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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Justin Ellis

A look inside the offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a sign for FEMA sits in the foreground as we see the silhouettes of people against large monitors in the background.

Politics

It’s Not The Weather Machine That Is Making Life Shittier

David Roth

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (R) jumps on stage as he joins Donald Trump. You can see Musk's tummy; Trump looks kind of upset.

Check Out These Cool Moves!

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

A monitor shows the CBS News broadcast of the Vice Presidential Debate between US Senator and Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz in Harrisburg, PA, on October 1, 2024, at a watch party.

Margin Of Error

JD Vance Found A Debate He Couldn’t Win

Donald Trump makes a loony-eyed face while speaking at IAC.

Where Racism Goes To Become Rhetoric

Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) appear on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination

What A Lie Is For


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

Dan and Dave split image on Wildwood boardwalk. In middle are two shirts: Trump as 50 Cent: Many men wish death upon me A shirt that says My favorite people call me pop-pop

Life's Rich Pageant

Dan And Dave Hit The Wildwood Boardwalk: A 2024 T-Shirt Report

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris debate on September 10, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Donald Trump Talked Honestly About Policy

Alex Sujong Laughlin

A person stops to watch a TV screen at a bar in Washington D.C. showing the U.S. presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Who Won The Debate? The Swirling Existential Void That Will Consume Us All

A picture of Donald Trump at the first presidential debate next to a rendering of a trading card which includes a swatch of the suit he wore in that debate, taken from the website selling those cards.

Donald Trump Is Still Selling NFTs, Now Also Selling Trading Cards With Bits Of His Suit Embedded In Them

Donald Trump wears an ain't-I-a-stinker smirk while Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks onstage at a campaign event at which the latter announced the end of his presidential campaign and endorsement of the former.

Stupid And Contagious

Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen J.D. Vance (R-OH) speaks during a press conference at the Shelby Township Police Department on August 7, 2024 in Shelby Township, Michigan.

Men On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown

Giri Nathan

A picture of US President Donald Trump is seen during a prayer ceremony by the activists of Hindu Sena, a right wing group, for Trump's victory in the US presidential elections in New Delhi on November 3, 2020.

Donald Trump Bumbles His Way Toward A More Perfect “Kamala”

Barry Petchesky

US Senator from Ohio and 2024 Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance (R) gives a thumbs up as he shakes hands with US former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024. Days after he survived an assassination attempt Donald Trump won formal nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and picked right-wing loyalist J.D. Vance for running mate, kicking off a triumphalist party convention in the wake of last weekend's failed assassination attempt. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

Look At These Fucking Weirdos

A flyer with information about Project 2025's plan to expand oil drilling inside the United States, stapled to a pole on a city street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Who Wants To Talk About The Issues

Albert Burneko

The New York Times building is seen on September 6, 2018 in New York. - A furious Donald Trump called September 5, 2018 for the unmasking of an anonymous senior official who wrote in the New York Times that top members of his administration were undermining the president to curb his "misguided impulses." Trump asked if the unsigned op-ed could be considered treasonous, assailed the newspaper for the "gutless" piece and questioned whether the senior official it was attributed to actually existed. "TREASON?" Trump posted in response to the article entitled "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration," which claimed the president's own staff see him as a danger to the nation."Does the so-called 'Senior Administration Official' really exist, or is (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Journalismism

Why Did The New York Times Delete A Notorious Fraudster’s Election Take?

<p>Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

President Joe Biden returns to the White House with first lady Jill Biden on July 7, 2024 in Washington, DC. Members of Congress return to Washington this week as pressure for Biden to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for the presidency continues to mount.

Funbag

The Gerontocracy Loosened Its Death Grip

<p>Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.</p>


Nicholas Russell

Chief Technology Officer of X Elon Musk speaks onstage during the "Exploring the New Frontiers of Innovation: Mark Read in Conversation with Elon Musk" session at the Lumiere Theatre during the Cannes Lions International Festival Of Creativity 2024 - Day Three on June 19, 2024 in Cannes, France.

Elon Musk Keeps Digging In

Tom Ley

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: U.S. President Joe Biden departs the White House on July 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. Biden is traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada to deliver remarks at the NAACP National Convention and the UnidosUS Annual Conference.

It’s Joever!

Republican Vice Presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) attends the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee.

Wings Week

Donald Trump Selects His Wingman

<p>Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.</p>


Hamilton Nolan

Welterweight contender Jaron Ennis trains during a media workout for his upcoming fight against Custio Clayton at Churchill Boxing Club on May 11, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.

The Fights

Philly Has A Hero Named Boots

US President Joe Biden speaks as he hosts a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (out of frame) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 10, 2024.

What’s The Story With Joe Biden?

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 05: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during an event on the South Lawn of the White House August 5, 2021 in Washington, DC. Biden delivered remarks on the administration’s efforts to strengthen American leadership on clean cars and trucks. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Podcasts

Joe Biden Should GTFO, With Rohan Nadkarni

New Yorkers watch the 2024 Presidential Debate between Trump and Biden in New York City, United States on June 27, 2024.

Without Fact-Checking, A Presidential Debate Is Just TV

Donald Trump and Joe Biden, looking like a couple of brain-ruined old mummies during their presidential debate.

Debate Losers

Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, 2024 in Concord, North Carolina. He is wearing a make American Great Again hat.