June 14

It was one year ago today that a right-wing zealot shot and killed the former speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and her husband, after shooting and severely wounding a member of the State Senate and his wife — both in their homes in the middle of the night while he pretended to be a cop. He had a list of dozens of other elected Democrats and abortion advocates in his fake cop car, along with their addresses. 

When he pleaded guilty to his crimes in federal court last week, he admitted that he followed Melissa Hortman into her house, after initially wounding her, to shoot her directly in the head, killing her. 

Today, on that first anniversary, our Dear Leader is having a party, pretending that it's in honor of the 250th anniversary of this country. But it's really because it's his 80th birthday, and also it's probably not a bad think that it's a wink and nod to the ugliest part of his base that it coincides with the first anniversary of Vance Boelter's campaign of murder. 

These are the BlueSky posts I have accumulated about Trump's celebration of self over the past four days. Everything below the line is in chronological order, and is quoted from the attributed account.

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It seems overnight the White House has been replaced by a Monster Energy Drink branded UFC cage:


Kate Klonick

I remember when “Obama watches too much basketball” was a criticism that was lobbed from the both sides of the aisle.
@chadstanton.blacksky.app

All the people crying that we need  “regular sports guy” Dems are the same people who told Obama—an absolute regular sports guy—to tone it down.
@rahulastrohl.bsky.social

The thing for me about the UFC fight is not just that it's happening and the cost, but that Trump is planning it while he continually fails to end an absolutely disastrous war. Just another weekend in the Trump White House that would have been a Presidency-ending scandal for Obama.
Gravel Influencer

Some serious Hunger Games energy right here:


Patrick Chovanec

"It's a republic, not a democracy" say the people cheering for gladiatorial combat in the capital city in a mixture of patriotic fervor and celebration of the ruler's birthday.
Jacob T. Levy

The promotion for Trump's UFC cage fight says “The most historic sporting event of all time.” The NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup and the World Cup are all going on right now. This is maybe the fourth biggest sporting event of the weekend.
Kevin M. Kruse

The perfect name for this time of oligarchs: “the Re-Gilded Age.” [Prompted by Trump's regilding of Arts of War sculptures near the Lincoln Memorial.]
Sherrilyn Ifill

I object to the stuff this administration has done to the White House because it’s ours, and not theirs to destroy. But I’m having a visceral and personal reaction to [the activities] at the Lincoln Memorial. They’re trying to usurp the rights of citizens and make us all gawking spectators to their carnival.
Anjali Dayal

Remembering a multi-day conservative freakout because Lizzo briefly played a founding father’s flute
Patrick Monahan @pattymo.com

Trump used the Armed Forces Full Honor Cordon — soldiers who escort fallen heroes and heads of state — to usher UFC fighters past Abraham Lincoln’s statue like they’re celebrities on a red carpet.
Jennifer C @thejenniwren.teamlh.social

the real political correctness is that you can’t go on the news and say that this is hick shit:


Peter @notalawyer.bsky.social

It’s funny because when kids ride dirt bikes in the city it’s taken as proof we need a totalitarian police state. 
@chadstanton.blacksky.app

Donald Trump's birthday is a great time to remember that Hillary Clinton won by a larger margin in 2016 than he won by in 2024.
Dean Baker