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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.

  • May 29, 2012

    Meghan McCain on Karl Rove: "A pathetic excuse for a human being."....George Will on Trump: "Bloviating ignoramus."....Trump on Will: "The dumbest and most overrated political commentator of all time."....Rep. Paul Ryan on Obama: "A failed president."....Romney on Obama: "Refuses to accept moral responsibility for his failed policies."....Paul Krugman on Romney: "Whenever he talks about economic policy, he comes across as completely clueless."....Gene Robinson on Romney: "He lies. Quite a bit."....
  • May 21, 2012

    Aaron Sorkin on Syracuse class of 2012: "Make no mistake about it, you are dumb. You're a group of incredibly well-educated dumb people. I was there. We all were there. You're barely functional."....Cornel West on Obama: "Obsessed with being on Mount Rushmore."....Marco Rubio on Obama: "We have not seen such a divisive figure in modern American history."....Citizens United fundraising letter: "The day that Barack Obama was sworn into office as our 44th President, was the day the country started going to pot."....Romney campaign manager Matt Rhoades on Obama: "Running a campaign of character assassination."....Rep. Mike Coffman on Obama: "In his heart, he's not an American. He's just not an American."....Rev. Dwight McKissic on Obama gay marriage endorsement: "The moral impact of this decision is equal to the military impact of al-Qaeda when they attacked the Twin Towers on 9/11."....Box CEO Aaron Levie: "Yahoo CEO: No hoodie; AOL CEO: No hoodie; Facebook CEO: Hoodie. Coincidence?"....
  • May 16, 2012

    Sean Hannity on Obama gay marriage statement: "This was all about politics, as usual, not principle."....Gretchen Carlson: "This is about getting re-elected in November."....Dana Perino: "From the political standpoint, it smells bad."....Michelle Malkin: "It's all about politics. And it's all about money."....Pat Buchanan on homosexuality: "Unnatural and immoral."....Rush Limbaugh on gay marriage opposition: "It's still up to the hicks and the hayseeds."....Michelle Goldberg on Ann Romney: "Relishes the opportunity to act the martyr."....James Carville: "Pathetic is a kind word for Romney and his campaign."....James Taranto on Obama: "Is under the mistaken impression that America's symbol is the bald ego."....Alan Simpson on Paul Krugman: "Borders on hysteria."....Noam Chomsky: "If the Obama administration decides they don't like somebody, they murder them."....James Lipton on Romney's laugh: "Inert...Mirthless."....
  • May 12, 2012

    Rep. Carolyn Maloney on killing of American Community Survey: "The GOP have earned a reputation as the 'do-nothing party' and now they want to also be the 'know-nothing party.'"....Lugar funder Jim Bopp of USA Super PAC on Obama: "An administration out to destroy us."....Fox News host Shep Smith on GOP: "On the wrong side of history."....Joe Klein: "I'm still waiting for the moment when Romney actually tells the truth about something difficult."....Gerald Rafshoon on Romney: "His campaign has been an exercise in feeble appeasement."....Cher: "If Romney gets elected I don't know if i can breathe same air as Him & his Right Wing Racist Homophobic Women Hating Tea Bagger Masters."....
  • May 8, 2012

    Cher tweet: "If Romney gets elected I don't know if I can breathe same air as Him & his Right Wing Racist Homophobic Women Hating Tea Bagger Masters."....Rush Limbaugh on NOW: "If there was ever a group that speaks for an almost infinitesimal minority of women, it's them."....Howard Dean on Romney candidacy: "A shipwreck."....Greta Van Susteren on John Edwards: "A fraud...Disgusting."....Jonathan Chait: "Really, is Obama in charge at all?"....Arnold Schwarzenegger on GOP: "Big ideas don't often come from small tents."....James Carville on Dems: "WTFU. Wake the you-know-what up."....