Mike Pence Can’t Walk Away from the Big Lie
Olivia Troye on how the VP is playing footsie with conspiracy theorists.
Leading The Bulwark…
Mike Pence Can’t Walk Away from the Big Lie
OLIVIA TROYE: Targeted on Jan. 6 for saying the election was valid, he now plays footsie with the conspiracy theorists. It’s in keeping with his character.
🎧 On the Pods… 🎧
Mickey Edwards on Getting Mugged by Reality
On today’s Bulwark podcast, Former Congressman Mickey Edwards joins Charlie Sykes to talk about his Republican journey and the rise and fall of CPAC and the American Conservative Union.
ATMA: Scott Feinberg on the Business of Hollywood Awards Season 🔓
This week, Scott Feinberg, the Hollywood Reporter’s awards columnist and host of the excellent podcast Awards Chatter, joins Sonny to talk about the business of awards season.
For Bulwark+ Members… 🔐
MORNING SHOTS: Hostage to Insanity 🔐
CHARLIE SYKES on why no, Trump Won't Return Today.
THE TRIAD: Expand the Map 🔐
JONATHAN V. LAST: What if the future of democracy depends on adding more democracy, right now?
TNL: How Much Is Too Much? 🔐
Tim, JVL, and Amanda talk DeSantis/Noem, HR 1 + filibuster, adding new states, cancel culture, and The Royal Tenenbaums.
From The Bulwark Aggregator…
Cops Fear QAnon Violence Thursday. Die-Hards Call ‘False Flag’ – Will Sommer and Pilar Melendez, The Daily Beast
Is Biden’s Outreach to Republicans Real? – Peter Nicholas, The Atlantic
GOP Senator Vows to Slow Down Merrick Garland’s Confirmation – Steven T. Dennis, Bloomberg
Parler sues Amazon (again), claims AWS ban sank a billion-dollar valuation – Kate Cox, ArsTechnica
New mask wars threaten Biden’s pandemic response at critical moment – Adam Cancryn and Anita Kumar, Politico
Claire McCaskill Rips Gov Cuomo for Claiming Alleged Harassment Was ‘Misinterpreted’: ‘Wasn’t an Apology! That Was a Rationalization’ – Ken Meyer, Mediate
In Today’s Bulwark…
The World’s Dictators Are Defeating Democracy
SARAH REPUCCI: Report documents how one protest movement after another has been beaten back by repressive rulers.
Hard and Soft Threats to Democracy
AMANDA CARPENTER: Conspiracy theorists and militia threats led the House of Representatives to abandon its work.
🚨OVERTIME 🚨
We had no idea you guys were still around…
Republicans are so mad about President Biden’s comment about Neanderthals and COVID policy that we’re now at the point where people like Marsha Blackburn and Marco Rubio are now saying it was really offensive.
As George Conway observes: “Politicians literally coming to the defense of Neanderthals is, needless to say, a staggering self-own.”
Don’t worry, we’re not done with this cycle of performative outrage yet. Get ready for this exchange on a right wing network in the next few days:
A tale of two mothers of insurrectionists…
Here’s the mother of the QAnon Shaman:
And here’s a mother of an 18 year old who also stormed the Capitol. Apparently she has better lawyers, because looking at what appears to be her Twitter feed, I don’t think she’s truly repentant.
Come on. How do you start deprogramming people who believed the big lie, or let their kids become QAnon weirdos? I’ll give you a hint: It’s your child going to what rhymes with prizm.
I suppose it could be worse. Look at how the adults who are being charged with crimes are whining about their “unfair” treatment.
This is horrible. I remember, before we decamped to the exurbs of D.C. having to walk or carry my dog up 8 flights of stairs (I’m not very fit) when the power went out or there was an elevator problem. Now, imagine you’re elderly, and having to walk up carrying groceries that many floors because of the pandemic.
Republicans and “Doctors.” For all the attention paid to Jill Biden’s doctorate (which is legitimate) by the right’s punditry / outrage universe, it seems odd to me they’re now referring to a guy with a B.A., Theodore Geisel, as “Dr. Seuss” in columns, tweets, on the floors of the House and the Senate. Pick a lane, guys.
You can’t accuse Jill Biden of being a fake doctor and then call a guy with a B.A. a doctor. Unless you have no shame. Which…
Movie recommendation. Last night, YouTube suggested I would like this old HBO movie called By Dawn’s Early Light, and I was hooked. You might like it, too.
What about Joe? Bill Kristol joins our friend Matt Lewis on his podcast to discuss his recent column.
RonJon wasting our time.
CSPAN-2 junkies will be treated to a reading of the COVID-19 relief bill, which is 628 pages. It’s expected to last 15 hours. This is one of the tools Senators can use to slow down the Senate, but there is a possible fix, since the filibuster isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Senate can amend its rules and require any Senator who objects to waiving the reading of the bill (like Ron Johnson did), and since stopping the reading requires 60 votes, any Senator who votes to ensure the bill be read by a clerk in its entirety, be present for the entire reading.
It won’t happen, but if it did, I’d support it.
That’s it for now. We’ll see you tonight on the livestream. Questions, thoughts, concerns? Drop me a line at: swift@thebulwark.com and I’ll do my best to get back to you.
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