On Mother’s Day, we seem to be seeing something of the forces of evil in retreat. But it’s early in all of this, even if criminal charges against Donald Trump have been far too slow in coming—and in most cases, have yet to appear.
Tucker Carlson says he’s going to do a show on Twitter, but Twitter isn’t Fox News and isn’t really that sort of a platform. I’m critical of Jen Psaki for weighing in where she has, as far as I know, zero particular expertise, but it is indeed not clear that Carlson’s followers will follow him there[1] for what so far appear to be less than three-minute installments; on the other hand, he has 7.5 million followers on Twitter already.[2] Yes, it’s a retreat, but Carlson’s war isn’t over yet and we have yet to see how this plays out.
Donald Trump can rage all he likes[3] but he faces criminal charges relating to hush money paid to Stormy Daniels,[4] a jury has found him civilly liable for sexual assault,[5] and Fox News just settled a defamation suit over his stolen election claims.[6] It’s the barest of beginnings of accountability for Trump and it’s far from clear that he’ll ever be held fully accountable; I still will believe there are other charges when there are other charges.
Meanwhile, Bakhmut is not going Vladimir Putin’s way[7] as Russian forces seem to be short of both fighters and ammunition.[8] Again, Russia isn’t out of Ukraine until it’s out of Ukraine and Putin isn’t out of office until he’s out of office.
My mother has not had the wretched experience of this life I have had; she does not share my pessimism, or at least not all of it. She will likely take the above as a sign of hope. But I have seen defeat snatched from the jaws of victory too often. Especially with the Democrats.
Gilead
Fig. 1. “Elon Musk shared a video of his entrance on his Twitter account.” Photograph attributed to Elon Musk, October 26, 2022, via the New York Post,[9] fair use.
White Christian nationalists aren’t gonna ask Jen Psaki whether they’re gonna follow Tucker Carlson to Twitter any more than they’re asking me. And it’s pretty weird that she sees fit to pronounce on whether they will.[10]
David McAfee, “Jen Psaki pours cold water on Tucker Carlson’s Twitter pivot,” Alternet, May 13, 2023, https://www.alternet.org/jen-psaki-tucker-carlson-twitter/
Donald Trump
Fig. 1. Donald Trump, depicted in an orange jumpsuit, reportedly by the Drudge, via Mediaite,[11] fair use. Apparently, no mugshot was taken when he was actually arrested.[12]
Chris McGreal, “Trump rages after sexual abuse verdict but legal woes have only just begun,” Guardian, May 14, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/14/trump-sexual-abuse-verdict-e-jean-carroll-legal-troubles
Coup attempt
Fig. 1. “Jake Angeli (Qanon Shaman), seen holding a Qanon sign at the intersection of Bell Rd and 75th Ave in Peoria, Arizona, on 2020 October 15.” Photography by TheUnseen011101 [pseud.], October 15, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Chris McGreal, “Trump rages after sexual abuse verdict but legal woes have only just begun,” Guardian, May 14, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/14/trump-sexual-abuse-verdict-e-jean-carroll-legal-troubles
Imperialism
Russia
Ukraine
Fig. 1. “Destroyed Russian military vehicles located on the main street Khreshchatyk are seen as part of the celebration of the Independence Day of Ukraine in Kyiv, August 24.” Photograph by Gleb Garanich for Reuters, August 24, 2022,[13] fair use.
Pjotr Sauer, “Russian troops fall back to ‘defensive positions’ near Bakhmut,” Guardian, May 12, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/12/russian-troops-defensive-positions-near-bakhmut-moscow-statement-ukraine
- [1]David McAfee, “Jen Psaki pours cold water on Tucker Carlson’s Twitter pivot,” Alternet, May 13, 2023, https://www.alternet.org/jen-psaki-tucker-carlson-twitter/↩
- [2]Twitter, “Tucker Carlson,” n.d., https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson↩
- [3]Isaac Arnsdorf and Josh Dawsey, “‘Frustrated and upset,’ Trump goes silent, then seethes,” Washington Post, April 5, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/04/trump-arraignment-speech-2024-campaign/; Chris McGreal, “Trump rages after sexual abuse verdict but legal woes have only just begun,” Guardian, May 14, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/14/trump-sexual-abuse-verdict-e-jean-carroll-legal-troubles↩
- [4]Jeffrey Bellin, “What Trump’s business fraud charges mean – a former prosecutor explains the 34 felony counts and obstacles ahead for Manhattan’s DA,” Conversation, April 5, 2023, https://theconversation.com/what-trumps-business-fraud-charges-mean-a-former-prosecutor-explains-the-34-felony-counts-and-obstacles-ahead-for-manhattans-da-203319; John Cassidy, “The People v. Donald J. Trump,” New Yorker, April 4, 2023, https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-people-versus-donald-j-trump; Jelani Cobb, “Alvin Bragg, Donald Trump, and the Pursuit of Low-Level Crimes,” Puck, April 4, 2023, https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/alvin-bragg-donald-trump-and-the-pursuit-of-low-level-crimes; Kara Scannell et al., “Donald Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury on more than 30 counts related to business fraud,” CNN, March 31, 2023, https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/30/politics/donald-trump-indictment/index.html; Sarah D. Wire and Alexandra E. Petri, “Trump charged with 34 felony counts in alleged hush money cover-up case,” Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-04-04/donald-trump-alleged-hush-money-investigation-indictment-arraignment↩
- [5]Larry Neumeister, Jennifer Peltz, and Michael R. Sisak, “Jury finds Trump liable for sexual abuse, awards accuser $5 million,” Los Angeles Times, May 9, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-05-09/trump-rape-lawsuit-trial-jury; Margaret Sullivan, “E Jean Carroll won. And Trump can be now portrayed as a sexual abuser,” Guardian, May 10, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/10/e-jean-carroll-lawsuit-trump-sexual-abuser↩
- [6]Erin Mulvaney, Joe Flint, and Isabella Simonetti, “Fox to Pay $787.5 Million to Settle Dominion’s Defamation Lawsuit,” Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-news-dominion-defamation-trial-set-to-begin-d5c7293a↩
- [7]Matthew Luxmoore, “Ukraine Regains Ground Around Bakhmut as Fighting Rages,” Wall Street Journal, May 10, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-claims-gains-around-bakhmut-as-fighting-rages-74d391e9; Pjotr Sauer, “Russian troops fall back to ‘defensive positions’ near Bakhmut,” Guardian, May 12, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/12/russian-troops-defensive-positions-near-bakhmut-moscow-statement-ukraine↩
- [8]Patrick Tucker, “Without A New Draft, Russian Offensive Operations Are Over, US Intel Chiefs Say,” Defense One, May 4, 2023, https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/05/without-new-draft-russian-offensive-operations-are-over-us-intel-chiefs-say/386003/↩
- [9]Thomas Barrabi, “Elon Musk barges into Twitter HQ as deal nears: ‘Let that sink in,’” New York Post, October 26, 2022, https://nypost.com/2022/10/26/elon-musk-barges-into-twitter-headquarters-as-deal-nears/↩
- [10]David McAfee, “Jen Psaki pours cold water on Tucker Carlson’s Twitter pivot,” Alternet, May 13, 2023, https://www.alternet.org/jen-psaki-tucker-carlson-twitter/↩
- [11]Alex Griffing, “Drudge Puts Trump in an Orange Jumpsuit as Site Monitors His Potential Indictment,” Mediaite, August 29, 2022, https://www.mediaite.com/news/drudge-puts-trump-in-an-orange-jumpsuit-as-site-monitors-his-potential-indictment/↩
- [12]Sarah D. Wire and Alexandra E. Petri, “Trump charged with 34 felony counts in alleged hush money cover-up case,” Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-04-04/donald-trump-alleged-hush-money-investigation-indictment-arraignment↩
- [13]Reuters, “Ukraine puts destroyed Russian tanks on display in Kyiv,” August 25, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/ukraine-puts-destroyed-russian-tanks-on-idUSRTSALV9Q↩