Crash Course: Did Christian nationalism lose in the midterms? Sort of — but it's not going away

Mastriano took a beatdown, Boebert's in trouble and Trump is tarnished. But religious extremists are still with us [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci82Mjg3VwNzcGNCCmNjTjluY-0Jx4JSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Did Christian nationalism lose in the midterms? Sort of — but it's not going away Amid conservatives' disappointed hopes for a "red wave" in the midterm elections, one of the biggest losses appeared, at first, to be the ideological movement of Christian nationalism. In Pennsylvania, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano — who rejects the label "Christian nationalist" but perhaps best exemplifies it, with his [campaign](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMDQvaGVzLW9uLWEtbWlzc2lvbi1mcm9tLWdvZC1wZW5uc3lsdmFuaWEtY2FuZGlkYXRlLWRvdWctbWFzdHJpYW5vcy13aXRoLXRoZS13b3JsZC9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) full of prophets, shofars and spiritual warfare — was trounced at the polls by Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro. In Colorado, far-right Rep. Lauren Boebert, who just this summer [declared](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvbGF1cmVuLWJvZWJlcnQtY2h1cmNoLXN0YXRlLWNvbG9yYWRvL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) she was "tired of this separation of church and state junk," narrowly trails her Democratic opponent (in one of this election's biggest surprises) and ended Tuesday night with the sour-grapes [prayer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0Q7aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9wYXRyaW90dGFrZXMvc3RhdHVzLzE1OTAzOTE5NDM3MjA0NzI1NzdXA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), "Jesus, it doesn't matter who is in office because you are king." [Read the rest from Kathryn Joyce.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvZGlkLWNocmlzdGlhbi1uYXRpb25hbGlzbS1sb3NlLWluLXRoZS1taWR0ZXJtcy1zb3J0LW9mLS1idXQtaXRzLW5vdC1nb2luZy1hd2F5L1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) “Coordinated effort across Fox News, WSJ and NY Post”: Rupert Murdoch dumps "biggest loser" Trump Right-wing billionaire Rupert Murdoch's media outlets are pleading for the Republican Party to move on from former President Donald Trump after a disappointing midterm showing by the GOP. Murdoch's outlets — which include Fox News, The New York Post and The Wall Street Journal — have blasted Trump with a barrage of negative headlines while boosting Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the future of the party. The New York Post, which dubbed the Florida governor ["DeFuture"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkvYmlnZ2VzdC1sb3Nlci10b25pZ2h0LXRydW1wd29ybGQtaXMtY2F0YXRvbmljLW92ZXItaGlzLW1hZ2EtbWlkdGVybS1mYWlsdXJlL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) on Wednesday, followed up on Thursday with a brutal cover labeling him "Trumpty Dumpty." [Read the rest from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvY29vcmRpbmF0ZWQtZWZmb3J0LWFjcm9zcy1mb3gtbmV3cy13c2otYW5kLW55LXBvc3QtcnVwZXJ0LW11cmRvY2gtZHVtcHMtYmlnZ2VzdC1sb3Nlci9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [JonBenet Ramsey](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvam9uYmVuZXQtcmFtc2V5LWNhc2UtdG8tYmUtcmUtaW52ZXN0aWdhdGVkLWJ5LWNvbGQtY2FzZS1yZXZpZXctdGVhbS1pbi0yMDIzL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) case to be re-investigated by cold case review team in 2023 - Trump-appointed judge greenlights "unusual" $4 billion special dividend in [mega supermarket merger](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvYXBwb2ludGVkLWdyZWVubGlnaHRzLXVudXN1YWwtNC1iaWxsaW9uLXNwZWNpYWwtZGl2aWRlbmQtaW4tbWVnYS1zdXBlcm1hcmtldC1tZXJnZXIvVwNzcGNCCmNjTjluY-0Jx4JSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Everybody wants the picture”: Why [Kevin Nealon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvc25sLWtldmluLW5lYWxvbi1pLWV4YWdnZXJhdGUtc2Fsb24tdGFsa3MvVwNzcGNCCmNjTjluY-0Jx4JSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) learned to draw caricatures when comedy clubs closed - Should you join [Mastodon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvc2hvdWxkLXlvdS1qb2luLW1hc3RvZG9uLWhlcmVzLXdoYXQteW91LW5lZWQtdG8ta25vdy9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)? Here's what you need to know - ["American Horror Story: NYC"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvYW1lcmljYW4taG9ycm9yLXN0b3J5LW55Yy1yZWNhcC1lcGlzb2RlLTctOC9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) is going nowhere, slowly - [Lauren Boebert](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvbGF1cmVuLWJvZWJlcnQtYnJlYWtzLTM2LWhvdXItc2lsZW5jZS1hcy1zaGUtdHJhaWxzLWRlbW9jcmF0LWJ5LTY0LXZvdGVzLXdpdGgtOTUtY291bnRlZC9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) breaks 36-hour silence as she remains locked in razor-tight race - The origins and evolution of the ongoing “[Best Chris](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvYmVzdC1jaHJpcy1ldmFucy1waW5lLWhlbXN3b3J0aC1wcmF0dC1kZWJhdGUtb3JpZ2lucy9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)” debate - [Whoopi Goldberg](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvd2hvb3BpLWdvbGRiZXJnLWxlZnQtdHdpdHRlci10aGUtdmlldy9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) has taken flight from Twitter. But how much does her departure matter? - After the midterms, Trump faces a possibly fatal setback for his [2024 coup](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvYWZ0ZXItdGhlLW1pZHRlcm1zLWZhY2VzLWEtcG9zc2libHktZmF0YWwtc2V0YmFjay1mb3ItaGlzLTIwMjQtY291cC1wbGFucy9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) plans - Can [cannabis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvY2FubmFiaXMtYW50aWJpb3RpY3MvVwNzcGNCCmNjTjluY-0Jx4JSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) help us win the war against antibiotic resistance? - Biden to release transcripts from [Bush and Cheney 9/11 commission](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvYmlkZW4tdG8tcmVsZWFzZS10cmFuc2NyaXB0cy1mcm9tLWJ1c2gtYW5kLWNoZW5leS05MTEtY29tbWlzc2lvbl9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) Joe Biden exhales as "red wave" runs dry: And he can't wait for Trump-DeSantis grudge match I begin with a simple question: Would you want to hold public office? This year's elections make clear that the overwhelming majority of us say no. We all know why. Why do you think politicians suck so bad? Nobody worth a shit wants the job. Or at least few do. Of course, the opposite may be true: Maybe we're all full of shit and politicians do represent the best of us. I'm an optimist, however. I think there are people worth a shit who don't want to be involved in politics. The same can be said of the press. We attract the best and brightest, in a certain sense. We're a First Amendment necessity that makes democracy possible. It's a potentially exciting profession — being on the front lines, witnessing and reporting on history. [Read the rest from Brian Karem.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvam9lLWJpZGVuLWV4aGFsZXMtYXMtcmVkLXdhdmUtcnVucy1kcnktYW5kLWhlLWNhbnQtd2FpdC1mb3ItZGVzYW50aXMtZ3J1ZGdlLW1hdGNoL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Matthew Perry Got The Last Line In The ‘Friends’ Series Finale Per His Request," [Deadline](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0SraHR0cHM6Ly9kZWFkbGluZS5jb20vMjAyMi8xMS9tYXR0aGV3LXBlcnJ5LWdvdC1sYXN0LWxpbmUtc2VyaWVzLWZpbmFsZS1mcmllbmRzLWhpcy1yZXF1ZXN0LTEyMzUxNjgyMDgvP2ZiY2xpZD1Jd0FSMDM2RzdCcU5OWlUtdjFpeVZmOEg0VklxRGhuNWl2YkxUbzFwbEtCMG5xUlAyd2hneG9WdTBvY1MwVwNzcGNCCmNjTjluY-0Jx4JSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Piece of the space shuttle Challenger found by divers in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida," [CBS News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2JzbmV3cy5jb20vbmV3cy9jaGFsbGVuZ2VyLXNwYWNlLXNodXR0bGUtYXJ0aWZhY3QtZm91bmQtZmxvcmlkYS1vY2Vhbi1kaXZlcnMtaGlzdG9yeS1jaGFubmVsL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Chris Rock Sets Live Netflix Comedy Special," [Variety](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RTaHR0cHM6Ly92YXJpZXR5LmNvbS8yMDIyL3R2L25ld3MvY2hyaXMtcm9jay1uZXRmbGl4LWxpdmUtY29tZWR5LXNwZWNpYWwtMTIzNTQyOTU3NC9XA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Elon Musk scraps Twitter’s work from home policy," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3RlY2hub2xvZ3kvMjAyMi9ub3YvMTAvZWxvbi1tdXNrLXNjcmFwcy10d2l0dGVyLXdvcmstaG9tZS1zdGFmZlcDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Dinendra Haria/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) The connection between social media use and vaccine hesitancy People who consume a lot of news on social media are more likely to be skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines and also more hesitant about getting vaccinated, [according to our newly published research](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0QpaHR0cHM6Ly9kb2kub3JnLzEwLjMzODkvZnBzeWcuMjAyMi45MDAzODZXA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). But we found that social media users with higher levels of news literacy have more confidence in COVID-19 shots. Other research has found that heavy reliance on social media [exposed individuals to misinformation related to COVID-19](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0QmaHR0cHM6Ly9kb2kub3JnLzEwLjE3NjQ1L21hYy52OGkyLjMyMTlXA3NwY0IKY2NOOW5j7QnHglIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), especially on the efficacy of vaccines. In the thick of the pandemic in 2020, we measured how skeptical social media users were about the development of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and how likely they would be to get the shot if it were available. [Read the rest from Muhammad E. Rasul, Jaeho Cho & Saifuddin Ahmed](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTAvdGhlLWNvbm5lY3Rpb24tYmV0d2Vlbi1zb2NpYWwtbWVkaWEtdXNlLWFuZC12YWNjaW5lLWhlc2l0YW5jeV9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) 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~/RgRlUL5OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmNjTjluY-0Jx4JSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlUL5OP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjY045bmPtCceCUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)