anyone who wanted proof that the man his followers claim will always fight will back away when facing a smarter opponent. 

That's it for now.  Back to the daily grind.

2016 Primary Race - The Final Stretch is Here

Okay, so it's summer and we're at the first Monday in June.  Normally that would be that but it's June of an election year which means we're in the final stretch of primary season.  Since Donald Drumpf, I mean Trump has gained the delegates for the Republican presidential nomination and only has the convention to deal with let's focus on the Democrats this time around.

Over the weekend Hillary Clinton won the primaries in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.  If you weren't aware of those primaries you probably aren't alone as the media has done very little coverage of them in comparison to what's ahead.   While both primaries are in colonies rather than states they still provide some delegates.

The big deal is on Tuesday June 7, 2016 (or today).  Six states will be holding their primary elections (North Dakota, New Jersey, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and California).  While all have some importance this time around, the media eye is on California and, to a lesser extent, New Jersey.  So far it appears that Hillary Clinton is leading in NJ and is neck and neck with Sanders in California. 

What will happen today?  The AP has already called Clinton the presumptive nominee using both pledged and superdelegate support.  However,  given that superdelegates can change who they support up until the Convention next month, it isn't that simple.  Some Sanders supporters consider this to be a ploy to keep them from voting today in California (especially important given it's large delegate count).  While I'm not totally convinced of that I can see where the corporate owned media would throw its allegedly neutral hand in the ring to frame it as such.

As anyone who read my posts on the primary race can attest I have been hesitant to say who will win.  While it does appear likely that Hillary Clinton may get the nomination for the Democrats (especially since we're nearing the point where the superdelegates actually have a role in the process) many predictions so far seem to be from a perspective of normal times.  And as the success of Donald Drumpf has shown us, this election year is not normal times.  Maybe Bernie Sanders will pull off an upset in Cali...though such a feat will require a massive voter turnout in his favor.  As of now I really don't know what to expect.