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Jason Gagliardi

‘Big money hitting the betting agencies right now ain’t for Biden’

Jason Gagliardi
Masked avengers: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris transform into new superheroes Captain Sleepy and Woke Woman. Picture: Getty Images
Masked avengers: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris transform into new superheroes Captain Sleepy and Woke Woman. Picture: Getty Images

Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Greg Sheridan reckoned in choosing woke-as-folk Senator Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate, Joe Biden made the right choice from a weak field. Jeremy didn’t think it would make much difference:

“There’s big money hitting the betting agencies right now and it ain’t for Biden!”

Richard was rattled:

“What a mess the world is in. Trump is still the least worst. The Democrats are empty vessels fuelled by Trump hatred.”

Another Richard differed:

“Donald Trump divides the nation. He is a patsy for the wealthy and he can’t tell the truth. Americans abroad are humiliated by his immature behaviour and yearn for a leader who is able to perform as president with dignity.”

Erasmus mused:

“That’s the beauty of our preferential voting system — our vote eventually goes to the candidate we consider the least worst. We put number one beside our best, or least worst, choice, and work our way down the voting card. It’s kind of a sensible formulation of least worst voting. In the US, you really only have two choices because votes for third party candidates just disappear into the ether rather than giving you the option to send your vote to the least worst of the main two parties.”

Christine* crowed:

“Great opening paragraph, summarising Kamala’s far Left positions, Greg. Indeed, her voting record as Senator is even more left than Bernie & Elizabeth Warren, apparently. The funniest thing right now is watching Trump-hating MSM gaslighting the public, calling her ‘moderate’ and ‘centrist’.

“Kamala only peaked at 5pc favourability with blacks. Bernie had 11pc and Warren 8pc favourability with blacks. The Biden/Harris ticket will be a delicious disaster.”

About face: Joe Biden suddenly remembers, too late, all the nasty things Kamala said about him. Picture: AFP
About face: Joe Biden suddenly remembers, too late, all the nasty things Kamala said about him. Picture: AFP

Jeff interjected:

“The last Fox poll indicates that Trump has lost the suburbans, most women, educated whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics. That leaves him white rural males, of which there are plenty. He retains some evangelicals who want the judges, and that’s it. Lots of time to go, and I don’t underestimate Biden’s ability to lose this, or Democrats generally to shoot themselves, however, Trump is bleeding support, not gaining it.”

Simples said Barry:

“She is woke and liberal. Right there are the two things the quiet majority in the US will rebel against. This mentality has encouraged the loss of law and order and will see Trump elected again.”

Prophet of Boom’s warning:

“Any US candidate who supports the completely dud ‘Green New Deal’ should not be allowed to hold office. This wild spending and destructive program deliberately aims to destroy the US’s industrial capacity and would massively increase energy prices.

“The US standard of living would collapse and would redefine the term ‘energy poverty’. Already heavily indebted, this program would place an even greater debt burden on the US people, with a substantial portion of the budget having to go to pay interest payments. Like nearly all renewable energy programs the man/woman in the street loses out big time whilst corporate insiders laugh all the way to the bank.”

Magpie-01 noted:

“Amazing thing politics, and politicians. During the leadership race Kamala called out Biden on his record against African-Americans, and his association with some of the most odious Democrat characters that were clearly against African-American betterment. Now however she seems to have packed up that tent and happily joined the Joe campaign. They must think that the average punter in the street has a very short memory and the voters will ignore that.

Bring on the debates.”

JohnWW countered:

“ ‘ … some of the most odious Democrat characters …’ but they are in the junior school compared to the most odious Republican characters starting at the top when it comes to their attitude towards people of colour, LGBTQI folk and other minorities, Muslims etc. None are perfect but the Biden/Harris combo has got be a significant improvement in terms of their humanity.”

Mark. 1 was confused:

“You are a bit all over the place on this one Greg, you state in the beginning of your article: ‘Harris is as woke as folk, embraces every silliness of identity politics. She favours trillions of dollars of new taxes, supports the Green New Deal and carbon-neutral America, a recipe for national bankruptcy. She would end fracking, which now provides the lion’s share of US energy.’ Yet, in another part you say she is a professional politician who will not unduly frighten voters. I would suggest, on the basis of what you have written here, that voters in the US should indeed be afraid, very afraid.”

Michael remembered:

“I lived in The USSR until I was 28. The word ‘progressive’ then meant pro-Soviet and anti-American. The ‘progressive public opinion’ meant the same. By implication it also meant anti-liberal democracy in its original meaning. The Soviets cultivated these kind of actors to influence their policies of the ‘capitalism’ interdiction. The ‘progressives’ were happy to be of service, not realising that, should the Soviets win power, they would be the first to go to Gulag. Things changed. Or have they?”

As did Iain:

“I lived there for 9 months just after the USSR collapsed — what a weird time! Unfortunately, due to human nature, a similar number of hyper-controllers of an authoritarian, fascistic mindset as those who propagated and sustained communism in the USSR exist here in democratic countries as well.

“To their joy, they can freely join numerous parties who freely and lawfully may shout from the rooftops (and, these days, in the glowing embers of burnt minority businesses and looted shops) for the abolition of freedoms that we think are eternal. Who says irony doesn’t exist amongst the left.”

Pat grabbed his atlas:

“Are we aware of where Jamaica is? Just in case, it’s this little island near Cuba, near the USA. Africa is on the other side of the world and although Jamaicans originally were from Africa, I think we can safely call them Jamaicans. Otherwise we better start calling ourselves Irish-Australians or English-Australians. Please get off the identity bandwagon.”

Batter batter schwing: Is Donald Trump set to strike out or will he even walk out to the plate? Picture: Getty Images
Batter batter schwing: Is Donald Trump set to strike out or will he even walk out to the plate? Picture: Getty Images

Stephen Loosely wondered if Donald Trump might take his bat and go home, quitting the presidential race rather than risk losing. John D demurred:

“If your thesis that Trump cannot handle defeat is right then Trump wouldn’t have stood at the last election. Virtually no one thought he had a chance of winning the presidency, including I suspect even the man himself.”

Damon doubted:

“That was different. His agenda then was building his brand. If he gets thrashed his brand is trash.”

Glee from Ghislaine:

“The popcorn is ready and stockpiled. Donald will absolutely slay Biden. Hillary is an intelligent Woman, and he obliterated her.”

Mic was amused:

“ … from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. This is how groupthink gets it so wrong, so often. In 2016, the 20 prominent experts at this centre predicted a Hillary Clinton victory 20 to nil. 20 to nil wasn’t the worst of it — 19 predicted a landslide. We are talking so called experts on United States affairs. I on the other hand — an avid follower of political outcome and history — predicted Trump would win.

“So lets look at 90 days out from the US election. On August 10, 2016, Hillary led Trump 49 to 39 on the Fox News poll and was up by 8pc on average across all polls. On 11 August 2020, Biden is up by 8pc on Newspoll and 6pc on the average of all polls. So to start, Trump is in a better position than 2016. But the difference to 2016, is that 3 months out, Trump’s vote was still getting worse. In 2020, Trump’s numbers have been improving for the last month.

“The only real attack the Dems have is coronavirus and Trump himself. History shows this is not enough. They can’t run on law and order, they can’t run on border control, they can’t run on tax, manufacturing, industry, trade, the middle class, business or pretty much anything else. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Maybe climate change, but Biden wants 100pc renewables by 2035. This means drastic changes to the coal industry, gas industry, oil industry, nuclear industry and electricity industry just to start. Also, is Biden the answer for minorities? If your honest, you can’t possibly say yes. I cannot see Trump losing in 2020, but time will reveal all.”

Deploracon doubled down:

“Rasmussen poll has black voter support for President Trump at 36pc. In 2nd with highest support from that sector of the population is 17pc for Gerald Ford. If he apparently needs 8pc of the black vote to make an impression, 36pc will do it. Looks like the #walkaway & #blexit is working. can see Candice Owens being the first female US President and she’s black. As a Republican. Brilliant woman.”

David’s say:

“It is often those we expect the least from, who are most capable of great things, when timing and fate demand they do something. He will be remembered as the most unlikely president who was the most likely to save America when disaster came knocking (again).

“Bad men prosper when good men do nothing. Trump is doing something. And mostly because, for decades, those who were supposed to do something, didn’t, or wouldn’t, or couldn’t. He has brought the light to (their) darkness, and they hate him for it.

“Trump is a truth teller. He doesn’t give a damn about anybody’s feelings. He is getting the job done. He genuinely loves his country. He isn’t there for the money. He isn’t there for the ego. To ignore that, is a choice. But what’s the point in that.

“Love him or hate him, the world needs him. Now more than ever. The pretenders, the charlatans, those masquerading as leaders, the virtuous saviours, are mostly (all) full of it.

Trump has pulled back the curtain and hopefully just in time. We should all thank God for that, because freedom, and life as we know it depends on it. Judge what he does, not how he does it. The outcome is what counts.”

Donald Trump needed a win and he has received a thumping one with the surprise peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, wrote Cameron Stewart. Citizen X wasn’t surprised:

“The media like to portray Trump as a bumbling rambunctious fool out of his depth in international affairs. Well, for a fool, he is brokering peace deals that globalist politicians for the past 50 years have fumbled, ballsed-up and never been able to achieve. Was that by coincidence or design?

“What I love about Trump is that he kicks over the globalist apple cart, sticks his fingers in the UN eyeballs, kicks China up the rear-end whilst simultaneously dismantling the private banking cartels. Boy, do they hate him! Four more years. And another four after that!”

ShowPony3051 was unimpressed:

“Big whoop. A minor accomplishment that doesn’t come anywhere near compensating for three years and seven months of destruction and ignorance. Why isn’t The Australian reporting on Trump’s refusal to fund the United States Postal Service, thus disenfranchising millions of voting Americans, including many conservative voters who prefer to vote by mail? The man is a destroyer, and attempts to whitewash this ignorance and iconoclasm with titbits of good news just won’t work.”

Praise from Peter:
“At last a positive step forward in the intractable Middle East. Regardless of all who will try to belittle this agreement, it was not achieved during the preceding Presidencies of Obama, Bush, or Clinton.”

John wasn’t convinced:

“Trump’s ‘win’ was in the timing of a public announcement but he can’t claim credit for anything else. The rest is down to Israel and the UAE and has been developing long before Trump even thought of running for President. This is all about Iran and the justified fear the ruling families of the Gulf states have for retaining power. A case indeed of ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’. Sheikh Mohammed has been doing deals with American administrations since he was a young man.”

Ken cackled:

“The UN won’t like this either. After 27 resolutions in the past year chastising Israel this will really upset the leftie apple cart.”

Clark was cynical:

“Based on recent media performances, this story will receive little applause, especially when President Trump and Israel are centre-stage. Watch Ten’s ‘The Project’ and/or ABC, at your own risk, and see how much air time it gets.”

Last word to John:

“In years to come, after the leftist media generated “orange man bad” narrative is put to rest and the current dumbed-down generation has hopefully woken up, the Trump two term presidency will be regarded as possibly the most important and pivotal in American history in, albeit temporarily, repelling the latest incursion of Neo-Marxist/Socialist vandalism.

“Trump is clearly a man for the times. No one else, certainly no one in the current Republican party could have done what he has done. The big question is what comes after Trump. Neo-Marxist socialism is a curse that will not go away.”

Each Friday the cream of your views on the news rises and we honour the voices that made the debate great. To boost your chances of being featured, please be pertinent, pithy and preferably make a point. Solid arguments, original ideas, sparkling prose, rapier wit and rhetorical flourishes may count in your favour. Civility is essential. Comments may be edited for length.

Read related topics:Joe Biden
Jason Gagliardi

Jason Gagliardi is the engagement editor and a columnist at The Australian, who got his start at The Courier-Mail in Brisbane. He was based for 25 years in Hong Kong and Bangkok. His work has been featured in publications including Time, the Sunday Telegraph Magazine (UK), Colors, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, Harpers Bazaar and Roads & Kingdoms, and his travel writing won Best Asean Travel Article twice at the ASEANTA Awards.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/big-money-hitting-the-betting-agencies-right-now-aint-for-biden/news-story/cf1a62c115a7fd806ce82b8a0db40d5b