Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

A fool as well as an oath-breaker.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

When they say they are pro-life, they do not mean yours.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

Giving up is unforgivable.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

Be a wild strawberry.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

“But what about the lurkers?”

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

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Late Night Open Thread: Epstein…

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Those Epstein files must be bad.
#KY04

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— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 6:31 PM

There’s a niche, it appears, for ‘contrarian’ Repubs to publicly buck Don TACO. Massie, like MTG, has a *very* secure seat; pundits could dismiss MTG as ‘complaining because she’s been snubbed for the positions she wanted’, but if an MIT grad perceives a way to triangulate between Trump’s demands for fealty and his MAGAt constituents’ interest in the Epstein files, well…

From six weeks ago

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— Dear Leader (@dearleader8647.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 9:22 PM

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No kings, no princes!

Trump's tantrum appears to be directly connected with this push from Massie, shown by posts to Xitter an hour ago

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— Rude Law Dog (@esghound.com) October 17, 2025 at 6:55 PM

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GOP Rep. Massie raised $768K from July through September — the best fundraising quarter of his career under threat of being ousted by a Trump-linked super PAC.

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— Politico (@politico.com) October 15, 2025 at 10:31 AM

Per Politico:

Rep. Thomas Massie raised $768,000 from July through September — the best fundraising quarter of his career under threat of being ousted by a super PAC linked to President Donald Trump.

The Kentucky Republican’s campaign committee also reported more than $2 million cash on hand at the end of September, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday morning.

Massie has come under fire from the White House after contradicting Trump on several major issues, including voting against the domestic policy megabill central to enacting the administration’s legislative agenda and pushing for the full release of the Jeffrey Epstein files…

While Massie has beaten back primary challengers before, his substantial war chest at this time could help him next year if Trump and his inner circle take their attacks on the incumbent to the next level.

Massie is also counting on support from his own colleagues in fending off a potential competitor. Most of the campaign contributions in the latest fundraising quarter came from individual donors, but Massie also received $2,000 each from committees linked to Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). A leadership PAC connected to Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) gave Massie $5,000.

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War for Ukraine Day 1,331: Moscow on the Potomac

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A black and white cartoon with Popeye the Sailor Man facing forward and to the left. His word bubble says "I Yam Disgustipated"

I’m going to keep tonight’s update on the brief(ish) side. I had a long day, not bad, just long, and I want to just zone out.

President Zelenskyy met with President Trump today. Unfortunately, the last person Trump spoke to about Ukraine’s war of defense against Russia’s genocidal re-invasion before meeting with President Zelenskyy was Putin.

Trump makes it sound like Zelensky refuses to “stop the killing” and returns to calling on Ukraine to surrender occupied territories. Three weeks ago, he said, “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”

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— Kevin Rothrock (@kevinrothrock.me) October 17, 2025 at 4:57 PM

This is the same person who said ceasefire was not necessary. Now basically insisting on ceasefire.

Goddess, give me strength.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 5:23 PM

Also, the Ukrainians, with the exceptions of those who have been scarfed up by Russia, are already home. The Russians occupying parts of Ukraine are most definitely NOT home!

Unsubtle: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wears a “Russian tricolor” tie to the meeting with Zelensky, while Vice President J.D. Vance wears a black tie fit for a funeral.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 3:17 PM

Ukraine will not be getting Tomahawks.

Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a tense meeting on Friday that he doesn’t intend to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles, at least for now – Axios.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 7:44 PM

Not that I think they’d have made a real difference given Ukraine’s own weapons development, but the symbolism would’ve been important.

And Putin knows that his influence operation/phone call with Trump yesterday was effective:

Q: What if Putin doesn’t agree to peace during your meeting in Hungary? What then?

TRUMP: Let’s see what happens. I think he will. I think President Putin wants to end the war.

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) October 17, 2025 at 1:42 PM

Putin definitely wants to end the war, but only if Ukraine is fully subordinated to Russia, absorbed into Russia, and everything that makes Ukraine Ukraine is destroyed. In that respect, yes Putin wants to end the war.

Financial Times regarding the Trump Putin conversation during the Alaska summit:
www.ft.com/content/7af3…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 6:18 AM

As I was saying.

Here’s more evidence that Putin believes he achieved his objectives with yesterday’s phone call.

Monitoring channels warn that tonight, russia may launch yet another massive attack on Ukraine with over 500 drones.

“Russia is ready for peace,” Trump said.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 3:45 PM

There was no address from President Zelensky because of the meetings in DC today. Here is the video of the meeting between the leader of the free world and President Trump:

President Zelenskyy held a press briefing after it was over.

❗️Putin hates me. I have the same attitude towards him, — Zelensky

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— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@militarynewsua.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 4:58 PM

Here’s the full video:

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I Have Now Officially Spent All the Time I Plan to Spend on Graham Platner

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So Platner deleted his Reddit posts before announcing his run for the Senate.

Why did he delete the comments?

His excuse for what he said at the time?

Auto Draft 140

Platner’s political director resigns.

Fox “News” is drooling:

Old online posts that appear to promote violence to achieve political change have triggered new scrutiny of a rising star on the progressive left who’s running for the Senate in Maine.

Graham Platner, a U.S. Marine and Army veteran and oyster farmer who is gaining momentum in the race to take on longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, said on the social media platform Reddit in 2018 that “all” police are bastards and called himself a “communist.”

In a separate post, he argued that if people “expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle, they ought to do some reading of history.”

And in another post, he said “an armed working class is a requirement for economic justice.”

The candidate told CNN that he does not actually hold the positions he expressed on Reddit. “I’m not a communist,” he said. “I’m not a socialist. I own a small business. I’m a Marine Corps veteran.”

From the Maine Monitor:

In Reddit posts from 2013, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner asked why Black people “don’t tip” and suggested people concerned about being raped shouldn’t be inebriated around people they don’t feel comfortable with.

Those posts, first reported on by the Bangor Daily News, add to previous coverage from CNN and Politico published Thursday about Platner’s writings on the social media site about his ideology and political violence.

The BDN obtained more posts made under Platner’s handle, “P-Hustle,” through an online database. He posted on the social media site more than 1,800 times between 2009 and 2021.

Platner’s past comments came to light the same week that Gov. Janet Mills joined the Democratic primary for the right to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in 2026. The posts threaten to upend an out-of-nowhere campaign that has generated grassroots momentum, raising roughly $5 million and signing up thousands of volunteers.

Platner responded to a 2013 post on Reddit entitled “What is one question you have always wanted to ask someone of another race,” writing, “Why don’t black people tip?” He worked as a bartender at Tune Inn on Capitol Hill, where he was a guest bartender last month.

“I work as a bartender and it always amazes me how solid this stereotype is,” he wrote. “Every now and again a black patron will leave a 15-20% tip, but usually it [is] between 0-5%. There’s got to be a reason behind it, what is it?”

That same year, he also responded to a post about underwear designed to prevent sexual assault saying people should “take some responsibility for themselves and not get so f—-ked up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?”

Platner also made references to political violence in several posts. In 2018, he said in response to a thread in which someone invoked leaving the U.S. due to Trump-era immigration policies: “Fight until you get tired of fighting with words and then fight with signs, and fists, and guns if need be.”

This is what you do when you REALLY haven’t read or seen what people are asking you about.  You ask then to read you the thing they want you to comment on!  And then you answer their question!

The Democratic governor, who entered the primary race for the right to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins on Tuesday, told reporters at Maine Beer Co. that she had not seen articles about the posts and had to have a reporter read examples of them aloud.

“Obviously, I would strongly disagree with those comments,” Mills said.

I can’t read the article, but here’s the headline:

Graham Platner dismisses old Reddit posts as ‘stupid joke comments’

Narrator:  Just locker room talk!

x

“I know I said stupid stuff and I’m not happy about that,” Platner said. “I know I used words that are like, things that I would never say today. But I was also very much in a place where I wasn’t really thinking through. I certainly wasn’t intending on ever running for U.S. Senate.”

He said the comments were made out of frustration and as an attempt to get a rise out of people online.

“I was just trying to find an outlet,” he added. “And I don’t know how to say this without sounding really stupid, but getting in dumb internet fights was an outlet.”

Platner:

Narrator’s take:

Don’t listen to what I said before!  Listen to what I’m saying now that I know people are listening.

I’ve seen enough.

I hope this flash in the pan has had his 15 minutes.  Anyone who donated to him should request their money back.

I Have Now Officially Spent All the Time I Plan to Spend on Graham PlatnerPost + Comments (114)

Low-Stakes Schadenfreude Open Thread: CyberTruculent

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Oh the victim signaling of Cybertruck owners.

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— Jessica Wildfire (@jessicawildfire.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 12:51 PM

This is the very definition of a journalistic set-up — but, of course, the ‘victims’ are all too happy to show off their Proud, Defiant Lifestyle Choice. From Wired, “Spit On, Sworn At, and Undeterred: What It’s Like to Own a Cybertruck”:

Aside from a MAGA hat, there is likely no object that feels more emblematic of US president Donald Trump’s return to the White House than the Tesla Cybertruck. The blunt angles and steel doors look futuristic, for sure, but only if the future looks a lot like RoboCop. To some, it’s a metallic status symbol. To others, it’s fascism on wheels. Either way, heads turn.

Cybertruck owners see things differently. “To me, it’s just a vehicle that I love,” says Andrew Castillo, a stock trader from Los Angeles. “It has no political affiliations at all to me.”

We’re standing in the parking lot of McCormick’s Palm Springs Classic Car Auctions. All around us, a dozen Cybertruck owners—and their cars—bake in the 100 degree heat. They’ve arrived for a meetup organized by Michael Goldman, who runs the 53,000-person Facebook group Cybertruck Owners Only. Though suspicious of the media, they’re eager to set the record straight about the car that they love. WIRED is here to learn how it feels to be out in public in such a politically charged vehicle. Has the past year or so changed anyone’s minds about owning the truck? Do owners like the attention—or are they adding bumper stickers decrying Elon Musk?…

Name: Russ Taylor
Age: 44
Location: Ladera Ranch, Orange County, California
Job: Runs a business called Smugglers Runs, which does “postapocalyptic off-road” rallies

When did you order your truck?
When I first saw it come out, [Elon Musk] was like, “Go to Cybertruck.com.” Before he even finished the sentence, I was already there and put in my reservation. I loved just the style, the look, it’s totally unique for sure. And obviously there’s total polar opposites of people on the design scale, but I loved it. I’ve always been kind of a cyberpunk, so I fell in love with it right away.

How do you feel about becoming a political lightning rod?
People occasionally just flip [me] off or whatever, but nobody’s come up to me and tried to make a statement about anything. Personally, it’s kind of dumb. It’s just a vehicle. So it’s ironic that it would even become a political statement, but nonetheless it is. [Editor’s note: Taylor was arrested and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. He was later pardoned by President Trump.]

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Pritzker & Jeffries Saying the (Formerly) Quiet Parts Out Loud

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Who’s next?

Calling all Democrats and supporters of democracy everywhere:

Step Right Up!

The people around Donald Trump are taking advantage of his diminished capacity to break the law.

Whatever they do now, we won’t forget — and we will hold them accountable.

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— Governor JB Pritzker (@govpritzker.illinois.gov) October 17, 2025 at 10:13 AM

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Jeffries: “ And then you got Karoline Leavitt, who’s sick. She’s out of control. And I’m not sure whether she’s just demented, ignorant, a stone-cold liar, or all of the above”

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— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) October 17, 2025 at 9:24 AM

h/t for the Jeffries link Professor Bigfoot

Bravery and leadership are contagious.

The more people who speak up (and show up) the more other people will speak up and show up!

Look at the news organizations that don’t want to sign the stupid “we won’t report it unless you want us to” pledge.

Look at MIT and other institutions that don’t want to pay for protection and are saying so.

If you guys have more instances of our side doing this, please share links in the comments.

Pritzker & Jeffries Saying the (Formerly) Quiet Parts Out LoudPost + Comments (218)

TGIFriday Morning Open Thread: Good Day for A Doc Dump?

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— Mike Luckovich (@mluckovich.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM

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@ccscott.bsky.social
Celebrating No Kings early in the original No Kings city.
😊💙

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— TheBionicBee 🐝 (@suewho82.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 8:18 AM

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Pritzker: "It's clear that Donald Trump has diminished capacity, which I think is sad — that the people around him are not getting him help, and instead they're just taking advantage of him. And that's what Stephen Miller is."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) October 16, 2025 at 10:06 PM

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man, texas national guard is a fucking shit job

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— GHOULLIKEHELLMACHINE (@golikehellmachine.com) October 16, 2025 at 3:44 PM

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282 former DOJ officials signed a letter sounding the alarm about "this administration’s degradation of DOJ’s vital work, and its assault on the public servants who do it."
The fact that hundreds felt compelled to say this speaks volumes.

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— CREW (@citizensforethics.org) October 16, 2025 at 11:36 AM

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OTHER COUNTRIES are having NO KINGS events as well!! NoKings.org

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— ❌👑 Bernadette🫘🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸🟧💙🐈‍⬛ (@vintageknits.bsky.social) October 15, 2025 at 9:53 AM

lmfao

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— cait (and adonis) (@cait.bsky.social) June 17, 2025 at 10:43 AM

TGIFriday Morning Open Thread: Good Day for A Doc Dump?Post + Comments (256)