Smash The Bubble

News and opinion from both the left and the right, mixed together so you can break out of your filter bubble.

more info

Today's Headlines

In the wake of the Republican National Convention earlier this month, Fareed speaks with historian Niall Ferguson about how and why the modern-day GOP has changed since the Reagan era of the 1980s.

Note to Readers: The Next 25 Years of RealClearPolitics

I co-founded RealClearPolitics 25 years ago with a pretty simple bet: If you gave Americans all the information, not just the parts that flatter one side, they'd figure it out for themselves.

Does the Right Still Believe in 'No More Souters'?

This Is Not the 1970s

Amid the great uncertainties produced by the Iran War, some likelihoods have begun to emerge.

Letters to the Editor

10 April – 17 April 2026

An Extra-Embarrassing White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Why is Donald Trump breaking bread with the “enemy of the people”?

King Charles III will still visit Washington this week

The fine print of the Respect for Marriage Act

Let's start with the positive: Republicans and Democrats are coming together to protect same-sex marriage from the Supreme Court.

What We Know About WHCD Shooting So Far; Shooter Identified? UPDATE: Video of His Charge

King Charles heads to Trump White House as America marks 250 years since breaking from the crown

King Charles III heads to the White House to meet President Trump in a historic U.S. state visit, the first by a British king since King George VI visited in 1939.

A Dark New Litmus Test for Power in Washington

The shooting at the correspondents’ dinner made clear who gets saved first.

Dinner received lower security level than other gatherings of top officials

Vice President Kamala Harris, a former US senator from California who previously served as the state's attorney general, could be the first Black woman and Asian American to lead a major party ticket after receiving President Joe Biden's support t…

So Much For Islamabad II: Taqiyya Boogaloo? UPDATE: Trump Cancels Witkoff, Kushner Trip

Big Sky Crack-Up

Montana Democrats thought they found a novel way to win control of the U.S. Senate—until the party faithful started fighting back.

What We Know About the Gunman at the White House Press Dinner

The authorities are investigating a motive for the attack by the suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen. Those who know him described him as a “completely average guy.”

King Charles steps into U.K.-Trump standoff just as new security concerns arise

His state visit begins after a gunman rattled Washington, but U.K. officials hope pomp can paper over an Iran war fracture and remind the president of the alliance’s perks.

Some Dems Back Trump's Ballroom After Shooting

The shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner has increased support on Capitol Hill for President Donald Trump's proposal for a new White House ballroom with an underground bunker, including among some Democrats.

Accused WH Press Dinner Attacker a Tutor, Programmer From Calif.

The California man arrested in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer opposed to the policies of President Donald Trump. A photo of Cole Tomas Allen of Torranc…

A Lesson for Guarding the Presidential Line of Succession

This weekend’s failed attack highlighted a risk that often goes unspoken.

Security at Correspondents’ Dinner Worked as Intended, Experts Say

Officials noted that the suspect never made it into the hotel ballroom, where President Trump and hundreds of journalists were gathered for the White House correspondents’ dinner.

PNC Steps Up for Pittsburgh's NFL Draft

Mamdani's racial equity plan a hidden 'moving the goalposts' ploy to justify massive gov expansion: expert

Critics say socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's racial equity plan moves the goalposts on poverty to justify massive government intervention.

Donald Riegle, Who Represented Michigan in Congress Under 7 Presidents, Dies at 88

Donald W. Riegle, who represented Michigan in Congress for nearly three decades under seven presidents, has died, his family said Sunday. He was 88. Riegle, who began his career as a Republican and later became a Democrat, died Friday of cardiac a…

Correspondents’ dinner lacked highest security level despite presence of top officials

The White House correspondents’ dinner, which was attended by the president and many Cabinet members, was not given top security status that would have unlocked the full weight of federal resources.

I Was on Stage With the President. This Is What I Saw

For eight months, as president of the White House Correspondents Association, I'd been working on this dinner party. Above all, I had hoped it would restore some normalcy between the Trump administration and the press. Maybe I was naive, but I wan…

The Voice, Unmasked: Sunday Reflection

Immaculate Wilderness, Uncertain Future: Paddling the Boundary Waters

A proposed copper mine in northern Minnesota has become a battleground for politicians and environmentalists — and a pressing reason to explore the waterways.

Girls in an Online World

Iona Italia talks to writer Freya India about her book 'Girls: Gen Z and the Commodification of Everything.'

World Leaders React to Press Gala Shooting

World leaders expressed shock after a shooter charged a glitzy media gala in Washington on Saturday night, attended by President Donald Trump, and relief that there were no casualties.

The Triumph of Economic Freedom?

Saturday's Final Word (UPDATE)

Suspect called himself ‘friendly federal assassin’

Chernobyl Forty Years On

How fear, misinformation, and myth came to define the world’s worst nuclear accident. 

How Kyrsten Sinema's decision makes Democrats' 2024 Senate map tighter

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema decided to shake up the political world on Friday by becoming an independent. The former Democrat is still caucusing with the party in the Senate, so the Democratic caucus still has 51 members. Now, instead of 49 Democr…

DNC Chair Says 2024 Autopsy Would Cause 'Navel-Gazing'

I'm not here to protect anyone, right? What I'm here to do is win elections, Ken Martin told MS NOW.

The Posting Will Continue Until Morale Improves

Trump’s Iran messaging seems desperate.

Why Can't We Treat GLP-1's Like Medicine?

Last summer, my skin began to itch. I did not have a rash, or an insect bite, which meant the cause remained a mystery and lotion didn't help me for long.

Trump Stands Tall Under Fire

Another apparent assassination attempt brings out his most presidential qualities.

At WHCD, Darkness Came Viscerally Close

Men in tuxedos and women in dresses dove under tables, like a scene from a dozen Hollywood movies, but now it was happening to me

WHCD shooting suspect planned to target Trump officials, manifesto reveals

The WHCD shooting suspect told law enforcement he intended to target Trump administration officials, senior federal law enforcement sources confirmed.

CNN Political Briefing

The political news you need to know, in 10 minutes or less. Hosted by David Chalian.

What Abdul El-Sayed Doesn’t Get About Trump

How Democrats can lose Michigan, again

Meet the woman steering Biden's bipartisan winning streak on Capitol Hill

The Biden administration managed to rack up a long list of major legislative wins in its first two years despite facing one of the most closely-divided Congresses in history. From bipartisan action on infrastructure, gun safety and same-sex marria…

US military conducts strike on another boat carrying alleged narco-traffickers, killing 3

The Pentagon announced another lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing three people on board.

Live updates: White House correspondents’ dinner shooting suspect to appear in court, had denounced Trump

Cole Tomas Allen, who will be charged with three counts, wrote a statement saying he wanted to target Trump administration members, according to law enforcement officials.

Claire’s Weekly Letter: Naming the Enemy

President Trump Addresses Media After WHCD Shooting

This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press. And in a certain way, it did.

Documenting a Decade of Academic Meltdowns

Podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with filmmaker Ric Esther Bienstock about her new CBC/BBC documentary, ‘Speechless’—which explores the rise of censorship and mobbings on campus.

Former president Barack Obama, in an X post, urged Americans to “reject the idea that violence...

New York Post Pins Blame on 'Radical Left'

A New York Post editorial published Sunday places responsibility on what it describes as the "radical left" for fostering a political climate that may be contributing to repeated assassination attempts against President Donald Trump.

Justice Dept Cites Shooting to Get Ballroom Suit Dropped

President Donald Trump's Justice Department is using the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday to try to pressure preservationists to drop their lawsuit over his planned $400 million ballroom on the site of the…

Virginia Public Schools' Mental Health Misstep

The harms of universal screenings for mental disorders far outweigh the benefits.

Rep. McCaul: Rethink Trump, Vance Appearing Together

The shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner should prompt the Secret Service to reconsider whether it is wise for President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to attend the same events, Rep. Michael McCaul said...

Here’s the latest.

Grievance Propelled Gala Attack Suspect Across Country, Authorities Say

A man who has worked as a tutor and graduated from the California Institute of Technology is being held by authorities in connection with the armed attack at the White House correspondents’ dinner.

The Moral Monstrosity of the New York Times Podcast

"It is so hard to live ethically in an unethical society." That lament heard this week from New York Times opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman could well be the Democratic Party's epitaph.

Correspondents’ dinner shooting suspect called himself ‘friendly federal assassin’

The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of California, officials said. He is a part-time teacher, former engineering student and game designer.

Fareed explains why AI's massive energy demands are straining the power grid, but also why AI could enable big breakthroughs in sustainability and clean energy.

What to Watch Next in the Nationwide Redistricting Battle

All eyes are on Florida and Virginia, where a special session and courtroom proceedings set for this week factor into the battle for the House in the midterms.

Trump endorses the idea of changing ICE to NICE

President Donald Trump expressed support for the idea of renaming Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to National Immigration and Customs Enforcement (NICE).

‘I’m not a rapist’: President responds to suspected shooter’s message

Trump: Suspect's Manifesto Shows Anti-Christian Hate

President Donald Trump said Sunday the armed suspect who breached security at the White House Correspondents' dinner had a manifesto expressing anti-Christian hate. Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was taken into custody...

SHOOTER AT WHCD Alive? Trump: Let the Show Go On; SECRET SERVICE: Not on Our Watch

Margins of Error

Look closely at almost anything and you'll find data—lots of it. But what are those numbers really saying about who we are and what we believe? Harry Enten is on a mission to find out.

The Republican Who Outsmarted Trump

Thomas Massie is one of the few Republicans who is unafraid of President Trump.

Trump’s Enormous Gerrymandering Blunder

The Republican redistricting effort backfires.

Obama says motive unclear despite manifesto outlining alleged targets in WHCD shooting

Barack Obama says the motive behind the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting remains unclear despite writings allegedly targeting Trump.

Sen. Sheehy Moves to Fast-Track White House Ballroom

Sen. Tim Sheehy wrote on X on Sunday that, following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, he will introduce legislation to streamline construction of President Donald Trump's proposed White House ballroom.

Keith Sonderling Likely to Move Up to Top Labor job

A week after the resignation of embattled Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, there are strong signs that President Donald Trump will send the name of Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling - now serving as acting secretary - to the Senate for confirm…

The Roots of Recession

As an energy shock looms, a new book reframes recession as the product of historical circumstance, not cyclical inevitability.

Gala Shooting Suspect Was Targeting Trump Administration Officials, Writings Reveal

A man being held in connection with the attack wrote a note indicating potential targets and grievances, authorities say.

Critics Refuse to Admit Israel and U.S. Won in Iran

America and Israel's success is unprecedented, albeit there are still some boxes to check.

Wisconsin Dem's bar laments 'we almost got free beer day' for Trump assassination

Wisconsin's Minocqua Brewing Company faces renewed scrutiny after posting "we almost got #freebeerday" following shots fired near Trump at the WHCA dinner.

Even Before the Gunfire. Many Guests Bore the Scars of Political Violence

Gunfire at a press gala on Saturday underscored the ever growing club of political figures whose lives have been upended by violence.

‘Shots Fired!’: Inside the Pandemonium at the Washington Hilton

Guests dived to the floor and took cover as Secret Service agents climbed over tables to protect some of the country’s most high-ranking officials, including President Trump.

The notable legal clouds that continue to hang over Donald Trump

All eyes are on former President Donald Trump, who has launched another White House bid.

ACLU, NAACP accused of trying to 'sabotage' US tourism with 'fearmongering' campaign

A progressive fearmongering campaign targeting 2026 World Cup travel to the U.S. is accused of trying to sabotage American tourism and small businesses.

Congress Has Become Almost Totally Irrelevant

The way Republicans are managing the Department of Homeland Security budget shows that Congress is now just something to work around.

Security under scrutiny as WHCD attendees cite inconsistent screening before shooting

Some attendees raised concerns about security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, describing what they say was inconsistent screening at the venue.

Most Guests Ducked for Cover. This Man Munched on His Burrata Salad.

Michael Glantz, a top agent at Creative Artists Agency, calmly ate his appetizer during the commotion at the White House correspondents’ dinner. He had his reasons.

Trump Voters Like Marco Rubio More and More

And J. D. Vance less and less

Trump urges WHCA to reschedule dinner ‘within 30 days’

Trump Says He 'Wasn't Worried' During Dinner Shooting

President Donald Trump said he "wasn't worried" when gunfire erupted during Saturday night's White House Correspondents' dinner, describing the tense moments in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes."

Wyoming court blocks fetal heartbeat abortion law

A Wyoming judge temporarily blocks the state's new heartbeat abortion law banning the procedure around six weeks while a legal challenge plays out.

What I Learned About Billionaires at Jeff Bezos’s Private Retreat

For the richest men on Earth, everything is free and nothing matters.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Manifesto Released: He Believed All the Lies the Democrats Now Claim They Never Said

Trump, allies use dinner shooting to press case for White House ballroom

A White House ballroom would be far more secure than any hotel facility, Trump says, as he and his allies argue that Saturday’s shooting bolsters their case.

In the Air Tonight

How Phil Collins created the pop sound that defined the 1980s.

Statecraft and Seduction

In an excellent new biography of Rasputin, British military historian Antony Beevor argues that perception can be a more powerful shaper of world events than reality.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Go beyond the soundbites and get to know some of the most interesting players in politics.

White House Correspondents' Dinner suspect checked into Hilton hotel one day before the shooting: sources

Cole Allen, 31, allegedly checked into the Hilton Hotel hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner the day before the shooting, sources say.

Sunday Smiles

Budget Airlines Pitch Govt Assistance on $2.5 Billion Relief Plan

A group of ‌U.S. budget airlines, including Frontier and Avelo, is seeking $2.5 billion in U.S. government assistance in exchange for warrants that could convert into equity stakes in the companies, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

Everything you need to know about Biden's student loan forgiveness program

President Joe Biden's federal student loan forgiveness program, which promises to deliver up to $20,000 of debt relief for millions of borrowers, is on hold indefinitely as legal challenges work their way through the courts.

What we know so far

Apocalypse Soon?

Earth Day once helped focus public attention on real environmental problems. Today it is a festival of alarmism, misanthropy, technophobia, and moral theatrics.

Can Blackface Be Anti-Racist?

In her early comedy career, Sarah Silverman mocked bigots by impersonating them. What could possibly go wrong?

Trump faces unprecedented third assassination attempt

A would-be assassin was stopped at the Washington Hilton, marking the third known assassination attempt against Trump in less than two years' time.

Mamdani's New Tax on 2nd Homes Could Backfire on Everyone

Dinner, Interrupted: Over Brunch, Journalists Reflect on a Chaotic Night

Moving to a new venue, or the East Wing? Plans for the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner are fluid following Saturday’s shocking events.

Supreme Court Reviews Police Use of Cell Location Data to Find Criminals

Geofence searches allow law enforcement to find suspects and witnesses by sweeping up location data from cellphone users near crime scenes.

A Shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

The president is safe after chaos at the Washington Hilton, and a suspect is reportedly in custody.

On CNN, Democrat 'Election Deniers' Get a Pass

Iran, Tucker Carlson and the Political Test Ahead

Tucker Carlson says he regrets backing Trump and that other supporters are 'implicated' in the Iran war. But most Republicans haven't joined him.

Canada’s 215 Imaginary Martyrs

How will Canadian journalists cover the five-year anniversary of the 2021 ‘unmarked-graves’ social panic without admitting their complicity in promoting a fake story?

The Problem With Hasan Piker’s Einstein Story

People scrutinizing influencers for their views should also hold them to account for their facts.