I fear we are still far from peak madness, even if it feels like we're getting dangerously close on today's BradCast, with our Special Coverage analysis of New Hampshire's First-in-the-Nation Primary results and whatever the hell may be happening next. [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

Donald Trump defeated Nikki Haley on Tuesday in NH, though only by 11 points, the same number by which he defeated his GOP challengers in last week's Iowa Caucuses, according to the latest reported results. Once again, he received just over half of the votes cast by those who participated in the Republican contest. Trump's tally is currently just over 54%, Haley's is just over 43%.

On the Democratic side, where Joe Biden's name didn't even appear on the ballot, as the first sanctioned Democratic Primary is set for South Carolina instead early next month, the President won easily in NH nonetheless. Thanks to an unofficial Write-In campaign, he garnered nearly 56% of the vote, with a whole bunch of Write-In ballots still to be hand processed as of airtime today. Biden's final vote share is likely to climb to 60% or above. MN Congressman Dean Phillips received just below 20% of the Democratic vote, while self-help guru Marianne Williamson came in at just below 5%.

On the GOP side, Haley offered what sounded like a victory speech Tuesday night, deriding Trump and as loser and vowing to continue the race through her home state of South Carolina and "dozens of states left to go". A furious Trump responded, as he does, with disjointed, angry remarks and thinly veiled, if evidence-free, threats regarding criminal investigations of his former U.N. Ambassador. "I don’t get too angry --- I get even," he promised.

What sense does any of this make? We're joined today by our very smart old pals HEATHER DIGBY PARTON of Salon and Hullabaloo, and 'DRIFTGLASS' of The Professional Left Podcast for whatever analysis any of this may be worth. Among the many questions discussed on today's program...

• What's the most important 2024 election news today? Results from the NH primary or the fact that Jon Stewart is coming back to The Daily Show in time for the 2024 elections?
• What does Haley think she will accomplish by remaining in the race?
• Is there any remaining chance that Trump won't actually become this year's GOP nominee?
• Are media outlets such as CNN and MSNBC, who break away from lies told during Trump's victory speech, doing America a favor or a disservice?
• While key establishment GOP donors have thrown support behind Haley, will they eventually come around to Trump anyway?
• Is the Biden camp, which reportedly wanted the GOP race to be over after NH, wise in rushing toward a two-person race against Trump?
• Would a conviction for Trump in any of his four felony indictments really dampen support for Trump among Republicans as recent polling suggests?
• Why is Trump still tied with or beating Biden in a number of polls right now?

"It's mobster stuff," notes Driftglass about Trump's vague threats to Haley during his victory speech on Tuesday. "In an alternate universe," he contends, Haley might have been a good candidate for the GOP. But "the universe that we live in is one where Trump has a full-blown cult behind him." He adds a reminder to his "Never Trump friends that you built a Doomsday machine with no off-switch."

Parton joins Driftglass in arguing that Trump WILL now be the GOP nominee, unless he "falls face-first into the omelet bar at Mar-a-Lago." Other than that, she warns, "we're looking at a Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden campaign." The GOP donor class will "be there no matter what" for Trump, she observes, noting, "these guys are the zombies of the American political system and they're never going away." As to Haley, Parton adds: "If last night was any example of what Trump is going to do to her, it's about to get very, very ugly."

You mean it's not ugly yet?!...

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Article Categories: Mainstream Corporate Media, BRAD BLOG Media Appearance, Corporate Media, New Hampshire, Mainstream Media Failure, Democrats, Republicans, Jon Stewart, Joe Biden, KPFK, Donald Trump, BradCast, Nikki Haley, Marianne Williamson, Election 2024, Dean Phillips