Morning all. It’s been an extraordinary last few days in our politics. But while a lot has happened there is one development that stands out above all - Trump’s public performances these last few days have been the most wild, unhinged and untethered performances of his political career. While I won’t be able to capture the Olympian - and dangerous - level of crazy we’ve seen in this post, coming so soon after he disappeared from the public eye, without explanation, his declining health and escalating madness simply must become a major issue in our politics now.
Watch the video at the top of this post. It comes from last night’s Jimmy Kimmel show. It gives you a flavor of this week’s incredible crazy. So does this Zeteo summary of his UN speech. His filters are all gone now. He sounds completely deranged:
Last night Jimmy Kimmel returned. Here’s his powerful and must watch opening. It’s an inspiring moment in this fight against authoritarianism and Trumpian madness. It’s the most important thing you can read or watch today:
Last night Gavin Newsom ripped into Trump on Colbert. It was a great late night one-two punch against authoritarianism and madness:
and here:
Trump blinked yesterday. As we’ve written he enters this fall budget negotiation in a weakened state. He and his agenda are wildly unpopular. The many manifest failures of his first eight months are now impossible to ignore, as is decline and his mad desire to be a dictator not an American President. This addled, corrupt, vainglorious, sundowning man is so weak and cowardly, in such profound decline, that he cannot even meet with his Democratic counterparts to prevent a destructive government shut down. For as we say here:
Trump is weak, not strong. He is losing, not winning. A failure, not a success. A betrayer of America, not a patriot. A villain, not a hero.
A big blubbery baby man, anything, anything but a strongman.
However we got here, and however Leaders Schumer and Jeffries chose to make the Continuing Resolution the fight, we are in a deeply consequential fight with Trump and his allies now, one that many here have called and advocated for. For at some point we were going to have to confront, forcefully, who he is and what he is doing to the country. And we are now. In that fight. And it is a fight we must win, together.
Yesterday we reviewed an aggressive new ad campaign the DCCC has launched in 10 districts hitting Rs on rising prices/tariffs, health care and shutdown/chaos. Today the DNC launched a new digital ad campaign hitting Trump on his illiberal assault on free speech. Yes friends - we are in the fight now. Here’s the initial ad:
Here’s DNC Chair Ken Martin on the new campaign:
“Donald Trump’s administration has amassed a chilling record of restricting speech, extorting private companies, and dropping the full weight of the government censorship hammer on Americans simply exercising their First Amendment rights. This is no exaggeration, and it’s splintering the coalition that got Trump elected. That’s why today, the DNC announced a new digital ad campaign targeting conservative and independent voters in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia. Trump knows he’s failing as president, and instead of turning the economy around or stopping the health care crisis he created, he’s attempting to silence people. It’s un-American, and Democrats won’t stand for it.”
For as we’ve been talking about here for weeks now our goal should be to win the fall and have the story of American politics become that the tide has begun to turn against this ongoing terrible betrayal of America and all of us, and that pro-democracy forces have gained the upper hand.
Can we do it? I believe we can - with the proud, plucky patriots of this remarkable community leading the way……
Now, Let’s Get To Work Everyone!!!
Last night Adelita Grijalva was elected to fill her father’s open Congressional seat in Arizona giving us one more House vote, leaving the House now 219 Republicans and 214 Democrats. It also gives us enough votes to pass a discharge petition that would put the House on record calling for the release of all the Epstein files (another reason Speaker Johnson is keeping the House out of session right now).
Paid Hopium subscribers gather tonight at 715pm ET. Lots to talk about tonight. Looking forward to seeing folks!
Winning The Fall - Support Our November, 2025 Candidates and Yes On 50
Mikie Sherrill NJ Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $81k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my new interview with Rep. Sherrill
Abigail Spanberger VA Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $196k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Abigail Spanberger
Yes on 50 (CA) - $50,000 goal - Donate | Learn more, volunteer | Sign Up For CA Dem Party Daily Phonebanks
Hopium members in CA/NJ/VA - please vote on Day 1, or as early as you. When you vote early your names comes off the campaign GOTV rolls allowing them to move on to lower propensity voters, which increases D turnout and makes it more likely we win. Voting early = another way to help us win. Please vote early and encourage everyone you know to join you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winning The Midterms - Support Our 2026 Candidates
Roy Cooper for NC Senate (2026) - $250,000 goal, $36,000 raised- Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Gov. Cooper
Jon Ossoff GA Senate (2026) - $250,000 goal, $73k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my inspiring new interview with Senator Ossoff
Hopium House 7 (2026) - $250,000 goal, $204k raised - Donate | Learn More, Volunteer | Watch My Interviews With Our Intrepid Incumbents
Expanding The Map - Support Our Audacious Expansion Fund (2026-2032)
Hopium’s Audacious Expansion Fund - $250,000 goal, $36,000 raised - Join our new campaign to invest in the Democratic Parties of Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Maine, and Texas - Donate To All Five State Parties | Watch my interviews with Alaska Chair Eric Croft, Florida Chair Nikki Fried, Iowa Chair Rita Hart and Texas Chair Kendall Scudder | Links to be able support each party individually will be up soon | We off to a great start here everyone - thank you!
Our updated fundraising goals are now for the end of the year, December 31st, except for the 2025 races, which are now for Election Day, 2025.
Take Action, Express Your Love Of Country And Strengthen Our Democracy Through Good Works - We have two recommended actions today:
1 - Call Your Senators and Member Of The House And Demand They Act Upon Our Four-Part Agenda - We need to be loud people, very, very loud and make the case for our our emerging four part agenda. Demand that your Senators and House Member work to
Roll back Trump’s terrible, illegal tariffs that are re-igniting inflation, driving up prices, shifting the tax burden from the wealthy to working people, hurting small businesses and farmers, reviving tyrannical “taxation without representation,” and alienating governments and people throughout the world
Block the expansion of ICE, restore due process, defend the 1st Amendment, and end the use of the military on our streets and the occupations of our cities (need to revise and update this one, make it bigger)
Fight Trump’s war on science, higher education and our public health; reverse - not delay - the cuts to the ACA and Medicaid; demand the removal of extremist Robert Kennedy from HHS
Stand with Ukraine and our European allies, and far more forcefully challenge Trump’s traitorous efforts to sell out the US and the West to Russia and China
2 - Bring “Resolutions Of Condemnation” To Your Community - Inspired by the tactics of our Founders learn about how Hopium members are advancing “Resolutions of Condemnation” in their communities across the country and consider bringing this initiative to your state, country or city/town. Be sure to check out our new discussion with Deborah Potter and Rachel Poliner who have passed resolutions in New Mexico and Boston, and offer advice on how to get a resolution passed in your own community.
Remarkably, members of this community have passed or are advancing 81 (!!!!) resolution projects in 22 states + DC. Can we get to all 50 states by the fall election?
Finally, please self-report your activities to our daily paid subscriber chat. These reports help inspire all of us to do more and fight harder! Been impressive to see how many of you remain involved in local, in person protests of all kinds in your communities. Great to see!
Keep working hard all, and let’s keep working to win the fall, together - Simon
