r/Michigan • u/Jeffbx Age: > 10 Years • Sep 16 '26
Pasty Mode El-Sayed Forced To Debate Empty Podium After Republican Dodges
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/abdul-el-sayed-mike-rogers-debate_n_6aa9e04de4b03cde7fad6e6c?origin=home-latest-news-unit1.7k
u/DarthSmiff Sep 16 '26
Mike Dodgers is a coward.
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u/IZC0MMAND0 Sep 16 '26
I noticed a lot of his political ads he doesn't speak. At all. Just photo ops. He was a do nothing Representative for my area. Hopefully the State can see how useless he would be in office.
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u/Haselrig Sep 16 '26
I was shocked when I saw the one about drug prices where he looks in the camera and talks. It's mostly him shaking hands with hard hat guys almost past the camera range.
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u/HobbesMich Sep 16 '26
And he voted like a half a dozen times to stop Medicare/Medicaid from negotiating for better prices. And supports Trump's Canadian 100% tariffs on Canadian drugs.
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u/tracerhaha Waterford Sep 16 '26
Have you seen the ad where Rogers complains about pharmaceutical prices and says he want to do something about it? As if he actually cares about US consumers being overcharged for pharmaceuticals.
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u/kh2riku Sep 16 '26
I've seen quite a few republican political ads running that are blaming an abstract force for the reason everything is going to shit. Failing to realize they run almost everything and that's why it's going to shit.
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u/vickism61 Sep 16 '26
Exactly. He has taken over $1 million in campaign/PAC contributions from the pharmaceutical and health products industry. He ain't working for us.
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u/IZC0MMAND0 Sep 16 '26
At this point all those ads get muted or I get up to dust or something else I hate. Right now the anti El Sayed ad trying to paint him as being for letting rapists and killers out of prison is the one that irks me the most and I don't know if it's Rogers or some supporter behind that. Why isn't it illegal to lie like that?
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u/pyxus1 Sep 16 '26
I think ads like that should be banned before 10pm. Kids should not be subjected to that when watching tv shows.
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u/Alternative-Mess-989 Sep 16 '26
That's an SLF commercial (Senate Leadership Fund). Elon Musk put a bunch of money in that particular PAC.. There are others, obviously, but it's dark money so it's hard to find out names associated with it.
The funny thing about that nasty commercial is that a US Senator doesn't have anything to do with the prisons in Michigan. Not his monkey, not his circus.
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u/IZC0MMAND0 Sep 16 '26
The whole commercial is nuts, aimed at people with zero critical thinking skills and who never question the party line.
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u/Cosmic_Lust_Temple Sep 17 '26
That's been a large and growing segment of the electorate. Works great for conservatives, the ultra-rich, and enemy foreign governments which all seem to be working towards the same goals.
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u/dende5416 Sep 16 '26
Deregulation will make drugs safer and cheaper so we're eliminating the FDA! /s
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u/HobbesMich Sep 16 '26
Except for Mifepristone...that's a bad and dangerous drug since 1988, just no one has ever noticed until now. /s
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u/EmilioMolesteves Sep 16 '26
Republicans: Canada's healthcare is terrible!
Also Republicans: Why does canada have cheaper medicine for its citizens?
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u/Rathalos-487 Sep 16 '26
Also he has been milking 9/11 as dry as he can cause of El-Sayed being muslim because of course he is doing that. His strategy is basically that one Family Guy joke if you know what I’m talking about.
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u/MichKatM Sep 17 '26
Right. Abdul was 14. A high school junior in Detroit schools. That supposedly makes him responsible? SMDH.
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u/Mad_Aeric Sep 16 '26
I think the only one I saw him speak in, he was calling El-Sayed unamerican for not liking football. What an asshole.
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u/IZC0MMAND0 Sep 16 '26
Wasn't El Sayed a football player in school? Or is that some other candidate?
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u/vampiregamingYT Sep 16 '26
He played high school football
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u/IZC0MMAND0 Sep 16 '26
That's what I thought I had read. So the football comment is just stupidity on Dodgers part.
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u/twinoaksBandB Sep 16 '26
Well, I mean his republican policy standpoint is about as popular as a wet fart in a crowded elevator.
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u/DarthSmiff Sep 16 '26
He thinks wearing a UofM sweatshirt and holding a football is enough.
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u/trevloki Sep 16 '26
That is most of the right wing ads these days. It's also been common with moderate Democrats. No real articulated policy at all beyond vague nebulous catchphrases and fear mongering. Then you add some attacking the opposition with a side order of your preferred culture war campaign.
"Hi I am Burt Chucklefuck. I have spent my life rescuing puppies for free. My opponent wants to kill your puppy and make you pay for it. (Here are some scary AI edits of the opponent clipped and pasted to hell over scary music.) My opponent once said he wants to outlaw fun. Vote for me and I will make everything better with (add in some work shopped ambiguous policy name that means nothing here)."
I just want the boring shit. Tell me what YOU are going to do to make my life and the people I care for lives better. It's insanity...
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u/Environmental-Car481 Sep 16 '26
The argument from the right is that there are 2 debates scheduled. Yes there are but they are in October. Some people will have already sent in their absentee ballot
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u/1XRobot Sep 16 '26
Empty Podium is simply a better candidate for the job than Mike Rogers.
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u/MrValdemar Sep 16 '26
Empty Podium is the best Republican candidate in any race across America in 2026
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u/distresssignal Sep 16 '26
Empty podium is actually a pretty solid comparison for his political career. Rubber stamp would also work
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u/CAL9k Detroit Sep 16 '26
Empty podium won't vote against your interests like Mic Dodgers will.
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u/ColonelBelmont Sep 16 '26
"Empty Podium 2026" lawn signs incoming!
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u/CAL9k Detroit Sep 16 '26
Only if we put a big arrow on the and stick them next to any Rogers yardsigns (which I have seen ZERO of)
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u/vampiregamingYT Sep 16 '26
I live in a rural community that heavily voted for trump. I saw about one Rogers sign on my way to work
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u/nakedpilsna Sep 16 '26
Mike Rogers couldn't go to a debate in Michigan for an hour yesterday, but he could go to Dallas last week for a Trump MAGA event. That's all you need to know.
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u/rocketeerH Sep 16 '26
What you think he should have to travel all the way to Michigan from Florida just for a debate?
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u/Raptormann0205 Sep 16 '26
Because he wants to represent the state of Michigan in Congress.
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u/Biddyearlyman Sep 16 '26
It's extremely representative of our current situation. Poetic in a way.
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u/Moose_Cake Mount Pleasant Sep 16 '26
Mike couldn’t afford the gas.
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u/Joonbug9109 Sep 16 '26
Or the plane ticket from Florida
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u/FF36 Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
“I’ve lived in Michigan for a few days now dammit!!!” What a clown
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u/SmokelessSubpoena Sep 17 '26
The irony will be if he wins somehow, if so, this will likely be the last midterm I ever vote in, and if Trump wins a 3rd time, that'll be my last vote ever casted in this forsaken nation and I'll be departing shortly thereafter. (I am aware Trump can't run a 3rd term, but he's literally said it doesn't matter, so welcome to the shitshow that is now the USA, thank god we didn't vote in the "brown lady", such a shame we are as a nation)
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u/Tojuro Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
Rogers might have shown up if the debate was held closer to his multi-million dollar home in Tampa Bay.
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u/not_wrapped_2_tight Sep 16 '26
The sad part is he knows his racist voters are still going to vote for him regardless it's a sad world we live in
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u/ManicPixieOldMaid Sep 16 '26
Truth, I drive through a thicket of Rogers and John James signs every weekend. Even saw a Trump 2028 sign last time. I'll never understand it.
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u/agent_mick Sep 16 '26
Something interesting I've noticed: lots of Abdul signs in front of houses. Lots of Rogers signs on empty lots
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u/Traphouse_Dementor Sep 16 '26
I will say though, I very rarely see a Trump sign these days, and I live in Newaygo county which is Rural as fuck
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u/c-lem Newaygo Sep 16 '26
Same. There's one still up on M-37 that I drive by every day, but most of the Trump signs in our area have come down.
Except for this one place out in the woods that has this like fantastical Trump display. In one of the signs Trump is Rambo holding some big ass gun. If the delusion wasn't so scary it'd be hilarious.
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u/walnutspaul Rochester Hills Sep 17 '26
The super ripped Trump as Rambo flags guys display are the most disturbingly funny things imo. It doesn’t seem real.
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u/Blasphemiee Sep 16 '26
I live in rural SW and same. I’ve asked some too. They always have a convenient excuse ready to go. Why would I keep the sign up, he won they say. Why the fuck did you keep it up all through 2016-2020 and the entirety of Biden’s presidency when there was no race?
They’ll never admit to being in the wrong sign or not.
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u/goblueM Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
i saw a lot less trump signs in 2024 than I did in 2016 and 2020
i don't think it matters too much unfortunately. they still support the GOP and the general policies, they might just not be advertising it as much
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u/sjr2018 Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26
Oh yeah there is one particular asshole outside my hometown that has trump 2028 signs and F Harris and Biden signs ...his place is trash and grass is out of control so take that how you will
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u/pm-me-kittens-n-cats Sep 16 '26
True, but those aren't typically the kinds of folks who tune into debates. It's the moderate and independents.. and having el sayed up there doing his thing alone might sway those folks towards his side.
winning over the middle is crucial to win elections, and we're a very middle state.
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u/Foolazul Sep 16 '26
Which is why he didn’t bother to show up and try to debate someone way smarter than he is, with actual policies that help working Americans. He’s got the frothing at the mouth Republicans in the bag. A debate appearance would likely just turn off independents.
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u/juggalotweaker69 Sep 16 '26
He’s doing this on purpose. If he shares a stage with Abdul, enough of his supporters would watch and realize that Abdul isn’t what Rogers’ racist ads are portraying him to be. That’s the last thing he wants. He’s letting those ads do all the work for him.
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u/Foucaultshadow1 Sep 16 '26
What a shitty way to title this article.
“Roger’s flees debate” would be far more accurate
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u/BluWake Traverse City Sep 16 '26
Right, that's what happens when all the media is controlled by the 1%.
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u/sabr0sa Sep 16 '26
Showing up to a debate is kind of the bare minimum asked of a candidate. Mike Rogers is obviously not willing to fight for Michiganders. Is it because he’s a Floridian?
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u/BlatantFalsehood Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
Just watched it on YouTube. He didn't dodge the hard questions. Whether you're voting for him or not, I think we can all agree he's a man of integrity.
I'm so interested that the media continues to hold Democrats accountable for anyone they've ever associated with with. The moderator mentioned Jackson/Farrakhan and Obama/Wright when hitting El Sayed with Piker. Why don't they hold Republican candidates accountable the same way? "Rogers, are you in the Epstein files? You've associated with Trump who is in the Epstein files. Do you disavow him?"
I'm so tired of the Reich wing's fake culture wars. Trans people have no impact on anyone's lives other than their own. White, American-born men commit more violent crimes than any other demographic, including immigrants -- even undocumented immigrants. White-collar crimes are only prosecuted when they disproportionately impact the wealthy, like Madoff and Holmes, but not when they ruin the lives of absolutely millions of people, like in the crash of 2008 -- where no one was held accountable and instead the wealthy were bailed out.
It's frustrating that a party with no platform at all wins regularly because so many Americans treat politics like sports and only root for "their team," not for policies that will actually impact their lives. In Texas, Republican candidates are actually saying "elect us to clean up this mess." Texas Republicans have had a triple play majority for literally decades. "Elect us again and we promise to clean up the mess we keep making."
Someone make it make sense, please.
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u/mxjxs91 Sep 16 '26
Rogers also claimed he didn't show up because Roop is biased. Roop consistently grilled Abdul the entire time. Roop is a damn good moderator, and any politician worth a damn should be able to stand up to being grilled like Abdul did. Even if Roop was biased, if Mike Rogers had a good platform, he should be able to defend it in the face of adversity.
Abdul has gone on Fox news with Jesse watters who is one of the most biased piece of shit reporters on the planet. Abdul held his own and made Jesse look like an absolute fool.
Mike Rogers is a coward bitch with no other platform than "he's Muslim, vote for me instead", which is rich coming from a guy who voted against 9/11 heroes from getting healthcare.
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u/TacticalFluke Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
This is beside the point (or maybe emphasizing it) but it's honestly appalling calling Jesse Watters a reporter at all. Extremely biased reporter is a generous label for him. He's a creepy shock jock in a suit.
Let's never forget that he cheated on his wife with a coworker, and his opener with that coworker was letting the air out of her tires so he could offer her a ride. He shared that on the air like he thought it was cute or funny, not disturbing and predatory behavior.
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u/vodeodeo55 Sep 16 '26
They don't want the mess cleaned up. Doing so might improve the lives of a few brown people, and that is completely unacceptable.
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u/OriginalFNG Sep 16 '26
He did a great job of needling Rogers for not attending. And Rogers deserved every bit of it. Howled at the context shots of Rogers' empty podium with the mic hanging flaccidly.
Super effing tired of questions about Hasan Piker. Piker is not an issue of major concern to your average Michiganders. He is being asked for media buzz and clicks.
"But you are the company you keep"
*Trump schedules next dinner with Nick Fuentes...media doesn't cover it..*
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u/VerdammtesAutomat Sep 16 '26
Don't forget the only reason nick Fuentes was there in the first place was because Trump had Kanye there. The man made 4 nearly perfect albums, but I haven't listened to him at all since he started talking about how much he loves dead nazis.
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u/AgreeAndSubmit Sep 16 '26
That did get to be low key comedy about halfway through. Rogers name would be mentioned and they legit cut to a shot of the empty podium. Someone with art skills, please make a Mike Rogers with the Empty Podium as the centerpiece. That's gold right there.
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u/ALinkToThePants Sep 16 '26
In his defense, Rogers has to travel extremely far to get there from Florida. Plus he’s been on his knees all week. It would take a toll on any one of us.
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u/ZeefMcSheef Sep 16 '26
Republicans forte is ignorance and cowardice
Refusal to participate should mean automatic disqualification. Rogers fucking sucks.
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u/Gold_Engineering2535 Sep 16 '26
Oddly enough the empty podium polled higher than Mike Rodger’s himself. One spectator was heard commenting, “At least the podium stands up for itself.”
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u/Raisinbread22 Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26
I think this headline should read: CHICKEN Republican Mike Rogers Dodges Debate w/El Sayed, Who Stands Opposite an Empty Podium.
THAT is the news headline: that scaredy cat, feeble Mike Rogers hid under his coffee table.
Rogers doesn't even go on national broadcasts and talk about the economy, or what Trump is doing destroying our allied relationships, or Trump's plans for Michigan- which Rogers will happily make happen while bent over a chair.
Why start the headline with what the Doc was "forced," to do?
It actually almost makes it like Rogers is forcing AES to do something -- it's a title that empowers him, rather than notes how Dr. AES showed up willing to talk to the electorate, while Rogers simped out like the beta he is.
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u/tatanka_truck Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
And people will still vote for Rogers. Fucking insanity.
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u/Golfup72 Sep 16 '26
That’s the issue. They won’t see anything regarding a debate. They will only see the mail flyers stating that Abdul will cost them millions of dollars, the Facebook posts, and maybe TV commercials. All that and Mike has a R by his name and that’s good enough for them.
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u/awesomeredefined Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
Yeah. Trump did not go to a single primary debate in 2024 and still easily ran away with it.
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u/DoomSchroller Sep 16 '26
"forced" is an odd word. He wasn't forced. Mike Dodger clearly showed that attendance wasn't mandatory.
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u/otterbox313 Detroit Sep 16 '26
Mic Dodger FTFY 🤣
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u/Biddyearlyman Sep 16 '26
Definitely a new name I'll happily take up. Typical that the party of mudslinging and fearmongering doesn't have any actual talking points or policy.
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u/otterbox313 Detroit Sep 16 '26
In that respect it really didn't matter if he showed up or 🐈 out. He's got nothin... and he knows it. I bet he's having a Kennedy v Nixon moment rn... He certainly would have had one last night.
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u/DoomSchroller Sep 16 '26
There's also the looming threat that he doesn't feel compelled to because the election was decided long ago.
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u/Objective_Pause5988 Sep 16 '26
He already took his Florida home off the market. He expects to lose
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u/Staav Yooper Sep 16 '26
Republicans can't make arguments for their policy on the debate stage anymore, so they're running away and relying on their cult following to make up for it. That worked out for dear leader when he wouldn't debate against Harris in the 24 election, so why wouldn't these cowards keep that up?
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u/belowtheunder Sep 16 '26
Don’t worry- the moderators will do Rodgers’ job for him and grill Abdul on fabricated claims of antisemitism and straight up Islamoracism
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u/yeett73 Sep 16 '26
What's crazy is how Roger supporters are spinning it claiming it was pointless to go given the presenter is allegedly biased. And I'm sitting here like then why don't you go and point that out then? Why avoid the debate and effectively concede the floor to your opponent. But then again you can't say anything remotely critical of this candidate without someone being like "what about xyz".
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u/distresssignal Sep 16 '26
There are no Rogers supporters. He is an empty suit. They're just Republicans and would vote for anyone with an R in their name
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u/Gnd_flpd Sep 16 '26
So Roop was allegedly biased, yet he bought up Hassan Piker and even gave a bit of cover for Vance by mentioning that his wife isn't white. I sincerely hope the older voters get a grip and stop being scared of the "Muslim man".
I was talking with a co-worker and he expressed concern his 80 something relative couldn't see past this, yet this person is Catholic and was old enough to remember how some people didn't want to vote for Kennedy because of concerns he would take his orders from the Pope!!!! How soon they forget.
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u/Bloody-Snowflake323 Sep 16 '26
The whole time I watched the debate I couldn't help thinking that hopefully this can wake up a lot of Mike Rodgers supporters and see who he really is: a coward. Abdul did a phenomenal job.
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u/MyTrueIdiotSelf990 Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26
This should be the death knell of any politician's campaign, but sadly, it won't be. How we've fallen.
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u/Either-Mushroom-5926 Sep 16 '26
Snowflake Florida man strikes again.
https://giphy.com/gifs/6AiLWJpuzyBlMR22ox
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u/Delicious_Invite_850 Sep 16 '26
I wonder if there will be some new campaign ads with footage from this
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u/Organic_Spend9995 Sep 16 '26
That tells you all you need to know who to vote for no matter what you think of the guy.
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u/HarryBalsagna1776 Milford Sep 17 '26
Rogers acta like he doesn't care or like he thinks he has it in the bag. Keep an eye out for shinanigans.
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u/Exigefettm Sep 16 '26
Just remember this everyone… no matter what happens a huge chunk of the people you live next to will vote for this person because a letter next to their name. It’s a cult.
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u/Cheap_Accident9714 Sep 16 '26
Don't think you can expect my vote if you won't answer to those who you want to represent. I definitely would like to hear about his health plan after he spent his time in Congress doing the opposite of what goes commercial days he wants to do.
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u/PolskaPunk04 Sep 16 '26
He should have done a Clint Eastwood empty chair routine.
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u/HucknRoll Sep 17 '26
This is a job interview, and one candidate was a no show, ask yourself, "Would you hire someone who didn't bother showing up to the interview?"
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u/gloaming111 Sep 16 '26
To be fair, that podium would have been only slightly less empty if Florida Man was able to muster up the courage to show up.
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u/Individual_Click5252 Sep 16 '26
Imagine thinking that your best course of action as a candidate is to not show up to a debate.
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u/WearyAd8418 Sep 16 '26
Just like Trump refusing to debate Harris a second time: he doesn’t want to appear stupid and duplicitous.
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u/Crazy_Adeptness_9891 Sep 16 '26
Do you know how expensive gas is? How do you expect Mike Dodgers to afford the gas to drive all the way to Michigan from Florida.
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u/pgcooldad Sep 16 '26
He wasn't forced - he gladly abliged as a future representative of the people of Michigan.
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u/ghallway Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
Shades of Clint Eastwood all those years back interviewing a stool.
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u/Vegetable-Board-5547 Sep 16 '26
Clint Eastwood & the Empty Chair
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u/spesimen Sep 16 '26
the difference is that obama would have likely debated clint if he was actually invited to sit in the chair. rogers got the invite and was too cowardly to take it.
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u/Thorn14 Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26
There's still 2 more debates yes? Sadly the image of this will probably be forgotten by then for the median voter. If it was the last one it would likely do far more damage to Mike Rogers.
Not sure why you're downvoting me, I'm not saying this in support of Rogers, just an observation of how this may impact voters.
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u/ThatBadFeel Sep 16 '26
I liked the format where we can have real conversations, so I get why Rogers chickened out.
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u/portiajon Sep 16 '26
This is crazy and also funny as hell. I think the only reason Rodgers didn’t show is because he’s scared shitless
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u/wire28 Sep 16 '26
Telling that the podium had no response to Abdul’s comments on pretty much anything. I’d be embarrassed if I went into this debate rooting for the podium.
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u/Carochio Sep 17 '26
Mike Rogers is WEAK and INCOMPETENT. PATHETIC like TRUMP.
Thank you for your attention on this matter.
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u/spin_kick Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
Magic Mike from Florida,. performing another disapearing act.
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u/Working_Film_5871 Sep 16 '26
Rogers seems to be waiting for the Musk/Trump superPAC money to save him with wall to wall ads. I bet he's overestimating his cut; there are too many unexpectedly competitive senate races for them to contend with and they can't prop up everyone. Texas and Iowa would come before Michigan.
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u/negativedancy Farmington Hills Sep 16 '26
I’m not sure I’ve ever actually heard Mike Rogers voice.
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u/FF36 Age: > 10 Years Sep 16 '26
All this just makes me believe is that the fix is in and Elon will make sure of it. Still going to vote and help bring others to the polls but dammit…
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