Jeremy Venook
@jvenook.bsky.social
Lifelong theatre kid and SF sports fan. Proud Biden/Harris alum. Competitive crossword solver and constructor. Currently: NYU Law. He/him/his
Pieces like this reflect more than anything the bone-deep belief among important media folks that there are always Reasonable Conservatives out there, if you’re just willing to look hard enough—and if you can’t find them, you can just make them up
I feel like I'm losing my goddamnned mind.
This op-ed was written by Kathrine Mangu-Ward. Katherine is editor-in-chief of Reason magazine.
Reason fired @shikhadalmia.bsky.social for being too anti-Trump.
This op-ed was written by Kathrine Mangu-Ward. Katherine is editor-in-chief of Reason magazine.
Reason fired @shikhadalmia.bsky.social for being too anti-Trump.
Opinion | Libertarians Tried to Warn You About Trump
www.nytimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Pieces like this reflect more than anything the bone-deep belief among important media folks that there are always Reasonable Conservatives out there, if you’re just willing to look hard enough—and if you can’t find them, you can just make them up
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
…that the Trump White House spent a year dramatically overplaying its hand is such a profound understatement that I think much of the media and our broader politics will only be able to unpack it as such until after multiple future election cycles are in the rear view
February 9, 2026 at 1:29 PM
…that the Trump White House spent a year dramatically overplaying its hand is such a profound understatement that I think much of the media and our broader politics will only be able to unpack it as such until after multiple future election cycles are in the rear view
This person has had de facto hiring and veto authority over high-ranking administration officials
Italians, your white card has been revoked. Stefani Germanotta is a perfidious latin
February 9, 2026 at 1:23 PM
This person has had de facto hiring and veto authority over high-ranking administration officials
I mean, the last time a pope was in the same place as JD Vance…
The Vatican said Sunday that Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV is not expected to visit the United States this year, dashing hopes of a triumphant homecoming tour by the new pontiff in 2026.
Vatican announces Pope Leo will not visit U.S. this year
Pope Leo’s decision not to visit the U.S. in 2026 reflects his desire to emphasize the importance of other parts of the Catholic world.
wapo.st
February 8, 2026 at 8:09 PM
I mean, the last time a pope was in the same place as JD Vance…
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
“It’s illegal not to like me” part ♾️ bsky.app/profile/jake...
The president is now attacking a US Olympian as a “Loser” and misrepresenting his words for his mild unspecified criticisms about things going on in the US right now.
February 8, 2026 at 6:47 PM
“It’s illegal not to like me” part ♾️ bsky.app/profile/jake...
God now I’m bracing for the inevitable “Bad Bunny is bad for Democrats” takes when he says something anti-ICE, even though a) the broader public is incredibly skeptical of what ICE has been doing and b) Democrats played no role in picking him to play the Super Bowl
I keep thinking about when Mike Johnson was asked about the NFL getting Bad Bunny to play the halftime show and he responded by saying they should find "someone who appeals to a broader audience" like... 82-year-old Lee Greenwood.
Really shows how much of a bubble the right lives in.
Really shows how much of a bubble the right lives in.
February 8, 2026 at 3:03 PM
God now I’m bracing for the inevitable “Bad Bunny is bad for Democrats” takes when he says something anti-ICE, even though a) the broader public is incredibly skeptical of what ICE has been doing and b) Democrats played no role in picking him to play the Super Bowl
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
I keep thinking about when Mike Johnson was asked about the NFL getting Bad Bunny to play the halftime show and he responded by saying they should find "someone who appeals to a broader audience" like... 82-year-old Lee Greenwood.
Really shows how much of a bubble the right lives in.
Really shows how much of a bubble the right lives in.
February 8, 2026 at 2:46 PM
I keep thinking about when Mike Johnson was asked about the NFL getting Bad Bunny to play the halftime show and he responded by saying they should find "someone who appeals to a broader audience" like... 82-year-old Lee Greenwood.
Really shows how much of a bubble the right lives in.
Really shows how much of a bubble the right lives in.
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
the most impactful thing Elon Musk has ever done or will ever do regarding science and innovation in this country is illegally cut billions of dollars of research funds for literally no reason
February 8, 2026 at 3:01 AM
the most impactful thing Elon Musk has ever done or will ever do regarding science and innovation in this country is illegally cut billions of dollars of research funds for literally no reason
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
i started researching Russian disinfo networks in 2014 and writing about them in 2015 and the sheer amount of smug online assholes who dismissed every piece of reporting as CIA propaganda or whatever will never not piss me off
Is anybody ever gonna take a step back and realize the "Russia Russia Russia" people — derided as lunatic wine moms — were actually underplaying the foreign influence stuff, and the loud people who kept insisting it was all fake are now saying Jeffrey Epstein was kind of a cool guy?
NSA detected phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump
Whistleblower says that Tulsi Gabbard blocked agency from sharing report and delivered it to White House chief of staff
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:45 AM
i started researching Russian disinfo networks in 2014 and writing about them in 2015 and the sheer amount of smug online assholes who dismissed every piece of reporting as CIA propaganda or whatever will never not piss me off
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
WaPo editorial board when TX imposes a legislative gerrymander: don't freak out guys! Not a threat to democracy!
When VA responds to TX with *referendum* on their own gerrymander: brass-knuckled hypocrisy, anti-democratic gamesmanship.
There is hypocrisy here, all right, but not from VA.
When VA responds to TX with *referendum* on their own gerrymander: brass-knuckled hypocrisy, anti-democratic gamesmanship.
There is hypocrisy here, all right, but not from VA.
February 8, 2026 at 12:08 AM
WaPo editorial board when TX imposes a legislative gerrymander: don't freak out guys! Not a threat to democracy!
When VA responds to TX with *referendum* on their own gerrymander: brass-knuckled hypocrisy, anti-democratic gamesmanship.
There is hypocrisy here, all right, but not from VA.
When VA responds to TX with *referendum* on their own gerrymander: brass-knuckled hypocrisy, anti-democratic gamesmanship.
There is hypocrisy here, all right, but not from VA.
Hard not to see the order of events and not impute an intentional dismantling
Will Lewis is resigning as WaPo CEO, former Tumblr CEO Jeff D’Onofrio is the paper’s new acting CEO and publisher, per memos to staff
February 7, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Hard not to see the order of events and not impute an intentional dismantling
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
It's so funny how many people have had their brains pickled by X and Fox News and can't believe that SF remains one of the most amazing cities in the world.
February 7, 2026 at 9:07 PM
It's so funny how many people have had their brains pickled by X and Fox News and can't believe that SF remains one of the most amazing cities in the world.
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
part of me still can't believe the East Wing was completely destroyed and there have been no negative consequences or reports on whether items inside were properly archived or not
February 7, 2026 at 6:22 PM
part of me still can't believe the East Wing was completely destroyed and there have been no negative consequences or reports on whether items inside were properly archived or not
Maybe this is recency bias, but it feels like this is true of the patients as well—lots of people showing up with the long-term symptoms of chronic conditions ranging from addiction, homelessness, cancer, eating disorders, etc.
The first season of The Pitt was about acute problems. The second is about chronic ones. n.pr/4a4kToa
This season, 'The Pitt' is about what doesn't happen in one day
The first season of The Pitt was about acute problems. The second is about chronic ones.
n.pr
February 7, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Maybe this is recency bias, but it feels like this is true of the patients as well—lots of people showing up with the long-term symptoms of chronic conditions ranging from addiction, homelessness, cancer, eating disorders, etc.
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
"Trump is not profound. He has been the same person this whole time. The question is why so many others have refused to see what he has never bothered to hide."
"For years, a cottage industry of political observers has contorted itself to obscure and occlude the obvious. That regardless of what others see in him, Trump’s entire political career...cannot be understood outside the context of his bitter, deep-seated racism." (gift link)
Opinion | This Is Just Who Trump Is
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:36 PM
"Trump is not profound. He has been the same person this whole time. The question is why so many others have refused to see what he has never bothered to hide."
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
The rules clearly say we act in bad faith, manipulating the system to give ourselves disproportionate power, and you pretend it's good faith, letting it happen while unilaterally restricting yourself in adherence to standards we say must be honored when it helps us and violate otherwise. No fair!
February 7, 2026 at 4:53 PM
The rules clearly say we act in bad faith, manipulating the system to give ourselves disproportionate power, and you pretend it's good faith, letting it happen while unilaterally restricting yourself in adherence to standards we say must be honored when it helps us and violate otherwise. No fair!
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
Fun thought experiment: Imagine if Biden told Ted Cruz he would withhold funds for a new highway overpass in Dallas until Cruz agreed to name the entire Texas interstate system after him.
Once again, this would be a Defcon 1 level scandal for any other president and spark weeks of intense media coverage and calls for impeachment.
For Trump, it is merely a Thursday.
For Trump, it is merely a Thursday.
February 6, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Fun thought experiment: Imagine if Biden told Ted Cruz he would withhold funds for a new highway overpass in Dallas until Cruz agreed to name the entire Texas interstate system after him.
He really is impressively quick on his feet
Child at the podium: “A woo woo woo.”
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
February 6, 2026 at 3:50 PM
He really is impressively quick on his feet
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
This happens with*everything* now. No matter how grave the crime or one-dimensional the injustice, after four days the hivemind of American punditry decides that the Real Story is how the people upset about it are the real villains.
February 5, 2026 at 11:34 PM
This happens with*everything* now. No matter how grave the crime or one-dimensional the injustice, after four days the hivemind of American punditry decides that the Real Story is how the people upset about it are the real villains.
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
Pour one out for every professional political pundit, writer, consultant whatever that has spent the last decade trying to pretend that the Trump phenomenon was about trade or opiates and not a big chunk of white america losing its mind over having a black president bsky.app/profile/kyle...
A screenshot from a video posted on Trump's Truth Social account: truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...
February 6, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Pour one out for every professional political pundit, writer, consultant whatever that has spent the last decade trying to pretend that the Trump phenomenon was about trade or opiates and not a big chunk of white america losing its mind over having a black president bsky.app/profile/kyle...
Notable that this is true not only for voters but for many journalists as well, who are willing to endlessly buy into “pivots” and otherwise act like his policies are anything other than what they actually are
Trump has an amazing ability, at least when he is out of power, to get people to project onto him whatever favorable policy views they want
This pro-Trump nostalgia absolutely was confirmed over and over again by the Dems' own internal polling, in a truly horrifying way:
newrepublic.com/article/1882...
newrepublic.com/article/1882...
February 6, 2026 at 12:04 AM
Notable that this is true not only for voters but for many journalists as well, who are willing to endlessly buy into “pivots” and otherwise act like his policies are anything other than what they actually are
Reading just about everything there was to read about Hunter (it was my job) mostly gave me sympathy for what sounded like a fundamentally pretty decent guy who got trapped in a really horrible self-destructive spiral, which does not seem to apply to any of the Epstein Files crowd
I wanna personally congratulate Hunter Biden for not only being nowhere near the Epstein files but for having rock-solid reviews from sex workers for respectfulness and tipping
February 5, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Reading just about everything there was to read about Hunter (it was my job) mostly gave me sympathy for what sounded like a fundamentally pretty decent guy who got trapped in a really horrible self-destructive spiral, which does not seem to apply to any of the Epstein Files crowd
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
Killing the CIA World Factbook might seem like small potatoes, but it was a touchstone of curated facts in a sea of disinformation.
February 5, 2026 at 5:58 AM
Killing the CIA World Factbook might seem like small potatoes, but it was a touchstone of curated facts in a sea of disinformation.
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
Shutting down (the stellar) books coverage at WaPo is a real telling move when your owner is literally Jeff Bezos
February 4, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Shutting down (the stellar) books coverage at WaPo is a real telling move when your owner is literally Jeff Bezos
Reposted by Jeremy Venook
one thing the trump era has made clear, i think, is that the american people themselves are far more committed to the values of our founding documents than our elites
February 4, 2026 at 4:07 AM
one thing the trump era has made clear, i think, is that the american people themselves are far more committed to the values of our founding documents than our elites