Donald Trump

[Selene]

Trumps church is one that I have been to many times, a beautiful and graceful building which is more amazing inside.

The First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica was organized in 1662, over a hundred years before the founding of the country, and is perhaps the oldest continuously serving Presbyterian congregation in the United States. Even though there are older Presbyterian congregations on Long Island, it has never interrupted service under three flags, the Dutch, the English, and the U.S. It has roots in the New Netherlands settlement of Rust Dorp, meaning "Quiet Village," and now, located on the same property, its three buildings are in the heart of Jamaica Center, the most diverse county in the United States of America.

164th Street, which also had a trolley, that ran between two (2) rail lines that eventually became the Long Island Rail Road, was

a main road which literally ran south towards Jamaica Bay.

http://www.nycago.org/Organs/Qns/html/FirstPresJamaica.html

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Almost on cue, Sarah Palin weighs in (on Breitbart):

Exclusive — Palin: Trump Stumps Media Kingmakers

Since she also posted this on her Facebook feed, I'll reproduce the entire text. Lots of people are going to do that and I am sure the Breitbart folks and Sarah won't mind.

What a hoot to watch pundits clutching their pearls and whimpering for smelling salts aghast over the latest “shocking” thing Donald Trump said, while The Donald ignores them and continues to soar. Silly kingmakers just don't know what to make of this. Well, we do!

The elites are shocked by Trump’s dominance, but everyday Americans aren’t. Everywhere I’ve gone this summer, including motorsport events in Detroit full of fed up Joe Six-Pack Americans, the folks I meet commiserate about wussified slates of politicians, but then unsolicited, they whisper their appreciation for Trump because he has the guts to say it like it is.

Trump’s unconventional candidacy is a shot in the arm for ordinary Americans fed up with the predictable poll tested blather of squishy milquetoast career politicians who campaign one way and govern another. But it’s not just how Trump says it, it’s what he’s saying.

Trump has tapped into America’s great populist tradition by speaking to concerns of working class voters. He talks about fighting to bring back our factories. When was the last time a candidate talked passionately about reclaiming our manufacturing base (and knew what he was talking about)? What other candidate chooses American workers over the multinational corporations donating to their campaigns? Who other than Trump is talking about the dangerous trade deficits deindustrializing America and stealing our jobs? The old Arsenal of Democracy that allowed us to win World War II is now such a distant memory that we can’t even build the parts for our own military equipment – we need China to manufacture them for us. How can a great nation maintain its greatness without a manufacturing base? Or without secure borders for that matter?

Trump focused in on two major populist grievances: the loss of working class jobs due to awful trade agreements, and the unfair competition for those jobs – along with security threats – due to the flood of illegal immigrants pouring across unsecured borders. To these, Trump offers bold, brash solutions based in common sense and real world experience.

Now throw in Trump’s candor about “winning” and you understand why his message catches fire. As General Patton said, “Americans play to win all the time.” But those of us outside the Beltway can see that America isn't winning. Our enemies laugh at us. Our friends can’t rely on us. China is outpacing our military superiority. Putin thumbs his nose at us. ISIS seizes territory our sons and daughters fought and died to liberate. Iran gloats over the idiotic and ultimately catastrophic nuclear deal the White House caved on. Our friends in Israel shake their heads at our betrayal.

Trump diagnoses our problems as incompetent leadership. Who can argue with that? How many politicians promised to secure our borders? So, why aren’t they secured? How many politicians promised to grow American jobs? So, why did they vote for Obamatrade? Is it any wonder that Americans are telling status quo politicians, “You’re fired”?

For everyday Americans the beauty of Trump’s candidacy is that he’s not a politician. There's hope the guy who wrote “The Art of the Deal” can finally close the deal on all the broken promises of career politicians. Maybe the man who actually builds things, big things, can rebuild America’s entrepreneurial spirit with government put back in its proper place.

The average American doesn't ask for much. We want security and the freedom to prosper. Many politicians are now offering solutions for security, but what about our prosperity? Trump boasts about his wealth, and average Americans cheer him on. This is the secret the chattering classes will never get. Americans don’t begrudge wealth honestly earned. We celebrate it! Trump made his money the old fashioned way with brick and mortar. He built big buildings and proudly stamped his name on them. He actually created jobs – lots of them. Like so many great American entrepreneurs, Trump has the flair of a showman but the sensibilities of an ordinary guy. He may be a billionaire, but refreshingly, there’s nothing elitist about him. He’s saying to the average Joe, “I worked hard and I succeeded and I want you to also." That’s the fabric of our national character woven by work ethic and dreams and drive. That’s America!

It’s no surprise pundits and politicos are determined to destroy a candidacy they can't control or shape with their mere words. Expect marginalization of anyone speaking well of Trump's efforts. He’s a threat to the permanent political class. Non-traditional candidates always are because when they're in touch with the people, they show their guts and just do the right thing. They go rogue - and take flak from all sides. Some of us have the scars to prove that.

Thankfully, Americans are on to the media’s games. The politics of personal destruction has lost its shock value. We have serious problems in this country. Ferreting through old divorce records and playing gotcha with past misstatements are just stupid distractions. Shouts of “But he donated to Democrats!” won't sway Trump enthusiasts. The man built a skyscraper in New York City – of course, he had donated to Democrats. If he was building it in Salt Lake City, I’m sure he would have donated to Republicans. “But he changed his mind on positions!” Reagan had been an FDR Democrat. Should we hold that against him or be grateful he saw the light?

Itty-bitty pundits thinking it's clever to mock Americans’ opinions are finding the joke is on them. Cozy in their seat of judgment, blowing each other’s horns, protected by a glass screen. Ask yourself: just who ARE these windbags? And what do they build? Towers of paperclips? Lists of Twitter followers? Trump’s supporters are delightedly defying pithy prim “opinion makers” who think Americans are incapable of choosing our leaders without their dictates. The more the spotlight-seekers smear Trump, the more popular he gets. A friend emailed, "Tell those smart alecks bashing Trump on TV, ‘I love him because YOU hate him!'"

The GOP establishment would do well to listen to these voters and quit dismissing them. Reagan understood these blue-collar salt of the earth Americans. That’s why they gave him two landslide victories. If you want to win again, GOP, you need these good people.

Anticipate more battering and bashing storms around Trump. It's still very early in the game; folks are keeping their powder dry with candidate support but are quite happy Donald Trump is in the race. More power to you, Donald. Here’s to “Making America Great Again”!

She included this picture:

There are a lot of great quotes one can take from Sarah's op-ed. My favorite within the context of this discussion: "It’s no surprise pundits and politicos are determined to destroy a candidacy they can't control or shape with their mere words."

My favorite from a Randian perspective: "Many politicians are now offering solutions for security, but what about our prosperity? Trump boasts about his wealth, and average Americans cheer him on. This is the secret the chattering classes will never get. Americans don’t begrudge wealth honestly earned. We celebrate it! Trump made his money the old fashioned way with brick and mortar. He built big buildings and proudly stamped his name on them. He actually created jobs – lots of them."

My overall favorite is not even her own words, but those a friend wrote to her: "Tell those smart alecks bashing Trump on TV, ‘I love him because YOU hate him!'"

Michael

[Peter]

Sarah wrote: Its no surprise pundits and politicos are determined to destroy a candidacy they can't control or shape with their mere words. Expect marginalization of anyone speaking well of Trump's efforts. Hes a threat to the permanent political class. Non-traditional candidates always are because when they're in touch with the people, they show their guts and just do the right thing. They go rogue - and take flak from all sides. Some of us have the scars to prove that. end quote

She nails it. She does have those scars. I will be looking for jokes that Trump tells that are twisted as when she exaggerated and said she could see Russia from the shores of Alaska. But I still need some specifics, NOT sound bytes from Donald Trump.

Sarah mentioned some Trumpian issues which are the concerns of working class voters:

Bring back our factories. She writes, When was the last time a candidate talked passionately about reclaiming our manufacturing base (and knew what he was talking about)?

She wonders, What other candidate chooses American workers over the multinational corporations donating to their campaigns? Who other than Trump is talking about the dangerous trade deficits deindustrializing America and stealing our jobs?

Sarah has a good point when she says, The old Arsenal of Democracy that allowed us to win World War II is now such a distant memory that we cant even build the parts for our own military equipment we need China to manufacture them for us. How can a great nation maintain its greatness without a manufacturing base?

And she mentions securing our borders will be one of Trumps first concerns.

Trump focused in on two major populist grievances: the loss of working class jobs due to awful trade agreements, and the unfair competition for those jobs along with security threats due to the flood of illegal immigrants pouring across unsecured borders. To these, Trump offers bold, brash solutions based in common sense and real world experience.

So, Sarah Palin reiterates that Trump wants no crony capitalism. He wants to stop uneven trade agreements with countries like China and Mexico. He wants to bring back manufacturing jobs but is that through deregulation or from crony capitalist incentives? Of course, a campaign is a presentation of worth. What will Trumps political net worth be the day after the first debate? He has the balls but does he have the brains . . . and the philosophy?

[Selene]

Peter you are telling a falsehood here. Trump cannot "double down" on what he did not say.

Worst case? He doubles down on calling veterans, cowardly.

I wish you would stop doing that unless you have the video.

Donald Trump, in the video I saw did not call veterans cowardly.

A...

[william.scherk]

What a hoot to watch pundits clutching their pearls and whimpering for smelling salts

Uh-oh, Adam!

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Does anybody remember this from last February?

 

Scroll to 6:11 to see Sarah and her joke about Donald Trump.

 

 

Look how far we have come is so short a time...

 

 

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Do you Trump-haters out there (whoever you are) want some anti-Trump food?

Here's a Real Clear Politics report about a 1991 smear documentary on Trump's 1988-1991 "downfall." The link includes a modern trailer.

"Supressed Documentary" From 1991 Targets GOP Frontrunner: Watch "Trump: What's The Deal?" Free

Apparently, Trump's threats back then to sue anyone who broadcast it or exhibit it in theaters kept it from the public at large. Now, in an Internet world, that's impossible.

The owners are showing it for free online. You can see it here:

Trump: What's the Deal?

I haven't seen it yet, but I want to, so I'm putting the info here as a reminder.

Is it good or scandalous or what?

According to Real Clear Politics: "It's more than an hour long and so far, nothing major."

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Trump: What's the Deal?

I went ahead and saw it.

Subtexts:

Trump bought old buildings from the New York government and made good ones out of them, but he did some shady things and took advantage of the poor little government and poor little former tenants.

Lots of money is bad (not stated, but implied throughout the film).

Lots of money, unless it is old money, is uncultured, but glitzy and tawdry, like Trump.

Trump thought he was going to do big things, but bigger things took him down a peg or two.

Lots of money is bad.

Lots of money in the hands of Trump is bad.

Did I say lots of money is bad?

(yawn)...

The documentary stays around this kind of message through several of Trumps projects and his breakup with Ivana.

It ends with the subtext that Trump is now toast. How dare he?

(more yawn)...

The one surprise for me was seeing a young Christopher Reeve in a nanny-state regulator mindset saying why evil people like Trump have to be stopped.

The little boy inside me kept saying it can't be true. No way, José. Superman would never be a progressive bureaucrat.

But there he was, in full bloom, a villain right out of Rand novel sanctimoniously telling productive folks what they couldn't do and using the government as a bludgeon to shut them down.

I was glad I saw the documentary, though, because I got to see lots of video of Trump and his former life (including his father). I had a funny emotional reaction. Every time the documentary presented Trump as the evil rich, all I felt inside was, "Cool! I want to do that." It was an automatic reaction and I even started laughing at myself a little because this feeling would come before I could think.

Michael

[Brant Gaede]

I sorta flipped through it. It seems complimentary to Trump ripped out of its 1991 context and put into this one. Boy, have times changed: yesterday's hatchet job becomes an inadvertent suck up?

Trump's candidacy is not just about Trump, but how bad everybody else is who's running. A get-it-done v. what's "get-it-done"? Practicality vs.--nothing? The only counter to Trump would address his shallow idealational base with serious principles of freedom's relationship to government. He is a big government candidate who might make many important, even beneficial changes, but in the end it will be back to big government getting bigger. Of course, he might dish up a big surprise-aggeddon somewhere between WWIII and peace and prosperity. With any other candidate, no surprise-aggeddon except the serious possibility of WWIII. "Anybody but Hillary is my slogan." If she's gone, then it's anybody but Biden followed by it's anybody but Bernie.

--Brant

[Peter]

Brant wrote: I sorta flipped through it. It seems complimentary to Trump ripped out of its 1991 context and put into this one. end quote

Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? A. A. Milne.

Fortunately, the news lasts forever beginning with books, old newspaper headlines, and the best of SNL reruns and tributes. So, Sarah Palin was onto Trump a few months ago (in a non-naughty way?) And if SHE knew then he was running does that mean Trump WAS actually running for the Presidency then and now we are experiencing his well - considered campaign? I hope not. Is he going to get any better? Perhaps not. And perhaps Sarah did not know then, because the way she referred to Trump as her running mate, meant she was considering him as her VP. So maybe she was not privy to the Donalds inner circle. She was trying to be funny.

On the bright side the left puking European press is acting like Trump is a Russian mobster: vodka swilling, with bad hair, violent and with a bimbo on his arm. That is a good mischaracterization for right wing Americans who think the French are a degenerate, lying, anti Semitic people since Le Dreyfus Affair, and the Scots are the model for JRR Tolkiens stupid and obstinate dwarfs.

Keeping up with that imagery, Michael thinks we anti Trump Trolls will be eating crow sometime in the near future. I was at a business meeting yesterday and the consensus was that Trump brought fun back into politics (which was what I was about to say when he was mentioned concerning zoning, but someone beat me to the punch.) He is a lot of fun. But if I was a supporter I would be wincing a lot.

Peter

Alan Alexander Milne (/ˈmɪln/; 18 January 1882 31 January 1956) was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems. Milne was a noted writer, primarily as a playwright, before the huge success of Pooh overshadowed all his previous work. Milne served in both World Wars, joining the British Army in World War I, and was a captain of the British Home Guard in World War II. Milne played for the amateur English cricket team the Allahakbarries alongside authors J. M. Barrie and Arthur Conan Doyle.[6]

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Keeping up with that imagery, Michael thinks we anti Trump Trolls will be eating crow sometime in the near future.

Peter,

Woah....

You in?

I can reserve a good bird for you.

Michael

[Peter]

I'm in, but I won't bet any money. Trump won't win the nomination. Politics is kind of like climate forecasting and the weather. It was 156 degrees F. in Iran two days ago and 165 degrees F. yesterday because of a heat dome no one had predicted. Protests in Iran were about the lack of reliable electricity to cool their houses.

It will be in or near the 90's for the next five days where I live but no one is predicting an Atlantic hurricane yet to cool off our fervor for Trump. The Donald will need ads with The Arnold to pump him up, (The Governator says he'll be back, despite screwing da nanny - which may also be one of Ben Affleck's transgressions.)

I predict Trump will not go past 30 percent in the polls and will continue to have an unfavorable rating of at least 30 percent until he drops out. Of course my thinking is convoluted today, so I won't predict a winner of the debate or the nomination. Is Vegas putting out any odds yet? Now if there were any true clairvoyants they would be bookies.

[Selene]

So are we up to three (3) servings of crow?

Damn, it's a good thing I have a semi-auto .22.

By the way, crows were quite difficult to hunt because of their communications system and posting of sentries.

A...

[Mikee]

Please, no more talk about shooting crows. They are actually civilized.

[Selene]

Please, no more talk about shooting crows. They are actually civilized.

I did give it up after learning more about them.

A...

[Peter]

Mikee wrote: Please, no more talk about shooting crows. They are actually civilized. end quote

Jeese, dem crows. They are an interesting species, those that pretend to be the benevolent, loving teachers and political activists and the next minute a thuggish, soul-less, honor-less mobster with a gat, no better than a rioter from the projects (in Compton? Ferguson? You get my drift.)

Occasionally, a young crow will become quite tame around my house. (I might see its mother crow bringing it a dead baby bird of another species cannibals!) but eventually it joins a flock that annoyingly shouts CAW CAW CAW!

Moving right along to some birds of another feather, the other day as I walked past a dead barn swallow on the road struck by a car, its friends on the electrical wires were trying to get it to rise up and warning me to leave it alone. When I retraced my steps about a half an hour later the poor bird was squashed but a few of its family and friends were still on the wire warning me to stay away.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

There is a very popular saying in Brazil:

Those who raise crows as pets eventually get their eyes plucked out.

I'll stick to serving them up to Trump-deniers.

Michael

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Seems like the Dems are now agreeing with me.

Democrats add Donald Trump to list of serious Republican candidates

Now there is a Dem full-time staff to dig for dirt on Trump.

Michael

[Peter]

Michael wrote: Now there is a Dem full-time staff to dig for dirt on Trump. end quote

And that’s the truth. But what they digg upp will be partially fabricated, sort of like Astro Turf. It will be up to the readers and legitimate news sources to pick out the lying worms from the loam. Trump will need to be ready with some humor and not appear to be too thin skinned, like a new mown lawn. I remember the same pause for breath, laden with dew and expectation, when Sarah Palin was nominated. But not even the gleam of intelligence in her eye could not stop the Katie Curick totalitarian steam roller from flattening her good qualities. The back hoes of history are ready to . . . Sorry, I can’t seem to stop with the dirt jokes.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Here is how card-carrying progressive millennials are talking about Trump.

 

I don't think this guy, Kyle Kulinski, represents the majority of millennials, but I do think he is a perfect example of radical progressive millennials.

 

This is the first time I ever heard of him and, just from viewing the first few seconds of this video, I can make an almost letter-perfect profile of him. I'm posting this video because it is getting a little bit of traction on YouTube. Not much, but more than a few hundred views.

 

 

Notice that his focus is all about manipulating people. His discouragement is great because "the American people are so stupid" (I paraphrase, but this intent is all over his message).

 

What this means underneath is that he feels like a failure because all the covert manipulations he adheres to (i.e., his cult adheres to) are not taking and molding people into his (the radical progressive) version of the perfect human. His version of utopia.

 

This guy is such a stereotype, he even tried to bring race into it.

 

Kulinski has a point about the way people respond positively to strength. But, to him, he believes this is the fundamental substance most people look at and respond to. He does not consider strength a style that is added to the mix. He presents it as the ultimate in persuasion. He even mentioned strength as the reason Alan Grayson wins his elections in a kind of plea for other progressives to adopt it.

 

Kulinski literally believes we are all brainless animals unless we think like him. He said we are brainless quite openly and his idea of redemption (becoming a human being by agreeing with radical progressivism) is implied. But push him a little and I have no doubt he will say so in anyone's face.

 

Kulinski displays a perfect cult mindset.

 

Michael

[Selene]

There is a very popular saying in Brazil:

Those who raise crows as pets eventually get their eyes plucked out.

I'll stick to serving them up to Trump-deniers.

Michael

Lovely images for the crow, magpie and raven...

There are many different beliefs and superstitions from a wide variety of many different groups and countries. Most link the crow to death, simply for the fact that the crow is black in color, black being linked to death itself as well as negative energy, the void. For instance; Ancient Celtics believed that the crow was a bringer of death, a bad omen when sighted. They had a respectful fear for the crow and often strayed away from them. Their confidence in this belief came from wars. After wars the battlefields would be littered with morbid bodies, cut open, and limbs sprawled across the land. The crows would scavenge and eat the flesh of the deceased. The Celts felt this to be a negative event and feared the crow as they would death.

One in depth thought that is that the crow is nothing more than a soul eater (scavenging the battlefields) and when the crow eats your soul you are the new inhabitant of the crow and the previous spirit is laid to rest and peace.

In old Russia it was thought that if you find a dead crow it meant good fortune, they figured opposites. If crows are a bad omen to death whilst alive then finding a dead crow would mean good fortune or life.

What about the Albino (White) crow? Yes, they exist but the albino crow seems more mystical to me than the black crow.

http://www.wiccantogether.com/profiles/blogs/the-omen-of-crows

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a very nice webpage...

Crow is the left-handed guardian. Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and is the keeper of all sacred law. There are several species of crow. Raven is one of these and magpies are another. Crow medicine people are masters of illusion. Do not try to figure crow out. It is the power of the unknown at work, and something special is about to happen.

http://www.birdclan.org/crow.html

A...

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Here is The Donald giving a little more substance to Eric Bolling:

 

 

I want to mention something I see clearly now, but not before. There used to be a constant nag at the edge of my brain every time I would see a person ask Trump a question and he would respond with something else.

 

Now I know what it is.

 

Most politicians use a rhetorical formula to avoid answering thorny questions. It is called The Pivot. Here is Howard Dean teaching it to Austrians. (We discussed this in 2010 on OL here.)

 

 

A modern variation is for a politician to be asked an uncomfortable question, then the politician responds with "the real question is..." or "the relevant question is..." and so on.

 

A recent example of this is was with Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Chris Matthews. This interview was totally awkward for her since she was so inept at The Pivot this time around, but I think it's a good example because it shows the technique in a clear formulaic manner. Matthews, an old hand at it, even toyed with her. He asked her what the difference was between a socialist and a Democrat.

 

 

So I kept wondering, does Trump do The Pivot?

 

I cannot ignore my eyes. Just look at his interview with Bolling above.

 

He does.

 

That's what has been nagging me.

 

However, he does it differently than all those maddening politicians like Schultz do. I don't think he ever uses The Pivot to evade an issue. I think, in his mind, he is so honed in on what is super-important to a lot of people, he hammers those issues almost to the exclusion of everything else. (In marketing, this is called bonding with your target audience.)

 

Notice he will frequently give a semi-answer to a question before going on to other issues. But his semi-answer is usually in the hot-button form he uses in all his talk and does not necessarily answer the question.

 

In other words, Trump uses "The Pivot" to get popular messages in front of interviewers. He does not do that to avoid answering gotcha questions or to manipulate viewers. This is a form of "controlling the narrative" (as Dean and others so professorially instruct), but it is more than that. It is placing a burning narrative into the mainstream when that narrative has been brushed aside by media manipulators who play the propaganda game.

 

Trump's purpose is not to manipulate viewers. It is to open up space to talk about what many viewers think and feel, even if he has to open that space with his elbows.

 

I know I respond to this.

 

There is one small blight on my Trump-love so far, though. He keeps talking a lot about beefing up the military. And something keeps nagging at me. I keep thinking military-industrial complex and all those juicy Defense Department deals...

 

But this is only a minor blemish. Why do I think it's minor? Because of the kinds of Republicans Trump is aligning himself with (Palin, Cruz, etc.). In practice, I am pretty sure his administration will not be a Neocon's wet dream of unending war and nation building.

 

I think Trump is going to get a lot right. At the very least, he will restore a lot of the good narratives (and stuff) Clinton, the Bushes and Obama took apart.

 

Under Trump, being an American will be something to be proud of once again. As gravy, I predict a crap-load of entrepreneurial millionaires will arise.

 

And me? I intend to be among them.

 

 

Michael

[Selene]

Under Trump, being an American will be something to be proud of once again. As gravy, I predict a crap-load of entrepreneurial millionaires will arise.

And me? I intend to be among them.

Michael

Perfect!

You have been so much in tune with what I am also seeing in the Trump messaging and the vapid and banal responses of the both parties that you saved me posting all those fine videos.

Thanks.

The Vasserman Schultz "pivot" was priceless in that it just does not work if you repeat and focus these Lilliputians on what you want an answer on.

Trump does this all the time.

In basketball the putrid looking excuse for a human woman would have been called for fellow traveling because she dragged her pivot foot.

Nice insights and I am on your team Trump.

Isn't is fascinating that these bottom feeders cannot figure out that they are up against a master level marketer in Trump who hires extremely competent folks to get the job done.

Imagine?

Do you believe in miracles?

A...

[william.scherk]

There is a very popular saying in Brazil:

Those who raise crows as pets eventually get their eyes plucked out.

I'll stick to serving them up to Trump-deniers.

Who is a Trump-denier here? If one doesn't believe that Trump will win the GOP nomination, does that make one a "Denier" or does there have to be some extra oomph or ranting ... ?

Asking for a friend.

-- I had thought of the crow and how a figurative eating would be supervised or acknowledged. How about a "How I Went Wrong" kind of report? I am certainly prepared to explain to myself and OL readers how I arrived at a mistaken conclusion in July 2015. Writing such a thing would focus on the error and how it emerged, how cognitive errors aligned to form an incorrect prediction -- without taking away pleasure from those who might conceivably be crowing and strutting at a victory/loss in (or before) Cleveland.

Any willing sign-ups for an I Muffed It -- at a place where no one is ever really afraid to be wrong?

Edited August 1, 2015 by william.scherk

[Mikee]

Seems pointless to me. What's the purpose?