No, you can't burn it down, you can't do the criming, you mustn't rocket like that or treat kids that way:
you're not normal so just stop
GOP House members indicated Jim Jordan would need to change the minds of 10 to 12 Republicans to win the Speakership. He let others in the House and from multiple states do the urging and arm twisting. Even Sean Hannity was working the phones making it clear that naughty holdouts could get primaried. Threatening texts of that sort were even sent to the legislators’ spouses.
It backfired spectacularly as he ended up 20 votes shy of a win. The second vote was rescheduled to today and Jordan has to try and undo the damage in the meantime. The Democratic House Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, got 212 votes, 5 shy of a win but well over Jordan’s total.
The Freedom Caucus goal of shutting down the government and disabling entire departments permanently just might not be popular outside their asylum. That’s right Tiny Jim. You. Are. Not. Normal.
In a NYC courtroom with Trump in attendance, testimony was heard from the guy who did his property appraisals. It turns out that the guy Trump said was his appraiser never appraised a thing for Trump. He didn't even know Trump was using his name to justify his fake financial statements.
Oops. You’re not normal.
Social media keeps exacerbating the propaganda efforts of different combatants in the new Hamas- Israeli war. A missile struck a hospital in Gaza yesterday likely causing more than 500 deaths. HAMAS immediately blamed the attack on the Israeli military. The Israel government said their cursory investigation showed it was an errant HAMAS rocket that struck the hospital.
Clearly a neutral inspection team (the UN?) will have to investigate. But in the meantime a lot of anger was directed at Netanyahu, Biden, Jews, Palestinians and Hamas. Accusation propaganda requires patience to get at the truth. Meanwhile lots of rowdy protesters showed up at Middle East US embassies, especially in Lebanon where Hezbollah makes its home.
Air Force One has already landed there so we should hear more from President Biden today.
I’m keeping this newsletter brief so you’ll have time to read what Heather Cox Richardson wrote yesterday.
I’d call it a must read, covering the same topics and more, like a judicial ruling about immigration policy and an election outcome in Poland that makes a good case for more hope.