Annoyed Diplomat
@annoyeddiplomat.bsky.social
220 followers 64 following 1.1K posts
Yes, I am a diplomat. Yes, I'm annoyed. No, I'm not Keri Russell.
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I have no idea if Platner is brilliant or even truly anti-establishment, but "official party organs and leadership dumping huge sums into a primary is very bad" is an entirely reasonable assertion.
Emphasizing the absurdity of this could also encourage those serving in the actual military to distance themselves from ICE and DHS. Driving wedges between the military and DHS may prove increasingly important as this whole fiasco progresses.
No one should slut shame Nuzzi.
Personally, I stick to violating-fundamental-journalistic-ethics-and-getting-rewarded-for-it shaming Nuzzi, but I think there may also be room for earth-shatteringly-bad-taste-in-men shaming her.
Everyone in my feed is shitting on Nuzzi. Meanwhile, the other person in the saga is now destroying the medical community and endangering public health.

But let’s slut shame Nuzzi.
Scoop: Olivia Nuzzi has written a book during her year in exile, in which she is set to in part address her relationship with RFK Jr. Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/olivia-nuz...
I genuinely don't think Booker has an identifiable moral code, other than "do whatever will get me up the next rung on the ladder". Within the current Dem establishment that means fundraising. He's trapped in the widening split between his donors and Dem voters.
Sadly, I suspect Booker's problem is that he KNOWS his support of Netanyahu goes against his own moral code. But he's not willing to acknowledge that, apologize, or change. So he can't actually address or explain; he can only dodge. And that's unacceptable to Democratic voters in 2025.
“It’s not that difficult” certainly locked in my choice to support @grahamformaine.bsky.social.

bsky.app/profile/jane...
If for whatever reason you need an international policy advisor, tell me where to sign up.
And there it is: the @democrats.senate.gov trying to pick a primary winner. This is absolutely the kind of thing that has made the Democratic leadership deeply toxic.

@grahamformaine.bsky.social If you need an international policy advisor, tell me where to sign up.

bsky.app/profile/prem...
NEW: Maine Democrat Dan Kleban suspends his Senate campaign & endorses Janet Mills the same day she launches her campaign.

Also comes as the DSCC files a joint fundraising committee with Mills.

Consolidation happening around Mills, who would be 79 if elected to the 6-year-term.
Dan Kleban Suspends Senate Campaign,
Endorses Gov. Mills for Senate

“I Got Into This Race for the Same Reason I Started Maine Beer Company—to ‘Do What’s Right’”

“Governor Mills is the Right Leader for this Moment and is in the Best Position to Win”
Cumberland, ME — Dan Kleban, founder of Maine Beer Company and U.S. Senate candidate, released the following statement today: 

“Today, I am suspending my campaign for U.S. Senate and enthusiastically endorsing Governor Janet Mills. 

“Right now, our country is at a crossroads. Susan Collins is not doing what’s right for the state of Maine, and hardworking Mainers are literally paying the price—housing, health care, groceries, and electric bills are all too high and getting worse. I believe Governor Mills will win next year and put Mainers first by addressing these pressing issues.

“I got into this race for the same reason I started Maine Beer Company—to ‘Do What’s Right.’ That motto has guided me in business and is why we paid a living wage from Day One, cover 100% of health care costs and provide retirement benefits for our full-time employees, and share our success with the community. We’ve taken action on climate and environmental sustainability, giving 1% of our sales to nonprofits addressing climate change, promoting conservation, and integrating clean energy practices into our business. People thought we were crazy, but we proved we could build a company that’s a force for good.

“These core values also guided me in this campaign. I entered this race because I believe Washington needs more leaders who put people before politics and who will fight every day to make life better for Maine families. While our message was right, the timing isn’t. Governor Mills is the right leader for this moment and is in the best position to win.

“I’m not a politician. I’m a guy who loves his family and was blessed to start a business in the state that gave me so much. This isn’t the end of my fight. Maine has given me so much, an…
Pretty sure they understand that the *most* profitable use cases are all fraud and scams. Social media videos and sexting are just the only profitable legal ones they've been able to come up with.
This, though I think the issue is not she's running but that @schumer.senate.gov is going to devote stacks of money to make sure she wins the primary.

Primaries are good! Every candidate should face a primary. Party leaders mobilizing massive resources to take sides in a primary is very, very bad.
Not that anybody comes to me for Maine politics, but the fact that the Democrats successfully convinced a 77yo Governor to primary the 41yo progressive, is today's example of why the Democrats fucking stay failing.

Susan Collins is 72 and if Schumer gets his way, she'll be the YOUNGER choice!
Gramsci’s girlfriend is still alive?
lest anyone think the girlfriend line was a hilarious joke I concocted...
Gramsci’s girlfriend is still alive?
lest anyone think the girlfriend line was a hilarious joke I concocted...
Gramsci’s girlfriend is still alive?
lest anyone think the girlfriend line was a hilarious joke I concocted...
🤦‍♂️
CNN is now using the Trump preferred “Department of War” name in its official statements
Reposted by Annoyed Diplomat
"WE MAKE NEWS LOUDER. IF STORY GOOD ON ONE SIDE, SHOW OTHER SIDE TOO. OTHER SIDE WRONG? OTHER SIDE WANT BLEACH IN VEINS? ANIMAL RUN BOTH. REPORT BOTH SIDES. EVEN WHEN ONE SIDE THINK HEAD MEDS MAKE QUIET BABIES."
“AAAGGGHHH!!!” A Memo from Animal, Your New Editor-in-Chief
“[Editor-in-chief of CBS News] Bari Weiss told network staffers in a morning editorial call that she wants to ‘win’ before delivering a rallying cr...
buff.ly
This!
I honestly can't imagine being a reporter and *not* following up with something like " @govpritzker.illinois.gov @jbpritzker.bsky.social, ICE raided an entire apartment building full of your people a few nights ago. Did they go through you?"
Feds were actively arresting people just a few miles away while he was giving this interview.
If you come for my people, you come through me.
If you have Pritzker and/or Walz, Newsom doesn't actually bring anything to the table. Almost no one likes him *personally*. To the extent that he has supporters right now it's only because he's seen as fighting Trump. None of those people are going to walk away if another fighter is the nominee.
It's gotta be Pritzker with Newsom just taking heat. Newsom can have a cabinet position.
Not the first time in my life I wished I:
1) was Irish, and/or
2) had any artistic talent whatsoever.
Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."
The "Elon Playbook":
1. Be born a rich white guy.
2. Project unjustified confidence.
3. Get astronomically lucky (again - see #1).
4. Lie pretty much constantly.
5. Once you have enough money, ignore the law and dare governments to enforce it.
6. Announce that you're a Nazi, and then deny it.
Next time someone tries to tell you rich people are rich because they're smarter, show them this absolutely bonkers nonsense from ultra-wealthy conehead Marc Andreesen 😂🙄 #teslatakedown #MuskMustFall
www.businessinsider.com/marc-andrees...
Marc Andreessen says more founders need to read 'the Elon playbook'
Elon Musk ripped up the traditional playbook for managing companies. A16z cofounder Marc Andreessen said other CEOs should follow suit.
www.businessinsider.com
As someone who knows really nothing at all about US agriculture, this really seems like is a perspective a lot more people should be hearing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD50...
AcreTrader, Bailouts, & The Future of US Farms
YouTube video by Farm to Taber
www.youtube.com
I think Wurman is falls squarely within the "never engage with bad faith bullshit on substance" rule. At this point, pretty much any time he says anything.

bsky.app/profile/anno...
I've said this before on here, but:
Never, ever, *ever* try to engage with bad faith bullshit on substance. Brandolini's law always wins no matter how brilliant your response, and it will grind you into a fine powder if you persist.

The only way to win is not to play. Call it bullshit and move on.
This is just objectively the exact opposite of the truth. Every serious effort to actually quantify the ideological valence of political violence has found the reverse of what Vance claims.
This! But also, electeds aren't our generals in this conflict. They're not leaders. To be a leader you have to 1) lead, and 2) inspire people to follow you.

Electeds are more like our lawyers. People hired to act as our representatives who may or may not be competent.

bsky.app/profile/lowr...
I find the "you don't criticize your generals when you're at war" defense of underperforming electeds very weird. Of course you do! It's done constantly!
Student: Prof. Wurman, I don't fully understand the parameters of the bullshit asymmetry principle as it applies to law. Can you give an example?

Wurman:
We don’t have to carry water for dictators. Just my thought.
Reposted by Annoyed Diplomat
Jesus Christ. DHS has held this guy in the hospital handcuffed to a bed and under constant guard for over a MONTH without ANY warrant or even ANY steps taken towards putting him into the removal system!
Petitioner’s counsel has requested documentation of a judicial warrant for his arrest, any charging documents, or other authority supporting his detention. See Santiago Decl. ¶¶ 18–20. ICE has provided no response. Id.  To date, ICE has not placed Petitioner in removal proceedings, charged him with violating immigration law, set bond, issued a Notice to Appear, or otherwise processed him. See Pet. ¶¶ 16, 49. In Respondent’s Opposition brief, the government states “ICE intends to take further action consistent with the laws prescribed under the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) once Petitioner is released from medical care and it can conduct the examination as [prescribed] in 8 C.F.R § 287.3.” Opp. at 4. Neither Petitioner nor Respondents have provided the Court with information about Petitioner’s citizenship, whether he has violated any law or regulation, or any information that would suggest that Petitioner is a flight risk.
Hey @govpritzker.illinois.gov @jbpritzker.bsky.social -

This isn't ICE. These are @ilstatepolice.bsky.social officers under your command throwing peaceful protestors to the ground. What happened to protecting public safety and peace exercise of constitutional rights?

bsky.app/profile/unra...
Heard an officer say "let's do it" and then, in the dark, they tackle Rabbi Ben to the ground. He's being loaded into a CCSO wagon now. Broadview police also here screaming at people.