281 Comments

Another slam dunk of a line, this one about the unrelentingly, untiringly wrong Hugh Hewitt: "That Hewitt column is Douthatian in its wrongness." God, that's true. I know we all have different psychological make ups that give us blind spots, but science really should put Hewitt's brain under a microscope. There is something wrong in there (unless its pure, distilled cynicism for a paycheck).

Expand full comment

Receipts and a blowtorch Charlie! Good combo!

Expand full comment

teeny edit: "grabby, wee orange fingers." I have only one concern: Will Trump's mugshot be orange or sans orange? As a betting person, I put my chips on Trump raw, without the orange goop. People! Isn't his applying orange makeup enough of a disqualifier?

Expand full comment

Having just listened to Charlie Sykes and Tom Nichols, I just have to remind you, Charlie, you promised we would all get through this together. I’m counting on that being true! It’s all so f’ing depressing! But we have each other, right?

Expand full comment

Can one of your constitutional scholars point out to me where in the Constitution there is a mention of sheriffs? Thanks in advance

Expand full comment

It reminds me that every time I see an article in the WP by Hewitt, I glance at the headline then immediately scroll to the comments. Saves me the trouble of actually trying to read whatever bs or distorted idea he is trying to make.

Expand full comment

unrelated: Mr Sykes: what are the Library of America volumes on your mantel (seen on your MSNBC hits) - thanks!

Expand full comment

The strategy of the non-Trump winner of the Republican primary is to tell the orange one that his Presidential pardon depends on the Republican getting elected. "You concede, endorse me, and help me win and I sign your pardon on my first day in office."Then again, it could be like the frog and the scorpion.

Expand full comment

Re the Axios link about restricting Trump campaign's access to the spin room, "Trump senior aides who had indicated they'd be in the spin room — where campaigns tout their candidate and rip their foes — now will be able to enter only if they're guests of media organizations, per the memo." So what? He can be a guest of any number of media outlets: Fox News, OANN, etc. How exactly is this a restriction?

Expand full comment

Re the Axios link about restricting Trump campaign's access to the spin room, "Trump senior aides who had indicated they'd be in the spin room — where campaigns tout their candidate and rip their foes — now will be able to enter only if they're guests of media organizations, per the memo." So what? He can be a guest of any number of media outlets: Fox News, OANN, etc. How exactly is this a restriction?

Expand full comment

Donald Trump is a serial liar, a con man who mocks the disabled and women. He’s a narcissist and a bully, a man with no fixed principles who has the vocabulary of an emotionally insecure nine-year-old. So no, I don’t want to give him control of the IRS, the FBI, and the nuclear codes. That’s just me.

Charlie, I find your comment from the past so powerful and I suggest that any panel/table of talking heads...or individual commentators...who are about to have one of these unending discussions about the idiot Trump take a moment at the beginning and read your statement. Further, as the discussion goes forward, your statement is put on the crawl at the bottom of the screen.

Why?

Because I'm sick and tired of having all of these people sit and discuss this man with very little acknowledgement of his danger...

Further, at the end of whatever segment...then the panel chair, or the individual commentator, then again read your words before signing off.

Just sayin'

Expand full comment

"McIntyre believes the use of disinformation, which he distinguishes from misinformation as being more deliberate, is part of 'a coordinated campaign being run by nameable individuals and organizations whose goal is to spread disinformation out to the masses—in order to foment doubt, division, and distrust—and create an army of deniers.' He sounds kind of paranoid, but for good reason."

I've watched in real time, for twenty one years, the disinformation campaign launched against the 9/11 families, and simultaneously and with profound sorrow and dismay I've watched warmongering, white Christian nationalism and Trumpism rise in popularity as a result of our accepting such poisonous treatment of those simply telling us the truth. As America descends further into the morass of disinformation, listen to the 9/11 families whose activism forced the creation of the 9/11 Commission. They can help.

Expand full comment

First. That Sheriff who insists that his role is to protect "the people" from the "State" understands neither his current role nor the basis and history of the Sheriff in English Common Law. The sole function of a Sherrif is a an instrument of the "State" to hold the people accountable to that State. They serve warrants and collect fees and taxes Their arrest power is generally limited to violations or delinquency related to either of those subjects. A county Sheriff can no more choose to enforce or refuse to enforce Federal law than they could impact the enforcement of the laws of the Twelve Tables. They are not an instrument of that law code. And a Sheriff is an instrument. A very blunt instrument.

Sheriffs were instituted through English Common as a instrument to enforce Royal perogative throughout the ruler's lands. They never served to protect subjects but rather to enforce a rulers often capricious and arbitrary whim.

Second. I would no more trust a pastor or DJT. A pastor bases their worldview and "ministry" on a book passed down orally by illiterate desert nomads. It has no more relevance to today than the Epic of Gilgamesh does for moral precepts. Lies in a book are little different from lies in DJT's mind. Neither are trustworthy.

Expand full comment

Tribalism is a very old, very engrained human characteristic that probably served us very well in ancient times. It is extremely destructive when it overshadows logic, reasoning, and empathy. Trump is a master in playing on the prejudices, deep-rooted fears, and hatreds of many white people, and in the absence of any GOP establishment figure with a spine this is the result.

Expand full comment

"Newsmax is vigorously denying the charges. How dare anyone suggest that their coverage is tied to payoffs?" If it was really false, they would sue for defamation.

Expand full comment

Somehow folks mainly refugees from the " normie" republicans/ " conservatism still write it could have been all avoided if " only". Which misses the truth, they never had a chance and misread their own voters. It's clear in this instance the voters owned them, but they didn't know it. Today its as obvious as can be, just listen, watch or read a republican voter on one of those let's understand a trump voter safrais. They will hemorrhage some voters but for most being a republican is WHO they are! Kinda hard to reason and persuade someone to give up who they think they are.

Expand full comment