Columns, pieces and posts
Every party has a reason for being. The Republican Party was formed in the mid-19th century to achieve a specific historical goal: the end of slavery. From there it became the party of Lincoln, the party that saved the Republic and, ultimately, the party that gave a natural home to those who felt enslaved by […]
That was some debate, the best so far of the political year. Each man was up to the battle. Each revealed what he thinks, how he operates, where he stands. Norm Coleman won. But Fritz Mondale showed there’s life in the old boy yet. I wouldn’t have bet that Mr. Coleman would emerge the victor. […]
It’s over. Or at least it appears to be. Black October is over, and the children around Washington can once again feel safe, or as safe as children these days are allowed to feel. They’re all little veterans of national trauma now. When I told my son Thursday morning—I stuck my head in his room […]
Liberals don’t appreciate conservatives enough. Conservatives don’t appreciate liberals enough either. Here’s an appreciation of Paul Wellstone, who died a few hours ago in the middle of a great battle in the heart of the great democracy. I met him only once, in Washington, in 1996. I wish I’d taken notes and could refer to […]
MEMO To: Democrats From: Paul Wellstone Date: Oct 30, 2002 My friends, I miss you and send you love. That memorial rally was . . . something. I watched it from where I am, in the place beyond. It’s wonderful here. You’ll be amazed at what I think is one of the best parts. Two […]
John Paul II marked the start of the 25th year of his papacy, now figured to be the fourth longest in history, with a startling announcement in St Peter’s Square: He does not intend to resign but will let the Boss decide when he should leave, and by the way he has decided to change […]
Even though everyone says Sept. 11 changed everything in America, I’m not sure we’ve fully noticed how much it’s changed everything. And here’s a paradox: All that change may well yield a kind of stasis, at least immediately, at least in the midterm elections. Politically, people are realigning (Pat Buchanan continues to build support on […]
New Jersey is hot as a pistol. “The Sopranos,” Bruce Springsteen, Bob Torricelli, a state Supreme Court that expresses its latent creativity by taking a broad and even artistic approach to the law. New Jersey is front-page news. You got a problem with that? I happen to love New Jersey. It’s not a hard place […]
The story is over. It’s yesterday’s headline. Everyone involved has begun to recede back into normal life insofar as they had normal lives. But before it becomes just another strange memory of 2002, a worthy wave goodbye. Eunice Stone of Georgia is reportedly recovering from the chest pains that led her to check herself into […]
The battle is joined, the debate begun in earnest. In the past 48 hours we have witnessed Bush vs. Daschle, Hitchens vs. Cockburn, Democrats vs. Republicans, The American Conservative vs. The Weekly Standard and National Review, paleocons vs. neocons, compassionate conservatives vs. the left. In New York we debate whether strong criticism of Israeli policy […]