An unsurprising announcement via NBC News:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed state Attorney General Ashley Moody to the U.S. Senate, setting her up to fill the seat of Sen. Marco Rubio, whom President-elect Donald Trump tapped to be secretary of state.
Once autotune queen Lara Trump was laughed off the stage, Moody’s ascension was all but assured. So now, the federal government will be saddled with not one but TWO terrible former Florida attorneys general since the crook Pam Bondi will likely be confirmed as AG.
Despite Rubio’s manifold defects, the Moody appointment degrades Florida’s U.S. senate representation. Rubio is horrible in the expected venal and corrupt Republican way. He surrendered his dignity to maintain power in the Trump era, but it was possibly the smallest dignity transfer ever recorded since Rubio’s entire career has been a montage of getting pantsed by bullies.
Moody came up in the Jeb! Bush Griftopia years but seems a more or less sincere MAGA believer and cloddish culture warrior now. As far as I know, she’s been on the wrong side of every single public issue she’s ever weighed in on, including reproductive rights, voter suppression, ACA expansion, COVID vaccines, charter schools, book banning, trans healthcare (minors and adults), 2020 election denial, etc., etc.
The only good thing I can think of to say about Moody is that she might be vulnerable if she runs to keep the seat in 2026.* Emphasis on might since she would be running in Florida with an R after her name. (If you can do that AND fog a mirror, you’re pretty much a shoo-in these days.)
That said, Moody doesn’t come across particularly well on camera. She’s flounder-faced with a weird affect. (Don’t @ me — I don’t make the rules.) Bondi is slicker by orders of magnitude, and she’s no great shakes either; Florida isn’t sending our best.
I don’t think Moody has ever won a statewide election against a compelling and well-funded opponent. If FL Dems find such a unicorn and the backlash to the incoming rightwing kleptocracy is strong, the seat could be a pick-up opportunity in a couple of years. Maybe.
Open thread!
*It’s possible Moody is a seat-warmer for DeSantis, but I don’t think he wants to be a senator. He’ll run for president again and lose in Iowa. Again. Another possibility: Rubio serves a short stint as SoS, flees DC and tries to reclaim his old seat.
He’s shameless enough to do that. How do I know this? After vowing he wouldn’t run for reelection in 2016 if he washed out of the presidential primary that year, he used the Pulse nightclub massacre as an excuse to weasel his way back into the race, absurdly claiming he could meaningfully address our mass shooting problem. In the words of my generation, AS-fucking-IF. It remains one of the most breathtakingly shameless statements I’ve ever heard uttered by a politician.
brantl
I don’t think Rick Scott can either show up in a mirror, or fog one…
How did I get to be first? Baud didn’t die, did he?
Scout211
And Ramaswamy is Trump’s hand-picked replacement for Vance. He (Ramaswamy) met with DeWine to “discuss” the appointment.
ETA:
Damaged goods? LOL.
Miss Bianca
@Scout211: “Damaged goods”? Oh, you *don’t* say!
Chief Oshkosh
@brantl:
He told us in an earlier thread that he was going to be busy today.
A Ghost to Most
Floriduh Woman will be our top cop. What could possibly go wrong?
Jackie
Sadly for you, BettyCracker and other Floridians, ‘26 elections look dismal – both Gaetz and Byron Donalds are rumored to be running for governor. The primaries could be entertaining – in a gladiatorial way.
Chief Oshkosh
Oddly, I was just listening to In Search of the Lost Chord last night and this morning on my commutes.
ETA: Yes, I have a very short commute by most standards.
Betty Cracker
@Scout211: Could Ramaswamy win an election in Ohio or anywhere else? I got the impression during the GOP primary that EVERYONE despised that smarmy prick. It seemed to be the one thing that united the party at the time.
sab
Since he would just be replacing Vance I don’t have a problem with a Ramaswamy appointment. I doubt he could win reelection in Ohio, and I would much rather have a nonMAGA like Husted running for governor since the alternative would be a MAGA Republican. How did Ohio get so very red so fast. Gerrymandering and term limits is my guess
ETA I would much rather have Husted than Yost for governor, and Husted in the Senate would pretty much guarantee Yost as governor.
The Unmitigated Gaul
How is this going to end?
Melancholy Jaques
@sab:
I don’t think those helped, but thinking back to the Ohio I knew in the late 20th century, I think the continuing decline of Cleveland & other cities north of the turnpike is the major factor. Add in the MAGA-fication of the Mahoning Valley – the move from Traficant to Trump isn’t that big of jump.
I haven’t lived there since 1999, so I am not well-informed about local events or people. Who are the up & comers in the Democratic Party? Who are the visible next election candidates?
Betty Cracker
@Jackie: Donalds would probably be tough to beat. He’s a crook but that’s no obstacle in a state so corrupt it makes Louisiana blush. Rick Scott is a crook and the worst retail politician I’ve ever seen, and he keeps getting elected regardless.
Gaetz, I don’t know. The prostitution and drug abuse scandal isn’t disqualifying for Republican candidates, but everyone who’s met the guy hates his guts, even if they’re on the same team.
Andrew Abshier
The other reason that Marco got back in in 2016 is that the leading candidate, Carlos Beruff, was toxic even by Florida Republican standards and party leadership basically panicked. I hadn’t heard his quote after the Pulse shooting, but it sounds like classic Brave, Brave Sir Marco milquetoast, signifying nothing.
(He’s Brave, Brave Sir Marco because he was videoed literally running from constituents in Miami Int’l Airport. He’s also canceled town halls when he’s learned that plenty of opposition would be present.)
Scout211
I say no, but our Ohio jackals may answer that with more knowledge.
I saw this more as a media blitz from the Trump team to put pressure on DeWine to do Trump’s bidding. We’ll see if DeWine pays fealty to Trump or he makes his own decision.
Geminid
@Scout211: A couple weeks ago, Politico Playbook linked to reporting by NBC’s Henry Gomez and on Dewine’s possible picks to replace Vance. Besides Husted, Gomez said former party chairman Jane Timken and a couple state Representatives were in the mix.
sab
,@Melancholy Jaques: There really aren’t any, which is why I blame gerrymandering and even more so term limits.
Democrats have to earn their own living. In state level office they are out after two terms even if their constituents love them. So they can’t build a broader reputation.
Republicans get on their consulting and think tank gravy train in college. Really, what real world job has John Kasich ever had? But when he was between elected jobs he always found a cushy spot.
I have seen promising young Democrats drop out of public life because they have to support a family and they can’t run for their office again.
Mai Naem mobile ¹
@Betty Cracker: I’ve heard Vivek referred to as Eddie Haskell(from Leave it To Beaver) which really captures Vivek.
balconesfault
Meanwhile, Nikki gets the public shitting upon that she so roundly deserves …
“As of today, the incoming Trump Administration has hired over 1,000 people for The United States Government. They are outstanding in every way, and you will see the fruits of their labor over the coming years. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and it will happen very quickly! In order to save time, money, and effort, it would be helpful if you would not send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by, Americans for No Prosperity (headed by Charles Koch), “Dumb as a Rock” John Bolton, “Birdbrain” Nikki Haley … ”
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113835342903467996
Harrison Wesley
Is Vivek up to leading the Couch Caucus?
zhena gogolia
@balconesfault: Oh my God, what have we done? What a horrible disaster.
cmorenc
Why would DeSantis think he could beat Vance for the 2028 R Presidential nomination? Vance is far slicker and likely has generous tech-billionaire financial backing. Smarter play would seem to try to elbow Moody out of the seat in 2026. Unless by 2028 the Trump Maladministration has provoked a strong counter-reaction among enough softer Trump voters who have been forced to do so by hitting the brick wall of what the actually voted for instead of what they thought they were voting for, particularly in the way of pocketbook issues, and Vance suffers from being Felon’s VP. Unfair, but true that Harris is an analogous example in terms of the critical margin of forces against her.
Old School
@zhena gogolia: To be honest, I wouldn’t want federal employees endorsed by Charles Koch, John Bolton, or Nikki Haley either.
balconesfault
@zhena gogolia: Oh, this election will end up f***ing the country in so many ways that like climate change, we won’t fully grasp a lot of the downstream effects until they slap us upside the head with a 2×4.
The first time around, too many of Trump’s appointees (though clearly not all) were concerned about their agencies doing a good job and obeying the law. That’s not going to be the case this time around – Heritage is making sure.
Quaker in a Basement
Made my day. Love you Betty!
Betty Cracker
@Mai Naem mobile ¹: Ramaswamy has such an irritating voice! Gah! I’d rather hear Fran Drescher and Gilbert Gottfried have loud hate-sex while dragging knives across plates.
Only Ben Shapiro, who sounds like a helium-huffing squirrel in 2x, has a more annoying voice. The world stopped making sense for me when his podcasting career took off.
Jackie
@cmorenc:
And, then there’s Brian Kemp… although he’s hated by the MAGAts.
balconesfault
@Old School: Not for the same reasons Trump wouldn’t want them, I presume.
balconesfault
@Jackie: I’m absolutely sure that Greg Abbott thinks he has a strong pathway to take the nomination.
Jackie
@Betty Cracker:
NOMINATED!!!
eclare
Reds? Liverpool? YNWA!
Old School
@balconesfault:
Probably not. I’ve really no idea why Trump is feuding with Charles Koch – and I guess I really don’t care why he is.
Ruviana
@The Unmitigated Gaul:
Badly.
balconesfault
@Old School: https://time.com/7018266/trump-republicans-koch-network-2024/
Chief Oshkosh
@eclare: I thought it was a play on The Moody Blues
tam1MI
Rooting for injuries.
sixthdoctor
OT, David Lynch has passed away.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/16/david-lynch-twin-peaks-and-muholland-drive-director-dies-aged-78?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu
Elizabelle
David Lynch has died. Aged 78. Rest in cinematic weirdness. Very creative guy.
What does it say that we are bearing down on an era more weird, and filled with freaks, than he ever envisioned? Or foisted on us? Real stuff to keep one up at night.
Captain C
@Scout211:
At this point in some states the Republicans could run a literal turd shaped like a swastika and win. I’m not sure if Ohio is one of them yet.
Shalimar
@Jackie: Kemp is the favorite. Voters actually like him. The more people see of DeSantis and Vance, the less they like them. Neither will make it out of Iowa.
Leto
@sixthdoctor: @Elizabelle: I know he hated it, but I still love his Dune. A bit wonky? Sure. Some silliness? Yup. But he was definitely part of that early 80s grungy sci-fi/fantasy film makers collection that has such a warm place in my heart.
Old School
@sixthdoctor: @Elizabelle:
Aww man. That’s too bad.
Melancholy Jaques
@Captain C:
The last two US senate elections in Ohio were both Democrats with prior records of winning that were defeated handily by MAGAs.
Obama won Ohio & Florida twice, but now we have no idea what it would take for a Democrat to win any statewide election.
Quinerly
@Miss Bianca:
Totally OT. Glad I caught you on this thread. Went looking for you.
Glad you liked that obscure Monkees/Michael Nesmith song I mentioned in last night’s thread.
The song brings back happy childhood memories. My dad loved it. He would say, “Play, Dusty Caravan.” That’s what he called it, even though the song was called “Never Tell A Woman Yes.” I would pull out that album (still have it, “The Monkees Present”) and put it on my little, old Capehart record player. He would grin and grin. And say, “play it again.” My dad was so cool.
Like I said on the other threads, when I met Nesmith at The Old Rock House in St. Louis all those years later, I told him about my dad and that song (and my little skit) and about my very first live show at age 6. Got me a great hug, autograph and picture. Sweet man.
balconesfault
@Melancholy Jaques: A heavily labor state picking Vance over Ryan told me they’re way over the bend.
p.a.
Many unionists would rather have their guns and gas guzzling stinkpot pickups than their job protections, paid (even partially paid) healthcare, paid vacations, pensions, 401k matches…
Yeah I don’t get it either…
Anonymous At Work
Reminder on Bondi is her resume is paper thin because she was an assistant DA turned Fox News guest before she became AG. So of course she’s more telegenic. That ain’t saying much.
rikyrah
Imma need someone to explain this to me.
If I can’t trust what comes up when I do a Google Search…why would I do a Google Search?
Sara Fischer
@sarafischer
Scoop:
@Google
says it won’t do fact-checking
—Days after
@Meta
said it would end fact-checking,
@google
is telling EU regulators it won’t add fact-checks to its search results or YouTube videos, despite requirements from a new EU law
More on
@axios
Baud
Via Reddit
zhena gogolia
@Baud: I can’t stop vomiting.
lowtechcyclist
Don’t know if this has been mentioned already today, but apparently Squeaker Johnson sacked a GOP committee chair at the First Felon’s instructions because he was too pro-Ukraine:
Not that we needed any confirmation about whose side the First Felon is on in that conflict. Nor about how willing Johnson would be to kiss the First Felon’s ass. But still not a good thing.
Kay
Bernie Sanders is doing quite well beating up Trumps Treasury nominee. The nominee looks very smug and, well, RICH and Bernie is peppering him with viral-type really rhetorical questions, questions he can’t answer and TikTok is loving it.
I mean, TO ME its kind of performative and simplistic – he asked the rich guy if the rich guy would “join him” in ensuring a living wage (lol – “no” is the answer) but its probably good for the brand.
I think we have to continually remind ourselves that there’s this whole group of very loosely attached voters who LIKE issues like the minimum wage and we want them to associate that with Democrats.
lowtechcyclist
@Baud:
Yeah, they’ll tell us riveting stories to keep us distracted and occupied while the MAGAts tear down our democracy. So thoughtful of them.
Professor Bigfoot
@tam1MI: Yup, the oligarchs, just like the German industrialists a hundred years ago, think they can control the beast.
They too are wrong.
Miss Bianca
@Quinerly: awww…I gotta look for that song!
I was always torn between Mike N and Peter Tork as my Monkees crushes…both fine musicians and all-round fine human beings, from.what I can tell. Always wanted to see one or all of the Monkees live. You had quite the experience at 6 – I think my dad would have had his ears pierced by railroad spikes rather than take me to a Monkees concert, particularly with Jimi as an opener, oh my Lord…
Kay
The comments are like “I can’t believe he just said no – he doesn’t even care!”
I’m thinking ” what do you mean you can’t believe it? He’s a Trump.appointee!”
But honestly these are the voters who wouldn’t know if Democrats or Republicans are for a living wage.
Professor Bigfoot
@Melancholy Jaques: The impression I’ve gotten is that the GOP, having watched Obama get elected and re-elected, have gone all out to make damn sure no one other than straight white Christian men can be President ever again.
Miss Bianca
@Baud: I would laugh at how quickly and eagerly the MSM is ripping off its collective mask of actual journalism, but I’m too busy hurling…
Kay
Scott Bessent screams “rapacious and haughty hedge fund villain” too. Its really a beautiful set up for Ds.
Professor Bigfoot
@p.a.: More than anything else, they hate the idea of having anyone other than another straight white Christian man “over” them.
That’s it, that’s the theory that completely explains the observed phenomena.
Professor Bigfoot
@lowtechcyclist: “Democracy dies in darkness, so let us turn the lights off.”
Captain C
@p.a.:
Especially since without the latter, there’s no way they’d have the former; their communities would be like sadder versions of the town in Winter’s Bone.
Captain C
@Baud: If they’re storytelling, not journalism, they shouldn’t get the privileges and protections that journalists get.
Captain C
@Kay:
Probably not even if you paid them a living wage to know this.
lowtechcyclist
@Kay:
I don’t know if Dems bring this up, because Lord knows reporting does such a terrible job of covering Democrats. But I’ve been lately thinking about a debate I used to have with an officemate about the minimum wage back in 1978, when I was still a Republican.
David would argue that 40 hours a week at the minimum wage should be sufficient to support a family of four. I said no, maybe two people should be able to live on one minimum wage salary. But four? Nah.
But we were debating the right question: what should the minimum wage be enough to pay for? If you’re working 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year at minimum wage, shouldn’t one person, at the very least, be able to support him/herself on that? Maybe even support the worker and a minor child?
Like I said, I don’t know if Dems pose questions like this. I hope they do. But it isn’t something I have seen in debates about the minimum wage in recent years.
rikyrah
The TikTok ban… TikTok is not perfect…lots of problems…
But, it’s intellectual property, which is its algorithm… The USA only accounts for 9% of its total viewership.. Why would I give up my intellectual property, when I can keep 91% of my total viewership…and my intellectual property..
As someone said… This isn’t about National Security… We would be talked about a TikTok BAN – period, with nothing else.
The TELL is the SALE….. TikTok is so bad….but, wouldn’t be bad IF IT WAS SOLD. Sold without its algorithm? That would mean that it’s garbage. No, the tell is the SALE.
The SALE that will purchase THE DATA OF THE 170 MILLION AMERICANS THAT HAVE USED TIKTOK. THEY WANT THE DATA.
Zuckerberg couldn’t create anything to compete directly effectively with TikTok, so he lobbies to get it banned. The TIKTOK SHOP is a direct threat to Amazon.
IF they were honest, then maybe the people wouldn’t be as angry. It’s lying and playing in their faces, which adds to the anger of the TikTok users. I only lurk on TikTok. I have never made a video.
When people say that they have been able to use making content to supplement their lives…I didn’t grasp it, but a young lady gave an example yesterday.
She is on Instagram Reels and TikTok. She made and published the same videos on both sites in November. She showed her checks from each for the SAME VIDEOS, DURING THE SAME TIME FRAME There was 100,000 view difference between Instagram Reels and TikTok. Instagram Reels was like 1.9 million TikTok was like 2.0 million. Only 100,000 difference in views.
Her paychecks for that month?
From Instagram Reels. $6.00
From TikTok: $3,227
That blew my phucking mind. And, like, she’s not a huge account. She has a niche that she’s settled into. It was explained that you don’t make money on Instagram unless you get ‘ brand deals’. While the average content creator on TikTok can make some money if they find their niche and an audience.
Quinerly
@Miss Bianca:
Here you go…..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=85n7p6OZp5E&pp=ygUWTmV2ZXIgVGVsbCBBIFdvbWFuIFllcw%3D%3D
Now, back to my cabinet and kitchen project for me.
Baud
Via Reddit
Kay
@rikyrah:
I”m with you. Something fishy about this whole deal.
Anyway
@Professor Bigfoot: other than another straight white Christian man “over” them.
Nah, i think a woman or Hispanic or black male on the RThug ticket has a good chance of getting elected. The D brand is associated with too many taxes and regulations and bad for bidness
p.a.
tRumpists in foreign policy control exec & legislature…
Putin’s next targets the Baltic Republics and/or Poland, while tRump fellates him?
I know they’re NATO, so it’ll be the subterfuge game. If P does use military force (if he can while Ukraine bloodies him), and tRump says “not our problem”, what would NATO minus the US do? What would the US military, JCS etc do, or at least say?
Professor Bigfoot
@Anyway: I vehemently disagree.
NONE of things made Trump a better candidate IN ANY WAY than Kamala Harris.
Nope, it’s because the Democratic Party is too associated with Black people. UPPITY Black people.
Hide from it all you want, but William of Ockham will laugh at you.
balconesfault
@Captain C: “But honestly these are the voters who wouldn’t know if Democrats or Republicans are for a living wage.”
I think one thing we’ve observed recently is that once people are guaranteed a living wage – a lot of them just become apolitical, or even turn away from economics to embrace reactionary politics on social issues.
I’m not saying that’s a reason to abandon the battle. But it’s a multi-dimensional problem.
Miss Bianca
@Quinerly: whee! thanks for that, that was fun!
sab
@rikyrah: Wow.
I have wondered if the TikTok case had anything to do with a lot of younger voters staying home. Neither candidate was in their side.
balconesfault
@balconesfault: And another problem with the living wage – it functionally will generate some level of inflation, since people having economic security means they’re more comfortable competing economically to buy things they want/need, and upgrade their real estate.
Again, that’s not a bad thing. But a lot of the people who have more economic security react badly to having their buying power eroded by more people having the means to buy the stuff they’re rather get as a bargain.
Captain C
@balconesfault: Yet another case of IGMFY, perhaps?
tam1MI
I was a Mickey Dolenz gal myself…
I got to see the Monkees (sans Nesmith) on their reunion tour in 1986. One of my favorite concerts ever!
balconesfault
@Captain C: Yet another case of IGMFY, perhaps?
Yeah, but not consciously.
With widespread economic progress, a lot of people would move away from their prejudices … but Fox and Limbaugh created a media environment where their prejudices are fed and celebrated.
Betty Cracker
@rikyrah: & @Kay:I agree the whole thing is fishy, and I think y’all are onto something about the TikTok forced SALE being all about the data.
Maybe it’s not just TikTok — the oligarchs want ALL the data. Musk recently proposed an app that people could use to file taxes with the IRS for free. In response, Elizabeth Warren pointed out on Bluesky that congress already worked with the IRS to deliver free e-filing for simple returns, and that could be expanded.
I figured it was just another example of Musk swooping in to take credit for someone else’s hard work, but Adam pointed out that they want to create a tax filing app controlled by the oligarchs so they can hoover up everyone’s financial data. Adam suspects that’s the true purpose behind the DOGE nonsense — it gives them an excuse to access contract information for trillions in spending so they can leverage it for insider trading and to funnel more money into their own pockets.
gene108
@Anyway:
Between 3/5’s to 2/3’s of white men vote Republican in any given election. They are the core of the Republican Party.
I can’t picture that many white men backing a non-white man for president.
balconesfault
@tam1MI: My favorite Monkees tune was actually written by Michael Murphy …
https://youtu.be/WfiQ7aYfmoQ
Ksmiami
@Kay: Bessent is probably among the better cabinet appointees, but yeesh when he said we’ll be in crisis if that turd TCJA isn’t extended… pretty much gave the game away.
Ksmiami
@p.a.: Poland is critical for all sorts of heavy industry and parts manufacturing. Plus the modern poles would decimate whatever is left of Putin’s army. They will not allow themselves to be defeated by Putin.
brantl
@Betty Cracker: I think his nickname should have been ram-a-smarmy.
brantl
@Baud: I know where they’re “rivetting” us.
brantl
@Baud: I see the rumor of your death was greatly exaggerated…..
Kosh III
@Betty Cracker: EVERYONE despised that smarmy prick.
That’s the universal opinion about Ted Cruz yet he’s still there.
brantl
@Captain C: More a case of I Got Mine, So I Don’t Give a Shit.
Melancholy Jaques
@Professor Bigfoot:
A slight majority of voters in the swing states seem to agree.
Kosh III
Only semi-serious in wishing the Felon has as long and glorious of a term as William Henry Harrison.
Professor Bigfoot
@Melancholy Jaques: “‘Tis not so deep as a well nor so wide as a church-door, but ‘tis enough, ‘twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man.”
Gravenstone
@Baud: aka Lying For Profit
balconesfault
@Gravenstone: Well, “storytelling” is pretty much how JD Vance explained the Trump team continuing the lie about “eating neighbors pets” …
And it worked for them. 77 million Ameicans wanted to be lied to, and about 90 million Americans didn’t care if the Republicans were openly defending their ability to lie to the American people.
The Lodger
@Baud: Democracy Died.. You’re Welcome.
The Lodger
@Baud: Democracy Died. You’re Welcome.
The Lodger
@The Lodger: duplicate, please delete the one with 2 periods on the 1st sentence. Thanks.
Auntie Beak
Okay, I’m a word nerd, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen the expression “shoo-in” in print before, and I had always just assumed it was “shoe-in.” No idea why. But yes, Betty, you are correct, it’s “shoo-in.” As in “shoo! go away!”
Auntie Beak
@brantl: :-D
Auntie Beak
@Scout211: Feature not a bug. MAGA loves them some America-hating weirdos as long as the said weirdos swear fealty to the Mango Mussolini.
Auntie Beak
@Betty Cracker: Astonishing that you can be too loathsome and unlikeable for MAGA but there ya go. Anything’s possible.