Laying it all out there
“On the American right, in Republican politics and in conservative media, there apparently is nothing to celebrate in an American prisoner of war coming home after five years because look at his dad, he looks like a Muslim.” — MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow in reference to Bowe Bergdahl and in reaction to a Fox News host saying Bo’s father, who grew his beard to the point of resembling a member of the Taliban, needs a razor already. As he explained it to TIME, Robert Bergdahl grew the Islamic-looking beard to try to understand his son’s captors.
Twitter sucks
“Could someone please tell me where I can watch the Taliban’s video of Bowe Bergdahl’s release? Twitter is no help at all.” — Whisper‘s Neetzan Zimmerman.
Campaign talk
“It’s smart of the AP to not let the people who have to write the stories also call the races. ‘Eh, close enough.'” — WaPo‘s Philip Bump.
Oops!
“WH must never have thought Bergdahl swap wld b this controversial. I bet they thought it was pro-military, pro-family & anti-Gitmo.” — ex-CNN contributor and former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer.
And a reporter agrees… “@AriFleischer reinforces my belief that this White House has too many “yes” men surrounding POTUS. You gotta have a guy that can tell you no.” — Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Maureen Dowd gets high fallout
“@nytimes I will buy a dozen lifetime subscriptions if you make every columnist get high and write about it.” — Matt Ford, social media editor for The Atlantic.
“We’ve all been there, Maureen Dowd. (P.S. I thought all NYT reporters had official tasters, you know, like Saddam).” — LA-based freelancer Charles Johnson.
“Like the NY Times’ human resources department needed another problem on its plate.” — Andrew Rice, contributing editor, New York Magazine.
“We all make fun of Dowd’s pot column but have any of you ever eaten too much weed? I hear it is not fun.” — freelancer for TheWire, CJR, The Awl and Poynter Sara Morrison.
A pronouncement from Weiner’s ex
“Done acknowledging trolls. Going to continue laughing my ass off.” — Sydney Elaine Leathers, former sexting partner to New York mayoral loser Anthony Weiner.
Rob Lowe smells fish with Bowe Bergdahl
“I really hope America didn’t negotiate with terrorists over a deserter that 6 men died looking for. Like, REALLY hope. Sadly, I smell a fish.” — actor Rob Lowe.
Famous Father Alert
“True story: My father, who I love very much, admitted to me that he loved the awful terrible “comedy” film ‘The Heat.'” — Mother Jones engagement editor Ben Dreyfuss, referring to actor Richard Dreyfuss.
Important question to ponder: “What dad wouldn’t grow a beard if you thought there was even the smallest chance it would help get your son home?” — former Obama Administration flack Tommy Vietor.