Dick Polman
@dickpolman.bsky.social
I teach journalism at UPenn. I’ve been a journo since 1973, including 28 yrs at the Phila Inquirer. I write at dickpolman.substack.com and I’m archived at dickpolman.net
Trying to sustain equilibrium in a land turned upside down.
Trying to sustain equilibrium in a land turned upside down.
My take on what just happened. With a ray of hope.
Surrendering is a staple of the Democrats' DNA
But caving on the shutdown may have an upside. Really. If they don't screw it up.
dickpolman.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
My take on what just happened. With a ray of hope.
The Dems stomping on their own grassroots momentum by going belly up is so Dems.
November 10, 2025 at 4:04 AM
The Dems stomping on their own grassroots momentum by going belly up is so Dems.
Reposted by Dick Polman
CBS aired a condensed, 28-minute version of a 73-minute interview for “60 Minutes.”
Here's What CBS Cut Out Of Its ‘60 Minutes’ Interview With Trump
CBS aired a condensed, 28-minute version of a 73-minute interview for “60 Minutes.”
www.forbes.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:55 PM
CBS aired a condensed, 28-minute version of a 73-minute interview for “60 Minutes.”
Reposted by Dick Polman
The local activists and organizers who were the beating heart of No Kings Day are continuing to lead the fight on the ground in your community. Check out our map to see what groups are near you and get in touch with your local organizers: indivisible.org/groups
October 25, 2025 at 1:11 PM
The local activists and organizers who were the beating heart of No Kings Day are continuing to lead the fight on the ground in your community. Check out our map to see what groups are near you and get in touch with your local organizers: indivisible.org/groups
Reposted by Dick Polman
Looks as if Trump is saying no Democrat will be allowed to win another national election—and he will use the FBI, the DOJ, and the CIA to make sure of that. This is a full-scale attack on American democracy, and every Republican, CEO, and conservative mouthpiece who doesn't object is complicit.
Trump: "We can never let what happened in the 2020 election happen again. We just can't let that happen. I know Kash is working on it, everybody is working on it. And certainly Tulsi is working on it. We can't let that happen again to our country."
October 23, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Looks as if Trump is saying no Democrat will be allowed to win another national election—and he will use the FBI, the DOJ, and the CIA to make sure of that. This is a full-scale attack on American democracy, and every Republican, CEO, and conservative mouthpiece who doesn't object is complicit.
This would all matter if not for the fact that he doesn’t care, that he’s rigging the House seats for ‘26, and that he has no intention of leaving in ‘28.
Here's my updated breakout of the Economist/YouGov weekly data. Trump is experiencing dramatic, across the board erosion. More here - www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/stuart-ste...
October 21, 2025 at 4:41 PM
This would all matter if not for the fact that he doesn’t care, that he’s rigging the House seats for ‘26, and that he has no intention of leaving in ‘28.
Ah, hate to tell ya, this video is from the first NK rally in June. Today’s march went in the other direction. Let’s at least be accurate.
October 18, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Ah, hate to tell ya, this video is from the first NK rally in June. Today’s march went in the other direction. Let’s at least be accurate.
Reposted by Dick Polman
So no terrorism then?
October 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
So no terrorism then?
Reposted by Dick Polman
Qatar is such a dangerous terrorist threat that several neighboring states sanctioned it for years. This is like letting Russia open a military base on US soil, which could also happen. Trump sells the US to foreign adversaries
Hegseth: "I'm also proud that today we're signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emeri air force facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho."
October 10, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Qatar is such a dangerous terrorist threat that several neighboring states sanctioned it for years. This is like letting Russia open a military base on US soil, which could also happen. Trump sells the US to foreign adversaries
Imagine if Obama had OK’d a Muslim nation building an air base on American soil in a red state…oh what’s the use…
Hegseth: "I'm also proud that today we're signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emeri air force facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho."
October 10, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Imagine if Obama had OK’d a Muslim nation building an air base on American soil in a red state…oh what’s the use…
Reposted by Dick Polman
Our authoritarianism is run on clichés borrowed from the Eastern Europe of twenty years ago. Paid protestors, disloyal cities, evil Soros, vast conspiracies — it was all tiresome then and there, and now it’s pathetic.
Trump: "They're, like, insurrectionists, they're terrible people. But you really wonder why. Why are they doing it? What are they gaining? Other than they're obviously paid. They're paid a lot of money."
October 8, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Our authoritarianism is run on clichés borrowed from the Eastern Europe of twenty years ago. Paid protestors, disloyal cities, evil Soros, vast conspiracies — it was all tiresome then and there, and now it’s pathetic.
Reposted by Dick Polman
These are terrifying times. Corporate media is caving utterly. Support non-profit media, public media, local media, and the last few old MSM companies with good owners.
We tick at least two of those boxes and so if you value our reporting, you can give here secure.motherjones.com/flex/mj/key/...
We tick at least two of those boxes and so if you value our reporting, you can give here secure.motherjones.com/flex/mj/key/...
Support Nonprofit Journalism - Donate to Mother Jones
Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.
secure.motherjones.com
September 18, 2025 at 1:24 AM
These are terrifying times. Corporate media is caving utterly. Support non-profit media, public media, local media, and the last few old MSM companies with good owners.
We tick at least two of those boxes and so if you value our reporting, you can give here secure.motherjones.com/flex/mj/key/...
We tick at least two of those boxes and so if you value our reporting, you can give here secure.motherjones.com/flex/mj/key/...
👏👏👏👏👏
LOST writer-producer Damon Lindelof says he won’t work with Disney unless Kimmel js reinstated. I’m hearing other talent weighing similar pledges.
September 18, 2025 at 8:21 PM
👏👏👏👏👏
Reposted by Dick Polman
PBS News is doing more to expose the facts than the FBI…
📌 Many young extremists who grew up on social media and never knew life without school shootings now see public violence as a way to go viral.
So the chaotic confusion we are seeing right now is possibly by design.
📌 Many young extremists who grew up on social media and never knew life without school shootings now see public violence as a way to go viral.
So the chaotic confusion we are seeing right now is possibly by design.
September 18, 2025 at 7:42 PM
PBS News is doing more to expose the facts than the FBI…
📌 Many young extremists who grew up on social media and never knew life without school shootings now see public violence as a way to go viral.
So the chaotic confusion we are seeing right now is possibly by design.
📌 Many young extremists who grew up on social media and never knew life without school shootings now see public violence as a way to go viral.
So the chaotic confusion we are seeing right now is possibly by design.
In the brilliant sci-fi show "Andor," one legislator dares to speak out:
"The death of truth is the ultimate victory of evil….we become vulnerable to the appetite of whatever monster screams the loudest."
But to watch it, you need Disney+...which just ripped a show away from Kimmel. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
"The death of truth is the ultimate victory of evil….we become vulnerable to the appetite of whatever monster screams the loudest."
But to watch it, you need Disney+...which just ripped a show away from Kimmel. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
hitch.watch
September 18, 2025 at 7:19 PM
In the brilliant sci-fi show "Andor," one legislator dares to speak out:
"The death of truth is the ultimate victory of evil….we become vulnerable to the appetite of whatever monster screams the loudest."
But to watch it, you need Disney+...which just ripped a show away from Kimmel. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
"The death of truth is the ultimate victory of evil….we become vulnerable to the appetite of whatever monster screams the loudest."
But to watch it, you need Disney+...which just ripped a show away from Kimmel. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Charlie Kirk and the test of empathy
If only everyone would just calm down and take a breath.
dickpolman.substack.com
September 12, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Reposted by Dick Polman
Wow. New NBC poll finds 78% support vaccines, including 72% of independents and 67% of Republicans.
As I keep trying to argue, Democrats should polarize the shit out of the vaccine/public health debate. Make people take sides. It will split Republicans and MAGA.
See this:
As I keep trying to argue, Democrats should polarize the shit out of the vaccine/public health debate. Make people take sides. It will split Republicans and MAGA.
See this:
Trump/RFK are decapitating our public health system, a pillar of American greatness. So Dem Govs should scour every corner of the law for creative new ways to defend their people from this madness.
Dems should polarize this debate to the max.
Thoughts on this here:
newrepublic.com/article/1998...
Dems should polarize this debate to the max.
Thoughts on this here:
newrepublic.com/article/1998...
September 7, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Wow. New NBC poll finds 78% support vaccines, including 72% of independents and 67% of Republicans.
As I keep trying to argue, Democrats should polarize the shit out of the vaccine/public health debate. Make people take sides. It will split Republicans and MAGA.
See this:
As I keep trying to argue, Democrats should polarize the shit out of the vaccine/public health debate. Make people take sides. It will split Republicans and MAGA.
See this:
The Fellowship of the Furrowed Brow
Seven months after they voted to confirm anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the nation’s health secretary, some Republican senators are having second thoughts.
Why some Republicans are newly worried about RFK Jr.
GOP senators say his moves on vaccines are risky for public health. They also may be bad politics.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 7, 2025 at 9:32 PM
The Fellowship of the Furrowed Brow
Reposted by Dick Polman
Bill Cassidy's line of questioning was clever -- he pressed Kennedy on how he can praise Trump for Operation Warp Speed while at the same time denigrating vaccines.
Here's the beginning of the exchange.
Here's the beginning of the exchange.
September 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Bill Cassidy's line of questioning was clever -- he pressed Kennedy on how he can praise Trump for Operation Warp Speed while at the same time denigrating vaccines.
Here's the beginning of the exchange.
Here's the beginning of the exchange.
Reposted by Dick Polman
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is trying to phase out COVID vaccines. How much damage can he do? A leading vaccine expert warns of the Trump Administration’s effort to limit COVID shots at pharmacies, which would be “disastrous” for the American public.
How Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,’s Anti-Vax Agenda Is Infecting America
A vaccine expert warns that the Secretary of Health and Human Services is deliberately sowing confusion in order to drive down immunization uptake.
www.newyorker.com
September 2, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is trying to phase out COVID vaccines. How much damage can he do? A leading vaccine expert warns of the Trump Administration’s effort to limit COVID shots at pharmacies, which would be “disastrous” for the American public.
Re the rumors:
If Trump were to die, how long would it be before they announced it? Serious Q. But I’m reminded of Woody Allen’s comic-futuristic “Sleeper,” where nobody knew The Leader was dead and that the only remnant of his body - a national security secret - was his nose.
If Trump were to die, how long would it be before they announced it? Serious Q. But I’m reminded of Woody Allen’s comic-futuristic “Sleeper,” where nobody knew The Leader was dead and that the only remnant of his body - a national security secret - was his nose.
September 1, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Re the rumors:
If Trump were to die, how long would it be before they announced it? Serious Q. But I’m reminded of Woody Allen’s comic-futuristic “Sleeper,” where nobody knew The Leader was dead and that the only remnant of his body - a national security secret - was his nose.
If Trump were to die, how long would it be before they announced it? Serious Q. But I’m reminded of Woody Allen’s comic-futuristic “Sleeper,” where nobody knew The Leader was dead and that the only remnant of his body - a national security secret - was his nose.