Key Updates
Trump vs. Everyone (Including His Own Polls)
President Trump is currently engaged in what can only be described as a multi-front war of words and political maneuvering. The most inflammatory move is his accusation of sedition against a group of Democratic lawmakers, including military veterans Elissa Slotkin, Mark Kelly, and Jason Crow. They released a video in mid-November reminding service members of their duty to disobey unlawful orders—a fairly standard civics point that has been weaponized into a loyalty test. Trump is framing this as a deep-state conspiracy, suggesting they should be punished. This rhetoric isn't happening in a vacuum; Senator Slotkin has since been the target of a bomb threat, a stark reminder that these political broadsides have real-world, dangerous consequences.
Meanwhile, the Ukraine "peace plan" that was bubbling up yesterday is getting murkier. A supposed 28-point plan was leaked, but its origins are heavily disputed. While Senator Marco Rubio is out there claiming "tremendous amount of progress" after a meeting in Geneva, the lack of concrete details and conflicting claims suggest this is more about managing perceptions than achieving a breakthrough. It feels like an attempt to project foreign policy competence amidst domestic turmoil. Adding to the pressure, a new News poll shows Trump's approval ratings are slipping, particularly on his handling of the economy—historically his strongest issue.
Finally, at the G-20 summit, the administration is reportedly at odds with host nation South Africa over the final declaration, signaling friction with key international partners. Taken together, this paints a picture of a president beset by challenges, responding with increasingly aggressive rhetoric at home while struggling to project a coherent strategy abroad.
Analytical Take: This isn't just another chaotic news cycle; it's a strategic stress test. The sedition accusations are a classic move to rally the base by creating an internal enemy, but it's a high-risk gamble that further erodes political norms and potentially alienates moderate voters. The ambiguity around the Ukraine plan is a feature, not a bug; it allows the administration to claim diplomatic momentum without being tied to any specific, and likely unpopular, concessions. The declining poll numbers on the economy are the real flashing red light for the White House. If voters lose faith in Trump's economic stewardship, his entire political brand is in jeopardy. Watch for him to double down on culture war issues and create foreign policy "wins"—real or imagined—to change the narrative.
The Socialist and The Populist: An Unlikely Alliance Forms
Following up on their surprising Oval Office meeting last Friday, New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is already demonstrating a flair for political pragmatism that belies the "socialist" label the New York Post is eagerly pinning on him. Over the weekend, he stood in a Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church and forcefully recommitted to NYC's sanctuary city status, a direct nod to his progressive base.
In almost the same breath, however, his transition team confirmed he will be retaining Jessica Tisch, the current police commissioner from the more moderate Eric Adams administration. This is a significant olive branch to the city's establishment and law enforcement-focused voters. The move suggests Mamdani understands he can't govern from the activist fringe alone. The meeting with Trump, which reportedly focused on urban affordability, now looks less like a bizarre photo-op and more like the opening of a transactional channel. Two politicians with vastly different ideologies see a potential for mutual benefit—Trump gets to look bipartisan, and Mamdani could secure federal support for his agenda.
Analytical Take: This is a masterclass in walking a political tightrope. Mamdani is signaling to his base that he won't abandon core principles (sanctuary city) while simultaneously reassuring the city's power structures that he won't be a purely disruptive force (keeping Tisch). The cordiality with Trump is the most interesting variable. It's a high-risk, high-reward play. If he can extract real federal concessions for without appearing to be co-opted, he'll look like a genius. If it backfires, he'll be savaged by both the left for consorting with the enemy and the right for his underlying policies. For now, he's keeping everyone off-balance, which is exactly where a new executive wants to be.
California's 2026 Gubernatorial Free-for-All
The race to become California's next governor in 2026 is already shaping up to be a chaotic and fascinating spectacle. With no clear frontrunner, the field is wide open, attracting a diverse cast of characters. You have established Democratic politicians like Katie Porter and Eric Swalwell, a law-and-order conservative in Sheriff Chad Bianco, and a self-funding billionaire activist in Tom Steyer.
The early dynamics are telling. Democrats are feeling a resurgence after mixed results in the 2024 midterms, but the party itself is far from monolithic. The real wildcard might be the unconventional ideas being floated. Swalwell, for instance, has proposed allowing Californians to vote by phone, a proposal that promises either a new era of democratic access or the most chaotic data breach in state history. This race will be a laboratory for new political messaging, fundraising strategies, and voting technologies, all set against the backdrop of ongoing redistricting efforts that could scramble the state's political map.
Analytical Take: California is often a preview of where national politics is headed. This race isn't just about who will lead the world's fifth-largest economy; it's a test case for the future of the Democratic and Republican parties. Can a progressive like Porter win a statewide primary and general election? Can a billionaire like Steyer buy his way into relevance again? Is there any appetite for a hard-right figure like Bianco outside of his regional base? Swalwell's vote-by-phone idea, while likely a non-starter, is a perfect example of the "move fast and break things" tech ethos bleeding into politics. Expect this race to be less about policy nuance and more about big personalities and bigger-picture battles over the direction of the state and the country.
Noteworthy
NFL Coaching Carousel Spins Early
The Las Vegas Raiders have decided that mediocrity is no longer on the menu, firing offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after a disappointing loss. This is a swift and brutal acknowledgment that the team's offense has failed to meet expectations. Elsewhere, the Cleveland Browns may have found a spark, with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders securing a win in his first career start. The Seattle Seahawks are celebrating a new franchise record, as receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba became the team's single-season leader in receiving yards. On the downside, Buccaneers Baker Mayfield suffered a shoulder injury, the severity of which is still unknown and could significantly impact Tampa Bay's playoff hopes.
Analytical Take: Firing a coordinator mid-season is a classic desperation move, designed to light a fire under a team and signal to the fan base that failure won't be tolerated. For the Raiders, it's an admission that a high-profile hire has flopped. The success of a rookie like Sanders and the record-breaking performance of Smith-Njigba highlight the league's constant churn, where new stars are always ready to eclipse the old. Injuries like Mayfield's are the Damoclean sword hanging over every team's season.
Food for Thought (and for Gravestones)
A collection of reports today highlights our complex relationship with food. On one front, there's a growing focus on tackling food insecurity with creative solutions like pay-what-you-can restaurants and food truck training programs for aspiring entrepreneurs. On a more psychological level, nutritional psychiatrists are digging into why comfort food is so potent, confirming it triggers pleasure centers and powerful nostalgic memories. And in the most bizarrely touching story of the day, there's a trend of families etching beloved recipes onto the gravestones of deceased loved ones—a permanent memorial to a life of good cooking, with "Spritz Cookies" and "Spaghetti Chicken Casserole" immortalized in stone.
Analytical Take: This cluster of stories shows a society increasingly viewing food as more than just sustenance. It's memory, it's community, it's medicine, and it's a socioeconomic indicator. The gravestone recipes are a particularly poignant example of trying to preserve a sensory, ephemeral part of a person's identity. While the initiatives fighting food insecurity are admirable, they are hyper-local solutions to a massive, systemic problem. The contrast between gourmet comfort food and basic food access is a stark reflection of broader economic inequality.