Growing up in Texas, Will Sommer was a conservative, listening to Rush Limbaugh broadcasts and Ayn Rand audiobooks on family road trips.His politics changed when he went to college, but his obsession with conservative media never dimmed."I was fascinated by the currents and the personalities and the scams," he says.
Marjorie Taylor Greene shouts 'Liar!' during Biden State of the Union address
WASHINGTON President Joe Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday night was briefly interrupted by shouts from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and a few other Republicans, who accused him of lying while discussing the debt crisis facing the nation.The Republican outbursts came as Biden addressed the ongoing conflict in Congress over raising the debt limit.
More than half of Republicans support Christian nationalism, according to a new survey
Voters mark their ballots for the midterm election Nov. 8, 2022, at Lawrenceville Road United Methodist Church in Tucker, Ga.Ben Gray/AP Long seen as a fringe viewpoint, Christian nationalism now has a foothold in American politics, particularly in the Republican Party according to a new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution.
Ex-House Republican Slams Moscow Marjorie' Taylor Greene: Always Focused on Her Social Media'
Former Rep. Ken Buck disputes Rep. Kevin McCarthy's view of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as a serious legislator.
Buck highlights Greene's history of controversial actions, including filing impeachment articles against President Biden and opposing aid to Ukraine. [ more ]
This Indictment Will Likely Come Too Early for Trump to Consolidate the Party - emptywheel
After Trump propagandaist John Solomon published that Trump had been told he was a target of the Espionage Act investigation that has targeted him since last August, Trump did a post on his failing social media site.I've edited it down to the key bits: Trump's first response to the first public confirmation that he will soon be charged was not, as it turned out, to bellow, "Lock him up!" or even reconsider his past obstruction, but instead demand that the insurrectionists in Congress do something.
Steve Bannon Calls for Marjorie Taylor Greene to Face MAGA Primary Challenge
The former Trump adviser and other MAGA Republicans are turning on Greene for allying herself with Kevin McCarthy.Former White House chief strategist for the Trump administration Steve Bannon speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel and Convention Center on March 3, 2023, in National Harbor, Maryland.
GOP Lawmakers Auction McCarthy's Chapstick for $100K During Debt Crisis Meeting
The money raised will go toward funding the GOP lawmakers' own future campaigns, Politico reported.Then-Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) reacts as members of the House of Representatives cast their votes for Speaker on January 3, 2023 in Washington, D.C.Win McNamee / Getty Images Members of the GOP conference in the House of Representatives met on Tuesday to discuss issues relating to the debt ceiling crisis - though much of their time was focused on auctioning off a used tube of lip balm for campaign fundraising.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Admits Kevin McCarthy Should Have Considered National Security before Harming It - emptywheel
CNN reports that in a GOP leadership meeting, concerns were (anonymously) expressed about the way that Kevin McCarthy gave exclusive access to sensitive security footage from the Capitol to a self-described fan of Vladimir Putin, Tucker Carlson.[S]ome lawmakers in the closed-door leadership meeting asked whether sensitive security protocols or certain evacuation routes would be exposed by taking that step.
AOC in line to become her party's No. 2 on Oversight panel
Should Ocasio-Cortez become vice ranking member, she's also likely to take on more responsibility in helming Democrats' messaging and strategy on a panel that's stocked with some of the House GOP's most rhetorically rowdy conservatives, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).That's in part due to the cancer treatment that Oversight's current ranking member, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) is currently undergoing.
Boycotts, transphobia and Kid Rock with a machine gun: Why Bud Light is under fire
Trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney's post on her Instagram account showing cans of BudLight.Instagram oficial de Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light wants to pretend that nothing is happening.On its Twitter account, though, it's impossible to hide the backlash that the most-sold beer brand in the United States has been trying to control since April 14, when trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney announced her collaboration with the company.
Marjorie Greene accuses Cameron of calling us Hitler' as she doubles down on insult
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene doubles down on mistaken assertion that British Foreign Secretary David Cameron compared Republicans to Hitler
Greene dismisses Cameron's opinion, criticizes his association of Republicans with Hitler, and tells him to focus on his own country's problems [ more ]
14 Years After You Lie' Shocked Congress, Yelling at the President Becomes a New Norm
When South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson yelled You lie! during a 2009 speech President Barack Obama delivered to Congress, the breach of decorum quickly became the evening's most notable moment.Members of both parties condemned the outburst, which was a response to the President's claim that his health care plan would not apply to undocumented immigrants.
Fact check: Marjorie Taylor Greene falsely claims Biden administration is responsible for Michigan brothers' fentanyl deaths during Trump administration | CNN Politics
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia falsely claimed Tuesday that the Biden administration is responsible for the fentanyl deaths of two young men who actually died during the Trump administration and her congressional spokesperson profanely dismissed questions about the false claim as irrelevant.
Biden brings his battle with Republicans on the road after contentious State of the Union
DeForest, Wisconsin CNN President Joe Biden brought his State of the Union populist economic messaging to Wisconsin on Wednesday, firing back at Republicans and highlighting US manufacturing in a preview of an expected 2024 argument in the battleground state.Biden made clear that he was willing to continue the fight as he hit the road, reigniting the social safety net argument with Republicans that sparked one of the most memorable moments in Tuesday's speech.
MSNBC's Joy Reid Claims Ron DeSantis Pushing Literal Government Thought Control'
MSNBC's Joy Reid accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and other Republicans of secretly loving big, big government.On Thursday, Reid highlighted a bill being co-sponsored by Reps.Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and George Santos (R-NY) would implement more policing over the books allowed in public schools.
PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
Marjorie Taylor Greene tries to rally HIV activists in latest rant
Far-right US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci and attempting to rally HIV activists against him.
Fauci is often targeted by conservative politicians for his Covid-19 advice, and his work in steering the US through the AIDS crisis is being overlooked. [ more ]
Marjorie Taylor Greene mocked for saying CDC director is not "bright"
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced that she would be stepping down from her position at the end of June.And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) had thoughts."Rochelle Walensky calls pregnant women 'birthing people' and claimed that vaccinated people don't carry the Covid-19 virus," Greene said.
Jimmy Kimmel Ruthlessly Fires Back At Marjorie Taylor Greene After She Suggests She Appear On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live': "Marge Has Taken A Break From Burning Books To Writing One"
Jimmy Kimmel and Marjorie Taylor Greene are engaged in a feud.
The feud began when Kimmel mocked Greene's book on his show.
Greene has challenged Kimmel to have her on his show to discuss her book. [ more ]
Former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Texted With 34 House Republicans About Overturning Election
Dozens of GOP lawmakers encouraged Meadows to continue to "fight" the legitimate 2020 presidential election results.Former White House Chief of Staff during the Trump administration Mark Meadows speaks during a forum titled House Rules and Process Changes for the 118th Congress at FreedowmWorks headquarters on November 14, 2022, in Washington, D.C.Drew Angerer / Getty Images Recently released text messages between former President Donald Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows and dozens of Republican members of Congress reveal the extent to which Trump's inner circle sought to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election.
DeSantis campaign shares apparent AI-generated fake images of Trump and Fauci
A recent video from Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis includes an image with three fake photos of former President Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci hugging.These three images appear to be AI-generated.DeSantis War Room/Screenshot and annotation by NPR Artificial intelligence is hitting the campaign trail.
Clarence Page: Justice dies when politicians turn vigilantism into a campaign stunt
On his way to see whether his expected presidential bid can play in Peoria, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis upstaged himself with a newsmaking tweet."We stand with Good Samaritans like Daniel Penny," he tweeted Friday about the former Marine accused in the May 1 killing of Jordan Neely, a homeless man who had been shouting in the faces of other passengers on a New York City subway.
They say I'm ancient': Biden speech to White House media proves to be one for the ages
Age shall not weary him, but it might provide some good punchlines.Joe Biden, the oldest president in American history, faced his biggest political liability with a smile on Saturday as he addressed a gathering of Washington's political and media elites.The 80-year-old, who this week announced a bid for re-election in 2024, flipped between a pugnacious defence of press freedom and crisp one-liners at the expense of political opponents as he addressed the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner.
Downstate US Rep. Mary Miller, a critic of Chicago, coming to city to raise campaign funds
The allure of Chicago green on St. Patrick's Day is apparently enough for downstate Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller to overcome her fears of a city she has described as a "war zone."Miller - a second-term congresswoman from Oakland, a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus and a disciple of former President Donald Trump who is backing him for another White House bid - has scheduled a March 17 fundraiser at the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.
McCarthy's GOP tries to move on from Tucker Carlson-Jan. 6 drama
Yet, McCarthy's decision to let Carlson access thousands of hours of Capitol footage from the riot has left a lingering cloud over his own leadership team, which was repeatedly pressed about the move as Carlson continues to downplay the violence of the siege by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Trump blasts Biden over tanks for Ukraine and calls for end to 'crazy war' to repel Russian invasion
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday slammed the U.S. decision to send top-of-the-line tanks to Ukraine, calling the effort to repel the Russian invasion a "crazy war."In the latest criticism of aid to Ukraine, Trump echoed the Russian talking point that sending the Abrams M1 tanks amount to an escalation that could lead to nuclear war.
The Trump verdict proves Republicans never cared about protecting women in changing rooms
Republicans have spent the better part of the past decade attacking transgender equality by arguing that treating trans women as women would hurt cis women.The mantra was repeated ad nauseum during the wave of bathroom bills in the mid-2010s and came back as parents protested schools' trans-inclusive policies in the early 2020s: If trans women can use public restrooms or locker rooms in peace, then cis girls and women will be attacked, either by the trans women themselves or by cis men abusing the rule to get into gender-segregated spaces.
Seth Meyers Contemplates the 2024 Presidential Matchup
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night's highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy.Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.Before the Hollywood writers' strike was announced on Monday, Seth Meyers ruminated on the forthcoming 2024 presidential campaign, wondering who might be the Republican front-runner.
Joe Biden slams Marjorie Taylor Greene at White House Correspondents' Dinner
President Joe Biden told quite a few jokes at the White House Correspondents' dinner this past Saturday - including a few about LGBTQ+ personalities - but he's getting perhaps the most attention for his dig at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)."I want everybody to have fun tonight, but please be safe," he said.
The GOP Embraces the Kyle Rittenhouse Approach to Kindergarten
In the futile and hopeless hours of familiar gridlock after the most recent mass shooting in Nashville, the social media meme war that serves as proxy for our political process launched again into overdrive.Some themes were familiar: Republicans love guns more than they love children; the party that purports to revere life seems unwilling to do anything to stop mass murder.
Marjorie Taylor Greene destroyed by Democratic lawmaker after she defended guns in schools
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) ripped into Rep.Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) for arguing that gender-affirming hormones and the lack of guns in schools were responsible for the shooting in Nashville that killed three students and three school employees on Monday."You guys are worried about banning books?
You Guys Got Rid of the Assault Weapons Ban!' Dem Congressman Spars with MTG Over Nashville Shooting
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) sparred with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) during a House Oversight Committee hearing, which veered off into a discussion of the horrific Nashville elementary school shooting on Monday.On Wednesday, Moskowitz yielded to Greene, who weighed in on the shooting by retelling a story from her time in high school.
George Santos & Marjorie Taylor Greene cosponsor federal book ban bill
Out Rep. George Santos (R-NY) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) are cosponsoring a bill that could restrict students' access to books that discuss LGBTQ+ themes.Santos is one of 11 out LGBTQ+ members of the House of Representatives and the only one advancing an anti-LGBTQ+ equality agenda.The other 10 LGBTQ+ House members are Democrats.
It Is Our Fate to Live in the Age of the Indelible'
BOTTOMS UP AND THE DEVIL LAUGHS: A Journey Through the Deep State, by Kerry Howley The people in Kerry Howley's new book include fabulists, truth tellers, combatants, whistle-blowers.Like many of us, they have left traces of themselves in the digital ether by making a phone call, texting a friend, looking up something online.
Joe Manchin Blasts President Biden's 'Radical Policy Agenda'
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) issued an excoriating statement after Joe Biden issued the first veto of his presidency on Monday, accusing his fellow Democrat of prioritizing his radical policy agenda over the economic, energy and national security needs of our country.Biden has rejected a congressional measure to block a Department of Labor regulation that would allow managers of retirement investment vehicles to make decisions for non-pecuniary reasons, including social and environmental considerations.
Biden Issues First Veto to Protect Socially Conscious Investing
WASHINGTON President Biden issued the first veto of his presidency on Monday, turning back a Republican effort to bar investment managers from incorporating climate and social considerations into their decisions.The rule that the president vowed to protect is an obscure investing principle known as E.S.G. shorthand for prioritizing environmental, social and governance factors.
Chelsea Handler Thanks Republicans for Enlivening a Dull Night
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night's highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy.Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.President Joe Biden delivered his first State of the Union address of 2023 on Tuesday night, where Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene heckled him and called him a liar.
Trump taunts rivals DeSantis and Pence for skipping CPAC convention as he brags of 'monster' speech to conservatives
Former President Donald Trump Thursday taunted Republican rivals Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence for skipping the conservative CPAC conference - and bragged that he will rule the roost as usual.Deriding them as "certain 'candidates,'" Trump suggested the Florida governor and former vice president were ducking an unfavorable comparison with him among the right-wing activists who will attend.
Trump blasts Biden over tanks for Ukraine and calls for end to 'crazy war' to repel Russian invasion
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday slammed the U.S. decision to send top-of-the-line tanks to Ukraine, calling the effort to repel the Russian invasion a "crazy war."In the latest criticism of aid to Ukraine, Trump echoed the Russian talking point that sending the Abrams M1 tanks amount to an escalation that could lead to nuclear war.
I Don't Believe The Lies': MTG Rages She's Against Aid For Ukraine Because She Doesn't Believe Putin Wants to Invade Europe
Controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) joined Steve Bannon's podcast on Thursday and offered yet another reason why she does not support U.S. aid for Ukraine to fight off the brutal Russian invasion.Greene has grabbed headlines in the past for how she has framed the ongoing war, telling Tucker Carlson in February that the conflict is a war against Russia in Ukraine.
Clarence Page: What doesn't MAGA know about the 'Black national anthem'? A lot.
Some people suspect that Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" camp is barely a step away from "Make America White Again."They found a lot of food for that thought in the MAGA world's reaction to this year's Super Bowl pregame show.The show included Sheryl Lee Ralph of "Abbott Elementary" singing James Weldon Johnson's 123-year-old hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing," frequently called the "Black national anthem."
John Vukmirovich: Hearing 'mill talk' as a kid on the South Side taught me what really matters
When you recall your childhood, what do you hold dear?Of late, I find myself pondering what I call "mill talk."Before I get to words, though, I'd like to serve you some food.My paternal grandfather lived on South Escanaba Avenue in an area of South Chicago known as Vet's Park.He had a smokehouse in his backyard - yes, a smokehouse - and a flat-topped, cast-iron wood-burning stove in his basement.
Letters: Shameful behavior at the State of the Union
Over the years, I have seen videos of members of government bodies around the world erupting in anger, yelling and sometimes even engaging in fistfights.But I never would have imagined members of our Congress degrading themselves in that way.During the State of the Union Tuesday night, far-right Republicans' boos and yells of "liar" to our president demonstrated their complete disregard and disrespect for this historic moment and for the office Joe Biden holds.
Marjorie Taylor Greene called out for promoting likely fake trans teen story
While Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has been under fire during Presidents' Day weekend for calling for secession, she also promoted an unlikely and unverified story about a transgender teenager who regrets taking testosterone as part of hormone replacement therapy.The eccentric Canadian anti-transgender activist Chris Elston posted a screenshot to Twitter of a story an anonymous person wrote on Reddit.
Biden Rips Marjorie Taylor Greene After She Blamed Him for Deaths That Happened Under Trump
President Joe Biden responded to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-GA) claim he was responsible for deadly fentanyl overdoses that occurred during the Trump administration.On Tuesday, the House Homeland Security Committee on which Greene sits heard emotional testimony from a Michigan mother whose two sons died from fentanyl poisoning in 2020 after they took what they believed was a less potent painkiller.
McCarthy and Jeffries creating bipartisan task force to determine process to boot members off committees
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are creating a bipartisan task force to determine a process to boot members off committees going forward, a source familiar told CNN.McCarthy is taking the lead in creating it and Jeffries has agreed to name members to it.The list of members who have been tapped for the task force are: GOP Reps. Tom Cole, Nancy Mace, David Joyce and Ken Buck, and Democratic Reps.
Mom's blues album with a song about mass shootings is nominated for a Grammy
Shemekia Copeland is used to singing about "controversial topics.""For my entire career, I've tackled issues like social injustice, religious hypocrites and domestic violence," Copeland, a now 5-time Grammy nominated blues artist, tells TODAY.com.Things shifted, however, when Copeland gave birth to her now 6-year-old son.
Good Afternoon, News: City Hall's Suspicious New Security Team, Charter Reform is Happening, and Facebook Reinstates Trump (What Could Go Wrong?)
The Mercury provides news and fun every single day-but your help is essential.If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us.Thanks for your support!GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND!Here's your early bird reminder that we're kicking off the free Mercury READER VALENTINES next Tuesday!