Christie Bows Out on a Rake To the Face

Posted on by Josh Marshall

This hot mic story-lette with Chris Christie perfectly captures the current GOP: anguished maneuvering and contretemps all amounting to more or less nothing, Trump eagerly feasting on his rivals’ clumsy mistakes, all of it hilarious and yet leading to a very dark place.

If you didn’t see this yet, just before announcing the end of his campaign — kinda/sorta to clear the way for Nikki Haley — this happened …

Mr. Christie caused a stir before his remarks when he was caught on a hot microphone candidly discussing two rivals, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, before making the announcement.

“She’s going to get smoked, and you and I both know it,” Mr. Christie could be heard saying of Ms. Haley. “She’s not up to this.” He added of Mr. DeSantis: “DeSantis called me, petrified.”

This is all 110% true.

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Johnson Forced To Beg For Trump’s Mercy

Posted on by Nicole LaFond

More than a dozen House Republicans voted against procedural steps needed to begin consideration of three unrelated bills this afternoon in protest of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) deal with Democratic leadership to cap upcoming spending bill totals at $1.7 trillion.

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Appellate Court Keeps Alive Case Of ‘Reform’ Prosecutor Suspended By DeSantis 

Posted on by Kate Riga

Federal appellate court judges kept the case of former state attorney Andrew Warren (D) alive Wednesday, prolonging the fight of one of the prosecutors Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) suspended for various “woke” offenses.

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Today In History: ‘The Sopranos’ Debuts in 1999

Posted on by Christine Frapech

On January 10, 1999, the iconic TV show ‘The Sopranos” debuted on HBO. This series about a New Jersey mob boss stuck between his duties to his family and his “Family” would captivate viewers for years to come.

Though the show is off the air, its worldview seems to crop up with growing frequency in our stranger-than-fiction politics, including through the reported dealings of people like Rudy Giuliani and Bob Menendez — two bosses hailing from the same region as the Soprano family, but lacking in the finesse that Tony Soprano was known for.

The location of the Bada Bing in Lodi, New Jersey

Original Caption: The Satin Dolls go-go bar, the location used for ‘Bada Bing’ in the filming of ‘The Sopranos” series, June 20 2013, Lodi, New Jersey. Gandolfini passed away on June 19, 2013 while on vacation with family in Italy. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

James Gandolfini on set in New York

Original Caption: Actor James Gandolfini (R) and crew members walk to the set of ‘The Sopranos’, Queens, New York City, January 30, 2002. (Photo by Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images)

The Family visits a graveyard

Original Caption: Actors from left: Tony Sirico, Steven Van Zandt, James Gandolfini, Michael Imperioli & Vincent Pastore in a publicity still for TV series ‘The Sopranos’, circa 1999. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Tony Soprano at home

Original Caption: Actor James Gandolfini in scene from HBO TV drama series The Sopranos. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Junior Soprano having lunch

Original Caption: Actor Dominic Chianese, right, in scene from TV series ‘The Sopranos’, circa 1999. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Tony and Christopher

Original Caption: Actors James Gandolfini, left, and Michael Imperioli in a scene from the TV series ‘The Sopranos’. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Big Pussy and Paulie at the Bada Bing

Original Caption: Actors Vincent Pastore, left, and Tony Sirico playing cards in scene from TV series ‘The Sopranos’, circa 1999. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Tony, Silvio and Paulie at Satriale’s Pork Store

Original Caption: (L-R) Actors Tony Sirico, Steven Van Zandt and James Gandolfini in a publicity still for the HBO TV series The Sopranos. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

The cast at The Golden Nugget, Las Vegas

Original Caption: ‘The Sopranos’ cast, back row: Vincent Pastore, Michael Imperioli, John Ventimiglia, Steve Schripa, Vincent Curotola and seated: James Gandolfini, Drea de Matteo, Tony Sirico and Roger S Haber pose during a press event at The Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, Nevada, June 12th 2004. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)

Tony and his therapist, Dr. Melfi, in her office

Original Caption: The Sopranos, Hbo’s Hit Series About A Modern-Day Mob Boss Caught Between Responsibilities To His Family And His “Family,” Debuts New Episodes On Sunday Nights. Pictured: Series Regulars Lorraine Bracco And James Gandolfini. (Photo By Getty Images)

Tony and Carmela

Original Caption: The Sopranos, Hbo1S Hit Series About A Modern-Day Mob Boss Caught Between Responsibilities To His Family And His “Family,” Debuts New Episodes On Sunday Nights. Pictured: Series Regulars James Gandolfini And Edie Falco. (Photo By Getty Images)

Carmela and her son A.J.

Original Caption: Actors Edie Falco, left, and Robert Iler holding umbrellas during a scene from TV series ‘The Sopranos’, circa 1999. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Tony Soprano and his sister, Janice

Original Caption: Actors Aida Turturro and James Gandolfini during a scene from ‘The Sopranos’, circa 2000. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Paulie and Tony at Satriale’s Pork Store

Original Caption: Tony Sirico and James Gandolfini during filming of ‘The Sopranos’, Satriale’s Pork Store, Kearny, New Jersey, March 20th 2007. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)

The Soprano children, A.J. and Meadow

Original Caption: The Sopranos, Hbo1S Hit Series About A Modern-Day Mob Boss Caught Between Responsibilities To His Family And His “Family,” Debuts New Episodes On Sunday Nights. Pictured: Series Regulars Robert Iler And Jamie-Lynn Sigler. (Photo By Getty Images)

Christopher and Adriana

Original Caption: (L-R) Actors Michael Imperioli & Drea De Matteo in scene from HBO cable TV series The Sopranos. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Tony in his iconic pool

Original Caption: American actor James Gandolfini, as Tony Soprano, smokes a cigar while he stands in pool, in publicity still for the HBO cable TV series ‘The Sopranos,’ 1999. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Tony and Carm at home

Original Caption: Actors James Gandolfini and Edie Falco in a scene from TV series ‘The Sopranos’, circa 2000. (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

Tony and his mother, Livia Soprano

Original Caption: Actors (L-R) Nancy Marchand and James Gandolfini in a scene from the HBO TV series The Sopranos (Photo by Anthony Neste/Getty Images)

The cast at a press event in Atlantic City

Original Caption: Actors of the ‘Sopranos’ tv series at the Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts Casinos during a press promotion: James Gandolfini, Michael Imperioli, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa, John Ventimiglia and Vincent Curatola, June 23rd 2007 (Photo by Tom Briglia/FilmMagic)

The cast at the SAG awards in 2000

Original Caption: The cast of the TV series ‘The Sopranos’ including James Gandolfini (1961-2013) holding their awards during the Sixth Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles, California, March 12th 2000. (Photo by Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)

Editor of LA Times Resigns

Posted on by Josh Marshall

There’s no shortage of stories these days about conflicts, suspensions or resignations of journalists or editors over the Israel-Hamas war. But this one has a twist that made it interesting to me. The topline story is that Kevin Merida, executive editor of the LA Times, is stepping down from his post after only three years. His departure is reportedly based on a dispute with the family of Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong over his decision to restrict the coverage of several reporters who signed an open letter condemning Israel’s response to the October 7th massacres and calling on publications to use terms like “apartheid,” “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” to describe it.

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It’s Always There

Posted on by Josh Marshall

A friend in Michigan sends me this opinion column that ran last week in a Michigan paper. In it, Mark Plawecki, a long-serving judge in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, claims that the Jews torpedoed his efforts to get the Democratic nomination for the state Supreme Court back in 2016. And yes, I use the phrase advisedly. The point man for the alleged effort, he claims, was Mark J. Bernstein, who Plawecki identifies as “a significant Benjamin Netanyahu waterboy vis-a-vis the Michigan Democratic Party.”

“The last thing the right-wing Israeli government wants,” writes Plawecki, “is a statewide elected official (in any state) who has a not only more than cursory understanding (sic) of its terrorist origins, but is willing to state publicly the truth about Israel’s more than 75 years of political and economic chicanery.”

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On A Historic Day, Political Violence Was Just Below The Surface

Posted on by David Kurtz

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.

Trump Warns Of ‘Bedlam’

Following the oral arguments in DC, which Trump attended in person, he retreated down Pennsylvania Avenue to the site of his former hotel where he threatened to unleash mobs again.

Credit to the WaPo: “Republican polling leader Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened unrest if the criminal charges against him cause him to lose the 2024 election.”

A simple, direct, and true lede that doesn’t obfuscate, excuse, or muddy the grim reality of what we’re up against.

ICYMI

Great coverage by the TPM team yesterday of the DC Circuit oral arguments on Trump’s claim of presidential immunity from prosecution:

Sums Up The Inanity Of Trump’s Immunity Argument

One Cautionary Note

A lot of ink has been and will be spilled on the unprecedented and extreme nature of Trump’s immunity argument. All true, as far as it goes. And there’s no question that if any court adopted anything close to what he is asking for it would mark a fundamental break from the 235-year-old constitutional order.

But don’t get too giddy about the consensus that this is nuts, that Trump fared poorly in yesterday’s oral argument, and that he will ultimately lose even at the Supreme Court. Why? Because this was a delay tactic. It bought him time. It probably slowed down his trial date. Enough to push it past the election? Unclear at this point. But make no mistake what this was about.

I’m not Eeyore-ing about it. It is what it is. But we should be clear about what it is: one element of Trump’s delay strategy to save his own ass.

Quote Of The Day

I believe people when they say that they want to hurt us or kill us. I don’t think they’re idle threats.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Jill Karofsky

‘Almost Every Democracy Is Under Stress’

NYT: Elections and Disinformation Are Colliding Like Never Before in 2024

WaPo: Violent political threats surge as 2024 begins, haunting American democracy

What Comes Next

The Disqualification Clause case before the Supreme Court is likely the next big Trump case. I want to start introducing you to the “political” arguments around the legal wrangling. It’s complicated, but there’s a concerning emergence of an almost “too cool for school” cynicism among legal scholars and pundits about what the high court will do that risks giving it cover to ignore the plain language of the Constitution.

A couple of pieces to get you started:

  • Harry Litman: Why the Supreme Court will probably put Trump back on the ballot in Colorado and nationwide
  • Brian Beutler: We Can’t Afford Weak-Kneed Liberalism In The Trump Era

New Twist In The Fani Willis Weirdness

No formal court filing yet from Atlanta District Attorney Fani Willis responding to the claims Monday by a Trump co-defendant in the Georgia RICO case accusing her of hiring a lover as as special prosecutor to handle the sprawling election subversion case. But the WSJ reports that Willis was served with a subpoena earlier that same day by special prosecutor Nathan Wade’s wife to testify in their divorce proceedings.

2024 Ephemera

  • Michigan poll: Trump leads Biden 47%-39% among likely voters in a head-to-head general election matchup.
  • New Hampshire polls all over the map: Trump’s lead over Nikki Haley among likely GOP primary voters is down to seven percentage points, 37%-32%, according to a new CNN poll. In contrast, a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe/USA TODAY poll found Trump leading Haley 46%-27%.
  • Iowa: Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis will be the only participants tonight in a debate hosted by CNN, while Donald Trump counterprograms with a Fox News townhall-style appearance.

Good Read

I missed this last week, but the Arizona Mirror has a followup on our reporting from last year on the racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia being spewed on social media by now-former staffers of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ).

Lauren Boebert’s Ex-Husband Arrested

It’s not clear whether Jayson Boebert’s arrest on weapons and assault charges was related to an altercation with ex-wife Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) over the weekend.

Big Land

The Land Report is out with its annual list of the top 100 private landowners in America:

  1. Emmerson Family
  2. John Malone
  3. Ted Turner
  4. Stan Kroenke
  5. Reed Family
  6. Irving Family
  7. Buck Family
  8. Singleton Family
  9. Brad Kelley
  10. King Ranch Heirs

The sizes of the holdings range from just under a million acres in Texas to nearly 2.5 million acres spread across California, Oregon, Washington.

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Thin Majority Grows Slimmer During Chaotic Funding Window Created By Johnson

Posted on by Nicole LaFond

With Mike Pence’s brother Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN) announcing today that he plans to retire when his term is up, it’s time to check in on that slim Republican House majority that seems to grow thinner by the week.

Continue reading “Thin Majority Grows Slimmer During Chaotic Funding Window Created By Johnson” →

It’s the Small Things

Posted on by Josh Marshall

Axios sent out an email yesterday headlined “Biden’s Stubborn Loyalty.” I went back to it this afternoon and realized I’d remembered it having a more negative spin than it really did. That headline above is followed by “1 Big Thing: Biden’s Teflon Cabinet.” The gist is that Biden sticks by his people. Got a criticism of one of his people? Who cares? Biden doesn’t want to hear it. What spurred this write-up is the controversy about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Will Biden fire Austin? Will he resign? No, says the White House. Indeed, Biden won’t let him resign. Done and done.

Axios writes this: “Politico reports Biden would not accept a resignation from Austin even if he offered, and chatter from the pundit class is likely to reflexively harden the president’s view.”

I like this attitude.

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How Long Can Netanyahu Keep All the Plates Spinning?

Posted on by Josh Marshall

I had been planning to write a post today about a shift in the news coming out of Israel-Palestine and a shift in attitudes among the various countries which have been supporting Israel’s war effort, either openly or tacitly. But as I thought about it, the connections I intended to draw were too tenuous or perhaps too premature to really sustain the argument. Instead, I’m just going to share an anecdote and a quote which capture one element of this shift.

First, a bit of stage setting.

As I’ve argued in earlier posts, there are two overlapping but very distinct stories unfolding within Israel. Israel’s devastating onslaught in Gaza in retaliation for the October 7th massacres has broad, really overwhelming support within Israel. But it’s being led by a prime minister whose personal credibility and political standing were shattered by the massacres that triggered the war. As the intensity of the fighting has decreased, this contradiction comes more and more to the fore. As “day after” questions become more urgent, he is more openly toadying to the demands of the settler extremists who keep him in power even as they propose horrific new policies which at best complicate Israel’s position with its top allies and the Arab countries it still seeks to conclude peace deals with.

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