Senior Lecturer in Politics, teaching and writing about politics, ideology and pro-wrestling, with a bit of Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 when I can. https://www.davidsmoon.co.ukhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mumheayftc2pAnd there are some great quotes you could use as well: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP88-01315R000300380009-2.pdf [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Sep 2026 12:31 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mumheayftc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mugyqaw4m222Highly recommend this piece. [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Sep 2026 08:26 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mugyqaw4m222https://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mttyuhqn2c2wPerfect timing for the WWE to have Stefanie McMahon remind everyone of how closer her family are to Trump, even beyond her mother’s role. https://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/471184/stephanie-mcmahon-opens-up-about-her-parents-longtime-ties-to-donald-trump#comments [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Aug 2026 19:08 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttyuhqn2c2whttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mtle676y5c26Governments have passed multiple pieces of legislation designed to hinder, criminalise and punish peaceful protest & direct action - the misuse of proscription is another element of this - w. routes to exert political pressure increasing constrained to an electoral process offering little option ... [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Aug 2026 08:36 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtle676y5c26https://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mt2sdia7l22xThis is great. [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Aug 2026 18:34 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2sdia7l22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3msxeas2adk2zA reminder with the Clayton by-election that masked heroes have won election before under their ‘gimmick’ names. [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Aug 2026 09:44 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxeas2adk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mscyepls422fTKO lost approx. $30 million running the UFC fight on the White House lawn. https://www.cagesideseats.com/post/kZfbmmrlHhMk05 Aug 2026 07:18 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mscyepls422fhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mq7s2ef6gs27On Count Binface being elected *as Count Binface*: In Japan, at least 3 pro-wrestlers have been elected having run as masked gimmicks: Great Sasuke, Super Delfin & Skull Reaper A-Ji. The first two wore masks in the legislature. Skull Reaper had to unmask. In Mexico, Tinieblas ran for Mayor but lost. [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Jul 2026 13:57 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7s2ef6gs27https://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mq7phsc2ms27Absolutely key that Count Binface does not break Kayfabe. Stay in gimmick, brother. Don’t let the media work you into a shoot.09 Jul 2026 13:11 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7phsc2ms27https://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mpehgq2pf222I’m writing about Jesse Ventura currently and IMO his is a truly authentic populist performance. Read his books, follow his career & the persona he enacts in political arenas is at once the one he developed as a pro-wrestler, action star, shock-jock, *and* his authentic self barely dialled-up. (1/2) [contains quote post or other embedded content]28 Jun 2026 17:05 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpehgq2pf222https://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mp4etfrrsc2aThis is a point I made in my recent piece for @renewaljournal.bsky.social - when it comes to the current cast of characters who dominate politics, anyone who hasn’t been listening to QAA, True Anon, Chapo, etc is playing serious catch-up. Constant shock @ known stuff. https://renewal.org.uk/articles/in-defence-of-paranoia-rethinking-politics-after-the-epstein-files/ [contains quote post or other embedded content]25 Jun 2026 11:57 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp4etfrrsc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mp4etfrrsc2aThis is a point I made in my recent piece for @renewaljournal.bsky.social - when it comes to the current cast of characters who dominate politics, anyone who hasn’t been listening to QAA, True Anon, Chapo, etc is playing serious catch-up. Constant shock @ known stuff. https://renewal.org.uk/articles/in-defence-of-paranoia-rethinking-politics-after-the-epstein-files/ [contains quote post or other embedded content]25 Jun 2026 11:57 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp4etfrrsc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3moui47r6ck2wMorally bankrupt you say? [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Jun 2026 08:34 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3moui47r6ck2whttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mouhlcgoxs2wAnyone feeling sympathy for how Keir Starmer was treated by newspapers should recall: 🔴 as DPP he rejected bringing charges on phone hacking; 🔴 he was therefore found ‘culpable’ for phone hacking; 🔴 he then called to end prosecutions for criminality early; 🔴 & he refused to bring back Leveson Pt.2.22 Jun 2026 08:25 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mouhlcgoxs2whttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3modyewnkhc2wI have a provocatively titled piece in the latest issue of @renewaljournal.bsky.social, in which I propose that among the lessons of the “Epstein files” revelations is the value of a properly directly, healthy paranoia suited to an age of opaque networks, dark money, and unaccountable elites. (1/2) [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Jun 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3modyewnkhc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3modyewnkhc2wI have a provocatively titled piece in the latest issue of @renewaljournal.bsky.social, in which I propose that among the lessons of the “Epstein files” revelations is the value of a properly directly, healthy paranoia suited to an age of opaque networks, dark money, and unaccountable elites. (1/2) [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Jun 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3modyewnkhc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3moctp45cnc23Judged against Trump & UFC’s own goals, the White House event looks like a huge success. Trump pulled off a spectacular hyperbolic celebration of the MAGA aesthetic, framed by U.S. state symbolism and military power - upsetting all the people they’d want… (1/2) https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/15/trump-white-house-ufc-michelle-obama-smear-gaethje-topuria15 Jun 2026 08:14 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3moctp45cnc23https://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mocqhwh24k2yRoman Reigns previously announced he’d voted for Trump, despite being a registered Democrat, so choosing to attend the UFC White House event is on brand I guess. But he seems to have been the only non-exec there. https://www.cagesideseats.com/post/RZbtV8fXBmTB [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Jun 2026 07:16 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mocqhwh24k2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3mob4tgiczc2qIt’s me - 英バース大のデービッド・ムーン上級講師（政治学）- quoted in Nikkei, with more comments on the politics behind the UFC fight on the White House lawn: https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOGN121MB0S6A610C2000000/14 Jun 2026 15:52 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mob4tgiczc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3moay67bgpc2vSome thoughts from me in Libération today about the UFC fight on the White House lawn: https://www.liberation.fr/international/amerique/tournoi-de-mma-a-la-maison-blanche-donald-trump-fete-ses-80-balais-a-sa-sauce-20260613_RJUYWBCM4VEDBNBLRWI3LHTLUM/14 Jun 2026 14:29 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3moay67bgpc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/daimoon.bsky.social/post/3moauyrrc7s2kMiz and. Charlotte Flair at the White House UFC event. I’m very interested the extent to which this event will see greater blurring across the TKO lines in terms of visuals of WWE workers at Trump events - and the extent to which it’s noticed.14 Jun 2026 13:32 +0000at://did:plc:522225phgdd7avbuaenveodf/app.bsky.feed.post/3moauyrrc7s2k