Back in August 2015, based on a TPM Reader making the connection, I described how a concept from the world of military intellectuals — the OODA Loop — helped explain the uncanny power of Donald Trump’s impulsive and thoroughly un-theorized way of engaging in political fights. It’s not the point of this discussion, but I need to explain the basic OODA Loop concept to have it. So I’ll summarize it quickly: In any fight or combat, each side is in a process of seeing what’s happening, understanding it, making a decision how to react based on it and then attacking. John Boyd, the military theorist who devised the concept, called this Observe, Orient, Decide, Act — OODA. If you move fast enough, you can act and thus change the observed reality to something new while your opponent is still in the process of making sense of and reacting to the old one. Conventional military theory captured the same insight, albeit in a less analytic way, in its emphasis on taking and maintaining the initiative. Act and make your adversary react to you, not vice versa.

Cheers to Golden Dukes 2023 ✨🥂

TPM’s public corruption Oscars have returned, the time of year when we recognize 2023’s scummiest trash holes and greatest grifters. The Golden Dukes have been running for 15 years now, offering TPM staff and readers a moment during the holidays to catch our breath and revel in the comedic absurdity of scandal, brazenness and our dark political moment.

Be sure to check out the Golden Dukes 2023 lineup and submit your nominations here.

I wanted to give a quick update on American and Israeli wrestling over the pace and duration of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. The U.S. has been pushing the Israelis with increasing vigor to end the campaign in Gaza in early January. It has also been demanding greater consultation and coordination between the U.S. and Israeli militaries. We want to know exactly what your plan is, basically. Publicly the Israeli government has been saying that its campaign will take as long as it takes. As much as it appreciates U.S. support it won’t agree to any arbitrary timetable.

In practice, however, something else appears to be happening on the ground and in the air.

We do elections different here at TPM. If you’re a TPM Reader you know exactly how and why that’s the case. We don’t do the bothsides thing. We don’t pretend to take a disinterested view of what’s happening in the country or the consequences of an election outcome. We go deep on the details. We share insights that news orgs either don’t have or, just as often, don’t see as appropriate to include in their coverage. Right now we’re at just less than a year from Election Day. So we’re offering a steep discount on our annual membership — 30% off. Join now and your membership will take you right through Election Day. You get full access to everything we publish, our members-only newsletters, reduced ads and a lot more. Plus, you help give TPM the financial stability to keep delivering for you day and day out. Click right here to join with this special discount.