news

A picture is worth a thousand fake narratives.

Plus, meet "The Bulwark."

Two things can be bad at the same time.

How the late senator was like Henry Clay.

Cumulus Media, the third largest terrestrial radio chain in the country, is bankrupt, and it’s making some drastic moves. Earlier this spring, it dropped Don Imus, the legendary—if now fossilized—morning host. And now there are rumors that Cumulus is looking to cut Michael Savage, one of talk…

Hosted by Charlie Sykes.

Plus, why Trey Gowdy hated his time in Congress.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes discusses the embattled EPA chief, the latest on the trade war, our recent editorial on the economy, Charlie Sykes's recent opinion item "The Conscience of Ann Coulter" and the firing of Kevin Williamson.

Be careful what you wish for. Comedian Owen Benjamin spent yesterday on Twitter saying very not-nice things about one of the survivors of the Parkland school shooting. I won't link to them here because this is a family-friendly newsletter, but part of his schtick was taunting that he can't be…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren discusses the latest with the Mueller investigation, the latest from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and the Wisconsin special elections.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Jonathan V. Last, Rachael Larimore, and Jim Swift discuss why America fell hard for 16-seed UMBC and Sister Jean's Loyola Ramblers and whether this was the best March Madness ever.

Amtrak ends charter rides. Did you know that you can hitch your own train cars to an Amtrak train? Granted, not many among us have privately-owned rail cars, a novelty for the richest among us, but some do. Anyways, this practice, the Wall Street Journal reports, is going bye-bye:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Charlie Sykes talks to deputy online editors Jim Swift and Chris Deaton about the president's Easter message ("NO MORE DACA DEAL!") and advertiser boycotts.

How did your team do on opening day? Well, I hope. My Cleveland Indians weren't able to pull out a W in Seattle. But here's a neat story for you I heard yesterday as I was driving home: Michaela Murphy's hilarious tale about her unsupervised childhood trip to the 1981 All Star Game at old Cleveland…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Adam Keiper and Stephen White join to discuss his recent article The Pope's Mess, a review of Ross Douthat's book about Pope Francis. Later, Andrew Egger and Jim Swift discuss the battle royale inside the West Wing to replace Hope Hicks, and host Charlie Sykes…

President Trump traveled to Ohio Thursday to give what was supposed to be a speech touting his administration's infrastructure plan, as the White House attempts this week to refocus on infrastructure for the umpteenth time since Trump's inauguration. But that effort ran aground Thursday for the…

How Kirk Gibson inspired a bunch of future Nationals fans. Since it is Opening Day, we're going to have a few baseball stories. This one from 2016 by Rudy Gersten is worth checking out. It's about Kirk Gibson's's famous 1988 World Series home run, a ball that hit Gersten's aunt Pamela, a fact they…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Charlie Sykes talks to reporter Andrew Egger about the demise of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, President Trump's new-found feud with Amazon, and Egger's recent profile of Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday on Twitter that he intends to replace Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin, bringing a long-expected end to the embattled secretary's administration post.

How to win a trade war. (Hint: the winning move is not to play, per War Games.) Over at FiveThirtyEight, there is a fun game letting you conduct your own trade war. Enjoy!

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Charlie Sykes talks to John McCormack about the latest cover story in THE WEEKLY STANDARD about the potential of a 2020 independent presidential bid by Ohio governor John Kasich.

As special counsel Robert Mueller prepares for a potential climactic interview with President Trump, his team continues to bore into potential links between Russian intelligence and Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. In new court documents filed Wednesday, Mueller is asserting the…

23 Years Later, Man Returns to Groundskeeping Job With White Sox. This Chicago Tribune story about Nevest Coleman's wrongful conviction is heartbreaking. For a man so wronged, it's heartening to see that the White Sox were eager to offer him his old job back.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Jonathan V. Last and Jim Swift discuss whether it's time to regulate Facebook, and Bill Kristol drops in to discuss the 2020 presidential elections. Will there be a third-party challenge?

'Grandma Torino' Pleads Guilty. In Macon, Georgia, a grandmother pled guilty to shooting a teenager in the head. Why? Because he supposedly threw rocks at her house. My old college professor Chris Lawrence has dubbed her "Grandma Torino", after the movie she apparently didn't watch, of course.

Two weeks after Hillary Clinton sparked an uproar by blaming backward-looking voters in middle America for her 2016 election loss, Republicans are already laying plans to turn her remarks into a major campaign talking point. Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley on Monday released two ads tying…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Jonathan V. Last and Michael Warren discuss the 60 Minutes interview of Stormy Daniels, March Madness and why Duke losing is good for America, the Russia investigation, and JVL's night at the Playboy Mansion.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor at large Bill Kristol discusses why he's a little nervous about John Bolton as National Security Advisor, what the next two months will mean for U.S. foreign policy with a new secretary of state and NSA, and his most recent column on why he is still a…

President Trump threw a potential wrench into congressional budget discussions Friday morning, threatening to veto the omnibus package that Republican leaders pushed to his desk just hours before to avoid a government shutdown.

The Facebook Apology Tour. Earlier this morning I joined our managing editor Christine Rosen on the Daily Standard Podcast to discuss the Zuckerberg walk of shame. Do have a listen! Some supplementary reading: Nick Gillespie at Reason makes the same point I do about regulating FB, and over at the…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, managing editor Christine Rosen and deputy online editor Jim Swift discuss Facebook's apology tour, the coming trade war, and the Trump-Biden boxing match.

I am not typically late for things. Except, one morning in March of last year, I was running late to a doctor’s appointment for my wife and me. She was already there, having let me sleep in since I had been up late the night before. Not for work or anything. But to watch Team Israel in the World…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, staff writer and elections analyst David Byler breaks down the Illinois primary elections, and looks ahead at the primary elections.

"Toys R Us’s baby problem is everybody’s baby problem" Was it really private equity that did in Toys "R" Us? Or was it demographics? That's what Andrew Van Dam argues at the Washington Post:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Sonny Bunch discusses his cover story on the end of the golden age of television with host Charlie Sykes and Books & Arts editor Adam Keiper.

What's in the most recent issue? Editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes is here to show you what is in this week's issue.

Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe—sacked on the eve of his retirement after allegedly leaking information to a reporter and then misleading investigators about it—has acquired a pair of wildly divergent reputations. In Trumpworld, McCabe is a hack whose partisan actions during the Clinton…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren discusses President Trump's tumultuous weekend: from the firing of Andy McCabe to his resulting tweets.

Happy Friday! We have a lovely new issue out, with the cover story by former TWSer, current Free Beacon bigwig, and Weekly Substandard podcast co-host Sonny Bunch. It’s about the abundance of television #content available to people in the present day. Will any/much of this content endure, or is…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren discusses the recent tumult and turnover in the Trump administration: From the end of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's tenure, to the Pompeo shuffle, and importation of CNBC's Larry Kudlow to replace Gary Cohn.

I don't want to grow up... But poor Geoffrey the Giraffe will have to, as Toys "R" Us bids adieu after a 61-year run. (Bankruptcy is causing them to close all of their stores.) I loved TRU as a kid, and my first and only magazine casual has a tie-in. Alas, all good brands eventually die. Something…

It's been a tumultuous year for the digital currency markets. Now that we're a few weeks away from tax day, a friendly reminder: Don't forget your digital currency trades!

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Jonathan V. Last and Christine Rosen discuss the recent uproar over a dog who died on a plane, the natural end of Theranos, and the PA-18 special election.

Farewell, Mostly Weekly! My good friend Andrew Heaton’s web show at Reason comes to an end, like all good things do. In the final episode, Heaton takes on creative destruction, and then destroys his own show. Creative!

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Jonathan V. Last and Michael Warren talk about the Pennsylvania special election, the Blue Wave, political happy talk, and the wisdom of children.

Hours after throwing Washington into a frenzy with his surprise decision to fire Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, President Trump skipped town Tuesday, traveling to San Diego to examine prototypes for his signature border wall that have been constructed at the U.S.-Mexico border.

What's in this week's issue? Editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes has a breakdown of what is in this week's issue:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes discusses the sudden ouster of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the ascendance of CIA director Mike Pompeo.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Mike Warren and host Charlie Sykes discuss President Trump's wild weekend, the PA-18 special election, and Betsy DeVos's painful '60 Minutes' interview.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, associate editor Ethan Epstein and reporter Jenna Lifhits join digital editor / guest host Jonathan V. Last to discuss Thursday's late night announcement that President Trump intends to meet with the North Koreans by May of this year.

President Trump signed a controversial order implementing heavy tariffs on imported steel and aluminum Thursday, calling the action “a matter of necessity for our security” and saying it would help to revitalize fading American industry.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, reporter Andrew Egger and deputy online editor Jim Swift talk with host Charlie Sykes about why the Stormy Daniels story hasn’t gone away, President Trump’s upcoming tariff announcement, the left’s troubling association with Louis Farrakhan, and whether new…

Drunk Area Man Struck By His Own Car. In my neck of the woods in Fairfax County, Virginia, a drunk driver tried escaping from his car on foot to thwart the police . . . only to be struck by his own car.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, John McCormack and Grant Wishard discuss Gary Cohn’s departure, tariffs and crony capitalism, and Grant’s bike trip along the Mexican border.

What’s the latest in this week’s issue? Here’s our editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes on what is in the latest edition of this week's magazine:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor at large Stephen F. Hayes discusses former Trump aide Sam Nunberg's cable TV circus, the coming showdown on tariffs between President Trump and Speaker Ryan, and whether Pennsylvania's Conor Lamb will take a House seat away from Republicans.

Sam Nunberg, a former Trump aide recently subpoenaed by the Mueller probe, said Monday he would refuse to testify before the special counsel’s grand jury or turn over requested communications with other members of the Trump campaign.

ProPublica has uncovered what appears to be an unethical—and likely—illegal act performed by an employee of the president's privately held golf course empire.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, reporter Andrew Egger and staff writer Alice Lloyd discuss whether President Trump will follow through on his proposed tariff plan and how the Oscars fit fish people into intersectional feminism.

The Oscars couldn’t stray far from politically tense themes; in fact, the ceremony strained to fit in almost all of them.

It’s a blustery day in Washington. My neighbors have had their siding blown off, and our dog has determined he is aerodynamic. The federal government shut down, schools are closed, and a large swath of flights to and from the swamp are being canceled. Therefore, I will try and make today’s links a…

After the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, CNN hosted a town hall discussion on Wednesday, February 21, which included politicians, an NRA representative, and several students of the school who posed questions to panel members.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor at large Bill Kristol discusses the wild week at the White House: the announced departure of Hope Hicks, President Trump's gun control gaffe, and the coming trade war.

Ben Carson’s new silverware. Ironically, Ben Carson might not get to enjoy his newly refurbished office at HUD for very long, if recent history is our guide. This from CNN:

Say what you will about Paul Manafort (and you can say a lot): He’s no quitter. Pundits proclaimed Manafort’s goose cooked last week after his former business partner and co-defendant Richard Gates fessed up to the battery of crimes of which special counsel Robert Mueller has accused them,…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes talks with host Charlie Sykes about Jared Kushner's rocky week, the end of the Hope Hicks era, and the potential for a trade war.

On Tuesday, White House communications director Hope Hicks told House investigators her job sometimes requires her to lie and refused to answer questions about her time in the Trump administration. One day later, the longtime Trump aide has announced she is leaving the White House, reportedly in…

Can a GoFundMe Bring Back a Beloved Theme Park? Probably not. But that’s not stopping a man in my native Cleveland who wants to bring back the famous Geauga Lake theme park. He’s started a GoFundMe to raise $20 million bucks to start bringing the park back. That’s a fraction of price you’d need to…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, John McCormack and Haley Byrd discuss the upcoming special congressional election in Pennsylvania, the escalating culture war over guns, and Jared Kushner's no good, very bad day.

Buckley's legacy, 10 years later. William F. Buckley, Jr. died 10 years ago today, so here's some worthwhile #content from the TWS archives you should read to remember the late great conservative heavyweight.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, managing editor Christine Rosen and deputy online editor Jim Swift discuss the legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr. on the tenth anniversary of his death, the resurgence of the fringe candidate, and President Trump's most recent comments on the school shooting in…

What's in this week's issue? Get a preview of our articles and features in this video from editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, guest host Jonathan Last is joined by Ethan Epstein and Alice Lloyd to talk about Mona Charen’s CPAC appearance and the difference between serial killers and spree killers.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor at large Bill Kristol discusses President Trump's CPAC speech, how the President has fared so far, and the future of the conservative movement.

President Donald Trump on Friday delivered a free-wheeling speech to CPAC, a campaign-style barnburner that went over well with the raucous crowd. And on his way out, he casually got around to the important stuff: major new sanctions on North Korea.

Update, 9:36 p.m.: Manafort attorney Jason Maloni emails in the following statement "on behalf of Paul Manafort:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Alice B. Lloyd and Jim Swift discuss Wednesday's White House listening session and CNN's town hall on guns. Also, is Marion Le Pen a classical liberal? Why is CPAC featuring her?

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, reporters Haley Byrd and Andrew Egger discuss bad right-wing responses to the Parkland school shooting, Robert Mueller’s new charges against an obscure foreign lawyer, what’s next for immigration legislation, and the life of evangelist Billy Graham.

Trump-supporting Twitter users the world over logged on Wednesday morning to find their follower counts diminished. Appearances suggest the targets of this so-called Twitter "purge" were suspected bot accounts, and unverified users whose tweeting patterns reflect those of Russian bots: Locked out…

Work with ICE? Nah, I quit. You all remember Kim Davis, don't you? She was the woman in Kentucky who refused to do her job (and refused to quit) because she disagreed with the Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage. Davis was an inherently flawed spokeswoman for traditional marriage.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, digital editor Jonathan V. Last and senior writer John McCormack discuss gun control, immigration, movies, and the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference.

Four days after his surprise indictment of 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities for conspiracy against the United States, special counsel Robert Mueller revealed a new plea deal Tuesday, with Russia-connected lawyer Alex Van Der Zwaan. Mueller charges that Van Der Zwaan lied to FBI…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, editor in chief Stephen F. Hayes discusses what the recent Mueller indictments mean. Also, Charlie and Steve discuss America's best and worst presidents, in honor of Washington's birthday.

In his first public indictment of 2018, special counsel Robert Mueller on Friday announced charges against 13 Russian nationals and three organizations for conspiring in secret to destabilize America’s political institutions.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, Andy Ferguson and Adam Rubenstein discuss "white and black," the craziness raging on college campuses, identity politics, and manufactured controversy targeting Bari Weiss.

An impermanent high-art graffiti gallery in Queens was, for the five years since its whitewashing by a real estate developer, considered another casualty of cold-hearted capitalism. Its absence was a monument to the unwinnable war against the Man. Now the building owner who erased it has to pay…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren and deputy online editor Jim Swift discuss gun control efforts in the wake of the Parkland school shooting, whether or not the Senate's open-ended immigration debate will yield any results, the White House's security clearance…

You can get away with a lot if you're a bullsh*tter... Our Books and Arts editor Adam Keiper shares this fascinating thread about a Reddit user who BS'd his way to lots of internet karma... by making a ton of stuff up. He even gave a speech at Harvard about his "accomplishments."

President Trump on Wednesday threw his weight behind Sen. Chuck Grassley’s immigration plan, urging the Senate to pass the “responsible and commonsense” proposal based on the White House’s immigration priorities and threatening to veto proposals that contain further Democratic concessions.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren talks about the long-awaited Infrastructure Week, and associate editor Ethan Epstein joins to discuss the Olympics, North Korea's 'Smile Diplomacy' and its coverage by the American press.

After a brief hiatus, the Daily Standard Podcast has returned with a new host: Charlie Sykes. A longtime journalist, author, commentator, and radio host, Charlie brings his decades of experience and insight to our daily podcast.

Senator Bob Corker made headlines last October when he became the first GOP senator to announce he would not seek reelection in 2018—then quickly ignited a public spat with President Donald Trump, with the two trading barbs on Twitter. Over a period of weeks, Corker called the Trump White House “an…

President Trump drew a line in the sand on immigration reform in a Tuesday morning tweet, telling Congress that the freewheeling negotiations that began Monday are “our last chance” to grant legal status to nearly 2 million people brought to America illegally as children.

Two of the top Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are calling on former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice to explain an “unusual email” she sent on the day of President Trump’s inauguration.

The Issue with Steve Hayes. Want to know what is in this week's magazine? Lucky for you, our editor Steve Hayes is putting together a brief video preview. Check it out here.

President Donald Trump on Friday offered words of praise and support for a disgraced former staffer who resigned earlier this week over allegations of domestic abuse.

Senator Rand Paul was not happy. A 652-page budget and appropriations deal, worked out by congressional leadership, was unveiled at midnight Wednesday, a mere 24 hours before the shutdown deadline.

Steal, Eagles, Steal! If your team hadn't won a title in 58 years, wouldn't you steal a chair? This Eagles fan (read: NOT JVL) did, and got off easy: $125. If you can afford going to the Super Bowl, $125 for a memento like this is an absolute steal, if you'll pardon the pun.

This week on the TMQ Podcast, Gregg Easterbrook breaks down the Super Bowl with Philly Superfan special guest Jonathan V. Last. In case you missed last week's column, do read it here.

Day Zero approaches in Cape Town. This Guardian feature about the water crisis in South Africa is fascinating.

When the young Muslim known as “Mo” decided he could no longer live in America, the Islamic State wasn’t his destination of choice. Initially, he said, he wanted to migrate to Saudi Arabia to study at the University of Medina—but he couldn’t get in. A diet of online propaganda convinced him the…

A bill intended to clarify and alter a set of long-delayed Obamacare menu labeling rules passed the House Tuesday, as restaurant owners continue to prepare for a May 7 compliance deadline.

Wawa Shabbawa? Yep, that's what it sounds like: Shabbat at a Wawa. A local performance artist, Brian Feldman, came up with the concept. Turns out nobody really went because they're obsessed with Wawa, like Feldman is. Now, a Shabbat at a Sheetz? That's another matter entirely. They'd probably have…

Reince Priebus, Sith Lord. Vanity Fair has a delightful (profanity laced) interview with Anthony Scaramucci about his brief tenure in the White house. Mooch's take on Washington is so wrong, it's laughable:

This week on the TMQ podcast, Gregg Easterbrook and Stephen F. Hayes preview the Super Bowl and discuss Gregg's most recent column. Who will win the Non-QB, Non-RB MVP? Should the Eagles go for it on fourth down?

Forget Detroit, let's all move to Italy. During the economic crisis, there were hundreds of stories written about distressed properties in Michigan. Now, in Sardinia, you can buy homes for $2. Of course, there are strings attached. As Thrillist reports:

The end of video? When I was younger, I recall a photoshop the Sidney (Ohio) Daily News did on the front page of Tonya Harding becoming a wrestler. The story was about the wonders of digital photo editing technology, and was essentially the first "fake news" I ever saw. Now, such technology is…

The FBI on Wednesday expressed “grave concerns” about the public release of a Republican-drafted memo that reportedly contains allegations of FBI partisanship and surveillance abuses, a rare display of public displeasure from the usually taciturn agency.

Brenda Fitzgerald, whom President Trump tapped as CDC director last year, announced her resignation Wednesday, one day after it was reported she had purchased stock in a tobacco company one month into her leadership last year.

It's about the infrastructure, stupid! Tonight's State of the Union address is rumored to be heavy on the infrastructure spending rhetoric. At Reason, Christian Britschgi observes "The point of infrastructure spending is to build infrastructure, not create jobs." Amen.

The end of the Chief Wahoo era. Given my lifelong Cleveland Indians fandom, Chief Wahoo has long been part of my sports wardrobe. The New York Times reports that Wahoo's reign as team logo ends in 2019, the year Cleveland will again host the MLB All-Star Game. The trademarks will still be owned by…

FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe is stepping down from his post at the FBI, NBC News first reported Monday.

Capping his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Trump on Friday declared America “open for business and competitive once again” in a speech that trumpeted the country’s economic strength under his administration.

Charlie and the Tide Pod Challenge. Over at McSweeney's, there's some fine content (as usual) mocking the young kids who are sticking Tide pods in their mouths.

Special counsel Robert Mueller spent much of 2017 making quiet progress in his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, but that has changed in the new year. Mueller’s team has interviewed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, will soon meet with former White House strategist Steve…

“Breaking: Trump’s ENTIRE wall just got paid for by ONE person & you won’t believe who!”

Kids these days... Don't know how to code all too well, according to a report by HackerRank. As TheNextWeb reports:

Uncovering the TUSD Deep State. Imagine if your local school district had a secret document. The purpose of this document is to blacklist and retaliate against employees. That's what the Arizona Daily Star's Hank Stephenson uncovered at the Tucson Unified School District.

Thrusters, go! Apollo 13 it's not, but NASA found out a way last month to fire up thrusters on the ancient Voyager spacecraft that haven't been used in 37 years. It's a neat story:

You’ve got to feel for Robert Mueller.

Considering they were protesting what they call “the greatest human rights violation of our time,” the crowd that gathered on the National Mall Friday morning for the March for Life was oddly upbeat. Church and school groups who had traveled across the country to show their opposition to 45 years…

This week on the TMQ podcast, Gregg Easterbrook and Stephen F. Hayes preview the AFC/NFC championship games, and discuss Gregg's most recent column.

Today is the March for Life, the annual pro-life demonstration that takes place around the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. In a first, President Trump addressed the rally via satellite from the Rose Garden. (George W. Bush addressed the group over the phone.) It's worth considering Trump's…

Does America really have only 11 main cultures? That's what a new map by Colin Woodard suggests, and it has lots of people arguing. I grew up in Yankeedom (Cleveland), went to school in the Midlands (Saint Louis), and now live in Tidewater. Naturally, Saint Louis and Cleveland are more similar to…

President Donald Trump said during his campaign he was in favor of keeping marijuana regulation a states’ rights issue, according to a recording released Thursday by the Colorado Springs Gazette.

How China infiltrated the U.S. classroom. Over at POLITICO, our own Ethan Epstein has a good look at how China has used soft power to exert influence with American students via funding "Confucius Institutes."

Retiring senator Arizona Jeff Flake accused President Donald Trump of reckless disregard for the truth Wednesday, saying that the White House had launched an “unrelenting daily assault on constitutionally protected free speech.”

As Washington stares down the barrel of a government shutdown, the White House is refusing to back down from its budget terms. Appearing on Fox & Friends Tuesday morning, press secretary Sarah Sanders said Congress must pass a continuing resolution now, then try to find a bipartisan deal on…

Will the reboot of 'The Office' be woke? And if so, will it be funny? Reason's Ed Krayewski asks "at what point will The Office become problematic?" Turns out, those thinkpieces have already been written. From February of last year, there's: Unpopular Opinion: “The Office” Is Very Problematic in…

A conspiracy theory has regained popularity and circulation on Facebook this week regarding Klaus Eberwein’s suicide and alleged connection to the Clintons.

The presidency of Donald Trump, nearly a year old, has revived a political debate that began in earnest in sixteenth-century Europe: does a nation require leaders of good moral character in order to flourish?

A question of grammar is at the center of President Donald Trump’s latest battle with the media.

The Bundy family are anti-government extremists. The ranchers have been behind two armed standoffs with the federal government—a showdown in Nevada over cattle grazing rights in 2014 and the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge building just outside of Burns, Oregon, to protest…

The Amish help build America's biggest concerts. Who would have thought that some of the most technologically advanced live music shows out there are brought to you, in part, by Lancaster County's Amish population:

U.S. diplomat John Feeley announced Thursday he would resign from his post as ambassador to Panama, the same day President Donald Trump provoked controversy by reportedly demeaning immigrants from central America and “shithole countries” in Africa.

Mmmmm. Delicious Laundry Pods. As we know from science™, laundry pods are unlikely to kill you. But that hasn't stopped folks from wanting to regulate the innovative little cleaning pods. Canada, as behind as it often is, has a tweet asking Canadians if they know the health risks of consuming…

This week on the TMQ Podcast, Gregg Easterbrook and Steve Hayes discuss the cost of the NFL moving to Las Vegas. Will gambling ruin the NFL?

President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. court system as “broken and unfair” on Wednesday, one day after a federal judge in San Francisco issued a temporary injunction to prevent the White House from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

C is for Crazy Children's Books. There's a new book project being hawked on Kickstarter called C is for Consent: "a board book for babies, toddlers, and thoughtful parents." Consent is important, but is this really an appropriate concept for babies and toddlers? Especially given that the term…

Steve Bannon, the bomb-throwing media figure and nationalist mascot who was once one of Donald Trump’s most trusted advisers, stepped down on Tuesday from his post as executive chairman of Breitbart.

There's no such thing as a free gift! When I worked in Congress as an aide, I took a meeting with representatives of a foreign government about trade issues. They gave us all little business card holders as de minimis gifts. An older colleague, after the meeting ended, took all of them and threw…

Pave Breezewood. I'm back from my trip to Cleveland (where I covered the Browns #PerfectSeasonParade), and as is tradition, I had to drive through the godforsaken town of Breezewood, Pennsylvania. Over at the Examiner, Salena Zito has an appreciation of the place. One thing's for sure, having…

Cleveland, Ohio

Three pros vs. 100 kids. Japanese television always seems to have strange innovations, so it should come as no surprise that they recorded three professional soccer players playing 100 kids. Fascinating.

Remember "Juicero"? Get ready for "Raw Water." The Silicon Valley company mocked for its pointless technology replicating squeezing (really) is in the news again after one of its founders was quoted in a New York Times story about "raw water." It is dumber than it sounds:

Roy Moore's "Jewish lawyer" voted for Doug Jones. You remember the trainwreck where Kayla Moore brought up their Jewish lawyer as a rebuttal to charges of anti-semitism? He voted for Doug Jones. Not only that, he raised money for him, too!

You think you're getting my 2018 predictions? Dream on. I've been wrong enough the last couple of years, no way I'm sticking my neck out again. I'm upgrading. I'm asking instead for your predictions. So, dear reader, here are ten questions with multiple-choice answers provided. At the end of the…

Are you a bitcoin billionaire? After today, probably not (too soon?), but Remy has another instant classic over at ReasonTV.

This week on the Kristol Clear podcast, editor-at-large Bill Kristol makes the case for the people who mattered most in 2017.

Fun times in Richmond! As regular readers are aware, yesterday Chris Deaton reported on the Virginia House of Delegates race that was ultimately decided by one vote. Or was it? Republican David Yancey went into the recount leading by 10 votes over Democrat Shelly Simonds. But then seemingly lost by…

The staff of THE WEEKLY STANDARD and contributors weigh in on the most pressing holiday question: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren talks with host Eric Felten about the passage of the GOP tax bill.

The Empire is good. If you're an Amazon Prime subscriber, do watch this video confirming Jonathan Last's 2002 opus.

Shame worked in Alabama. That's what Tom Nichols argues over at the Washington Post:

This post had been updated.

Today on the WEEKLY STANDARD Podcast, senior writer Tony Mecia talks with host Eric Felten about the House vote on the tax bill.

How will tax reform impact you? It hasn't passed just yet, but it just might! The New York Times has a basic calculator worth checking out. And Maxim Lott has one that's a little more advanced. Neither are perfect, but worth examining to get a broad sense of how the tax reform bill might benefit or…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren talks with host Eric Felten about the president's national security speech.

In its early, scrappy days, Twitter captured the hearts of Americans with a seductive promise: famous celebrities tweet, you can tweet back at them, and if you’re lucky, they might read your tweet. Such interactions seemed to offer a peek behind the curtain into the world of Hollywood spangle. We…

President Trump told reporters Sunday evening that he is not considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigation into Russian election meddling has been a constant irritant to the White House. At the same time, however, Trump and his allies are stepping up their campaign to…

This week on the Confab, senior editor Andrew Ferguson talks with host Eric Felten about the impact on journalism and on the culture more broadly of Rolling Stone magazine.

Editor at large Bill Kristol talks with host Eric Felten about the fallout from Tuesday's defeat of GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore in the Alabama special election.

What to watch tonight. If you're looking for something new and interesting to put on tonight, check out Errol Morris's Wormwood tonight on Netflix. It looks fantastic. The Times gave it a positive review, saying:

Virginia Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott has been accused of sexual harassment by a woman who served in his office.

Donald Trump’s Friday morning appearances were an amusing reminder of a central presidential incongruity: He loves and supports law enforcement, except the ones trying to enforce the law on him.

#Adulting is hard! CNN has an unintentionally funny look at 26-year-old "new" adults who are having trouble leaving the nest and finding health insurance.

The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 along party lines Thursday to reverse the Obama-era internet regulations known as “net neutrality,” arguing over dire Democratic warnings that the change would help consumers and promote competition among internet providers.

Ranking the best national chains. Tom Sietsema, the Washington Post's food critic, spent some time at D.C.-area chain restaurants. His rankings are as critical as they are for D.C.'s finest food purveyors. Biggest loser? Buffalo Wild Wings. Biggest winner? Cracker Barrel. Sonny Bunch's favorite,…

How we got here with Roy Moore. On Twitter, Alex Burns has a (sad!) look back at how the GOP arrived at today's predicament with Roy Moore. It's a choose your own adventure. Remember those? Except with this one, Republicans always lose.

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, White House Watch columnist Michael Warren talks with host Eric Felten about the President's latest problematic tweet.

How does an accused sex offender go about getting elected to public office? With Alabama’s special Senate election taking place Tuesday, Republican Roy Moore has chosen to pursue a bold strategy: putting on the full armor of Trump and vanishing almost entirely from the voters’ view.

The end of free speech? Katherine Mangu-Ward at Reason has an excellent cover story about how "the left eats its own and the right shows its true colors." Here's my favorite part:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer John McCormack talks with host Eric Felten about the closing days of Tuesday's Alabama special election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions.

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s prosecutors filed evidence late Friday afternoon to demonstrate that Paul Manafort violated a court-mandated gag order by contributing to an op-ed defending himself in a Ukrainian newspaper.

In the wake of President Trump’s official endorsement of Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore, the Republican National Committee chose to resume funding Moore’s campaign for the U.S. Senate, a move that state-level members of the RNC greeted with a range of sanguinity.

Newman's Own's future depends on what happens in tax reform. I've always had a special place in my heart for the late actor Paul Newman, whose childhood home was three streets over from mine. His charity/business, however, is at risk of being put out of business if a provision isn't included in the…

This week on the Kristol Clear Podcast, filling in for Bill Kristol is Michael Warren, who talks with host Eric Felten about the multi-vehicle smash-up that was this week in Washington.

Congressman Trent Franks announced his resignation from Congress Thursday evening, saying he was unwilling to undergo an Ethics Committee investigation into conversations about surrogacy he had in recent years with two female staffers.

Gaming TripAdvisor. Surely, you've used sites like Yelp!, TripAdvisor, or others when visiting strange news places. What if one of the top-rated restaurants there was a complete fake? That's what VICE UK's Oobah Butler, a clever prankster, did with his backyard shed:

After a week spent limping along under the weight of accusations of sexual misconduct, Sen. Al Franken announced his resignation from the Senate Thursday morning.

Maybe he retires, but doubt the doubters—Eli Manning is a great player and person. Editor Stephen F. Hayes and Gregg Easterbrook debate Eli Manning's legacy. Be sure to read this week's TMQ for more.

Sir, we have to land over there so I can use the bathroom. A non-stop flight from New York to Seattle had to divert to Billings, Montana because its toilets were full, the Billings Gazette reports:

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, deputy managing editor Kelly Jane Torrance talks with host Eric Felten about politicians felled—and one not felled—by sex abuse scandals in recent days.

The White House is currently insisting that President Donald Trump did not know in January that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russia, a felony for which he has pleaded guilty. But the administration’s own public statements, taken together,…

In the months since Robert Mueller began sniffing around the White House for evidence of electoral misbehavior, President Donald Trump has watched warily to see whether the special counsel would sift through his personal finances. In July, he told the New York Times such an action would amount to…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Tony Mecia joins host Eric Felten to talk about what's next in the tax reform saga.

The Lake Erie salt mine 1,700 feet beneath the lake is a modern marvel. Growing up in Cleveland, I had heard about this mine, but this was pre-YouTube and the modern internet that can showcase it in all its glory. Check out the video and the interview, it's pretty neat.

Congressman John Conyers of Michigan announced Tuesday he would retire from Congress effective immediately, making him the first sitting congressman to resign amid the wave of sexual misconduct allegations that has swamped the nation in recent months.

“Sure you won two Super Bowls, but what have you done for us lately?”New Jersey Giants to Eli Manning, benchwarmer.

President Donald Trump on Monday announced his administration would reduce two vast national monuments in Utah, arguing that the monuments amounted to a federal land grab by past Democratic presidents.

Neil Young dings Apple, releases high quality archive for free. Neil Young is not happy with Apple, whom he accuses of watering down the quality of digital music. Fortunately, he has made his archive available, offering high quality master copies of his work via streaming:…

Today on the Daily Standard Podcast, senior writer Michael Warren talks with host Eric Felten about the fallout from the Michael Flynn plea deal.

President Donald Trump was briefed that Michael Flynn had likely misled the FBI in late January, weeks before the former national security advisor was fired for lying about the extent of his contacts with a Russian diplomat, the president’s lawyer said Sunday.

President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters he feels “very badly” for his former national security advisor Michael Flynn, days after Flynn pled guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to special counsel Robert Mueller’s team about his interactions with Russian officials before President…

This week on the Confab, executive editor Fred Barnes talks about the procedural battles in the Senate over judicial nominations. Then senior editor Andrew Ferguson discusses the New York Times ruckus over normalizing Nazis.

Mike Flynn's RNC speech didn't age well! Vic Berger helps us remember a simpler time, when rhetoric was rhetoric and you didn't have to worry about the pesky special counsel.

This week on the Kristol Clear Podcast, editor at large Bill Kristol discusses Michael Flynn's plea agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller.

White people love Subarus. Google's spy cars have documented the "street view" of much of the United States (and the rest of the world). But what are some applications of all of this data scientists could use? Google's folks decided to analyze the types of cars parked on the street to see if they…

The GOP tax plan cleared its first major hurdle in the Senate Wednesday afternoon, after a motion to proceed to amendments passed on a 52-48 party line vote.

Fly the friendly skies! Some airlines are better than others, but all airlines have some great flight attendants. American Airlines has Bette Nash, who, at 81, has been in the industry for 60 years. Turns out, she's also a bit of a celebrity! The Washington Post has a fun feature on her: