Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

We still have time to mess this up!

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

No one could have predicted…

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The revolution will be supervised.

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

Let there be snark.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

You are here: Home / John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House" / Sunday Night Open Thread

Reader Interactions

73Comments

  4. 4.

    Suzanne

    Seeing all the protest pictures has been fantastic for my outlook. Thanks to WaterGirl for posting them, and John for hosting this place.

  5. 5.

    Trollhattan

    In sum a good FD weekend. Runner Girl texted greetings from Kyoto and I wasocks. treated to FD IPAs.

    Now prepping FD meats for grillin’ on a perfect summer evening.

    Life sucks.

  9. 9.

    ljt

    Really enjoyed seeing all of the protest pictures here. Huge thank you to WaterGirl for making time to share them all with us.

  11. 11.

    Scout211

    @ljt: Yes a million thanks to WaterGirl for spending hours and hours today and last night posting all the wonderful photos and commentary from jackals who participated in the protests.

    The photos are wonderful. Thanks, everyone.

  13. 13.

    craigie

    It did! And the other thing I noticed (this was in LA) was that the majority of the marchers were under 30 years old, which gave me hope.

  14. 14.

    Bupalos

    I had a Slavic cultural event in Youngstown that conflicted with actually walking up to the protest but it was pretty clear that it was successful… our crowd doubled as it concluded, with lots of tshirts about this being a nation of immigrants. A traditional Croatian group had a “happy pride” sign…and I had really encouraging conversations with folks.

    Great vibes. Trump somehow felt smaller and further away. I kind of think he’s going to wither in his narcissistic incapacity over the term.

  16. 16.

    Nix Besser

    Me too! The whole experience in SE Pennsylvania was exhilarating. I hopescrolled the entire time after I got home. Tubby’s sad, sad fascist birthday perade just added to my buoyancy.

    I’m not accustomed to being a happy warrior, but it feels good! Keep the momentum going!

  17. 17.

    Gretchen

    One thing I’ve thought about the crowd estimates is that participation was probably much higher than is evident from a snapshot in time. The rally I went to was 3 hours long. We got very hot and left after about 90 minutes, along with quite a few others. We were met by a stream of people just arriving, who joked about being the second shift. So at any given moment the members of one group or the other would be counted, but not both.

  18. 18.

    pieceofpeace

    WaterGirl, your ongoing ‘No Kings Scrapbook’ made me feel hope.  Thank you!

  19. 19.

    Gretchen

    The NYT home page today had 49 headlines. Not one mentioned the protests. There were a few about Trump’s parade, one about « what Democrats need to do » and one about Hillary Clinton attending the wedding about George Soros’ son.

  20. 20.

    Nix Besser

    @Gretchen: Interesting. My rally was just an hour. No chance of getting tired and losing interest. Plenty of people just hanging around and enjoying each other’s company after the formal speeches (none of which I could hear) were over.

  22. 22.

    frosty

    I posted this comment earlier today, but this is a good spot to mention it again. Indivisible says 11 million. Other sources say 7 million. We don’t really know right now.

    However, the 3.5% threshold from Erica Chenoweth would be 11 million for the US population, and 8 3/4 million for the voting age (>18) population. These estimates for Saturday are close. If we can get a few of our supporters out of their cars and sustain the protests we might change some minds about supporting T#$%p. Maybe even Congress! Maybe the Supreme Court!!!

    (This is what comes from hopescrolling)

  23. 23.

    Scout211

    @Gretchen: The initial estimate by several of the sponsoring groups seems to be five million.

    The American Civil Liberties Union, a part of the coalition that put on the demonstrations, said in a late Saturday, June 14 statement that more than five million people participated in over 2,100 rallies and protests.

    Political organizing group Move On, who was a partner in the “No Kings” rallies, echoed the 5 million person estimate in a fundraising email.

    Jeremy Pressman, the co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium – a Harvard University and University of Connecticut project that estimates political crowds – told USA TODAY June 15 that it will take “some time” to complete an estimate on the “No Kings” rallies.

    Crowd Counting Consortium? Who knew?

  24. 24.

    Mike S

    Yes, the pictures are heartening.  It’s being reported here in Los Angeles that the LAPD and Sherrifs were shooting each other with “less than lethal” munitions.  Oops.

    On another note, I hope you are okay John. I’m seeing reports of flash flooding on WV.

  25. 25.

    frosty

    @Scout211: 5 million? Okay, we have to double it* and hold the momentum. I think it can be done. We have to make the Rs in Congress more scared of us than MAGA. Let’s buy more posterboard!

    * I don’t know the numbers but we probably doubled already it from April to June?

  26. 26.

    RaflW

    I’m relieved that the Big DC Dud happened. He seems to be acting out over this latest narcissistic injury this evening, but in so doing, he’s making it plainer that he’s using selective immigration enforcement to specifically punish Dems. I think that’s gonna play  ugly to normies.

    Also saw someone on Bsky suggest that we call John Thune’s DC office and demand that he kick Mike Lee out of the caucus. Of course Thune won’t, but he does need to get his phone lit up for the craven, vile things a Senator said on Xitter about the political murder of a legislator. I called. Let’s leave some firm but not abusive messages for his Monday morning crew to sort through. (202) 224-2321. (There’s this sense that Republicans have lost all shame, but I think part of that is that they don’t get near enough good, morally riled up backlash, so they’re really just soft.)

    The perp in the Minnesota horrors is still at large. I don’t feel like we in Minneapolis are at any risk ,but I hate that he’s on the lam, and I still want him apprehended alive. Dead, the vile lickspittles like Lee can lie more easily.

    All that said, the photos of the protests have been great. Really glad for them as I was too sick yesterday to get out there. I feel I’m on the better side of the curve on that now… should start heading for bed soon to keep that momentum. G’night all.

  28. 28.

    bbleh

    @frosty: And we aren’t even FIVE MONTHS in.  It took a year and a half to get Nixon out.  Also, too, one would note, the No Kings protestors ain’t exactly long-haired hippie radicals …

  29. 29.

    BenInNM

    @Gretchen: Yeah, that was my experience – I arrived about an hour after the start and there were as many people streaming in as streaming out. When I left, it seemed like the same.

    Edit: this -> that

  30. 30.

    frosty

    @Gretchen: Really?? The Paper Of Record didn’t notice that people were waving signs in 2,100 cities, towns, and boroughs? Fish are too good to be wrapped in it.

  31. 31.

    sab

    Watergirl,

    I just posted a well-deserved apology to you on the last thread. I was way over the top on beating you up for a minor mistake on a busy day. I am very sorry. I said you lied when I never thought you had lied. I just thought you were wrong. But by being wrong, I knew you had just made a minor mistake.

    I will slink off now.

  32. 32.

    BenInNM

    Also let me add my thanks to WaterGirl for posting all these updates and pictures – it does give me hope that we can get through this and possibly the healing will go faster than we think

  33. 33.

    Jackie

    @RevRick:

    Digby’s Hullabaloo has some great links to how pathetic it was.

    The pic of FFOTUS’s face projected over the port-a-potties… priceless. Especially as it’s the grumpy face looking like he’s trying to take a dump! LOL It’s in The Big Parade Flop post..

  34. 34.

    Almost80

    Yes! Glad you went and many thanks to Water Girl for a great piece of work! I quit the paper of record today in a snit for the second time this year. They really piss me off about every other day. (I can’t stop their Games though.)

  36. 36.

    Scout211

    Ha ha ha ha

    Following the Saturday event in the Capitol, the Trump administration was quick to tout what appeared to be inflated attendance numbers and brand the “No Kings” protest, which drew millions across events in some 2,000 cities and small towns across the country, as an “utter failure with minuscule attendance.”

    “Despite the threat of rain, over 250,000 patriots showed up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X. “God Bless the USA!”

    Steven Cheung, you crack me up everyday.

  37. 37.

    smike

    @Scout211: I live in a small, bright red city (<13,000 in central Tx.) and we had about 700 at a bridge about 1/4 mile from main street. My wife organized it and I know it has received some media coverage, so I hope they count all the smaller, but larger than usual, events around the country. That number is significant.

  38. 38.

    Gretchen

    @Scout211: I’ve read that Indivisible is doing their crowd estimates from their RSVPs. I didn’t RSVP and neither of the people I went with did either – we were undecided until the last minute which of the 3 local rallies we would attend. So we and probably many others wouldn’t be counted in that estimate either.

  45. 45.

    RaflW

    He was back fairly near his rural home. Per news account, someone’s trail cam caught him (people love to get their wildlife pics), LEOs then used drones off that tip and spotted him in fatigues crawling thru brush a cornfield.

    FYI corn’s said to be about a foot tall out there this time of year.

    Wow.

    (Edited)

  46. 46.

    Jackie

    So, since FFOTUS decided he has to help his billionaire farmers, hotel magnates, restauranteurs and the like, by not rounding up undocumented workers in these fields, he’s tripling down on Blue cities. From his social media:

    “Our Nation’s ICE Officers have shown incredible strength, determination, and courage as they facilitate a very important mission, the largest Mass Deportation Operation of Illegal Aliens in History. Every day, the Brave Men and Women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians, but nothing will stop us from executing our mission, and fulfilling our Mandate to the American People. ICE Officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.

    In order to achieve this, we must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside. These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens.

    These Radical Left Democrats are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities — And they are doing a good job of it! There is something wrong with them. That is why they believe in Open Borders, Transgender for Everybody, and Men playing in Women’s Sports — And that is why I want ICE, Border Patrol, and our Great and Patriotic Law Enforcement Officers, to FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities, and those places where Sanctuary Cities play such a big role. You don’t hear about Sanctuary Cities in our Heartland!

    I want our Brave ICE Officers to know that REAL Americans are cheering you on every day. The American People want our Cities, Schools, and Communities to be SAFE and FREE from Illegal Alien Crime, Conflict, and Chaos. That’s why I have directed my entire Administration to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration that has turned once Idyllic Towns into scenes of Third World Dystopia.

    Our Federal Government will continue to be focused on the REMIGRATION of Aliens to the places from where they came, and preventing the admission of ANYONE who undermines the domestic tranquility of the United States.

    To ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, the Patriots at Pentagon and the State Department, you have my unwavering support. Now go, GET THE JOB DONE!” DJT

    I assume? Miller wrote this? FFOTUS doesn’t have the focus to write this long screed.

  47. 47.

    Librettist

    @RaflW:

    Once they busted his exfiltration team, it was only a matter of time before they found him up sleeping in a 7-11 dumpster.

  49. 49.

    No One You Know

    Portland Pride very much on show in PDX–I had painted a sign and was thrilled to see more people with handpainted canvas on sticks, and the bridges and overpass well- filled. Very peaceful and Caesar the Llama stepped out and made nice with toddlers,  long- haired corgis, and anyone with a camera. There was a shooting SHOUTING match as people wanted to march before the city councillors speaker roster was exhausted, but something got worked out!

  51. 51.

    RaflW

    @Jackie: Trump has been losing in court a lot, and one wonders if this sort of admission of partisan motivation for selective enforcement might not pass muster. Newsom, Pritzger, their AGs and allied states are hopefully looking at paths to sue.

  52. 52.

    RaflW

    @RaflW: I feel (but don’t know!) like his wife might have been involved in, as Librettist put it, his exfiltration. But as I’m guessing anyway, I suspect as an accessory after the fact?

    It’s also possible he just managed to get the 6 miles from crime scene 2 to his first backup vehicle on foot. Dude apparently went to an ATM somewhere in all that, which is where the cowboy hat pic came from.

    It’s all way too planned for me to ever buy a criminal insanity defense. But, whothefrunk knows.

  53. 53.

    Jackie

    @RaflW:

    I feel (but don’t know!) like his wife might have been involved in, as Librettist put it, his exfiltration.

    Cash, ammunition, passports discovered with her in her vehicle… Why would we assume she’s involved? // // // (Heavy emphasis on sarcasm, if needed)

  54. 54.

    TS

    @RaflW:

    I think the wife has been smart enough to stay well away from the press, whether she knew about it or not. She may well have received a text similar to the one the friend received

    Cash, ammunition, passports discovered with her in her vehicle

    I hadn’t seen this when I wrote the above

  56. 56.

    Jackie

    @TS: This:

    …multiple law enforcement sources have told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS a traffic stop at a convenience store located near Onamia late Saturday morning involved a vehicle which was carrying Boelter’s wife, as well as three other relatives.

    Sources say a traffic stop was done between 10 and 11 a.m. A witness says about a dozen law enforcement squads converged on the vehicle and remained on the scene for two to three hours.

    Two sources tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the vehicle contained a weapon, ammunition, cash and passports. No one has been arrested – just questioned.

    It also hasn’t been disclosed as to why the vehicle was stopped, whether it was being tracked, or if it was a random traffic stop.

    https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/sources-vance-boelters-wife-detained-for-questioning-after-traffic-stop-near-onamia/

    This happened yesterday. Questions are WHY she was pulled over, and WHY she was ultimately let go.

    I know I have questions!

  57. 57.

    Jay

    @Jackie:

    His wife is part of the PSC, and they “boast” that they only do armed patrols and responses. Proving “complicity” requires a bit more than that, plus they are White Christians.

    alec karakatsanis

    ‪@equalityalec.bsky.social‬

    Follow

    THREAD: The assassinations in Minnesota highlight a dirty secret hardly ever mentioned in the news: U.S. has 1.1 million private police officers. There is an unprecedented footprint of privately organized violence that is doing all sorts of things most people have no idea about.

    ALT

    June 15, 2025 at 6:47 AM

    Everybody can reply

    1.8K reposts

    101 quotes

    4.9K likes

    114

    1.9K

    4.9K

  58. 58.

    Lyrebird

    @smike: That’s amazing.  I was floored to see photos last night from Waco, and cheers to everyone who showed up in your town!

     

    @Gretchen: We didn’t RSVP either, and we were about 2/3 of the way to the opposite end of the 2-mile stretch from the main organizers.

    All I know is, the liar in chief wouldn’t be talking down the protests if they hadn’t been so substantial!

  59. 59.

    Jay


    ‘No Kings’ demonstrator dies after being shot at Utah protest, police say

    Man in custody after Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was apparently shot by member of event’s peacekeeping team

    Long story short, sketchy looking young dude joins the march for a bit, then ducks behind a wall, returns with body armour, a gas mask and an AR-15. When the Parade Peacekeepers call him out, he rushes the crowd. One of the Parade Peacekeepers drew a gun and opened fire. Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39 was killed, the wannabe mass shooter gunman was wounded and arrested, and is now charged with murder.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/15/no-kings-protest-salt-lake-city-utah-death-shooting

  60. 60.

    Lyrebird

    @Jackie: What the actual hell is this? (no need to try to explain)

    the Brave Men and Women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians…

    I didn’t go with a “Make Orwell FICTION Again” poster, but man oh man I was tempted.

    This hate-spewing wannabe tyrant isn’t even worthy to shine Senator Padilla’s shoes.  The average line cook or day laborer does more genuine productive work in a week than Trump has probably ever done in his life.

    I’m really glad I decided to go join in on Saturday.  I hope that having huge numbers helps, and in this current situation, having another not very dramatic, middle-aged, middle class white* face there pushing against the MAGA lies made even a tiny bit of difference.

    * only mentioning this because these _ssh_les in the administration traffic in racism all the time, and they clearly have a big bunch of white people believing the crap they say.

  63. 63.

    Jay

    Alistair Kitchen
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬

    Follow
    Hi everyone

    I was denied entry, detained, and deported from the USA over the last 48 hours because of my reporting on the Columbia student protests

    I arrived back in Melbourne hours ago and had my phone handed back to me upon landing
    June 13, 2025 at 6:27 PM

    Everybody can reply
    4.5K reposts
    449 quotes
    10.5K likes

    195

    4.9K

    ‪Alistair Kitchen‬
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬
    · 2d
    @qantas-official.bsky.social
    held onto the phone for the duration of the flight at the request of the Trump administration

    32

    439

    ‪Alistair Kitchen‬
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬
    · 2d
    15 hour flight + 12 hour detention + 15 hour flight = one of the harder experiences of my life

    I had it easy, one woman had been in that detention room 4 days when I arrived, she’s still there

    10

    440

    ‪Alistair Kitchen‬
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬
    · 2d
    – They were waiting for me when I got off the plane
    – They knew (or it felt like they knew) everything about me
    – I had cleaned up my online presence expecting ad hoc digital sweeps; I was not prepared for their sophistication
    – Sophistication almost certainly facilitated by Palantir

    20

    826

    ‪Alistair Kitchen‬
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬
    · 2d
    If you are deleting social media ~48 before your flight to the US, *it is already too late.*

    17

    584

    ‪Alistair Kitchen‬
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬
    · 2d
    – My phone contents were immediately downloaded, on threat of deportation
    – In retrospect I should have denied search and accepted immediate deportation; in general I was too compliant, too trusting, too hopeful

    9

    438

    ‪Alistair Kitchen‬
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬
    · 2d
    They just came out and said it:

    “We both know why you’ve been detained…it’s because of what you wrote about the protests at Columbia”

    17

    872

    ‪Alistair Kitchen‬
    ‪@alistairkitchen.bsky.social‬
    · 2d
    I’ll be writing all this up with more detail shortly. For now I’ll just say—I believe what I say and say what I believe. The offending posts are all online. Find out for yourself if my words post a danger to the US and *subscribe to my substack*

    http://www.kitchencounter.blog

    Kitchen Counter | Alistair Kitchen | Substack
    Essays about the world we create. Click to read Kitchen Counter, by Alistair Kitchen, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
    http://www.kitchencounter.blog

  64. 64.

    Jackie

    @Jay: I don’t know where you’re copying/pasting from, but I’m just getting a bunch of disjointed garbaleegook. A simple link would be helpful. Thanks.

  68. 68.

    Hungry Joe

    @Jay: ??? One of the Parade Peacekeepers pulled a gun and fired???

    I was a Peacekeeper at the San Diego march, and if one of our yellow-vested team had even hinted at being armed we would have hustled his ass out of there FAST. I gotta believe that the other Peacekeepers had no idea.

  70. 70.

    NaijaGal

    @WaterGirl: Hey WaterGirl, hope you eventually see this. Thank you for everything that you do – for finding the time (!!) and for sensing our moments of despair and channeling them into concrete action through BJ. I may not always agree on causes but I have learned a lot from you and truly appreciate you!

  71. 71.

    Hungry Joe

    @Jay: I’m aware that Sam Colt felt otherwise, but I don’t associate “Peacekeeper” with shooting people.

  72. 72.

    NaijaGal

    @Hungry Joe: I wonder whether the perceived threat and calculations for a deep red state like Utah are different from CA. It kind of sounds like they prevented a mass shooting with an AR-15 by Gamboa but that will be no comfort to the family of the man who was killed as they tried to take down Gamboa.

  73. 73.

    Jay

    @Hungry Joe:

    @NaijaGal:

    according to some sources, the charged, regularly attended pro-democracy, human rights, LBGTQ2S protests, with a gas mask, body armour and legal AR-15.

    So it get’s weird.

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