Perhaps the single most overplayed election non-story I can remember is the idea that Dems were in trouble with their own voters for 2026.

Fox: Food prices will go up soon. One third of the world's fertilizer comes through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the start of the Iran conflict, the price of fertilizer is up by 44%.

Only 40 percent of Americans in a recent ABC-Washington Post poll think he has the “mental sharpness to serve as president, down from 47 percent last September,” the Washington Post reported.

Congratulations to Jordy Frahm! GBR!

“Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.” Hubert H. Humphrey

“Only three things matter. Number One, who can you trust? Number Two, who can get peace? Number Three, who can hold this country together?” rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-...

Remember when Trump announced the imminent end to the war and the whole world was excited? Two days ago? I guess I hallucinated that.

Iran War Status Updater — A cartoon by @andertoon.bsky.social

It was 59 years ago today! The Beatles released their ground-breaking album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtXl...

GOP has "abandoned the idea of crafting policy. They are a full-time media operation, trolling and creating content. The president is checked out. There is no turnaround coming as long as Trump/GOP are in power." On the pod, @dceiver.bsky.social nails the moment: newrepublic.com/article/2108...

Healthy people don't get 3 annual checkups in 13 months.

Nebraska CD01 is a tossup. This was a Trump plus 13 CD in 2024. This red district is souring on Republicans www.dailykos.com/stories/2026...

No matter what deal they do, the war has effectively given control of the Strait to Iran. What a masterclass in incompetence by Trump and his team.

You are seeing in real time why Trump companies went bankrupt so many times. Set aside your politics. This guy is incapable of making a deal or meaningful decision and it follows the same cycle. Big flashy announcement (Epic Fury). Adversity hits (Hormuz closed).

"The high courage and the supreme sacrifice of Americans who gave their lives in battle have made it possible for our land to flourish under freedom and justice." https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkwhp-1963-05-30-c#?image_identifier=JFKWHP-ST-C194-10-63 #MemorialDay

#OnThisDay in 1787, the #ConstitutionalConvention in Philadelphia starts in earnest and the first votes are taken in what is now called Independence Hall. https://ow.ly/btEB50YWwaM#OnThisDay

FINAL: Royals 8, Mariners 6 #HEYHEYHEYHEY

Regular reminder that Donald Trump’s core competency is not dealmaking with powerful counter-parties. It is duping gullible victims. David Frum

Before people think this Trump surrender in Iran is a one off, remember: Trump negotiated the deal with the Taliban that lead to our shameful withdrawal.

Robert and Ethel Kennedy take a break from campaigning in Astoria, Oregon on May 24, 1968. RFK said the beach there reminded him of home.

the era of american humiliation

Donald Trump is surrendering the right way by Ezra Klein

“Writing a book is so hard and painful—it demands such a huge commitment of time and energy—that I won’t embark on a book-length project unless the subject matter has me by the throat and won’t let go.” Jon Krakauer www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...

So much winning: “The agreement wouldn’t achieve Trump’s goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. “But it would begin to alleviate a global economic crisis spurred by Iran’s closure of the waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil supply flows” www.wsj.com/world/middle...

Remember: the Obama Iran Deal that Trump hated so much unfroze only $1.7B in assets *and* actually negotiated an end to their nuclear program. He just released 15x the amount of cash to open the Strait that wasn’t closed before he started bombing.

Series evened. #HEYHEYHEYHEY

"When this is all over, nobody will admit to ever having supported it." David Frum in 2019

Lincoln native and University of Nebraska graduate Ted Sorensen played a critical role in organizing Nebraska for Kennedy. I covered his contribution to Kennedy's Nebraska campaign.

If you look through Trump’s history, you’ll see that he has failed terribly and repeatedly when *he is put in sole control* of anything, screaming about his wild success while as he goes down in flames. His talent is for *gaining* control. That’s it. He sucks shit at actually doing things.

Jacqueline Kennedy accompanied John F. Kennedy to Lincoln & Omaha on September 12-13, 1958. It was inconvenient them since it coincided with their fifth wedding anniversary. When asked about being in Nebraska on her anniversary, Jackie said she thoroughly enjoyed the day.

The separation from reality in the Republican Party today - vaccines are poison; Iran can be conquered; January 6th was staged by Democrats - should really really worry people. These folks just aren’t fit to govern anymore.

Oof

So $1.8 billion in reparations for insurrectionists, and zero for Epstein victims? Am I getting this right?

About the DNC autopsy. I would add that the Democrats failed to remind the voters that Trump's first term was a catastrophe. For example, Trump's negligence caused 180,000 unnecessary deaths from covid in 2020. That went unmentioned. Dems have to constantly voters that GOP rule is a disaster.

This sort of doomerism is bizarre. It ignores important factors: 1) presidential approval matters in midterms 2) if Trump is this low it likely means Rs can't rig their way out of a loss None of that guarantees a win or makes rigging okay, but yes, Trump tanking like this is really important

I hereby release my own autopsy for why the Democrats lost in 2024. Trump ran the most fraudulent campaign in history when he promised rapid and fast price cuts beginning on day one and no new wars. Since he won, he has started a war and deliberately raised prices. Trump lied to the voters bigly.

We have an encouraging polling result from Tavern Research on Nebraska CD01. Long story short, this CD is in play and Chris Backemeyer can win. Mike Flood 45% Chris Backemeyer 43%

Well at least our existential crisis is inspiring hilarious cartoons.

MAGA voters in primary electorate is shockingly high Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and, on Saturday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) It would be a mistake to deny these voters agency; they want crazed, extreme leadership drenched in white supremacy. These voters are culpable. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

That 11-point lead on the generic House ballot is the same as the NYT/Siena poll a few days ago. sri.siena.edu/2026/05/18/n...

A Path to Justice — A cartoon by Nick Anderson

Gas in Lincoln, Nebraska today. Gas was $2.69 per gallon before the war. Trump promised to cut energy prices in half in 12 months. He has betrayed his supporters.

Trump's purges of Republicans who have the temerity to oppose him forces GOP members of Congress to embrace a toxic Trump and his radioactive policies. The problem for Republicans on the ballot this fall is that the best way to keep their job might be to buck Trump.

Billionaires must be targeted with tax policy and antitrust policy not because it helps everyone else (though it does) but because their political power must be limited so they can't wreck the world the way they're currently doing

re Tom Massie losing, Republicans might consider that "Every remaining Republican in America is 100% loyal to Donald Trump" might not be the greatest thing to communicate to voters when his approval ratings are in the 30s and headed nowhere but down

It would be easy to misread this primary season and the Trump effect. In reality, thought, it's a series of bad omens for MAGA and the Republican Party. @djrothkopf.bsky.social and @urocklive1.bsky.social get it completely right.