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.

  • February 1, 2011

    Richard Cohen: “The dream of a democratic Egypt is sure to produce a nightmare."….Chris Matthews on Michele Bachmann: “A balloon head.”….Glenn Beck on Matthews: “A balloon head that was taught by a balloon head and all you did because you're a balloon head was sit in your stupid balloon head Ivy League classroom and be indoctrinated by a balloon head.”….Rush Limbaugh: “The wealthiest people in the world are liberal Democrats and totalitarians, and they've acquired their wealth by virtue of stealing it.”….Steelers receiver Hines Ward on the NFL: “They don't give a f*** about concussions.”….Charlie Sheen on his critics: “A bunch of turds.”….
  • January 28, 2011

    Conor Friedersdorf on ‘Countdown with Keith Olbermann’: “Gave me that anxious, vaguely pissed off feeling one gets sitting for an hour without air-conditioning in gridlocked freeway traffic, behind a semi and next to a guy blasting Eminem.”…. Don Imus on Rachel Maddow: “The worst kind of coward and gutless, sniveling worm.”…. Emily Yoffe on Hugh Hefner: “Please, Hef, go away, so we don't have any more images in our heads of you having sex.”….
  • January 24, 2011

    Parents Television Council on ‘Skins’: The most dangerous program that has ever been foisted on your children.”….Ron Reagan on America: “Doesn’t take mental health seriously and is awash in guns and obsessed with violence.”….Palin aide Rebecca Mansour on mainstream media: “Dishonest, unprofessional, biased, manipulative ideologues who make stuff up.”….Joan Rivers: “I think Sarah Palin is an amazing woman. I think she represents everything strong a woman can be, and I think she should go someplace – to another planet, to show them, and get out of our face.”….
  • January 20, 2011

    Andrea Peyser on John Boehner’s weeping: “An extroverted piece of slobberrying, nose-dripping, three-hanky theater…Boo freakin’ hoo…Get over yourself.”….. Bob Cesca on Sarah Palin: ”Nincompoopery and fumbly ignorance…A Palin campaign for president would be one long ‘Hee-Haw’ sketch.”…. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher on China’s government: “A gangster regime that murders its own people.”…. Rep. Steve Cohen on GOP: “They say it's a government takeover of health care, a big lie just like Goebbels.”….Tom Junod on Fox News: “An experiment in propaganda.”….Howard Stern on Leno: "Jay is insane. And Jay is a crook...He steals a tremendous amount of material.”….
  • January 13, 2011

    Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley on America: “A killing machine.”….Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik on Arizona: “The Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”…. Bill Maher on NRA: “Should just change their name to 'The Assassin's Lobby.'”….Rush Limbaugh on Dems: “They're accusing a majority of Americans of being accomplices to murder.”….