Once upon a time - which seems very, very long ago, but actually wasn't in the significance of the passage of time - there were great and thoughtful liberal magazines. Printed and bound monthlies where ardent, well-thought-out articles presented opinions and arguments that were cogent, rational, and sometimes even persuasive enough that persons of all stripes read them, appreciated the viewpoints expressed by the authors, and perhaps admitted to some truths within.

It was an age of erudite opposites, passionate all, but all were skilled in the use of language and civilized debate and reveled in the rhetorical heights they could reach.

A pair of those venerated nameplates are still with us -The Atlantic and The New Republic. Like so many cherished and legendary icons of the political past, the nameplate is all that remains of those golden days.

Both are little more than bottom-of-the-birdcage rags now...and only if you really hate your little feathered friend enough to subject it to their printed spittle.

We've had shot after shot of the vicious, fabricated hooey The Atlantic seems satisfied to have grease (and I did NOT misspell 'grace') its pages now before hitting 'publish.'

The latest, desperate partisan shot across the bow in their ongoing and futile war with Orange Man Bad was yet another in a long line of tired and thoroughly disgusting, thoroughly debunked tropes about Trump disrespecting tragically killed servicemembers. This one, however, was specifically targeted in an unsuccessful gambit to curtail Trump's enormous appeal to Hispanic voters.

It had all the elements of a classic October bombshell baked in except the author forgot two ingredients: Trump and the truth. 

1) We've seen how many of the stories about Trump before, and all have been completely denied by the bulk of the people who were actually there when whatever situation happened. The ones talking were selling books. This duck don't quack anymore.

2) The murdered soldier's sister, attorney, Fox's John Roberts, and a young man who acted as their translator during a White House visit with President Trump immediately all called out the bull-Schlitz, with the lawyer even presenting correspondence proving deliberate malfeasance on the part of the "reporter." 

Trump’s Chief of Staff, a Fox reporter, AND the soldier in discussion’s SISTER are all refuting this story.

Hoaxes don’t work anymore. https://t.co/JEig1gRMxS pic.twitter.com/ZGKjqyD6Jn

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 23, 2024

The lie was dead in the water five seconds after they hit send. Being known as the Queens of Calumny is not a good thing.

Trying to help out their campaign media arm and keep the smear going, this is what passes for a Kamala "press conference." 

They just wheeled Kamala out from her basement to read a prepared statement about Trump and pushing the FAKE Atlantic story

They know they’re down BAD 🤣

This is pathetic. They thought this would end Trump’s campaign. But nobody actually cares.

The people want Trump. And… pic.twitter.com/yg1H0NLqBQ

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 23, 2024

And how can her campaign call this a "press conference" if she doesn't answer ANY QUESTIONS?

Please, someone - please explain it to me like I was five years old.

I mean, we all know why she doesn't - because she can't.

Kamala can't handle simple questions...

She wants mass amnesty, but this is tough to watch her struggle through.

She can't handle negotiations with a foreign leader. pic.twitter.com/XXo8Dx620K

— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) October 23, 2024

But let's not call it something it isn't.

SO POOF - TRY AGAIN

They're going to have to find a new way to sell the Hitler schtick...and quick.

The New Republic, on the other hand, isn't really into the mendacious and malignant Molotov cocktails that The Atlantic is so devoted to flinging with abandon. Maybe TNR still harbors some fondness for that teensiest shred of legacy that peeps out in a corner from under the soothing tones covering their all-gender bathroom wall. 

I don't know, but they are a few steps down in tone. More Eeyore-ish than Bolshevic.

Their stories tend not to be sensational and made up - you know, like, lies. 

But still...sheesh.

I know this is beating a horse that’s long been wasting away, but look at these headlines from Very Serious™️ magazine The New Republic. Who is reading this? It’s just incessant doomer-porn for TDS-riddled progressives. Honestly, I don’t see how it isn’t an in-kind to Harris pic.twitter.com/9DNmS6aFQw

— Philip Reichert (@PhilipReichert) October 23, 2024

DOOMER-PORN

I like that. The one that got me today - and it's a Moaning Myrtle doozie - is TNR whining, of all things, about Trump going on Joe Rogan. 

I thought this was one of the most unintentionally hilarious, pathetically sad, "WTF were they thinking" headlines I'd ever seen from a formally respected publication.

TNR's like, "Waah! He didn't do 60 Minutes! Waah! Rogan is the knuckle-dragging mouth-breather WORST PERSON EH-VAH! WAAAH!!"

After backing out of several major interviews at the last minute, Donald Trump has one last major appearance on the horizon: The Joe Rogan Experience.

...Over the last several months, Trump has made a concerted effort to reach young, male voters by signing up for a slew of interviews with podcasters, including Twitch ban-ee Adin Ross; the Lex Fridman Podcast; Six Feet Under, hosted by wrestler Mark Calaway (perhaps better known as The Undertaker); and Theo Von’s podcast, This Past Weekend.

Meanwhile, Trump has aggressively dodged more mainstream news appearances, including going so far as to break election tradition by refusing to sit for a 60 Minutes interview in September, which he reportedly backed out of last-minute over fears that the rigorous show would fact-check him.

They don't mention Rogan's audience (14.5M) or that it'll be a two or three-hour marathon appearance.

Oh, no.

To their credit, they didn't mention "Hitler" even once in the piece - that was different for a progressive rag.

All they have left is WAAH!! ROGAN!!!

And the #sadz.

The New Republic Staff will probably overlap with the cat lady reactions pic.twitter.com/nYWWbONQHC

— Warhol (@wildcardwarhol) October 23, 2024

God almighty, won't someone call a waahmbulance?