Steve Benen

Rachel Maddow Show producer, editor of The MaddowBlog, and author of Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

My new book — Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past — has a new landing page at MSNBC, complete with links to video clips, reviews, an audiobook sample, the works. https://t.co/zQGOuxXYmP

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

Part I: Trump heard about people seeking asylum and assumed it had to do with people who’d been institutionalized in asylums.

Part II:

[James Surowiecki @JamesSurowiecki]

There's no question someone in the White House told Trump to call the war in Iran an "incursion," but he heard it as "excursion" and now he keeps calling it that - making the war sound like a holiday getaway - because no one around him ever corrects him when he makes a mistake.

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

I've switched over to Bluesky, but this is a periodic tweet to ensure that my account isn't deleted.

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

I've switched over to Bluesky, but this is a periodic tweet to make sure that my account isn't deleted.

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

This is a periodic tweet to ensure that my account isn't deleted.

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

I originally told myself that I'd abandon Twitter/X after my second book came out. Then I said I'd wait until after the election.

I'm now out of excuses. See you at Bluesky. https://t.co/iJ8zBRIMO3

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

June 2024: Waltz falsely claims Trump wasn't responsible for Jan. 6: https://t.co/eRDB45o35s

April 2024: Waltz inexplicably co-sponsors a bill to rename Dulles Airport after Trump: https://t.co/SNKlDloIWd

November 2024:

[The Associated Press @AP]

BREAKING: Donald Trump asks Rep. Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser, putting the China hawk in a top foreign policy spot, AP source says. https://t.co/BXZl6DDQND

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

Trump's first administration was corrupt to a degree without modern precedent.

Will his second be worse? Six days after Election Day, the early evidence makes it tough to be optimistic. https://t.co/YzREBzyxtx

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

Given Biden's and Kamala Harris' successes, all Trump has to do next year is avoid screwing up the conditions he's inheriting.

It's hard to be optimistic. https://t.co/4fUERjnUMP

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

I suspect plenty of folks have forgotten what recess appointments are, but let's not miss the forest for the trees:

Five days after he won a second term, one of Trump's early priorities was to take aim at a basic element of checks and balances. https://t.co/t0lI4uT42B

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

Trump's transition guy: Trump won't use the DOJ for "political purposes" or target his political opponents.

Why this isn't reassuring: Trump already tried to use the DOJ for political purposes and already targeted his political opponents. https://t.co/4ZuRiUH8K2

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

As Jim Jordan sends special counsel Jack Smith a misguided demand, remember:

House Republicans are a little too fond of their "investigate the investigation" tactic. https://t.co/DgG3D14J2X

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

As the dust settles on the election cycle, it's no small thing that progressive policy measures — from education to abortion rights, minimum wage to family leave — fared quite well in 2024, even in red states. https://t.co/8zupsxG4zc

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

Dems are getting plenty of advice about their "whiffs of condescension" and "implied" disdain for key groups of voters.

But didn't Trump just make big gains with constituencies he's treated with unsubtle contempt? https://t.co/po1xyVOT7d

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

For what it's worth, we don't even have to wait:

It was *last week* when Trump said the U.S. economy is in good shape — and he wanted credit: https://t.co/r9Po21gssY

[Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan]

How long do we give it till our president-elect takes credit for strong economic growth, rising real wages, falling inflation, and record low levels of unemployment?

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

The 2024 and 2020 presidential elections were nearly mirror images of each other. The big difference: the parties' willingness to accept the results.

When it comes to democracy, the two parties are simply playing by different sets of rules. https://t.co/FFL9IKJgTH

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

Jan. 6 was the stain that would not wash off. It was the career-killer. It was the point from which there was no coming back.

Or so we thought. https://t.co/4QyNGHGqZM

[Go to Bluesky to save your brain -- L O L G O P @LOLGOP]

This is, I believe, the longest and best @stevebenen I've ever read. And I've read a lot.

https://t.co/VAE2dmoop7

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

@LOLGOP Thanks, @LOLGOP, I really appreciate that.

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

A thought for those hoping Trump's second term won't be worse than his first:

It will definitely be worse than his first. https://t.co/zw9IDg6LdP

[Steve Benen @stevebenen]

Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter issued a warning in 2012 about a hypothetical candidate running on an authoritarian platform — and how "democracy dies."

His comments came to mind again this morning. https://t.co/vw8cYQAvph