GOP Rep. Peter Meijer seemed to possess a lot of the qualities that The Bulwark would look for in a politician. Or at least one very, very important quality: Meijer was willing to criticize Donald Trump.
For a while, that alone made The Bulwark a fan of his. But it’s evidently just not enough for them anymore:
What are YOU doing to protect Good Republicans from Republican Voters?
It's the duty of every patriotic American!https://t.co/hc6wLoUy4l
— Jonathan V. Last (@JVLast) August 3, 2022
Here comes .@JVLast with some much-needed real talk. The R’s in power abandoned him, the anti-anti Trumpers didn’t do a damn thing to help him & Meijer was still eager to stay in the same team as the people who wanted to kill him. What a mess. https://t.co/otVBYsimNE
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) August 3, 2022
“Much-needed real talk?” First of all, the idea that anything from The Bulwark could be “much-needed” is ridiculous. And second of all, there is nothing “real” about Last’s real talk. It’s real unhinged, but that’s about it:
Amazing. pic.twitter.com/QddvMLi0KN
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 4, 2022
Here’s the rest of that section, which is also amazing:
I want to re-highlight two passages from his little cri de coeur. Bear with me:
I was immediately censured by two county parties in my old district. In my new district, the Republican Party of the largest county repudiated me a few weeks ago. The Michigan GOP Chair joked about my assassination. There have been too many online threats to count.
Watching this unraveling inside my party has been utterly bewildering. The only thing that has been more nauseating has been the capacity of my Democratic colleagues to sell out any pretense of principle for political expediency . . .
Hit pause here for a second: Peter Meijer says that Democrats opportunistically running a negative ad that accurately described his opponent was more nauseating than members of his own party threatening him with violence and death.
I’m sorry, but that’s forked up.
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What’s forked up is that Jonathan Last is going full scorched-earth on Peter Meijer. Meijer was absolutely right in criticizing the DCCC for meddling in his primary election against far-Right stolen-election conspiracy theorist John Gibbs (yes, their ads about Gibbs were ostensibly negative, but they highlighted a number of Gibbs’ qualities that would make him very appealing for pro-Trump Republican voters).
Maybe that’s what the problem is, actually. Meijer isn’t toeing The Bulwark’s Principled Conservative™ line. He’s calling out the Democrats. The same Democrats that The Bulwark has embraced with open arms and promoted at every opportunity.
Republican Politics 101: You don’t trust the Democrats, and you don’t trust The Bulwark.
Jesus, how is that even real
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 4, 2022
He was dressed provocatively.
— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) August 4, 2022
The ppl Meijer trusted to have his back for voting to impeach now turning around and basically reciting the "You knew I was a snake" poem to him. Pay-per-view level heel turn. https://t.co/VUpACTqEt6
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 4, 2022
Also JVL should really be put on a padded room.
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) August 4, 2022
Well, yes. That probably should’ve happened a long time ago.
But…they’ve always been this way.
— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) August 4, 2022
Since the very beginning. Disgusting as they are, they’re extremely committed to sticking to their brand.
Sometimes this town can still shock you with its cynicism.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 4, 2022
Unfortunately, it’s shocking us less and less. Check out Principles First flag-waver Heath Mayo:
Well that was quick, @VoteMeijer. You didn’t even have to think about it a day or two? The election denying & conspiracies & the eating of your head in a meme the night of the election didn’t give you pause?
Disappointing. The difference between you & Gibbs is fundamental. https://t.co/IDbYdFKx07
— Heath Mayo (@HeathMayo) August 4, 2022
So, Peter Meijer behaved like a mature adult — the opposite of how Donald Trump regularly behaves — and now that’s a problem for the Principled Conservatives™ crowd?
Good Lord. Get the hell out of here with that BS.
if *peter meijer* is too trumpy for you, maybe you’re not a republican https://t.co/WrIIOgwjdN
— nick “lindy”quist (@nick_lindquist) August 4, 2022
Maybe you’re just a jackass.
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