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

Maine Democrats to Chuck Schumer: Stay Out of Our Senate Race

Local Democrats are warning the top Senate Democrat to keep away as they replace Graham Platner, and the candidates are giving his leadership in Washington low marks.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Soccer, Sartre, and the Sixties

Half My Students Are Cheating at Brown University

What alarmed me most wasn't the suspected misconduct. It was how reluctant my university seemed to confront it, writes Roberto Serrano.

'The halls of the Senate already feel empty': Tearful Thune honors Lindsey Graham as sister takes his seat

John Thune delivered a tearful tribute to Lindsey Graham on the Senate floor as a black veil covered the late South Carolina senator's desk.

Norway's Erling Haaland, Class Act

Showing how to win, how to lose, and how to be a masculine hero.

NYT: Former Iran President Ahmadinejad Was Israeli Spy

DOJ Reminds Election Officials They Need To Follow Law

DOJ warns states to enforce federal voter laws or face penalties.

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.

Evidence vs. Conspiracies in Kirk Assassination Trial

FOX News host Will Cain argues that the evidence presented during Tyler Robinson's trial overwhelmingly disproves the conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Family shattered after 3-time deported illegal immigrant allegedly blew through stop sign, roiling House race

A three-time deported illegal immigrant allegedly ran a stop sign and killed 6-year-old Calli Toler, igniting the border fight in North Carolina.

Strong Opinions

When critics start issuing dictates, they end up excluding broad swathes of art and culture as well as whole areas of human experience.

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.

U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales are Down but E.V. Chargers are Booming

Electric vehicle chargers are proliferating in Southern states as fast food restaurants, stores and other businesses try to lure customers.

Mamdani breaks silence on 'perverted' ally who helped sell Platner before scandal-plagued collapse

Zohran Mamdani says Morris Katz remains a top advisor despite Democratic Socialists of America urging allies to blacklist the consultant over Platner.

Lindsey Graham’s sister appointed to Senate as GOP rushes to protect fragile majority

Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Trump-endorsed Darline Graham Nordone, sister of the late Lindsey Graham, to fill his seat for the remainder of his term.

Trump Administration Announces New Attack on the International Criminal Court

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States will “dismantle” the international court that tries grave crimes “brick by brick, if necessary.”

Did Media Fall Short in Its Reporting on Platner?

The twisting road to the candidate's exit left a lot to be desired. But ultimately, reporters ferreted out the truth

Lindsey Graham’s sister picked to serve the rest of his Senate term

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) announced his selection of Darline Graham Nordone to serve into January after her brother died suddenly amid a campaign for a fifth term.

Sotomayor Slaughters Hamilton

Her argument about Hamilton has, if not a fatal flaw, at least a highly debilitating one: Hamilton changed his mind.

Lindsey Graham’s Sister Appointed to Finish His Senate Term After Trump’s Backing

Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina named Darline Graham Nordone to replace Mr. Graham, who died on Saturday.

What's Burning in Russia Today? Lots of Things.

Young Washington Finds the Man Beneath the Monument

The father of the country has not yet arrived, and the young man standing in his place is a genuine creation.

Trump: Blockade on Iran Is Back, Baby, Bigger Than Ever

With Threats Rising, Supreme Court Asks Congress to Increase Security Funds

Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan are scheduled to make a rare appearance at the Capitol to testify about the court’s more than $200 million request.

The Menace of a Respectable Hatred

What remains of a person, an institution, or a civilisation that dishonours itself when Jews and Israel become the targets of hatred and violence?

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Armed man arrested at US Capitol barricade as police probe why he drove onto restricted grounds

U.S. Capitol Police arrested an armed man at the North Barricade after he drove a Ford Bronco to the security checkpoint with a firearm inside.

Trump Confronts the Iranian Threat by Copying Them

America is going to war to replace Iran’s assault on the global order with a shakedown of its own.

Amnesty UK Making a Lot of the Correct Sort of Enemies

What Sen. Graham Wanted

Senator Lindsey Graham, who died unexpectedly last night, was a pivotal citizen of the Washington conversation. He loved being in the mix, slapping bipartisan backs off camera, and then, when the lights came on, cracking wise, weighing in, and, ye…

Lindsey Graham died of aortic dissection, preliminary medical report says

Graham died hours after returning from a trip to Ukraine. Trump said he spoke with the senator Saturday evening and that “could’ve been his last call.”

The Only Toll In the Strait of Hormuz Is Being Paid By the Iranian Regime

The Many Lives of Lindsey Graham

A look back at one of the Senate's most influential and complicated figures.

The DSA vs. the Senate

The Democratic Socialists of America have taken the official position that the Senate should be abolished. This is impossible under the Constitution.

CBS: McMaster to Appoint Graham's Sister to Fill Out His Term After Trump Nomination

Judge Denounces Trump’s I.R.S. Suit as Improper Exercise in Self-Dealing

The decision also recommended disciplinary action against the lawyers involved, including the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche.

The Anti-U.S. Influencers Nurtured by Academia, Media

On July 4, 1916, Iva Ikuko Toguri was born in Los Angeles - 25 years before she would go to Japan and become known as the infamous Tokyo Rose during World War II.

Mamdani ripped over record-high NYC rents with critics pointing to policy they say is fueling crisis

Manhattan and Brooklyn median rents hit all-time highs as critics suggest immigration is putting pressure on the housing supply in the city.

Graham Platner, Classy to the Last

Even Platner’s resignation was ultimately undercut by his own sheer trashiness.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Lindsey Graham: Senator, Soldier and Statesman

"The man who really counts in the world is the doer, not the mere critic - the man who actually does the work."

The Murder of Ann Widdecombe

Trump makes surprise pick to fill Graham's Senate seat

Trump recommended Darline Graham Nordone as interim senator for South Carolina, while Tim Scott pushes for a placeholder ahead of the special election.

The Mask That Made Me

Thirty years as a high-functioning neurodivergent project manager.

Keith Ellison: Even You Need 'Gender Affirming Care'

The Last Interesting Man in Washington

As much as he was a political animal who gloried in the fray, Lindsey Graham also had a core.

Reshaping the Middle East

Reconsidering Israel’s wars in 1956, 1982, and 2026.

How a Hidden Songbook Survived the Holocaust

The extraordinary story of how a fragile Holocaust songbook, hidden for decades in a Sydney cupboard, came back to the world.

Democratic socialists erupt over 2028 endorsement as AOC speculation grows: 'Dangerous path'

DSA's National Political Committee rejected an all-member poll on a 2028 presidential endorsement, sparking fury from factions pushing to back AOC.

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.

Charlie Is My Darling

Claudia Verhoeven’s new book is a valuable contribution to the crowded library of Mansonia.

The American Founding’s Lab Notes and My Weekend in D.C.

Federalism and state sovereignty are important parts of the American tradition.

The Media Notices Candace Owens' Conspiracy Theories

Mercurial and Magnetic, Lindsey Graham Was a Force in the Senate

The sharp-witted South Carolinian repaired relations with President Trump to advance his foreign policy goals, was willing to cut deals with Democrats and tried to insert himself into every legislative fight.

CNN Political Briefing

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

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…

Lindsey Graham’s Death Transforms the Race for His Democratic Challenger

Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, has offered condolences to those who loved Mr. Graham while considering the political fallout from his death. Republicans are scrambling to arrange a new primary election.

Will Wes Moore's Bronze Star Be a 2028 Liability?

Most veterans who were wrongly denied a military award do not get a three-star general to personally intervene for them.

A Guide to the Uncanny 2026 Midterm Elections, and How We Got Here

A lot of things have changed in American politics since our writer went on parental leave.

Mamdani Touts Big Business Investments in New York

For a socialist who once opined that New York would be better off without billionaires, Zohran Mamdani - the mayor of a city with more billionaires than any other city on the globe - sure doesn't mind basking in the investment boom that is current…

The Long Road to Medical ‘Miracles’

How decades of invisible science produced two cancer breakthroughs.

Senator Lindsey Graham, Patriot

We’ve lost a great American who labored until the end to promote national security and pressure our enemies by spreading freedom and shoring up our alliances.

Trump Decrees Illegal Toll on Hormuz Strait Transit

A constitutional violation in the service of a foolish, provocative policy.

Obama-appointed judge torches Trump admin in latest courtroom showdown, refers attorney for Bar review

A federal judge ruled Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit over leaked confidential tax returns was for an improper purpose, referring attorneys for discipline.

Birmingham, Still the Magic City

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is simply something special here.

VW CEO Taking Some Vicious Lumps on His Fahrvergnoggen

What an Eighth Grader Taught Me About Status

Comparing yourself to others locks you into a contest you can never win and makes other people’s wins feel like your defeats.

BREAKING: ICE-Involved Shooting in Maine; One Dead

Darline Graham Nordone has little political history beyond praising her brother

Darline Graham Nordone, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s younger sister, received the backing of President Donald Trump and Sen. Tim Scott to serve out the remainder of her brother’s term.

Inside Israel’s Secret Operation to Install Ahmadinejad, Iran’s Former President, as Leader

The yearslong effort to groom the former Iranian president as an intelligence asset culminated in a dramatic effort to take him to a Mossad safe house in Iran in the early days of the war. But the plan fell apart.

Generation Trapped: Why Young Australians Have Given Up Hope

Parnell Palme McGuinness on the six distinct "tribes" of young Australians she uncovered—and why personal agency, not income, is the strongest predictor of happiness.

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…

Trump’s Threat to Impose Fees in the Strait of Hormuz Contradicts His Aides

President Trump said the United States could collect tolls or fees, despite Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying no country could do so.

Trump: US Will Take the Strait and Run It; UPDATE: Trump Reimposes Iran Blockade

Why Soccer Is Boring

How the beautiful game convinced the world that boredom is sophistication.

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.

Lindsey Graham’s Finest Moment

Graham’s defense of Brett Kavanaugh came against powerful cultural currents that are easy to forget.

First Nations Chief, Podcast Pundit, Indigenous Gadfly

Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Aaron Pete, Chief of the Chawathil First Nation, about reserve governance, residential schools, ‘unmarked graves,’ and intra-Indigenous politics.

Lindsey Graham left behind modest wealth despite decades in Washington’s elite circles

Lindsey Graham ranked 294th in wealth among Congress members despite 31 years of service, with assets mostly in mutual funds and government bonds.

Europe bankrolls Putin's war machine even as NATO races to bolster defenses

A new analysis of commercial shipping data shows European countries spent billions in the first half of 2026 on purchases of Arctic liquefied natural gas.

Who is Darline Graham Nordone? Lindsey Graham's sister emerges as Trump's Senate pick

Trump and Tim Scott are pushing South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to appoint Darline Graham Nordone as a caretaker to fill her brother's Senate seat.

Practical Politics and the Triumph of Sen. Graham

Lindsey Graham, the senior US senator from South Carolina, died unexpectedly on Saturday, aged 71. This being Anno Domini 2026, the famously hawkish Republican's demise was greeted with open joy by his opponents on the antiwar Left and the hard Ri…

Is Iran Trump’s ‘Forever War?’

A definitive resolution to this conflict — one way or the other — is still in the cards.

How Lindsey Graham’s Journey From Trump Critic to Ally Made Him a Power Player

He initially called Donald Trump a “kook” who was “unfit for office,” only to join the new president’s Mar-a-Lago circle. “I’m still in the game,” Mr. Graham once explained of his much-analyzed turnabout.