Crash Course: Trumpworld is “catatonic” over his MAGA midterm failure

"We have a Trump problem," a Republican complained to Fox News [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci82MjQ2VwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images) “Biggest loser tonight”: Trumpworld is “catatonic” over his MAGA midterm failure Prominent current and former supporters of Donald Trump have cast blame on the former president after the widely hyped "red wave" [failed to materialize](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDgvbm8tc2lnbnMtb2YtYS1yZWQtd2F2ZS0tYnV0LWxpa2VseS10by13aW4taG91c2Utd2l0aC1zZW5hdGUtdG9vLWNsb3NlLXRvLWNhbGwvVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) in Tuesday's midterm elections. Republicans may still win control of the House but the race is currently a dead heat, and will definitely not yield the huge majority the GOP expected to pick up. Democrats have a decent [chance to hold the Senate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDgvbm8tc2lnbnMtb2YtYS1yZWQtd2F2ZS0tYnV0LWxpa2VseS10by13aW4taG91c2Utd2l0aC1zZW5hdGUtdG9vLWNsb3NlLXRvLWNhbGwvVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) after Trump-backed candidates like Don Bolduc in New Hampshire and Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania failed to defeat their Democratic opponents. Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania and Tudor Dixon in Michigan also lost their races. Overall, this appears to be one of the worst performances by an "out party" in a midterm for many years, more like a stalemate than like the famous Republican wins of 2010 and 1994, when they successfully pushed back against an unpopular Democratic president, or for that matter like the Democratic "blue wave" of 2018. [Read the rest from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvYmlnZ2VzdC1sb3Nlci10b25pZ2h0LXRydW1wd29ybGQtaXMtY2F0YXRvbmljLW92ZXItaGlzLW1hZ2EtbWlkdGVybS1mYWlsdXJlL1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) The Dobbs effect is real: Voters, still angry about the Roe overturn, turned out to protect abortion [Is the Dobbs effect fading?](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucG9saXRpY28uY29tL25ld3NsZXR0ZXJzL3BsYXlib29rLzIwMjIvMTAvMTAvaXMtdGhlLWRvYmJzLWVmZmVjdC1mYWRpbmctMDAwNjEwOTdXA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)" blared a headline from October 10 at Politico Playbook, the nerve center for the smug centrist take on Beltway politics. The story helped kick off a month of hand-wringing in the press about how abortion was fading from voters' minds. Over the summer, there had been a massive national backlash to Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, [the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjQvdGhlLWVuZC1vZi1yb2Utdi13YWRlLWFtZXJpY2FuLWRlbW9jcmFjeS1pcy1jb2xsYXBzaW5nL1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Over the past few weeks, however, pundits insisted, fears about reproductive rights were replaced with concerns about inflation. (Even though, [as the talking heads carefully avoided noting](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjEvcGxlYXNlLW1lZGlhLXN0b3AtcGl0dGluZy1hYm9ydGlvbi1hZ2FpbnN0LWluZmxhdGlvbi0tc3Vjay1vbi1ib3RoLWlzc3Vlcy9XA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), Republicans are a serious threat to the economy as well.) Mid-October, [MSNBC pundit Mike Barnicle summed up the argument](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RJaHR0cHM6Ly9jcm9va3NhbmRsaWFycy5jb20vMjAyMi8xMC9zdGFjZXktYWJyYW1zLXNsYXBzLWRvd24tbWlrZS1iYXJuaWNsZVcDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) by arguing that "while abortion is an issue, it nowhere reaches the level of interest of voters in terms of the cost of gas, food, bread, milk, things like that." "[Democrats' Reliance on Abortion for Midterms May Not Be Enough](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudXNuZXdzLmNvbS9uZXdzL3BvbGl0aWNzL2FydGljbGVzLzIwMjItMTAtMTEvZGVtb2NyYXRzLXJlbGlhbmNlLW9uLWFib3J0aW9uLWZvci1taWR0ZXJtcy1tYXktbm90LWJlLWVub3VnaFcDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)," read a USA Today headline, ignoring that the mythical Democrat who only campaigns on abortion is a strawman. In a classic of the circular-firing-squad genre, the[ New York Times ran a piece elevating those who](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RgaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS8yMDIyLzExLzAxL3VzL3BvbGl0aWNzL21pZHRlcm0tZWxlY3Rpb25zLXdvcnJ5aW5nLWRlbW9jcmF0cy1zdHJhdGVneS5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) "say there has been too much focus on abortion rights and too little attention on worries about crime or the cost of living." [Read the rest from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvYXJlLXN0aWxsLWFuZ3J5LW92ZXItdGhlLXJvZS1vdmVydHVybi0tYWJvcnRpb24tcmlnaHRzLXdpbi1iaWctYWNyb3NzLXRoZS11cy9XA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvaGVyc2NoZWwtd2Fsa2VyLWFuZC1yYXBoYWVsLXdhcm5vY2stc2V0LWZvci1hLXJ1bm9mZi9XA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) set for a runoff - [Talking turtles?](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvdGFsa2luZy10dXJ0bGVzLWEtbmV3LXN0dWR5LXJldmVhbHMtdGhhdC1pbi10aGVpci1vd24tc3BlY2lhbC13YXktdHVydGxlcy1jaGF0LXdpdGgtZWFjaC1vdGhlci9XA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) A new study reveals that, in their own special way, turtles chat with each other - What was so captivating about the "[rotisserie chicken guy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvd2hhdC13YXMtc28tY2FwdGl2YXRpbmctYWJvdXQtdGhlLXJvdGlzc2VyaWUtY2hpY2tlbi1ndXktYXRlLTQwLXdob2xlLWJpcmRzLWluLTQwLWRheS9XA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)" who ate 40 whole birds in 40 days? - "Knives are out for Kevin": [McCarthy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkva25pdmVzLWFyZS1vdXQtZm9yLWtldmluLW1jY2FydGh5cy1kcmVhbS1vZi1iZWNvbWluZy1zcGVha2VyLWp1c3QtYmVjYW1lLWEtbmlnaHRtYXJlL1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)'s dream of becoming House speaker just became a nightmare - Five states just voted on [legalizing recreational marijuana](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvZml2ZS1zdGF0ZXMtanVzdC12b3RlZC1vbi1sZWdhbGl6aW5nLXJlY3JlYXRpb25hbC1tYXJpanVhbmEtdGhlc2UtYXJlLXRoZS1yZXN1bHRzL1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). These are the results - "Unprecedented irregularities": [MAGA election losers](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvdW5wcmVjZWRlbnRlZC1pcnJlZ3VsYXJpdGllcy1tYWdhLWxvc2Vycy1zdG9rZS1jb25zcGlyYWNpZXMtYW5kLXJlZnVzZS10by1jb25jZWRlL1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) stoke conspiracies and refuse to concede - [“Andor”](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvYW5kb3ItZGFyay1zaWRlLWxhYm9yLWV4cGxvaXRhdGlvbi1vZmZpY2UvVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) shows how exploitation leads to the Dark Side, from bureaucratic drudgery to prison labor - "I should not be blamed at all": [Trump](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvaS1zaG91bGQtbm90LWJlLWJsYW1lZC1hdC1hbGwtdGhyb3dzLWhpcy1tYWdhLWNhbmRpZGF0ZXMtdW5kZXItdGhlLWJ1cy1hZnRlci1taWR0ZXJtLWxvc3Nlcy9XA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) throws his MAGA candidates under the bus after midterm losses - "How is this not a red wave?": Fox News struggles to cope with "how to explain" [GOP midterm failure](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvaG93LWlzLXRoaXMtbm90LWEtcmVkLXdhdmUtZm94LW5ld3Mtc3RydWdnbGVzLXRvLWNvcGUtd2l0aC1ob3ctdG8tZXhwbGFpbi1taWR0ZXJtLWZhaWx1cmUvVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - [Autism and gender dysphoria](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0Q-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvYXV0aXNtLWdlbmRlci1keXNwaG9yaWEtbGluay9XA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) are linked, according to a study - [What "red wave"?](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDgvbm8tc2lnbnMtb2YtYS1yZWQtd2F2ZS0tYnV0LWxpa2VseS10by13aW4taG91c2Utd2l0aC1zZW5hdGUtdG9vLWNsb3NlLXRvLWNhbGwvVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Democrats on the verge of major November surprise Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) After the GOP's midterm stinkbomb, the Trump-DeSantis 2024 throwdown is next It appears the pollsters were more or less right in predicting a very close election, within the margin of error — but pundits and analysts were dead wrong in assuming that meant that the "hidden" Trump voters would sweep in and deliver a sweeping victory to the Republicans. They insisted that the "fundamentals" all pointed that way: The out party always wins in midterms and "it's the economy, stupid," along with "crime," the great Republican bogeyman, meaning the Democrats were toast. Well, so much for that. [Read the rest from Heather Digby Parton.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvYWZ0ZXItdGhlLWdvcHMtbWlkdGVybS1zdGlua2JvbWItdGhlLWRlc2FudGlzLTIwMjQtdGhyb3dkb3duLWlzLW5leHQvVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Protester hurls eggs at King Charles III, decrying slavery," [The Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3dvcmxkLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkva2luZy1jaGFybGVzLXVrLWVnZ3MvP3V0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj13cF9tYWluJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09c29jaWFsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9dHdpdHRlclcDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Adidas will continue to sell Kanye West’s shoe designs without the Yeezy name," [CNN](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0SkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25uLmNvbS8yMDIyLzExLzA5L2J1c2luZXNzL2FkaWRhcy1rYW55ZS13ZXN0LXllZXp5LWxpbmUvaW5kZXguaHRtbD91dG1fc291cmNlPXR3Q05OJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09c29jaWFsJnV0bV90ZXJtPWxpbmsmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9MjAyMi0xMS0wOVQyMCUzQTE2JTNBNTJXA3NwY0IKY2PN52xj45mv71IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "10-year-old student may face battery charge after hugging school counselor," [NBC News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJjbmV3cy5jb20vbmV3cy91cy1uZXdzLzEwLXllYXItb2xkLXN0dWRlbnQtaHVnZ2VkLXNjaG9vbC1jb3Vuc2Vsb3Itbm93LWZhY2luZy1jaGFyZ2VzLWFjY3VzZWQtcmNuYTU2MzU1VwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "A Trans Influencer Was Arrested in Miami. They Put Her in a Men’s Unit," [Rolling Stone](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucm9sbGluZ3N0b25lLmNvbS9jdWx0dXJlL2N1bHR1cmUtbmV3cy9pbmZsdWVuY2VyLW5pa2l0YS1kcmFndW4tYXJyZXN0LTEyMzQ2Mjc5MjgvVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) (Getty Images) Ohio man killed his neighbor because “he thought he was a Democrat,” family says A southwest Ohio man shot and killed his neighbor because he believed he was a Democrat, according to the victim's family. Austin Gene Combs was taken into custody by Butler County sheriff's deputies just before noon Monday after the shooting was reported in Okeana, and investigators found Anthony Lee King dead from multiple gunshot wounds, [reported theÂ](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0TTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuam91cm5hbC1uZXdzLmNvbS9uZXdzL21hbi1jaGFyZ2VkLXdpdGgtbXVyZGVyLWluLXNob290aW5nLWRlYXRoLW9mLW5laWdoYm9yLW91dHNpZGUtYnV0bGVyLWNvdW50eS1ob21lL1hBTE9FUktEWTVDNURFUEFHUklXSUpVQkxZLz9mYmNsaWQ9SXdBUjFNalFfV2Y2dDdSZXJDUlQ1aDN2ZF9UWnpxUHRTRzhpem41XzRod2tPTjlhS0szbDRBRFlwcjJsOFcDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)[Journal-News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0TTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuam91cm5hbC1uZXdzLmNvbS9uZXdzL21hbi1jaGFyZ2VkLXdpdGgtbXVyZGVyLWluLXNob290aW5nLWRlYXRoLW9mLW5laWdoYm9yLW91dHNpZGUtYnV0bGVyLWNvdW50eS1ob21lL1hBTE9FUktEWTVDNURFUEFHUklXSUpVQkxZLz9mYmNsaWQ9SXdBUjFNalFfV2Y2dDdSZXJDUlQ1aDN2ZF9UWnpxUHRTRzhpem41XzRod2tPTjlhS0szbDRBRFlwcjJsOFcDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). "My neighbor just shot my dad," the victim's son told dispatchers. "[He] has come over multiple times making statements. He's insane." [Read the rest from Travis Gettys.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvb2hpby1tYW4taGlzLW5laWdoYm9yLWJlY2F1c2UtaGUtdGhvdWdodC1oZS13YXMtYS1kZW1vY3JhdC1mYW1pbHktc2F5c19wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) 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~/RgRlT2zNP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmNjzedsY-OZr-9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlT2zNP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjY83nbGPjma_vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)