Literally holding a newspaper.

Mitch McConnell's statement today on the passing of his colleague Lindsey Graham: . . . . . .

Why is Ukraine suddenly dominating the Sea of Azov? In just 6 days, over 70 russian ships—mostly shadow-fleet oil tankers and tugs—have been damaged or destroyed. Tonight alone saw 28 hit. 🧵 1/

This week Historians At The Movies swings over to the West Coast. Join us on Prime Video this Sunday, July 12 at 8pm eastern for TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. Share this and we'll see you soon! #HATM

Under orders from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Navy is set to adopt a rule that would allow Black soldiers to be purged simply because of their facial hair. Read more here: www.dailykos.com/stories/2026...

How it started How it's going

"Graham said he complained he was feeling unwell. When urged to seek care, Graham said he would after his scheduled appearance on NBC Graham joked: 'I can't die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out & do Israeli-Saudi normalization' He passed away several hours later."

Russian sanctions evasion in Japan is the kind of thing that US diplomats and Treasury officials used to excel at countering. Unfortunately, since today's Republicans are Russia's lapdogs, there is no one to turn the screws on Japan and help it turn off the flow. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/w...

The DC medical examiner has released a preliminary finding of death due to "aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease." This is also what killed Richard Holbrooke. Yes, there are further tests include more toxicology but travel/lifestyle/stress heighten risk factors for DC.

📌 ICYMI — The Walls Are Closing In Around Nigel Farage’s Crypto Insurgency — Matt Gallagher Nigel Farage's party is now connected to multiple parliamentary and police investigations…… https://bylinetimes.com/2026/07/10/the-walls-are-closing-in-around-nigel-farages-crypto-insurgency

Maybe we should remember Lindsey Graham the way Fox News is remembering him this morning. For his rabid defense of Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing. Never forget: Graham’s speech helped push Kavanaugh across the finish line and onto the Supreme Court.

I want the book to sell, but my favorite thing is seeing that it's going to be in LIBRARIES! Public libraries created me, and so it's a full-circle moment. I plan to donate many copies to libraries in the Central Valley of California, where I grew up.

"The madness has been a slow train coming, but it’s starting to accelerate and may soon run off the rails." www.inquirer.com/opinion/trum...

Report says growing Sydney's tree canopy would save $1 billion in health costs

Meet Count Binface: the challenger from another planet taking on Nigel Farage as questions over the Reform UK leader's finances overshadow his election comeback. n.pr/44n6foc

The U.S. and Iran have been exchanging strikes, with the U.S. military saying it hit 140 targets in Iran overnight, while Iran said it responded with fire toward Jordan and other Gulf states.

A historic rainfall event has left communities across several Missouri counties underwater and prompted water rescues, including an evacuation of a summer camp.

The NYT has now significantly expanded its obit of Graham, including his many policy reversals, and his attempts to undo the 2020 election. (Gift link) www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/u...

Friends: no major paper had an obit ready for Sen Graham, because, why would you? What you’re seeing this morning are fast write-ups to relay the basic news. You’ll see more complete obituaries later today and tomorrow, all of which will mention the thing you’re angry they’re not mentioning.

Asked by CNN for his thoughts on Lindsey Graham, Trump’s answer includes the terms “Save America Act” and “deranged Democrats”

2015: “[Donald Trump] is a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot. He doesn’t represent my party. He doesn’t represent the values that the men and women who wear the uniform are fighting for.”

Lindsey Graham was one of the main subjects of a @theatlantic.com cover story I wrote in 2020, on why people collaborate with regimes they know are immoral. Here's a gift link: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

Good article from the NYT about Wikipedia. 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/07/05/b...

What a surprise that Netanyahu says his last conversation with Lindsey was that he wanted US military aid to Israel to continue forever.

To be a historian is to speak ill of the dead and the rest of you should take more history classes and join us.

"don't talk about it" lol

We will nevertheless have peace in our time, before the market opens.

Nor indeed that the Grand Jury wanted to indict Sen Graham for multiple crimes relating to the conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. bsky.app/profile/matt...

Indiana health officials keeping tabs on uptick in foodborne illness cyclosporiasis

👀⚖️👇🏾

Why Lee Insisted on Mongolia Visit: A Bridge to North Korea - Seoul Economic Daily en.sedaily.com/politics/202...

Most US analysts think that when the MoU was signed, the flow of oil and gas through Hormuz resumed. Most US analysts are idiots.

He never deleted it.

Solid move by NYT, running a photo of Graham wearing Trump merch

President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating the Medal of Honor on this day in 1862. It’s the nation’s highest award for military valor. Here’s an article I wrote several years ago about the Medal of Honor’s history and meaning.

Historian here, I made this point over 25 years ago. share.google/H8vu6cAxY1tL...

Latest Hormuz traffic: @bloomberg.com

People turning their back to religion aren’t at scale replacing religion with spirituality. They mostly just go without spirituality. HT @ryanburge

“.. The analysts, a husband and wife, told colleagues they did not believe the investigation was justified under FBI and Justice Department policies, the people said, adding that the couple was escorted out of their office ..” @ms.now www.ms.now/news/fbi-kas...

Here it is, my 284th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

Trump Day 538: Trump extends National Guard deployment in DC through 2029; Justice Department sues NYT journalists following report new Air Force One may lack defense systems; federal judges issue conflicting rulings on voter rolls: reportersonline.eu/trump-day-53...

US Senator Lindsey Graham, Ukraine's most consistent Republican ally in the Senate, died at 71 The day before his death, he announced he had secured a Trump administration commitment for his 500% tariff bill targeting buyers of Russian oil euromaidanpress.com/2026/07/12/u...

Remember when Lindsey Graham and Donald Trump ran against each other and Trump publicly announced Graham's cellphone number? Remember when Graham tweeted: "If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed.......and we will deserve it"? Remember when Graham sucked up to the fascist criminal anyway?

For those asking, he might have placed the call himself.

An unusually large, strong and long-lasting heat wave will start this weekend and last at least a week, spiking temperatures in a way that the National Weather Service calls “significant and dangerous.”

Qatar’s former ruler has died at age 74, per state news: Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who as ruler of Qatar transformed the tiny Persian Gulf nation into a global player in diplomacy & investment, and then shattered tradition by voluntarily turning over power to his son, has died.

EMS "received a call around 8:30 p.m. for a person suffering chest pains at a Capitol Hill home owned by Graham, according to the audio. About 25 minutes later, emergency personnel said ... that a man at the house was suffering from cardiac arrest." www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...