Quote:It once was an article of faith that American politicians, on both sides of the aisle, would act like good losers and graciously [accept] electoral defeat. They would concede publicly, even if they grumbled privately about election results.

After the closely fought and contested 2000 presidential election, Vice President Al Gore offered an example. On Dec. 13, 2000, Gore told the nation, “I accept the finality of the outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College. And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession.”

This is not to say that there have never been challenges or false accusations of election fraud or chicanery. There have been. But they were more the exception than the rule. And they never have been the stock and trade of an entire political party.
How times have changed.

We know what happened in 2020. We also know that Donald Trump has already refused to say unequivocally that he will accept the 2024 election result. As the former president said in a Time magazine interview last month, “If we don’t win, you know, it depends. It always depends on the fairness of an election.”

That is bad enough, but Trump is not alone. The cancer of election denialism is metastasizing and fast becoming a key part of the Republican brand.

It looks like 2020 may have been “a dress rehearsal” for 2024.

Today, refusing to say whether they will accept the 2024 election results has become a staple among Republican leaders seeking favor with Trump and his MAGA followers. This reflects a political branding strategy and a distinctive psychological style called “sore loser syndrome.”

As one commentator describes it, “This condition is reportedly characterized by exhibiting extreme anger; denying responsibility for a defeat while blaming others; and ‘acting out’ which may include violent acts against those considered responsible for what is deemed an undeserved, unfair negative outcome of a competition.”

“Losers,” another says, “are more aggressive than winners on average. And that makes sense — if your rival outperforms you, you must resort to aggression to try and stop them.”

A third student of sore losers explains, “Someone who is a sore loser may be merely spoiled.”

Sound familiar? 

(05-14-2024 10:25 AM)TripleA Wrote:  Talk about lack of self awareness. Wow, that is stunning.

(05-14-2024 10:27 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  They don't come here to discuss and debate, they come here to troll. It embarrasses me for them.

(05-14-2024 10:22 AM)Was SoMs Eagle Wrote:  A lot to comment on here in these pages and this is what you bring to the table? Can’t wait till reality sets in and you disappear.

(05-14-2024 10:26 AM)Was SoMs Eagle Wrote:  

(05-14-2024 10:25 AM)TripleA Wrote:  Talk about lack of self awareness. Wow, that is stunning.

Yeah, Hilliar still out there beetching.

(05-14-2024 10:12 AM)Kruciff Wrote:  Link

Quote:It once was an article of faith that American politicians, on both sides of the aisle, would act like good losers and graciously [accept] electoral defeat. They would concede publicly, even if they grumbled privately about election results.

After the closely fought and contested 2000 presidential election, Vice President Al Gore offered an example. On Dec. 13, 2000, Gore told the nation, “I accept the finality of the outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College. And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession.”

This is not to say that there have never been challenges or false accusations of election fraud or chicanery. There have been. But they were more the exception than the rule. And they never have been the stock and trade of an entire political party.
How times have changed.

We know what happened in 2020. We also know that Donald Trump has already refused to say unequivocally that he will accept the 2024 election result. As the former president said in a Time magazine interview last month, “If we don’t win, you know, it depends. It always depends on the fairness of an election.”

That is bad enough, but Trump is not alone. The cancer of election denialism is metastasizing and fast becoming a key part of the Republican brand.

It looks like 2020 may have been “a dress rehearsal” for 2024.

Today, refusing to say whether they will accept the 2024 election results has become a staple among Republican leaders seeking favor with Trump and his MAGA followers. This reflects a political branding strategy and a distinctive psychological style called “sore loser syndrome.”

As one commentator describes it, “This condition is reportedly characterized by exhibiting extreme anger; denying responsibility for a defeat while blaming others; and ‘acting out’ which may include violent acts against those considered responsible for what is deemed an undeserved, unfair negative outcome of a competition.”

“Losers,” another says, “are more aggressive than winners on average. And that makes sense — if your rival outperforms you, you must resort to aggression to try and stop them.”

A third student of sore losers explains, “Someone who is a sore loser may be merely spoiled.”

Sound familiar? 

(05-14-2024 10:22 AM)Was SoMs Eagle Wrote:  A lot to comment on here in these pages and this is what you bring to the table? Can’t wait till reality sets in and you disappear.

(05-14-2024 10:27 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  They don't come here to discuss and debate, they come here to troll. It embarrasses me for them.

(05-14-2024 10:25 AM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Yes, Hilary Clinton and the Democratic Party lost gracefully in 2016.

What a waste of time.

(05-14-2024 10:47 AM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(05-14-2024 10:25 AM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Yes, Hilary Clinton and the Democratic Party lost gracefully in 2016.

What a waste of time.

And Trump and the MAGAts have been bitching about the 2020 election since before that election took place, and every moment ever since. Per the article and this forum, y'all are already ramping up the excuses for 2024.

I wish yall acted more like Clinton and evaporated from the public after losing



Sent from my SM-F946U using Tapatalk

(05-14-2024 11:01 AM)bearcat65 Wrote:  

(05-14-2024 10:47 AM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(05-14-2024 10:25 AM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Yes, Hilary Clinton and the Democratic Party lost gracefully in 2016.

What a waste of time.

And Trump and the MAGAts have been bitching about the 2020 election since before that election took place, and every moment ever since. Per the article and this forum, y'all are already ramping up the excuses for 2024.

I wish yall acted more like Clinton and evaporated from the public after losing



Sent from my SM-F946U using Tapatalk

Hillary didn't go anywhere. The only thing that evaporated was donations to the Clinton Foundation.

(05-14-2024 10:25 AM)TripleA Wrote:  Talk about lack of self awareness. Wow, that is stunning.

(05-14-2024 11:07 AM)Kruciff Wrote:  Hillary isn't in any elected government position, but she makes up for it by never leaving your thoughts in 8 years.