A.J. Bauer

@ajbauer.bsky.social

20923 Followers 1002 Following

Researching conservative news and right-wing media. PhD in American Studies from NYU. I teach at but don't speak for the University of Alabama. News on the Right (http://bit.ly/2YgUcZX). Making the Liberal Media (https://shorturl.at/e31nU)

Klee’s angelus novus
Michael Grynbaum July 16, 2026, 9:40 p.m. ET18 minutes ago Michael Grynbaum Fox News, which paid $787 million to settle a defamation suit over false statements about the 2020 election, took a careful approach in covering Trump’s remarks. Sean Hannity, a Trump ally, said that the president’s claims were “pretty remarkable,” but was careful not to endorse Trump’s allegations. “I’m sure anybody that cares about truth will want to do a deep dive into all of this,” Hannity told viewers. A Fox News correspondent, Aishah Hasnie, then stated bluntly on-air that the network “is not in a position to evaluate the accuracy of the president’s statements and claims at this time.”
The morning of Wednesday, November 4, 1992, might as well have been Christmas. Results from that year’s US presidential race were tallied the night before—although well past my bedtime. Eight years old and eager to learn who won, I woke early and rushed outside to collect my family’s copy of The Dallas Morning News from the front lawn. As I made my way back inside, I impatiently removed the plastic wrapper revealing the headline: “Clinton triumphs.” I wept, rushing to my moth- er’s bedside to deliver the news. Yes, I was a dramatic little Republican back in 1992.1 My parents had divorced the prior December, and my paternal grandfather had died that February. I struggled with the overwhelming emotions that accompany losses of all sorts, including, it turns out, by incumbent presidents. My mom struggled too. A tired, working, single mother of two whose own parents were both in declining health, she felt sentimental when she lis- tened to music, so she turned the radio dial in our boxy blue Astro van to the news/talk station WBAP-AM. There she found Rush Limbaugh, whose political commentary and jokes at the expense of liberals kept her from crying on long drives around the North Texas suburbs while running errands with us kids.2 Raised in a Democrat household, my mom joined the Republican Party in 1980—drawn in, as with so many of her genera- tion, by Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign against Jimmy Carter. In
Ny times editorial board opinion the democrats can’t go on like this
Analysis. Does a sex assault claim kill a political career? It depends. Ghraham Platner’s swift exit followed Eric Swallwell’s similar departure from the California governor’s race, but Republicans have taken a different tack.
Same post as above dated 8/30/23
Jon Levine tweet NEW from me I called up David Duke to ask about Darializa Avila Chevalier's criticism of interracial relationships —  He was a fan! "I think that people have the right to preserve their particular heritage," Duke tells me
Although my uncle was at MIT one of the great professors, 51 years, whatever, he was the longest-serving professor in the history of MIT … Kaczynski was one of his students” President trump in a speech July 2025 This lacks evidence
The algorithm learns to write obituaries
Critics of conservatism have long suggested that the “liberal media” claim represents little more than an attempt to “work the refs” in the con- servative movement’s favor or serves as “flak” designed to discipline the mainstream news media against growing too critical of capitalism or US imperialism.3 Such metaphors overlook the long-standing and entrenched conflict between the modern conservative movement and the press, and how that conflict has shaped the lived reality of conservatives at the grass- roots. Making the Liberal Media shows how that conflict emerged. As we will see, from the modern conservative movement’s earliest formations in the late 1940s to Trump’s authoritarian return to power in 2025, belief in structural liberal media bias has played a central and constitutive role in the formation of modern conservative identity and movement strategy. It has also profoundly altered our media culture, giving rise to a distinct right-wing media sector that is actively competing with professional jour- nalism over the cultural authority to tell the “true” story of public life
Washington Post from endorsing Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024. And in February 2025 he announced that the Post’s Opinion Page would be adopting a new editorial stance oriented around supporting and defend- ing “personal liberties and free markets.”1 Reacting to the newly emergent right-wing mainstream media environment, The New York Times Pitch- bot, a social media parody account joked: “The Washington Post and LA Times editorial pages have gone full MAGA, MSNBC has purged all of its anti-Trump anchors, and Twitter is owned by a literal Nazi. Here’s why liberal media bias is still a problem
Image of Donald Trump. One million true maga responses needed. Alert. Respond before midnight
Drawing of Donald Trump by Jon Mcnahighton, “if it works out I’m going to take the credit; if it doesn’t work out I’m blaming JD!”
The reflecting pool appears to be rejecting its makeover
Wall street journal: Everyone in Trump’s Cabinet Is Eating Sauerkraut JD Vance, RFK Jr. and other officials swear by a diet of grass-fed meat and fermented foods, even when the sulfurous odors cause friction at home photo of a fork picking sauerkraut out of a jar
NEWS ANALYSIS Trump Demanded Iran’s ‘Unconditional Surrender.’ He Got a Surprise Instead. While the Iranians suffered substantial losses in the war, they emerged from a confrontation with the world’s most powerful military having proved they can use economic chaos as a weapon.
Emmaia gelman and Laura Whitehorn with books and Palestine flag
Subway ad for NYPD corrections officers featuring four police officers who appear to be people of color
Paul Klee angelus novus
NYC vax champ hat in front of Spicy Village restaurant
NYC vax champ hat in front of Spicy Village restaurant
Ross Douthat newsletter: Pope Leo’s AI vision might not be strange enough
Marx’s fancy grave with a giant sculpture of his head. Flowers and assorted tributes but no labubu
AJ Bauer wearing floral print shirt at Karl Marx’s original grave
Goldsmiths students attending a protest outside the main building
Nyt analysis: Leo pierces Silicon Valley’s messianic dreams: when the old religion challenges the new, who wins?
Steven thrasher wearing a PRESS shirt signing copies of the Overseer Class in the Strand green room
Shop their fingers off with the s crossed out and replaced with a c
Photo of a greying haggard looking Ben Shapiro in a tux. "Ben Shapiro's Media Empire is Collapsing" by Ross Barkan for New York magazine
Grey cat with paw on white legal pad with smug look on her face, cradled in a human arm wearing light blue denim over shirt and purple t shirt, all on a grey couch
Image of Hasan Piker wearing glasses, white shirt and green jacket. USA Today op Ed by Ingrid Jacques: Hasan Piker is the left’s Nick Fuentes. Why do they embrace him?
Alex jones tweet: The Onion newspaper has been rocked by the discovery that their new creative director, produced pro pedo/child kidnapping, torture and murder programs. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg is the main financier of the Onions hostel takeover of Infowars and is funding productions designed, in their words “to wear Alex Jones skin.” Below is an actual mug shot of the creep.. Joke mugshot of Time Heiddecker
cover of the book making the liberal media, how conservatives built a movement against the press by A.J. Bauer. Red and blue letters on off white background, subtitle over a blue paint swatch.
Text message from my mom from 11 years ago. “Happy 420 day [leaves emoji] from Geraldo who is calling for legalizing today as he is suffering a hangover today from alcohol”
Donald Trump truth social post. I’m winning a War, BY A LOT, things are going very well, our Military has been amazing and, if you read the Fake News, like The Failing New York Times, the absolutely horrendous and disgusting Wall Street Journal, or the now almost defunct, fortunately, Washington Post, you would actually think we are losing the War. The enemy is confused, because they get these same Media “reports,” and yet they realize their Navy has been completely wiped out, their Air Force has gone onto darker runways, they have no Anti Missile or Anti Airplane Equipment, their former leaders are mostly gone (This has been, in addition to everything else, Regime Change!), and perhaps, most important of all, THE BLOCKADE, which we will not take off until there is a “DEAL,” is absolutely destroying Iran. They are losing $500 Million Dollars a day, an unsustainable number, even in the short run. The Anti-America Fake News Media is rooting for Iran to win, but it’s not going to happen, because I’m in charge! Just like these unpatriotic people used every ounce of their limited strength to fight me in the Election, they continue to do so with Iran. The result will be the same — It already is! President DONALD J. TRUMP
A line of books at a table
Secretary Hegseth on Wednesday shared a custom prayer, referenced as the CSAR prayer, used by the brave warfighters of Sandy-1 who led the daylight rescue mission of Dude 44 Alpha out of Iran, which was obviously inspired by dialogue in Pulp Fiction. However, both the CSAR prayer and the dialogue in Pulp Fiction were reflections of the verse Ezekiel 25:17, as Secretary Hegseth clearly said in his remarks at the prayer service. Anyone saying the Secretary misquoted Ezekiel 25:17 is peddling fake news and ignorant of reality.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. “In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he told The Associated Press.
Just War Doctrine: The Pope, JD Vance and a Theological Debate President Trump’s attack on Pope Leo has touched off an argument about a framework for determining when war is justified.
Wall Street journal headline: Bernie Sanders is back as a left-wing kingmaker. Photo of Bernie on a stage sitting with a red curtain behind him
jon mcnaughton painting, one nation under god.
Jesus tending a flock of sheep
Image posted to Trump’s truth social account depicting Trump as Jesus healing the sick while a bunch of American imagery looks on
NY Times: Did Wokeness Leave Us Worse Off? The debate over words we can and can't say., April 8, 2026
Ny times: Trump Finds His Offramp With Iran. But the Causes of War Remain Unresolved. President Trump’s short-term intimidation may have worked, but the fundamental divides with Iran are as sharp as they were in February.
A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!
Tuesday will be power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Straight, you crazy badtards, or you’ll all be living in hell - just watch! Praise be to Allah. President Donald j Trump
Ny times Trump revels in threats to commit war crimes in Iran
Trump posts: Tuesday, 8 PM Eastern Time Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP
Trump truth social post: Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP
Bookish.bailee post on Threads: an irritating set of coincidences: Appalachian elegy, bell hooks 2012, hillbilly elegy, jd Vance, 2016, communion, bell hooks, 2002, communion, jd vance 2026
Al dot com headline the endangered species committee has voted to exempt the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico from endangered species laws. Photo of a whale.
Donald J Trump truth social post: Kangaroo Court!!!
Pete Hegseth tweet: Back to the Stone Age
Guardian U.S. headline: less meat, more plants, US Heart body’s diet advice at odds with Maha
But there is a reason Orwell was required reading in Texas public high schools. It is no doubt the same reason that Animal Farm and 1984 are featured on several ”best of” book lists for conservatives. Like many democratic socialists of his time, burned by his interactions with international communism under Stalin, Orwell committed his literary efforts to opposing totalitarianism—less so to promoting socialism. Orwell can be a bridge out of conservatism, but he only gets you so far. One must keep reading or risk getting stranded in an anti-statism that can lead back to the right. It’s a short and unencumbered walk from 1984 to Friedrich Hayek’s Road to Serfdom, for instance, or to the U.S. nationalist adage of infamous right-wing conspiracist Alex Jones: “the answer to 1984 is 1776.”
Advance copy of Katie Gaddini’s new book “ester’s army: the Christian women who power the America right.”
Newsweek December 24, 1990: Thought police there’s a politically correct way to talk about race, sex and ideas. Is this the new enlightenment or the new McCarthyism?