A Look Back at the Pandemic Year All our lives changed in 2020, and it’s only beginning to become clear how and how much.

This feature is powered by text-to-speech technology. Want to see it on more articles? Give your feedback below or email audiofeedback@wsj.com. Twenty twenty defies summation. All of us tried; no words ever seemed to capture the whole. But three things are true: You’ll tell your grandchildren about this year, you’ll never forget this year, and […]

Who’ll Be 2020’s Margaret Chase Smith? Seventy years ago, Maine’s first female senator distinguished herself for her courage and integrity.

History can sometimes help us through current moments by showing what’s needed and providing inspiration. This year marks the 70th anniversary of a great act by a great lady. Margaret Chase Smith was a U.S. representative from 1940-49 and a senator from 1949-73. Her name is always followed by “the first”—the first woman to serve […]

Blessings in a Hard Year Among the unexpected gifts of 2020 is a newfound appreciation for people who keep America running.

It’s been a fairly gruesome year—pandemic, lockdowns, economic woe, death and illness. We’ve done a column in past years asking friends and acquaintances what they’re thankful for. This year we emailed a dozen people whom we respect and who know a lot, asking what they’d seen, experienced or realized this annus horribilis that left them […]

Biden Knows What the Other Side Is Thinking Patience costs nothing. Letting the process play out will strengthen faith in America’s institutions.

Where are we? Waiting, as the process plays out. In a week of talking to Republican political leaders, all by nature competitive, most veterans of tough races, I haven’t found one who believes Donald Trump won. All believe that there was fraud in the vote, and that this year’s semicrazy pandemic rules made clear the […]

America Chooses Divided Government

Divided nation, divided outcome. Votes are still being counted, nothing is certain, but it looks as if Joe Biden will win the presidency, closely. The Republicans will hold the Senate, closely, and pick up some seats in the House. A moderate outcome: divided government. Or so it seems. It’s all so close. The aftermath could […]