Spanberger’s State of the Union Rebuttal and the Limits of the Democratic Party’s Centrism

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(Photo by Mike Kropf/Getty Images)

The mask slipped. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger took the stage to deliver the Democratic rebuttal to President Trump’s State of the Union, and conservatives immediately pounced. Spanberger, who campaigned as a “moderate,” framed her remarks around “affordability” and a critique of Trump’s immigration enforcement. But online reaction from the right was swift and unforgiving. Her speech drew fire for highlighting school walkouts over ICE activity, defending her party’s economic agenda, and sharply criticizing the president. “This Spanberger speech can basically be summed up as ‘I AM A DEMOCRAT WHO IS MODERATE AND NORMAL. PLEASE BELIEVE I AM MODERATE AND NORMAL,’”

The Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations: Newsom Shredded for ‘Moronic’ Statement [Watch]

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(Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a man widely thought to harbor White House ambitions, found himself in the familiar modern storm: a viral clip, a moment meant as a connection recast as condescension. At a book event in Atlanta, speaking with Mayor Andre Dickens, Newsom leaned into self-deprecation, triggering a multitude of racist accusations. “I’m not, you know, I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, I’m like you. I’m no better than you,” he said. Then came the line that traveled. “You know, I’m a 960 SAT guy. And, you know, and I’m not trying

Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy Draws a Line on Pilot Hiring: Merit-Based Only

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(Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has ordered U.S. airlines to implement merit-based hiring processes for pilots, requiring each carrier to certify that selected candidates are chosen solely on the basis of experience and aptitude. Failure to comply could invite federal investigation. It is, on its face, a bureaucratic adjustment — an “Operations Specification.” But it is also a cultural marker. “When families board their aircraft, they should fly with confidence knowing the pilot behind the controls is the best of the best. The American people don’t care what their pilot looks like or their gender — they just care that they

The Great Climate Reset: Trump, Zeldin Rollback Obama-Era Climate Doctrine [Watch]

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(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

On Thursday, the Trump administration moved against what has long been the central pillar of modern federal climate regulation: the 2009 Obama EPA “Endangerment Finding.” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced he will eliminate the declaration that greenhouse gases “endanger the public health and welfare of current and future generations,” a judgment that set in motion most federal vehicle emissions standards. The finding followed the Supreme Court’s ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, which held that greenhouse gases qualify as air pollutants and may be regulated if deemed a threat to public health or welfare. From that determination flowed a thicket of

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