r/yooper • • Sep 16 '26

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-unit
243 Upvotes

55 comments sorted by

51

u/tonyyyperez Sep 16 '26

Sounds like he was scared to show up, what a crappy candidate for Michigan.

30

u/Foolazul Sep 16 '26

I would be scared too if I was that dumb and my whole campaign is “Arabs and Muslims are scary.”

12

u/Commercial_Wind8212 wannabeYooper Sep 16 '26

tRanS iN sPoRtS tOoO

6

u/Foolazul Sep 16 '26

That’s some hateful diversity! I didn’t realize he had such a wide-ranging platform.

7

u/True_Distance_7720 Sep 16 '26

Ran into someone canvassing for him at a farmers market, his only talking point was Muslims attacked the WTC 25 years ago

4

u/Foolazul Sep 16 '26

I believe it. So many bigots nowadays. If you’re like Rogers and are just a cog for the billionaire class, bigotry is about the only winning strategy you’ve got.

1

u/Boatride65 29d ago

Muslims again have Trumpstein a plane, for free. 🙄

-16

u/Cheap-Lawyer3735 Sep 16 '26

He never agreed to this one. There two others he did agree to.

12

u/Man_of_Ice MTU grad Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26

No. Mike Rodgers only backed out at the very last minute. Invitation up for weeks, plenty of time to prep, on the morning of cries about the moderator being biased against him. Moderator proceeded to ask difficult questions to el-Sayed. Makes one wonder if Rodgers will show up for anything else he agrees to. Makes one wonder if he has any backbone to stand up for Michigan.

If a scary moderator asking scary questions is too much for Mike Rodgers, why should he represent Michigan on the world stage?

Dude turned down a debate on a local Fox channel. I mean, come on.

-11

u/Cheap-Lawyer3735 Sep 16 '26

Check yourself

6

u/Man_of_Ice MTU grad Sep 16 '26

No ticks found, thank you for your concern for my health and well-being.

3

u/Embarrassed-Brush332 Sep 16 '26

"Check yourself" what a 🤡

-3

u/Cheap-Lawyer3735 Sep 17 '26

The fact is Rogers never agreed to anything. He never backed out. Rogers only turned it down on the day of the PR stunt

42

u/Specialist_Data_8943 Sep 16 '26

I heard Mike took his Florida home off the market.

10

u/Commercial_Wind8212 wannabeYooper Sep 16 '26

why would he do that? is he living in his yacht?

57

u/northernlightup Sep 16 '26

I’m not sure anyone in the UP or Northern Michigan is paying attention or care. They have continually voted for a guy who lives in one of the worst states in the country to represent them.

You can’t bitch about data centers or even Mike Rodgers when Jack Bergman has made a lifestyle coasting on taxpayer money for more than a decade. It’s crazy to see how things have deteriorated in the rural areas of Michigan.

Vacation home Jack has your back right?

-14

u/Bedbouncer Sep 16 '26 edited Sep 16 '26

Lieutenant General Jack Bergman.

Like "A Tribe Called Quest", you say the whole thing.

EDIT: guess I should have included the /s

9

u/Jaybird_102567 Sep 16 '26

No you don't. He's not serving. He did his time.

23

u/Big_Issue8640 Sep 16 '26

Even if the Republican wouldn’t have chickened out, it would have been en empty Podium with 0 policies that would make anyone’s life better.

27

u/JesusKong333 Sep 16 '26

Empty Podium has been representing Kentucky for months now

16

u/Deluded_realist Sep 16 '26

If he won't show up to a debate why would you think he would show up to represent his constituents? What a coward.

19

u/[deleted] Sep 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/SilverMcFly Sep 16 '26

He just got back from the Texas GOP rally. So he was probably still cleaning his anus while prepping for his next go round. 

Not that there's anything wrong with that except the supreme hypocrisy. 

12

u/Dangerous-Sock-3688 Sep 16 '26

Mike Rogers is a BITCH

0

u/Admirable-Nobody-946 Sep 16 '26

This. Straight up coward.

3

u/Lynjamin08 Sep 16 '26

Can't argue with stupid (especially when stupid doesn't show up) taken to a whole new level.

-12

u/sabatoa Sep 16 '26

This is silly. Rogers never agreed to this forum, but they held it anyways as theater.

The two have actually agreed-upon debates coming up.

9

u/nakedpilsna Sep 16 '26

He had no problem going to Dallas last week for a Trump MAGA event, why would he disagree to a hour long debate in Michigan?

-12

u/sabatoa Sep 16 '26

Because he felt the moderator was biased, which holds water since the moderator and news team agreed to move forward with the fake debate with just AES there for the photo op.

It was a sham.

4

u/Buttholepart2 Sep 16 '26

They're biased for holding a debate despite one guy leaving last minute? What are you talking about?

-9

u/sabatoa Sep 16 '26

You are literally lying or misinformed. The “debate” last night was never agreed upon. Rogers didn’t leave or no show. It was known he never agreed.

2

u/Buttholepart2 Sep 17 '26

He had literal months to say no and chose to do it day of.

3

u/nakedpilsna Sep 16 '26

https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/video/mike-rogers-talks-declining-fox-2-detroit-debate/

Rogers says its because Roop called Abdul brilliant compared to Stevens, then pivots to Piker who is some podcaster guy wanting to kiss Roop.

1

u/sabatoa Sep 16 '26

Thank you for the receipts proving my point that this was not an authorized debate by both parties.

8

u/nakedpilsna Sep 16 '26

Do all the mental gymnastics you want. He had an opportunity to talk to Michiganders for an hour and declined over Roop saying something objectively true and then pivoting to some podcaster. This man is not serious.

2

u/sabatoa Sep 16 '26

My brother in Christ. I never argued for or against Roger’s reasoning. I simply stated that he wasn’t a “no-show” as advertised by AES and Fox 2, and per your own receipt you agree with me.

There’s nothing to argue or contort about.

8

u/nakedpilsna Sep 16 '26

The podium was empty. If it looks like a no-show to the viewers, it's a no-show.

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-20

u/Royal_Environment765 Sep 16 '26

He didn't want to be debating the moderator as well as his opponent.
People who believe themselves and others need to work for a living will be the ones voting for Rogers. People with their hand out and are career victims will vote the other way.

14

u/TopTransportation695 Sep 16 '26

Enjoying how much more you are paying for fuel and groceries? Enjoying how much your taxes are being spent on wasteful vanity projects in DC? Enjoying all the service members being killed and injured in an illegal war being so mismanaged that it’s criminal? Enjoying all of your personal information being taken from secure government databases and distributed to who knows where by guys named Big Balls? You must be if you’re supporting another cowardly bootlicker for the Senate who will not exercise their constitutional obligation to provide oversight of the executive.

-3

u/Royal_Environment765 Sep 16 '26

Thank you for your opinion. I will stick to mine though. No I didn't enjoy the 20+% inflation under Biden. Yes gas is more now, I agree. Although I am happy people who's main goal in life is to kill Americans, won't have a nuke. Good luck to you!

6

u/TopTransportation695 Sep 17 '26

In the US inflation peaked at 9% not 20. Around the rest of the world, Italy 11.8, UK 11, Germany 8.8, Canada 8.1. It wasn’t Biden that caused global inflation it was the world’s production spinning up after COVID. But don’t let facts ruin your fantasy bro. Same goes for Iran’s nuclear weapons program being eliminated, enjoy the delusion. The good news for you is that you’re going to continue being a happy little boy because as they say ignorance is bliss

-4

u/Royal_Environment765 Sep 17 '26

I am Happy. Who said I was a boy? Keep your movement happening. The crazier you all get the fewer elections you will win.

10

u/PsychiatricSD Sep 16 '26

Yeah its rough when you're held accountable for lying in real time, being moderated is super scary for republicans.

-7

u/Royal_Environment765 Sep 16 '26

Pretty obvious the bias of the moderator and the network behind him. If you can't see that, then why don't liberals want to be on a fox news sponsored debate? I don't blame them

3

u/Creosat Sep 16 '26

Cool story negative karma account......

-2

u/Royal_Environment765 Sep 16 '26

Just because I don't agree? Of course free speech

8

u/Creosat Sep 16 '26

No it's more because you're delusional.

1

u/Royal_Environment765 Sep 16 '26

Opinions are like....

7

u/Creosat Sep 16 '26

You've proved your opinions are worthless.

1

u/Royal_Environment765 Sep 16 '26

Only to TDS afflicted people like you who ha e nothing better to do than hate.

3

u/Creosat Sep 16 '26

Lol you said TDS