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Thanks Stewart! Election day at CDU's conference is just beginning. Speeches by candidates Laschet, Merz, Röttgen start at 9:45 (Berlin time, so in 10 mins), then the 1,001 delegates begin voting at 11:10.


First up is Armin Laschet, the continuity candidate. Key messages: US example of dangers of polarisation; CDU can't take "Merkel voters" for granted; change requires experience, trust and teamwork rather than just big ideas; namecheck for his more-popular running mate Jens Spahn.


Verdict: not a bad speech tbh, nicely organised around theme of trust and teamwork that marked his father's work as a miner; the warning about the dangers of polarisation captured Laschet's own strengths and the risk of electing Merz

Next up is Friedrich Merz, the right-wing veteran. Climate change, digitisation, ideas blah-blah [aka I'm not a blast from the past]; don't fear the future; "consensus and compromise" require more contest; CDU must return to the "real centre"; no left-wing majority in Germany.


Verdict: weak, weak, weak. No organising theme, no coherence, just buzzwords over substance. And coming from Merz, the (genuinely valid) case for more robust political debate in Germany just comes across as cynical and reactionary.
“Every person I've ever known about that's been a white supremacist has left the movement through an act of compassion or love. They didn't leave it bc someone convinced them their belief systems were wrong.”

Daryl sounded the alarm back in 2009. His report was politicized by the GOP. He warned that white supremacy was on the rise.

He knows of what he speaks.

I strongly advise reading Hateland by Daryl Johnson & Breaking Hate by @cpicciolini to understand

https://t.co/KxKMWmYzH9


https://t.co/gH4G1KwcwV


https://t.co/zH1lgd7kTh
While I’m surprised to see someone who slapped his name on a Chicago skyscraper say ‘Illinois has no place to go,’ I want to offer @realDonaldTrump five exciting places to go in the great state of Illinois.


First thing's first, enjoy a Chicago classic at the one and only @TheWienerCircle. They have real hot dogs and real talk — all for the price of one.


If you want to get out of town, take the @Amtrak from Union Station all the way to Quincy, Alton or Carbondale. You might even run into @JoeBiden, who actually rides @Amtrak.

Things don’t seem to be going your way so you may need to scream into a canyon, Starved Rock State Park has more than 13 miles of trail that are open all year long. https://t.co/EaSIggAqjB


Looking for what real presidential leadership looks like? Visit our capital city of Springfield to see Honest Abe’s home, an adjective that will never be used to describe you.