Archive
Mudline Archive
STICKS, STONES, BROKEN BONES
During the 2000 Bush-Gore presidential race, we began collecting negative soundbites and posting them weekly on a MUDLINE ticker, as a temporary election feature. But in the aftermath of that tumultuous contest we realized that the tone of public discourse was unlikely to improve, and elected to continue the feature. Unfortunately, we were right; two decades later, incivility is hotter than ever. If you just can’t get enough snark on social media, this mud’s for you.
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October 7, 2023
....Gov. Nikki Haley to Vivek Ramaswamy: "Honestly, every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber."....Mary L. Trump on her uncle: "An incompetent fascist who's itching to become an autocrat with the power to wreak vengeance upon his enemies."....Glenn Kirschner: "Donald Trump may be trying to set the record as the defendant who made the greatest number of incriminating statements in the history of American defendants."....former WH aide Cassidy Hutchinson on Trump: "We're talking about a man who at the very essence of his being almost destroyed democracy in one day and he wants to do it again."....Rob Reiner: "If Kevin McCarthy and all the Republicans who know better had one millionth the courage of Cassidy Hutchinson, our democracy wouldn't be hanging by a thread."....Newt Gingrich on the ousting of Kevin McCarthy: "Astonishing destructive behavior by a handful of egocentric people who think they're superior to 96% of the Congress."....Rep. Adam Schiff quoting The Big Lebowski: "Gaetz isn't wrong, he's just an asshole."....Stephen Colbert: "The douche abides."....Rep. Matt Lawler on Gaetz: "A petulant child...He cares about getting attention."....Rep. Garret Graves on Gaetz: "Matt would be a great dictator in a small island nation in the Pacific...That's probably the best next step for him."....former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis: "Trump has a malignant narcissistic tendency to simply say that he's never done anything wrong."....100-year-old Holocaust survivor Ruth Rozanski: "When I hear Trump speak, I hear Hitler again. When I see his rallies, it's like what I saw in Nazi Germany. Trump is like a dictator. He's crazy like Hitler was."....Trump on Gen. Mark Milley, retiring chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: "A woke train wreck."....MSNBC's Neal Katyal on Trump: "I don't think that Mr. Bone Spurs is in any position to criticize any member of our military, let alone a war hero like Gen. Milley."....Milley on a second Trump presidency: "He'll start throwing people in jail, and I'd be on the top of the list."....Ralph Nader: "Fascism is what the architecture of the GOP will be.".... Trump on wounded prisoner that Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher stabbed in the neck: "He was going to die anyway."....Trump on judges and prosecutors in his various legal cases: "deranged," "thugs," "hacks," "corrupt," "biased," "disgraceful," "radical," "unAmerican."....Vladimir Putin on Trump indictments: "Everything that is happening with Trump, this is persecution for political reasons of one's political rival."....radio host Mark Levin: "America has never experienced this kind of Stalinism that Trump is contending with. It's unconscionable."....Dan Rather on Republican Party: "A grand old party, if your idea of a party is cheering for the end of freedom and democracy...These days the acronym GOP could also stand for Gaga Over Putin."....Heather Cox Richardson: "The Republican Party has truly died. By suicide."....Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on President Biden: "You old fart."....Donald Trump Jr. on Dems: "Their political strategy is literally to stop Biden from physically falling on his face because he is so weak!"....Lee Drutman tweet: "GOP learns the hard way: Turning the base up too high blows out your Speaker."....
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September 19, 2023
....Rep. Matt Gaetz on Speaker Kevin McCarthy: "Lying like a dead dog."....Rep. Greg Landsman: "Most of us came here to govern, not indulge Matt Gaetz when he has one of his tantrums."....Sen. John Fetterman on Gaetz: "Instead of crying about how I dress, how about you get your s*** together and do your job, bud?"....Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on the federal government: "An overgrown monster that is ruining everyone's lives."....Rick Wilson on Greene: "One notch from throwing her feces on the House floor."....Newt Gingrich on Dems: "Committed to killing your baby on the last day, or, in some cases, committed to killing your baby up to 30 days after it's born."....RFK Jr.: "You cannot trust advice from medical professionals."....Sen. Ron Johnson: "All this climate change alarmism is based on bad science."....Rudy Giuliani on himself, surrending in Fulton County, GA: "Isn't that nice? A mugshot to the man who probably put the worst criminals in the 20th century in jail."....radio host Mark Levin: "Can you name one victim during the Stalin regime who was indicted in four different jurisdictions? Why go through the motions of justice -- just hang the guy."....Fox host Jeanine Pirro on Biden: "He has a lack of empathy. He is egocentric...He's lying...He's a narcissist and an egomaniac."....HRC on Trump: "A wrecking crew."....Trump on Biden: "Totally corrupt and the worst president in the history of our country."....Sen. John Kennedy: "Everyone has the right to be stupid now and then. But for the last two years, President Biden has abused the privilege."....Trump on Fani Willis: "A Radical Left, Lowlife District Attorney."....Frank Bruni: "Trump is a mere three years younger than Biden, and he's overweight. His diet is garbage. His cardio is golf putts."....Rep. Nancy Mace on fellow Republicans: "I have a fantastic pro-life voting record, but I also understand that we cannot be assholes to women."....Nikki Haley: "Right now, the Senate is the most privileged nursing home in the country."....Tucker Carlson on Chris Wallace: "Bitchy little man. He's a fussy little man."....Robert De Niro: "Supporters of Donald Trump are without a doubt the stupidest f***ing people alive. They are simply cowards without morals or personal integrity."....Stephen King on Trump: "Your basic Great American Manslob."....Sean Penn on Trump mug shot: "Angry used car salesman...Failed magician in Vegas."....Trump: "The January 6th Unselect Committee of Marxists, Fascists, and Political Hacks...lowlifes."....Rudy Giuliani on DOJ and FBI: "More like the secret police in a fascist or communist or Nazi state. They don't operate like anything we would recognize as the DOJ or the FBI."....Sen. Ted Cruz on Dems: "We could literally have video of Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs handing Joe Biden bags of cash or three-carat diamonds or sports cars or watches, and that would not be enough to move a single Democrat vote."....Aaron Rupar: "Trump's legal defense is going to be a dumpster fire inside a clown car on a derailing train."....Peggy Noonan: "DeSantis carries a vibe that he'd unplug your life support to recharge his cellphone."....
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August 21, 2023
....Gov. Ron DeSantis on Trump supporters: "Listless vessels."....Trump on Jack Smith: "Deranged...A nasty, horrible human being."....Trump on Republicans: "Most of them look like a bunch of weak jerks right now."....Trump on Washington, DC: "I'm calling for a federal takeover of this filthy and crime-ridden embarrassment to our nation."....Trump on the US: "Going to hell...We're a failing nation...We have a country that's got nothing but problems...We're a nation in decline."....Trump on Biden: "A dumb son of a bitch...The most incompetent president in the history of our country...Is totally controlled by China, Ukraine, and various other countries...He is a Manchurian Candidate!"....Eric Trump: "We're no better than some of these Third World countries."....Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: "We're living in a banana republic."....Chris Christie on Trump: "A completely self-centered, self-possessed, self-consumed, angry old man, and he doesn't care about anybody other than himself."....Trump on Christie: "A sad, pathetic slob...Stone cold loser!"....Rudy Giuliani on Mike Pence: "Too weak to be president...His wife...let him go to the bathroom by himself, but that's about it."....Trump: "Liddle Mike Pence...has gone to the Dark Side."....Nikki Haley on Inflation Reduction Act: "A communist manifesto."....Rep. MTG: "The Biden administration is a communist regime, and for the first time Americans are actually seeing what communism really looks like."....RFK Jr. on COVID vaccine: "The product of a pharmaceutical-driven, bio-security agenda that will enslave the entire human race."....Republican former GA Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan: "Take our medicine and realize the election wasn't rigged. Donald Trump was the worst candidate ever, in the history of the party."....Trump on Duncan: "He was, right from the beginning of this Witch Hunt, a nasty disaster."....Kari Lake on FBI special counsel's office: "You can't bring down a giant like Donald J. Trump...They're playing checkers, and Trump is playing chess at the highest level."....Garrison Keillor on Trump: "A museum-quality conman."....Jonathan Alter on Trump: "Turned the Republican Party into his own pity party."....Trump on Biden: "Our country is being destroyed by a man with the mind, ideas, and IQ of a first-grader."....oppo researcher Pat Dennis on Ron DeSantis: "Comes off as a dangerous, extremist Dwight Schrute in this race...and we need to be extremely careful not to let Donald Trump cast himself as the Jim Halpert, turning to the camera and smiling at how pathetic his nemesis is."....
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July 27, 2023
Trump on Biden: "We can't have a crackhead in charge of our nuclear arsenal!"....Trump on DOJ: "This is a sick nest of people that needs to be cleaned out immediately. Get 'em out."....Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: "Not just the CIA -- the FBI, the DOJ. They need to be ripped down...They are rotten to the core."....Rep. Matt Gaetz: "The very same FBI task forces that were set up to go after terrorists in the caves of Central Asia have been turned against Catholic Churches and parents at school board meetings."....Rudy Giuliani on FBI and AG Bill Barr: "These people tried to overthrow our government."....Rep. Ted Lieu: "It's not the FBI's fault that Donald Trump surrounded himself with criminals."....Trump on former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney: "The dumbest person...A born loser."....Trump on his former WH press secretary: "Kayleigh 'Milktoast' McEnany."....Chris Christie: "If you disagree with Donald Trump, the petulant child comes out and he calls you names."....Trump on Christie: "A coward who didn't do his job...A mistake...A gutless pig."....Ann Coulter on Trump: "The most inconsequential president in US history...I'll need another column to even begin to capture the horror of this wasted presidency."....Trump on FL Gov. Ron DeSantis: "His polls are dropping like a rock heading to Hell."....Maureen Dowd: "The papers spilling out of boxes are a snapshot of Trump's id...His disordered mind has caused public disorder."....Trump: "Really big fundraising...since the radical left indictment hoax was initiated by the misfits, mutants, Marxists, and communists! Thank you."....Fox host Jesse Watters on the homeless: "You have to call them what they are. These are people that have failed in life and they're on their deathbed."....James Carville on Fox audience: "A giant monster that you have to feed every night."....Sen. Ted Cruz on Ari Melber: "MSNBC clown."....Sen. Chris Murphy on GOP: "Addicted to chaos."....FL gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum: "I'm not calling Mr. DeSantis a racist, I'm simply saying the racists believe he's a racist."....Newt Gingrich on elections: "Democrats have a passion for stealing them."....SC Gov. Henry McMaster: "I look forward to the day that Democrats are so rare, we have to hunt them with dogs."....Bill O'Reilly on the USA: "Blaming others for everything is standard. Personal responsibility is rarely championed."....House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Trump indictment: "A grave injustice."....Trump on Special Counsel Jack Smith: "Thug...Deranged lunatic."....Trump fundraising appeal sent out an hour after indictment announced: "We are watching our Republic DIE before our very eyes."....Rep. Clay Higgins on indictment: "Patriots, we've manipulated the MSM to establish deep commo, now copy this...do NOT trip the wire they've laid for you. Maintain your family. Live your life. Know your bridges. Hold. Let Trump handle Trump, he's got this."....Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Trump: "I don't think he needs a vice president. If there's ever one president who was so strong he doesn't need one, it would be him."....Trump: "Our country is being destroyed by stupid people."....David Corn on Henry Kissinger turning 100: "Forget the birthday candles, let's count the bodies."....Wanda Sykes on school library book-banners: "Until a drag queen walks into a school and beats eight children to death with a copy of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' I think you're focusing on the wrong s***."....
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April 11, 2023
....Sen. Lindsey Graham on Trump indictment: "If you've got a pile of crap and you chop it up 34 times it's still a pile of crap...This is literally legal voodoo."....Trump on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg: "An animal."....Rep. Ronny Jackson, a retired admiral, on Bragg: "Hey FAT ALVIN, go ahead and celebrate with another jelly donut..."....Trump on Special Counsel Jack Smith: "A radical-left lunatic known as a bomb thrower."....Trump on AG Letitia James: "A racist."....Sen. Rand Paul on Trump indictment: "A disgusting abuse of power. The DA should be put in jail."....Sen. Josh Hawley: "This is burning down the rule of law."....Donald Trump Jr.: "This is stuff that would make Mao, Stalin, Pol-Pot -- it would make them blush."....Eric Trump on daughter of judge in Trump case: "They are all hand-picked. It is all pre-arranged. The corruption is on a different level."....Rep. AOC: "Nothing says innocent like threatening a judge's family."....Paul Wehner: "I recently wrote that Trump was behaving like a mob boss. That comparison turns out to have been insulting to mob bosses everywhere."....former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissman on Trump posts re judge and family: "There is a rule in organized crime...You do not do this with respect to the judge. You certainly do not go after their families...Leave it to Trump to go where Mafia dons will not."....George Conway: "Don Jr., like his father, is scum."....Joe Walsh on DJT Jr.: "A coward, just like his dad."....defeated Wisconsin Justice Daniel Kelly on Justice-elect Janet Protasiewicz: "I wish...that I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent. But I do not have a worthy opponent."....Sen. Ted Cruz: "The Biden family is enriching themselves off of China and all of it hinges on Daddy's position..."....Charles M. Blow: "Trump is the Andrew Dice Clay of American politics, appealing to machismo, misogyny, and mischief...Narcissism is still his engine."....Rep. MTG on Stormy Daniels: "Too old and disgusting to make money as a porn star now, so she's grifting off her lies about Trump."....Ted Nugent at Trump rally, on Zelensky: "Some homosexual weirdo."....Steve Bannon to Elon Musk: "You would take a check from Adolph Hitler."....The Dish's Andrew Sullivan on the NYer's David Remnick: "Wokism's Reek."....Stephen Colbert on Trump: "What if he goes to jail? He could end up the head of a violent white supremicist gang -- but in prison this time."....