Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

This week in America under Donald Trump & JD Vance.

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

From 2024:
Franklin Graham is the poster child for Christian nationalism — and he’s a liar

baptistnews.com/article/fran...

Franklin Graham is the poster child for Christian nationalism — and he’s a liar – Baptist News Global

To understand the insidious nature of Christian nationalism, look no further than Franklin Graham’s appearance at the Republican National Convention last night.

baptistnews.com

1 3 7

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

Chicago pastor sues Trump after ICE assaults him while praying
baptistnews.com/article/chic...

Chicago pastor sues Trump after ICE assaults him while praying – Baptist News Global

A Presbyterian minister has joined a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration’s violence against demonstrators and media.

baptistnews.com

1 4 22

Ohio Capital Journal @ohiocapitaljournal.com · 1h

A majority of Americans disapprove of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s job performance and the federal government’s evolving vaccine policy, according to a poll released Thursday by the nonpartisan health organization KFF ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/09/r...

Majorities disapprove of RFK Jr. performance, doubt autism-Tylenol claims, KFF poll finds • Ohio Capital Journal

A majority of Americans disapprove of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s job performance and the federal government’s evolving vaccine policy, according to a poll released…

ohiocapitaljournal.com

4 15 28

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

Christian nationalist grifter Franklin Graham pulls ministries from accountability group his father co-founded
www.charlotteobserver.com/living/relig...

Franklin Graham pulls ministries from accountability group his father co-founded

The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is “trying to be the moral police of the evangelical world,” Billy Graham’s son says.

www.charlotteobserver.com

1 5 9

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

Editorial: Pope Leo delivers breathtakingly bold salvo on wealth, elitism and poverty

Prophetic in the truest sense, Dilexi Te is an uncompromising assessment of how wealth and faith in contemporary economic ideologies and markets have misshapen Christianity.

www.ncronline.org

1 4 8

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

Trump & Vance: Let’s offer you a deal that reflects our corrupt approach to life by giving you an inside track on federal funding, even though that betrays everything you’re supposed to stand for as peer-review based institutions.
The other 8 schools: Hmm, let us think about this.

Reuters @reuters.com · 3h

MIT refuses to accept White House terms for funding, other schools still mulling reut.rs/471tkNZ

MIT refuses to accept White House terms for funding, other schools still mulling

Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth on Friday said she "cannot support" a memo that the White House sent to nine elite U.S. universities last week detailing policies they should follow to get preferential consideration for federal funding.

reut.rs

1 3 13

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

The other 8 schools really should have rejected this compact by now too.

2 3 37

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

@jaketapper.bsky.social

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Q: The Nobel Peace Prize was announced this morning. Your thoughts?

TRUMP: Which one?

Q: The Nobel Peace Prize. Your thoughts?

TRUMP: I made eight deals, transactions of wars

3 9

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

Come on, @jaketapper.bsky.social

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Trump: "The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me, and said 'I'm accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it.' A really nice thing to do. I didn't say 'Then give it to me, though.'"

1 6

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

@jaketapper.bsky.social

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Trump: "Portland, I mean -- every time I look at that place it's burning down. There are fires all over the place. When a store -- there are very few of them left -- but when a store owner rebuilds a store they build it out of plywood. They don't put up storefronts anymore. They just put wood up."

1 2

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 1h

@jaketapper.bsky.social

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Trump: "AI is based on information. I hope they're right about information. I don't know. You've gotta make a lot of money to-- there's gotta be a lot of information out there, but that seems to be pretty hot. We're leading the world on information on AI."

1 3

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Trump: "AI is based on information. I hope they're right about information. I don't know. You've gotta make a lot of money to-- there's gotta be a lot of information out there, but that seems to be pretty hot. We're leading the world on information on AI."

200 120 510

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Trump: "Portland, I mean -- every time I look at that place it's burning down. There are fires all over the place. When a store -- there are very few of them left -- but when a store owner rebuilds a store they build it out of plywood. They don't put up storefronts anymore. They just put wood up."

880 270 1.3K

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Trump: "The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me, and said 'I'm accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it.' A really nice thing to do. I didn't say 'Then give it to me, though.'"

530 230 870

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Q: The Nobel Peace Prize was announced this morning. Your thoughts?

TRUMP: Which one?

Q: The Nobel Peace Prize. Your thoughts?

TRUMP: I made eight deals, transactions of wars

170 98 520

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 2h

I'm really surprised Trump & Vance didn't offer this compact to Ohio State. OSU's President Ted Carter has time after time shown a willingness to support their authoritarian approach to higher education & has instituted some of his own. Higher ed is fortunate they didn't.

3

Jason "Red5" Lyall @jaylyall.bsky.social · 2h

Now it's our turn, Dartmouth! No negotiations, no compromise, no dialogue, no nothing.

MIT rejects Trump administration deal for priority federal funding

MIT is one of nine schools that were asked to agree to adopt conservative priorities and policies in exchange for funding perks.

www.washingtonpost.com

6 48

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 2h

The head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops says that Pope Leo told them today to speak up about migration and that "We talked about the challenges we face when people align themselves more quickly with political positions than with the message of the Gospel."

Archbishop Broglio: Pope Leo understands the Church in the U.S - Vatican News

Following the first formal meeting of Pope Leo XIV with the leadership of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Timothy Broglio speaks of ...

www.vaticannews.va

2 15 52

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

Trump trying to fire a bunch of federal workers in a fit of rage seems like a great way for the Republican Party to produce a Democratic blowout in the upcoming Virginia elections.

3 2 12

darth™️ @darthbluesky.bsky.social · 3h

that johnson is more terrified of seating a duly elected democrat who could force an epstein vote than having the entire government shut down really makes me wonder about that epstein vote tbh

63 730 3.4K

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

Go Illini! Let's beat The Ohio State University tomorrow!

5

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

Note who the people are who Mike Johnson doesn't believe are entitled to congressional representation.

1 4 9

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

@hillaryclinton.bsky.social & @kamalaharris.com
www.instagram.com/reels/DPnkgf...

On with Kara Swisher on Instagram: "Donald Trump may be unhinged but at least ... he's predictable? @kamalaharris recounts the infamous "they're eating the dogs" debate moment that sparked a thousand ...

6,325 likes, 107 comments - onwithkaraswisher on October 9, 2025: "Donald Trump may be unhinged but at least ... he's predictable? @kamalaharris recounts the infamous "they're eating the dogs" debate ...

www.instagram.com

1

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

Interesting to see how the Trump administration and pro-Trump right-wing "Catholic" bishops are so united in their treatment of Dick Durbin.

Heartland Signal @heartlandsignal.bsky.social · 4h

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) says he has been denied 4 times to see what is going on inside the Broadview, IL ICE facility:

"Something's going on in there that they don't want us to see. I don't know what it is, but all Americans should be asking the same question."

1 6

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

You either have an authoritarian university president, a crappy website updater, or both, if your university president's July 27th interview with Face the Nation is still one of your university's top news stories on its website.
www.osu.edu

4

Reuters @reuters.com · 3h

MIT refuses to accept White House terms for funding, other schools still mulling reut.rs/471tkNZ

MIT refuses to accept White House terms for funding, other schools still mulling

Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth on Friday said she "cannot support" a memo that the White House sent to nine elite U.S. universities last week detailing policies they should follow to get preferential consideration for federal funding.

reut.rs

11 130 600

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

Weird how the young ageists on the left have nothing to say about how he's looking.

4 2 8

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 3h

She can see what we all see and you refuse to acknowledge, @cnn.com & @jaketapper.bsky.social

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett @crockett.house.gov · 3h

The President seems unwell. From his physical symptoms to his visible cognitive decline, the American people deserve clear answers about his ability to serve. I’ve formally called on the White House Physician to provide transparency and the truth about President Trump’s health.

1 2 5

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett @crockett.house.gov · 3h

The President seems unwell. From his physical symptoms to his visible cognitive decline, the American people deserve clear answers about his ability to serve. I’ve formally called on the White House Physician to provide transparency and the truth about President Trump’s health.

110 540 2.2K