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.

  • April 10, 2011

    Bill Cosby on Donald Trump: “The only thing he’s running is his mouth…He’s full of it.”….Gail Collins on Trump: “Can make Bill O’Reilly look like the most sensible guy in the room.”….Trump on Collins: “I have great respect for Ms. Collins in that she has survived so long with so little talent.”….Ashley Biden on Trump: “Makes me ill.”….Lawrence O’Donnell on Sen. Jon Kyl: "Lies that big...do not go unnoticed in the Senate.”….Rep. Louise Slaughter on GOP assault on Planned Parenthood: “In '94 people were elected simply to come here to kill the National Endowment for the Arts. Now they’re here to kill women.”….Disappointed fan after Charlie Sheen Radio City Music Hall performance: "That was the worst show I've ever seen in my life. He has the mind of a 12-year-old."….
  • April 6, 2011

    Rep. John Larson on Republicans: “Want to shrink up government so small they can drown it in a bathtub.”….Rep. Xavier Becerra on GOP budget plan: “A war on seniors.”….House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi: “A path to poverty for America’s seniors and children and a road to riches for big oil.”….Newt Gingrich on Obama: “The most passive and out of touch presidency in modern American history.”….Jason Linkins on FL Gov. Rick Scott: “The very face of buyer’s remorse.”….Rand Paul on Obama: “Hypocritical.”….Ted Rall on health care plan: “Transforms the First World's worst healthcare system into something even crappier and more expensive.”….Andrew Sullivan on Libya intervention: “Could any war be dumber than this?”….Italian American service org UNICO on ‘Jersey Shore’ cast: “Their outrageous, reprehensible behavior will make us look like buffoons and bimbos.”….Ann Coulter on liberals: “So terrified of science that they chronically wet themselves.”….
  • March 30, 2011

    John Bolton on Obama’s Libya speech: “A dog’s breakfast.”….Rush Limbaugh: “I got sick to my stomach watching…It was pathetic…incompetent.”…. John Hayward: “A weird journey through the mind of a narcissist.”….Sarah Palin: “The Obama doctrine is still full of chaos and questions. It's dodgy. It's dubious.”....Glenn Beck on Obama Administration: “Siding with the wrong side…Standing against good and encouraging evil in the Middle East.”….national security aide on Libya intervention: “A turd sandwich.”….
  • March 25, 2011

    Michele Bachmann on judges: “Black-robed masters.”…. Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips: “Charlie Sheen still makes more sense than John Boehner because at least Charlie Sheen is winning.”….Sen. Lindsey Graham on Obama: “We used to relish leading the free world and now it's almost like leading the free world is an inconvenience.”….Keith Koffler on Obama: “Atop his Ivory Tower, with his head in the clouds.”….David Brooks on D.C.: “The most emotionally avoidant city in America.”….Bill Maher on Sarah Palin: “Speaking of dumb twats.”….Palin on Maher: “Reminds me of an annoying little mosquito found zipped up in your tent.”….Timothy Egan on Republicans: “Can’t cope with a president who tries to think before he leaps..”….
  • March 21, 2011

    Lawrence O’Donnell on Operation Odyssey Dawn: “Worst name ever for an American military adventure.”….Vladimir Putin on UN resolution: “Defective and flawed…Resembles medieval calls for crusades.”….Sean Hannity on Obama: “Passive and disengaged….Doesn’t seem to think that America has the ability to lead.”….Newt Gingrich on Obama: “Spectator in chief.”….Monica Crowley on Obama: “Actually believes that the United States is a force for bad, for evil in the world.”….CNN’s Nic Robertson in Libya, on Fox News: “You expect lies and deceit from the dictatorship here. You don't expect it from the other journalists."….Sarah Palin on Republicans: “Have the fighting instinct of sheep sometimes.”….Shep Smith on Americans stockpiling potassium iodide: “Tantamount to crazy.”….Glenn Beck on MSNBC: “The most anti-God network ever put on the air in the history of America.”….Ed Schultz on Beck: “Ignorance marathon.”….Ralph Nader on Obama: “Committing war crimes…should be impeached.”….Lewis Farrakhan on Obama: “Who the hell do you think you are?”….