Ink Stained Wretches

Welcome to an early episode this week! Before diving into our Thanksgiving takes, we’re discussing the “normalcy” of Trump’s win, the last cable news star, and a Cormac McCarthy scoop that went viral for all the wrong reasons. Wretch on, and Happy Thanksgiving from your favorite Wretches!

Time Stamps:

2:00 Front page

35:50 Obsessions

43:22 Reader Mail

45:03 Favorite Items

Show Notes:

The New York Times: Opinion | The Bizarro Normalcy of the Public Reaction to Trump’s Win

The New York Times: Election Forecasts Try to Go Beyond the Polls. Are They Helping?

The Ankler: MSNBC Mayhem: Rachel Maddow Pay Cut, Brutal Lineup Shakeup Coming 

Semafor: Kaitlan Collins’ star rises at CNN 

Slate: An Interview With the Vanity Fair Writer Whose Cormac McCarthy Scoop Went Viral for All the Wrong Reasons 

The Wall Street Journal: A $12,000 Surgery to Change Eye Color Is Surging in Popularity

NBC News: Thanksgiving dinner is historically affordable this year 

Axios: Why "fart walks" after meals are good for you, experts say 

The New York Times: How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple 

The Washington Free Beacon: MSNBC Says It Was 'Unaware' of Harris Campaign Contributions to Al Sharpton Nonprofit—But Won't Say Whether It's Taking Action

The Wall Street Journal: The Case for Being Ungrateful 

The New York Times: A Real Estate Queen and the Secret She Couldn’t Keep Hidden

The New York Times: At 17, She Just Passed the State Bar of California

Watch the video episode on YouTube.

The media business of yesteryear is gone, folks. This week, we’re breaking down MSNBC’s brutal week, Trump’s cabinet chaos, and the ongoing postmortem for the Democrats. Be sure to send us your favorite Thanksgiving traditions, and as always, Wretch on.

Time Stamps: 

01:11 Front Page

48:26 Obsessions 

51:45 Reader Mail 

53:55 Favorite Items 

Show Notes: 

Mediaite: Joe and Mika’s ‘Fears of Retribution’ As Motivation for Trump Meeting Feels a Lot Like Clean Up on Aisle Mar-a-Lago

New York Times: Viewers Flee MSNBC, and Flock to Fox News, in Wake of Election 

Wall Street Journal: Comcast Greenlights $7 Billion Spinoff of NBCUniversal Cable Channels 

AP News: Pete Hegseth had been flagged by service member as possible 'Insider Threat' 

The Washington Post: Trump picks fracking CEO Chris Wright to be energy secretary

Times of Israel: Muslims who voted for Trump upset by his pro-Israel cabinet picks

The Washington Post: Opinion | Democrats thumb their nose at the rule of law in Pennsylvania 

The Washington Post: Two Republicans who lost Senate races refuse to concede

The New York Times: Opinion | When Will Democrats Learn to Say No? 

Apple: Apple shares the most popular podcasts of 2024 

The Washington Post: The Onion wins auction to take control of Alex Jones’s Infowars 

The New York Times: Women Get Less Exercise Than Men. It’s a Problem. 

The New York Times: Some Black Women Are Choosing Rest Over Politics 

The Wall Street Journal: Want to Network in Silicon Valley? Bring a Bathing Suit

Food and Wine: Want More Sauce on That McRib? McDonald’s Has You Covered With Its All-New Jug of McRib Sauce

The New York Times: Trump Has Put an End to an Era. The Future Is Up for Grabs.

American Enterprise Institute: The Supreme Court Misses a Chance to Clarify Press Freedom for Gathering News via New Technologies | American Enterprise Institute 

The Washington Post: The mysterious Virginia mansion allegedly bought with stolen Nigerian money

The New York Times: How to Cook the Best Thanksgiving Turkey

Much has happened since our last episode—or so we’ve heard. Get ready as we dive into it all: Trump’s ‘landslide’ victory, key takeaways for Democrats, Trump Administration 2.0, Elon Musk, and, of course, the American news media’s reaction to the election results. Wretch on!

Time Stamps:

1:19 - Front Page

49:25 - Obsessions

54:10 - Reader Mail

56:33 - Favorite Items

Show Notes:

Daily Mail: Election results breakdown reveals how Trump won by a landslide - taking both the popular vote and the crucial electoral vote 

Politico: Trump Has Humiliated His Foes 

Axios: Elon Musk becomes the most powerful (unelected) man ever 

Politico: ‘Who the f--k is this guy?’: Defense world reacts to Trump’s surprise Pentagon pick Axios: Scoop: Trump expected to shake up White House briefing room

Abc News: Trump and Biden both call for smooth transition in historic Oval Office meeting

New York Times: Democrats Ignored Gaza and Brought Down Their Party

Washington Post: Pro-Hamas messages intensify on college campuses

Slate: The One Thing Democrats Need to Embrace to Survive 

Semafor: A tale of two jets: The old media grapples with its new limits 

Reuters: New York Times Tech Guild to return to work, negotiations will go on 

The Washington Free Beacon:  Fighters, Failures, and Freaks: The Definitive List of Winners and Losers of the 2024 Election

BBC: Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds      

The Wall Street Journal: Pro Take: Less Jobs Data Is Going Into the Jobs Report

The Wall Street Journal: Voters Reject the Party of Scold

Tom Elliot on X:  “If Jonestown had recorded a final video”

It’s the final countdown, folks. We’ll see you on the other side. But what does that mean, exactly? We’re breaking down what next week could look like, as well as Garbage Gate, the meltdown at The Washington Post, and Nerds Gummy Clusters. Wretch on!

Time Stamps:

9:00 Front Page

54:44 Obsessions

59:44 Favorite Items

Show Notes:

The Washington Post: Will TV viewers trust network election calls? Chris Stirewalt hopes so. 

The Washington Post: Did Biden call Trump supporters ‘garbage’? It comes down to an apostrophe.

AP News: AP sources: White House altered record of Biden’s ‘garbage’ remarks despite stenographer concerns 

Fox News: Trump sues CBS News for $10 billion alleging 'deceptive doctoring' of Harris' '60 Minutes' interview 

The New York Times: Why the Right Thinks Trump Is Running Away With the Race 

The Washington Post: ‘Like it or not’: In one quote, Trump distills the 2024 gender gap 

The Washington Post: Opinion | Jeff Bezos: The hard truth: Americans don’t trust the news media

Semafor: Bezos celebrated in Europe with Katy Perry as Post crisis began 

Semafor: Washington Post pays to boost stories critical of Trump as subscribers flee 

The Free Beacon: EXCLUSIVE: WaPo Opinion Editor David Shipley Blames Bezos for Endorsement Drama, Tells Staff They Can Quit as Distraught Journalists Slam Bezos for 'Conflict of Interest' and 'Thumb on the Scale' 

The Wall Street Journal: America’s Newest Hit Candy Is Gummy, Crunchy and Printing Money

The New York Times: This $350 Oura Ring 4 Tracks Your Sleep. Is It Worth the Splurge? 

New York Post: Facebook execs suppressed Hunter Biden laptop scandal to curry favor with Biden-Harris admin: bombshell report

Slate: Election 2024 polls: Could Jill Stein tip the election to Trump? It’s complicated.

The New York Times: Opinion | Donald Trump Is Bored 

The Wall Street Journal: From Internet Sensation to Overexposed Child Star? Moo Deng Fans Can’t Get Enough

Christine Rosen is back in the saddle as Chris braves air travel this week on Ink Stained Wretches. Welcome in as we discuss Kamala’s performance on CNN’s Town Hall, The Atlantic’s story on “Generals” and of course, Trump’s stop at McDonalds. Wretch on!

Time Stamps:

Front Page - 1:08

Reader Mail - 53:46

Favorites 54:41

Show Notes:

The New York Times: Kamala Harris and McDonald’s: A College Job, and a Trump Attack

The Atlantic: Trump: ‘I Need the Kind of Generals That Hitler Had’

The New York Times: As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator

CBS News: A statement from 60 Minutes 

The New York Times: U.S. Study on Puberty Blockers Goes Unpublished Because of Politics, Doctor Says

Even if neither presidential candidate is economically literate, the great media blitz of 2024 rolls on. This week on Ink Stained Wretches, we break down the friendly interviews, the cautious ones, and the controversies behind them (ahem, CBS). Wretch on!

Time Stamps:

2:10 Front Page

40:14 Obsessions

49:51 Reader Mail

54:16 Favorite Items

Show Notes:

AP News: Kamala Harris will sit down with Bret Baier for her first Fox News interview 

The New York Times: Harris Slams Trump in Interview With Charlamagne Tha God: 5 Takeaways

Fox News: JD Vance clashes with ABC News host over migrant gang presence in Colorado: 'Do you hear yourself?'

CNN Business: Trump backs out of CNBC interview, his second about-face with mainstream press this month 

Mediaite: Sean Hannity Gushes Over Trump After Chaotic Interview With Bloomberg Editor: ‘Absolutely Schooled!’ 

Axios: Harris responds to Trump's town hall-turned "music fest": "Hope he's okay" 

The Free Press: ‘60 Minutes’: Release the Unedited Kamala Harris Transcript

Fox News: Speaker Johnson accuses CBS of 'selectively editing' interview on heels of VP Harris '60 Minutes' controversy 

Speaker Mike Johnson on X: "I recently traveled to NC and victims of Hurricane Helene told me nearly two weeks after landfall, the Biden-Harris Administration had STILL not provided them with all the resources they desperately needed. But CBS selectively edited OUT ENTIRELY this first-hand perspective. https://t.co/ZjO5LWdtsM" / X 

Wall Street Journal: CBS News Chief Tested by Internal Crises and an Agitated Owner 

The New York Times: Washington Post C.E.O. Elevates Deal-Making to a Top Priority 

Nieman Lab: Midwestern news nonprofit The Beacon shuts down its Wichita newsroom

The New York Times: The Downfall of FTX’s Ryan Salame and Crypto Advocate Michelle Bond

Chris Rufo on X: EXCLUSIVE: Kamala Harris plagiarized at least a dozen sections of her criminal-justice book, Smart on Crime, according to a new investigation. The current vice president even lifted material from Wikipedia

The New York Times: Conservative Activist Seizes on Passages From Harris Book 

The New York Times: The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

Semafor: No matter who wins, the US is moving to the right 

The Dispatch: Tippecanoe and Harris Too

Wall Street Journal: ‘Impactful’ Leaves This Wordsmith Reeling 

WV News: Everything's fair game at the Roadkill Cook-Off in Marlinton, West Virginia

The New Yorker: A Husband in the Aftermath of His Wife’s Unfathomable Act

The New York Times: Chestnut Championship in England Is Roiled by Accusation of Cheating

If you’re not caught up on the CBS controversy, we’ve got you covered in today’s episode. We break down the interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates and its aftermath. We also discuss the 2024 media blitz, Trump’s decision to decline a Fox debate, and climate change. Wretch on!

Time Stamps: 

2:04 Front Page

44:29 Obsessions

52:14 Reader Mail

55:20 Favorite Items

If you have a story you want us to talk about, e-mail us at [email protected]. Sign Up for the Newsletter: https://wretches.substack.com

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Show Notes:

Puck News: The Tony–Ta-Nehisi Affair

The Free Press: How Is CBS Marking October 7? By Admonishing Tony Dokoupil

The Wall Street Journal: CBS Interview on Israel Triggers Fight at Network; Shari Redstone Weighs In

The New York Times: CBS Rebukes Anchor Over Tense Interview With Ta-Nehisi Coates

The New York Times: Inside the Turmoil at CBS News After a Tense Ta-Nehisi Coates Interview 

The Free Press: Does CBS News Know Where Jerusalem Is? 

Reuters: Trump rejects Fox News invite to debate Harris in late October 

Mediaite: James Carville ‘Scared To Death’ About Election Day: Kamala Harris Needs To Get ‘Aggressive’

Wired: Tim Walz Rally Goes Live on World of Warcraft Twitch Stream 

The Daily Beast: Host Laughs in Trump’s Face After He Calls Himself ‘Basically a Truthful Person’ 

Axios: Potential Trump loss threatens destruction of modern GOP 

Yahoo News: New York Sun owner Dovid Efune nearing deal to buy the Telegraph 

The New York Times: Introducing the Dachshund Bag

The Honest Broker on Substack: Weather Attribution Alchemy

Slow Boring on Substack: Media organizations are blowing their endorsements 

The Washington Post: Mossad’s pager operation: Inside Israel’s penetration of Hezbollah

How has Hurricane Helene impacted the election? Will the VP debate sway voters? Why did Melania release a pro-abortion memoir and request $250,000 from CNN? All of this and more will be discussed on today’s episode. Wretch on!

Time Stamps:

4:06 Front Page

56:29 Obsessions

1:03:09 Reader Mail

1:07:16 Favorite Items

Show Notes: 

Politico: Trump and Kemp to appear together for first time since 2020 

Politico: Harris consoles those devastated by Helene in Georgia — a contrast with Trump's visit 

Wall Street Journal: The Profane 78-Year-Old Leading the Dockworkers Strike 

The Washington Post: Vance peddles Trump agenda in softer tones, misleading ways during debate

The Wall Street Journal: JD Vance’s Version of Trump Is Better Than the Real Thing

Politico: 8 Body Language Tells From the Vice Presidential Debate 

Reason:  Tim Walz's Very Bad Answer on Social Media Censorship

The Atlantic: Tim Walz Is Too Good at This 

The Guardian: Melania Trump passionately defends abortion rights in upcoming memoir 

CNN: CNN requested an interview with Melania Trump. Her book publisher asked for $250,000 in exchange 

The New York Times: Photos Show Rep. Mike Lawler in Blackface as Michael Jackson 

CNN: Olivia Nuzzi accuses ex-fiance of orchestrating blackmail campaign amid RFK relationship 

Hollywood Reporter: Taylor Lorenz Exits Washington Post to Launch ‘User Mag’ on Substack (Exclusive) 

The Washington Post: No one loved baseball, or damaged it, as much as Pete Rose 

The Wall Street Journal: Too Timid to Tell the Boss You’re Quitting? There’s a Service for That.  

The New York Times: How Chicken Tenders Conquered America 

CNN: McDonald’s is finally selling the Chicken Big Mac in the US 

The Washington Post: How a 14-year-old became the alleged school shooter at Georgia’s Apalachee High

The Federalist: Trump: Liz Cheney Is A Stupid Warhawk 

Politico: Trump and Kemp to appear together for first time since 2020 

The Financial Times: We may have passed peak obesity 

The New York Times:  Whole Foods Tried to Change the Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe. Customers Lost It.

Today we are discussing Kamala Harris’s holistic approach to interviews, her contested time as a Mcdonald’s employee and the indictment of NYC mayor Eric Adams. Tune in! 

Time Stamps:

3:06 Front Page

52:36 Obsessions

59:50 Reader Mail

1:03:40 Favorite Items

Show Notes:

The New York Times: 3 Takeaways From Kamala Harris’s Interview on MSNBC 

The New York Times: Harris Has a Lot of Strengths. Giving Interviews Isn’t One of Them.

The New York Times: Behind Harris’s Rise: Laurene Powell Jobs, Silicon Valley’s Wealthiest Woman

The New York Times: The Long, Strange Saga of Kamala Harris and Kimberly Guilfoyle

AP News: Iranian operatives charged in the US with hacking Donald Trump's presidential campaign

Semafor: Trump hack continued into last week

Politico: Trump calls DOJ ‘dirty players’ over Adams indictment 

New York Magazine: The Return of Ta-Nehisi Coates

Jewish Insider: Paul Coates, father of journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates, republishing antisemitic screed 'The Jewish Onslaught'

The Dispatch: The Junket Intellectual

The Atlantic: Legalizing Sports Gambling Was a Huge Mistake 

The New York Times: How Does a Baseball Team Lose 120 Games? Every Way You Can Think Of.

Obsessions:

AP News: Their churches no longer feel safe. Now Nicaraguans are taking their worship 

Favorite Items

The New York Times: Israel’s New Campaign Against Hezbollah Started With Raid in Syria 

From Israel’s pager attacks on Hezbollah terrorists to the cost of your favorite steak, we’ve got it all in today’s episode. Oh, and did we mention the second assassination attempt on Donald Trump? Buckle up—it’s a wild one. Wretch on!

Time Stamps:

02:17 Front Page

55:07 Obsessions

1:00:06 Reader Mail

1:04:47 Favorite Items

Show Notes:

New York Times: How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers

Politico: Republicans outraged over possible assassination attempt: ‘They are going to keep trying to kill Trump’ 

NBC News: Man in custody after Trump golf club incident was once convicted of possessing a machine gun 

Commentary: UPDATED: The Assassination Wish Fulfillment

Wall Street Journal: How the Trump Campaign Ran With Rumors About Pet-Eating Migrants—After Being Told They Weren’t True

Wall Street Journal: How the Trump Campaign Ran With Rumors About Pet-Eating Migrants—After Being Told They Weren’t True 

Scientific American: Vote for Kamala Harris to Support Science, Health and the Environment 

The New York Times: Former N.Y.C. Covid Czar Partied While Preaching Social Distancing

New York Post: Star political reporter Olivia Nuzzi on leave from New York magazine over alleged 'sexting' relationship with RFK Jr. 

New York Times: These American Voters Are Leaving the Country Because of U.S. 

New York Times: Politics The Hidden Environmental Costs of Food 

New York Times: Inside the Funeral Home for New York’s Elite 

Bloomberg News: Has It Gotten Too Hard to Buy a Birkin or Kelly?

Washingtonian: Meet the Cast of “Love Is Blind DC” 

@KthomasDC on X: White House: First Lady Jill Biden will host an event Friday at the White House to mark the 25th anniversary of the television series "The West Wing."

Washington Post: A 12-year-old girl was hit by a car. It had $19,770 in unpaid tickets

Wall Street Journal: The Kids Who Didn’t Know Their Parents Were Russian Spies