Trump to a room of generals: "I've never walked into a room so silent before. Just have a good time. And if you want to applaud, you applaud."

Actual history teachers: um, no

Thank you very much.

Always appreciate your commentary on here, Mr. President. This week in a digital media class I teach we'll be using your efforts on social media as an example of what can be done with writing in digital forums in this day and age. Just wanted to let you know your work is being appreciated.

Mostly grew up in Coronado, sir. And yeah…this’ll be a thing.

Sir, my 82 year old father who retired after 30 years as a Navy Senior Chief and who has a bayonet scar he got on patrol at 18 in Vietnam is texting me unprintable things about Whiskey Pete right now.

One thing that a military unit recognizes easily and despises more than anything is weak leadership. Hegseth is giving a masterclass on that right now. Nobody’s going to take him seriously.

Have you been to the I Bar? In San Diego? Or some of the dives on Coronado Island? There is going to be more mutinous talk in those places alone this weekend than there's been anywhere in a hundred and fifty years. Jesus Christ.

I'm only somewhat joking. Tell a 46 year old Navy Captain who's about to be given an aircraft carrier he's a wet blanket. Tell a Marine Colonel who was in Afghanistan for five years he doesn't know what he's doing. See if they back you when you pull whatever it is you try to pull.

If the colonels weren't getting ideas before ...

It took work but the CO got the XO sent to Siberia.

I am personally aware of a group of senior NCOs - not a liberal among them - telling the CO they couldn't work with the XO because he demeaned women and wouldn't shut up about politics. He was a distraction and bad for morale. Again, the NCO's job is "don't get me or anyone else killed."

Breaking WaPo: Military leaders have raised serious concerns with the Trump admin's new defense strategy — exposing a divide between the Pentagon's political and uniformed leadership. 
The critiques from multiple top officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

I knew a fellow in the Navy who had a beard.

Absolute failed-state shit that this guy was nominated, approved, and has stayed in office for this long.

Perfect image for this moment -- Pete Hegseth wasted millions of dollars flying military leaders from across the globe to hear him blather about gender-neutral physical fitness standards and appearance, and the chryon in the corner notes the government is about to shut down.

Donald Trump’s decision to invade Portland on the basis of video from five years ago raises new questions about Joe Biden’s mental state.

⚡️Europe 'no longer at peace' with Russia, Germany's Merz says. "Let me put it in a sentence that may be a little shocking at first glance ... we are not at war, but we are no longer at peace either," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sept. 29.

This passage nearly broke me.

This is really hard to read. And the thing that is sitting with me the most about it is that it has always legal and possible to do this for decades. The only thing preventing this from having been the norm was a sense of humanity. This is why we need structural reform. Not just a change in admin.

Hey remember when the CDC dropped 6 of the 8 foodborne illnesses from the nationwide monitoring system in July and one of them was listeria? Mentioning for no particular reason www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Reid never pussyfooted in his life. He didn't pussyfoot phone calls. And you know he remained a strong operator to the end. I've never figured out what the hell he thought he was doing leaving it to Schumer and Durbin.

I am being facetious, but not. The House wants Schumer up against the wall and so does a not insignificant number of his own caucus.

"Chairman Schumer is secure at his dacha in Howard Beach."

You could see Reid keeping a tavern in old Nevada. Teetotal, but serving the people. Wears a gun. Lets you see it.

great piece from the always-great @pastpunditry.bsky.social and a welcome antidote to vacuous commentators whose historical memories seem to go back no further than the first iron man movie

NEW: Rachel Maddow drops unseen bodycam footage of feds coordinating the arrest of Newark Mayor Baraka. I REPEAT: the feds ordered his arrest even though he wasn’t breaking any laws. Federal agent: “We are arresting the mayor right now per the Deputy Attorney General of the United States.”

Just a reminder that the Commander-in-Chief of the Louisiana National Guard, who can call them out all by himself if they were actually needed, is … Governor Landry.

“There will be no federal takeover of Portland, Oregon.” 🔥 👀 Damn — @bynum.house.gov is. Not. Playing. Around.

Mrs. Chandler was good to us.

I was not graduated from Yale Law School but that is in fact how negotiation works.

- with the Antideficiency Act required the government to shut down in the absence of a CR. This was selectively enforced through the 1980s until the 1990s when it was seized on as a political tool.

durbin underrated as one of the worst mcclellan democrats in the senate

I’m really grateful for Pritzker. But that he’s so good at this also makes clear just how badly most other Democrats are failing to meet the moment.

Your people are then free to vote against the majority and scream to the heart's content without blame for shutting down the government. You do this now, or the other side will do it when the shutdown hits the third week. Then you take the hit without any advantage.

If you want to absolve yourself of all blame for the shutdown, I would this afternoon as minority leader announce I will no longer filibuster appropriations bills, then I will abolish the filibuster in power. This renders the filibuster meaningless today.

yeah they're just murdering random people on these boats

I like Hakeem and was all in on him being the Speaker however, I now believe that there are better choices. Same in the Senate. Schumer has served honorably but it is definitely time for new leadership. I think AOC and Murphy would be great choices.

AOC: "If the Government shuts down, they are going to act like it wasn't their decision; it is their decision."

Is there another Jamelle Bouie posting on here writing posts that I should know about?

sucks shit that we spent 22 years building up a federal force of masked goons to do disappearsnces and despite democrats holding the white house for 12 of those years never scaled them back

I mean yes this is funny, but the fact that these unconstitutional stormtroopers are so directionless that they literally stand around waiting for random nonwhite delivery guys to bike past them is just pathetic. No mandate, no mission, no clue. Just racism.

Palate Cleanser: Come take a ride with us to the workshop of local artisans out here in the Golden West: www.2news.com/video/nevada...

Almost every other public figure has a spokesman do this for them, or worse write in their voice. She obviously wrote this herself. She’s famously the best businesswoman in any room, too, so it’s a smart, calculated business statement, but it’s only there if you look for it.

Terence Stamp wanting to go out with this, then pushing to make sure he did, is yet another reason why he's one of the coolest actors who ever lived

Halftime shows - - No one will ever top Prince - West Coast rap was brilliant, though - Kendrick was a full theatrical experience, brilliantly directed, choregraphed & designed, mischievous, told a story, clear as a bell, the guy has the skills of an actor & playwright

I occasionally rewatch his "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" solo because I learn something new every time I do.

What will poor Eric Adams do for work? That’s nbody’s business but the Turks!

Congrats to Moldova!!! Russia threw everything to destabilize the election and failed spectacularly. Democracy won 🙌🏼