by Michael Winship A tune was running through my head all this past Fourth of July weekend, and it wasn’t “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy.” No, the earworm that afflicted me was the opening number from the 1980 musical Barnum, a Broadway extravaganza that glorified the master showman and consummate humbug P.T. Barnum, born July 5, 1810. The song begins like this: "“There is a … [Read more...] about President Trump, This Way to the Egress
Cartoon: Putin Confirmation
Clay Jones can be reached at [email protected] … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Putin Confirmation
Report: Trump’s Son Met Russia-Linked Lawyer
Donald Trump Jr., the president’s oldest son, met with a Russian lawyer with links to the Kremlin at the family’s signature Tower in New York in June of last year, shortly after his father had sewn up the Republican nomination, The New York Times reported Saturday citing government records. The sit down had not been disclosed… … [Read more...] about Report: Trump’s Son Met Russia-Linked Lawyer
Trump and the degeneration of politics
WASHINGTON -- The most corrosive aspect of Donald Trump's presidency is its rousing success in making our politics ridiculous. The political class (yes, including columnists) is obsessed with his most unnerving statements, especially on Twitter. These are analyzed as if they were tablets from heaven or the learned pronouncements of a wise elder. Various kinds of strategic … [Read more...] about Trump and the degeneration of politics
Arabs deserve to be leading edge (Guest Voice)
All of the minorities that have emigrated to the US came on their own funds. Currently, descendants of African slaves from Sub-Saharan Africa have the most economic, cultural, and social capital compared to peoples of the Arab World. The African-American winners of the TV game show Jeopardy which is the most popular educational game show are not from the Arab World. Every … [Read more...] about Arabs deserve to be leading edge (Guest Voice)
Cartoon: Trump meet Putin
Trump’s friendly meeting with Putin further blurs US-Russia relations
By Stephen Benedict Dyson, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit. AP Photo/Evan Vucci It emerged early this morning: a few seconds of grainy footage showing U.S. President Donald Trump shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit… … [Read more...] about Trump’s friendly meeting with Putin further blurs US-Russia relations
“Evangelical” Does Not Equal “Political”
When journalists talk about so-called “evangelical voters”, the former are doing the public a disservice. That is because the word evangelical has nothing to do with politics. An evangelical is a believer in Messiah Jesus who strives to share the Gospel message with those who have not yet heard it or read it. Such a believer can do so without ever being involved in political … [Read more...] about “Evangelical” Does Not Equal “Political”
Cartoon: Trump at G-20 Summit
Ivanka Trump takes her father’s seat at world leaders’ table during a G-20 meeting
You didn't know we had a monarchy, where a relative of the King or Queen takes his or place during an official meeting, did you? You didn't know we had an authoritarian system where an unelected person totally unqualified for an international meeting sits in for The Leader because he or she is a relative, did you? But now we know (apparently via a photo leaked from the … [Read more...] about Ivanka Trump takes her father’s seat at world leaders’ table during a G-20 meeting
In his puzzling speech in Poland, Trump addressed an alternative world
WASHINGTON -- "A little learning is a dangerous thing," wrote the poet Alexander Pope. Three centuries later, Pope's aphorism perfectly -- and dangerously -- describes President Trump's understanding of history as a zero-sum clash of civilizations in which "the West" can triumph by imposing its will. The speech Trump delivered Thursday in Warsaw's Krasinski Square might have … [Read more...] about In his puzzling speech in Poland, Trump addressed an alternative world
First Trump-Putin meeting prompts G20 relief
The hotly anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin brought relief to the other G20 summiteers because it did not sink into a vituperative “she said, he said, they said” exhibition of macho pugilism. Instead, it was a cool-headed encounter that went far beyond its allocated time and seemed so engrossing that even Melania Trump failed to … [Read more...] about First Trump-Putin meeting prompts G20 relief
Poli-Takes: The Rattling of the Cages (Road to 2018 Takes Shape)
Summers during off-election years are typically when potential candidates began finalizing plans about launching, or declining Congressional bids and, putting aside the fact that recruitment and announcements really haven’t paused since Donald Trump’s election as our 45th president, this year is no exception. Asuch, this past week has seen a plethora of announcements on both … [Read more...] about Poli-Takes: The Rattling of the Cages (Road to 2018 Takes Shape)
Trump’s Media Flunky Thought He ‘Walked on Water’
With Trump on foreign soil attacking the free and independent press (CNN "has been faking news for a long time," while NBC "is equally bad"), I'm recommending that you read The New Yorker's richly-detailed article about The National Enquirer. It's a cautionary primer on how Trump thinks the press should cover him, and how press lords should behave toward him. I'll give you … [Read more...] about Trump’s Media Flunky Thought He ‘Walked on Water’
Cartoon: Trump Meets Putin
Trump takes us to unexplored territory
by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- It is sometimes argued that the media should spend less time on President Trump's transgressive tweets in order to devote more attention to real issues such as North Korea. In fact, it is necessary to focus on Trump's tweets precisely because they shed light on the mind that is doing the deciding on … [Read more...] about Trump takes us to unexplored territory
Trump causing G20 concern but is not isolated yet
Many in America and Europe may be disappointed if they prefer to see President Donald Trump isolated at the G-20 summit that opened in Hamburg today. He is not isolated even on climate change and has begun to divide Europeans into factions with usual insouciance for being politically correct. No country in the so far 28-nation European Union is for Trump but some are … [Read more...] about Trump causing G20 concern but is not isolated yet
America’s Political Center – Part 2
Part 1 of this topic ends with a question: Just what are the moderates who are in America's political center? A correct description of America’s political moderates are in the writings of moderates Rick Bayan, Steven Merritt Seibert and Charles Wheelan. In An Open Letter to Moderates, Bayan writes the following: “Dear Moderates: Extremists to the right of us, … [Read more...] about America’s Political Center – Part 2
When Donald Meets Vladimir, The Russians Will Hold All The Cards
When Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin on Friday for the first time since the Russian president's brilliantly successful plot to hand the 2016 presidential election to him, only one of them will have an agenda, and it sure isn't the ignoramus who has been occupying the Oval Office for the last five months. While White House officials acknowledge that Trump has no agenda … [Read more...] about When Donald Meets Vladimir, The Russians Will Hold All The Cards
Spider-Man: Homecoming review
I can't remember the last time I fell this hard for a film. I like most movies but I fell head-over-heels for Spider-Man: Homecoming. It's a film full of joy. When the credits rolled, I almost felt the same way I do after watching The Sound of Music - uplifted and ... joyous. Vulture Michael Keaton is a big reason why I love this film. Every great movie needs a … [Read more...] about Spider-Man: Homecoming review