Biden’s Third-Party Threat: The Left’s Growing Discontent
As President Joe Biden prepares for his 2024 re-election bid, much attention has been focused on the potential risks posed by No Labels, the centrist group aiming to run a bipartisan third-party candidate. However, Democrats may be overlooking a far…
Trump’s Raised Fist: A Defining Moment in a Pivotal Campaign
The near-assassination of former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, electrifying Republicans and rattling Democrats. As gunfire rang out, leaving Trump bloodied but defiant, his raised fist became…
What Japan’s New Prime Minister Means for the U.S.
In a year defined by global political shifts, Japan has added its own surprising twist to the political narrative. The country’s ruling party had the opportunity to choose between groundbreaking candidates: the youngest prime minister in history and the first…
A Pardon for Reconciliation: Why Biden Should Preempt Trump on Jan. 6
As President Joe Biden approaches the twilight of his term, Democrats have proposed a range of bold pardons: for those who investigated the Jan. 6 insurrection, undocumented immigrants, and individuals at risk of prosecution under restrictive laws like the Comstock…
Trump’s World of Peril and Opportunity
Wherever I’ve traveled over the past year, I’ve encountered a world teetering between peril and promise. As we step into 2025, that precarious balance feels more pronounced than ever. On one side, the shadow of global conflict looms large, threatening…
Farewell to The Axe Files: A Podcast That Bridged the Divide
In an age when political discourse is often reduced to sound bites and partisan bickering, David Axelrod’s The Axe Files stood apart as a beacon of thoughtful conversation. Over nine years and 605 episodes, Axelrod’s podcast offered something increasingly rare:…
From Firebrand to Statesman: Patrick McHenry’s Two Decades in Congress
When Patrick McHenry first arrived in Congress in 2005, he was brash, aggressive at 29, with a reputation for being the GOP’s “attack dog-in-training.” Two decades on, and with his retirement today, he has done the trick of shedding that…
The Black Swan Election Inside Trump’s Unlikely Victory
Earlier this month, at Harvard’s Institute of Politics during the quadrennial campaign managers’ conference, I spent nearly an hour with two of the key architects behind Donald Trump’s stunning presidential victory: co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita and chief pollster Tony Fabrizio….
Here are the GOP Senators Best Positioned to Challenge Trump
President-elect Donald Trump’s swift cabinet appointments have sent a clear message: loyalty to Trump himself and a knack for showcasing that loyalty on national television are the ultimate qualifications. But the real drama will unfold as Senate Republicans decide how…
Trump’s Cabinet Gambit: How History and Power Favor His Picks
Donald Trump’s recent Cabinet choices have left many aghast, but history suggests the former president may be on solid political ground in nominating some of the most controversial and unqualified individuals ever proposed for high office. Understanding why requires revisiting…
The Blame Game: Biden vs. Harris in the 2024 Defeat
As the sun rose the morning after Donald Trump’s emphatic return to the White House, the Democratic Party was already in post-mortem mode. Texts and calls flew back and forth, brimming with recriminations and speculation over what had gone wrong….
Bill Clinton’s Southern Gospel: Lessons from the Campaign Trail
Last Sunday morning, as the sun rose over North Carolina, Bill Clinton stood in a Black megachurch, delivering a sermon of sorts. His focus wasn’t scripture alone but a pressing political gospel: the rising costs of insulin, prescription drugs, and…