Recent Personalities Commentaries

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Let’s Be the Change
Last Sunday’s Tony Awards show was debased by displays of indecency and disrespect. Actor Robert De Niro walked on stage to introduce Bruce Springsteen, but the first words out of his mouth were, “I’m going to say one thing: F#$k Trump!” The disrespect quickly followed when much of the 6,000-seat audience at Radio City Music Hall stood and cheered De...
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June 15, 2018
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“Peace in Our Time”
Apologies for the note of cynicism, but at the press conference held shortly after President Trump signed a piece of paper proclaiming, “a message of peace,” I couldn’t help but be reminded of another piece of paper and message. After meeting with Adolph Hitler, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain arrived back in England on September 30, 1938 and proclaimed: “This morning,...
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June 13, 2018
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The Insider
Today, the news cycle is likely to be consumed by the summit meeting between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jung-un. To regular visitors to this site, you might be surprised to hear me say that I’m hoping things go well for both sides, truly. But, while Trump’s “crazy man” gambit may pay off, this commentary is about what Trump,...
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June 11, 2018
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When is an Apology an Apology?
On Tuesday’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Bill Clinton tried to explain his fumbled apology to Monica Lewinsky in response to a question by an NBC reporter the previous day. Colbert offers Clinton a “do-over.” “Here’s what I want to say: It wasn’t my finest hour, but the important thing is, that was a very painful thing, 20 years ago,...
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June 8, 2018
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The Trump Doctrine
“I have the absolute right to PARDON myself…” – Donald J. Trump, June 4, 2018 “The appointment of the Special Councel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL!” – Trump, June 4, 2018 “I don’t know how you can indict while he’s in office. No matter what it is. [Even] If he shot James Comey…” – Rudy Giuliani, lawyer for President Trump,  » Read more...
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June 6, 2018
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Trump Pardons Frankenstein, Wolf Man
WASHINGTON — With Vice-President Mike Pence looking on, President Donald Trump signed two full pardons “for all Crimes and Misdemeanors” for Frankenstein and the Wolf Man. Both had previously pled guilty to murder. White House officials were scrambling Friday morning after the president tweeted: “This morning I will be signing Big FULL Pardons for Frankenstein and Wolf Man. I don’t...
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June 4, 2018
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More Than Money
Rosanne Barr is funny, except when she’s not. Lately, she’s worse. Finally, a high-profile celebrity who receives their comeuppance after years of racist Twitter rages. Tuesday morning, actress-comedian Roseanne Barr posted the following tweet: “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.” The “vj” Barr is referencing is former Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett. Apparently, word got around...
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May 30, 2018
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Character and Commitment
During a 2008 presidential campaign town hall held for John McCain, a woman in the audience looked the senior senator from Arizona in the eye and said, ‘I can’t trust Obama. I have read about him, and he’s not, — he’s an Arab.” McCain respectfully took the microphone away from her, shook his head and responded, “No ma’am. He’s a...
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May 28, 2018
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The Truth Still Needs Allies
On December 4, 2017, 28-year old Edgar Maddison Welch, of Salisbury, N.C. was arrested after he terrorized customers of Comet Ping Pong, a pizza restaurant in Washington, DC. “When police arrived,” NBC News reported (Mar. 24), “Welch admitted driving to Washington with three loaded weapons, responding to a baseless internet conspiracy claim, known as ‘Pizzagate,’ that the …restaurant was involved...
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May 25, 2018
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I Was an F.B.I. Informant
Last Friday, President Trump ordered the Department of Justice to investigate the F.B.I. to determine if they implanted an informant to spy on the Trump campaign. There is no evidence to support the president’s allegation. Many of Trump’s congressional allies, believing that federal investigators may have abused their authority, have demanded that Justice hand over documents about the informant. Until...
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May 23, 2018

Read Some of the Most Recent Articles
The Latest... And Often Greatest
When Political Identity Replaces Ethical Judgment
The political and cultural landscape has become a minefield of conflicting beliefs, many now rooted less in public policy than in personal identity. One of...
Principles Matter.
A few nights ago, I was watching The Way We Were, a film I’ve seen more times than I can count. This time, a single...
All the President’s Men 2.0
“Politics had infiltrated every corner of government—a strong-arm takeover of the agencies by the Nixon White House.” —Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, All the President’s...
The Threat to November Is Already Here
“Cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government.”—George Washington’s...
Jon Ossoff and the Conscience of Atticus Finch
I’ve written about Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff before, but after watching his questioning of Jay Clayton, President Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence (DNI),...
Hearts and Minds
There’s a moment in Cool Hand Luke when Luke, played by Paul Newman, is returned to a prison camp after escaping. Determined to break his...