Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Every darn cycle: “Malfunctioning machines, voter confusion and locked polling sites were among the problems on Election Day as millions of Americans prepared to cast ballots Tuesday in a midterm election fueling an outpouring of enthusiasm — and frustratingly long lines.”
* Just in time: “Facebook blocked more than 100 accounts it believes may be engaging in ‘coordinated inauthentic behavior’ hours before the midterm elections, launching an investigation into whether the accounts are linked to any foreign entities attempting to interfere in the election.”
* This seems like a thread worth pulling on: “China granted initial approval for 16 new trademarks to Ivanka Trump, the president’s elder daughter and senior adviser, renewing questions about the Trump family’s intermingling of official roles and international business interests. Among the broad array of trademarked items were shoes, shirts and sunglasses…. Other categories given initial approval were less obvious fits, like voting machines, homes for senior citizens and semiconductors.”
* This name will be familiar to Rachel Maddow Show viewers: “Police in Monaco on Tuesday detained Russian tycoon Dmitry Rybolovlev, who owns soccer club AS Monaco, for questioning as part of an investigation into corruption and influence peddling, newspaper Le Monde reported.”
* Disputing rumors no one’s heard always seems weird to me: “President Donald Trump used his first Twitter message of Election Day to hit back at a rumor he said was ‘deception’ on the part of Democrats that Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley left a campaign rally headlined by the president Monday night before it was over.” * No end to the nonsense: “Polls weren’t even open yet in some parts of the country before Election Day hoaxes started taking off online. One fake video that’s getting circulation on both Facebook and Twitter today purports to show CNN anchor Don Lemon laughing as Democrats burn flags in a celebration of the ‘blue wave.’” * That strange rock in space: “Fellow Americans: As you stood in line at your polling place Tuesday morning, you may have seen a headline or two claiming that the interstellar comet that visited our solar system last fall could be a spacecraft sent by an alien civilization — perhaps to deliver us from the nightmare of our political culture. I’m here to report that no aliens are coming. At least, not this time.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
