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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June 17, 2013
Rep. Peter King on Edward Snowden: "A traitor. He betrayed his country."....Bob Schieffer on Snowden: "Just a narcissistic young man who has decided he is smarter than the rest of us."....Dick Cheney on Snowden: "Traitor."....Laura Ingraham on the morning-after pill: "It's a good deal for pedophiles, a good deal for people who commit statutory rape against young girls."....Alex Pareene on Sen. John McCain: "An old crank obsessed with war and unable to grasp the possible negative effects of conflict."....Joan Rivers on the Kardashians: "What an inspiration for everybody who's got a stupid pretty daughter.".... -
June 11, 2013
Jeffrey Toobin on Edward Snowden: "A grandiose narcissist who deserves to be in prison."....Fox News analyst Ralph Peters on Snowden: "Wants to the the national security Kim Kardashian."....New York Times on Obama Administration: "Has now lost all credibility."....Nancy Pelosi on Congress: "Rigged."....Rep. Elijah Cummings on Obama: "Needs to go back and read his own speeches."....Roger Ailes on Jonathan Alter: "Needs to check into a first year journalism program at Columbia or a rage counseling center immediately."....Radio host Michael Savage on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's testimony on military sexual assault: "Sounds like a college chick at a dorm."....BBC host Andrew Neil on Alex Jones: "The worst person I have ever interviewed.".... -
June 5, 2013
Rep. Darrell Issa on WH spokesman Jay Carney: "A paid liar."....Former Obama aide David Plouffe on Issa: "Mr. Grand Theft Auto and suspected arsonist/insurance swindler."....Michael Gerson on Eric Holder: "Incompetence."....Dana Milbank on Bachmann retirement video: "Her trademark mixture of bombast, paranoia and error."....John Avlon on Bachmann: "Represented the worst of modern American politics...Degraded national debate, consistently chose fearmongering over facts, and exhibited every impulse of the demagogue and the ideologue."....Gabriel Gomez on Ed Markey: "Pond scum."....Rush Limbaugh on Obama and Christie: "A master-servant relationship."....James Taranto on Cambridge, MA: "A town full of communal narcissists."....Rolling Stone on The Great Gatsby: "Shush. Listen. That's blind ambition being thwarted by flawed execution.".... -
June 4, 2013
Tweets re the author of Game of Thrones: "A horrible, horrible man."...."About three deaths away from being called a Dark Lord."...."I hope you realize the hatred I have for you."...."You can't just write a book and not care about your characters. You. Just. Can't. Do. That."...."If George Martin was in Auburn right now I'd stab him in the heart."...."You're a sick man."...."I hate you George Martin!"...."What the hell is wrong with you! You sick-headed author, you don't think normally. I hate you."...."I'm about to murder the writer."...."You ruined my life!"...."He kills everything that I love."...."George Martin needs to be brought to justice.".... -
May 22, 2013
Penn Jillette on Donald Trump's hair: "Looks like cotton candy made of piss."....Alex Pareene on Barbara Walters: "Her entire public life has been an extended exercise in sycophancy and unalloyed power worship."....Mark Morford on NRA: "A twitchy clown car of paranoia and failure."....Joan Walsh on Mark Sanford: "Rather loopy, and somewhat creepy."....Sarah Palin on the media: "The reliable poodle-skirted cheerleader for the president."....Rich Stowall on 'Alpha House': "Runaway bigotry...Cowardly and unclever lampoonery...Liberals just aren't funny."....