
Top O’ the Briefing
Happy Monday, dear Kruiser Morning Briefing friends. The Sine Qua Non Sequitur is exploring the functional intersection of Tai Chi and rum balls at a bespoke prepper bunker just outside of Yuma.
Whenever anyone asks me what kind of music I listen to, I’ve always replied, “Everything.” It’s almost always met with skepticism, but it’s true. I don’t obsess over styles and genres — if I hear a song that I like, that’s it. I’ve been sharing a Spotify account with my kid since, well, she was a kid, so my horizons are always being expanded.
That personal preference interlude was to provide context for this: I’ve been a huge Nick Minaj for well over a dozen years.
Before we get into why I like Nicki even more now, context for something else is needed.
As the year is winding down, the Trump Derangement Syndrome hysteria is awash in more negative hyperbole than ever before. The Democrats and their flying monkeys in the mainstream media have not gotten any semblance of a grip on reality since last year’s election. I’m not saying that they had a grip before that, it’s just that they’re getting worse.
Here’s a prime example:
Because of President Trump’s actions, in so many ways, Bret Stephens writes, “our standards as a nation are being debased, our manners barbarized.” https://t.co/1IBr6Q3Efr
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) December 17, 2025
The title of that Opinion piece refers to President Trump as “Our Petty, Hollow, Squalid Ogre in Chief.”
But it’s Trump who is barbarizing our manners.
This is standard fare in the Opinion sections of The New York Times and The Washington Post. They’re constantly trying to make the case that President Trump is unhinged, and their M.O. is centered on being completely unhinged themselves. They are impossible to take seriously.
Now let’s contrast Bret Stephens’ effete snobbery and lack of mental wellness with the thoughtful words of the best selling female rapper of all time. Nicki Minaj appeared with Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest this past weekend. I think she surprised a lot of people. This is from a post that Sarah wrote about the event:
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president,” Minaj said, adding, “He has, I don’t know if he even knows this, but he’s given so many people hope that there’s a chance to beat the bad guys — and to win and to do it with your head held high and your integrity intact.”
She went on to talk about how Trump has been through “every single thing a person could be through, publicly” and how so many people constantly lie about him. “Until you are in that person’s shoes that’s being lied on, you’ll never understand what it feels like,” she said. “That person is a human being, they have a family who has to read those lies, and that’s not, it’s just not fair.”
Minaj said that there are so many people in this administration who have “heart and soul,” including Vance.
She’s got plenty nice to say about Vice President JD Vance as well, saying that he and the president, “haven’t lost touch of the world,” and they both, “have the ability to still connect and be real and make us feel proud to be American.”
Which of these assessments of President Trump seems more authentic?
Minaj is talking about a real person. Like all Coastal Media Bubble™ elites, Bret Stephens responds to a caricature of Trump that he and his ilk have made up out of whole cloth. The Never Trumpers who were once Republicans long ago pervert the caricature even more than the Democrats do, so Stephens is far removed from reality.
It’s more alt-universe stuff from the left. On the same day that Ezra Klein wrote, “The Trump vibe shift is dead,” in the NYT, a rapper who made a fortune using VERY colorful language (trust me) was singing his praises while on stage with Erika Kirk, who recently said “Pardon my French” on Fox News because she’d used the word “hell.”
I’d say that the MAGA tent is still pretty big and that Trump’s vibe shift is alive and well. I say that because, unlike Bret Stephens and Ezra Klein, I live on Planet Earth.
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The Mailbag of Magnificence
As promised, the Mailbag is back! We’ve got some frequent contributors standing out today. Let us begin with this from Jonathan S.
Hey Mr. Kruiser,
Additional email address here. I had to laugh at your mention of Norman Fell. One of his earliest roles was the sergeant in “Catch 22” where he told Yossarian, “The major will see you now” after the major had already left the office!
On a more somber note, Mr. Fell also played an Army sergeant who became one of the last casualties of the Korean War/conflict/police action (could be additional names) in the movie “Pork Chop Hill”. No matter what role he played, even Mr. Roper in, natch, “the Ropers”, he was great!
But—frozen meatballs? After breaking some teeth over something that hard, the pineapple Fanta would do in a pinch as a type of mouthwash or alternate form of astringent. FWIW, Fresca’s grapefruity taste might do better. Toke on a Coke *TM” product, perhaps?
Honest, keep up the good work. We need humor. One wise person remarked, “When you stop laughing, you stop living” and I’m inclined to believe it. Looking forward to more of “TMB” pipeline!
Thank you! Every time I see a clip from Three’s Company I long for the days when sitcoms focused more on the “com” than the “sit” and just enjoyed being goofy. Heck of an ensemble cast. And thank you for understanding that there is no “there” there with the Sine Qua Non Sequitur.
Doug writes:
Kruiser
I love to start the day with the Daily Briefing and it puts a spring my step when I see Edward Hopper in the gallery. Combine that with Carson clips and it would be the best way to start every day.
Keep it up.
I’m glad you enjoy the artwork! It’s always nice to get feedback from people who appreciate the way I like to wrap things up with art, comedy, or music. That just sort of happened on its own back in the early days of the MB. I’ve seen some interesting Hopper stuff lately that surprised me. I don’t know if I’ve posted any of it yet, but I will soon.
This is from Paul in Indiana:
Your commentary today was right on! The criminal Garland will get off scott free, so will all of Biden’s minions! They did so much damage to our country it will take several years for Trump and Vance to repair.
Side note: I know you’re optimistic that the Republicans will retain the house in 2026 but I am not. They just can’t help themselves in screwing it up! And they’ve already started!
I should clarify this: I haven’t said that the GOP will keep the House, I just don’t think that it will be the midterm drubbing that the Dems are hoping for. That’s the way I feel almost a year out. There’s plenty of time for that to change.
This is from Bob in Michigan regarding Elissa Slotkin:
Good morning, Mr. Kruiser!
I trust all is well in Arizona. Well … as well as it can be with Kelly and Gallego for your senators, and Hobbs as your governor.
The Hygrade Heiress has always been a Far – Left Elitist Extremist. Who, being a Trustifarian educated only in the most elite of Michigan’s private schools, believes she is “truly educated” and therefore intrinsically knows what is best for the peasants. Her earlier positions were strictly politically motivated, taken to insulate her until such time as she believed the political winds had shifted; becoming tailwinds.
Cheers!
All is very well here in Arizona, despite the political situation. Kelly, Gallego, and Hobbs can’t ruin 80-degree early winter days. Yeah, the ick was oozing from Slotkin when I watched all of those campaign ads of hers last year. She wasted no time doing a 180 when she got to the Senate. Those 6-year terms make them way too comfortable. REPEAL THE 17th!
This is from another Steve:
Sir: You’re a great commentator. Keep it up!
One thing does bug me though. The “Top O’ the Briefing.” I get more out of the briefing by skipping it; sometimes I read it anyway, but always wind up slightly annoyed, because I just don’t get the humor. So that’s it…one again kudos for doing a great job.
Wait, there’s supposed to be humor in the Top O’ the Briefing?!?!?
We’ll finish with this. Ron is going to be disappointed when he sees how this works out. Look, my friends, unless it’s a typo, it’s just best to avoid any attempts to correct me. OK, sometimes I screw up when I’m tired.
Pretty decent piece.
Bit just FYI there “ain’t no such word” as “snuck”.
Its “sneaked in”. The nuns would rap your knuckles.
And it makes you sound like Democrat.
Just sayin’…
Just sayin’…
Thanks to everyone who has been writing in!
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