1. Rugged Arizona libertarians hilariously beg government to bail them out, by me
Damn, if I knew you all loved to hate on libertarians this hard, I’d do it more often! Because I’m not going to lie, that was fun as hell to write.
2. Not a cult: Entire family of Trump supporters dies in apparent suicide pact, by SemDem
Damn, I missed this story when it was first written. True crime meets politics.
This family’s front yard was “littered” with Trump signs before the 2020 election. When Roe v. Wade was overturned last June, the family put a ton of anti-abortion signs in the yard. Ironically, they considered themselves to be very “pro-life.”
Morgan, the homeschooled daughter, uploaded unhinged rants to YouTube, decrying the forces of evil conspiring against Trump. In her suicide note, she mentions that these, or similar, forces of evil were conspiring against her as well.
3. Marjorie Taylor Greene attacks Joe Biden for visiting Ukraine: It doesn't go well, by Walter Einenkel
There’s an adage in publishing that any book about Abraham Lincoln, health, or dogs is destined for the best-seller list. When asked, Random House’s founder said the most surefire best-seller book would be titled Lincoln's Doctor's Dog. Today, we can add anything Royal Family as well.
Well, for Daily Kos, Ukraine is a big topic (as you’ll see down below), as is Majority Taylor Greene. So “Marjorie Taylor Greene something something Ukraine” was destined for greatness.
4. Ukraine update: Russia’s big new offensive is turning into another epic disaster, by Mark Sumner
5. Ukraine update: Russia's 'BTG' was always a joke, and now it's dead, by me
Mark’s update above was great, and deserving of its placement. I’m actually a bit shocked that out of all the updates I wrote last month, the BTG one rated highest. I thought it might be too dry. Just goes to show you can’t really predict what’ll do best.
Unless you’re writing about Lincoln’s Doctor’s Dog.
6. Dominion has Fox News by the throat, by Laura Clawson
HECK YEAH, my favorite story of the month. Watching Fox News flail, facing likely billions in damages, exposed as the duplicitous, dishonest purveyors of trash and filth has been cathartic.
7. Ukraine update: Is Russia's big winter offensive already fizzling out?, by Mark Sumner
Ahhh, I get it now! Stories about Russian defeats are popular. Can’t argue with that! Those are my favorite stories as well.
8. Ukraine update: The obscure, unheralded weapon that won the Battle of Vuhledar, by me
This is my favorite of the month, in large part because I learned so much while writing it. Some of this stuff I innately know. But while I knew that artillery-dispersed mines were a thing, I had never given them much thought. When I saw them show up on lists of American weapons donations to Ukraine, I gave them little thought. Yet seeing their dramatic impact on the battlefield was eye-opening, and it was fun to dig in and research this story.
9. Ukraine update: Russia's missile test was a failure, but Ukraine's long-range mystery weapon works, by Mark Sumner
There’s a theme here: Y’all really like Ukraine updates.
That said, these stats are a bit skewed by scarcity. Staff writes a single Ukraine update per day, bolstered by a handful more from the Community. Meanwhile, we have a couple of dozen stories focused on domestic issues, and a bunch dozen more from the Community, dispersing readership and engagement more broadly.
Still, y’all really do like the Ukraine updates—which is awesome, because Mark and I love writing them.
10. Ukraine update: Let's look at the state of the front lines, as Russia launches its winter offensive, by me
I wrote this one at the start of the month. All the “Russia’s offensive is failing” stories came after.
11. President Biden's Kyiv trip was a diplomatic masterstroke, so of course Republicans are fuming, by Hunter
This was a great story! The topic of the story was great, and Hunter’s take on it was great. All around, that was a great day.
Did I mention how great it all was? It was. Great.
12. and 13. were more Ukraine updates. As above, Mark first, then mine (a Tankie roundup!). Mark is always a step ahead of me!
14. President Biden reportedly despises one U.S. senator more than any other. And the winner is … by Aldous J Pennyfarthing
The answer is … go look for yourself! Can’t waste that excellent viral headline by giving away the answer! But yeah, I might have to agree with Biden.
15. Scott Adams: White people need to "get the fuck away" from Black people, they're like "a hate group", by OK Dodo
I mean, shit, what a story. We knew Scott Adams had long ago descended into wingnut madness, but this was next level.
16. Jimmy Carter Made A Confession. The Men Around Me Laughed, by A Pagan in Arizona
One of Dad's friends mentioned the latest issue of Playboy. I knew what it was, several of Dad's friends subscribed to it. I'd seen copies of it in their homes, and on one memorable occasion my mom found a copy in Dad's nightstand. Finding the Anarchist Cookbook could not have elicited the outrage that Miss July in all her glory did that day.
But the centerfold was not the topic of discussion. It was the interview with Jimmy Carter. The "peanut farming hick" and "goody two-shoes Sunday school teacher" (their words, not mine) had actually admitted, in a national publication with a readership of millions, to having committed adultery in his heart. Many times in fact. Apparently Mr Carter had repented, and God had forgiven him. (I never heard how his wife Rosalynn felt about it, then or later) My dad and his buddies absolutely hooted with derision and glee. What an idiot. He'd never be president now. What kind of dope does that?
My mom and the other wives present didn't say a word. I remember their tight-lipped, grim faced silence as they all went back into the house together. While their husbands chortled.
Great personal story. Wow!
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