Hit Dog’ll Holler

This is Tommy. Tommy had a question about my allegiances. Listen to the end to hear about his. https://t.co/p09eMtsh0x

— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) October 18, 2026

It’s better (pardon my pettiness, but I don’t disavow that!) in context:

What is it about the GOP that they have to infantilize men to excuse their dick-stepping? Tommy Teepell is in his mid-20s and has had a senior job working for @HawleyMO. Are you saying Hawley hires children?

— EU says Elon should not lie abt my blue check (@emptywheel) October 18, 2026

Add @BlueBoxDave to the list of rabid bigots who refuses to uphold the Constitution.

— EU says Elon should not lie abt my blue check (@emptywheel) October 18, 2026

Add @hughhewitt to the people who have become to racist to uphold the Constitution anymore. He probably supports the terrorist group that attacked the Capitol in 2021.

— EU says Elon should not lie abt my blue check (@emptywheel) October 18, 2026

Hewitt objects to a real answer rather than a fake answer.

Vance is confronted by the emotional husband of a soldier killed in Iran War and acts like he had no idea anyone ever died: Q: It's a hard price to pay. There's a failure in the leadership. How will the leadership be held accountable? Vance: If there were failures... This is the first time I've heard of this.

— FactPost (@factpostnews) October 18, 2026

An answer like this is more comfortable? (And the attack was in March, and Vance still hadn’t heard of it?)

Say @HawleyMO? Do YOU, like your recent staffer Tommy Teepell, disavow the Constitution's Freedom of Religion? If so, will you resign from the Senate for lying in your oath of office? https://t.co/g9m2z5Scq9

— EU says Elon should not lie abt my blue check (@emptywheel) October 18, 2026

Even CBS had to get in on it;

Tommy, thank you. I had to watch this twice to catch Dr. Abdul El-Sayed’s nanosecond “yeah absolutely” response. His subsequent uninterrupted three-minute diatribe proving your exact point is the kind of spectacular self own most ppl only dream about triggering. Congrats

— Jan Crawford (@JanCBS) October 18, 2026

So, the Sacred Narrative must be preserved, must be bowed down to, and “disavowal” must be ritually performed according to the rites approved by the right wing. El Sayed failed to complete the ritual. Therefore , he failed to “disavow.” Pay attention: he disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood twice in that conversation, but he shredded the basis for the requirement that he do so. And that’s the problem for Tommy and Jan and Hugh and Ari.

Yeah, Tommy was not a concerned voter, he was a plant looking to score points. El Sayed proved he’s fit to stand on the floor of the chamber of “the greatest deliberative body in the world” and stand his ground.

I call that a win.