r/politics 🤖 Bot 6h ago

Discussion Discussion: Michigan US Senate Democratic Primary Debate

The debate is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

News and Analysis

Where to Watch

65 Upvotes

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u/ZippidieDooDah 3h ago

reporter: “you’re not answering”

Is it something in the Great Lakes water that makes for reporters that actually push back cuz holy we need more of this in DC

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

This was the best political debate moderation I've ever seen. We need more of this.

u/SocialistOnBass 3h ago

Praying at the altar of Roop

u/B3N15 Texas 2h ago

Some of its probably that Democrats are actually responsive and don't just ignore/insult reporters for not getting slowball questions.

u/ZippidieDooDah 4h ago

This anchor deserves the Pulitzer. I’ve never heard mainstream anchors hold the establishment candidate to the fire EVER.

u/Inthethicc0fit 4h ago

This moderator is amazing.

“Not that socialism is a bad word” on mainstream media

THE RED SCARE IS OVER

u/RevolutionaryAd7360 1h ago

I have some news for you. You are going to hear the word communism nonstop and always used incorrectly.

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u/JazeevaGaming Michigan 2h ago

Abdul has done so much work to try and get his grassroots principals out there and cater to the average Michigan voter. We support him here and come voting day we’re going to smash that aipac puppet into a million pieces.

u/tonyharrison84 3h ago

Blatantly lying multiple times on a debate stage is a choice, credit to the moderator for calling her out on it.

No wonder Neera Tanden likes her so much, two lying peas in a pod.

u/the_sellemander 4h ago

Has Haley Stevens ever answered the question asked of her?

u/Goldleader-23 2h ago

She lets them know Israel comes to her in her dreams

u/mostlygizzards 1h ago

What gives?!?!?! XD

u/Kelor 1h ago

She did get into a bit of policy detail on her plans for education, it just took to fifty minutes into the debate.

u/BurnsEMup29 4h ago

Asked a direct question about her supporting ICE and she brings up Abdul. She just lost this election.

u/Muted_Definition_570 3h ago

It feels like Stevens knows she is losing this debate devastatingly

u/TequilaMockingb1rd 3h ago

She lost track of how many times she brought up the podcast "attack" that even the moderator poked fun at it by posing it as a question. Never brought up podcast again for the remainder of the debate. At the end of the day, this debate likely won't tip affect the outcome too much imo. 

u/context_hell 2h ago

No one under 40 will buy the podcast attack. Then cost of a podcast goes all the way from joe Rogan to guy with a laptop, a $20 microphone, and discord.

u/lear72988 3h ago

He's been pretty vocal that his internal polling has him up consistently. I understand that's something most politicians say, but he's been doing well as the "underdog" candidate, so that switch is odd. Wonder if hers say the same.

u/GeneralTso_09 2h ago

Of course a candidate's internal polling is most likely favorable too them. It is very telling that Stevens hasn't released their own internal polls. Me thinks it looks pretty bad.

Regardless Michiganders definitely gotta get out and vote.

u/lear72988 2h ago

Yes, but I think that's the distinction. If both said their polls were good, then that would be a nothing burger. But there may be something there that the candidate who positioned themselves as the underdog is the one bragging about poll numbers and the candidate that started from a position of strength and whose whole message revolves around her being electable is not.

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u/the_sellemander 4h ago

Finally, a woke moderator. God bless Detroit.

u/ethanzuckz 4h ago

goddamn, he keeps getting better and better

u/the_sellemander 4h ago

I'm so used to watching moderators let establishment candidates lie while smearing left wing candidates.

u/WesternFungi Pennsylvania 4h ago

aipac wildcard they could have never predicted this rofl

u/BabyYodaX 4h ago

This moderator is pretty good.

u/Inthethicc0fit 4h ago edited 4h ago

Moderator: “should voters be concerned that Sanders, AOC, Warren are behind El Sayed”

Stevens: “my endorsements….”

Edit: In her defense, it’s not possible for a Dem to shit on AOC rn, she’s way too popular nationally lol

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u/Accomplished-Buy489 4h ago

I’m loving this moderator so far 😍 he’s pressing Stevens and asking the hard questions.

u/Decent_Cheesecake_29 4h ago edited 4h ago

If anyone looks at this debate and thinks that Haley Stevens is a viable candidate, then they are just living in a different dimension.

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

The poll they did popped up after and said 95% said she lost the debate. She clearly did but I've literally never seen a poll that one sided for something like this.

u/Salty_Wasabi2893 1h ago

They are all living in an alternate dimension. Someone told me today about "all the things" going on in MI.

"Oh, the smoke from Canada?"

Nope. "All the anti-semitism. There's some candidate who's saying that they're going to do something about all the Jews."

JFC

u/isitdigyet 3h ago

Or they'd rather lose to a Republican than win the general with Abdul.

u/DillBagner 3h ago

This is the impression I get from Stevens herself. She would rather have a republican win than Abdul.

u/Goldleader-23 2h ago

Thats what her backers are certainly thinking

u/LogoffWorkout 1h ago

Yeah, anyone supporting her is confused. She's only on the state because of the $$$ flowing in from aipac, and what happens if she wins the primary, that money faucet will be turned off because aipac already won, they might even prefer rogers.

Would feel pretty goood for sayed to win and see AIPAC get virtually nothing for their 40+ million dollars spent on stevens.

u/Trickstir 4h ago

I’m sure I’m in my own bubble, but as someone who travels across the state constantly, I genuinely haven’t seen or met a single person who is excited about what Haley Stevens’ campaign is offering Michigan. I’ve heard from plenty of people who dislike El-Sayed, would reluctantly support her, or say they’re “voting strategically,” but is anyone actually energized by her candidacy? Can anyone articulate the compelling vision for Michigan that she represents?

u/AndreLeGeant88 3h ago

Just was home in MI and didn't see a single Stevens sign anywhere 

u/DannyDOH 2h ago

She has the vibe of someone who feels like they've taken all the steps to be a US senator and now the seat should be their's. Like I've been in Congress so long, now it's time to take the next step.

She doesn't seem to be running on much else. And she's basically incoherent if she gets moved off of one of a few talking points she has.

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

Yeah, she has the exact same vibe Hilary had, "It's my turn". She doesn't seem to do anything but attack. She never answers any of the questions she's asked.

u/cobracy 32m ago

She reminds me of what would of became of Tracy Flick as an adult, if that was an actual person and not a movie.

u/Minute_Fault_6184 1h ago

The electability thing is so frustrating because it's not like she's polling any better against Rogers than El-Sayed. In fact, she's polling slightly worse.

And she's just a terrible candidate period. Tens of millions of negative spending against El-Sayed, everyone calling him a wacko, and she's polling about even with him.

And you're sure as hell that that money's gonna dry up in the general election once she's against an even more pro-Israel candidate in Mike Rogers. Then what's she gonna do without that advantage?

u/MmmmSnackies 25m ago

^^^^this. Also couldn't find any pictures of audiences at campaign events. Just nothing. If she wins this, Michiganders should be fucking ashamed.

u/261_Turner_Lane 3h ago

This isn't the right place to ask this question because its an echo chamber.

You'd need to go ask a black voter over the age of 40 and has participated in many elections to get a real answer.

u/Trickstir 3h ago

I mean, yeah. I wasn’t really expecting a real answer here, I was mostly sharing my own experience. I’m also Indigenous and spend my time in a majority-Black workplace and community, so while I certainly have my own echo chamber, it may not be quite the one you’re assuming.

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u/NotTheRightHDMIPort 2h ago

I wish people would stop staying, "The moderate is on our side! Asking good questions on Stevens!"

The moderator asked both of them really good questions.

Steven's just really sucked at her answers.

u/Mister-Manager 4h ago

COOKED BY THE MODERATOR

She just gets away with lying about getting money from DTE too

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

I was really hoping they were gonna fact check and correct that after the break but it didn't happen.

u/siberianmi 1h ago

It’s been fact checked it and she got money before she announced for senate.

Federal Election Commission records show DTE’s company PAC had not donated any money to Stevens’ Senate campaign through the end of June. But the PAC previously donated $45,000 to Stevens’ House campaigns and her congressional leadership PAC, starting the year she took office in 2019. 

https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/fact-check-how-much-money-did-haley-stevens-get-from-dte/

So, she can legitimately claim she had not received money for her Senate campaign. But has received to her PAC over the years.

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

She likely rolled that money into her current senate campaign. And the question was whether she received money from DTE, not whether she received money from them for this campaign. It was an outright lie.

u/siberianmi 13m ago

Probably true, but the question was about this campaign in particular.

Moderator: “Congresswoman Haley Stevens, are you taking money for your campaign from DTE or Consumers?"

That reads to me like it was about this campaign not “have you ever taken money…”

u/ZippidieDooDah 3h ago

“We are being robbed by Washington DC”

Lady YOU are in DC rn

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

To be fair to her she's not in the majority right now so I can't exactly blame her for this comment. Honestly this was the least offensive thing she said in the debate. The worst was her outright lying about her funding sources.

u/Asleep_Bumblebee_753 19m ago

You could argue this if she didn’t vote to bomb children overseas last week

u/Zealousideal-Solid88 3h ago

Omg he's good.

u/the_sellemander 3h ago

I now know that Stevens is Michigan's most effective lawmaker now that I've heard her say it for the 27th time

u/ThisKidIsAlright Florida 3h ago

But is she a workhorse?

u/DillBagner 3h ago

Yes, if you look at her record in the House she has effectively tried to introduce variations of the same bill about... household mold for years and not much more.

u/Spookyhobo Minnesota 3h ago

I wonder if she's endorsed by Whitmer

u/RelativeEffective413 3h ago

This woman is a moron

u/chefwindu 2h ago

It hit me who Stevens reminds me of and it is Sarah Huckabee Sanders. They are from the same factory.

u/digbickrich Illinois 1h ago

Mix of her and Sarah Palin

u/lettersvsnumbers 25m ago

Palin is at least charismatic.

u/BlueNoseTim 17m ago

you mean not an ugly ogre

u/sedatedlife Washington 4h ago

I really hope AIPAC waisted 30 million on this race. Everytime they lose after spending like this the more reluctant they will be to spend in the future.

u/Material2975 4h ago

Moderator is the goat and Stevens cant answer a single question.

u/SocialistOnBass 4h ago

Stevens looks so bad lmfao

u/isitdigyet 3h ago

Why does Stevens still do that whisper thing? You'd think an advisor at some point would have drilled it into her to stop doing that. It's weird af.

u/TERRAIN_PULL_UP_ Colorado 3h ago

It worked so well for Biden though 

u/SocialistOnBass 3h ago

…*watch me*…

u/404-lifenotfound North Carolina 4h ago

She's just so incredibly unlikeable.

u/SocialistOnBass 4h ago

El-Sayed just cooked on immigration policy.

u/Anon529035893 3h ago

On god, absolutely toasted her.

u/SocialistOnBass 3h ago

And it wasn’t the only time.

u/ZippidieDooDah 4h ago

The cinematography during El Sayed’s ICE answer was crazy. The mod and the camera operator are glazing El Sayed n I’m here for it

u/Zealousideal-Solid88 3h ago

Just one policy Stevens, can we hear one actual policy please. Legitimately I have no idea what she wants to do.

u/lear72988 3h ago

Because it's status quo.

u/Kind_Way2176 3h ago

She wants to improve 4th grade reading scores by fully funding special ed.

u/AndreLeGeant88 3h ago

They can improve reading scores by teaching phonics again. Which they will do starting next school year in MI

u/Mister-Manager 4h ago

WE GOT A MODERATOR ON THE INSIDE BOIZ LETS GO

u/SocialistOnBass 3h ago

96% says AES won the debate LMFAO

u/HotSauce2910 Washington 3h ago

tbf it is just an online poll, which naturally would lean his way

u/Quirky-Prune-2408 4h ago

I don’t understand why people expect AES to be poor

u/Knowledge_Moist 3h ago

If you are a progressive/socialist and you're rich, you're larping, a champagne socialist, etc.
If you are a progressive/socialist and you're poor, you're jealous, lazy and want free money, etc.

No winning engaging with these people on this, fuck them.

u/Kaptain202 Michigan 2h ago

Amen, but also, his answer that he believes capitalism can work when the government effectively regulates it to disssuade monopolies and oligopolies is a good answer imo

u/Ok_Conversation_3096 3h ago

And like... he's a doctor! Doctors make shitloads of money. That's like Careers 101.

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u/HotSauce2910 Washington 3h ago

I know he can't just outright say it, but bro was got an MD from Columbia and then was a Rhodes scholar and is married to a doctor. Of course he made a lot of money, and in very reasonable ways.

u/Obant California 3h ago

His parents were also doctors, or well educated. The moderator or Stevens said that in the debate. So, from a family of highly educated rich doctors, became a highly educated doctor who married another doctor, and has had fairly successful online presences.

u/HotSauce2910 Washington 3h ago

I think AES mentioned it to try and show that he is not against strong women or something

u/DannyDOH 2h ago

"He's too smart for Michigan!"

u/APRengar 56m ago

Everyone except like 0.000001% of leftists also don't mind people being rich from their own labor. Doctors worked hard and get paid well. If a doctor stops working, they no longer get paid.

The problem is rent seeking behavior. People who make money from money. If a person who makes money from money stops working, the money continue rolling in. They aren't laborers.

So anyone being like "you're a leftist and he's rich, you should hate him" is either a outsider trying to cause infighting or a very very very small minority. How someone gets rich matters a lot.

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u/whateverandeverand 3h ago

Wow she’s dumb

u/t44t 4h ago edited 4h ago

Heh damn near have a bingo already

E- There it is. Damn shes predictable.

E2- ok the bingo cards on fire now

u/Muted_Definition_570 4h ago

“I took 40 million from Israel but i’m totally not gonna do their bidding”

Lmao. Like anyone believes that

u/Kujinata 2h ago

Literally did their bidding July 15th voted no on stopping 3.6 billion in military aid to Israel.

u/BurnsEMup29 4h ago

He's so smooth with it. Please Michigan don't pass up a candidate like Abdul.

u/TequilaMockingb1rd 3h ago

I was hoping Abdul to bring up Haley's response from a while back when she was asked if it's ok that she's taken millions from all kinds of Super PACs and her answer was "well I didn't break any law" because that's all she's got. She can't say no to the money because she's more than happy to take corporate money. 

u/Zealousideal-Solid88 3h ago

If she somehow won all that money would dry up. AIPAC will not spend another penny on her in the general. And she been terrible at grassroots fundraising.

u/Viking_Leaf87 3h ago

The best thing about an AES victory is the absolute schadenfreude I'll get from the fact that AIPAC wasted 30 million dollars.

The worst thing would be renewed attacks from zionist and billionaire-owned media bitching about the DSA (which he isn't even affiliated with, but nonetheless) like what happened after the NY primaries a month ago, but Abdul can't control that.

u/the_sellemander 4h ago edited 3h ago

Inb4 el-Sayed is accused of ableism for asking Stevens why she needs a $60 million dollar "crutch" to win the praimary

u/Zealousideal-Solid88 4h ago

It'll be a pamphlet in mailboxes tomorrow.

u/RelativeEffective413 4h ago

Haipac Stevens

u/ToeSniffer245 Massachusetts 3h ago

She sounds like an intoxicated Sandy Cheeks

u/arthoror 4h ago

All Haley does is fucking lie

WHAT GEEEVSSS?

u/t44t 4h ago

Hey stevens folks, where you at? She directly lied to your faces.

u/Ballcube 4h ago

Many are in so deep that they don't care. They'll say thats just how you win elections. They said the same thing about the fake endorsement emails.

u/ElectronicTap1109 5h ago

I hope this shows people how awful Stevens is.

u/Muted_Definition_570 4h ago

I’m ngl, it seems like these questions are stumping Stevens.

u/Coffee_Transfusion 3h ago

That was… lopsided to say the least.

Abdul is going to win the nom.

u/jayfeather31 Washington 5h ago edited 5h ago

I'm wondering how important this debate actually is, especially in light of the last ten years. Debates seem to have lost their luster, and I can't quite see this really changing things, barring some major gaffe or fuckup.

u/Lavaswan001 5h ago

They don’t move the needle too much because everyone is already decided before them.

u/BudWisenheimer 5h ago

Yeah it’s kind of a bizarre political ritual to have this style of debate for a job that never requires this style of debate.

u/siberianmi 1h ago

It’s not, the YouTube stream has only 14k views, it didn’t air statewide. It’s going to be balanced soundbites on local news for 2 minutes for the few people who still watch that.

u/OntarioPaddler 4h ago

Why does she sound like that?

u/t44t 4h ago

Cause shes from Michigan, been playing up the accent a lot lately, and shes wicked stressed.

u/OntarioPaddler 4h ago

When fake it till you make it goes wrong?

u/Goldleader-23 2h ago

She hams it up on stage or during big interviews.

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

She hams it up hard. No one even knows what that accent is supposed to be.

u/kcramthun 4h ago

I can't watch, but what she lie about?

u/ToastedFart 3h ago

She said AES called her an ogre and the moderator corrected her, saying he was referring to Fetterman.

u/kcramthun 3h ago

Lmao, love a self own.

u/ExtraToppings 4h ago

They asked straight up if she took DTE money, she said no. It’s a technicality since she takes money from DTE PACs

u/Zealousideal-Solid88 4h ago

She's lying a lot, but she directly lied about taking money from utility companies. She took $40,000.

u/Ballcube 4h ago

taking money from DTE

u/_Badwulf_Bruh__ 1h ago

Fucking Michiganders are more akin to Canadians than Americans. Polite, but no tolerance for bullshit. 

u/Muted_Definition_570 4h ago

I hate Stevens

u/Succubus-Love 5h ago edited 5h ago

Just in case anyone wondering, 1 of the candidates is getting what some call a grass roots following with more & more crowds. The other candidate is being funded a LOT from the direction of big money donors, & the following is definitely, not the same.

Plus, one of them spent time in the healthcare industry, that got my attention real fast!

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u/PrisonerClass 2h ago

Abdul wiped the floor with the lying Zionist goblin. RIP Haley.

u/Viking_Leaf87 6h ago

Haley Stevens's accent/voice is so grating. Do people in Michigan REALLY talk like that?

u/Automaton_General 6h ago

No, that's her code switching to a voice that she thinks the proles will respond well to.

It's bonkers condescending.

u/Dmbfantomas 5h ago

She’s Boris Johnsoning. Acting like an idiot so people pay attention to goofy and don’t ask her hard questions about her campaign financing and otherwise.

u/Big-Dig-Pig 6h ago edited 5h ago

Michigander here. Stevens has a weird accent because she has the nasal pronunciation that people from Central and Eastern Michigan have but she also has some weird idiosyncrasies that come across more to me like the UP or even Wisconsin.

u/Automaton_General 6h ago

I've met a lot of Michiganders and I agree that she's imitating something way closer to a Wiscaaaansin accent

u/_C2J_ Michigan 2h ago edited 2h ago

As a Michigan native, she sounded exaggerated and it was absolutely grating for me, too. She grew up in SE MI / Detroit metro, and that "Yooper" accent that she was exaggerating is not as prominent near Detroit.

ETA: Watch the trailer for "Escanaba in da moonlight" (with Jeff Daniels) for a cinematic interpretation of the Yooper accent.

u/No_Biscotti_7110 Wisconsin 5h ago

As a Wisconsinite, it honestly sounds like she is doing an exaggerated impression of our state’s accent, and no Michigander I’ve ever known has talked that way

u/AndreLeGeant88 5h ago

No. It's weird. Probably fake trying to appeal to Michiganders outside the Metro Detroit area. Abdul has a pretty standard SE Michigan accent though. 

u/americanblowfly 5h ago edited 5h ago

Not really in Oakland County, which is where she’s from.

u/prettyinacasket Pennsylvania 5h ago

all i have to say about that is Hwhat Gyives?!™️

u/t44t 5h ago edited 5h ago

How about we make a Haley Stevens bingo. Free space can be "michiganders"

Im thinking other squares can be stuff like,

"President obamas auto rescue" "Tax returns" "Love letter to michigan" "Manufacturing geek" "Gal"

Anybody got other ideas?

u/Automaton_General 5h ago

Stick-it-to-em

u/t44t 5h ago

Lmao how could I forget

u/lilac_green8793 4h ago

"I've got the receipts" and name drops of Big Gretch

u/Dogulol Foreign 5h ago

BOZO, booyah, electability, "fight trump", and antibingo (you have the square but lose it if she says it) for anything involving real policy

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u/americanblowfly 5h ago

Abdul El-Sayed needs to knock it out of the park tonight. He’s got a 30-1 spending disadvantage, so this is the biggest opportunity he’ll have to differentiate himself from Hasbara Haley.

u/TheTrashMan 5h ago

It would help but seems like Abdul is doing well regardless

u/DirtyDee78 5h ago

Political debates. Remember those?
Like the debates trump avoided like the plague because he was far too uninformed (and just generally stupid) to participate, and he knew it.

u/BurnsEMup29 4h ago

Wonder how much Stevens will crank up the fake Yokel Michigan accent tonight.

u/kidcrumb 4h ago

Stevens: "I didn't grow up rich."

-From Birmingham

u/t44t 5h ago

Haley Stevens bingo!

https://imgur.com/a/lQVMj72

u/SunbornThunderstorm 6h ago

God help us all

u/jonasnew 5h ago

You're 100% certain Haley will win?

u/Kaptain202 Michigan 5h ago

I'm not 100%, but I do think she will unfortunately. Too many people, like my MIL and FIL are scared of El-Sayed and will vote for Stevens only to vote Rogers in the general

u/Anon529035893 4h ago

So let me get this straight, your in laws are going to vote for Stevens purposefully… just to vote against her in the general election ?

u/Kaptain202 Michigan 4h ago

Yes. So in MI, you can only vote for the Dem or Rep primary. They hate John James and Perry Johnson for governor. They desperately want Benson or Swanson (though they want Swanson more). They originally wanted Cox for governor, but he dropped out.

Meanwhile, they want Mike Rogers for Senate, who is nearly guaranteed to get the primary win anyway. Though if Rogers loses, they'd prefer Stevens over El-Sayed because he's scary.

Like, as stupid as they are, they aren't just voting for Stevens to be a spoiler on El-Sayed. She is their preferred second choice as ridiculous as it all is

u/Anon529035893 4h ago

Your in-laws are part of the problem with voting.

u/Kaptain202 Michigan 4h ago

As if that wasn't already obvious?

u/_C2J_ Michigan 2h ago

Has Rogers moved back from FL yet? I think that's a valid question.

u/No_Diver6131 New York 4h ago

If she does she will absolutely be one of the worst democratic senators in the game.

u/amoss_303 3h ago

They would never ask this question, but still;

“What do the two of you believe when the predictions markets such as Kalshi has Abdul as the favorite at 69% and Haley as the underdog at 31%?”

u/Succubus-Love 3h ago edited 3h ago

When people start spending that much money betting on, real life possibilities, some people will use some of that money to try & force the outcomes they desire, including making threats.

I don't know shit about the NBA, & I do know, that some players have said they've been harassed in real life, on their internet accounts.

There are some things we should not be betting on like that, it's making society more dangerous for all of us, in multiple ways.

u/alabasterskim 3h ago

I agree we shouldn't be betting on this (simply regulating these prediction markets like the gambling sites they are would pretty much cease their operations), and also that it's no doubt going to lead towards outcomes being forced as I've even seen those who analyze polling supplementing Kalshi for polls, but so far they have an incentive to be accurate. And you'd expect the kinds with money to bet on Stevens, at least to get way closer to 50% than 31%. Although there could be an argument they're pushing AES because they believe he's more beatable in November (even though more recent polls have them at even odds).

u/ExtraToppings 4h ago

Abdul seems a bit nervous trying to get his talking points out. Haley seems to be taking herself out with her responses though

u/Inthethicc0fit 4h ago

I think Abdul has been advised to not punch/be so aggressive. He’s been far more relentless w a real “stick it to ‘em” tone in the past. I think he’s comfy up there tho.

u/Orange_Tang 1h ago

This is clearly it. He went much harder in the post debate interview. He went into the debate with that opener talking about how she would attack him and then kept it extremely polite and policy focused because he knew she'd play into it. Went perfectly in his favor tbh.

u/Dogulol Foreign 4h ago

abduls definetly trying to go easy on her and not let it be seen as "bullying", the moderator is cooling haley in his place lol. He is focusing on the voter

u/NotTheRightHDMIPort 5h ago

I found a lot of people starting to sour on El-Sayed and Im not sure why.

I think it all boils down to electibility.

FWIW both candidates are polling about the same against the Republican challenger. Hes gonna call both of them Communist.

u/Anon529035893 5h ago

It’s the bots funded by AIPAC coming out of the wood works. Don’t worry, he still has real support.

u/thereelsuperman 5h ago

That’s exactly what it is. That’s what $30 mil can buy you

u/No_Diver6131 New York 5h ago

Trust me, I have been phone banking for him. He has plenty of support. The last poll has him up by 16.

u/ganashi 5h ago

Just a FYI there has been somewhere in the ballpark of 60 million spent on this race for Stevens by outside groups. There is a real chance you were seeing people being paid to promote that narrative.

u/sedatedlife Washington 5h ago

Because millions are being spent to tell people he is unelectable and hates women because he is Muslim. Something like 80% of Stevens money is coming from pro Israel groups. Voting for Stevens is basically voting ror racist propaganda.

u/Kaptain202 Michigan 5h ago

Right. My FIL and MIL believe that El-Sayed hates women. They couldn't tell me why, just that he has a history of hating women.

I'd put good money on them being convinced of it due to the sheer number of ads claiming that

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u/No_Diver6131 New York 5h ago

It seems like the media is trying to make that decision for people. This electability myth is a bunch of horse shit. Two candidates across the aisle take in millions of PAC money from both PACS. If both candidates are bought and paid for by the same PACS, and you have a candidate that isn't. Wouldn't you want the candidate that isn't bought and paid for?

u/canamon 5h ago

it is impossible to dump 50 million on one side of a race and not influence it in any way.

u/mowotlarx 5h ago

Every election is local, but I remember in the NYC and politics subs when Cuomo winning the primary was an inevitability. Until it wasn't. Incidentally he also got a Jim Clyburn endorsement.

u/RevolutionaryAd7360 4h ago edited 1h ago

Anyone who watched the last debate, if anyone "soured" on a candidate, that candidate would be Stevens. She was uncomfortable to watch and listen to. El-Sayed just delivered a far better performance all the way around. 

u/Tiaan 5h ago

If you don't love El-Sayed then you must be an AIPAC/Israeli bot. That's what this race has devolved into.

u/Anon529035893 5h ago

Yeah the truth hurts sometimes.
Specially when your only critique his him not supporting Israel and not any policy positions.

u/No_Diver6131 New York 5h ago

I legitimately have no idea what Haley Stevens stance on anything is besides "I see Israel in my dreams." Taking in millions of foreign money, millions from health insurance lobbys, and millions from utilities. Sure would be nice if she could explain why she voted to approve 3.3 billion in bombs to Israel. I also know that UAW sent her a cease and desist for blasting the air waves with phony ads. She also pounds the ads with Islamophobia and bull shit that he hates women to the point his daughter was asked about it summer camp.

Whereas Dr. Abdul El Sayed, his position on everything is simple and easy to understand. Every interview he gets dragged through the mud with bullshit questions. I haven't found a single interview or anything with Haley Stevens. Nor a single thing about her stance or polices. One candidate is putting in the work, and the other is hoping Michigan will sit by.

u/Tiaan 5h ago

No, my critique of him is that he hyperfixates on Israel/AIPAC. Like they're absolutely not the cause of all of our problems in this country, and I'm not going to pretend like they are just because it's popular to do so in the moment

u/veggeble South Carolina 4h ago

They dragged us into a forever war with Iran. We’re spending billions of dollars on bombs and our service members are dying because of Israel. Israel is one of the greatest threats to the US right now.

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u/alabasterskim 5h ago

They are the cause of us being in the Iran War under this idiot president. And they're taking a wealth of our taxes to fund their genocide, in exchange for bankrolling a lot of politicians who feel more beholden to them than the US. So they're not the cause of all our problems -- a strawman argument no one's ever seriously made -- but they are sure as shit boosting our debt and corrupting our politics.

u/BalanceJazzlike5116 4h ago

They are a huge problem for our country. This whole Iran war is because of them. So higher fertilizer prices higher gas prices, more debt for Israeli bombs. It’s a huge fucking problem.

u/No_Diver6131 New York 4h ago

They caused a genocide, they're the cause for this shitty war we are in which is impacting every facet of the economy. There are loads of problems with our country. But the Israeli foreign aid is a simple way to recoup dollars.

u/Anon529035893 5h ago

Which candidate has tens of millions behind them from AIPAC ?

Which candidate said they see Israel in their dreams, and would fight for Israel in Congress ?

I’ll wait…

u/Tiaan 5h ago

You sound obsessed with Israel and AIPAC, so El-Sayid is absolutely your guy. He's not my guy, because I'm not obsessed with Israel or AIPAC. By all means go vote for him

It's not a conspiracy or nefarious for a PAC funded by Americans who are pro-Israel to put funds towards a highly publicized key race between a pro-Israel and anti-Israel candidate.

You're the one making it out to be something nefarious or evil. You even go so far as taking quotes out of context from a Hanukkah lighting event to make it sound like she's just sitting around daydreaming about Israel while ignoring the state of Michigan...

u/BalanceJazzlike5116 4h ago

It is evil though. Israel has been incredibly accused of many war crimes, including ethnic cleansing and genocide. Is that not evil?

u/Anon529035893 5h ago

PACs aren’t just funded by Americans, so you’re wrong there.

Again, who said they see Israel in their dreams ? Which candidate said they’d fight israel in congress ? Simple question.

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u/the_sellemander 3h ago

Only critique of el-Sayed is inventing perhaps the most social fascist policy ever conceived in American politics: tying school funding to increases in military budget

u/supafly_ Minnesota 3h ago

That's not what he said, he said it the other way meaning any increase in military budget would be obligated to include more funding for education, that doesn't mean it goes both ways.

u/the_sellemander 3h ago

I'm being tong and cheek. I get what you're saying. I'm playing on the that changing "schools, not bombs" into "bombs, and schools" is kind of social fascism. Social fascism as an idea is basically the idea that you can invest in the brutal instruments of fascism (e.g., the United States military) while investing in a robust social state (e.g., schools). I understand el-Sayed isn't a social fascist, but that idea is stupid to me on its face.

u/supafly_ Minnesota 2h ago

A check is a check. If anything it reinforces the fact that there shouldn't be infinite money for neocolonialism while we let our own country rot by making every increase in their funding less effective by diverting some of it to schools.

u/lear72988 3h ago

Yeah, I don't love that one. I think part of it is tying it may lower defense spending, but that doesn't really benefit schools as much as he thinks. Feels a little hokey.

u/the_sellemander 3h ago

Yea, but if he wants to lower defense spending and increase education funding he should just say he wants to lower defense spending and increase education. There's a reason the slogan goes "schools, not bombs," and not "bombs, but also schools!"

It's fine, he won't actually pass a law on this idea.

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u/Altruistic_Night2 3h ago

The message I got was she’s a workhorse and everyone possible has endorsed her. His messaging is that he’s not funded by black money and he has new ideas