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John A. Farrell

@biographer

Historian. BA, UVA. PhD, Groningen. Biographer of Clarence Darrow, Tip O'Neill, Ted Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Next book: The American Revolution.

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Latest posts by John A. Farrell @biographer

It's great to be back on the same side with the libertarians.

10.03.2026 22:09 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I’ve said it before, but People magazine should get a Pulitzer for its coverage of this administration.

10.03.2026 21:11 πŸ‘ 1268 πŸ” 299 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 5

A big part of the already high cost of groceries were fuel costs faced by farmers.

09.03.2026 13:02 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, β€œA Call to Conscience” - Statements - Archdiocese of Chicago - AoC Portal As more than 1,000 Iranian men, women and children lay dead after days of bombardment from U.S. and Israeli missiles, the official White House X account on Thursday evening posted a video of scenes fr...

The cardinal spotlights a Trump White House perversity. For American pilots, sailors and soldiers - and more so the maimed and dead Iranian girls at the school we leveled - war is not a game.

08.03.2026 18:42 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

More evidence that Elon Musk et al are morons. Gage was a white Christian from the British Isles: the apotheosis of Vance, Hegseth, Fox News racial preferences. The only diversity he brought to the table was his accent and his red coat. But thanks DOGE for saving us.

07.03.2026 22:51 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

"Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about...they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath?" Can't believe we are re-litigating this today.

06.03.2026 16:17 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Most Americans think their fellow citizens are bad people, survey says A new Pew survey shows that other countries’ citizens tend to look more favorably on their neighbors.

Thank you, Rupert Murdoch, Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Bill O'Reilly, Roger Ailes, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity...hope the money was worth it.

06.03.2026 12:04 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
β€œThe Intern in Charge”: Meet the 22-Year-Old Trump’s Team Picked to Lead Terrorism Prevention One year out of college and with no apparent national security expertise, Thomas Fugate is the Department of Homeland Security official tasked with overseeing the government’s main hub for combating v...

The Republicans seem to be prepping an argument that any domestic terror attacks in the aftermath of their Iran attacks will be the fault of Democrats for shutting down DHS funding, so I'd like to remind everyone of this appointment:

03.03.2026 14:19 πŸ‘ 6343 πŸ” 2736 πŸ’¬ 247 πŸ“Œ 153

So much for β€œAll politics is local.” For the Republicans, today’s war demonstrates, all politics is Il Duce.

28.02.2026 14:13 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

both joe rogan and megyn kellyβ€”two of the biggest podcasts out thereβ€”had guests today who argued that it’s unnatural for women to work outside the home. so that’s how that’s going

27.02.2026 01:09 πŸ‘ 173 πŸ” 36 πŸ’¬ 14 πŸ“Œ 10

Lost in the chaos. Historians will mark this moment when AI firms with half a conscience were bullied by the Department of War and its craven leaders to discard even modest guardrails on surveillance and weaponry. So liberty dies. Next No Kings is March 28.

26.02.2026 14:53 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Epstein Files Are Missing Records About Woman Who Made Claim Against Trump

The 18 minute gap!

Epstein Files Are Missing Records About Woman Who Made Claim Against Trump

25.02.2026 18:07 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The AI boys should have named it something safe like Super-Google, kept expectations reasonable and maintained a low profile like other billionaires. But they seem stuck in adolescence, thinking with their dicks, intent on being Ozymandias.

24.02.2026 15:44 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

But AOC said "um...uh" before giving the right answer.

22.02.2026 16:45 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Ah....the endnotes weekend. Second only to "doing my taxes" weekend.

21.02.2026 04:10 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

These are the guys and gals that Trump is counting on - in fact ordered - to vote for him. Now he is chiseling them and pitting them against each other, but that's what he's good at.

21.02.2026 04:04 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

We are all sinners, but if you are a celebrity podcaster, talk radio host, cable news panelist or anchor, concocting excuses for Epstein, Trump and this crowd, you've told us all we need to know. You've made your stand. Brand. No walking back. It's who you are. How does the face in the mirror look?

20.02.2026 16:47 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

A take heart message from JFK.

"Our problems are manmade--therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. Man's reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable--and we believe they can do it again."

20.02.2026 16:24 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Absolutely. A gold medal assist.

19.02.2026 21:38 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor ...it cannot save the few who are rich.

My latest sporadic mini-essay on substack.

johnafarrell.substack.com/p/if-a-free-...

19.02.2026 15:42 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

notorious radical left communist rag says tax the rich

18.02.2026 16:03 πŸ‘ 20519 πŸ” 6590 πŸ’¬ 468 πŸ“Œ 455

The right wing media criticism of AOC and Newsom is good news for Democrats. It confirms Trump's lame duck status a year earlier than two-term presidents, traditionally, have become afterthoughts. He will still have awesome statutory powers, and lash out for attention, but we are moving on.

18.02.2026 19:17 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

So wrong. Posing doesn’t get you through an eight year war.

18.02.2026 16:48 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The β€œbrilliant”nerds of Sunnyvale have screwed up the rollout, big time, for AI. Maybe they were not so bright when they put all their chips on Trump. But history (Ludlow, Homestead, Pullman) says they won’t learn the lesson. They will double down on force and corruption and Vance.

18.02.2026 16:40 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Obama Presidency Oral History The Obama Presidency as told by 450+ officials, activists, organizers, and extraordinary people from all walks of life.

So the Obama administration oral history project went live today. An extraordinary resource for historians and teachers, and a great credit to the team of folks who compiled them all, including Evan McCormick, @pastpunditry.bsky.social and many others.

17.02.2026 23:50 πŸ‘ 115 πŸ” 58 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 7

Picking fights with the US Coast Guard, shrugging at missing servicemen, demeaning Coast Guard pilots over your own comfy status, and wasting taxpayer funds on luxury aircraft so you can fly around like the Epstein Elite. Fire her. She is a liability for GOP and noxious for the rest of us.

17.02.2026 19:42 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

β€œNot one third of the inhabitants, even of this province, are of English descent,” Thomas Paine noted in Common Sense, "This new world hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe."

17.02.2026 16:04 πŸ‘ 754 πŸ” 189 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 6
President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address
President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address YouTube video by CBS

youtube.com/watch?v=PEC1...

A remarkable speech, with eternal verities - patriotism, human rights, statecraft, equality, liberty - that resonate today, when the enemies of freedom are empowered in Washington (and Davos and Sunnyvale) as well as Moscow. Take 15 minutes to listen in that context.

17.02.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

AOC is being mentioned as a 2028 candidate for President. (I would vote for her.) So the vetting process has begun. It ain't beanbag, as Mr. Dunne said. She will further learn and grow - or fail. The Times quibble about a very minor stumble is a compliment. She is being taken seriously.

17.02.2026 02:48 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Joyce Carol Oates @JoyceCarolOates
how is it possible to cram so much
ignorance--"English-Scott-Irish origin" -- into such a small space?
miracle of a person said to be "world's richest man" has no more grasp of US history than a crumpled paper tissue underfoot in a men's restroom not recently cleaned.

Joyce Carol Oates @JoyceCarolOates how is it possible to cram so much ignorance--"English-Scott-Irish origin" -- into such a small space? miracle of a person said to be "world's richest man" has no more grasp of US history than a crumpled paper tissue underfoot in a men's restroom not recently cleaned.

joyce is going after elon again

17.02.2026 01:22 πŸ‘ 7813 πŸ” 1276 πŸ’¬ 108 πŸ“Œ 161