Bob’s Hailstone – July 20, 2025

Scandals Surfacing, Institutions Quaking

Jul 20, 2025

Bob’s Hailstone – July 20, 2025

Scandals Surfacing, Institutions Quaking

Grook

Shadows lift from fabricated fogs,
Institutions tremble in truth’s harsh light.
Forgotten sins claw back to the fore,
As reckonings rewrite the endless night.

Graphic: A towering house of cards labeled “Deep State” collapses under a flood of declassified documents. Media microphones shatter like glass. Epstein files swirl in a whirlwind. A resolute gavel marked “Accountability” slams down amid crumbling ivory towers.

Unifying Introduction

Sunday breaks in the ongoing Trump resurgence, where buried scandals resurface like ghosts demanding justice—from Russiagate orchestrations to faltering media empires, education-based funding hearings, and renewed hope for peace abroad. Heartland tales of perseverance contrast with elite institutional unraveling, showcasing a nation shaking off old deceptions and rediscovering foundational grit. To me, it looks like the empire striking back at emperors with no clothes; Bob sees the fragile threads of power fraying under the pull of persistent truth-seekers.

Story Summaries

Colbert’s 8 Years of Democrat Propaganda Talking Points

Source: Rob Schneider via Fox News
Rob Schneider slams Stephen Colbert’s late-night tenure as a nonstop conveyor belt of liberal talking points—from Russiagate hype to COVID mandates. He accuses Colbert of turning comedy into partisan warfare, citing plummeting ratings and canceled segments as evidence of backlash, and calls for satire to return to genuine humor rather than echo-chamber activism.

Leans: Right‑incendiary / media‑bashing / center‑satire‑salvage
Bob: “Propaganda in a clown suit? That’s not funny; it’s just sad clowning.”
Jim: “Colbert’s script flips from laughs to lectures—now the joke’s on him.”
Button: Eight years of talking points: Because nothing says ‘comedy’ like a DNC press release.

End for Colbert’s Show Has Fans Worried

Source: Jacques Berlinerblau, MSNBC
Berlinerblau frets on rumblings of The Late Show cancelation, attributing it to shifting viewer tastes and cost-cutting amid streaming wars. He defends Colbert’s progressive commentary as vital cultural reflection, warning that silencing him would dim a key voice of resistance to right-wing resurgence, and urges fans to amass support for renewal.

Leans: Left‑defensive / show‑saving / center‑viewer‑shift
Bob: “Worried fans? Maybe they should worry about why nobody’s laughing anymore.”
Jim: “The most predictable ‘humor’ on TV. Spare me the dancing vaccine syringes.”
Button: Colbert’s end? Fans fret while the remote clicks to something actually funny.

Obama Orchestrated the Russiagate Coup

Source: Julie Kelly, Substack
Kelly unveils alleged evidence from new declassifications pointing to Barack Obama’s direct involvement in launching the Russiagate probe. She frames it as a deliberate political coup aimed at undermining Trump’s legitimacy. She details meetings, memos, and insider testimonies exposing alleged intelligence manipulations—and she demands a serious investigation into what she calls the biggest scandal in modern U.S. history.

Leans: Right‑explosive / coup‑calling / center‑evidence‑hunt
Bob: “Orchestrated? That’s putting it mildly—it’s a symphony of sabotage.”
Jim: “Every hailstone starts with a speck in the sky. Did Obama put it there?”
Button: Russiagate coup: Obama’s baton waves, and the deep state dances.

GOP Trying To Turn Biden’s Autopen Use Into a Huge Scandal

Source: Frank Bowman, Slate
Bowman dismisses Republican efforts to condemn Biden’s use of the autopen for signing bills as manufactured outrage—arguing the device is a common tool for efficiency, and charging GOP critics with hypocrisy given Trump’s own use of it. He calls the probe a misguided distraction from real policy failures.

Leans: Left‑dismissive / scandal‑downplaying / center‑procedural
Bob: “Not a scandal? ‘The power vested in me’ now goes to an inanimate object.”
Jim: “From one inanimate object to another. Autopen knows its way off stage, however.”
Button: If Slate is trying to disappear the story, we know that it is worth exposing.

Trump and Wiles Are Like a New Madden and Summerall

Source: Michael Toth, The Hill
Toth compares Donald Trump and advisor Susie Wiles to iconic NFL broadcasters John Madden and Pat Summerall. He portrays their partnership as a dynamic duo—blending bold strategy and tactical execution in the political arena—and highlights Wiles’s role in Trump’s recent successes, predicting they could form a governance powerhouse.

Leans: Center‑analogous / duo‑praising / right‑optimistic
Bob: “Madden and Summerall? More like boom and precision—touchdown for Team Trump.”
Jim: “Trump‑Wiles broadcast: Color commentary meets play‑by‑play in the game of thrones.”
Button: Trump and Wiles: Political MVPs calling the shots from the booth.

Likes Don’t Equal Votes

Source: Bill Scher, Washington Monthly
Scher cautions Democrats against overvaluing social media metrics, warning that viral likes and shares do not translate into ballots. Drawing on midterm election data, he urges renewed emphasis on grassroots organizing rather than digital echo chambers.

Leans: Left‑strategic / vote‑reality check / center‑data‑driven
Bob: “Likes don’t vote? Shocker—keyboard warriors rarely hit the polls.”
Jim: “Digital hearts beat fast, but ballots march to a slower, surer drum.”
Button: Likes ≠ votes: Because thumbs‑up won’t flip the Electoral College.

Federal Dollars Bankrolled University Diversity Hiring

Source: John Sailer, City Journal
Sailer reveals how billions in federal grants have funded aggressive DEI hiring initiatives at universities—prioritizing ideology over merit. He documents cases of discriminatory practice and calls for taxpayer-funded audits to ensure educational integrity.

Leans: Right‑critical / funding‑exposing / center‑merit‑plea
Bob: “Bankrolled diversity? That’s code for funding division with our dollars.”
Jim: “Federal cash flows into DEI rivers—swelling banks, eroding foundations.”
Button: DEI dollars: Uncle Sam’s wallet opens for the equity empire.

Can Alan Garber Save Harvard?

Source: Franklin Foer, The Atlantic
Foer profiles Harvard’s interim president, Alan Garber, examining his efforts to restore the university’s prestige amid scandals surrounding antisemitism and plagiarism. He investigates internal reforms and external pressures, questioning whether Harvard’s elite status is salvageable amid cultural backlash.

Leans: Left‑reflective / salvage‑skeptical / center‑institutional
Bob: “Save Harvard? From itself, maybe—arrogance is a tough stain to scrub.”
Jim: “Stop funding liberal hothouses. Start fresh with new institutions.”
Button: Harvard’s savior? Garber steps up, but can he stop the cancer?

Rescuing the Declaration From Left- and Right-Wing Polemics

Source: Peter Berkowitz, RCP
Berkowitz argues both political extremes distort the Declaration of Independence for partisan gain. He proposes bipartisan educational efforts to restore its original meaning—promoting unity in a divided nation.

Leans: Center‑balanced / declaration‑defending / nonpartisan
Bob: “Rescuing? It’s not lost; just buried under bullshit from both sides.”
Jim: “The Declaration’s ink fades under polemical smudges—time for a clean read.”
Button: Declaration rescue: Because founding words shouldn’t be party favors.

Rekindling Statesmanship To Secure the Future

Source: Vice President JD Vance, Blaze Media
Vance calls for reviving true statesmanship—valuing humility, service, and long-term thinking over short-term gains. He draws on historical models to urge leaders to prioritize national security and prosperity for future generations.

Leans: Right‑inspirational / statesmanship‑calling / center‑future‑focused
Bob: “Rekindling? We need a bonfire to burn away the current clown show.”
Button: Statesmanship rekindled: JD Vance fans the flames for tomorrow’s fire.

Israel Has Its Best Chance for Peace in 25 Years

Source: Dennis Ross, Bloomberg
Ross assesses shifting Middle East dynamics that he believes offer Israel its strongest opportunity for peace in decades. He recommends strategic diplomacy and measured concessions, warning that failure to seize this moment may prolong regional instability.

Leans: Center‑diplomatic / peace‑pitching / left‑pragmatic
Bob: “Best chance? About time—peace isn’t rocket science, just common sense.”
Jim: “Israel’s peace horizon gleams—25 years in the making, one step from dawn.”
Button: Israel peace shot: Grab it now, or watch it fade like desert mirages.

Christian Brose on the Coming Revolution in Military Tech

Source: Kate Odell, Wall Street Journal
Odell interviews defense strategist Christian Brose on how AI, drones, and autonomous systems are reshaping warfare. Brose urges aggressive investment to maintain U.S. military edge against emerging rivals like China while highlighting ethical challenges posed by autonomous weapons.

Leans: Center‑tech‑forward / military‑innovating / right‑strategic
Bob: “Revolution? Finally catching up—bullets to bytes, baby.”
Button: Military tech rev: Brose blueprints the future, one drone at a time.

End Note

At day’s close, exposed scandals and enduring resilience define our moment. Media empires wobble, foreign-policy flinches reset, and heartland grit stands tall. This quake shakes loose the rot—even as it reveals the bedrock. Demand full stories, cherish perseverance, and forge ahead: Monday awaits; let’s build on the tremors.

Note on Sources:
All stories referenced here are from RealClearPolitics homepage as of July 20, 2025. For full articles and context, visit www.realclearpolitics.com.