I play a Tyler Childers song called ‘Nose On the Grindstone’ that includes the line, “It takes twice as long to build bridges you’ve burned.” I suspect Mr. Childers had something different in mind but I think that line is about to apply to CNN.

They tried to lure viewers by abandoning their straight news and moved right a bit, style-wise, anyway. But their content became less trustworthy. The right isn’t particularly interested because CNN isn’t crazy-right enough and the left has lost interest because CNN went too far. They burned those bridges. Now they’re trying to recover. I think they’re going to discover that surrendered credibility is very difficult to recover.

I’ll tell you this: I suspect that’s a life lesson the MAGA cons are slowly (oh, so VERY slowly) learning right now…

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Speaking of surrendering, (Were we? Sure, why not?) pretty much everyone on the left has noticed that the trumpster is selling shirts with his mug shot emblazoned on them and a caption that says, “Never surrender.” By definition, a mug shot is part of a surrender.

To be correct, the caption should say, “Surrender occasionally.” Maybe “Only surrender four times (so far).” They could even use, “Surrender, but be pissy about it…”

“Never surrender” only confirms their break with reality…

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The mug shot is crazy, isn’t it? I know he’s trying to look tough and resolute but, to me, he looks psychotic. Then I hear him talk and it seems confirmed. This guy is off his leash and running wild, metaphorically.

Everybody knows 45 HAD to skip the “debates.” It wasn’t a choice. If he HAD gone, he would have been goaded (rather easily, I imagine) into adding evidence to the charges he faces. So, instead, he went and let has-been Tucker Carlson “interview” him. Trump said he thinks BIDEN is “the most corrupt President we’ve ever had. And he also has the distinction of being the most incompetent.” Gees, project much, Donnie? He suggested Biden is being paid by China, the right’s homage to Trump’s Russian handlers.

Donnie mentioned the “Nine wonders of the world.” Classic trump. EVERYONE knows the phrase is ‘SEVEN wonders of the world.’ Donnie knows it, too, so he spent a few seconds dissembling. “He said nine but I think…” there was some incoherent mumbling, then “He would have been better off if he had just stuck with the nine and said, ‘Yeah, I think it’s nine.'”

Quick question, who the hell is this mythical “he” to whom you refer? (Hey, maybe it’s one of Donnie’s alternate personalities making fun of the Donnie personality live and on – okay, an obscure podcast but…) Anyway, he then went back to his point about the seven wonders of the world, like he had never even said nine. He built to his crescendo and went to his greatest hits.

“Now we have a President who can’t put two sentences together.” (Projection.) “Can’t speak, can’t walk, can’t talk.” (More projection, although I’ve got to agree, Biden ain’t great on airplane steps.) The rant took him to his love spot, “They cheated on the election.” Oops. He moved right off of that line, knowing the prosecutors were watching. THEN he called the left fascists and said, “…they’re radical left lunatics and they’re destroying our country.” The radicalized right LOVES to call the left radicals. They think they’re hiding in plain sight that way.

I’ll tell you this: As to “destroying our country?” I can’t think of a single, harmful event in the last 40 years that can be attributed solely to Democrats but I can think of many, many harmful events that are the DIRECT result of conservative mantras, “beliefs,” and actions…

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After the cons revoked a woman’s right to manage her reproduction at the Federal level, the fight moved back to the states, just like they wanted it to. THEIR thinking was, they could shut it down, state by state, if only the Feds would stand down. It hasn’t worked out that way. Turns out, people WANT to be able to manage their own reproductive freedom. So, the state fights are FAR harder than the myopic anti’s thought it was going to be. That’s never a problem for cons, though. They KNOW they can’t win people over with facts and evidence so they turn to what they do best: lies and scare tactics.

Ohioans want to put an amendment into their state constitution that guarantees people the right to make their own reproductive decisions. Cons went right to work, lying and scaring. They’re putting out ads suggesting the law allows children to get abortions and “gender-related surgeries” without their parents permission. (Not true.) They ALSO took a shot with one of their old faithful standards; infanticide. Also not true, but cons LOVE to pretend ALL abortions ONLY happen the day before the scheduled delivery.

Turns out, that’s one of their cruelest deceits. Late-term abortions make up less than 1% of all abortions performed and they ALWAYS represent a huge loss to the parents. These are parents who wanted the baby, maybe had the nursery all laid out. Maybe they had even started a college fund. Then, something horrible happened and they had to face one of the most difficult and painful decisions of their lives – only to be met by anti’s calling them “murderers.”

I’ll tell you this: I feel, I’ve always felt, and, I think, I always WILL feel like a position that depends on lies to be defended, doesn’t deserve to be defended…