'We're taking the f***ing flags back'

Charlie Sykes brings the heat on Mike Lee, Trump targeting Black women, Big Law regrets and The Gadsden Flag at No Kings protests

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Regular readers of 24sight probably already know

Charlie Sykes

well, he’s the veteran Wisconsin conservative radio host who broke with the GOP over Trump in 2016 and has been a prolific voice of clarity and snark throughout this era of American politics.

Charlie spotted a Gadsden Flag at a No Kings protest, which really seemed to capture the moment. The “Don’t Tread on Me” flag of the American Revolution which was adopted by conservative tea party activists 16 years ago was now being taken up by what some may call Democratic “tea partyers”.

The weekend of massive national protests, Charlie notes, could be looked back on as a turning point, captured in the image of activists retaking the American and Gadsden flags.

“This was getting your act together. There were all those American flags. I saw anti-Trump people with the ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ flag,” Charlie says. “It’s like, ‘You know what? We’re taking the f***ing flags back. We’re taking the flag. It’s our flag.’”

We spent a good bit of time talking about how U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, devolved from the hard right constitutional conservative who used to link up with Ted Cruz to the internet troll who claimed Minnesota murder suspect and anti-abortion activist Vance Boelter is an example of Marxists murdering.

Mike Lee and the Broken Brains of MAGA

Something I’ve always appreciated about Charlie, which he brings throughout this chat, is his deep roots in the pre-Trump conservative movement.

As he notes, the old order of politics has been roundly upended, like overturning a smorgasboard (big Wisconsin energy) leaving everyone to build a new order. That happened years ago for Republicans, and now seems to be happening for everyone else, including Democrats.

If you don’t subscribe to Charlie’s “To The Contrary” yet, you should.

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Virginia primaries

It’s primary day in Virginia today!

Big races for lieutenant governor, attorney general and more will be decided today down in Old Dominion.

In case you missed my preview with

Brandon Jarvis

, catch it here. And if you’re a Virginian and you haven’t voted yet, make sure to get out there.

Big Virginia Energy: Primaries preview with Brandon Jarvis

Look for more here later this week after the results are tallied and the pivot to the general election begins.

Writing tunes

On Deck

Tune in to Substack LIVE Thursday at 4p ET for a chat with

Chris Cuomo

. We’ve got a lot to cover, mark your calendars.

And

Juliegrace Brufke

is BACK! (After a well-deserved vacation.)

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