Trump channels Nixon's vengefulness and racism, but lacks his intelligence and experience. OMG, WE JUST ELECTED DUMB NIXON.
— Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) November 9, 2016
Historian here, with a message for folks arguing against holding people accountable for the siege of the Capitol because "history will be the judge." We are in this mess, BECAUSE people in the past didn't hold their contemporaries accountable. Please don't repeat that mistake.
I'd forgotten that James J. Kilpatrick, one of Virginia's most staunch segregationists in the 1960s, had a regular gig on 60 Minutes in the 1970s playing the role of the "conservative" in their point/counterpoint segment. This one from 1978 is a trip. https://t.co/8QwZam99aH
— Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) May 27, 2020
Nuts that Pat Buchanan was a prominent mainstream media talking head in the 80's, 90's, and 00's even though he was considered too antisemitic and "fascistic" for even Charles Krauthammer or Bill Buckley. https://t.co/HXIoF7gj9r
— Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) June 3, 2020
Every time a public figure talks about the P**ud Buoys, they should note that the group conducts readings from Pat Buchanan's 2001 book, The Death of the West, at every meeting. That book is a white nationalist screed against immigrants. There is no finessing this.
— Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) October 18, 2020
More from Seth Cotlar
This statistic that 90 percent of Republicans presume Trump will win may prove far more important than any of the sort https://t.co/LXTkTYzNsA covers. It scares me shitless. https://t.co/9z3NmfIbmX
— Rick Perlstein (@rickperlstein) October 27, 2020
Full polling data here. I was asked to give a talk on campus about the Tea Party in 2010, and one of my main points was that it was a weakness of the movement that it had such a delusional perception of the American people. Oops.
Anyway...the dynamic described here has been a long time coming.
A GOP political culture that regards Americans who don't agree with them as existential enemies to the nation is the logical result of the GOP's longrunning culture war approach to politics. They've been telling conservatives they're "at war" w/ their fellow citizens for decades.
— Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) October 27, 2020
That's the weird, seemingly illogical, thing about the right's culture war. They simultaneously think of themselves as speaking for the majority of Americans, AND they think that they are the saving remnant protecting a decadent society from ruin.
What squares this circle is the assumption that "the real American people" consist of straight white, rural or suburban people, & anyone not in that category doesn't really count as an American. That's how right wing culture warriors can both be the "majority," and a minority.
Rush Limbaugh was given the Medal of Freedom at the State of the Union last night. Here's a bit on who he is.
— Media Matters (@mmfa) February 5, 2020
Viewer discretion is advised. pic.twitter.com/rWYbfnDThl
Limbaugh is also a good example of how the distinction between “respectable” conservatism and “the more radical fringe” can easily be overstated.
This Bill Buckley/Rush Limbaugh joint effort was published in 1993, just in case anyone thought being anti-PC was a new Trumpian dimension of American conservatism, or that National Review was above Rush's crass anti-intellectual populism. pic.twitter.com/XtnoW1yF4S
— Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) January 2, 2021
In 1992 George HW Bush had Rush Limbaugh open his final campaign event before Election Day.
At 1:30 on this video GHB *opens* with these words. "And may I start by thanking Rush Limbaugh. Last night, you know, Governor Clinton was at the Meadowlands with Richard Gere and other Hollywood liberals." https://t.co/La3Bcb6I8K
— Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) November 16, 2019
Rush descended from a well-off and well-connected family in Missouri, but he played the role of “pissed off Joe Six Pack” really well. He’s a perfect example of “plutocratic populism.”
Limbaugh’s cruel bigotry and aura of aggrieved entitlement was a feature, not a bug. In an era of shifting social mores, Limbaugh gave his listeners permission to be a-holes and be proud about it. He perfected the schtick that would get Trump elected.
More from Legal
Including highly decorated ex-members of the military.
The double wrist ties, tasers, discarded weapons all show an intention to go much further than they got
BREAKING I can now confirm Male #2 w/ restraints is highly decorated combat vet & @AF_Academy graduate Lt. Colonel. Ret. Larry Brock of Texas.
— John Scott-Railton (@jsrailton) January 9, 2021
Releasing his name now after 24h of collaboration w/@RonanFarrow & his investigations team to confirm.https://t.co/nog9HI7DzX pic.twitter.com/ClHImsFucM
Seems so ordinary, becoming Lieutenant Commander Brock in the US Airforce ...yet the conversion from the ordinary into the extremist will make a fascinating study for psychologists @RichardBentall

His claim that he picked up the wrist ties “someone” had dropped so he could hand them into police is laughable.
And when you think about it rather cowardly. Can’t even take responsibility for what he has done.
Who else were involved in the planning? Which mates of his?
The attention to detail in making the links is impressive.
There’s going to be a lot more doors knocked in in the next few weeks.
How high and how deep into the Trump establishment does it go.?

H/T @k8tshires for this summary from CNN
If the people involved in this insurrection succeeded where would the establishment face of the movement be?
I suspect not making the denouncements they are now that it
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