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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December 10, 2012
Sen. Lindsay Graham on Gitmo detainees: "Crazy bastards that want to kill us all."....Nancy Pelosi on GOP: "That's not negotiating, that's hostage taking."....American Majority Action CEO Ned Ryan on John Boehner: "Has been an abysmal failure as Speaker...And he's been nothing short of an embarrassing spokesman for the Conservative Movement."....Sen. Chuck Shumer: "The House Republican leadership are like generals hunkered away in a bunker unaware that their troops have already laid down arms."....Jennifer Rubin on Sen. Jim DeMint: "By embracing him, Heritage...becomes a political instrument in service of extremism, not a well-respected think tank and source of scholarship."....Erick Erickson on Rubin: "In the history of ignorant takes on conservatives, she may just have written the most ignorant thing ever."....Bill O'Reilly to American Atheist president David Silverman: "So unreasonable it's frightening...Your view is insane."....Silverman on O'Reilly: "This is all about money. This is all about ratings.".... -
November 29, 2012
Sen. Harry Reid on House Speaker John Boehner: "I don't understand his brain."....Bill O'Reilly on American Atheists: "A merry band of fascists."....Tom Ricks on Fox: "Operating as a wing of the Republican party."....Joan Walsh on Romney strategist Stuart Stevens' campaign book: "Delusional, divisive and unbelievably stupid."....Scott Nova of Workers Rights consortium on Walmart: "Is supporting, is incentivizing, an industry strategy in Bangladesh: extreme low wages, non-existent regulation, brutal suppression of any attempt by workers to act collectively to improve wages and conditions."....Camille Paglia on art: "Allowed itself to be defined in the public eye as an arrogant, insular fraternity with frivolous tastes and debased standards."....Angus T. Jones on his show Two and a Half Men: "Please stop watching it. Please stop filling your head with filth.".... -
November 20, 2012
Bobby Jindal on GOP: "We need to stop being the dumb party."....Lindsey Graham on Romney: "When you're in a hole, stop digging."....Rush Limbaugh on everything: "We're living in the absolute destruction and failure of this economy and this country."....GOP strategist Steve Schmidt on Limbaugh: "Total ludicrous nonsense.".... -
November 15, 2012
Sen. Lindsey Graham on Obama: "Failed as commander in chief before, during, and after the [Benghazi] attack."....Sen. John McCain on Obama: "Has either been guilty of colossal incompetence, or engaged in a cover-up."....Fox affiliate anchor Tricia Macke on Rachel Maddow: "Such an angry young man."....Ross Douthat on Dick Morris: "A joke to every smart conservative in Washington and most every smart conservative under the age of 40 in America."....Historian Douglas Brinkley on Romney: "The only thing he seems proficient at is making himself money."....Rush Limbaugh on Dems: "Hard work is sneered at."....Guy Nicolucci on Karl Rove: "Has redistributed more money from billionaires than Barack Obama ever will."....David Letterman on Rove: "A pudgy little weasel.".... -
November 9, 2012
Karl Rove on Obama: "Succeeded by suppressing the vote."....Dick Morris on Obama: "Only a nitpicking, quarrelsome, negative figure."....Radio host Michael Graham on Obama: "He ran on the Republicans are Satan incarnate, and if women vote for him they're going to be forced into rape camps."....Neal Boortz on election: "Moochers, trial lawyers, union goons -- they win the day."....Ted Nugent on Obama: "Pimps, whores and welfare brats and their soulless supporters have a president to destroy America."....Rush Limbaugh on America: "Liberty versus tyranny. We're four years into tyranny winning."....Donald Trump on Brian Williams: "Was never a smart guy but always passes himself off as such."....