Hawthorne Abendsen III ✝🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇦🇹🇼😺🎷

freedomconservatism.orgFreedom Conservatism: A Statement of PrinciplesTo ensure that America's best days are ahead, we must apply the timeless principles of liberty to the challenges of the 21st century.

28 July

"To ensure that America's best days are ahead, we must apply the timeless principle of liberty to the challenges of the 21st century." www.freedomconservatism.org/p/freedom-co...

nbcnews.comJudge orders DOJ to reinstate former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, daughter of ex-FBI directorComey, whose father is James Comey, had worked on high-profile prosecutions before the Trump administration fired her last year.

"A federal judge in the Southern District of New York ruled Monday that the [Retribution] Department illegally fired former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, in July of last year." She will, of course, remain fired. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

aljazeera.comMecca defence alliance members in Tehran to defuse Iran-US, Yemen tensionsCountering Houthi advances in Yemen will be a major focus for Saudi Arabia and its allies in Tehran.

"Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Pakistani military chief Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Iranian 'President' Masoud Pezeshkian and other officials in Tehran on Monday." That has the look of a surrender. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10...

aljazeera.comSaudi-led coalition says it struck Houthi missile facilitiesCoalition says it destroyed ballistic missile launchers as well as tunnels and a depot used to store missiles.

10m

"The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s government claimed Monday to have destroyed Houthi ballistic missile sites, as strikes by the militant group on Saudi airports and infrastructure continue." www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10...

apnews.comEgypt's parliament authorizes military support for Saudi Arabia to defend against Houthi attacksEgypt’s parliament has voted to authorize President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to provide Saudi Arabia with military support in defending the kingdom against attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

"The Egyptian parliament voted to allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to provide military support to Saudi Arabia. A regional official briefed on the matter said Egypt would deploy air defense systems and aircraft but no ground troops in Yemen." apnews.com/article/egyp...

aljazeera.comMecca defence alliance members in Tehran to defuse Iran-US, Yemen tensionsCountering Houthi advances in Yemen will be a major focus for Saudi Arabia and its allies in Tehran.

reuters.comIran has detailed plans to hit Gulf undersea cables if war resumes, officials sayTehran has drawn up detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel attack Iran again, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters.

13m

"Iran has threatened to strike data centers, undersea cables...." www.reuters.com/world/middle...

theguardian.comIran threatens to strike oil and AI facilities across Gulf if US and Israel renew attacksIran’s security chiefs say there will be ‘zero red lines’ if Trump and Netanyahu attack again

12m

"....and energy infrastructure if it is attacked again." www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

aljazeera.comMecca defence alliance members in Tehran to defuse Iran-US, Yemen tensionsCountering Houthi advances in Yemen will be a major focus for Saudi Arabia and its allies in Tehran.

nytimes.comFlurry of Diplomacy in Iran Amid Reports of U.S. and Israeli Plans to Renew War (Gift Article)Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan made a rare joint visit to Tehran amid reports that the U.S. and Israel were drawing up plans to renew their attacks on Iran.

17m

"[T]he discussions were reportedly meant in part to back Qatari and Pakistani mediation, including a Qatari proposal for a 'deal' between the U.S. and Iran." You know how the Saudis and Gulf States used to be our allies and Trump's butt-buddies? Kiss that goodbye. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/26/w...

cnn.comUS has plans for major Iran strikes if Trump chooses | CNN PoliticsUS forces in the Middle East are prepared to launch new, potentially major, military operations against Iran “within 96 hours of receiving” an order from President Donald Trump, according to two US of...

14m

"U.S. forces are reportedly prepared to begin new operations against Iran within 96 hours of an order from Donald Trump." www.cnn.com/2026/10/26/p...

aljazeera.comMecca defence alliance members in Tehran to defuse Iran-US, Yemen tensionsCountering Houthi advances in Yemen will be a major focus for Saudi Arabia and its allies in Tehran.

21m

" A deputy secretary for Iran’s national security council told state news that talks were focused on 'regional security'." As in begging the mullahs (and Houthis and "Axis of Resistance"] to stop bombarding them. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/26/w...

youtube.comNEW LINCOLN PROJECT AD: The Choice 2026YouTube video by The Lincoln Project

There will be a reckoning, alright. But it's not going to be the one you think, in the way you're thinking. Alas. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub9b...

thedispatch.comIs Anti-El-Sayed Sentiment Enough to Turn Out Michigan GOP Voters?After backing Trump in three elections, Macomb County is a spot where Mike Rogers needs to generate Republican enthusiasm.

You'd think so. Of course, you'd also think that Trump worship would be enough all by itself. But that's why he has ICE secret police and over a million troops. thedispatch.com/article/mich...

thedispatch.comWhat’s the GOP’s Midterm Strategy?Plus: Anthropic files for an IPO, Saudi Arabia and its defense-pact partners hold talks in Tehran, and a Chinese AI girl group pregnancy scandal.

26m

Trump. What else? thedispatch.com/newsletter/m...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory” — Obama

"Pretty good. I’d describe the aesthetic as 'Liberace but gayer,' but I understand why that might not fly at a [DSA]crat political rally." x.com/atrupar/stat...

x.comMike Nellis (@MikeNellis) on XElon Musk has spent more money on American elections in the last two years than George Soros has in his entire life.

"....most notably Elon Musk — who, over the past two election cycles, has spent more money on U.S. elections than George Soros has over his entire life." x.com/mikenellis/s...

thedispatch.comWhat’s Left of MAGAWhat’s left of MAGA.

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“[T]he Cheesecake Factory [is] a magical world where the usual rules of day-to-day life don’t apply. “As it turns out, whether Obama meant it this way or not, that’s a fantastic metaphor for the Trump….House." thedispatch.com/newsletter/b...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory” — Obama

"Pretty good. I’d describe the aesthetic as 'Liberace but gayer,' but I understand why that might not fly at a [DSA]crat political rally." x.com/atrupar/stat...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on XTrump on Camp Lejeune water contamination claims: "If we win the House and Senate, I am directing the Department of Justice to settle all remaining legitimate claims as soon as possible ... if we don'...

"....some local problem that’s bedeviled them." x.com/atrupar/stat...

politico.comMegadonors are powering Republicans’ spending advantageNew FEC filings shed light on how a small group of donors, mostly on the Republican side, have driven record super PAC spending this cycle.

"The [dictator]’s great [national socialist] revolution is now being sustained by an orgy of swampy spending from filthy rich [Trump]lican megadonors...." And, you know, his ICE secret police and the U.S. military. www.politico.com/news/2026/10...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory” — Obama

"Pretty good. I’d describe the aesthetic as 'Liberace but gayer,' but I understand why that might not fly at a [DSA]crat political rally." x.com/atrupar/stat...

denvergazette.comTrump’s $5,000 promise not resonating with voters - Denver GazettePresident Donald Trump’s promise to give Americans a $5,000 dividend check if Republicans retain control of Congress after the 2026 elections is not resonating with even his most loyal voters across t...

"At other events, he’s warned voters explicitly that he’ll penalize them if they don’t elect [Trump]licans. Either they won’t get those $5,000 checks he promised (which they won’t be getting anyway)...." www.denvergazette.com/2026/10/25/t...

reuters.comIn crude Ohio rally speech, Trump says he may not help if Democrats win"Just get out and vote," Trump said at a rally for Republican candidates. "If you do that, we're going to win, and we're going to win big, and we're going to shove it up their ass."

"....or he won’t assist in solving...." www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory” — Obama

"Pretty good. I’d describe the aesthetic as 'Liberace but gayer,' but I understand why that might not fly at a [DSA]crat political rally." x.com/atrupar/stat...

washingtonsun.comWhite House Is Weighing Mass Pardons for Junior StaffConservative groups influential with the Trump administration have pressed for the preemptive acts of clemency.

"....enjoys total legal impunity." www.washingtonsun.com/whitehouse/w...

x.comAcyn (@Acyn) on XTRUMP on HIGH GAS PRICES: We’re making money like we’ve never made before. They’ll say: President Trump is bragging about all the money they're making while people are suffering at the pump. I don’t give a damn. We’re making a freaking fortune.

"At a rally on Saturday, Trump said 'I don’t give a damn' about temporarily high gas prices because American oil producers are making bank selling their product during the Iran crisis." x.com/acyn/status/...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory” — Obama

"Pretty good. I’d describe the aesthetic as 'Liberace but gayer,' but I understand why that might not fly at a [DSA]crat political rally." x.com/atrupar/stat...

nytimes.comA Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal. (Gift Article)Julio Herrera Velutini, a prominent Venezuelan, was seeking clemency. He got it not long after his daughter gave Ms. Habba, a lawyer close to President Trump, an extraordinarily lucrative job.

“ The usual rules of day-to-day life don’t apply there either, as behavior that might get you indicted….” www.nytimes.com/2026/10/20/u...

vanityfair.comThe Art of the Deal: Jared Kushner’s Hacked Phone Revealed More Than $700 Million in TransfersAn exclusive excerpt from ‘Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed’s Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East’ examines how bank accounts linked the president’s son-in-law—and former sen...

"....and/or imprisoned anywhere else in America...." www.vanityfair.com/story/jared-...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory” — Obama

"Pretty good. I’d describe the aesthetic as 'Liberace but gayer,' but I understand why that might not fly at a [DSA]crat political rally." x.com/atrupar/stat...

x.comCSPAN (@cspan) on XPresident Trump calls countries like Libya, Yemen, Haiti and Somalia "shithouse countries" and asks why the U.S. takes in so many people from these areas instead of people from "Norway, Sweden... Denm...

"....that makes no bones about its hostility to dark-skinned undesirables." x.com/cspan/status...

eater.comCheesecake Factory Interiors Are Weird and Wonderful, All Thanks to This DesignerWhy interiors expert Rick McCormack will go down in restaurant history

"Obama didn’t say anything about not liking the restaurant, did he? "His joke was about the chain’s decor, which is tacky and incoherent — and deliberately so." www.eater.com/2017/6/21/15...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory” — Obama

"Pretty good. I’d describe the aesthetic as 'Liberace but gayer,' but I understand why that might not fly at a [DSA]crat political rally." x.com/atrupar/stat...

readtangle.comThe corruption is still the story.I spent five months tracking every Trump corruption story. Here’s what I found.

"[L]ife really was better when [then-]right-wing media got to spend its days grousing about some Obama soundbite instead of mindlessly propagandizing for a fascist racketeering operation...." www.readtangle.com/the-corrupti...

thedispatch.comThe U.S. Alliance Is on the Ballot in IsraelCould an opposition victory be the first step in repairing the U.S.-Israel relationship?

Which is to say, Donald Trump is on the ballot in Israel. Which is a harbinger of doom for the Israeli-American alliance. thedispatch.com/article/isra...

wsj.comOpinion | Viktor Orbán, U.N. Secretary-General?Trump officials push the idea of a U.S.-Russia-China joint candidate.

“How disgusting, to have our [once] great country in the company of the Chi[Comm] and Russian dictatorships, which are mass-murderous.” www.wsj.com/opinion/vikt...

x.comMichael McFaul (@McFaul) on XAfter Hitler invaded Poland, some “hoped” he’d stop there. Hope is not a strategy.

"'After Hitler invaded Poland, some “hoped” he’d stop there. "'Hope is not a strategy.' "That, ladies and gentlemen, is realism. And it’s amazing how unrealistic self-styled realists can be when it comes to Putin and Russia. Amazing." x.com/McFaul/statu...

x.comAaron Rupar (@atrupar) on XTrump: "Look, if we had smart presidents, the Taiwan problem with China wouldn't exist. Nobody would care. They stole our chip business. All of it. 100 percent."

"Show me where a person, or a party, or a movement, stands on Ukraine and Taiwan, and you have shown me a lot." x.com/atrupar/stat...

reuters.comNorway joins the list of countries Trump has abused in vulgar termsUS President Donald Trump on Sunday escalated his invective against Norway, calling it a "shit house country" and ‌saying Norwegian immigrants were not welcome in the United States because the Nobel ...

"What a crybaby. It’s a wonder that grown men and women support him." www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

jaynordlinger.comOutgrowing Tribe, &c.On political partisanship; Trump and Norway; Ukraine and Taiwan; a poem by a Brontë; and more

"Tribalism or partisanship is an enemy of thinking — an enemy of independent thought." www.jaynordlinger.com/p/outgrowing...

20h

Well, very little, anyway.

blog.hawkblogger.comThe Morning After: Salvation On Sunday NightUnflinching analysis of all things Seahawks

20h

"They stopped punishing themselves, and started punishing their opponent." blog.hawkblogger.com/2026/10/the-...

sports.mynorthwest.comSeattle Seahawks Injury Updates: Latest on Shaheed, Cross and more - Seattle SportsHere's the latest Seattle Seahawks injury news on Rashid Shaheed, Charles Cross, Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price.

20h

"Here's the latest Seahawks injury news on Rashid Shaheed, Charles Cross, Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price." sports.mynorthwest.com/nfl/seattle-...

sports.mynorthwest.comThe numbers behind Seattle Seahawks' defensive masterpiece vs Chiefs - Seattle SportsThe Seattle Seahawks held the Chiefs to one of their worst offensive performances of the Patrick Mahomes era. Just how impressive was it? Here's a closer look.

"Seattle held Kansas City to one of its worst offensive performances of the Patrick Mahomes era." sports.mynorthwest.com/nfl/seattle-...

sports.mynorthwest.comReport: Rocco Baldelli withdraws from Seattle Mariners manager consideration - Seattle SportsPer Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Rocco Baldelli cited family considerations for removing himself from the Seattle Mariners' manager search.

Nobody wants this job. sports.mynorthwest.com/mlb/seattle-...

economicaffairs.co.ukBerlin’s rent cap: cheaper rents, fewer homesNew research on Berlin’s 2020 rent cap confirms what economists had predicted for decades

"The supply of rental apartments collapsed, falling by 52%. In some central Berlin districts, such as Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Mitte, the supply of available apartments declined by 60% or more." economicaffairs.co.uk/p/berlins-re...

nationalreview.comRent Control: Shocking Findings! | National ReviewA rent cap in Berlin led to a collapse in supply.

"Never underestimate the extent to which the political value of an idea to those advocating it can outweigh consideration of its economic consequences." www.nationalreview.com/corner/rent-...

nationalreview.comHis Antisemitic Fans Hand Abdul El-Sayed a Gift He Can’t Accept | National ReviewIf Michiganders pull the lever for El-Sayed, they cannot say they didn’t know exactly what they were voting for.

22h

"It’s not just that this pro-El-Sayed spot is cartoonishly vile in its contempt for Israel and its supporters; it’s also impossibly dumb." www.nationalreview.com/corner/his-a...