Bob’s Hailstone (07-24-25)
“The Truth That Wasn’t Allowed”
By Jim Reynolds | www.reynolds.com
🪞 Grook of the Day:
“The lie that spreads will leave a scar,
But truth just waits—exact, ajar.
It doesn’t knock or storm or plead;
It waits for silence. Then it reads.”
🧊 Unifying Introduction
The lead stories today don’t just rhyme—they march in lockstep. Declassified documents, old fingerprints, and fresh denials form a whiplash parade through Russiagate’s rotten core. The same Obama-era insiders who swore on “nuance” and “national security” are now caught red-handed by their own paper trail, while the media flails to preserve the illusion. From Sperry to Taibbi to Penn to Tulsi, the line is drawn: they knew it was false, they used it anyway.
Meanwhile, the blue-state exodus picks up steam, the unions rediscover tariffs, and even some Democrats remember workers exist. But the deeper throughline today is denial—of failures, of consequences, of facts that no longer behave.
Bob’s take? “It wasn’t a conspiracy theory. It was a conspiracy—just badly executed and poorly remembered.”
[Note: Bob’s expanded and optional summaries are at the bottom of this report.]
🧨 The Russia Lie, Declassified
Brennan pushed unverifiable garbage into the intel bloodstream while Obama rushed the hit job before Trump could hang his coat. Sperry lays it bare.
Paul Sperry, RealClearInvestigations
Bob: “If this was intelligence, I’m a lamppost.”
Jim: “Bob is a lot of things, but he is not a lamppost.”
Leans: Right
🎭 Nuance Is the Swamp’s Safe Word
McCabe gaslights Tulsi with talk of “nuance,” as if that justifies four years of baseless slander. Her receipts are real; his excuses aren’t.
Andrew McCabe, CNN
Bob: “When they say ‘nuance,’ they mean ‘we got caught lying nicely.’”
Leans: Left - “This is CNN”
💣 December 9th: The Coup Calendar
Taibbi shows how the no-evidence ICA became gospel the moment Obama called the meeting. From zilch to full tilt overnight.
Matt Taibbi, Megyn Kelly Show
Bob: “Santa didn’t come that year—Obama did.”
Jim: “Incredible how much play this story is getting, despite legacy media’s attempts to kill it. They are missing a lot of eyeballs in their quest to bury the story of the century. Viewers are switching to FNC or similar. Or the internet, where Kelly is.”
Leans: Center-Left
📞 Obama's Patience Is Thin—So Is His Cover
Benen waves off the Gabbard docs as “hysterics.” That’s rich, considering the receipts scream collusion—not with Russia, but against Trump.
Steve Benen, MSNBC
Bob: “Hysterics? You paid people to cry on air over a hoax.”
Leans: Punchline-Bennen-predictable Left
🧾 They Knew It Was Fake. They Spread It Anyway.
Penn’s blunt: the intel community ran a narrative hit job with zero evidence and full awareness. This wasn’t a mistake—it was strategy.
Mark Penn, X
Bob: “If truth was water, they carried gasoline. Kinda blew up on them.”
Leans: Ex-Lefty-Center
🚨 Bureaucrats with Badges
Bevan’s SiriusXM crew lays it out: intel was hijacked, dissent suppressed, the press weaponized. All roads lead back to Obama’s ICA.
Bevan et al., RealClearPolitics Radio
Bob: “Watergate had burglars. This had gatekeepers with suits.”
Jim: “Steady stream of ‘evidence’ keeps pointing back to the former Orchestrator-in-Chief.”
Leans: Center-Right
🛑 Still Failing Upward
Tom Rogers dissects how Dems keep repeating Harris’ playbook: identity over economy, elite over worker. Cuomo followed it straight into oblivion.
Tom Rogers, Newsweek
Bob: “Same ingredients, same soufflé collapse.”
Jim: “Surprise, surprise! Woke works only when you suppress all reasonable opposition!”
Leans: Center-Left
🚔 Sanctuary from the Law
Mike Davis says it’s time to prosecute those harboring illegal aliens under the actual law. California’s rot is no longer symbolic—it’s systemic.
Mike Davis, Federalist
Bob: “If you feed the fugitives, expect a raid on your pantry.”
Jim: “Falling on your sword for an unworthy cause is not a good look. Give up the criminals and let’s move on. Homan ain’t going anywhere.”
Leans: Right
🤹♀️ Jersey Justice or Judicial Juggling?
Millhiser mocks Habba for Trump-adjacency, but sidesteps the substance. The bias isn’t subtle—it’s doing somersaults in a robe.
Ian Millhiser, Vox
Bob: “This ain’t law. It’s Lawfare with clown makeup.”
Leans: Left
🍔 In-N-Out, All the Way Out
In-N-Out’s owner leaves California for Tennessee. High taxes, regulatory tyranny, and ideological chaos made the decision easy—and common.
Nicole Russell, USA Today
Bob: “When your fries make more sense than your governor, it’s time to leave.”
Jim: “I Volunteer for the first Chattanooga Cheeseburger. Track 49. Hold the onions.”
Leans: Center-Right
💵 Welfare Won’t Win You Workers
Guastella wants Dems to return to wages, jobs, and dignity—but the party still whispers to donors and shouts at red-state voters.
Dustin Guastella, UnHerd
Bob: “The Left’s slogan should be: ‘Lower expectations, higher spending.’”
Jim: “Green-haired teachers and recent grievance graduates don’t really ‘get’ blue collar workers. Duh. Maybe that is the problem. They have a rainbow but no coherent or discernible coalition.”
Leans: Left
🚚 Tariffs, Teamsters, and Truth
Union boss Sean O’Brien backs Trump tariffs, slams CEO greed, and supports English for truckers. Labor, meet leverage.
Charles Creitz, FOX News
Bob: “Protectionism—because globalism won’t fix your axle.”
Jim: “Follow The Money. Truckers apparently prefer tailing a better deal.”
Leans: Right
🔥 The Bigger Scandal Got Buried
Zane says Epstein’s lurid saga distracted from the real institutional rot: Russiagate’s media-industrial coup.
Peder Zane, RealClearPolitics
Bob: “One had victims. The other had voters.”
Leans: Center-Right
🔒 Secrets Stay Sealed
O’Connor praises a judge for keeping Epstein’s transcripts hidden. Guess transparency has party limits.
Lydia O’Connor, HuffPost
Bob: “They want sunlight for Trump and blackout curtains for Epstein.”
Leans: Left
🏛️ Columbia: Bought and Busted
Columbia caves to DOJ, pays $220M for antisemitism negligence. Settlement includes downsizing, monitoring, and a silent confession.
Katie Pavlich, Townhall
Bob: “When Ivy rot goes federal, you get a fine, not a fix.”
Jim: “Higher ed needs a complete make-over. Stop feeding leftist crazy people.”
Leans: Right
🤖 AI Panic Is Mostly Projection
Matt Stoller calls bluff on AI fearmongers: jobs aren’t vanishing, but responsibility is. The apocalypse sells better than accuracy.
Matt Stoller, Substack
Bob: “AI won’t take your job—but it might report how bad you are at it.”
Jim: “I use AI probably more than 99% of the population. I have no fear of this technology.”
Leans: Center-Left
🩺 DEI > Disease
JAMA ran more pieces on inequality than asthma. Fenn and Miceli argue medicine’s moral mission has become a marketing campaign.
Fenn & Miceli, City Journal
Bob: “Hope your virus is vaccinated against bias.”
Jim: ”Anything that promotes mediocrity over merit — or worse, is not a good thing.”
Leans: Right
🎺 Brother Jeff Has a Birthday Today
Just sliding this in quietly. Jeff’s up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, still working that bass trombone, guiding the Compline Choir, and tuning his model trains with monk-like precision. He only looks a day over 81—which is impressive, since today he turns 82. Born smack in the middle of World War II. That blows the mind... and the horn.
Bob: “I hear Bro Jeff is also a veteran – played in a military band that was so loud they had to station them permanently in Alaska. The recruiter told him it was just going to be TDY.”
Leans: Conservative
🔚 End Note: The Hoax, the Exodus, the Pattern
Strip away the masks today and three patterns emerge:
Russiagate was a coordinated operation—not a mistake, but a premeditated hijacking of public trust.
The Left can’t quit its bad habits—doubling down on Harris-style messaging, sanctuary defiance, and DEI dogma, no matter the cost.
Even old allies are jumping ship—unions like O’Brien’s praising Trump policies, blue-state business icons moving redward, and centrist voices exposing the cracks.
The media? Still dancing. Still pretending the receipts don’t say what they say. Still treating exposure as extremism.
But here’s the good news: truth doesn’t require a megaphone—just a microphone and enough people willing to listen. And maybe a burger on the way to Tennessee.
Bob sees it. Do you?
See you tomorrow.
Read the full stories at the RealClearPolitics.com site.
Optional Extra: Bob’s gives you his take on all the stories below, if you’d like to see more detail. He is not shy about giving his opinion about liars, fakes, and purveyors of false “nuance”.
How ‘Unverifiable’ Report Became Russiagate Dynamite
Listen up, because this ain’t some dusty history lesson—it’s the smoking gun on how Obama and his cronies turned a flimsy, unverifiable scrap of intel into the Russiagate dynamite that blew up Trump’s presidency. Paul Sperry lays it out plain: Brennan at the CIA rammed through this “one scant, unclear and unverifiable fragment” from a biased Russian source, overriding his own analysts who knew it was garbage. They slapped it into the ICA anyway, claiming Putin was rooting for Trump, even though the evidence was thinner than a Clinton alibi. And get this—Obama’s fingerprints are all over it, directing Clapper and Brennan to cook up the report in a rush, bypassing real checks to smear the incoming president before he even unpacked.
This wasn’t intelligence; it was a hit job, pure and simple, designed to hamstring Trump with endless probes and media hysteria. Sperry nails how they ignored warnings, suppressed dissent, and let the hoax fester for years, costing us Flynn, Sessions, and a paralyzed White House. Now Gabbard’s declassifying the dirt, proving what we knew: the deep state played dirty to protect their own. If this ain’t treason, what is? Time to lock ’em up—Brennan, Comey, the whole rotten crew.
Leans: Right-leaning bulldog, digging up bones the left buried deep.
Gabbard Doesn’t Understand the Nuances of Intelligence
Here’s McCabe, that slimy ex-FBI hack, whining on CNN that Tulsi Gabbard doesn’t get the “nuances” of intelligence after she drops bombshell docs exposing Obama-era lies on Russiagate. Andrew McCabe twists himself into a pretzel, claiming her charges against Brennan, Comey, and Obama are “absurd” and that she’s either clueless or playing politics. Nuance? That’s code for the swamp’s fancy way of covering up their fabricated ICA that painted Trump as Putin’s puppet, even when their own intel screamed otherwise. McCabe deflects like a pro, ignoring the declassified proof of suppressed evidence and rushed reports to delegitimize an election winner.
This ain’t about nuance; it’s about accountability for the biggest political scam in history. Gabbard’s laying out the treasonous conspiracy—Obama directing the hit, Brennan overriding facts—and McCabe’s response? Gaslight the American people, pretend it’s all a misunderstanding. Liberals like him built careers on this hoax, paralyzing a presidency with Mueller’s witch hunt that found zilch. Gabbard’s got the receipts; McCabe’s got excuses. Time for real justice, not more deep-state spin.
Leans: Left-leaning swamp defender, slimy as an eel in denial.
The Smoking Gun That Indicts Obama
Taibbi’s dropping truth bombs on Megyn Kelly’s show, nailing the December 9, 2016, Obama meeting as the Russiagate smoking gun where they flipped the script from no Trump-Russia link to full-on conspiracy overnight. Matt Taibbi breaks it down: pre-election leaks said FBI saw zilch, but post-win, Obama huddles with his crew, orders a new ICA, and bam—media floods with “Russia helped Trump” lies before the intel’s even cooked. Gabbard’s declass reveals the rush job, Brennan shoving unverifiable crap despite analyst red flags, all to sabotage the new president.
This was no accident; it was orchestrated treason from the top, with Obama greenlighting the hoax that crippled Trump for years. Taibbi calls out the leaks starting same night as the meeting—NYT, WaPo pushing the narrative before facts existed. Now Trump’s team exposes it, demanding prosecutions for the liars who knew it was made up but spread it anyway. Obama’s patience “wearing thin”? Good—his team’s about to face the music for the biggest political fraud ever.
Leans: Center-left truth-teller, finally seeing the swamp for what it is.
Obama’s Patience Wears Thin in Response to Hysterics
Benen’s spinning hard on MSNBC, calling Trump’s “treason” jab at Obama “ridiculous” hysterics, as if declass docs proving the Russia hoax was manufactured under Obama’s watch are just distractions. Steve Benen whines Obama’s office issued a rare rebuke, dismissing Gabbard’s report as old news and pointing to Rubio’s Senate probe like it absolves the deep-state plot. Patience thin? More like nerves frayed as evidence mounts of Obama directing the ICA lie factory to undermine Trump.
This ain’t hysterics; it’s accountability for a conspiracy that hobbled a presidency with baseless probes. Benen’s gaslighting ignores Brennan’s overrides, suppressed dissent, and media leaks starting December 9, 2016—all to peddle the “Putin helped Trump” fiction. Obama’s crew knew it was unverifiable garbage but spread it anyway. Now Trump’s exposing the rot, and liberals like Benen cry foul. Too bad—truth’s coming, and it’s indicting time.
Leans: Left-leaning apologist, thin as Obama’s excuses.
They Knew Russiagate Was All Made Up Yet They Spread It Anyway
Penn’s calling it straight on X: Obama and his hacks knew Russiagate was bogus from the jump but peddled it like gospel to sabotage Trump. Mark Penn exposes how they ignored warnings, suppressed real intel showing no Putin preference for Trump, and rushed the ICA to delegitimize the win. Gabbard’s declass nails it—treasonous conspiracy from the top, with Brennan, Clapper, Comey cooking the books.
These liars didn’t care about truth; it was all narrative warfare to paralyze a president. Penn hammers how they spread the hoax knowing no evidence backed it, costing us Flynn, Sessions, and years of Mueller nonsense that found zilch. Now the receipts are out, and Trump’s demanding justice. The deep state walked free too long—time to pay up.
Leans: Center-leaning whistleblower, finally fed up with the scam.
Weaponizing FBI and Intel Community a Major Scandal
Bevan and crew on RCP’s SiriusXM show rip into how Obama weaponized the FBI and intel against Trump, calling it the biggest scandal since Watergate. They spotlight Gabbard’s declass showing suppressed dissent, unverifiable sources shoved in, all to push the Russia hoax and cripple the presidency. Major players like Brennan overriding facts for political hits.
This ain’t oversight; it’s abuse of power to subvert an election winner. The panel slams the media for spreading the lies, ignoring real intel that Putin didn’t favor Trump. Now Trump’s team exposes it, demanding prosecutions. The swamp’s major scandal is out—time for heads to roll.
Leans: Center-right truth squad, broadcasting the betrayal.
Why Haven’t Democrats Learned From Harris’ Failures?
Rogers nails it in Newsweek: Dems blew it with Harris’ flops, and Cuomo’s NYC mayoral run repeated every mistake—ignoring affordability, botching cultural issues, chasing elites over workers. Tom Rogers calls out how Harris prioritized abortion over wages, alienating swing voters, and Cuomo did the same, losing big.
Liberals haven’t learned squat, still pushing identity over economy, letting Trump own the working class. Rogers warns: fix it or keep losing. But Dems double down on failures—pathetic.
Leans: Center-left critic, schooling his own side.
Feds Must Prosecute Activists Who Harbor Illegal Immigrants
Davis demands feds crack down on activists shielding illegals in sanctuaries like L.A., calling for prosecutions to send a message. Mike Davis blasts Bass’ cash handouts as harboring crimes, urging indictments for donors and groups breaking 8 U.S.C. § 1324.
This ain’t compassion; it’s power grab, bloating census for more seats. Davis roasts California’s rot—time to jail the enablers.
Leans: Right-leaning enforcer, no mercy for lawbreakers.
The Absurd Fight Over Alina Habba in New Jersey
Millhiser mocks the Habba saga on Vox, downplaying her probes into Dems as “dubious” while judges boot her for Grace. Ian Millhiser spins it as Trumpian incompetence, ignoring Habba’s push for accountability.
Liberals cheer the “rogue judges” stunt—absurd cover for protecting their own.
Leans: Left-leaning sneer, absurdly biased.
In-N-Out Owner Leaves California, and She’s Not Alone
Russell spotlights In-N-Out’s Snyder fleeing California’s mess for Tennessee, citing family and business woes from high taxes, regs. Nicole Russell notes she’s not alone—exodus of folks ditching the blue-state decline.
Golden State’s crumbling; good riddance to bad policies.
Leans: Center-right realist, escaping the liberal utopia.
Wages Over Welfare: How Democrats Can Win Workers
Guastella urges Dems in UnHerd to ditch welfare focus for wages, unions, jobs—populist economics over liberal handouts. Dustin Guastella says embrace working-class views, win back Trump voters with pro-worker agenda.
But Dems chase elites—fools.
Leans: Left-leaning strategist, begging his party to wake up.
Teamsters’ Boss Lauds Tariffs, Slams High CEO Salaries
Creitz reports O’Brien praising Trump’s tariffs on FOX, slamming CEOs’ fat pay while workers suffer. Charles Creitz highlights union boss backing protectionism, English for truckers.
Real talk from labor—tariffs build middle class.
Leans: Right-leaning union ally, lauding common sense.
Epstein vs. Russiagate
Zane contrasts Epstein distraction with Russiagate’s real scandal on RealClearPolitics, arguing Obama’s hoax inflicted more damage than Epstein’s dirt. Peder Zane slams media for hyping Epstein while burying Obama team’s treason.
Epstein’s a sideshow; Russiagate’s the coup.
Leans: Center-right comparer, exposing priorities.
Judge Denies DOJ Request To Unseal Epstein Transcripts
O’Connor cheers judge blocking Trump’s DOJ unsealing Epstein transcripts on HuffPost, Lydia O’Connor framing it as thwarting distraction from Russiagate revelations.
Liberals hide behind secrecy—ridiculous.
Leans: Left-leaning gatekeeper, denying sunlight.
Columbia University Surrenders
Pavlich blasts Columbia caving to Trump DOJ on Townhall, settling $220M for tolerating antisemitism, violating Jewish rights. Katie Pavlich celebrates downsizing, monitoring to end bias.
Ivy League rot exposed—surrender time.
Leans: Right-leaning victor, claiming the win.
Why Are We Pretending AI Is Going To Take All the Jobs?
Stoller debunks AI job apocalypse on Substack, arguing it’s overhyped—productivity boost, not mass unemployment. Matt Stoller calls out fearmongers demanding excessive returns.
AI’s transformational, but jobs ain’t vanishing.
Leans: Center-left skeptic, pretending realism.
Leading Medical Journals Prioritize DEI Over Diseases
Fenn and Miceli slam JAMA for more “inequity” articles than on asthma, accusing journals of DEI obsession over science. Howard Fenn and Kurt Miceli warn medicine’s retreat to ideology.
Journals prioritize politics—patients suffer.
Leans: Right-leaning whistleblowers, diagnosing the bias.