Daily Bafflements

• When it comes to election 2016, you could say, “when it rains, it pours.” And “pour” it did last night after BuzzFeed dropped a 35-page dossier on what kompromat (compromising material) the Russians allegedly have on Trump. It features telling—and downright sketchy—business connections, bizarre sexual acts (including golden showers), overworked Kremlin operatives, and enough oddities to make John le Carré’s head spin. And that was before news broke that the author’s name is Christopher Steele. 

But was posting an unsubstantiated report the right move? Well, it depends on who you ask. Whatever the outcome, as Max B. Sawicky reminds us, there’s reason to be concerned. 

• Over at the New Republic, Timothy Shenk eviscerates Jonathan Chait’s newest book, Audacity: How Barack Obama Defied His Critics and Transformed America—a text plagued by its unfortunate post-election release date. 

• “Voters correctly see candidates who are more good looking as more likely to be conservative.”

•  Welcome to Hell. Who knew it was so close to the Baffler office?