Michael McDonald
@electproject.bsky.social
Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida specializing in American elections
Reposted by Michael McDonald
Bakaj: Intelligence was gathered that captured activity being conducted by someone close to the president. Gabbard was given a heads-up.
She went to Susie Wiles and discussed it.
When she returned to the DNI’s office, she directed that the intelligence not be distributed any further…
She went to Susie Wiles and discussed it.
When she returned to the DNI’s office, she directed that the intelligence not be distributed any further…
February 9, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Bakaj: Intelligence was gathered that captured activity being conducted by someone close to the president. Gabbard was given a heads-up.
She went to Susie Wiles and discussed it.
When she returned to the DNI’s office, she directed that the intelligence not be distributed any further…
She went to Susie Wiles and discussed it.
When she returned to the DNI’s office, she directed that the intelligence not be distributed any further…
Reposted by Michael McDonald
NC5: “Marsha Blackburn faces allegations of ‘flagrant violations of campaign laws in race for TN Governor”
A Knoxville Republican accuses her of using federal campaign-raised funds for a state race.
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
A Knoxville Republican accuses her of using federal campaign-raised funds for a state race.
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
February 5, 2026 at 9:55 PM
NC5: “Marsha Blackburn faces allegations of ‘flagrant violations of campaign laws in race for TN Governor”
A Knoxville Republican accuses her of using federal campaign-raised funds for a state race.
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
A Knoxville Republican accuses her of using federal campaign-raised funds for a state race.
www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...
Yes, that is what is happening. Musk doesn't look like he's going to be able to deliver the moon lander for Artemis III bsky.app/profile/elec...
The real backstory is that SpaceX has fallen so far behind schedule on their Artemis III lander that NASA invited Blue Origin to compete www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/02/02/i...
In race with SpaceX, Blue Origin refocuses efforts on Artemis moon lander
Blue Origin is pausing its space tourism New Shepard flights to focus on competing with SpaceX to be the moon lander for the Artemis III mission.
www.orlandosentinel.com
February 10, 2026 at 2:44 AM
Yes, that is what is happening. Musk doesn't look like he's going to be able to deliver the moon lander for Artemis III bsky.app/profile/elec...
Unfortunately it's been given permission to shoot fireworks over my home
February 10, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Unfortunately it's been given permission to shoot fireworks over my home
Reposted by Michael McDonald
BREAKING: Congressman Moskowitz:
“I mean it’s disgusting. There are lots of names, lots of co-conspirators, and they’re trafficking girls all across the world,” he said, adding, “I mean it’s exactly as people thought it was. It’s that. And, and, and more unfortunately.”
“I mean it’s disgusting. There are lots of names, lots of co-conspirators, and they’re trafficking girls all across the world,” he said, adding, “I mean it’s exactly as people thought it was. It’s that. And, and, and more unfortunately.”
February 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM
BREAKING: Congressman Moskowitz:
“I mean it’s disgusting. There are lots of names, lots of co-conspirators, and they’re trafficking girls all across the world,” he said, adding, “I mean it’s exactly as people thought it was. It’s that. And, and, and more unfortunately.”
“I mean it’s disgusting. There are lots of names, lots of co-conspirators, and they’re trafficking girls all across the world,” he said, adding, “I mean it’s exactly as people thought it was. It’s that. And, and, and more unfortunately.”
Reposted by Michael McDonald
Prosecutors have dropped charges against nearly two dozen people arrested during a clergy-led protest outside the Broadview ICE facility last fall.
Cook County prosecutors drop charges against 19 arrested during clergy-led protest at Broadview ICE facility
chicago.suntimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Prosecutors have dropped charges against nearly two dozen people arrested during a clergy-led protest outside the Broadview ICE facility last fall.
Why is Pete Hegseth squeezing Acting Venezuelan President Donald Trump?
U.S. military forces boarded a sanctioned tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the ship from the Caribbean Sea as part of an oil quarantine meant to squeeze Venezuela, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday. https://to.pbs.org/4r7gxCy
U.S. military boards sanctioned oil tanker after pursuit from Caribbean to Indian Ocean
Following the U.S. raid to apprehend then-President Nicolás Maduro in early January, several sanctioned tankers fled the Venezuelan coast, including the ship that was boarded in the Indian Ocean overn...
www.pbs.org
February 10, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Why is Pete Hegseth squeezing Acting Venezuelan President Donald Trump?
Also unfair to sinking ships to compare them to Trump
February 10, 2026 at 12:21 AM
Also unfair to sinking ships to compare them to Trump
Reposted by Michael McDonald
“Raskin also said that he saw ‘references to 17-year-old girls, 16-year-old girls, 14-year-old girls, 11-year-old girls, 10-year-old girls, and I saw a reference today to a 9-year-old girl. So it is a really gruesome and grim story.’“ www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
Trump administration live updates: Lawmakers view unredacted Epstein files at Justice Department
Trump administration live updates: Congress members may begin viewing unredacted Epstein files at DOJ
www.nbcnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:39 PM
“Raskin also said that he saw ‘references to 17-year-old girls, 16-year-old girls, 14-year-old girls, 11-year-old girls, 10-year-old girls, and I saw a reference today to a 9-year-old girl. So it is a really gruesome and grim story.’“ www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
Exactly. And it is so obvious to NASA that Musk cannot deliver they've had to move on to Blue Origin
February 10, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Exactly. And it is so obvious to NASA that Musk cannot deliver they've had to move on to Blue Origin
Prediction: adding voting burdens will depress turnout more among those least excited to vote, which is clearly Republicans right now. I don’t support making it harder for anyone to vote, but this could backfire spectacularly
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., tells me Senate Republicans are having a "big meeting tomorrow" to discuss the path forward for SAVE Act. He predicts the Senate won't nuke the filibuster but adds that he's "willing to listen" to ideas on how to proceed.
February 9, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Prediction: adding voting burdens will depress turnout more among those least excited to vote, which is clearly Republicans right now. I don’t support making it harder for anyone to vote, but this could backfire spectacularly
Musk bros are like time to buy more Tesla stock. He so smart
February 9, 2026 at 11:48 PM
Musk bros are like time to buy more Tesla stock. He so smart
Troll Musk all you want about abandoning Mars. He earned it. But know he’s doing this to divert attention from a bigger failure
February 9, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Troll Musk all you want about abandoning Mars. He earned it. But know he’s doing this to divert attention from a bigger failure
Musk’s new hype about the Moon is that SpaceX has failed so badly at their moon lander for Artemis III that Blue Origin has been asked to move up their lander scheduled for Artemis V
The real backstory is that SpaceX has fallen so far behind schedule on their Artemis III lander that NASA invited Blue Origin to compete www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/02/02/i...
In race with SpaceX, Blue Origin refocuses efforts on Artemis moon lander
Blue Origin is pausing its space tourism New Shepard flights to focus on competing with SpaceX to be the moon lander for the Artemis III mission.
www.orlandosentinel.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:39 PM
Musk’s new hype about the Moon is that SpaceX has failed so badly at their moon lander for Artemis III that Blue Origin has been asked to move up their lander scheduled for Artemis V
Reposted by Michael McDonald
Trump, who says he had "no idea" at the time that Epstein sexually molested girls, told the police in 2006 that "everyone has known he’s been doing this.” That's according to an FBI interview with the then-Palm Beach police chief.
Here's a gift link to Julie K. Brown's article in the Miami Herald.
Here's a gift link to Julie K. Brown's article in the Miami Herald.
Trump told Palm Beach police chief ‘everyone’ knew about Epstein, Maxwell was ‘evil’
The new information comes as Ghislaine Maxwell was summoned to appear Monday before a Congressional committee.
www.miamiherald.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:16 PM
Trump, who says he had "no idea" at the time that Epstein sexually molested girls, told the police in 2006 that "everyone has known he’s been doing this.” That's according to an FBI interview with the then-Palm Beach police chief.
Here's a gift link to Julie K. Brown's article in the Miami Herald.
Here's a gift link to Julie K. Brown's article in the Miami Herald.
You ■■■'■ say?
Rep. Raskin on Epstein file redactions: "[They] are filled with redactions of names and information about people who clearly are not victims…I saw the names of lots of people who were redacted for mysterious or baffling or inscrutable reasons."
February 9, 2026 at 8:29 PM
You ■■■'■ say?
Reposted by Michael McDonald
Later it was determined that younger interviewers did not get a good sample of respondents, which skewed the exit poll. A number of changes were instituted to prevent a repeat: hiring more older interviewers, better training, and restricting access to a "quarantine room" until polls closed
February 9, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Later it was determined that younger interviewers did not get a good sample of respondents, which skewed the exit poll. A number of changes were instituted to prevent a repeat: hiring more older interviewers, better training, and restricting access to a "quarantine room" until polls closed
2004 was famously the year the early exit polls showed Kerry leading. The producers and pundits got hold of the numbers and started talking up on-air how things looked good for Kerry. Warren was instantly skeptical and we troubleshot the polls the rest of the day
February 9, 2026 at 8:13 PM
2004 was famously the year the early exit polls showed Kerry leading. The producers and pundits got hold of the numbers and started talking up on-air how things looked good for Kerry. Warren was instantly skeptical and we troubleshot the polls the rest of the day
I will never forget my experience in 2004 when working the decision desk at Edison-Mitofsky. I was chatting with Warren when the first exit poll numbers popped up on my screen and he took one look and said "Who the fuck is fucking with my exit poll!"
The Roper Center is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Mitofsky Award, which honors excellence in public opinion research
Fill out form by April 6 to nominate someone (self-nominations welcome)
Call here, including past awardees and 2026 submission form: ropercenter.cornell.edu/events/2026-...
Fill out form by April 6 to nominate someone (self-nominations welcome)
Call here, including past awardees and 2026 submission form: ropercenter.cornell.edu/events/2026-...
February 9, 2026 at 8:12 PM
I will never forget my experience in 2004 when working the decision desk at Edison-Mitofsky. I was chatting with Warren when the first exit poll numbers popped up on my screen and he took one look and said "Who the fuck is fucking with my exit poll!"
Reposted by Michael McDonald
In one 30-minute stretch, three legal observers were arrested — as Trump’s Border czar Tom Homan calls on locals to “end the resistance.”
“Uptick In Abductions”: ICE Ramps Up Targeting of Minneapolis Legal Observers
In one 30-minute stretch, three Minneapolis legal observers were arrested as ICE ramped up its targeting of community volunteers.
interc.pt
February 9, 2026 at 6:19 PM
In one 30-minute stretch, three legal observers were arrested — as Trump’s Border czar Tom Homan calls on locals to “end the resistance.”
Reposted by Michael McDonald
You know what they’re going to store in those warehouses?
People
People
In the last month ICE has bought warehouses in:
- Hagerstown, MD: $102 million
- Surprise, AZ: $70 million
- Hamburg, PA: $87 million
- Tremont, PA: $120 million
- San Antonio, TX: $82 million
- El Paso, TX: $123 million
- Social Circle, GA: price unknown
This is unprecedented.
- Hagerstown, MD: $102 million
- Surprise, AZ: $70 million
- Hamburg, PA: $87 million
- Tremont, PA: $120 million
- San Antonio, TX: $82 million
- El Paso, TX: $123 million
- Social Circle, GA: price unknown
This is unprecedented.
February 9, 2026 at 6:46 PM
You know what they’re going to store in those warehouses?
People
People
Reposted by Michael McDonald
In highlighting a CBS reporter's story debunking the Trump admin's lies on immigration enforcement, Bari Weiss appears to briefly forget that she now works for CBS and tweets that his story was for The Free Press.
February 9, 2026 at 5:41 PM
In highlighting a CBS reporter's story debunking the Trump admin's lies on immigration enforcement, Bari Weiss appears to briefly forget that she now works for CBS and tweets that his story was for The Free Press.
Reposted by Michael McDonald
During freezing temperatures in Port Arthur, Texas, a 61-year-old homeless man was found dead in his wheelchair outside a convenience store.
He was wearing a hospital gown and no shoes. Authorities say he had been released from a hospital the previous day.
This is a diseased society.
He was wearing a hospital gown and no shoes. Authorities say he had been released from a hospital the previous day.
This is a diseased society.
'What's wrong with the world?' Man in wheelchair found dead outside in freezing temps
The 61-year-old man had been released from a hospital the day before.
news4sanantonio.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:09 PM
During freezing temperatures in Port Arthur, Texas, a 61-year-old homeless man was found dead in his wheelchair outside a convenience store.
He was wearing a hospital gown and no shoes. Authorities say he had been released from a hospital the previous day.
This is a diseased society.
He was wearing a hospital gown and no shoes. Authorities say he had been released from a hospital the previous day.
This is a diseased society.
Reposted by Michael McDonald
Every time I re-read Trump v. United States, it feels like getting hit in the head with a mallet.
February 6, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Every time I re-read Trump v. United States, it feels like getting hit in the head with a mallet.