David Dayen
@ddayen.bsky.social
Executive editor, The American Prospect. Author, Chain of Title and Monopolized. Tips at ddayen-at-prospect-dot-org or Signal at ddayen.90
Pinned
Sports - The American Prospect
prospect.org
You can see our entire series on The Business of Sports at
prospect.org/sports. More to come in the days ahead!
prospect.org/sports. More to come in the days ahead!
I am pretty used to corporate self-interest, but even I'm shocked by what Ellen Ioanes dug up about the Board of Peace and its designs in Gaza.
prospect.org/2026/02/09/b...
prospect.org/2026/02/09/b...
Board of Peace Is a Board of Profits - The American Prospect
Corporate interests dominate the organization planning the reconstruction of Gaza.
prospect.org
February 9, 2026 at 3:50 PM
I am pretty used to corporate self-interest, but even I'm shocked by what Ellen Ioanes dug up about the Board of Peace and its designs in Gaza.
prospect.org/2026/02/09/b...
prospect.org/2026/02/09/b...
There's way too much nonchalance about the fact that California is hurtling toward electing a MAGA governor, even if 65% of its voters vote for a Democrat in the primary. Harold Meyerson reports on the top-two primary setting conditions for an election at odds with voter preference.
The Nation’s Most Democratic State Might Elect a Trump-Friendly Governor - The American Prospect
California’s nonpartisan primary pits eight Democrats against two Republicans; only the top two finishers advance. Do the math.
prospect.org
February 9, 2026 at 2:46 PM
There's way too much nonchalance about the fact that California is hurtling toward electing a MAGA governor, even if 65% of its voters vote for a Democrat in the primary. Harold Meyerson reports on the top-two primary setting conditions for an election at odds with voter preference.
During college football season you may have endured endless ads telling you the game is in crisis. The crisis is this: players are getting paid. Katie Van Dyck explains how schools appealed to Congress to once again hoard the money players generate, and lost (for now):
prospect.org/2026/02/09/f...
prospect.org/2026/02/09/f...
How Congress Refused to Save the NCAA From Itself - The American Prospect
Colleges want exemptions from antitrust and labor laws, so they can continue to hoard billions in cash from sports and deny the players their rights. So far, they’ve failed.
prospect.org
February 9, 2026 at 2:19 PM
During college football season you may have endured endless ads telling you the game is in crisis. The crisis is this: players are getting paid. Katie Van Dyck explains how schools appealed to Congress to once again hoard the money players generate, and lost (for now):
prospect.org/2026/02/09/f...
prospect.org/2026/02/09/f...
bump
February 9, 2026 at 3:00 AM
bump
Reposted by David Dayen
Just a few weeks ago, the administration cancelled all remaining department of energy grid resilience projects in Puerto Rico. All of them. www.latitudemedia.com/news/the-end...
The end of DOE’s grid work in Puerto Rico
The Trump administration has canceled all eight of the remaining awards devoted to distributed energy on the island.
www.latitudemedia.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:00 AM
Just a few weeks ago, the administration cancelled all remaining department of energy grid resilience projects in Puerto Rico. All of them. www.latitudemedia.com/news/the-end...
"What he may not understand is that Bad Bunny is inherently political"
prospect.org/2026/02/06/b...
prospect.org/2026/02/06/b...
Bad Bunny Bowl - The American Prospect
Fresh off Grammy glory, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny is set to perform on America’s biggest stage. It’s shaping up to be Puerto Rico’s moon-landing moment.
prospect.org
February 9, 2026 at 1:57 AM
"What he may not understand is that Bad Bunny is inherently political"
prospect.org/2026/02/06/b...
prospect.org/2026/02/06/b...
Every copywriter who produced these ads after that halftime show is calling NBC right now going "Spike it! Spike it!"
February 9, 2026 at 1:35 AM
Every copywriter who produced these ads after that halftime show is calling NBC right now going "Spike it! Spike it!"
Four dead of heart attacks in The Villages from this show so far
February 9, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Four dead of heart attacks in The Villages from this show so far
No reason to respect either of these QBs this far, 9 seems insurmountable
February 9, 2026 at 1:08 AM
No reason to respect either of these QBs this far, 9 seems insurmountable
Don't worry take artists, Bad Bunny in 2:00
February 9, 2026 at 12:54 AM
Don't worry take artists, Bad Bunny in 2:00
Real turncoat stuff from Jon Bon Jovi right there
February 8, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Real turncoat stuff from Jon Bon Jovi right there
Throw out that playbook
According to the Louisiana Democratic Party, Chasity Martinez got outpsent by a 3-to-1 margin in tonight's election yet still turned in a 37-point overperformance—and a victory.
Congratulations to Chasity Verret Martinez on her election to represent House District 60.
She was outspent 3-to-1 and still won. This is what happens when grassroots Democrats show up and organize.
Proud of this win and excited to keep building power together. #LaDemos
She was outspent 3-to-1 and still won. This is what happens when grassroots Democrats show up and organize.
Proud of this win and excited to keep building power together. #LaDemos
February 8, 2026 at 6:10 AM
Throw out that playbook
Reposted by David Dayen
Breaking — Will Lewis out at the Washington Post. He just sent this email to staff (shared with me by staffer):
February 7, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Breaking — Will Lewis out at the Washington Post. He just sent this email to staff (shared with me by staffer):
In a Democratic club meeting, LA Mayor Karen Bass pronounced herself "flabbergasted" by Nithya Raman's entry into the mayor's race. "I’ve worked closely with Nithya, helped her gain the Democratic endorsement, helped her clear an encampment in her district," she said. "I am going to fight."
February 7, 2026 at 8:22 PM
In a Democratic club meeting, LA Mayor Karen Bass pronounced herself "flabbergasted" by Nithya Raman's entry into the mayor's race. "I’ve worked closely with Nithya, helped her gain the Democratic endorsement, helped her clear an encampment in her district," she said. "I am going to fight."
Pretty big deal in Los Angeles as Nithya Raman jumps into the mayor's race at the deadline. She's one to watch. Good to see some actual competition in our typically top-down local politics.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
Rising Progressive Star Shakes Up Race for Los Angeles Mayor
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Pretty big deal in Los Angeles as Nithya Raman jumps into the mayor's race at the deadline. She's one to watch. Good to see some actual competition in our typically top-down local politics.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
Some weekend Prospect here from Thomas Riley on PBS Kids, hit by the elimination of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and cuts to Ready To Learn grants from the Department of Education.
prospect.org/2026/02/07/t...
prospect.org/2026/02/07/t...
It’s a Dreary Day in the Neighborhood - The American Prospect
It’s a Dreary Day in the Neighborhood: PBS Kids is feeling the effects of funding cuts—and so will the rest of the children’s media landscape.
prospect.org
February 7, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Some weekend Prospect here from Thomas Riley on PBS Kids, hit by the elimination of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and cuts to Ready To Learn grants from the Department of Education.
prospect.org/2026/02/07/t...
prospect.org/2026/02/07/t...
What's the model for daily news now that rich benefactors have manifestly not safeguarded journalism? Bob Kuttner looks to The Guardian nonprofit trust as a path forward.
prospect.org/2026/02/06/p...
prospect.org/2026/02/06/p...
After The Washington Post - The American Prospect
What will it take to preserve a great newspaper in the nation’s capital, and to sustain independent daily journalism generally?
prospect.org
February 6, 2026 at 10:49 PM
What's the model for daily news now that rich benefactors have manifestly not safeguarded journalism? Bob Kuttner looks to The Guardian nonprofit trust as a path forward.
prospect.org/2026/02/06/p...
prospect.org/2026/02/06/p...
NEWS: Three Illinois Democratic congressional candidates being boosted by dark-money Super PAC ads that are shells for AIPAC also share 100s of donors who previously funded AIPAC. Many donations were sent to the same candidates for the same amounts on the same day.
From @ryangrim.bsky.social and me.
From @ryangrim.bsky.social and me.
AIPAC Coordinates Donors in Illinois House Primaries - The American Prospect
Three Democratic candidates are benefiting from dark-money super PACs, and they share hundreds of donors who have previously given to AIPAC and its subsidiaries.
prospect.org
February 6, 2026 at 5:27 PM
NEWS: Three Illinois Democratic congressional candidates being boosted by dark-money Super PAC ads that are shells for AIPAC also share 100s of donors who previously funded AIPAC. Many donations were sent to the same candidates for the same amounts on the same day.
From @ryangrim.bsky.social and me.
From @ryangrim.bsky.social and me.
Got a good one coming out shortly...
February 6, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Got a good one coming out shortly...
Reposted by David Dayen
oh I'm sure everybody will listen to this request
International Olympic Committee Asks Fans to Not Boo JD Vance at the Opening Ceremony
The U.S. delegation will be led by the Vice President and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
www.townandcountrymag.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:51 PM
oh I'm sure everybody will listen to this request
This was the subject of an entire book by Tom Standage about the mechanical Turk chess-playing "machine." (There was a little guy inside) www.goodreads.com/book/show/15...
Once again, it turns out “fully autonomous” means “a guy in the Philippines.”
It Turns Out Waymos Are Being Controlled by Workers in the Philippines
During a Congressional hearing, Waymo's chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, was grilled over the company's reliance on overseas workers.
futurism.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:47 PM
This was the subject of an entire book by Tom Standage about the mechanical Turk chess-playing "machine." (There was a little guy inside) www.goodreads.com/book/show/15...
Sure bitcoin is crashing, but at least we completely separated it from the broader financial system during the Biden administration and those guardrails haven't been taken down at al-- I'm sorry I'm getting some news
www.forbes.com/sites/tonyae...
www.forbes.com/sites/tonyae...
Trump’s 401(k) Bitcoin Order: What It Means For Retirement Portfolios
Trump’s executive order makes bitcoin eligible for 401(k) plans, reshaping retirement investing. Experts debate if it’s true progress or a risky repeat of the 1929 crash.
www.forbes.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Sure bitcoin is crashing, but at least we completely separated it from the broader financial system during the Biden administration and those guardrails haven't been taken down at al-- I'm sorry I'm getting some news
www.forbes.com/sites/tonyae...
www.forbes.com/sites/tonyae...
This was the last Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Critic A.A. Dowd reflected on the end of an era for Sundance and for independent film in general, in a time of fewer projects, fewer studios, and shorter theatrical windows.
Great reporting:
prospect.org/2026/02/06/s...
Great reporting:
prospect.org/2026/02/06/s...
Sundance Is Over. Long Live Sundance. - The American Prospect
Will there be life after Utah (and Robert Redford) for America’s biggest film festival?
prospect.org
February 6, 2026 at 2:59 PM
This was the last Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Critic A.A. Dowd reflected on the end of an era for Sundance and for independent film in general, in a time of fewer projects, fewer studios, and shorter theatrical windows.
Great reporting:
prospect.org/2026/02/06/s...
Great reporting:
prospect.org/2026/02/06/s...
Bad Bunny, fresh off the Grammys, takes the giant stage of the Super Bowl halftime show this weekend. The NFL assures that there won't be a political message, but Bad Bunny is inherently political: his music is a reflection of Puerto Rico's colonial state and recent tragedies, James Baratta writes:
Bad Bunny Bowl - The American Prospect
Fresh off Grammy glory, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny is set to perform on America’s biggest stage. It’s shaping up to be Puerto Rico’s moon-landing moment.
prospect.org
February 6, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Bad Bunny, fresh off the Grammys, takes the giant stage of the Super Bowl halftime show this weekend. The NFL assures that there won't be a political message, but Bad Bunny is inherently political: his music is a reflection of Puerto Rico's colonial state and recent tragedies, James Baratta writes: