Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth. ― Albert Einstein
Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:
- Final Days
- Jury Duty
- World Series
- Let’s Play Two
FINAL DAYS:
With some reports saying that a record 28 million people have already voted, it’s getting to be desperation time for many candidates, like Donald J. Trump.
Trump has a good chance to help right his ship this week by participating in the final debate. I’m not sure he will show up. He may just say, “Screw it” and say it was going to be unfair to him.
He may already be laying the groundwork to not participate. He’s been attacking the moderator (Kristen Welker of NBC News) and his supporters are spreading fake news about her on social media.
Over the weekend I read where Trump staffers are already looking for new jobs because they think he will lose.
Trump may already be seeing the writing on the wall. At a campaign rally in Georgia, Trump said:
“Could you imagine if I lose? My whole life, what am I going to do? I’m going to say, ‘I lost to the worst candidate in the history of politics.’ I’m not going to feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country. I don’t know.” (Politico)
Many folks believe that Trump will spend the rest of his life after his presidential years are over trying to stay out of prison. I’d be fine if he left the country along with his supporters.
Belmont University (near Nashville, TN) is hosting the third and final presidential debate on October 22, 2020, from 8-9:30 p.m. Central time.
JURY DUTY:
It seems that I get picked for or asked to fill out a questionnaire for jury duty every few months. I check with friends and family and nobody gets notified as much as I do.
I was recently ordered to fill out a jury questionnaire for Great Falls Municipal Court which I think is for 2021. I told them I have to pee a lot with my kidney disease. Maybe they will consider that.
On Friday or Saturday, I received a letter from the Clerk of the District Court telling me, “You are Hereby Summoned to Report for Jury Service.” They also ordered me to call within 24 hours to confirm receipt. They said if I did not call the Cascade County Sheriff will be notified and will attempt to locate me.
Like I have mentioned before, the form the court sends reminds me of a third-grader discovering new fonts and the “bold” and “italics” feature.
When I called to leave a message with the Clerk of the District Court, the voice mailbox was full. I thought about reporting them to the county sheriff!
I have been part of several jury trials before. It is time to pick other people. I think I have done my part.
WORLD SERIES:
I was so happy the Houston Astros lost the American League Championship to the Tampa Bay Rays that I went out and banged on my trash can several times! The Astros will never live down the cheating they did.
The Tampa Bay Rays face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves for the National League Championship.
World Series game one is Tuesday night. All games will be played at a neutral site (Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas). Fox will carry the game.
LET’S PLAY TWO:
There are two NFL games today (Monday).
My Kansas City Chiefs head to Buffalo to play the Bills. The game starts at 3:00 p.m. Montana time and can be seen on Fox/NFL Network.
The Arizona Cardinals play the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas on ESPN. The game starts at 6:15 Montana time.
The Western Word 
In regards to jury service, you are randomly chosen by computer to be on the jury list for District, JP, and city courts. You cannot be on more than one at a time. The names are culled from registered voters and those with driver’s licenses. You are just in an unlucky streak.
Rick – There’s something wrong with their computers then. I should not get chosen more than others. Thanks, JmB
Greetings Kenny, methinks you have an equivalency problem. “We don’t need no stinking equivalency. An un truth and truth are not equivalent.
Hi John, I think you lost me! 🙂
Thanks for Chiefs game news. Watching now.
Good deal!
Houston should have been banned for al seat 5 years for the systemic cheating. It really changes the game when you know what pitch is coming. But on the other hand, designated hitter (a travesty), lowering the mound (stupid), Souping, hardening the baseball (nullifying all older records). Who knows what an objective strike zone is? No, Now let vast amounts of wages, vast commercialization, control the game. How could anything bad happen?
John – good points. Thanks, JmB
Sounds like a very friendly journalist, Mike, and I think that’s the point. It’s preferential treatment that not every candidate or campaign receives, and until they all receive that treatment equally, it’s absolutely *not* a nothing burger. I do agree, though, that each candidate should be able to pick their own moderators.
It would be far more entertaining if each camp could pick the journalist who will question the opposing candidate. Imagine Keith Olbermann questioning Trump, or Sean Hannity questioning Biden. We would all learn less than we usually do, but what a marvelous food fight and ratings bonanza.
Terry – haha. Great idea! -JmB
Terry, that would be great!
Hi Mike, I missed the “fake news” Trump is spreading about Welker. Can you please share an example? (Sorry if this is a repeat post, by the way. I didn’t see that my previous comment was registered.)
Kenny – I wrote:
“He’s been attacking the moderator (Kristen Welker of NBC News) and his supporters are spreading fake news about her on social media.”
Trump has said, “She’s always been terrible & unfair.”
That’s a blanket fake statement. Just because you disagree with someone does not make her terrible and unfair.
I saw one post saying she was a registered Democrat. NBC says she has been a registered independent since 2012.
Who cares.
Her parents gave money to Democrats. So what? Trump gave money to Democrats.
Trump sows seeds of hate just in case he does not do well or to lay the foundation to skip the debate.
-JmB
Sorry, at first I misread your post, thinking you wrote that *Trump* was spreading fake news (it was early when I read it).
That said, I think it’s curious you chose to cite the “fake news” about Welker — which I still haven’t seen — versus, you know, the *real* news about Welker. There is nothing “fake” about the fact that Welker tipped off HRC’s comms director, Jennifer Palmieri, about a question she planned to ask after a debate: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kristen-welker-upcoming-presidential-debate-moderator-has-deep-democrat-ties
Like you, I do not find Welker’s parents’ donations to be indicative of bias. However, her own coziness with the Dems — the kind we see on video — is absolutely fair game, and to Trump’s point, is inherently “unfair.”
Of all the capable journalists in our country, why have one moderate a presidential debate who in the past has openly assisted her preferred candidate? After Scully’s epic embarrassment, now this? Really?
Kenny – I watched a clip about Welker supposedly giving Clinton’s comm director a question she planned on asking. It’s a nothing burger. I’ve done interviews where a reporter has said off camera “I plan on asking you about a, b, and c.”
Trump has brought whining to a whole new level.
I’m all for changing the debate format. One thing would be to shut off microphones. Hell, let’s just let each candidate pick their own journalist. One each. -JmB