Thursday, September 17, 2026

Today's Cartoons

 

(click on images to enlarge)

(Matt Davies, Newsday;  context here)

(John Darkow, Columbia Missourian)

(John Deering, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

(Bill Bramhall, New York Daily News)

(Monte Wolverton, caglecartoons.com)

(Jack Ohman, Tribune Content Agency)

(Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Robert Ariail, Spartanburg Herald-Journal, SC)

(Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Canada; context here)


(Arend van Dam, caglecartoons.com, Canada)

(Nick Anderson, Raw Story)

(Chris Britt, Creators.com)

(Vaughan Tomlinson, airmailweekly.com archive)


QOTD -- Destroying Things He Can't Possess Or Control

 

"... Although the Kennedy Center board insisted that only Trump’s name on the building would restore donations, in fact, the Washington Post reports that ticket sales and fundraising plunged when Trump added his name to the building in the first place.

"Nonetheless, Trump posted that he is the only one who can save it, 'because I have the ability to raise the money, and the ability to construct—that few others have. I also have the strength and power of the Presidency, which will be needed [to] do what must be done, and give it a strong shot at Greatness again!'

"As George Conway of the Bulwark noted, 'To destroy things he can’t possess or control is his essential nature.'

"It is also as if Trump is self-soothing by celebrating his core identity even as his incompetence and greed have driven the United States, and the world, into crisis..."
-- Heather Cox Richardson, in her "Letters from an American" Substack yesterday, quoting in part George Conway.  That we have to deal with this petty vindictiveness as the Malignant Fascist's war on Iran causes pain throughout the world, and his ongoing threats to democracy quicken as the mid-term elections approach is beyond mind-numbing.

 

Skeets Of The Day

 

Operation Epic Quagmire: pictures don't lie, war crimes, gas prices --


Photos leaked of bombed out US Middle East bases, with aircraft in pieces and buildings turned to rubble from Iranian fire. As @gregsargent.bsky.social notes, it's striking imagery, a symbol of US decline. Utter failure of Trump/Hegseth's fascist worldview, with its shallow conception of strength.

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— Nicholas Grossman (@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 8:04 AM

 

GENEVA (AP) — UN-backed human rights experts find 'reasonable grounds' to believe US committed war crimes in 2 deadly strikes on Iran.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 6:40 AM

 

gasoline up to $4.434/gal as of tonight, while diesel has climbed to $6.387/gal, according to the latest GasBuddy live view. up from $4.355 and $6.301 last night, and tomorrow will bring more increases to the averages as they play catch up.

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— Patrick De Haan (@gasbuddyguy.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 11:03 PM


EU and Canada move closer to each other after the corrupt Malignant Fascist's threats --


Dear @mark-carney.bsky.social, we want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible. I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the EU. And create a common prosperity and economic security space.

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— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu) September 16, 2026 at 4:27 AM


The lying, extortionist Malignant Fascist --

 

“.. a fresh indication the sides haven’t agreed to an energy truce despite claims by US President Donald Trump.” @bloomberg.com $CRAK www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

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— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 7:49 AM

  

Trump: "We spent more than $2 billion in FEMA funding. You're waiting for some additional funding. I'm gonna get that to you. Now if Michael loses, I'm not sending it." Crowd: *groans*

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) September 16, 2026 at 8:04 PM

 

The sick, narcissistic MF will destroy Kennedy Center if his name isn't slapped on it -- 


I wish we still lived in a world where, “He can’t just knock down the Kennedy Center” was a true fact.

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— Schooley (@schooley.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 12:07 AM

 

If you think Trump wouldn’t demolish the Kennedy Center, that this is all some kind of bluff or only a calculated distraction, you clearly haven’t been paying attention all this time.

— Charlotte Clymer (@charlotteclymer.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 1:10 AM


MAGAt remorse about ICE.  They voted for it and can go screw themselves --  


Her district's like 3/4 Hispanic and Trump won it by 15 points in 2024 (and she won by 20). Her polling must be terrrrrrrible if she's posting an ad where she rebukes Trump by name.

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— Gary Legum (@glegum.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 9:40 AM


The Republican mid-term campaign pitch --


That is basically the Republican Party platform for the midterms. What else are they going to campaign on? Corruption, new wars and higher prices?

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— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 7:09 AM


We can identify -- 


Me forgetting the password I just fucking changed.

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— SlenderSherbet (@slendersherbet.bsky.social) September 7, 2026 at 8:05 AM

 

Moving Fast And Breaking Things: Kennedy Center Demolition?

 

The deranged, demented Malignant Fascist, having been rebuffed three times over having his name obscenely plastered on the walls of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (a building authorized by Congress as a permanent memorial to the late president), is apparently looking over demolition plans:

Following President Donald Trump’s return from a North Carolina rally on Wednesday, images were released of him looking at a mysterious poster board while seated on Air Force One.

Much of the poster board wasn’t visible, but the words that could be gleaned from the photographs suggested that it relates to the Kennedy Center and the term “DEMOLISH.” However, the third word and much of the printout were hard to decipher from the images alone:



The images raised questions about what the president’s next steps could be regarding the venerated performance arts venue, which was “temporarily” closed after a board stacked with Trump loyalists voted to shutter it for alleged safety reasons.

Trump also indicated he wasn’t inclined to support the Kennedy Center and address its financial and physical needs unless his administration was publicly recognized for it. On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that the center could not affix his name to the building regardless of the president’s demands.

“For me to go and fix it...and then have to subsidize it for years to come...I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “Because frankly if we don’t do that, it’s going to close, it’ll end up being ripped down.”  (our emphasis)

Just as the lawless MF has done with illegally DOGE demolishing parts of the Federal government, his demolishing the historic White House East Wing and constructing the monstrous golden ballroom/ bunker, his plans to erect a triumphal arch dwarfing the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery, and more, the plan is always to "move fast and break things" before the courts or anything else can stop him.  But these aren't his properties to wreck.  Demolishing the Kennedy Center because his infamous name won't be allowed to deface it is on-brand for the narcissistic sociopath and would- be tyrant.  But it's not some generic building that he can have a tantrum over for lack of "recognition."  It's a monument that belongs to the nation and specifically to the memory of President Kennedy.  

He  has to be stopped in no uncertain terms, now.  

(Photos:   Brendan Smialowski via Getty Images)

 

UN Report: U.S. Committed War Crimes In Iran

 


Something that was painfully obvious from the moment it was known.  From Reuters:

"A UN fact-finding mission on Iran said on Thursday it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind ‌two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that these constituted war crimes.

It also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

The findings in a new report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, examined the US's ​conduct during the Iran war that began in February and the Iranian government's response to nationwide unrest that begun in late December.  [snip]

The UN experts said they found reasonable ​grounds to believe US forces were responsible for an attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in the city of Minab, where more than 150 people were killed, ​including around 120 schoolchildren, according to Iranian officials.

The attack constituted an indiscriminate attack causing civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure, amounting to a war crime under international law, the mission concluded[snip]

The experts reached a similar conclusion over a strike on a ​sports centre in Lamerd. The report said ​the attack damaged nearby residential buildings ⁠and a school and killed and injured 22 civilians. It concluded that the strike was indiscriminate and therefore constituted a war crime." (our emphasis) 

We have yet to officially acknowledge our responsibility for both attacks; the Pentagon claims that U.S. forces didn't strike Lamerd that day.  With the Malignant Fascist in charge, it won't happen.

(photo: Loved ones visit graves of the Minab victims. Jack Garland / BBC)

 

Trump's Gift To China

 



University of Michigan professor of public policy Don Moynihan, writing in his "Can We Still Govern?" Substack, discusses the catastrophic effect the moron Malignant Fascist has had on America's former dominance in higher education in "China:  Thank Trump."  These are excerpts of a longer, fuller argument Moynihan makes that the MF has taken us in precisely the wrong direction in its treatment of international scholars and research, to the detriment of American leadership and soft power:

One of the challenges of living in the Trump era is wondering if anyone actually believes Trump’s claim that his presidency has made America stronger and more globally respected than ever. Trump has dismantled much of the international infrastructure that America built and largely controlled, allowing it to become the dominant superpower over the last 80 years.  [snip]

Trump’s presidency got us to the point where people in lots of countries view China more positively than the US. This is despite the fact that China remains a one-party state, run by an authoritarian who has purged rivals, is increasingly investing in its military, asserting territorial claims, and threatening countries that resist.

Chinese commentators feel increasingly bullish about the future because of Trump. In his first term, Chinese glee at Trump’s actions won him the nickname “Chuan Jianguo,” which roughly means “Trump, the (Chinese) nation builder.” Trump’s elimination of US soft-power institutions like USAID and Voice of America in his second term has compounded Chinese confidence that Trump is doing their work for them.

Lets focus on one aspect of US-Chinese competition, which is higher education and technological innovation. After all, part of China’s global appeal — in contrast to Russia, America’s erstwhile superpower rival — is that it is seen as exceptionally innovative, allowing it to build the future. Higher education is key to that progress.
[snip]

Higher education is not just a very profitable export industry. It is also a source of technological innovation, a means by which nations secure a knowledge edge over their rivals. The collapse of Germany into barbarism in the 1930s allowed America the pick of the talent from what was the leading educational system in the world up to that point. The creation of a mutually beneficial partnership between higher education and the federal government since World War II allowed America to cement its dominance in the field. Through historical timing and smart investment, America built a magnet that drew in the smartest people in the world.

Now, this is starting to fall apart because of Trump’s attacks on higher education generally and international scholars in particular. And precisely because of Trump, China sees an opportunity to become a global leader in higher education, reaping the economic benefits that follow.
.."

Someone who is among the least intelligent, least qualified, least stable persons in the entire country to perform the functions of the office of President was gifted that role twice now in a calamitous failure of Civics 101 by a plurality of voting Americans.  He doesn't understand tariffs, he doesn't understand economics, he doesn't understand geopolitics, he doesn't understand history,  he doesn't understand basic health and science issues, he doesn't understand the Constitution or what has made America unique for most of its 250 year history, both good and bad.  He doesn't understand anything that would make him a proper leader for this country in this or any other century, as we've seen over and over during his corrupt, venal, destructive run through American life.  Yet, here he is in another sphere -- higher education and technological innovation --  that America has dominated, mostly for the good, and he's handing leadership over to China because he's a stupid, racist, vindictive, narcissistic sociopath.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Washington next week to meet with the MF.  We wonder if he'll have the courtesy to thank the MF for allowing China to take the lead in higher education and technological innovation into the next decades.

Sic transit gloria, America.

(Photo: Dimwit and Xi / Evan Vucci, Reuters)


Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Today's Cartoons

 

(click on images to enlarge)

(Dave Whamond, caglecartoons.com, Canada)

(Nick Anderson, Raw Story)

(Joel Pett,Tribune Content Agency)

(Jimmy Margulies, King Features)

(Christopher Weyant, Boston Globe)

(Bill Bramhall, New York Daily News)


(Mort Gerberg, @mortgerberg)

(Bill Day, caglecartoons.com)

(Brian Carroll, twopartyopera.com)

(Dave Granlund, politicalcartoons.com

(Jack Ohman, Tribune Content Agency)

(Rick McKee, caglecartoons.com)


 (Paul Noth, @paulnoth)


Pics Of The Day -- Winning!

 

These are photos of damage from Iranian drones and missiles at American facilities in the Middle East. They were taken by active servicemembers who wanted us to know the truth about the destruction that hasn't been shown to the American people.

(click on photos to enlarge)


(Prince Sultan AFB, Saudi Arabia)


(Camp Buehring, Kuwait)


(Camp Buehring, Kuwait)


(Prince Sultan AFB, Saudi Arabia)

From the article:

The Defense Department's inspector general this week released a fresh report on the war in Iran that revealed "equipment losses" worth up to $3.7 billion — including nearly 60 aircraft. In a first-of-its-kind mandatory report to Congress, the inspector general added that U.S. Central Command reported Iranian strikes at U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.

This makes the much maligned withdrawal from Afghanistan (which the Malignant Fascist "negotiated") look like George Washington's escape from Long Island.

Raise another glass to Whiskey Pete Hegseth's stewardship of the military and your tax dollars!

 

Skeets Of The Day

 

Operation Epic Quagmire /  costs / pulling the plug? /  Russia's involvement --


The U.S. war with Iran has cost American taxpayers $38 billion in direct expenses during the first five months of fighting and will push inflation up about 0.5 percentage points, a new congressional study has found.

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— The Japan Times (@japantimes.co.jp) September 16, 2026 at 7:05 AM

 

US House votes for third time to end Iran war after $38bn cost is revealed

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— The Guardian (@theguardian.com) September 16, 2026 at 6:44 AM

 

When you've finally packed up your deadbeat ex's stuff and left it on the curb for them to come get

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— Meredith Rose (@mrose.ink) September 16, 2026 at 10:59 AM

 

"The apparent synergy between Russian satellites and Iran's missiles" - CNN investigation reveals that Russian satellites have "likely given Iran a considerable advantage in its fight against the US". Watch the video for more details⤵️

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— Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 9:34 AM

 

No big news! --

 

You'd think the fact that the son of the President of the "party of family values" 2nd marriage is to the daughter of Epstein's banker and it was funded by a Rusisan oligarch involved in the mass kidnap of Ukrainian kids during a KGB agent's illegal war Would be bigger news..

— Darth Putin (@darthputinkgb.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 6:21 AM

 

In fact, if it was Hunter Biden it would've been the *only* news.

— Darth Putin (@darthputinkgb.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 6:21 AM

 

Living in the MAGA bubble / please proceed! / getting what they voted for --

 

Just checked the price of a pound of ground beef in St. Cloud, MN (Emmer's district) -- $5.29/lb at ALDI, $7.23/lb at Walmart. Not sure where "less than $2/lb" is happening there?

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— Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 8:37 AM

congrats to truckers for trump, who are getting exactly what they voted for

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— shauna (@goldengateblond.bsky.social) September 15, 2026 at 10:13 PM

 

Republican concept of a healthcare plan:  benefits for me, not for thee --


Indeed, We The People Should Be Getting The Same Healthcare And Paid Leave As McTurtle.......🐒

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— M Meerkat (@kackbro.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 7:09 AM

 

Bari's bust (no, not that one) --

 

Bari Weiss has plunged CBS News into ratings calamity. —"Evening News" has posted worst ratings of 21st century —"CBS Mornings" has posted worst ratings of 21st century —And now "60 Minutes" has posted worst ratings of 21st century More in @status.news: www.status.news/p/60-minutes...

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— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy.bsky.social) September 15, 2026 at 9:55 PM

 

 Paging "Michigan" Mike Rogers, paging "Michigan" Mike  --

 

Florida Man misses Michigan Senate debate

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— Tim Dickinson (@timdickinson.bsky.social) September 15, 2026 at 7:19 PM

 

Are we SURE he's not a bot? --

 

He said this. An adult human actually said this.

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— Jonah Blank (@jonahblank.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 9:33 AM

 

 

Mid-Week Song

 

The venerable icon Neal Young and his band The Chrome Hearts have a new album coming out Friday, "Second Song." A track from that album, "Casting Me Away From You," is vintage Young, with his mournful vocals and harmonica breaks on this folksy tune. Enjoy.

Bad News For MAGAt House Candidates

 

The generic Dem lead is up to 9 points.  MAGAts likely to take a severe drubbing, but VOTE and make sure.


The bottom for Republicans really starts giving out as the Democratic lead keeps building 7 points? - 231 Dem seats 8 points? - 237 Dem seats 9 points? - 240 Dem seats 10 points? - 249 Dem seats 11 points? - 262 Dem seats

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— Polling USA (@usapolling.bsky.social) September 16, 2026 at 3:38 AM

 

 

Kimmel And Colbert

 

Last night, Jimmy Kimmel covered Trump's Ireland golf trip, his constant dozing off and lack of control of AI, Moscow Mitch's return to the Senate, Don Jr.'s wedding paid by a Putin oligarch, and more.  Also of note, his special guest, Emmy award winning friend Stephen Colbert.  Worth two vids!

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Today's Cartoons

 

(click on images to enlarge


(Rick McKee, caglecartoons.com)

(Paul Duginski, caglecartoons.com)

(Bill Bramhall, New York Daily News)

(Pedro Molina, Tribune Content Agency)

(Jack Ohman, smerconish.com)

(Morten Morland, The Times, UK)

(Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)

(Christopher Weyant, caglecartoons.com)

(Ann Telnaes, anntelnaes.substack.com)

(Dennis Goris, @dennisgoris)

(Dave Granlund, politicalcartoons.com)

(Jeremy Nguyen, @airmailweekly - which is no longer publishing cartoons, unfortunately)


Skeets Of The Day

 

Operation Epic Quagmire: Gulf states don't trust Trump / price of his folly --


“.. Analysts say the region’s leaders have no choice but to seek different security options after the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran exposed the vulnerabilities of the Gulf Arab countries and emboldened the Islamic Republic.” @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/w...

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— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) September 15, 2026 at 7:42 AM

 

Day 198 of Trump's Operation Epic Failure. Iran owns the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis own the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia is in disarray. Oil prices skyrocketing. Groceries are being purchased via credit cards. American taxpayers are spending >$1 BILLION per day for this CF. abcnews.com/Internationa...

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— The Sgt Joker (@thesgtjoker.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 12:21 PM


SCOTUS rejects mail in ballot scam, with Thomas and Alito dissenting, naturally --


Safe bet that these two guys have lifetime golfcart privileges at Mar-a-Lago

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— Bill Grueskin (@bgrueskin.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 10:07 PM

 

If Trump wanted to crown himself emperor in the national cathedral alito and thomas would support it

— Adam Serwer (@adamserwer.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 7:39 PM


Don Jr.'s wedding- after parties financed by Putin associate.  Nothing to see here -- 


For the first time in their lives the Trumps actually have decent positive cash flow. And yet they're still on the Moscow dole. πŸ€”πŸ€” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/u...

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— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 4:58 PM

 

Just before arranging Trump Jr's wedding feast, Umar KremlΓ«v was awarded a medal for exceptional services to the Kremlin.

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— Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 5:42 PM


More on the Trump Crime Family -- 


We have never seen a family in the White House as corrupt as the Trump!! www.yahoo.com/news/politic...

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— Dean Obeidallah (@deanobeidallah.bsky.social) September 15, 2026 at 7:35 AM

 

The deranged Malignant Fascist desperate to slap his name on Kennedy Center (foiled again) -- 


I don’t care if Trump plasters his name in neon lights, no one is going to call it the Trump Center. Kennedy Center is going bankrupt because Artists walked away, audiences stopped coming, and Trump turned one of America’s great cultural institutions into an ego project nobody wants to be part of.

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— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline.com) September 15, 2026 at 8:36 AM

 

Something weirdly not noted in a lot of the coverage of the extortionate threats to murder the Kennedy Center unless it’s reimagined as a shrine to Trump: There was no dire fiscal crisis until Trump’s goombahs started mucking with it. Its finances were fine. projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/o...

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— Julian Sanchez (@normative.bsky.social) September 15, 2026 at 2:41 AM


The Pedophile Protection Party, Mike Rogers edition (contribute to Abdul El-Sayed here) -- 


Does Mike Rogers belong to the Epstein class? Yes. Mike Rogers has argued that some names in the Epstein files should be protected from public exposure. Now a Metro Times review finds that donors named in those files have given nearly $4.7 million to support Roger's senate campaign. He's their man.

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— Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 11:34 PM


JD Vance and the Iran War albatross.  Couldn't happen to a more worthy sycophant -- 


New in PN: JD Vance will never escape the albatross of the Iran War "Have you ever seen a video of a car that got booted, and the driver decides to just give it a shot anyway? Inevitably, the boot tears up their car as they lumber down the road. That’s what Iran is going to do to his campaign."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) September 15, 2026 at 8:03 AM


Vegetable Mitch McConnell spotted.  Press meekly complies not to film him in Capitol --

 

if you're a reporter "barred from recording video" by the government, you goddamn better record video

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— Greg Pak (@gregpak.net) September 14, 2026 at 9:21 PM

 

I want to see more video evidence to get a full picture but this is just not healthy.

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— Bradley P. Moss (@bradmossesq.bsky.social) September 15, 2026 at 8:02 AM

 

So true -- 

 


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— π”Έπ•žπ•“π•–π•£ π”»π•’π•¨π•Ÿ (@amberdawn1116.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 6:44 PM

 

 

 

QOTD: Grifting As Diplomacy

 

A key graph from Anne Applebaum's article in The Atlantic "Empire of Grift," on how American diplomacy has been taken over by hustlers and self-interested businessmen, to our profound national detriment:

"Slowly, the Brazilians were learning the same lesson as other American allies around the world: The United States of America is no longer the entity they knew. And American power is no longer deployed solely by trained diplomats and reliable officials, working through state channels. Informal envoys, private companies, online grifters, and hardened ideologues both inside and outside the government matter more. Unlike their predecessors, these people do not talk about spreading democracy, and don’t want to build long-term relationships. They don’t care about America’s reputation. They are deploying the tools of American diplomacy and government for their own purposes, to promote their own business interests or their own ideological goals, because, suddenly, they can."

The entire article is excellent and well-researched.