Crash Course: Salon Talks with Marie Yovanovitch, former US ambassador to Ukraine

Plus: Madison Cawthorn's cocaine orgy kerfuffle and more Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Andrew-O'Hehir-interviewing-Marie-Yovanovitch-on-Salon-Talks](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0QlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL3R2L3ZpZGVvLzBibWowNlcDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Salon’s interview with Marie Yovanovitch Executive Editor Andrew O’Hehir sat down for a “Salon Talks” conversation with Marie Yovanovitch, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, about the war and Ukraine’s “uncommon courage” has inspired the world. “ There is no reason for this war,” Yovanovitch tells Andrew. “Ukraine was not a threat to Russia, and yet here we are.” [Watch the conversation](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0QlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL3R2L3ZpZGVvLzBibWowNlcDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) or [read the transcript](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvbWFyaWUteW92YW5vdml0Y2gtb24tdHJ1bXAtcHV0aW4temVsZW5za3l5LXVrcmFpbmVzLWNvdXJhZ2UtYW5kLXRoZS1mdXR1cmUtb2YtZGVtb2NyYWN5L1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to learn more about why Yovanovitch is “surprised by the incompetence” on Russia’s part, as well as her thoughts on NATO, Putin’s state of mind and Trump’s “betrayal of the American people.” [Madison-Cawthorn-and-Kevin-McCarthy] (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) What Madison Cawthorn's “cocaine and orgies” kerfuffle reveals about the GOP Essentially, Amanda Marcotte argues, Republicans have gotten comfortable dishing out baseless insinuations and accusations of depravity aimed at their political enemies — Democrats, liberal judges, even Disney — but when one of their own uses the QAnon playbook against them, GOP leadership can’t take it. Freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., recently went on a podcast to dish about colleagues (read: fellow conservatives) whom he claims have invited him to "a sexual get together at one of our homes" and to reveal that he’s even seen “a key bump of cocaine” done right in front of him. OK, then! Now Republican leaders are calling him out for it, and even endorsing his primary challenger. [Keep reading for Amanda’s analysis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvbWFkaXNvbi1jYXd0aG9ybnMtY29jYWluZS1hbmQtb3JnaWVzLWJyb3VoYWhhLWJsb3dzLXVwLXRoZS1nb3BzLXFhbm9uLXBsYW4vVwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). Promotion from Gdfstudio [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvczF3b2I2MDgzZlcDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Chic & Affordable! [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvczF3b2I2MDgzZlcDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Jan. 6 [DOJ probe expands to Trump “VIPs”](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvZG9qLWphbi02LWNyaW1pbmFsLWV4cGFuZHMtdG8tdmlwcy1hbmQtcG90ZW50aWFsLWludm9sdmVtZW50LW9mLW1lbWJlcnMtb2YtY29uZ3Jlc3MtcmVwb3J0L1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) — and maybe members of Congress - Sorry, Joe Rogan —[ ivermectin doesn’t keep COVID patients out of the hospital](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvam9lLXJvZ2Fucy1mYXZvcml0ZS1kb2VzbnQtc2VlbS10by1oZWxwLWF0LWFsbC1zdHVkeS1jb25jbHVkZXMvVwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), says a new study - Florida Sen. Rick Scott [thinks of himself as a general](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvcmljay1zY290dC1kZXNjcmliZXMtYS1jaXZpbC1pbi10aGUtc2VuYXRlLWNvbXBhcmVzLWhpbXNlbGYtdG8tdWx5c3Nlcy1zLWdyYW50L1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) in the GOP civil war - Chauncey Devega on how [Ted Cruz earns his "whiteness"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvdGVkLWNydXotZWFybnMtaGlzLXdoaXRlbmVzcy10aGUtb24ta2V0YW5qaS1icm93bi1qYWNrc29uL1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~): The Republican attack on Ketanji Brown Jackson - Salon’s review of "You Won't Be Alone": A [sensual and gory shapeshifting film](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEveW91LXdvbnQtYmUtYWxvbmUtcmV2aWV3L1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) that pushes back at society - Meet your new salty-sweet snack obsession: [Maple bacon bark](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvbWFwbGUtYmFjb24tYmFyay1pcy15b3VyLW5ldy1zYWx0eS1zd2VldC1hZGRpY3Rpb24vVwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Donald-Trump-shaking-hands-with-Vladimir-Putin-in-Helsinki-2018] (Photo by Yuri Kadobnov/AFP via Getty Images) We didn't start the fire — Trump and Putin did. But we've got to put it out Veteran White House correspondent Brian Karem was recently in Ukraine ([read his reporting](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMjIvcmVwb3J0LWZyb20tdWtyYWluZS1saWZlLWdvZXMtb24tYW5kLXNwaXJpdHMtcmVtYWluLWhpZ2gtLXB1dGluLXdhc250LWNvdW50aW5nLW9uLXRoYXQvVwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [from the field](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0Q-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMjQvdWtyYWluZS1yZXBvcnQtdGVuc2lvbi1yaXNlcy9XA3NwY0IKYj1F20Zi_FsbR1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)) and on his way home, he stopped in Poland [to cover President Joe Biden’s visit](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMjkvYmlkZW5zLWJpZ2dlc3QtbWlzdGFrZS1pdC13YXNudC13aGF0LWhlLXNhaWQtYWJvdXQtcHV0aW4tLWl0LXdhcy10YWtpbmctaXQtYmFjay9XA3NwY0IKYj1F20Zi_FsbR1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). In his latest column for Salon, Karem reflected on the outsized reactions to Biden’s remarks about Putin ("For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power”) and [the endless attention paid to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzAvZm94LW5ld3MtYW5jaG9yLXNsYW1zLWJpZGVuLWZvci1yZWZ1c2luZy10by1jb21tZW50LW9uLXdpbGwtc21pdGhzLXNsYXAvVwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) during the Oscars telecast by recalling a metaphor he heard from a Ukrainian woman who lived for a while in the U.S.: “She told me that life here had reminded her of a runaway hay wagon on fire rolling into a small village. Instead of fleeing or trying to put the flames out, the American people argue about who's at fault for starting the fire while the village burns.” As Brian has discovered, that metaphor can be extended all sorts of ways — from the White House briefing room to Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course. [Read his latest column](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvd2UtZGlkbnQtc3RhcnQtdGhlLS1hbmQtcHV0aW4tZGlkLWJ1dC13ZXZlLWdvdC10by1wdXQtaXQtb3V0L1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). - “She Took the White House Photos. Trump Moved to Take the Profit,” [New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8zMS91cy9wb2xpdGljcy90cnVtcC1waG90b2dyYXBoZXItc2hlYWxhaC1jcmFpZ2hlYWQuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - “Big Stock Sales Are Supposed to Be Secret. The Numbers Indicate They Aren’t,” [Wall Street Journal](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud3NqLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlcy9iaWctc3RvY2stc2FsZXMtYXJlLXN1cHBvc2VkLXRvLWJlLXNlY3JldC10aGUtbnVtYmVycy1pbmRpY2F0ZS10aGV5LWFyZW50LTExNjQ4NjQ3OTE0VwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - “After 10 years, Girls Who Code ‘made coding cool’ — but toxic tech culture means ‘there’s still such a long way to go’,” [CNBC](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25iYy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy8zMS9naXJscy13aG8tY29kZS10YWNrbGluZy10b3hpYy10ZWNoLWN1bHR1cmUtb24taXRzLTEwdGgtYW5uaXZlcnNhcnkuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - “CNN+ has Quibi Vibes,” [Vulture](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudnVsdHVyZS5jb20vMjAyMi8wMy9jbm4tcGx1cy1uZXdzLWFwcC1yZXZpZXcuaHRtbD91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bnltJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09czEmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT10d1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) [Hand-holding-up-a-model-of-a-fetus-in-front-of-the-Supreme-Court-building.] (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Five fetuses found at D.C. home of anti-abortion activist indicted by DOJ The grisly [discovery](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMzEvZGNzLW9mLWhvcnJvci1tdWx0aXBsZS1mZXR1c2VzLWZvdW5kLWF0LWhvbWUtb2YtYW50aS1hYm9ydGlvbi1hY3RpdmlzdC1pbmRpY3RlZC1ieS1kb2ovVwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) in the home of Lauren Handy came after police received a tip about potential biohazard material on the premises. Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmI9RdtGYvxbG0dSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkKWBDP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpiPUXbRmL8WxtHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)