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Today — May 5th 2024The Corner | National Review

You Have to Squint to Find Good News for Biden in the Latest Poll

ABC News, summarizing its latest poll: ‘A chief question raised by the survey is why Biden is competitive at all, given his substantial disadvantages.’

President Joe Biden interviewed on MSNBC, March 9, 2024.

On Government Power and Inequality

One economist’s case for decreasing government power.

Again with the ‘Plants Are Intelligent’ Nonsense

Periodically, the mainstream media focus on advocacy for the idea that plants are intelligent and/or moral beings.

Oliver Emocling waters his plants on the rooftop of his family home in Malabon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, October 15, 2018.
Yesterday — May 4th 2024The Corner | National Review

Oh, Right, the Business Records

After two weeks of the Trump trial, prosecutors still haven’t focused on the crimes actually alleged in the indictment.

Hope Hicks departs at the conclusion of her closed door interview at the House Judiciary Committee, after almost seven hours of questioning, Washington, DC, June 19, 2019.

Hollywood’s Daredevils Shine in The Fall Guy

The Ryan Gosling/Emily Blunt action comedy makes for an irresistibly fun time at the movies.

Ryan Gosling in <i>The Fall Guy</i>

That Other Recently Indicted Democrat in Congress

Another Democrat in Congress just got indicted on corruption charges, but folks on the right might be less eager to focus on this one.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D., Texas) questions Department of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., April 10, 2024.

The Tyranny of Relativism

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes remains as good a question as it always has been.

French writer Julien Benda
Before yesterdayThe Corner | National Review

Civic Participation Can Save Us from Alienation and Hopelessness

We can eliminate so many degrees of separation by involving ourselves in what really matters.

Cooke: Let’s Face It, the Student Demonstrators Are ‘the Dumbest, Silliest People in the World’

‘They are cosplaying.’

Law enforcement officers detain a demonstrator as they clear out the protest encampment at the University of California Los Angeles in Los Angeles, Calif., May 2, 2024.

Wind Power: Interest Rates Too High, Wind Rates Too Low

Surely the wind won’t die down for long periods? We can’t be so sure.

An aerial view shows power-generating windmill turbines in a wind farm in Graincourt-lès-Havrincourt, France, May 19, 2022.

No, the Pro-Hamas Campus Takeovers Aren’t Like the Civil-Rights Movement

Civil-rights protesters didn’t want to burn down the system — they wanted to share in it.

A protester waves a Palestinian flag during a rally at Columbia University in New York City, November 15, 2023.

Biden Giving Obamacare to 100,000 Illegal Immigrants Is Gross Executive Overreach

This is another example of executive overreach from a lawless administration. 

Immigrants and activists hold placards in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy ahead of a hearing on a revised version of the DACA program outside a federal courthouse in Houston, Texas, June 1, 2023.

They’re Not ‘Pro-Palestinian Protests’

The press needs to get its phraseology right.

Pence and January 6

We can applaud the former vice president’s patriotism and fortitude while recognizing that the Constitution was the true hero of January 6, 2021.

Former vice president Mike Pence sits down with NewsNation anchor Leland Vittert for a town hall event at NewsNation's headquarters in Chicago, Ill., September 13, 2023.

A Mad Song and More

Reader mail on hating, cousin marriage, etc.

Attendee Judith Hawkins poses next to a display at the <I>Mad</I>-magazine booth during Comic-Con Preview Night in San Diego, Calif., July 20, 2016.

Cutting in Higher Education — Act with a Purpose

The deflating higher-education bubble is causing budgetary anguish at many colleges and universities; the inevitable cutting back has begun.

Biden: Let Me Tell You About How Xenophobic Those Japanese and Indians Are

President Biden: ‘Why is Japan having trouble?  Why is Russia?  Why is India?  Because they’re xenophobic.  They don’t want immigrants.’

President Joe Biden speaks about student protests at U.S. universities during brief remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., May 2, 2024.

Navy Boss Keelhauled before Congress for Ongoing Recruitment Shortfalls

It’s unacceptable, all the more so because the other branches have, at least in the short term, recovered from their recruiting troubles.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro stands with crew of the USS Delaware nuclear submarine at the Port of Wilmington in Wilmington, Del., April 2, 2022.

Burgum-mentum Picks Up

The North Dakota governor is one of the possible VP or cabinet picks heading to Palm Beach, Fla., for this weekend’s annual RNC donor retreat.

North Dakota governor Doug Burgum speaks during Fair-Side Chat at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, August 11, 2023.

Chinese Security Chief Touts Xi’s Global Ambitions during Russia Trip

Russia and China make plans to take their authoritarian repression in cyberspace global.

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping leave after a reception in honor of the Chinese leader's visit to Moscow at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, March 21, 2023.

Pro-Hamas Craze Starts in K–12

College students raising Cain on campuses across the country didn’t first encounter anti-Israel vitriol in their freshman-year intro classes.

Pro-Palestinian students take part in a protest at Columbia University in New York City, October 12, 2023.

We’re Back to What the Definition of ‘Is’ Is

Looks like the Donald Trump–Bill Clinton parallels are expanding.

Left: President Bill Clinton speaks to the media at the White House, June 16, 1998. Right: Former president Donald Trump speaks at a Fox News townhall in Greenville, S.C., February 20, 2024.

Diary of a Sophomore Radical

‘Vague furious resistance is the cause of our age.’

Law enforcement officials stand in front of demonstrators forming a human chain during a protest at an encampment in support of Palestinians at UCLA campus in Los Angeles, Calif., May 2, 2024.

The FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program Should End

If the Democrats believe that this program is so important that it should be extended, they should offset its cost. What is it going to be?

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel answers a question during a hearing in Washington, D.C., June 24, 2020.

Victim-LARPing and other Progressive Fads

Real protest assumes real stakes.

Columbia University students and pro-Palestinian protesters march in front of Hamilton Hall in New York City, May 1, 2024.

Political Posturing on Minimum-Wage Laws

Bashing big business is mere posturing by politicians who pretend to want to help lower-wage workers.

Opening Washington, D.C., Up to Friendlier Skies

Bureaucracy reigns when it comes to airports.

A plane passes the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., in 2017.

How Are the States Doing in Combatting DEI?

Legislators in a number of states are responding to citizens who don’t want their money squandered on toxic DEI ideology.

Karine Jean-Pierre Is So Bad at This

A bird flu outbreak is a really bad time and place for the White House press secretary to tout that she doesn’t eat meat.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., October 5, 2023.

‘Write and Ron’

Charles talks to Peter Robinson about Reagan. What was he like? How did Peter become his speechwriter at 26? How did the ‘Tear Down This Wall’ speech come about?

West Berlin citizens atop the Berlin Wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate, November 10, 1989.

Biden’s Bad Gaza Refugees Idea

‘It’s bad policy, bad politics, and it’s Biden yet again trying to make law without asking Congress. That’s quite a trifecta.’

Khamenei Seems Nervous as Israel and Saudi Arabia Get Closer to a Deal

If Riyadh and Jerusalem establish formal diplomatic ties, it’ll be bad news for Iran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with a group of students in Tehran, Iran, November 2, 2022.

It’s Frat-Boy Summer

Maybe there’s hope for America’s college students yet.

The Grifters Taking Advantage of Higher Education’s Failures

Some alternatives to traditional universities are sketchy and should be avoided.

Daniel Radcliffe vs. J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter author speaks truth. Harry Potter actor feels sad.

Left: Daniel Radcliffe attends the film premiere of <i>Kill Your Darlings</i> in Beverly Hills, Calif., October 3, 2013. Right: Author J.K. Rowling attends the premiere of <i>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</i> in New York City, November 10, 2016.

Nissan Employees in New Jersey Decertify UAW

Conservatives should not be intimidated by the coordinated PR campaign portraying the UAW as on the rise.

A person wearing a T-shirt that has “UAW member” written on it is pictured, in Chattanooga, Tenn., April 19, 2024.

Detached from Reality

On top of everything else, the Columbia student protesters suffer from delusions of grandeur.

Since When Does Criminal Law Not Apply to College Campus Protests?

Protesters, student and non-student alike, don’t just think rules or campus regulations don’t apply to them. They believe the law doesn’t apply, either.

Police detain protestors as other police officers enter the campus of Columbia University in New York City, April 30, 2024.

A Failure of Admissions

The SAT is important, but it doesn’t measure character. Isn’t that where the qualitative-evaluation skills of an admissions office are supposed to come into play?

Police detain a protestor as other police officers enter the campus of Columbia University in New York City, April 30, 2024.

Next Act in the Farce: Holding Trump in Contempt

As long as the theater doesn’t escalate into a stint in the slammer, the occasional fines will just be a sideshow.

Former president Donald Trump returning to the courtroom after a break for his criminal trial at New York state supreme court in New York City, April 30, 2024.

Jamaal Bowman Speaks Out about the NYPD Ejecting Columbia Protesters

Bowman, of course, already knows of easier ways to get people to evacuate a building.

Do We Win by Losing?

The primary reason to avoid war with Russia isn’t humiliation but the fear of escalation to avoid humiliation.

Service members of the 37th Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ride atop a French AMX-10 RC armored fighting vehicle during military drills at an undisclosed location in southern Ukraine, April 3, 2024.

Age Issues

Youth, maturity, and the question of wisdom.

Klaus Mäkelä, the Finnish conductor, leads the Orchestre de Paris in a rehearsal on July 7, 2020.

What’s Your Crank Opinion?

Why are they constantly trying to replace the petroleum products that go into my car but simultaneously promoting their use as human clothing?

U.S. Flag Rises on Chapel Hill after Activists Tore the Ensign Down

God bless the cops, chancellor, and young students who raised and cheered the restoring of the only flag that should fly there.

‘Occupying’ Columbia Protesters Demand Global Intifada, Free Food

What is going to be left of Columbia after this is all over?

Johannah King-Slutzky, a student leader for the pro-Palestinian cause, speaks to the media outside of a protest encampment at Columbia University in New York City, April 30, 2024.

A U.N. Official Dares America to Slash Its Budgetary Contribution

Congressman John Curtis responds: ‘Why are we funding such nonsense?’

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk speaks in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 10, 2023.

Biden Speaking on Camera about Columbia Is Too Much to Ask, Huh?

Biden’s public schedule since Thursday: an interview with Howard Stern, the White House Correspondents Dinner, and a campaign fundraiser in Delaware.

President Joe Biden looks on before speaking during a roundtable discussion on public safety at the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., February 28, 2024.

Scottish Leader Wanted: Christians Need Not Apply

Critics of Kate Forbes wrongly assume that, given the opportunity, she would be as intolerant as they are.

It’s Worth Going Down Fighting in Ukraine

This war has unquestionably been much costlier to Russia than it would have been had the U.S. and its allies simply stood aside.

Ukrainian servicemen of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine load a Marder infantry fighting vehicle near a front line in Donetsk Region, Ukraine, April 29, 2024.

What Happens When the Law and the Indictment Do Not State What the Crime Is

Bragg makes it up as he goes along, shredding due process along the way.

Right: Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a news conference at his office in New York City, February 22, 2024. Left: Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Forum River Center in Rome, Ga., March 9, 2024.

Kari Lake’s Donor Pitch Highlights Personal Upbringing, Biden’s Failures

As her likely opponent in the Arizona Senate race, Representative Ruben Gallego, runs to the center on immigration, Lake is moderating her stance on abortion.

Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake speaks Phoenix, Ariz., March 19, 2024.

MBD: Let’s Face It, Expelling the Columbia Protesters Is the Only Answer

‘These arrests and the charges they’re taking under them are not a significant deterrent.’

Students protest where they camp outside the entrance to Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University, in New York City, April 30, 2024.

At Columbia, Protesters Take the Measure of the Administration and Act Accordingly

You could just feel the Columbia administration hoping that the student protesters would be reasonable.

Manhunt and Constitutional Turmoil

The series, about the search for Abraham Lincoln’s killer, reminds us of how our institutions were able to recover from crisis.

Postcolonial Drama on Campus

Our universities have been dishing up nonsense as course curricula, and it’s having consequences.

Screenshot of dancers performing “Strings for Decolonization” at Columbia University, New York City, April 24, 2024.

The Misuse and Abuse of Anti-China Rhetoric

Beijing deserves the ire it invites from U.S. officials and consumers. But using a good argument to push a dumb bill does not make the dumb bill a good idea.

Staff lower the Chinese national flag in front of screens showing the index and stock prices outside Exchange Square in Hong Kong, China, August 18, 2023.

Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department: Sad Greige

Her new album could use more of the art and less of the artist. 

Taylor Swift in a music video from her album, <i>The Tortured Poets Department</i>

A Small Miracle: A Completed New U.S. Nuclear Power Plant

Yesterday, in Georgia, the first new commercial nuclear reactors built from scratch in the U.S. in more than three decades entered commercial service.

The Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant in Royalton, Pa., May 30, 2017

Don Jr. Featured In Ads Urging Pennsylvania Republicans to Vote by Mail

Three Republican PACs have pledged an eight-figure investment in mail-in-voting efforts in the Keystone State this cycle.

Donald Trump Jr. speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference at Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., March 3, 2023.

Universities Reap the Protests They Sow

Universities cannot recruit lawbreaking protesters to campus and then expect them to refrain from lawbreaking protest.

Students march and rally on the Columbia University campus in New York City, April 29, 2024.

Hillary Clinton, Recidivist Election-Theft Conspirator

Elected progressive Democratic DA Alvin Bragg has ignored Hillary Clinton’s conspiracy to steal the 2016 election by violating federal election law.

Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters at a rally in Cleveland, Ohio, March 2016.

New Fertility Data Show the Lifesaving Impact of Pro-Life Laws

New data data show that strong state level pro-life laws that were enacted in 2022 saved lives in 2023.

Pro-life demonstrators rally on the National Mall prior to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., January 24, 2020.

Let’s Get a Warrant for Kristi Noem’s Backyard

The possibility that she has an unregistered abattoir on her property has increased significantly.

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem speaks at the North Carolina GOP convention in Greenville, N.C., June 5, 2021.

Burgum-mentum

The North Dakota governor is reportedly ascending Trump’s list of potential running-mate picks.

Econception on the Looming 2025 Budget Mess

Paul Winfree and I discuss the coincidence of budgetary deadlines that will make 2025 a messy year for fiscal policy.

The Capitol Building at sunrise in Washington, D.C., November 17, 2008

Question for the Columbia Occupiers

What happens when the school year is over?

China’s Genocide–Denying Envoy Celebrates the Return of Tibetan Antiquities by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg

It’s part of every Chinese diplomat’s job to push odious propaganda, but why do American officials continue to meet with them?

Huang Ping speaks during the prelude to Lunar New Year Gala at Cipriani in New York City, January 26, 2024

A 32-Hour Work Week for Your Workers, Not Mine

Senator Bernie Sanders and United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain know that their idea is silly.

Senator Bernie Sanders gestures as he speaks to the crowd as United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain and UAW Region 1 Director LaShawn English listen during a rally in Detroit, Mich., September 15, 2023.

Answering Mark on Ukraine

To take on Ukraine as our security and economic dependent would be to add another giant set of debits to our overdrawn account of promises.

New recruits of the First Da Vinci Wolves Separate Mechanized Battalion, named after Dmytro Kotsiubailo, attend a military exercise in an undisclosed location in central Ukraine, March 12, 2024.

China’s Defense Minister Endorses Iran’s ‘Legitimate’ Assault on Israel

China is leaving no room for doubt about its allegiances in the Middle East.

Defense Ministers Mohammad Reza Ashtiani of Iran, Ruslan Zhaksylykov of Kazakhstan, Dong Jun of China and Baktybek Bekbolotov of Kyrgyzstan pose for a picture at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana, Kazakhstan, April 26, 2024.

It Was Inevitable

A predictable Republican move.

Reagan on Student Disorder 

Reagan had strong words for student agitators.

In the Midst of an Assault

Notes on Ukraine and Russia.

A scene in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 22, 2024, after a Russian missile attack

Applause for the UNC Board’s Democracy Initiative

The UNC Board has taken a good step with a proposal to require that students take a course on the foundations of democracy.

Don’t Count on Biden to Protect Planes Over the Baltic Sea

Russia’s interfering with the GPS of passenger airliners over the Baltic Sea, but that’s unlikely to be a priority for the Biden administration.

President Biden and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands at the U.S.-Russia summit in Geneva, Switzerland, June 16, 2021.

Alma Mater: A Story

A letter from a retired fighter pilot who, with his wife, set up a scholarship in chemistry at Kansas State.

Campus of Kansas State University, in an image posted to X on August 25, 2023

Columbia Created Khymani James

The ‘kill the Zionists’ protest leader is a product of this time and place in elite college education.

A Dead Dog in the Dakotas Derails VP Dreams

Kristi Noem is a doggone menace to man and beast.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during CPAC in Dallas, Texas, July 11, 2021.

Columbia Capitulates

The watermelon mob has won in the Big Apple.

People use umbrellas to block members of the media from documenting the encampment at the Columbia University campus in New York City, April 26, 2024.

Russia: Jamming and Gray-Zone Games

Moscow continues to apply pressure in the Baltic Sea region.

A Finnair Airbus A320-200 prepares to take off from Manchester Airport in Manchester, England, in 2018.

Three Questions for Noah Rothman on Ukraine

After firing a triple salvo at Michael Brendan Dougherty, I have three questions for Noah Rothman on his vision for U.S. foreign policy.

Ukrainian servicemen of the 126th Separate Territorial Defence Brigade fire a D-30 howitzer towards Russian troops at a position in a front line in Kherson Region, Ukraine, March 12, 2024.

You Don’t Need to Be a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind’s Blowing at Columbia

The kids on campus matter, and they are not alright.

A Palestinian flag flies at the protest encampment at Columbia University where students continue to protest in New York City, April 23, 2024.

Antisemitic Threats and Violence in the West: A Running Tally

The examples here — of which there will sadly and surely be more — are some of the more shocking instances of antisemitic violence since October 7.

People take part in a rally in support of Palestinians in Gaza, in New York City, November 9, 2023.

Kearns: The Biden Title IX Rule Is Devastating

‘They tried to suggest that they were sidestepping the issue of athletics. That’s completely disingenuous.’

President Joe Biden looks on during his visit at the Chavis Community Center in Raleigh, N.C., March 26, 2024.

Three Questions for MBD on Ukraine

I ask Michael Brendan Dougherty to respond to three queries on his position on U.S. aid to Ukraine.

A serviceman of the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine fires a howitzer towards Russian troops in Donetsk Region, Ukraine, April 5, 2024.

Is Trump Defense’s Cross-Examination of Pecker Helping or Hurting?

Is the defense that the conduct was legal, or is it that Trump was uninvolved in conduct that may have been illegal?

Former president Donald Trump sits in a courtroom before the start of the day's proceedings in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, April 26, 2024.

‘Anti-War’ or Pro Elimination of Israel?

If the point of the campus protests is to send a message, journalists should be clear about what this message really is.

Protesters gather to show support for Palestinians in Gaza, outside of Columbia University in New York City, April 24, 2024.

Bioethicists Want to Rule the World!

Some bioethicists are now taking Vardit Ravitsky up on her call for bioethicists to expand their advocacy to broader world controversies.

Administrative State Hits Warp Speed

This isn’t going to let up. The Federal Register is on course for its first 100,000-page year.

The east side of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., August 5, 2021

Same Number of House GOP Supported Ukraine Aid in September as in April

After months of arguing between pro-Ukraine and anti-Ukraine groups, both sides persuaded a decent number of Republicans to switch their votes, but the total ended up in the same spot.

Ukrainian national flags flutter in front of a heavily damaged apartment building in Orikhiv, Ukraine, February 28, 2024.

A Cautionary Tale about the New Title IX Regulations

When more girls start to get hurt because boys are allowed to play on their teams, we’ll know exactly where to direct the blame.

Cut Off Columbia

In his famous Rules for Radicals, Saul Alinsky set forth a strategy: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. In his latest…

Pro-Palestinian protesters block a street outside Columbia University in New York City, April 18, 2024.

As Hamas Loses Its Grip, Gazans Speak Out against the Terrorist Sect

While America’s college students scream that the problem in the Gaza Strip is Israel, Gazans themselves are growing bolder in their condemnations of Hamas.

Palestinians who were displaced by Israel's military offensive on south Gaza make their way as they attempt to return to their homes in north Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, seen from the central Gaza Strip, April 14, 2024.

Don’t Devalue the Dollar, Pence Group Says

Republicans should offer tax reforms to increase incentives to save and invest and credible plans to cut the deficit.

Former vice president Mike Pence stands at the podium after announcing he will discontinue his presidential campaign, during the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, Nev., October 28, 2023.

A Renaissance Couple

On a podcast with Simone Sepe and Saura Masconale, law-and-economics scholars.

Joe Biden’s Very Fine People

Democratic voters will always be very fine people to Biden, no matter whom they hate.

President Joe Biden participates in a discussion moderated by Stephen Colbert during a campaign fundraising event at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, March 28, 2024.

Unfit Female Agent Responsible for Secret Service Ruckus

May Monday’s relatively bloodless episode be a lesson, resulting in the reprioritization of merit over optics.

Vice President Kamala Harris takes part in a round table with faith and community leaders who are assisting with the processing of migrants seeking asylum at the Paso del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas, June 25, 2021.

How Non-Selective Colleges Might Survive

The higher-education bubble is deflating.

The Biden–New York Times Divorce

If this schism is as real as the reporting suggests, then good for the Gray Lady for taking a break from acting as a consort.

President Joe Biden walks towards Marine One carrying a newspaper and cellphones as he departs the White House in Washington, D.C., March 22, 2024.

Tale of the Tip, Etc.

Reader mail on the anxiety of tipping and more.

Republican State Leadership Committee Up with First National Ads of Cycle

The campaign will kick off with immigration-related ads in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Wisconsin.

Drone view of migrants lined up against the border wall to surrender to immigration officials after breaching a razor wire-laden fence along the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas, March 29, 2024.

The Terrible Title IX Regulations

Madeleine Kearns discusses Biden’s outrageous Title IX rewrite.

Campus Antisemitism. Again

As far back as 2006, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights issued a report on pervasive and growing campus antisemitism.

Demonstrators protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers as they block a street in New York City, April 18, 2024.

Let Cops and Schools Take out the Trash

While Columbia University apparently remains locked in ‘negotiations’ with student protesters, other universities have learned from its disaster.

Police intervene and arrest more than 100 students at New York University who continue their demonstration on campus in solidarity with the students at Columbia University and to oppose Israel's attacks on Gaza, in New York City, April 22, 2024.

Gaza Glampers Receive Praise — and Funding — from Enemies of the West

Not only must the universities clear the encampments. They must be held to account for cultivating young minds to scream ‘Death to America!’

Students spend another night maintaining a protest encampment in support of Palestinians on the Columbia University campus in New York City, April 24, 2024.

A Conversation with NPR-AI, the Latest Large Language Model Chatbot

‘Would you like me to recommend some reading that will help you unlearn your destructive mental habits and educate yourself, Davx?’

Now NPR CEO-Katherine Maher speaks at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, November 13, 2023.

House Lawmakers Propose Renaming D.C. Street after Hong Kong Political Prisoner Jimmy Lai

The street in front of Hong Kong’s de facto embassy would be called ‘Jimmy Lai Way’ as an effort to impose reputational costs on China.

Jimmy Lai during an interview in Hong Kong, May 29, 2020

A Clean, Calm Debate between Me and Noah on Ukraine

Each of our conclusions about Ukraine rests on a series of disagreements about other factors.

Potential recruits who aspire to join the Third Separate Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces take part in a basic military testing course in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 27, 2024.

A Majority Are for Mass Deportations

Axios is out with eye-popping results from a poll it ran.

U.S. Army National Guard soldiers repair a razor wire-laden fence along the bank of the Rio Grande after it was breached by migrants who crossed from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, into El Paso, Texas, April 23, 2024.

‘Ukraine’

Noah Rothman, Michael Brendan Dougherty, and Charles C. W. Cooke continue the debate over Ukraine that they started on Tuesday’s episode of The Editors.

Servicemen of the 1148th Separate Artillery Brigade of Air Assault Troops of Ukraine fire an M777 howitzer towards Russian troops in Donetsk Region, Ukraine, April 20, 2024.

On the Unprecedented Challenge Facing Israel in Gaza

An insightful take on the challenges of an existential conflict against Hamas.

An Israeli soldier stands near the Israel-Gaza border amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Israel, March 4, 2024.

‘Are the Student Protests Hateful?’ Rothman and Hussein Ibish Debate

Noah Rothman joined Dan Abrams on News Nation for a debate with Hussein Ibish.

Grad Students Say They’re Often Poorly Informed

The government needs to stop doing something, namely, lending money for college.

Vice President Harris’s Security Detail Comes to Blows

Is the stress of picking up the president’s electioneering slack too much for the VP and her staff?

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a speech during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of the Democratic presidential primaries at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C., February 2, 2024.

You Are Not the President of Anything

If Minouche Shafik doesn’t show the encamped demonstrators on her campus who’s in charge, then she’s not — they are.

Columbia University President Nemat "Minouche" Shafik testifies before a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing on "Columbia University's Response to Antisemitism" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., April 17, 2024.

‘Four More Years, Shake Hands, Exit Stage Left,’ the President Said 

It’s the kind of thing that maybe could happen to anyone once, but it happens to Biden all the time.

Speaker Mike Johnson Visits Columbia to Condemn Antisemitic Protests: Full Remarks

‘We just can’t allow this kind of hatred and any antisemitism to flourish on our campuses, and it must be stopped in its tracks,’ Speaker Johnson said at Columbia today.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) speaks at a news conference at Columbia University in response to demonstrators protesting in support of Palestinians, in New York City, April 24, 2024.

Building Trades Unions Endorse Biden

Republicans would be wise to accept unions for what they are: part of the progressive movement.

President Joe Biden and North America’s Building Trades Unions president Sean McGarvey shake hands at a conference held by the North America's Building Trades Unions at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., April 24, 2024.

Colleges Need to Nip Any Encampments in the Bud

At some point, any encampment will have to be cleared out. But clearing it out at the beginning is much easier and requires much less force.

Demonstrators sit in an encampment as they protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers on the Columbia University campus in New York City, April 19, 2024.

Joe Biden Is a Bad Catholic

What else can be said after the president made the sign of the cross at an abortion rally in Florida?

Expel, Don’t Arrest

Student protesters are counting on activists on the disciplinary board to save them. Make sure it can’t happen.

The Trials of Donald Trump

While Trump loves to play the victim, it doesn’t mean he isn’t one.

The United Nations Is Still Worthless

The United Nations remains dedicated to popularizing any allegation of Israeli perfidy it can find.

Members of the United Nations Security Council vote on a Gaza resolution that demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan leading to a permanent sustainable ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, March 25, 2024.

Yes, Plagiarism Actually Does Matter

Economics professor Jon Murphy explains why the rules against plagiarism matter and need to be enforced.

Pay Up, Europe

Pledges count for very little in the oblasts’ mud, Europe. Buy the gear and get it shipped.

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade fires a 120-mm mortar towards Russian troops at the frontline near Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 5, 2024.

Ingrates at the Ivy-Laden Gates

The Ivy League may be considered by some the playground of the wealthy and connected, but it needn’t take that description literally.

Students protest in support of Palestinians near a closed entrance of Columbia University in New York City, U.S., April 23, 2024.

Duos, Etc.

Reader mail on Lerner & Loewe, “The Master and Margarita,” the Confederacy, and more.

The composer Frederick Loewe (left) and the lyricist/librettist Alan Jay Lerner — the famous “Lerner & Loewe”

Former Maryland Governor, 2024 Senate Candidate Larry Hogan on Air with New TV Ad

Larry Hogan — the popular, anti–Donald Trump Republican ex-two-term governor — is on air with a $1 million ad buy this week.

Then-Maryland governor Larry Hogan holds a news conference at the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis, Md., July 22, 2020.

Shōgun Is a Masterpiece of Japanese Historical Drama

As a standalone piece of Japanese, and to a lesser extent English and Portuguese historical fiction, Shōgun is riveting.

<i>Shōgun</i>

Trump Continues Fundraising Blitz in Miami, Lexington, Vegas

Courtroom appearances aren’t keeping former president Donald Trump off the fundraising trail.

Electric Vehicles: Electric Ladaland

Shareholders not in thrall to ESG or climate fundamentalism ought to start speaking out.

A man holds a charging plug to charge a car at a Smart Charge electric vehicle charging station in Beijing, China, February 2, 2024.

Two Polls Offer Hope to Florida Pro-Lifers

A pro-life victory? Two polls show that a referendum to amend the Florida constitution to include the legalization of abortion in Florida is falling short.

Biden’s ‘Cannibals’ Tale Gives China an Opportunity in the Pacific

This comes as a part of China’s campaign to kneecap America’s diplomatic overtures to Pacific Island countries.

Chinese president Xi Jinping waves as he meets with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, in Woodside, Calif., November 15, 2023.

‘Watermelon Revolution’: Student Protests Draw Support from U.N. Rapporteur Who Warned about ‘Jewish Lobby’

U.N. rapporteur Francesca Albanese has used her position to launch a global campaign against Israel.

Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, attends a side event during the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, March 26, 2024.

McConnell Takes Swipe at Tucker Carlson over Ukraine

‘He had an enormous audience which convinced a lot of rank-and-file Republicans that maybe this was a mistake.’

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell speaks to reporters in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., June 13, 2023.

Donald Trump Is a Low-Key Ukraine Hawk

Take it from someone who has now criticized four presidents in a row for the drift of America’s Ukraine policy.

Then-resident Donald Trump speaks to reporters after participating in a Thanksgiving video teleconference with members of the armed forces at the White House, November 26, 2020.

Cooke: Columbia Is in the Grips of a Perverse Selma Envy 

‘They have managed to deploy the logic and rhetoric of Selma in all circumstances in a manner that always, invariably, helps them.’

Demonstrators sit in an encampment as they protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers on the Columbia University campus in New York City, April 19, 2024.

Devine Wisdom, Informed by Reagan

A veteran fusionist brings wise counsel regarding our present-day challenges by drawing from Reaganite principles.

Donald Devine

The Biggest Lie Fueling the Antisemitic Student Uprising

Misled and menacing student activists fancy themselves the authors of a revolutionary power reversal, but this is self-delusion.

Demonstrators hold a protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers as they block a street outside Columbia University in New York City, April 18, 2024.

Good News: AI Can Apparently Spot Conservatives on Sight via Facial Recognition Technology

Orwell said, ‘At age 50, everyone has the face he deserves,’ but I didn’t expect the judgment to be made by Google Gemini or its ilk.

An AI virtual news anchor delivers the news at the Sogou booth at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev., January 8, 2020.

The Pathetic Minouche Shafik

What’s happened at Columbia is a victory for the protesters.

No, Joe Biden Is Not the ‘Big Winner’ of This Congress

The claim that Biden has racked up a series of legislative victories crumbles upon inspection, which explains why Democrats seem profoundly unsatisfied.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on his plan to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, at the White House, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2021.

How Strong Is Bragg’s Case?

The district attorney doesn’t have a strong case of crime against Trump. He has a mountain of evidence of legal activity that he’s spinning as a ‘conspiracy.’

New York County district attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after former President Donald Trump appeared at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York City, April 4, 2023.

The DNC’s Anti-RFK Jr. Crusade Heads to Arizona

In an apparent effort to counterprogram a private fundraiser RFK Jr. is hosting there Tuesday evening, the DNC has paid for two attack-ad billboards.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a campaign rally at the Fox Theatre in Tucson, Ariz., February 5, 2024.

Parental Regret

A piece in Time magazine claims there’s a large number of parents who regret having children.

America’s Employers to Activist Employees: Shut Up and Get Back to Work

America’s employers are losing patience with workers who prioritize political activism in the workplace, ahead of their actual jobs.

Google logo at the Viva Tech start-up and technology summit in Paris, France, in 2018.

Traffic Violations

Nia Evans’s Mother Jones piece on blockading traffic for protest purposes seems to be missing something.

Protesters demanding a ceasefire and an end to U.S. support for Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza block morning traffic on the 110 Freeway, in Los Angeles, Calif., December 13, 2023.

One Green Jacket, Etc.

Reader mail on Condoleezza Rice, Gabrielle Starr, and more.

Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, then a new member of Augusta National Golf Club, looks on during the annual Masters Par-3 Contest in Augusta, Ga., April 10, 2013.

What Began at Columbia May Climax in Chicago

It all heads inexorably toward one destination.

Students demonstrate outside Columbia University campus, as protests continue inside and outside the university during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in New York City, April 22, 2024.

Youngkin’s English Test

It’s not too late to revise Virginia’s draft English Language Arts standards. The governor should get to it quickly.

Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin speaks to the media during a press event in Taipei, Taiwan, April 25, 2023.

Twenty Things That Caught My Eye Today: Passover, Child Welfare in NYC, Surrogacy & More

‘Just as Israel has the Iron Dome, we want to build a proactive protective security shield over the entirety of the Jewish community in North America.’

Israeli and American flags are flown at the March for Israel rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., November 14, 2023.

Shouts & Murmurs

On a music podcast, beginning with James P. Johnson and his ‘Carolina Shout.’

James P. Johnson, c. May 1946

Trump Republicans Want to Arrest Pregnant Mothers! (Said No One, Ever)

A new corny, cringey pro-abortion ad is not merely painful to watch — it is also shamelessly deceptive.

Vernon Smith on Adam Smith

A modern student writes about the pioneering Scottish philosopher and economist.

Statue of Adam Smith in Edinburgh, Scotland

Net Zero: Yet Another Tax

Best guess: Pay-per-mile is headed London’s way.

London mayor Sadiq Khan outside City Hall in London, May 2016.

The Horrendous and Maddening Antisemitism in New York City

In the midst of the madness and evil in the city of New York, may all Christians pray for our elder brothers and sisters in faith this Passover.

Demonstrators protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers as they block a street in New York City, April 18, 2024.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Unleashes Retro Fury

Guy Ritchie’s triumphant return is pastiche at its finest.

<i>The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare</i>

Gavin Newsom’s Cynical New Abortion Move and Sinister Ad

Women deserve better than thinking their best option is rushing out of state for an abortion, when there are actually life-giving options.

Dems’ Anti-Trump Lawfare Pays Compounding Interest

A new ruling would allow DA Alvin Bragg’s prosecutors to cross-examine Trump about findings of dishonesty in the NY civil fraud and E. Jean Carroll cases.

Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings for allegedly covering up hush-money payments linked to extramarital affairs at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, April 22, 2024.

As Long as Joel Lambdin Gets His Indian Sabbatical, I’m Happy to Pay More Taxes

I never much liked paying taxes, until I was told that I could help lazy, financially illiterate dilettantes go to India to study meditation.

President Joe Biden speaks as he announces a new plan for federal student loan relief during a visit to Madison Area Technical College Truax Campus, in Madison, Wis., April 8, 2024.

Antitrust Is Catnip for Statist Busybodies

Under the Biden administration, the people in charge of antitrust policy are eager to expand governmental power no matter how much long-run damage they do.

Bragg Implements the Plan to Mislead the Jury about the Charges

Bragg is trying to convict Trump of conspiracy without having charged Trump with conspiracy.

Then-Democratic candidate for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks to the press in New York, N.Y., November 2, 2021.

Folly, Misdirection, and Mayhem: My Dissent

The Ukraine bill does very little to change the situation for Ukraine.

A serviceman of the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine prepares a shell with an inscription "for Kharkiv" for a howitzer at a position in a front line in Donetsk Region, Ukraine, April 5, 2024.

The ‘Whaddya Think?’ Methodology Is a Bad One

Some polling tactics are unhelpful.

David Pecker Will Be Bragg’s First Witness

DA Alvin Bragg will try to fill the hole in his case by presenting a legal plan as if it were a criminal conspiracy.

David Pecker, former chair and CEO of American Media, speaks at the Shape and Men’s Fitness Super Bowl Party in New York City, January 31, 2014.

Trump’s Unlikely Voter Problem

November results will be attributed to the bets both campaigns placed early in this campaign cycle. And everyone, save perhaps for the campaigns themselves, will have seen it coming.

A supporter of Donald Trump waits in a parking lot ahead of a campaign rally in Wilmington, N.C., April 20, 2024.

Post-Pandemic Resource Abundance Is Rebounding

A measure of the relationship between population growth commodity availability brings good news. 

Wearing a mask and gloves, a worker re-stocks apples in an Asian grocery store in Falls Church, Va., April 3, 2020.

Why Universities Should Embrace Institutional Neutrality

America’s higher-education leaders have gotten into a number of bad habits.

In Search of Musical Entropy

On a flawed quantification of ‘surprise’ in Bach.

Johann Sebastian Bach monument in the city center of Leipzig

Mum’s the Word

The national debt, the federal budget deficit, and the relative silence of politicians.

Biden Finally Condemns Columbia Antisemitism

The putzing president is running out of time to get a handle on the bloodthirsty activists in his coalition.

Demonstrators, guarded by NYPD police officers, gather outside of Columbia University in support of Palestine in New York City, April 20, 2024.

‘Warmonger,’ ‘Traitor,’ ‘Nazi,’ Etc.

The U.S. House passes aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Some like it, some don’t.

A woman prays during a service of St. John the Baptist church in Przemyśl, Poland, near the Ukrainian border, as people flee the Russian invasion, March 13, 2022.

Brzezinski’s Prophecy, Ferguson’s Law

On our current trajectory, this gap will only widen, until it can’t.

Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia attend a signing ceremony at the Kremlin, March 21, 2023.

Supreme Court Gets the Investor-Fraud Rule Right

This was a clearer and more tightly reasoned opinion than we’ve come to expect from Justice Sotomayor.

More Media Cheerleading for Unions after VW Tennessee Vote

We’re supposed to believe that a win for the UAW is a win for workers and indicative of a national trend in favor of union membership. But the evidence is still lacking for both of those propositions.

President of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) Shawn Fain signs a placard at a watch party in Chattanooga, Tenn., April 2024.

Prohibition (for Aperol)

With a single sip, I knew this was the worst drink I have ever consumed.

A bartender pours a drink at a Campari inauguration of a new brand house for Aperol, its best-selling beverage, in Venice, August 2021.

The Tory Tobacco Ban

The war against tobacco is, these days, more about control than health.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gives a speech on welfare reform in central London, April 19, 2024.

More Madness in Scotland

Elementary schools are being asked to appoint children as ‘LGBT champions’ and ask children as young as four if they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

Rehearsal for Revolution

People who don’t have strong convictions will begin joining the anti-Israel protests just because it’s a highly adrenalized ‘scene.’

Demonstrators protest in solidarity with Pro-Palestinian organizers on the Columbia University campus in New York City, April 18, 2024.

Joe Biden Holds Event Celebrating That Most Kennedys Are Still Supporting Him

Good for you, Joe Biden. We all know how hard it is for a Democratic incumbent president to win support among the Kennedy family.

Kerry Kennedy and other members of the Kennedy family applaud as President Joe Biden smiles, at a campaign event at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pa., April 18, 2024.

A Struggle to Survive

Notes on Ukraine and Russia.

People take shelter inside a subway station during a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 11, 2024.

Inclusive Authoritarianism

We can laugh at the fragile progressives on campus and call them ‘snowflakes.’ But do not dismiss them as impotent.

Students walk past Wadham College, Oxford University, ahead of the new academic year, amid the coronavirus pandemic in Oxford, Britain, September 17, 2020.

Judge Merchan Bars Use of Cohen’s Guilty Plea to Prove Trump Committed Campaign-Law Crimes

As Manhattan’s progressive elected Democratic DA Alvin Bragg had to know, Cohen’s guilty plea was never admissible evidence of anything relevant to Trump.

Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a news conference at his office in New York City, February 22, 2024.

Questioning the Campus Mental Health Crisis

Our college campuses are, it seems, awash in crises that call for costly programs to treat them. But are these crises real?

Trump: Ukraine’s Survival Is ‘Important to Us’

The former president didn’t endorse the funding package making its way through Congress, but neither did he attack it.

Former president Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., February 24, 2024.

Speaker Johnson Stares Down Potential Ouster amid Foreign-Aid Push

Johnson is operating under the growing possibility that his biggest detractors will trigger a snap vote on his speakership just six months into his tenure.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) speaks to reporters during a weekly press conference at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., April 16, 2024.

The Market Will Make Sure Caitlin Clark Gets Paid a Lot

Don’t let the WNBA’s union pay scale get you down.

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles past Connecticut Huskies guard Nika Muhl (10) in the semifinals of the Final Four of the womens 2024 NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, April 5, 2024.

Dickey Betts, 1943–2024: The Ramblin’ Man at Rest

Farewell, Dickey. I’ll never forget all the joyful noise you brought into my life with your band.

Dickey Betts backstage at the 47th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., in 2005.

Praise for the Speaker

On today’s Editors episode, Charlie takes a moment to applaud Speaker Johnson for the stand he’s taking on the Ukraine aid issue.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) speaks to the media in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., April 17, 2024.

Tech Blunder Leaves Hundreds of Job-Seeking Conservatives’ Information Exposed: Report

The Conservative Partnership Institute has reportedly mishandled sensitive private information for months.

Another Example of Cops Making Schools Safer

Events in Montgomery County, Md., prove (yet again) just how important cops are for the Maryland school district.

How Chris Dodd Helped Bring Hollywood and China Together

The former Connecticut senator’s role in getting the American film industry hooked on the Chinese market should be held in the same regard as his other . . . accomplishments.

President Joe Biden shakes hands with former senator Chris Dodd at the dedication of the Dodd Center for Human Rights at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., October 15, 2021.

Like Every Recent GOP House Speaker, Mike Johnson Has Reached His Breaking Point

Johnson seems determined to go through with the vote on aid, which will almost certainly lead to an effort to oust him just as McCarthy was ousted last fall.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R., La.) speaks to the media after meeting with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other congressional leaders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., February 27, 2024.

Katherine Maher’s NPR Is No Place for Truth

Would it even make a difference if the NPR CEO were fired? Who are the people who hired her in the first place? Are they going to fire themselves as well?

Now NPR CEO-Katherine Maher speaks at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, November 13, 2023.

Google Employees Sit Around and Find Out

Even an illimitable amount of self-righteousness and woke defiance will not save you from reality.

A counter-protester holding an Israeli flag walks into the parking lot near a protest at Google Cloud offices in Sunnyvale, Calif., on April 16, 2024.

The TikTok Bill’s Prospects Are Looking Better Than Ever. Here’s Why

A recent Politico scoop is certain to motivate lawmakers to act with more urgency on TikTok.

A Voice from Kansas, a Voice for Freedom

On a podcast with Vernon L. Smith.

Republican Hawks Plan to Defend Ukraine with Insults

Republicans who want to pass Ukraine aid should try to rebut the actual arguments made against it.

Senator J. D. Vance (R., Ohio) walks at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., September 12, 2023.
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