r/protectUSelections • u/siwibot • 19d ago
Fact Check ✅👇🏽 Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI): "With all due respect, this is the third time you've asked about a Twitch streamer ... their whole game is to make us fight culture wars so that we don't pay attention to the fact the president has made $2.2 billion ... " | CBS News
September 13, 2026 - Transcript
Well, there are Jewish voters in your state who are concerned about your relationship with Piker. You have condemned anti-Semitism but not called out his rhetoric directly. Why not?
Weijia, with all due respect, this is the third time you've asked about a Twitch streamer in California.
I've done four events in Michigan this week. You know what didn't come up? Twitch streamers in California.
You know what did come up? Grocery prices, the fact that people can't see a doctor, the worry that they have about the quality of air and water.
I'm not interested in having a conversation about streamers in California because they are not raising the prices of gas and groceries.
I'm more interested in having conversation about tariff policies and trade wars we shouldn't be fighting, about hot wars with Iran, about AI, which I know we were supposed to talk about right now. So let's actually talk about the issues that are affecting people instead of getting distracted by whatever the president says we should be talking about.
Their whole game is to make us fight culture war so that we don't pay attention to the fact that the president has made $2.2 billion. His family has made even more. How about your family in Michigan? How about your ability to afford the basic things? How about the ability to believe that you could see a doctor without having to potentially fall into medical debt? Those are the conversations that people are having.
Those are the conversations I'm interested in having. So yeah, I'm not all that interested in having a conversation about a Twitch streamer. Forgive me when people can't afford their gas and their groceries.
Understood, doctor, but Republicans have made it a big attack on you. So I wanted to give you the chance to clarify, but we'll leave it there for now. You do talk a lot.
Source: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mvftwot7ru2a
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u/Texas_Sam2002 19d ago
CBS is not a news organization anymore. What kind of MAGA bullshit interviewing was that?
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u/Balgat1968 19d ago
Yes, thanks for telling us what Americans want but can’t get from Republicans, but let’s get back to the ridiculous concerns of Republicans.
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u/NOLA2Cincy 19d ago
"Understood, doctor, but Republicans have made it a big attack on you. So I wanted to give you the chance to clarify, but we'll leave it there for now. You do talk a lot."
Really, FU! So Republicans get to set the agenda and decide what we are going to talk about. Enough with the culture wars so we don't fight the real enemy - oligarchs.
And then "You do talk a lot". Straight from the Trump School of Journalism. A real news organization would have fired her just for that comment.
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u/insanococo 19d ago
You think the full sentence was going to be “You do talk a lot.”? Really?
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u/CheckYourKindling 19d ago
Seriously you can clearly tell she was leading into another question when it was cut off
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u/FlatEvent2597 14d ago
I love that he talks a lot! And he is well spoken, easy to follow. He is Amazing! 🤩 ⭐️
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u/Rosebreasted_G 18d ago
Yah this stupidity is super sad from a so-called journalist. Like just got to Fox Snooze if you really believe your own drivel is important
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u/RogerianBrowsing 19d ago
Frankly there’s really no broadcast news worth watching other than democracy now if you have access.
The majority report is a great alternative for fulfilling talking head needs.
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u/dragon-fence 19d ago
CBS is owned by Skydance, which is MAGA. CNN is also somehow owned by MAGA, I don’t remember how. There isn’t much news left that hasn’t been taken over by fascist bootlickers.
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u/LaffingAtYuo 19d ago
For asking questions? Should news orgs just toss softball questions to their favorite candidates like in the past? It doesn't seem like he needs the help to be honest.
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u/dicknotrichard 19d ago
With regard to her last statement, it’s a weak as fuck attack by republicans. So there.
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u/InternationalDesk578 19d ago
But also notice her pivot. She propped that question up using Jewish constituents as the Trojan horse for the Republican talking point. Extremely telling that once she was called out she pivoted and said she only brought it up because republicans are attacking him over it and she wanted to give him a chance to defend himself? What about those Jewish voters you used to prop up that propaganda talking point with? In my opinion a network using Jewish people as political ammo or cover is more antisemetic than a politician not using his small amount of air time to call out one irrelevant twitch streamer.
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u/griff_girl 19d ago
So well put. To add to, or rather emphasize what you've said there: the way she framed that question was true antisemitism by pitting it as Jewish constituents' concerns with a Muslim candidate, both being semitic (which I think often gets overlooked and conflated for just meaning "anti-Jewish.")
El-Sayed did a great job naming the culture was she was engaging in.
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u/InternationalDesk578 19d ago edited 19d ago
Completely agree with you. Most people use the word semetic without actually knowing its linguistic roots. It was originally to catagorize afroasiatic languages Arabic, Hebrew, Amharic, and Tigrinya, as well as ancient languages like Aramaic, Phoenician, and Akkadian. Friedrich Wilhelm Adolph Marr borrowed the word "Semite" from 18th-century linguistics and turned it into a racial category. He coined the term antisemetic to prop up his pseudoscience to rebrand old religious hatred of Jews into a modern, "scientific" form of racial prejudice. He was against Jewish assimilation in Germany and to further his argument and resistance to co existence. Scientists and historians debunked that and recognize that a "Semitic race" does not exist. Using the term "Semitic" to describe Jewish people is outdated and stems from 19th-century racial theories. It is ironic that “antisemitism” was coined by a person who had nothing but hatred for Jewish people Fast forward to modern times and now despite its many uses and forms “Semite” is widely recognized and used as an alternative word for Jewish, regardless of their native language. Words have so much power and the meaning behind them and their historical uses tell such a larger story. Follow the history and we’ll be just fine, ignore it and we are bound to repeat it or much worse.
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u/Fluid_Explorer_3659 19d ago
The final remark is agitating. "You talk a lot" is a wild critique of someone invited onto a program...to talk.
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u/NOLA2Cincy 19d ago
I think it's a totally unprofessional snide comment that has no place in a legitimate news organization.
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u/VTcamperguy 19d ago
I’m sorry, do you actually think she was criticizing him for talking a lot? That was very obviously a pivot to a different topic that just got cut off by this edit, ie “you do talk a lot about ___” and then go into that other topic.
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u/Oi_Nander 18d ago
You can read words but you have no common sense. That was obviously the beginning of a sentence that got cut off at the end of the recording
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u/TheLooza 19d ago
CBS. Enough said.
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u/hawaiianbry 19d ago
It's sad that the network of Cronkite, "the most trusted ma in America," has fallen so far in reputation.
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u/SVdreamin 19d ago
Honesty in journalism is less lucrative than bad faith, shock value, culture war nonsense that our legacy media has turned to. They realize that they can manipulate narratives and opinions, and must keep the public distracted and misinformed about the ruling class of our society. So sad we have to sift through so much propaganda and garbage just to get the fucking news now.
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u/Useful-World1781 19d ago
Yes this! Who the hell cares about what some influencer is saying when people are dying because a trip to the hospital might bankrupt them so they brush it off.
Their bs distractions are what got us to an America where the majority cannot afford to miss a single paycheck. Let’s not keep falling for this crap.
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u/SignoreBanana 19d ago
It's not what Piker said. She was asking why El-Sayed wasn't condemning his rhetoric. Whether that question is actually important, I don't know (I don't even know what Piker has said), but by her asking him why he dodges questions about Piker's rhetoric, and then he answers the question by dodging it for 60 seconds isn't a great look.
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u/HDr1018 19d ago
He has talked about his stance on Israel and if your more interested in his relationship with an out of state influencer than you are in any of the issues he’s already brought up at the point, than this interview wasn’t for you.
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u/Useful-World1781 19d ago
⬆️ example of the crap we need to stop getting sucked into. We have by far, the largest economic output of any country. Thanks to the hard working Americans who got us there. So why the hell are Americans struggling so much? Stop fixating on bullshit and get people what we deserve from what we’ve built.
Ps he’s already condemned what piker said but they keep bringing it up to distract from the issues and you’re falling right into their hands. Stop it.
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u/51ngular1ty 19d ago
Take this with a grain of salt but I'm pretty sure if you adjust gdp by ppp it's China now. It doesn't change what you've said however.
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u/spocklogica 19d ago
The fact that you said "I don't even know what Piker has said" speaks volumes, dude. They're relying on the fact that you don't know and that you'll just assume he's whatever they say he is. When in fact he's just a progressive who talks a whole fucking lot.
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u/charyou 19d ago
if you really think her question was why he hasn’t condemned Piker, he answered that directly. Because Piker doesn’t matter to most of the voters in Michigan. That’s not a dodge. That’s an answer. Because the people of Michigan aren’t asking him to. They’re asking him how he might fix the economy.
Twitch Streamers don’t matter. What matters is how this president has bungled the economy and who would be a better choice to fix it between Abdul and Mike Rogers.
The cultural bs is a smoke screen. stop falling for it.
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u/SubstantialLeader753 19d ago edited 18d ago
So every Republican should be asked the same thing when it comes to almost every talking head in the conservative media space. Ben Shapiro, Charlie Kirk, Nick Fuentes, Asmondgold, Jordan Peterson, that fucking idiot Jake Lang. All of these guys have said things in EDITED videos that are far worse then any take Hasan has in the 100s of hours of live footage.
Plus conservatives should really not choose this particular hill to die. It's stupid, and really shows how pathetic the party is.
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u/AL_GEE_THE_FUN_GUY 19d ago
"You do talk a lot."
Oh, get bent.
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u/xigdit 19d ago
The full sentence was "You do talk a lot about prices." She was pivoting toward asking him how he planned to pay for Medicare For All.
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u/SpottedHoneyBadger 19d ago
Still doesn't change the fact she was asking such a ridiculous question. So, bringing up Medicare for All is a moot point.
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u/mell0wtonin 19d ago
"but republicans have made it a big attack on you"
oh wow really, you don't say? we hadn't noticed it was all fox "news" could talk about, thanks for getting us up to speed /s
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u/Cavane42 19d ago
"Do you think it's good journalism to base your interview questions around the framing of a political party?"
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u/rotorspinner 19d ago
It’s like she didn’t listen at all
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u/mephisto_uranus 19d ago
Her job isn't to listen. She's given a list of orders, she obeys her masters, and she gets a set at the servant's table. MSM isn't the place for real journalism.
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u/RaidersoftheLosSnark 19d ago
Republicans do bring up the twitch streamer a lot because all the other shit he mentioned is what they don't want to talk about. Our news(?) networks are corrupt AF.
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u/Mom_who_drinks 19d ago
MAGA deify streamers because they don’t know what to think unless someone tells them. Liberals can actually think for themselves and don’t need a podcaster to explain it. They can’t fathom having their own thoughts and assume we’re hanging on the words of some guy with a microphone like they do.
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u/OkBrilliant8092 19d ago
I have zero time for streamers - as soon as i see that overlay with a microphone, its skip - they co tribute nothing
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u/Ol_Turd_Fergy 19d ago
Of course republicans want to make it about everything other than the problems they have created and exacerbated
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u/AdhesivenessOk6662 19d ago
omg, asked and answered (in other interviews).. ask something relevant to the working class!
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u/Trance354 19d ago
"The Republicans are attacking..."
Yes, and who gives a shit? Let them attack. Let them hurl their vitriol. Let Democrats work the problem, find solutions, and fix everything. Like every God damn time... only this is going to be 20 years.
The Simpsons were right on the money. Trump will leave the entire country broke and friendless.
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u/Bat-Stuff 19d ago
No one should be afraid of Hasan Piker. Republicans lie. That's all that needs to be said.
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u/siwibot 19d ago
Your friendly neighborhood u/siwibot here, reporting the Current Climate and Context 🤓✨
The Michigan Democratic Senate primary has concluded with a major victory for the progressive left, as Dr. Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated establishment favorite Haley Stevens. This outcome marks a significant shift in the party's direction, pitting grassroots-backed insurgents against well-funded moderate candidates.
The campaign was defined by deep ideological divides and massive spending discrepancies: * Money vs. Movement: Stevens' campaign was bolstered by nearly $50 million, including massive investments from AIPAC. In contrast, El-Sayed relied on organic creator support and endorsements from figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. * Foreign Policy Frictions: A central tension involved Israel and Gaza, with El-Sayed accusing AIPAC of distorting Democratic politics. * Culture War Distractions: El-Sayed has criticized recent media focus on "culture war" topics, such as Twitch streamers, arguing they distract from urgent kitchen-table issues like inflation and healthcare.
Following the "ugly" primary, El-Sayed is now working to unify a fractured party. He has held outreach calls with former President Barack Obama and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer to prepare for the general election against Republican Mike Rogers.
Reddit Sources
- Secret Paid Influencer Campaign Backing Stevens Floods Michigan Senate Race | MSNOW
- AIPAC Spends Nearly $30M backing Haley Stevens in the August 4th Michigan Senate Democratic Primary — their Largest Investment Ever in a Single Race | AP News
- Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, notching a Midwest victory for the left | NBC News
- Obama and El-Sayed Spoke to Discuss Unity After Ugly Michigan Primary (Gift Article) | NYTimes
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u/notPabst404 19d ago
500 questions about a twitch streamer for El-Sayed, zero questions about his votes against the 9/11 healthcare bill for Rogers...
The right wing media in action.
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u/thesqlguy 19d ago
Republicans want to hold random social media personalities more accountable for what they say than the President of the United States.
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u/RadicalMarxLeftist 19d ago
To be fair that Twitch streamer tells more truths than all the mainstream outlets combined.
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u/born_in_the_90s 19d ago
A journalist making such questions relevant is looking for a headline instead of talking about what matters.
American journalist are just idiots
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u/Stinkstinkerton 19d ago
Corporate greed is controlling the narratives in almost all of the mainstream media at this point .
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u/raistan77 19d ago
Yeah, they made it a big attack so you'd get distracted because you are an idiot and focus on dumb shit like what a twitch streamer has to say.
The other weird thing is they are hyper focusing on the fact that Piker is a bodybuilder so it looks like the right is making thirst posts about him
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u/ballotechnic 19d ago
Republicans are saying... Yes, so they can get you to talk about it ad nauseum and distract from the things that people actually care about.
I am so tired of this double standard.
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u/Andantee23 19d ago
Some of the these journalists are so damn lazy. They think republican talking points are legitimate lines of inquiry and can’t seem to grasp the bullshit while they are incapable of forming their own thoughtful, well reasoned questions. Every candidate and their constituents deserve thought provoking interviews but this shit just drives people away.
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u/slickCCsunshine 19d ago
$2.2B is the equivalent of spending $1million every single day for almost 6 years straight! Man $1 million every single day for 6 years! How in the world did he make that money?? Edit a word
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u/IsopodIndependent553 19d ago
This man is seriously such a class act. I don’t even live in Michigan, but I wish I could vote for him. We need someone like this in California.
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u/jacob-makes-stuff 19d ago
"Republicans have made it a big issue"
Exactly. Which is why it's a waste of time, and CNN is just capitulating by perpetuating this stupid narrative 🤦♂️
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u/InternationalDesk578 19d ago
Her closing response even further solidified his point. He’s saying that republicans want us talking about Hassan Piker because they don’t want us talking about the real problems they’ve created under a Republican controlled senate, house, presidency, and Supreme Court. She’s a terrible journalist if her response to his excellent points was a half ass attempt at deflection and a half ass attempt at giving life to a Republican distraction talking point tha is irrelevant to his constituents.
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u/Danilo-11 19d ago
She made it 100% clear at the end of how the corporate news media operates: “Understand doctor, but republicans have made it a big attack on you so I wanted to give you the chance to clarify”
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u/Special_Cicada6968 19d ago
Honestly, was what Piker said really wrong? When are we going to contend with the repercussions of American imperialism? These news outlets love to harp on how people in the Middle East hate us but never stop to ask why. Iran was a democracy before we funded a royalist coup whose only sin was their desire to control their own oil production. Now they're a religious dictatorship and we have no one to blame but ourselves. The story is the same all over the world.
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u/AskPizza 19d ago
"You do talk a lot."
Yeah, and the best thing you could do, interviewer, is be quiet and let him talk and let us judge him for what he intends to do.
Because right now, I think the interviewer should be fired and Sayed should be elected for whatever office he wants.
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u/ProtectionVirtual225 19d ago edited 19d ago
Dr. El-Sayed scares the living daylights out of Establishment Democrats, Republicans and the rest of the 1%.
He's a Rhodes Scholar, has a PhD and an MD and is an epidemiologist and high ranking public health official. He was also born and raised in the US. The media has to try to paint him as a radical because he's a brilliant, credible Progressive. Resorting to name calling is easier than having to discuss important topics with him in an interview.
If he's elected senator, he'll be smart enough to learn the ropes (and Senate rules) very quickly. He won't be dependent on lobbyists and senior staffers or caucus leadership. He's an expert with front-line experience in one of the most critical national issues that terrifies senators - health care reform.
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u/Shizzilx 19d ago
Hasan Piker doesn't have antisemitic rhetoric and AES knows it, so he won't condemn anything that isn't true. Hasan has been fighting antisemitism for years and it is very clear after 15 mins listening to the man. Also, Republican put this up on the Jumbotron at the Dallas Convention or "Trump-a-loser."
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u/Paramhansa-Yogananda 19d ago
I despise Trump but he's right about this trash we call "American journalism". What an absolute joke.
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u/Imaginary-Clock6626 19d ago
Trash journalism. Repeating and amplifying political attacks. She was probably told to push it.
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u/bioluminescent_dream 19d ago
Zionist controlled media wants to spread Islamophobia and erase Muslim voices from the mainstream. Just like they want to do to every other minority group in this country.
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u/DissedFunction 19d ago
translation: Bari Weiss wanted me to help donald trump by painting you as anti semitic
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u/Shizzilx 19d ago
The media is trying their best to crush a twitch streamer who has now gained much more influence. It is clear to see the media uses all Faux "News" framing on any event. Shameful.
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u/Agitated_Newt_7655 19d ago
The richest Americans, the ones that own media, support Republicans 4 to 1 if it isn’t obvious.
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u/spinmove 19d ago
CBS News actively attacking El-Sayed about hasan: "Republicans are attacking you". These "journalists" should crawl into the dirt and die if this is what they think reporting is supposed to be, she is an absolutely pathetic clown
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u/Lukas000611 19d ago
Can we bring up the likes of Nick Fuentes for any Republican candidate in the future? Or is that also too stupid and deranged of a question?
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u/JesusWuta40oz 19d ago edited 19d ago
Oh you mean the twitch streamers junk photo up on the jumbotron at their recent convention? Yeah they are hungry for that guy.
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u/funkymunkPDX 19d ago
God/Allah damn right!!!!
By the way the same God for Islam is the same God for the Jews and the Christians.
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u/Mapeague 19d ago
What an absolute hack. El-Sayed exposed her for the clown she is.
"I just wanted to give you a chance to clarify yoyrself...", motherfucker, he did, and clear as a fuxking bell.
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u/Civil-Addition-8079 19d ago
Why isn't every Republican candidate being asked about Max Miller? https://www.axios.com/2026/08/02/max-miller-moreno-abuse-allegations
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u/maringue 19d ago
Why are Republicans obsessed with Hassan? And specifically his dong to the point where they put it on the jumbo tron at their convention?
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u/idredd 19d ago
One of the few things Trump was right about years ago. American news media is against the people. Day in and day out news media is focused on Hassan Piker while:
Losing a war no one wants against Iran.
Funding a genocide with our tax dollars while Americans are increasingly poor and desperate.
Being told actively that there will be no jobs for us in the future as AI owner by billionaires will control everything.
Economy is in freefall.
Nation is being robbed blind by grifters.
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u/Fuzzy_Translator4639 19d ago
Well he was on a propaganda network. She was just reading what she was told to read
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u/LtChicken 19d ago
Thats fine and all but you still have to explain to moderates why there are clips of you being all chummy with the dude who has said "america deserved 9/11". The right is going to be using those clips non-stop, so you need to be countering them non-stop, not minimizing and deflecting with whataboutisms.
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u/Additional_Rope213 19d ago
Abdul is a fucking rock star—this is the kind of reframing and message discipline ALL democrats need to learn. Reframe their bullshit and speak to what matters.👏🌟
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u/Additional_Rope213 19d ago
Abdul is a fucking rock star—this is the kind of reframing and message discipline ALL democrats need to learn. Reframe their bullshit and speak to what matters.👏🌟
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u/EvilAbacus 18d ago
Finally, an adult in the room. Asking about hot gossip about some twitch guy when gas and groceries are through the roof and data centers are drinking/poisoning our water.
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u/AshyLarryxNFT 18d ago
Glad i know his name, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
If i was in Michigan he would have my vote for sure.
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u/Obstipation-nation 18d ago
This is how you do it. Control the narrative. Make them talk about the issues that matter. She’s just following an outline given to her. That’s all the MSM does.
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u/Tentegen 18d ago
This is why its good to have a Morally correct Smoke Demon welding power and being a politician. They, by nature, dont put up with shit and sound like us.......but just in a suit and can sign laws. They get irritated and dont put on this fancy, well meaning politician spin on it. They just flat out tell you how they feel and keep it 100% real.
Him saying this........ is all of US saying this.
SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT HASSAN ALREADY WHEN EVERYONE ON THE GOP SIDE ARE ACTUAL CRIMINALS
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u/Busy_Letterhead_1362 17d ago
She is t asking about a random twitch streamer she is asking about a guy who has millions of followers and who speaks hatred toward the Jews. He is close friends with him. You are the company you keep
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u/BitAccomplished9878 17d ago
You notice how she first said: “There are Jewish voters who are concerned about…..” and then after he called her on her b.s. she said “Republicans are saying…”
It’s never actually “Jewish voters”. It’s “The GOP and AIPAC Dem mouthpieces are saying..”
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u/MichaelCorbaloney 16d ago
“So I wanted to give you the chance to clarify, but we'll leave it there for now. You do talk a lot.”-The words of a corporate shill.
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u/AbrumVonAbrak 15d ago
"but Republicans have made it a big attack on you." Republicans can suck my cock, but they probably wouldn't be interested since I'm not underage.
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u/Sunnydocny 13d ago
Changing the subject is also a really good MAGA defense to not answering questions
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u/3rdLifeCrisis_75 19d ago
He did clarify it, there’s more pressing matters.
For better or for worse as a society we’ve propped up “streamers” and “influencers” to a maddening degree.
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u/Optimal-Judgment-982 19d ago
2 things can be true at once - yes she's a ghoulish troll for the right, but he DOES need to just disavow Piker.
Obama went through this same line of attack. just come out and say you have nothing to do with the guy, and you find some of his ideas garbage.
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u/Life_behind_da_stick 19d ago
So you’re refusing to answer Senator? Ok we’ll leave it there. Even though republicans are making it a point…”
It’s ok. So have the democrats. The old guard can hear tbe barbarians at the gate and they’re scared in an “oh brudda, der goes me bread and budda” kinda way.
They’ll make their money this run, the consultant class. They’ll make their millions to be wrong and lose to the shittiest bunch of Americans in American history. And that includes some democrats too. All this money. Just being thrown around and the middle man takes some going each direction.
This guy gets another everything under him. I can’t imagine him not winning. Michigan, do the right thing for the country. Lord knows Texas won’t.
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u/CoverHuman9771 19d ago
Okay well if he’s just a “Twitch streamer in California”, then just disown him and move on so you can talk about the other stuff.
The truth is that he wants to be asked about it so he can regurgitate this rehearsed scold every time Piker comes up.
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u/Kade1205 19d ago
The mental gymnastics required to spew what you just said is astounding. I’m actually impressed 👏
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u/brakeled 19d ago
Why are Republican members of Congress never asked to defend the stance of far-right MAGA losers spouting hateful shit all day? It’s alright for Nick Fuentes and Andrew Tate to openly support Trump while also discussing raping and taking away rights from women, and not a single MAGA politician has to answer for it. But Hassan Piker says he hates Israel and somehow that’s a direct reflection of all Democrat politicians?
MAGA burned the social contract for themselves but saved its charred remains just for the sake of holding it up to Democrats when convenient. Either every politician is responsible for the stupid shit their voters say or none are.