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OK, everyone. I think it’s time I told my Boris Johnson story. It’s a story about the time as foreign secretary where Johnson committed a straightforward resigning offence, got caught out, then got away with it.
Thread.
Thread.
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
JD Vance: we only lost because of literally everything we did.
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
Vance posting as if he’s an online pundit or commentator and not the vice-president in the administration that launched this war and then defended this war.
One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was "composition"—whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was merely OK, in other states it was downright amazing, and in no state was it catastrophic. There was a genuine sense of optimism on our team: our people were showing up.
So, I asked the smartest data guy I know, does that mean we're going to shock the world? "No," he told me. "We might do better than the polls suggest. But the data is telling us that a lot of Trump/Vance 2024 voters are pissed and planning to vote for the other guys. Our voters are turning out, but they may not vote for us."
Well, that looks prophetic now. Our voters did show up. In Florida, for example, the electorate was 9 points more Republican than Democrat, just a couple points worse than 2024. Undoubtedly there were places we could have done better on turnout. But the main problem is not turnout. The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026.
There will be a lot of infighting and arguing over what happened and why that is. One of the pollsters I really respect told me that our economic messaging wasn’t sharp enough down the stretch. I’m sure that’s true.
But the real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone.
Another pollster—one of the smartest people I know in politics, told me yesterday we’d lose the generic ballot by 13 points. I felt negative going into Tuesday, but even I was shocked by this. In his polling, he saw that a lot of Trump 2024 voters were angry and planning to vote for Democrats. He asked those voters who had abandoned us what would cause them to come back on our team. The top four answers, accounting for nearly all of the responses were:
1) End the war
2) Focus on cost of living/inflation
3) Put America First
4) Change our relationship to Israel
Our voters showed up. And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats. This is according to a pollster who nailed the results. While many spent Monday attacking Rachel Campos Duffy for calling for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, it turns out her political advice was sound. (She’s also a great person.)
In the next few months, there's going to be a lot of gaslighting. Expect to hear any number of establishment politicians say the solution to our woes is amnesty. I'm open to the idea that we should change enforcement—by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labor, for instance. But anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you.
The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night.
If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest.
But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.
I remain hopeful about our country. To the people who are pissed off and want to say, “I told you so”: you’re right, you did tell us so. Take that energy into electing Republicans who share your worldview. To the people who are just pissed at the results, you should be. Let’s take that anger and get back to the work of saving our country.
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
For all the safety discourse, it is shocking how mainstream American discourse ignores how unsafe this racist garbage makes it for Muslim Americans.
Sen. @tedcruz (R-TX) says that if U.S. Sen. candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI) is elected into the Senate and is placed in the Senate Intelligence Committee, "there is a very real risk that Americans will die as a result."
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
U.S. politicians: “israel is the only democracy in the middle east ♥️”
netanyahu’s son: “allowing brown people to vote is an existential threat”
netanyahu’s son: “allowing brown people to vote is an existential threat”
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
Incredible to do this after days of conservatives saying that Obama’s Cheesecake Factory joke shows that he’s an elitist who hates Middle America. Beginning to think he’s got a huge Kalshi bet on Dems taking the Senate.
Trump's affordability message: "You could even come to Mar-a-Lago. You'll be my guest. The problem is that for $5,000 the most you'll be able to buy is a hamburger and maybe a small dessert. I'm not even sure you could buy that! No, don't go there. It's not a good place if you're price conscious."
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
with 12 days until the midterm elections, the entire republican party has coalesced around attacking a woman for having been raped by her stepfather when she was twelve
Trump: "Vivek Ramaswamy put up a very powerful Ad about a mother saying that her daughter, Amy Acton, who is running for Governor of Ohio, is a liar, and much worse. The Press, in a concerted and well coordinated attack, is trying to get Vivek Ramaswamy to 'take down the Ad.' mother spoke about a daughter in that way would normally lead to the daughter being precluded from serving in Office"
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
from the Ukrainian winner of the Nobel peace prize
I have read dozens of outraged posts because the US special envoy Witkoff called Putin a "humanist." But no one is writing about the fact that the American negotiators are simply not doing their job. Let me explain.
Peace negotiations are important in their own right. Even if asting peace, the process itself is an opportunity to resolve urgent humanitarian issues. If, of course, the human dimension is a priority for the negotiators. But it is entirely obvious that neither Witkoff nor Kushner cares about people's fates in this war.
The Pope calls on Putin to save thousands of people from starvation in occupied Oleshky and the surrounding villages. The UN speaks about a humanitarian catastrophe and asks Russia to allow the evacuation of the civilian population. European Parliament Vice-President Pina Picierno goes on a hunger strike to draw attention to this tragedy unfolding before the eyes of the whole world.
And what are Witkoff and Kushner doing?
That's right, almost nothing.
Except for passing along greetings from Putin’s aide to the First Lady.
Thousands of people are already eating grass to survive and begging to save their lives. The Ukrainian side raises the issue of Oleshky at every meeting. And I can name dozens of such urgent humanitarian issues off the top of my head where American negotiators must be proactive.
Trump’s peace negotiations have already gone down in history as the deadliest years for Ukraine’s civilian population since the start of the full-scale invasion.
I don’t know if anyone will remember the names of Witkoff and Kushner.
But history will certainly record how American negotiators, who had the opportunity to save a huge number of people, refused to raise uncomfortable questions before "humanist Putin."
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
Absurd simpering obsequiousness from a representative of the most powerful country on earth, and another American humiliation, to add to the growing, growing list.
Steve Witkoff to Putin:
You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian.
You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again.
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
"Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine. They haven't been doing much."
- President Trump, earlier today
- President Trump, earlier today
A horrific Russian strike in the Kharkiv region. A “shahed” struck people directly – in a park near an ordinary café. Pure atrocity. Six people were killed, including children. A little girl was killed in a stroller – her name was Angelina, she was just over a year old, born in ’s name was Inna. She died in the hospital… Another girl who was killed was 11 years old. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Another 14 people were injured, including six more children.
I am grateful to everyone who supports Ukraine under these circumstances and helps us shoot down “shaheds,” shoot down missiles, and stop Russian assaults. These are horrific photos, but behind them are shattered lives and the truth about this war. Lives must be protected. Ukraine needs air defense. You can't think about making money with Russia as long as it continues its asinine war. We ask that sanctions on Russia stay in place as long as the killings continue. We ask America to be strong, and we ask it to apply the Lindsey Graham law. We ask Europe to continue its support. We ask that everything possible be done to bring peace and guarantee security. Ukraine wants peace. It is Russia that has insisted on continuing the killing all this time. The world has enough strength to stop the war. That strength must finally be used – against the murderers.
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
Let me repeat what I said earlier:
My late father arrived in the UK in 1966 as a legal immigrant. He and his fellow Indian immigrants didn’t claim the entire country was theirs, didn’t kick 100s of 1000s of Brits out of their homes, and didn’t set up an Indian ethno-national state in the UK. If you’re too dumb or dishonest to understand the difference between normal, legal immigration and settler colonialism, that’s on you, not me.
My late father arrived in the UK in 1966 as a legal immigrant. He and his fellow Indian immigrants didn’t claim the entire country was theirs, didn’t kick 100s of 1000s of Brits out of their homes, and didn’t set up an Indian ethno-national state in the UK. If you’re too dumb or dishonest to understand the difference between normal, legal immigration and settler colonialism, that’s on you, not me.
Mehdi Hasan was born in England. His father was born in India.
He is now in America. His Indian family are in England.
All of them are colonizers.
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
It’s easy to criticize me for a mistake I made 7 months ago. But what’s your plan to fix the damage I’ve caused?
JD Vance: "I see what Abdul El-Sayed says about the war in Iran. I see him criticizing decisions the president has made, the military has made. But fundamentally we are where we are. In my view, I'd like to know what's Abdul El-Sayed's solution for the problem we have right now? something that happened 7 months ago."
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
He says the name just fine when he’s begging the Qataris for a personal jet or the Saudis for funding for his son-in-law’s private equity firm.
Wonder what’s changed?
Wonder what’s changed?
Trump on El-Sayed: "His name is actually Abduladadalalalala. It's Adulbabababababa Mohammed Al-Sayed. So his middle name is Mohammed. So I was right. He's a jihadist."
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
Truly disgusting what the Republican Party and parts of our media have normalized on this country. Just open naked racism and bigotry and mockery of minorities. Can you imagine a Muhammad or Abdullah in the schoolground getting bullied by kids who heard the president do it first?
Trump on El-Sayed: I’m the president. I can call you whatever the hell I want Muhammad. His name is actually Abdullahalalalala baa ba ba Muhammad El-Sayed. So his middle name is Muhammad. I was right.. almost.
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
i do think it's concerning that the government is seeking to legislate against consenting adults viewing film of consenting adults engaging in legal activity. but the problem is saying that makes you sound like a turbo-pervert
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
Literally the definition of racism, per the federal government.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) classifies the phrase "go back to where you came from" as a form of potentially unlawful national origin or race-based harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) classifies the phrase "go back to where you came from" as a form of potentially unlawful national origin or race-based harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Trump on Ilhan Omar: "She ought to go back to her own country"
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Jonathan Lis retweeted
She was engaged to your son, raised money for your campaigns, spoke at your convention, and you nominated her for ambassador. But sure, Donald, practically a stranger.
Trump: Kimberly Guilfoyle was not a member of my family. I guess she dated my son a long time ago. I didn’t like what I read.
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