The Positions That the Democrats Won’t Defend
In trans-rights controversies, conservatives see proof that the left is promoting its own values by fiat.
Iranian Dissidents Don’t Want War With Israel—But They Can’t Stop It
The opposition fears that Israeli attacks will strengthen the Islamic Republic.
Why Randy Newman Is Least Loved for His Best Work
The musician’s greatest songs are dramatic, psychologically complex, and often very bleak.
Six Political Memoirs Worth Reading
Hackish campaign memoirs shouldn’t indict the entire genre—there are truly excellent books written about power from the inside.
The Chronically Online Have Stolen Halloween
Obscure meme costumes are sucking the joy from the holiday.
ChatGPT Doesn’t Have to Ruin College
The power of a robust honor code—and abundant institutional resources
Is Civility Enough?
What happens when you really get to know someone who is your political opposite
The Three Factors That Will Decide the Election
The convergence of three powerful forces will shape next month’s election in places like Charleroi and throughout the Rust Belt.
Why Harris Is Joining Forces With the Never Trumpers
They’re helping her make the case that keeping Donald Trump out of office is not about party politics.
Trump: ‘I Need the Kind of Generals That Hitler Had’
The Republican nominee’s preoccupation with dictators, and his disdain for the American military, is deepening.
No One Knows How Big Pumpkins Can Get
A decade ago, the world’s heaviest pumpkin weighed 2,000 pounds. Now the 3,000-pound mark is within sight.
The Worst Insult I Ever Heard as an Opera Singer
I’m not sure how to recover from this.
There’s No Coming Back From Dobbs
No new federal legislation can rewind abortion in America to 2021.
War Is Coming. Will Our Next President Be Ready?
The world stands on the brink of great-power conflict—yet neither candidate has mapped out for American voters how the U.S. can meet this challenge.
The Improbable Coalition That Is Harris’s Best Hope
The battleground state of Michigan reveals the Democrat’s most plausible path to winning the presidency.
This Influencer Says You Can’t Parent Too Gently
Chelsey Hauge-Zavaleta wants parents to avoid punishing their kids and focus on “loving connection” instead. Do her methods work—or do they turn kids into little tyrants?
Why Do Black People Vote for Democrats?
More Black and Latino voters are open to voting for Republicans.
Election Disinformation Is Getting More Chaotic
A conversation with Elaine Godfrey about what makes this moment so ripe for conspiracy theories
The Slop Candidate
Donald Trump embraces a working-class fantasy.
Coke, Twinkies, Skittles, and … Whole-Grain Bread?
What counts as an ultra-processed food can be perplexing and arbitrary.