Liberal Louisiananian and Chihuahua lover just trying to save democracy. My pronouns are “the one who makes a good gumbo”
As ICE controversies intensify, White House border czar Tom Homan pitched what he characterized as a solution: To save lives, he argued, ICE’s many critics simply need to shut up. That’s not going to happen. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
As ICE controversies intensify, White House border czar Tom Homan takes aim at dissentTo save lives, Homan effectively argued, ICE’s detractors should simply say what he wants them to say. That won’t work.www.ms.nowOfficials specifically feared that Trump would rush Qatar’s Air Force One into service before it was equipped with missile defense systems. He did it anyway. A year later, as the jet is taken out of service, it’s obvious that the fears were right and he was wrong. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Trump takes his new Air Force One out of service, giving away the gameOfficials warned the president would rush the jet into service before it was ready. It now appears they were correct.www.ms.now
This feels like a good time to share my newsletter this week. :) open.substack.com/pub/elienyc/...
If Hakeem Jeffries Won’t Save the Democratic Party, Maybe He Can Try Saving BaseballELIE V. U.S.open.substack.com
Ossoff brilliant at this
The Tennessee HollerSEN. @ossoff.senate.gov: “Here’s what’s gonna happen tonight — the world’s most famous sore loser will deliver a primetime presidential sour grapes 🍇 address to pursue his 6yo grievances about the 2020 election while his war spirals out of control and the cost of living continues to rise.”
Tonight Trump will re-litigate the 2020 election. Why? In support of his SAVE act, which is actually a Voter Suppression Act. This is a Hail Mary effort to keep his corrupt power grab from being swamped by a blue wave in November.
A month ago today, Trump touted his Iran deal as a generational triumph, saying it would “bring Peace and Security to the whole Region.” The world, he added, finally found a president who “achieve real Peace.” Yesterday, trying to rationalize failure, he said the deal “doesn’t mean much.”
Trump downplays importance of failing Iran deal that he previously celebratedIf the president expects his post hoc rationalization of failure to persuade anyone, he’s likely to be disappointed.www.ms.nowTrump said the “gash” in the Reflecting Pool was 250 feet. Then 300 feet. Then 350 feet. Now we’re supposed to believe it’s 900 feet. When these guys can’t keep their story straight about their own imaginary details, it’s a big hint that they’re making stuff up. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Trump keeps changing his story about the alleged ‘gash’ in the Reflecting PoolWhen administration officials can’t keep their story straight about dubious details, it’s a big hint that they’re probably making stuff up.www.ms.nowIn politics, Americans who struggle to keep up with current events and who tend to be ill informed about key issues are known as low-information voters. In 2026, the nation appears to have a low-information House speaker. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Stumped on ICE killing, Mike Johnson keeps struggling with the basics of current eventsConfronted with questions he should know how to answer, the House Republican leader has proven to be surprisingly ignorant about day-to-day news.www.ms.nowHere's my Lindsey Graham obit. While most people are focused on his late career villian arc, I will never get over his sneering, hysterical defense of an alleged attempted rapist. My latest in @thenation.com www.thenation.com/article/poli...
Lindsey Graham’s Defense of Brett Kavanaugh Told Us EverythingThe senator’s infamous cry of rage spoke not only to his cruelty but also to his larger role in changing the court.www.thenation.comAfter floating a Mitch McConnell conspiracy theory, Ron Johnson walked it back. I’m curious: Did he realize that he went too far, or was Johnson worried about interfering with his ambitions to replace Lindsey Graham as the chair of the Senate Budget Committee? www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
GOP’s Ron Johnson shares, then retracts, a conspiratorial ‘rumor’ about Mitch McConnell“I’ve just heard from some other sources that was an older photo,” the Wisconsin Republican said of his ailing colleague. “So I really don’t know.”www.ms.now
extremely innovative
Musk’s Starlink Socks Customers With $1500 ‘High Demand’ SurchargeFor years I’ve noted that while Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite broadband system can be very useful for people with no other options (warzones, RVs, boats, rural Americans), the network …www.techdirt.com
Sea of Azov. Russian tankers burning on the horizon. 15 more attacked last night, according to Unmanned Systems Forces.
What a beautiful sight! 🔥🔥 #SlavaUkraini
Anton GerashchenkoSea of Azov. Russian tankers burning on the horizon. 15 more attacked last night, according to Unmanned Systems Forces.
"But then, like many others, he made the decision to abandon his previous ideals, to bury the patriotism that was once so important to him, and to become, instead, a loud, opportunistic collaborator." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Quintessential Politician of This EraThe late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham made a mid-career turn to MAGA.www.theatlantic.comDon’t come to us for mealy mouthed nice words about Graham. He was a reprehensible figure
Anti-Democratic Party Hysteria Is Out of Sync With RealityDemocrats’ successes should not be ignored; plus a note on Senator Lindsey Grahamwww.contrariannews.orgIran controls the strait. Trump continues to lie that it doesn’t because it is a humiliating defeat for him. Why press play along I do not know
Let’s elect a president that will appoint Jack Smith as Attorney General.
Kyle CheneyJUST IN: It's over. Judge Kelly has granted DOJ's motion to dismiss the J6 seditious conspiracy case against Proud Boys leaders He takes a couple parting shots, suggesting Trump's view of the riot is based on "fiction" and notes PB prosectuion started under him www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
A White House spokesperson insisted there’s “no politicization to the president’s decisions on disaster relief.” There’s some pretty compelling evidence to the contrary. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Trump denies disaster aid to four blue states, after approving aid to six red statesA White House spokesperson said there is “no politicization to the president’s decisions on disaster relief.” There’s compelling evidence to the contrary.www.ms.now
NEWS --> Three men who were in the van with the victim of the ICE shooting in Texas are potential witnesses, but they're now under pressure to self-deport, a rep for the families tells me. They remain in detention even as ICE's story falters. Details in this piece: newrepublic.com/article/2129...
Texas ICE Killing Darkens: Rep Says Witnesses Pressured to Self-DeportThere were three others in the van with the man shot by ICE in Houston this week. A represenative for the families tells TNR that the government is pressuring these potential witnesses to self-deport.newrepublic.comAs Team Trump’s $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit against the Washington Post gets thrown out of court, two things seem obvious: - He sure does sue a lot of news organizations - He sure does lose a lot when news organizations push back www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Judge rejects Team Trump’s $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit against The Washington PostThe demise of his latest case against a media company is a demonstration of the benefits of fighting back — and of the folly of appeasement.www.ms.now