Eight of the candidates for the Republican nomination for president had their first debate yesterday. Fox News decided to not allow any of the other streaming services to show it so I did not watch it. I have only had time to briefly read some reviews (here’s one and here’s another) but they were all over the map afterwards with no one having a breakout performance or a ‘viral moment’ as the kids say these days. The views expressed seemed to be entirely predictable, with the only variation lying between extremist and utterly nuts. But one consensus was that Florida governor did not do anything to stop his slide in the polls.
Serial sex abuser Donald Trump (SSAT) did not take part despite desperate pleading from the Republican National Committee organizers of the debate. He has been angry with Fox News for whatever reason and he gave them the middle finger by having his interview with Tucker Carlson released at the same time as the first hour of the debate. The rambling interview seemed to be the same old whining and ranting.
Today SSAT will turn himself in to the Fulton County jail for processing and that will include a mug shot and other things that he was spared in his previous three occasions. There has apparently been keen interest in the betting markets on what his weight and height will be. There had been speculation that the numbers given by his White House physician had been shaded so that his BMI index would be just below the obese marker. That weight had been given as 244 lb but the betting over/under line today is 278.5 lb. There has also been speculation that SSAT uses lifts in his shoes to make him look taller and whether his height will be measured today without shoes, which would also increase his BMI.
So there may be at least one ‘big’ question answered today, unlike in yesterday’s debate or interview.
hyphenman says
Looks like the numbers were off: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/24/trump-height-weight/
Trump was listed as 6’3″ and 215 pounds.
Or is something rotten in Fulton County?
Rob Grigjanis says
The only way Trump is 6′ 3″ and 215 lb is if he’s largely made of hot air. So, possible.
anat says
He wasn’t weighed there, apparently the weight is self-declared.
birgerjohansson says
I was about to write something sarcastic about the Republican field of candidates, but you have nailed it.
I wish processing included some SF-level psychological assessment device, as SSAT will not voluntarily undergo a psych exam.
Just how highly would he score on the narcissist spectrum? Is he a bona fide psychopath? That would be more interesting than confirming he is an obese slob.
John Morales says
‘Tis all very silly.
But: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/27/donald-trump-rocky-picture-twitter
sonofrojblake says
I said this in late March, and I’ll copy and paste it here:
More data has come in since March. Now, after the first debate, and with the current poll numbers available, is there anyone who’s going to claim that Trump won’t be the candidate?
birgerjohansson says
Sonifrojblake @ 6
Yes, they can start printing the posters for the election campaign already.
Question: Should they use the image with SSAT as a boxer, or use his mugshot?
birgerjohansson says
British coverage. I don’t think there is any question which candidate this crowd supports.
https://youtu.be/svMrnkVGPAE
birgerjohansson says
(The crowd appears at the 2-minute mark)
ockhamsshavingbrush says
@ hyphenman #1
So I guess this: https://i.pinimg.com/236x/75/45/af/7545aff66a7e3dff45b4c611dc5aa051.jpg is what a shirtless Mango Mussolini would look like, amIright?? For reference, the image in the linky thingy shows Christian Ponder listed at 6’3” 227 lbs.
@ sonofjrblake #6
Yeah, I think that the Orange Monstrosity pretending to be a human being will win the faschist nomination. But in a sane voting system (i.e. NOT the USian or British for that matter) he would have his ass handed to him on a silver platter. Alas, this is not the case so I guess this will still be a tight race.
johnson catman says
re hyphenman @1: As I commented elsewhere, he could be 215 pounds . . . IF both legs were cut off. But then he wouldn’t be 6’3″ tall.
birgerjohansson says
Re. @ 8
The video has been recalled by the owner.
sonofrojblake says
Was it this one?
Heidi Nemeth says
It amuses me to think how many hours SSAT spent preparing for his mug shot. He must have tried several, or many, facial expressions, then worked to make the chosen one reliably reproducible. His hair is perfect, as is his makeup and clothing.
All of that and more makes me wonder it is really his mug shot for the booking. It looks too staged. His head his pitched forward so it is not a full on face shot as is usually required. No accompanying profile picture is offered. And the usual background of the height measuring lines are absent.
Maybe this is just SSAT’s preferred photo for public release upon his booking? And he released it for publicity purposes?
Deepak shetty says
@sonofrojblake @5
Trump may be the nominee but I have my doubts on the 70 million. I can’t think of a reason a non Trump voter in 2020 will vote for him in 2024 -- I do think 4 million republican voters may recover their sanity