Murder at 1600

Dear Mr. Simmons,
I have to admit, I've never really paid much attention to politics. I've always felt a little guilty about it and I've wanted to learn more, but I've just never been able to take the plunge.  Then you came along with your southpaw boys on the Channel 33 feed. I've listened to the first five or six shows and I have to admit it's a pretty decent listen; even for someone who doesn't understand ass economics.

But as much as I've enjoyed 'Keepin' It 1600, I think your guys have missed the boat a little on the Republican Primary.  They've been relentless on Donald Trump's competitors, particularly John Kasich for staying in the race. I'll admit, despite my Ohio support to the guy who was the only marginally decent candidate from either party, I couldn't really disagree with your guys at the time.  Then both Cruz and Kasich dropped out and it hit me.  It made perfect sense to stick around.  In fact, I'm not so sure I wouldn't still advocate for him to remain in the race.  He essentially has no delegates.  There wasn't really any hope of him to win any more.  There's no real path for him to win the nomination and well... wait a minute, are we sure about that?  Everyone seems to be fixating on/ cringing at/ bracing for/ fainting with incredulity about Donald Trump's success, but I'm not sure anyone is asking the most interesting questions. I don't think it is a matter of if there is dirt on Trump filthy enough to render him un-nominateable (sorry, I'm going to pretend like that is a word) as a presidential candidate, it's a question of how much of the radioactive filth exists.  And then there's the follow-up (and one of my favorite questions that can be applied to almost any topic), where is the line?  How bad of a story has to surface  to crash the Donald's Greyhound bus of doom that is chugging relentlessly like a snowball of death rolling down a mountain towards the White House?  Some will argue there is no line.  Every day, the quotes and headlines get more ridiculous, but the momentum never stops or even slows down. Let's be clear, there is a line.  If Donald Trump were indicted on murder charges he would not be the Republican nominee.  Have a little faith in humanity, the line is there.  We can all agree murder crosses it.  Apparently being a terrible idiot does not.   So where is it then?  What if he wasn't really that rich and he wasn't really that good of a businessman? Wup, okay that isn't it.  What if he was caught on camera telling his girlfriend that he didn't like black people?  Hmm, getting warmer.  That will cost you your basketball team, but Trump is pretty slippery.  He might be able to weasel his way out of that one.   What if he owned slaves?  Score one more for the "Damn it Trump you've gone too far" category!  The truth is there is probably a large grey area in the middle with things that would cost Trump the election but not the nomination. Regardless, this is a fun topic more people should be discussing.

So leave poor Kasich alone.  He was just waiting for TMZ to do their job.  Probably, dropping out doesn't totally eliminate him if the Trump derailment happens, but there will be so many wolves that pounce if that happens, sticking in the race might have kept his foot in the door a little.   It's sad that that's what we have to cling onto. "Maybe the paparazzi will submarine one of the candidates so that another batch of political lunatics can have a deathmatch for the Republican nomination and maybe, just maybe the winner that emerges will be slightly better than the two dopes we have to pick from now."
Unfortunately, I think we're stuck with #NeverTrump vs. #NeverClinton. God help us all.

Who knows what will happen, but the carnage will be fun to watch.  And through it all, I am glad that I will have the 1600 boys there to narrate it for me.
Alright Billy Ice, take it easy.  Long live Bill Simmons.  Congrats on The Ringer.

Talk to you later,
a fan