There’s a pattern that keeps repeating over the last five years. Republicans—usually Donald Trump—do something that is objectively awful: Insult a Gold Star family. Call veterans “losers.” Explain how being a star entitles you to commit sexual assault. In the wake of these moments, both Republicans in Congress and the right-wing media react with … silence. They wait, looking to the American public for some sign of outrage. They dip a thermometer into social media, checking to see that their base is still with them. Then, reassured that people are willing to shrug off that “locker room talk,” they charge right back in, taking the most recent outrage as the new standard of behavior. Turning the dial constantly, not just on what it takes to be shocking, but on what Republicans expect to show that you’re still a member of the team.   This week’s contribution to the repetition of this seemingly endless déjà vu came in reaction to the texts that were sent from Republicans in Congress and pundits at Fox News to former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. In the midst of the Jan. 6 assault, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Brian Kilmeade were all desperately texting Meadows, begging him to get Trump to stop the violence.  For 24 hours after that revelation, Fox News engaged in another round of radio silence, returning to the big story of just how culpable President Joe Biden is for the actions of a homeless, mentally impaired man who burned down their tree. But on Tuesday evening, Ingraham and Hannity were ready to address the issue in their time-honored way: by making fun of the select committee, other newscasters, and Rep. Liz Cheney. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson simply reaffirmed his support for violence. Read more