Pete Hegseth Wants to Wage War—Against the Left
Plus: 9 Questions Senators Should Ask Marco Rubio
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BILL KRISTOL & ANDREW EGGER: We Had a Good 50-Year Run, Folks
ADRIAN CARRASQUILLO: The Fear Is the Point
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WILL SALETAN: Pete Hegseth Wants to Wage War—Against the Left
AT HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING on Tuesday, defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth pledged to “restore the warrior ethos.” He told the Senate Armed Services Committee: “When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense.”
Hegseth does seem to be interested in waging war. But it’s not a war against foreign enemies. It’s a war against Trump’s domestic opponents.
🎥 PODCASTS AND VIDEOS 🎧
Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller: Adam Kinzinger and Mark Kelly: Dirty Little Secret [YouTube: Kelly, Kinzinger]
The Next Level: Michelle Obama Knows What Time It Is [YouTube]
Bulwark+ Live:
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WILL SELBER: Don’t Count on the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Lasting Long
AFTER 466 DAYS OF GRUELING and deadly conflict, Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire. The deal the two sides agreed on has reportedly not changed much from the framework crafted last year, which would mean that it will proceed in three separate phases.
The first phase is a 42-day temporary ceasefire, during which Hamas will release 33 hostages over multiple phases. Some of the hostages will be dead; hopefully, more of them will be alive. In return, Israel will release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners from jail. More humanitarian aid will flow into Gaza, much of which Hamas will pilfer to feed its fighters.
CATHY YOUNG: 9 Questions Senators Should Ask Marco Rubio
OF ALL PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S cabinet picks, Sen. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state presumptive nominee, is almost certainly the least controversial. He has been in the Senate for fourteen years, serving on the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees. He doesn’t spout extreme ideologies or outlandish conspiracy theories. He hasn’t cozied up to mass-murdering dictators. He doesn’t champion junk science. He hasn’t been accused of sexual misconduct. He hasn’t even shot a dog.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Wednesday! With our tree gone, Christmas is officially here, and it’s so cold that one’s hair can start freezing in under a minute. Ohio, how I’ve missed you.
🫡 Biden’s Farewell… Click here to watch his address to the nation at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Is God Off-duty? Matt Labash on confronting doubts about God's managerial oversight 🔐
Lights out for Mike Turner… The chair of House Intel is being removed by Speaker Johnson. Trump is reported to be behind it.
Bill Kristol joins Will Selber… To talk Afghanistan, Terrorism, and the Future of the Democratic Party
One Cheer for Thom Tillis… Who seems to be one of the few remaining Republicans on the hill who remember and hasn’t whitewashed the stain of January 6. Here’s what he said to Pam Bondi today: "I find it hard to believe the President or you would look at facts that were used to convict the violent people on Jan. 6 and say it was just an intemperate moment."
Mike Pence steps up to the plate… To try and sink RFK Jr.’s nomination.
“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”.. Patrick Chovanec, with the perfect nutshell summary of today’s hearings.
Will Lewis's first year at 'Washington Post': Cancellations, red ink and an exodus (NPR).
Minister accused of sex abuse… landed one high-profile job after another, from Cincinnati to an influential Protestant church in the Virginia suburbs of Washington. (WaPo 🎁)
Coca-Cola Gives Donald Trump Special Bottle… 4 Years After Jan 6 Criticism (Newsweek)
Influencers… Are Using the Los Angeles Fires to Hawk Wellness Products (Mother Jones)
“Is that a joke?” Biden has perhaps one of the last mic drops of his presidency. (But there’s still a lot of time!)
Washington Post Begs Bezos to Change Course… in Striking Petition (TNR)
If you’re going to watch the Inauguration… watch our coverage of course, but C-SPAN is the best feed for all of the pomp and circumstance.
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