Dan Hagen
@danuhagen.bsky.social
I'm Daniel Hagen. I like to say my middle name is “Urbane.” It's actually “Urban,” because I was named after my maternal grandfather, who was named after one of the more corrupt popes.
I'm a writer and a former journalist and journalism professor.
I'm a writer and a former journalist and journalism professor.
As someone else observed, “It's 2025, and we’re sharing bootleg 60 Minutes segments broadcast in other countries because our own country is being run by fascists and their billionaire-owned state media helpers, just as the Founding Fathers intended, of course.”
December 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
As someone else observed, “It's 2025, and we’re sharing bootleg 60 Minutes segments broadcast in other countries because our own country is being run by fascists and their billionaire-owned state media helpers, just as the Founding Fathers intended, of course.”
As Jeff Tiedrich said, “The segment was pulled for political reasons. That’s the whole reason Bari Weiss was hired — to drag CBS News all the way to the extreme right, turning it into a sort of Fox News for people who know which fork is for salad.”
December 22, 2025 at 11:10 PM
As Jeff Tiedrich said, “The segment was pulled for political reasons. That’s the whole reason Bari Weiss was hired — to drag CBS News all the way to the extreme right, turning it into a sort of Fox News for people who know which fork is for salad.”
As Sarah Kendzior observed, “Once an autocrat gets into office, it is very hard to get them out. They will disregard term limits, they will purge the agencies that enforce accountability,
they will rewrite the law so that they are no longer breaking it."
they will rewrite the law so that they are no longer breaking it."
December 21, 2025 at 11:09 PM
As Sarah Kendzior observed, “Once an autocrat gets into office, it is very hard to get them out. They will disregard term limits, they will purge the agencies that enforce accountability,
they will rewrite the law so that they are no longer breaking it."
they will rewrite the law so that they are no longer breaking it."
Trump’s definition of “bad” and “evil” is anyone who opposes him when he’s hurting innocent people.
December 18, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Trump’s definition of “bad” and “evil” is anyone who opposes him when he’s hurting innocent people.
Good. Force every cruel Republican lawmaker who wants to make health care unaffordable to vote for it. Let's get them on the record so we can get rid of them.
December 17, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Good. Force every cruel Republican lawmaker who wants to make health care unaffordable to vote for it. Let's get them on the record so we can get rid of them.
People are understandably sickened by what Trump had to say about Rob Reiner and his wife, but I fail to see how they can be shocked.
Trump is a monster. He has ALWAYS been a monster. It’s hardly something you can overlook.
Trump is a monster. He has ALWAYS been a monster. It’s hardly something you can overlook.
December 15, 2025 at 11:07 PM
People are understandably sickened by what Trump had to say about Rob Reiner and his wife, but I fail to see how they can be shocked.
Trump is a monster. He has ALWAYS been a monster. It’s hardly something you can overlook.
Trump is a monster. He has ALWAYS been a monster. It’s hardly something you can overlook.
We effed around and put thundering morons and sadistic sociopaths in charge. Now we find out.
December 15, 2025 at 3:39 PM
We effed around and put thundering morons and sadistic sociopaths in charge. Now we find out.
Heather Cox Richardson notes Trump has set up a system of corruption in which a network of ruling elites use the institutions of government to steal public assets for their own private gain. "It permits virtually unlimited theft while the head of state provides cover for his cronies.."
December 12, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Heather Cox Richardson notes Trump has set up a system of corruption in which a network of ruling elites use the institutions of government to steal public assets for their own private gain. "It permits virtually unlimited theft while the head of state provides cover for his cronies.."
I find that any time I now try to make a factual statement about what Trump and his party have done, I am blocked by the Washington Post. Darkness indeed.
December 8, 2025 at 2:57 PM
I find that any time I now try to make a factual statement about what Trump and his party have done, I am blocked by the Washington Post. Darkness indeed.
Donald Trump is a man utterly indifferent to the suffering of others. The fact that he’s in the Oval Office is the worst kind of sickening joke.
December 8, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Donald Trump is a man utterly indifferent to the suffering of others. The fact that he’s in the Oval Office is the worst kind of sickening joke.
Miles Taylor, former DHS chief of staff, said, “I spent two years in the Trump Administration. During that time, I saw how the president handled national security decisions. One of my biggest takeaways was this: He fantasized regularly about maiming and killing unarmed civilians.”
December 3, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Miles Taylor, former DHS chief of staff, said, “I spent two years in the Trump Administration. During that time, I saw how the president handled national security decisions. One of my biggest takeaways was this: He fantasized regularly about maiming and killing unarmed civilians.”
Trump doesn't give a rodent's posterior about drugs. He pardons rich drug kingpins left and right.
Trump is using the murders at sea to establish the "principle" that he can declare anyone he wants guilty without evidence and summarily execute them. And his real goal is to do that to Americans.
Trump is using the murders at sea to establish the "principle" that he can declare anyone he wants guilty without evidence and summarily execute them. And his real goal is to do that to Americans.
December 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Trump doesn't give a rodent's posterior about drugs. He pardons rich drug kingpins left and right.
Trump is using the murders at sea to establish the "principle" that he can declare anyone he wants guilty without evidence and summarily execute them. And his real goal is to do that to Americans.
Trump is using the murders at sea to establish the "principle" that he can declare anyone he wants guilty without evidence and summarily execute them. And his real goal is to do that to Americans.
Pestilence, War, Famine and Death — Trump has saddled up all four Horsemen for his administration.
November 29, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Pestilence, War, Famine and Death — Trump has saddled up all four Horsemen for his administration.
Note how the press keeps the identities of ICE thugs secret, as though they were hooded executioners.
November 29, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Note how the press keeps the identities of ICE thugs secret, as though they were hooded executioners.
The Washington Post's Editorial Board is busy writing about paper towels this morning.
I kid you not.
"Newspapers are unable, seemingly, to discriminate between a bicycle accident and the collapse of civilization." — George Bernard Shaw
I kid you not.
"Newspapers are unable, seemingly, to discriminate between a bicycle accident and the collapse of civilization." — George Bernard Shaw
November 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
The Washington Post's Editorial Board is busy writing about paper towels this morning.
I kid you not.
"Newspapers are unable, seemingly, to discriminate between a bicycle accident and the collapse of civilization." — George Bernard Shaw
I kid you not.
"Newspapers are unable, seemingly, to discriminate between a bicycle accident and the collapse of civilization." — George Bernard Shaw
Trump is enraged because his ENTIRE SCHEME is based on the idea of U.S. troops obeying illegal orders to commit war crimes.
November 21, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Trump is enraged because his ENTIRE SCHEME is based on the idea of U.S. troops obeying illegal orders to commit war crimes.
We don't need regime change in Venezuela. We need it here.
November 21, 2025 at 12:39 PM
We don't need regime change in Venezuela. We need it here.
Trump picked Halligan for her vapid model skills, of course, but they don't translate well in court.
Trump doesn't believe in picking people who have the skills necessary to do the job to which they're being appointed. After all, he's never had any.
Trump doesn't believe in picking people who have the skills necessary to do the job to which they're being appointed. After all, he's never had any.
November 19, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Trump picked Halligan for her vapid model skills, of course, but they don't translate well in court.
Trump doesn't believe in picking people who have the skills necessary to do the job to which they're being appointed. After all, he's never had any.
Trump doesn't believe in picking people who have the skills necessary to do the job to which they're being appointed. After all, he's never had any.
Darn it! Trump and his minions just can't shake the habit of lying, even when they're under oath in court.
November 19, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Darn it! Trump and his minions just can't shake the habit of lying, even when they're under oath in court.
Re: The Piggy affair. If you think any of those reporters were on Air Force One to challenge Trump on any topic, you have not been paying attention the last several years.
The days of Dan Rather confronting a criminal president to his face are long gone. CBS News works for Trump now.
The days of Dan Rather confronting a criminal president to his face are long gone. CBS News works for Trump now.
November 19, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Re: The Piggy affair. If you think any of those reporters were on Air Force One to challenge Trump on any topic, you have not been paying attention the last several years.
The days of Dan Rather confronting a criminal president to his face are long gone. CBS News works for Trump now.
The days of Dan Rather confronting a criminal president to his face are long gone. CBS News works for Trump now.
So the scandal-ridden Republican dictator is starting a war as a distraction, hoping to kill a lot of people to cover his fat ass. How very predictable.
November 15, 2025 at 2:50 PM
So the scandal-ridden Republican dictator is starting a war as a distraction, hoping to kill a lot of people to cover his fat ass. How very predictable.
It would be interesting to know how history will view the U.S. corporate news media’s compliant coverage of America’s descent into totalitarian fascism.
All that high-flown, self-congratulatory preening about journalism’s importance to democracy — hogwash, as it turns out.
All that high-flown, self-congratulatory preening about journalism’s importance to democracy — hogwash, as it turns out.
November 10, 2025 at 11:09 PM
It would be interesting to know how history will view the U.S. corporate news media’s compliant coverage of America’s descent into totalitarian fascism.
All that high-flown, self-congratulatory preening about journalism’s importance to democracy — hogwash, as it turns out.
All that high-flown, self-congratulatory preening about journalism’s importance to democracy — hogwash, as it turns out.
As someone else said, I can't wait to add my imaginary tariff check to my imaginary DOGE check and buy all of that imaginary $2 gas!
November 9, 2025 at 11:43 PM
As someone else said, I can't wait to add my imaginary tariff check to my imaginary DOGE check and buy all of that imaginary $2 gas!
Trump’s flunkies talk about his “strategic uncertainty” on tariffs. That combines well with his “strategic venality,” his “strategic ignorance” and his “strategic dementia.”
November 8, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Trump’s flunkies talk about his “strategic uncertainty” on tariffs. That combines well with his “strategic venality,” his “strategic ignorance” and his “strategic dementia.”
Republicans lie with the frequency that normal people breathe. Hold firm, Democrats.
November 7, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Republicans lie with the frequency that normal people breathe. Hold firm, Democrats.