🪖 Dems Declare War on MAGA Media
*On this day in 2021, an army of Pillsbury Dough-fascists attempted to storm the US Capitol and end American democracy. They failed, and more than 1,500 rioters were subsequently charged with crimes related to the insurrection. Then, Donald Trump pardoned them all, because we live in hell!*
Good morning! **Peter** here, back in Gotham City after a two-week holiday in the snowy mountains of Colorado. I’m pleased to report that my newly minted mayor, Zohran Mamdani, hasn’t *yet *destroyed the Big Apple, much to the chagrin of our friends over at Fox and CBS News – sorry, Bari! On the contrary, New York feels more alive and bustling than ever.
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In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ racist conspiracies sink the career of Minnesota Governor **Tim Walz**, **Elon Musk’s **AI bot, **Grok**, attacks one of the many mothers of the billionaire’s children, and the star of **Signalgate** spews breathtaking propaganda at a **UN Security Council** briefing.
*🚨 Don’t miss our **[LIVE in-person event in DC][2]**:** **Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid, Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews, Miles Taylor, **and another **very special **political guest for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC**, to mark one year of Trump, on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
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# **The Walz Are Closing In**
*Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks during a news conference at the State Capitol building on Jan. 5, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images*
Minnesota Governor and former Democratic VP candidate Tim Walz abruptly dropped his bid for a third term yesterday, effectively heralding the end of his remarkable political career after weeks of internet hyperfixation on the North Star state’s (*[years-old][4]*) childcare fraud [scandal][5].
“**As I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all**,” Walz shared during a press conference in St. Paul.
“**Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences**.”
The move can only be viewed as an extraordinary act of selflessness from a politician who was a Trump victory away from the vice presidency last fall.
How did this all come about?
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.fox9.com/news/fox-9-investigating-fraud-uncovering-minnesota-2025