Bob King

Bob King

@bkingdc.bsky.social

Deputy managing editor at POLITICO, interested in global security, defense, climate change, transportation, technology and cybersecurity. Pennsylvania native and displaced Floridian. https://www.politico.com

2.2K followers921 following750 posts

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Tampa Bay's World Series contender is putting the "elasmo" in "elasmobranch."

Craig Pittman @craigtimes.bsky.social

A World Series run from the Rays (the baseball team) is a unique educational opportunity about the rays (the animal). “These rays, to me, are such a resilient symbol of this city,” says #Florida biologist who's their caretaker www.tampabay.com/news/environ... via @maxchesnes.bsky.social

tampabay.comThey survived a hurricane in Tropicana Field. Now these rays are in the World Series outfieldA World Series run from the Rays (the baseball team) is a unique educational opportunity about rays (the animal).
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Half of DC Twitter is indignant at elitists disparaging the Cheesecake Factory, and the other half is crashing out over foie gras regulations.

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

First of all, how on earth is CVS "struggling" when their pharmacies are everywhere in much of the country, plus they own Aetna and the Minute Clinic? It's entirely possible for someone to have a cold/flu diagnosed, get the prescription drugs and deal with the insurance without ever leaving a CVS.

Miami Herald@miamiherald.com

CVS wants to be more like Costco and Marshalls

bit.lyCVS wants to be more like Costco and MarshallsThe struggling pharmacy chain plans to give customers a reason to visit even when they're not picking up a prescription.
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Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

JCPenney's old CEO infamously tried to turn his chain into the Apple Store, with sparsely populated racks of premium-priced merchandise, and it helped push the company toward oblivion. Don't pretend you're something you're not.

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Finally, can't CVS save a lot of money by cutting down those 18-yard-long receipts? That alone could probably save them a few billion dollars.

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

First of all, how on earth is CVS "struggling" when their pharmacies are everywhere in much of the country, plus they own Aetna and the Minute Clinic? It's entirely possible for someone to have a cold/flu diagnosed, get the prescription drugs and deal with the insurance without ever leaving a CVS.

Miami Herald@miamiherald.com

CVS wants to be more like Costco and Marshalls

bit.lyCVS wants to be more like Costco and MarshallsThe struggling pharmacy chain plans to give customers a reason to visit even when they're not picking up a prescription.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Also, having "an ever-changing selection of merchandise" in hopes it gets customers to visit "just to see what the store might have" seems like a terrible idea. CVS isn't Costco. If I go to CVS, I want to find what I came for. If you make it a scavenger hunt, customers will just order from Amazon.

miamiherald.comCVS wants to be more like Costco and MarshallsThe struggling pharmacy chain plans to give customers a reason to visit even when they're not picking up a prescription.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

This sounds extremely similar to the legal fights last year over Biden-era climate and clean energy funding -- judges would order the money restored, and the Trump administration would say it's complying, yet somehow the recipients never ended up getting the money.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com

President Trump said Elon Musk has lifted restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield, the military equivalent of Starlink. However, Ukrainian soldiers said Friday they were still experiencing Starshield disruption. https://wapo.st/4BoM4Wg

washingtonpost.comTrump says Starlink access restored, but Ukraine reports more interruptionsThe president said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk lifted restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield, but Ukrainian soldiers said the service was still disrupted Friday.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Seriously, let's not have any out-of-control keggers at Frank Lloyd Wright houses. Take that nonsense over to some I.M. Pei or Rem Koolhaas property instead.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com

If you’re not planning to throw a wedding, a bachelor party or a family reunion, Gary and Sue Cox will generally accept your request for their short-term rental property in Ann Arbor, Michigan. But you’re not in the clear yet.

washingtonpost.comYou can stay overnight in a Frank Lloyd Wright house. But first, a few rules.For the owners, there’s a delicate balance between sharing a rare property and protecting a historic landmark.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Claude thinks its name is Jason Bourne?

Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social

(NYT) - Artificial intelligence agents created by Anthropic, acting on their own, tried to gain access to a range of government websites, filled out visa applications on the State Department’s website and sent a fake homicide tip to Philadelphia’s Police Department. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/09/t...

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

"According to an informal tradition, the job of secretary-general rotates by region and it is Latin America’s turn. Additionally, calls have been mounting for a female leader. The body has never had a woman in the top role. "The State Department indicated those are not priorities."

Bob King@bkingdc.bsky.social

⏰SCOOP by @dcheslow.bsky.social: Trump opposes all current candidates for United Nations secretary-general, saying "the entire slate is lacking the reformers the U.S. would want." He's previously suggested FIFA President Gianni Infantino. www.politico.com/news/2026/10...

politico.comTrump administration opposes all options for new UN chief — and wants new candidates“Good luck getting any Republican to support funding the U.N. regular budget” if current frontrunner Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica is selected, said one congressional aide.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

To recap today in diplomacy, Trump also: Lashed out at the Nobel Peace Prize (again) www.politico.com/news/2026/10... Imposed sanctions on the global court that prosecutes genocide www.politico.com/news/2026/10... And unilaterally lifted sanctions on Russian fuel www.politico.com/news/2026/10...

politico.comTrump swipes at Nobel committee after peace prize awarded to human rights lawyerThe president has repeatedly expressed his desire for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Bob King@bkingdc.bsky.social

⏰SCOOP by @dcheslow.bsky.social: Trump opposes all current candidates for United Nations secretary-general, saying "the entire slate is lacking the reformers the U.S. would want." He's previously suggested FIFA President Gianni Infantino. www.politico.com/news/2026/10...

politico.comTrump administration opposes all options for new UN chief — and wants new candidates“Good luck getting any Republican to support funding the U.N. regular budget” if current frontrunner Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica is selected, said one congressional aide.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

⏰SCOOP by @dcheslow.bsky.social: Trump opposes all current candidates for United Nations secretary-general, saying "the entire slate is lacking the reformers the U.S. would want." He's previously suggested FIFA President Gianni Infantino. www.politico.com/news/2026/10...

politico.comTrump administration opposes all options for new UN chief — and wants new candidates“Good luck getting any Republican to support funding the U.N. regular budget” if current frontrunner Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica is selected, said one congressional aide.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Things we still don't know include: * How many recommendations has the military carried out? * When will it officially release the report, as families of the victims have pleaded? * Will the Pentagon sign off on legislation to codify safety requirements, such as those on key location technology?

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

I'm old enough to remember TV critics hitting the fainting couch over the Emmys airing on the ultra-low-rated Fox network.

CNN@cnn.com

Under a six-year deal announced Tuesday morning, the Emmys will exclusively stream on Prime Video beginning in September 2027. Viewers will be able to watch for free, without a subscription. https://cnn.it/4yux5YR

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

A "sharp break": @dcheslow.bsky.social talks to Chris Coons -- maybe the next Senate Foreign Relations chair -- about how his steadfast support for Israel has shifted to a call for a "thorough reexamination of our relationship." Perhaps even sanctioning Netanyahu. www.politico.com/news/2026/10...

politico.comHow Chris Coons has changed in the 3 years since the Oct. 7 attacksThe Delaware senator is likely to chair the Foreign Relations Committee if Democrats win the Senate, and he’s ready to sanction Israel’s prime minister.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Everybody's aware that the number of daylight hours in a given day is exactly the same no matter how we set the clocks, right?

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

How else would a Trump be able to afford a wedding after-party? Come on.

Financial Times@financialtimes.com

The US president’s eldest son and his wife Bettina Anderson posted on Instagram that they had a private wedding and confirmed that Umar Kremlev, who is reportedly close to Vladimir Putin, paid for part of the celebration. ft.trib.al/Irw4Nbh

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

God forbid I should have hobbies.

Conspirador Norteño@conspirator0.bsky.social

For over a year, an unknown entity has been hijacking Bluesky accounts and incorporating them into a spam network that follows real users while serving up a mix of political posts, news links, and plagiarized photos. In recent months, some of the spam accounts' posts have started to go viral.

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Or why not have Congress approve the checks now, while announcing he'll sign the bill only if Republicans win? That way voters could be more sure it would really happen.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Q: You control Congress now, so why not do the checks now instead of after the election? TRUMP: Because if the Democrats get in, our country will be in shambles (Wouldn't that be a reason to do it now? 🥴)

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

And if the microchips are more valuable economically, why not just make the chip manufacturers buy the water rights from the cotton farmers? (At least in Western states where water rights are a thing.)

Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social

“.. There’s not enough water for everything we want to do with it. .. So what do we have enough water for? What are the uses we most value?
Is it cotton or is it microchips?” @theverge.com $TSM @scottlincicome.bsky.social www.theverge.com/science/9935...

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

There was something special and freeing about the old text-based internet, where nobody knew who you were or could find out anything about you, email could not contain viruses, algorithms were not shoving stuff in your face, and words determined the success or failure of online communities.

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

"Find churchgoing Christians in Janesville, Wisconsin": SCOOP by @politico.com's Alfred Ng on how a nonprofit is teaching lawmakers and congressional aides about AI's ability to compile dossiers on Americans' travels, purchases and habits. www.politico.com/news/2026/09...

politico.comOwn a gun? Go to church? Do yoga? AI can find out in seconds.A series of demos on the Hill has both Democrats and Republicans alarmed about artificial intelligence’s ability to plumb commercial databases for information on Americans.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Also, just noting that some of us were already using email, visiting (the handful of) websites and buying airline tickets online in 1994. Maybe pick a more truly dreadful era like 1975 -- leisure suits, avocado countertops and red shag carpeting, anyone?

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Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Do we even bring up the fact that administration officials have admitted in court documents that they've made some decisions about how to administer laws (in awarding energy grants, for example) based solely on whether the states voted for him in 2024? www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/b...

nytimes.comTrump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for HimFederal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.
Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

Among other issues, huge questions include: -- The accuracy of the judgment that some would-be voters are ineligible (given how error-prone past ballot purges have been). -- The accuracy of the Postal Service's determination that THIS ballot recipient = THIS ineligible voter...

Bob King
@bkingdc.bsky.social

And this would be an unprecedented nationwide effort that would be carried out on the fly, during a high-stakes midterm election -- assuming it's allowed by a court ruling that could come on the eve of or even during balloting.