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Today — May 21st 2024The Corner | National Review

60 Minutes with the Pope Fractures Liberal Fantasies

‘No, what I allowed was not to bless the union. That cannot be done because that is not the sacrament. I cannot.’

Pope Francis interviewed by <i>60 Minutes</i>
Yesterday — May 20th 2024The Corner | National Review

No, Pro-Life Laws Do Not Increase Intimate-Partner Violence

The journal Health Affairs published a flawed study that purportedly finds that pro-life laws lead to an increase in intimate-partner violence.

Chicago Develops Exciting New Form of Gun Crime

Hundreds of illegal immigrants have been paying a fake robbery gang to pretend to rob them so that they can gain preferential immigration status.

A Chicago Police officer inspects an Apple store that was vandalized in Chicago, August 10, 2020.

X-Men ’97 Is One of Marvel’s Best Recent Efforts. Does Anyone Care?

The animated revival of ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ is a pleasant surprise, but very few are watching.

<i>X-Men '97</i>

The Century’s Most Battle-Tested Warship Returns Home

Welcome back, USS Carney.

Families wait pierside as the U.S. Navy Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS <i>Carney</i> (DDG-64) returns home to Naval Station Mayport , Fla., following a seven month deployment, May 19, 2024.

An Activist Indiana Court Botches the Meaning of ‘Sandwich’

In a brazen attempt to legislate from the bench, the judge ruled that tacos are sandwiches.

Workers at a Subway restaurant in New York City, November 23, 2021.

Dear Hollywood, Stop Remaking Things You Can’t Improve

By just incessantly trading on the goodwill of prior hits, Hollywood is eating its own seed corn.

Women look at the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, Calif., October 19, 2017.

Is the Pope Catholic?

Yes. But he’s also a theological lightweight much too eager to publicly castigate his ideological foes.

Pope Francis reacts on the day of the weekly general audience in Saint Peter Square at the Vatican, May 15, 2024.

Remember What’s Behind the Alito Attacks

It’s not about flags or beer.

Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito poses during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., April 23, 2021.

It Turns Out Republican Voters Don’t Actually Care about Ukraine Aid

Perhaps J. D. Vance, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and their anti-Kyiv allies will take the hint and stop presuming to speak for voters they don’t appear to understand.

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

Oxford Has Two Liberated Zones

The pro-Palestinian activists at Oxford University decided one tent city wasn’t enough.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators camp outside Oxford University Museum of Natural History in Oxford, England, May 7, 2024.

Heavy Metal

On the New York Philharmonic, Gustav Mahler, World War II, and a salvage campaign.

Gustav Mahler

Trump vs. Biden, in One Simple Chart

If you look at Americans’ household net worth, adjusted for inflation, you see two dramatically different stories for Trump and Biden.

Left: President Joe Biden  in Washington, D.C., February 23, 2024. Right: Former president Donald Trump in Greenville, S.C., February 20, 2024.

Joe Biden’s Bleak Verdict on America

Biden’s campaign hopes to mobilize unenthusiastic black voters by convincing them that, no matter how bad things are now, they could always be worse.

President Joe Biden addresses Morehouse College graduates during a commencement ceremony in Atlanta, Ga., May 19, 2024.

Mike Pence Used Alternative to IVF, Warns of ‘Ill-Considered’ Law

Pence and his wife struggled with infertility in the 1990s and have firsthand experience of the deep heartache it can cause.

Former vice president Mike Pence speaks with reporters at a Pizza Ranch restaurant in Waukee, Iowa, June 8, 2023.

Examining the New Campus Fad: ‘Belonging’

The ‘belonging’ movement not only infantilizes young adults, but undermines the purpose of college education to foster inquiry.
Before yesterdayThe Corner | National Review

Stand Firm, Boomers — the Student Protesters Actually Are Idiots

It is perfectly reasonable to judge them on the moral rancidness of their cause, their thuggish behavior, and their willful ignorance.

Demonstrators and student activists gather at a protest encampment in support of Palestinians at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., May 2, 2024.

Shani Louk, Laid to Rest

There are more than 100 hostages and more than 30 hostage bodies still in Gaza.

Mourners carry the casket of German-Israeli Shani Louk, who was killed in the October 7 attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, during her funeral in Srigim, Israel, May 19, 2024, after Louk's body was retrieved from Gaza.

Weekend Short: Washington Irving’s ‘The Spectre Bridegroom’

A free man’s needling of caste systems and anti-growth systems is always worth a read, and Irving does it better than most.

Washington Irving

Finally (Probably), a Dutch Government

That Wilders’s ascendancy owes a great deal to the EU establishment’s handling of migration, multiculturalism, and, now, environmentalism does not seem to concern Timmermans.

Dutch politician and leader of the PVV party Geert Wilders gives a first reaction as he meets with the press in The Hague, Netherlands, November 24, 2023.

Jane Fonda ‘Cannot Believe There Is a Jane Fonda Day.’ Millions of Americans Can’t Either

Los Angeles County chose the anniversary of the fall of Saigon to honor ‘Hanoi Jane.’

Jane Fonda poses on the red carpet during arrivals for the opening ceremony and the screening of the film <i>Le Deuxieme Acte</i>, at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 14, 2024.

Saccharine IF Movie Is Charming but Shallow

IF compensates for its storytelling levity with a dose of saccharine, akin to a triple-layer chocolate cake smothered in frosting.

Cailey Fleming and Blue star in Paramount Pictures’ <i>IF</i>.

The Detail About Pelosi’s Attacker That Everyone Chose to Ignore

No, Paul Pelosi’s attacker was not just ‘a Canadian citizen who moved to San Francisco in his 20s.’

David Wayne DePape appears at U.S. District Court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse in San Francisco, Calif., November 15, 2022.

Harrison Butker’s Grave Mistake concerning the Jews

Especially in today’s world, there is no place for falsely claiming that stating a belief, true or false, about the Jews will land one in jail.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks during a press conference at DFB Campus in Frankfurt, Germany, November 3, 2023.

So Much for the Great UAW Unionization Wave

Workers at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama voted against unionizing with the United Auto Workers on Friday.

People are seen next to robotic arms for a second battery tray assembly line at the opening of a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle Battery Factory in Woodstock, Ala., March 15, 2022.

James Buckley and the ‘Population Bomb’ That Never Went Off

The late Buckley countered the Malthusianism of his day and prophetically wondered if underpopulation might eventually become a bigger problem.

James L. Buckley at the National Review Institute Ideas Summit in 2019.

Let Harrison Butker Be Himself

His opinions are outgrowths of virtues in short supply: faith, fidelity to the traditional family, and respect for the different roles of husbands and wives.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks during a press conference at DFB Campus in Frankfurt, Germany, November 3, 2023.

MBD: Butker Was Right to Affirm Masculinity 

‘Compared to the political speech we’re hearing out of Columbia University lately, I mean, this qualifies as . . . almost Abrahamic wisdom.’

Kansas City Chiefs' Harrison Butker celebrates with his kids after winning Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles, February 12, 2023.

Harrison Butker’s Speech Wasn’t for You

His speech was not given to evangelize or to change minds, but rather to encourage Benedictine students on their paths forward.

Harrison Butker gives a commencement address to Benedictine College

House Ways and Means Committee Targets DOL’s Julie Su for ‘Serious Conflict of Interest’

Su ignored years of warnings from the state’s auditor that her Employment Development Division was uniquely vulnerable to unemployment fraud.

Julie Su testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., April 20, 2023.

Harvard Law to Teach Rights of Nature

Complacency is the greatest political weapon the rights-of-nature radicals have.

Antony Blinken’s Duplicity on Ukraine

Blinken’s statement contradicts the position taken by spokespeople across the executive branch, many of whom set about correcting the secretary’s error.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a meeting with the Philippines' Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin at the State Department in Washington, D.C., September 9, 2021.

Butker’s Speech Shouldn’t Be Controversial

Is there any doubt that society has relegated the homemaker to a ridiculed position of weakness and wasted potential?

Feb 5, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker (7) talks to the media during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit:

France Faces Unrest in the Indo-Pacific

Proposed electoral reform has inflamed New Caledonia’s growing independence movement.

People board a plane of the French Air Force at Istres military airbase after France declared a state of emergency to regain control of events in New Caledonia, near Marseille, France, May 16, 2024.

Paul Wolfowitz on the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars and a Life in Foreign Policy

Currently a fellow at the Hoover Institution, Paul Wolfowitz previously served in many roles: director of policy planning at the State Department, U.S. ambassador to…

College Football Back in the News — with Lawsuits

Clemson and Florida State are suing the Atlantic Coast Conference to escape from their commitment to the conference until 2036.

The Supreme Court Isn’t Going to Fix Mandatory-Spending Dominance

Congress holds the constitutional power over budgeting, and the people need to demand better of Congress.

A person walks past the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.

What’s Going On with U.S. Worker Pay and Productivity

The problems the U.S. faces are different from the ones the economic doomsayers purport to describe.

Harrison Butker Is Right on the Latin Mass

The TLM is out of favor with the current pope but very much a banner cause for certain young Catholics.

Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker talks to the media during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., February 5, 2024.

The Prime Directive: Never Say Anything Encouraging about Stay-at-Home Mothers 

The feminists have won in a rout the debate over how to think about women and their careers.

Your Congress at Work

We need less stupid politics.

Funny, Painful, Etc.

Reader mail on American education and ‘Saturday Night Live.’

A Chinese Takeover of Taiwan without Full Invasion Is Plausible and Scary

A new report describes how China could pull it off — and what the U.S. and Taiwan must do to prevent it.

China's aircraft carrier <i>Liaoning</i> (center) takes part in a military drill of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy in the western Pacific Ocean, April 18, 2018.

Bipartisanship vs. the ‘Uniparty’

It’s ‘bipartisanship’ when you like the outcome, and a ‘uniparty conspiracy’ when you don’t.

Race, etc. Quotas. Again.

The proposed American Privacy Rights Act of 2024 appears to give universities a green light to engage in racial discrimination under the guise of ‘diversity.’

Surprise! The Anti-Israel Protesters Are Really Unpopular

Biden’s pandering to the educated elites has led him to vacate the centrist position on Israel’s defensive war against Hamas. The GOP will gladly fill that vacuum.

President Joe Biden attends the annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., May 15, 2024.

Econception on What’s Wrong with Tariffs

If the tariff protects, it doesn’t raise revenue, and if it raises revenue, it doesn’t protect.

Container ships at the Port of Long Beach-Port of Los Angeles complex in Los Angeles, Calif., April 7, 2021.

Kimberly Guilfoyle Gets Platform Committee Slot at 2024 GOP Convention

Guilfoyle is one of many high-profile Trump allies who will play a major role in shaping the national party’s agenda this summer.

Kimberly Guilfoyle speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla., February 24, 2022.

Stop Lowering the Bar for Biden

With weeks to prepare, Biden may be up for one debate, but he’s not up to the presidency. That’s what we should be hearing from the Trump camp.

President Joe Biden departs the White House for travel to Wisconsin accompanied by Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed at the White House in Washington, D.C., May 8, 2024.

DA Bragg’s Fever Dream

Manhattan’s progressive district attorney Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat, seems to see the indictment as a game of ‘hide the ball.’

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.

Beware Assassins from the Movement ‘Against Violence’

The man who shot the Slovakian prime minister founded an anti-violence movement in his hometown.

A man is detained after the shooting of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Slovakia, May 15, 2024.

Joe Biden’s Perversion of Executive Privilege

How Biden’s invocation of executive privilege, in this case, preserves the integrity of his office is anyone’s guess.

President Joe Biden at a reception celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., May 13, 2024.

What’s Wrong With the Latest Student-Loan Giveaway?

We need to get the government out of lending (for higher education and everything else), but Biden would have us dig the hole even deeper.

The Biden (and Trump) Debate High-Wire Act

There’s a lot going on in the Biden-Trump posturing over debates.

Left: President Joe Biden delivers remarks at an event in Fort Liberty, N.C., June 9, 2023. Right: Former president Donald Trump delivers remarks during an event at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., June 13, 2023.

Bleakness and Light

On Charles Dickens, Yefim Bronfman, etc.

Lord Mayor of London David Wootton (left) and Britain's Prince Charles look at a portrait of Charles Dickens during a visit to the Dickens Museum in London in 2012.

The Woke Gobbledygook That Passes for Erudition in Medical Journals

Our most august medical journals are in grave danger of becoming woke ideological-advocacy publications.

Automobile Trade and Employment Hardly Changed Since USMCA

There’s no evidence yet of the USMCA creating any major swings in U.S. car production patterns or employment, almost four years after it went into effect.

On the assembly line at the General Motors plant in Romulus, Mich., August 21, 2019

The China Tariffs Aren’t about National Security

Protecting industries overly cozy with the government has nothing to do with national security.

President Joe Biden speaks during an event regarding new tariffs targeting various Chinese exports, at the White House in Washington, D.C., May 14, 2024.

Rings of Power Will Have to Earn Back Viewers’ Trust in Season Two

A new trailer might seem promising, but the show has a lot of work to do to become worthy of Tolkien’s legacy.

Durin III (Peter Mullan) in the teaser trailer for Season 2 of <i>The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power</i>

Biden Says He’ll Debate Trump. Don’t Hold Your Breath

We have one candidate whose doctors don’t want him walking, and one whose lawyers don’t want him talking.

Left: President Joe Biden holds a press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, September 10, 2023. Right: Former president Donald Trump attends the Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee's 2023 Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., September 15, 2023.

The Senate’s AI Roadmap

I have been impressed with the seriousness with which the United States Senate is taking technological advances in generative artificial intelligence.

Senator Todd Young speaks at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., April 26, 2022.

Within the Ukraine War

On a podcast with Illia Ponomarenko, Ukrainian war reporter.

Galina Shevtsova in front of her apartment building, Mariupol, Russian-occupied Ukraine, November 16, 2022. She lives in the basement with her husband, Pavel. Their apartment higher in the building was destroyed by Russian forces the previous March.

About That New King Charles Portrait . . .

Jonathan Yeo may be talented, but both his taste and judgment leave a lot to be desired.

Britain's King Charles III meets with artist Jonathan Yeo next to a portrait of the king, at Buckingham Palace, London, May 14, 2024.

Defending Trump Is Not a Crime

Trump’s surrogates aren’t behaving in a ‘lawless’ manner.

Former president Donald Trump speaks to members of the media at Manhattan criminal court, in New York City, May 14, 2024.

Why Archiving of Research Is Important

Academics and wanna-be academics produce vast quantities of dubious research every year, so does it matter what is done with it?

A MAGA Faceplant in Nebraska

Nebraska’s populists did not reflect the will of the people for whom they presumed to speak.

Senator Pete Ricketts (R., Neb.) is sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., January 23, 2023.

Biden to Trump on Debates: ‘Make My Day, Pal!’

Biden offers to do two debates with Trump this year. For decades, the tradition had been three presidential debates.

Left: President Joe Biden holds a campaign rally ahead of the state's Democratic presidential primary, in Las Vegas, Nev., February 4, 2024. Right: Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participates in Greenville, S.C., February 20, 2024.

Pour One Out for David Trone

He gave up his life as the wealthy owner of a chain of wine stores to spend $107 million of his own money on campaigns that didn’t go much of anywhere.

Congressman David J. Trone (D., Md.) delivers remarks during the National Second Chance Townhall at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., April 24, 2023.

Britannia Rules

Reader mail on things British.

A residence in the village of Dorridge, West Midlands, England, May 2024

Anti-Israel Campus LARPing Is Not ‘The New Jewishness’

Real Judaism does not recognize the existence of such things as ‘capitalist time.’

Pro-Palestinian students take part in a protest in support of the Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, at Columbia University in New York City, October 12, 2023.

Biden Continues to Lie That the Inflation Rate ‘Was at 9 Percent When I Came In’

For the second time in five days, President Biden has claimed that the inflation rate was 9 percent when he took office. It was just 1.4 percent.

President Joe Biden speaks about the economy during an event at Union Station in Washington, D.C., April 9, 2024.

Are Coconuts Racist?

Once you start policing your enemies’ speech, there’s nothing to stop the same laws being used against you.

British prime minister Rishi Sunak and then-British home secretary Suella Braverman walk together at Horse Guards Parade in London, November 22, 2022.

Biden’s Incoherence on Israel

‘The polling doesn’t suggest that young voters are actually voting on this issue.’

President Joe Biden speaks as he departs from the White House in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2024.

Bishop Barron on Celebrity Conversion

Recent and well-publicized celebrity conversions have elicited two responses from believers: skepticism or enthusiasm.

Bishop Robbert Barron

A President Who Cannot Conceive of Victory

The president and his partners should reflect on why their oh-so-sophisticated conception of history seems to elude everyone else.

President Joe Biden speaks after signing into law a bill providing billions of dollars of new aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia, at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 24, 2024.

Trump to Fundraise in Manhattan Tuesday Evening

Trump will fundraise in Manhattan Tuesday evening, a hop and a skip away from where he’s been stuck in a New York courtroom for his first criminal trial.

Former president Donald Trump talks with reporters as he arrives for his criminal trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York City, May 14, 2024.

What Must the Jury Be Thinking about Why Trump Is on Trial?

In Alvin Bragg’s Manhattan, they’re probably thinking about the crime on the streets and subways.

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo speaks as former president Donald Trump sits between his attorneys Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, and Susan Necheles during a hearing before his trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, March 25, 2024.

Reading the Onion in Boot Camp

One quick anecdote to add to Dominic’s Onion-induced reminisces.

The Amazing Sculpture Coming to the Nation’s Capital in September

Get ready for an unusual and nowadays singular event: the unveiling of art that is mighty and patriotic and gob-smacking.

Sculptor Sabin Howard works on a sculpture.

What Made the Onion Funny

Ben Collins’s group purchasing The Onion has, predictably, led to very unfunny content.

A pedestrian walks by an <i>Onion</i> news rack in San Francisco, Calif., May 5, 2009.

Fear, and Love, of Needles

Reader mail on vinyl records, running, and more.

An Audio-Technica staff member places a needle on a record at the IFA consumer-technology fair in Berlin, Germany, September 1, 2022.

Jim Justice Looks Poised to Crush Alex Mooney in Today’s West Virginia Senate Primary

The state is now seen as a lock for Senate Republicans in November given its deep-red tilt.

West Virginia governor Jim Justice, left, and Rep. Alex Mooney (R., W.Va.)

Airports Are Not Public Goods

American airports provide economic value to paying customers, like grocery stores and movie theaters do. They should not be government projects.

An American Airlines jet lands in front of planes backed up waiting to depart on the runway after flights earlier were grounded during an FAA system outage at Laguardia Airport in New York City, January 11, 2023.

Psaki’s Shameful Lie

It’s par for the course for Biden officials to show flagrant disregard for the 13 service members killed in the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki holds the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 18, 2022.

No, Doctors Shouldn’t Make Treatment Decisions for Incompetent Patients

Checks and balances and outside oversight are crucial to maintaining the dignity and rights of patients and thwarting the imposition of a technocracy.

Lawyer Cohen Testifies about Covertly Recording Client Trump

On the piercing of the attorney–client privilege, as with seemingly everything about this case, the question is: What’s the crime?

Michael Cohen (right) is questioned by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger before Justice Juan Merchan as former president Donald Trump sits with his eyes closed and New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg watches, during Trump's criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, May 13, 2024, in a courtroom sketch.

The NYT/Siena Poll Leaves Biden Holding Only Low Cards

My interpretation is this: This poll portends doom for Joe Biden.

President Joe Biden departs the White House for travel to Wisconsin accompanied by Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed at the White House in Washington, D.C., May 8, 2024.

They’re Not Happy Unless You’re Miserable

The experts are here to throw cold water on your pursuit of cleanliness and pleasure.

The Biden Administration’s Commitment to Self-Sabotage

On Israel, the administration speaks not in one voice but in a cacophony of asynchronous soloists.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks as he visits Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2023.

What Bragg Needs from Cohen’s Testimony

In the case against Trump, prosecutors need their troubled witness to fill substantive gaps.

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

Free Labor, Free Men

Illegal immigration is a way of habitually placing employer relations before, above, or beyond the law. It should offend a free people.

Migrants cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. side of the Rio Grande, seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, March 20, 2024.

Biden’s Untenable Distinction between Offensive and Defensive Aid to Israel

In reality, the whole point of going on offense is to prevent terrorist attacks by dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure.

President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at the Scranton Cultural Center in Scranton, Pa., April 16, 2024.

Cohen’s Credibility Problems Take Center Stage

A serial perjurer is the foundation for Bragg’s prosecution of Trump.

Michael Cohen, former lawyer for President Donald Trump departs his home in Manhattan to testify in Trump’s criminal trial, in New York City, May 13, 2024.

More Evidence That Nevada Isn’t Really a Swing State in 2024

In Nevada, the New York Times poll has Trump enjoying a double-digit lead over Biden, among both registered and likely voters.

Former president Donald Trump holds a campaign rally ahead of the Republican caucus in Las Vegas, Nev., January 27, 2024.

How Students Can Use AI Legitimately

Maybe AI also has legitimate academic uses.

The CCP’s EVs Aren’t Magically Better

Americans have no need of an electric Lada with tablet-operated windshield wipers.

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

Fit to Print

Reader mail on reading newspapers, the French language in Michigan, etc.

Reading a newspaper at a trailer park in Sarasota, Fla., 1941

Anti-Israel Students Protest Jerry Seinfeld’s Commencement Speech

Manners maketh Man.

Jerry Seinfeld attends the premiere of Netflix's <i>Unfrosted</i> at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif., April 30, 2024.

A Sinister Singling Out

Notes on Eurovision, Israel, Hamas, etc.

People hold Palestinian flags during a protest against Israeli participation in the Eurovision Song Contest ahead of the second semi-final in Malmö, Sweden, May 9, 2024.

In the Face of Hell, Perseverance

Notes on Ukraine and Russia.

A firefighter works at the site of a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, May 4, 2024.

Electric Vehicles: Ford Runs Down Batteries

Less demand for EVs means less demand for EV batteries.

A Ford dealership in Alexandria, Va., July 23, 2009

On Harms to Noncombatants in Gaza

Israel’s cause is just, but what are we to think of its means, and of the effects those means are having on others than their targets?

Palestinians wait to receive food during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamast group Hamas continues, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip March 13, 2024.

Do Men Maul, Too?

I have a different qualification to bring to the table when discussing the bear-man social-media trend: I am a woman.

Cooke: Biden Looks Like a Flake

‘The way in which Biden has flitted back and forth makes him look not just weak, but odd.’

President Joe Biden delivers virtual remarks during the National Action Network Convention from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building’s South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 12, 2024.

It’s Odd, Sure, but the Tesla Cybertruck Is Undeniably Cool

If the aim of the Cybertruck was to make people of all ages stare and say, ‘my goodness me, what was that?’ then its designers have succeeded spectacularly.

A Stunning Indictment of New York’s Public-School System

If Hochul wants to open up the world to New York kids, she should support school choice. But that’s the last thing her teachers’ union buddies would accept.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul addresses the media following a shooting at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo, N,Y., May 14, 2022.

A Historic Aviation Spectacle in D.C.

The Airplane Owners and Pilots’ Association (AOPA), as part of celebrating its 85th anniversary, will be conducting a flyover of Washington D.C.

Breitling Wingwalkers aircrafts perform on the opening day of the AOPA-China Fly-in 2017 air show in Huangping county, Guizhou province, China, July 21, 2017.

In Chicago, the Most Predictable Civic Disaster in Recent Memory Beckons

We’re in a gloomy mood over here in the Windy City.

Then-Cook County commissioner and mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson campaigns a day ahead of the runoff election in Chicago, Ill., April 3, 2023.

Could This New Accreditor Make a Difference?

For too long, the higher-ed establishment has been able to lure in clueless kids with the notion that just graduating will ensure them a huge earnings boost.

No, Mr. President, Inflation Was Not 9 Percent When You Took Office

Biden remembers an altered version of events that always makes him look better.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., February 12, 2024.

Cornell’s President Resigns: ‘There Will Be Lots of Speculation’

Failed DEI programs, campus antisemitism, and faculty revolt have made for an eventful presidency.

Cornell president Martha Pollock speaks during a tribute to the 2020 graduate class.

Welcome Signs of Humility at Marvel

While its executives are owning up to some of their failures, Marvel Studios has a long way to go before it can win audiences back.

Chris Hemsworth poses on the red carpet at the premiere of Marvel Studios <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> at the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles, Calif., June 23, 2022.

U.N. Vote on Palestinian Membership Could Prompt U.S. Funding Cutoff

The move would dramatically increase the likelihood that the U.S. enacts steep cuts to its funding for the U.N.

The results of a vote to adopt a draft resolution  on a display during an emergency special session of the U.N. General Assembly on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas at U.N. headquarters in New York City, October 27, 2023.

Sacramento State ‘Divests’

The students celebrating the ‘divestment’ of Sacramento State might want to read the fine print.

New Gollum-Focused Lord of the Rings Movie Planned for 2026

Warner Bros. can’t help returning to this precious intellectual property. But will it be any good?

Gollum in <i>Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers</i>

Menachem Begin Warned Us about Joe Biden

Biden has learned nothing from the Israeli prime minister’s warning against cutting off military aid.

Who’s Paying to Keep the Taliban in Business? You Are

The Taliban and al-Qaeda are thriving, taking chunks of the roughly $40 million per week that the United Nations is sending to keep the Afghan economy going.

Taliban forces patrol in front of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, September 2, 2021.

A Win for Civil Forfeiture, but the Supreme Court Is Skeptical

Forfeiture may have won the day today, but law enforcement should beware that the Court might seize it in the future.

Law enforcement officers stand guard  outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., June 24, 2023.

Israelis Are Learning a Lesson about Biden That Clarence Thomas Learned Decades Ago

President Biden’s betrayal of Israel reminds me of Clarence Thomas’s account of his confirmation hearings.

Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., October 21, 2021.

Higher Ed’s Suspect Successor to Affirmative Action

The social engineers are pushing socio-economic preferences harder than ever, and starting to get their way.

Israel Must Finish Hamas — Even without Biden’s Support

Whatever it takes, it is crucial for the survival of Israel to go it alone if necessary.

An Israeli tank maneuvers, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, near the Israel-Gaza Border in southern Israel, May 7, 2024.

UNC Dumps ‘Diversity’ in Favor of ‘Equality’

We are seeing a counterattack in American colleges against the divisive, anti-intellectual jumble of ideas that march under the “diversity” banner.

Space Force Now Boasts Three ‘Space Cowboys’

Whatever you are, Space Force, congrats — you fast-talkin’ cats.

A U.S. Space Force Guardian hydrates during a spur ride held by the U.S. Army Sixth Squadron, First Cavalry Regiment, First Armored Brigade Combat Team, First Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, April 29, 2024.

U.S. Iran Envoy Downloaded Classified Docs to Personal Device, Lawmakers Say

In a letter to the secretary of state, Jim Risch and Michael McCaul ask straightforward questions to which the American public deserves answers.

U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley (left) attends a media briefing at the IISS Manama Dialogue in Manama, Bahrain, November 19, 2021.

Hold These Truths Podcast with Representative Dan Crenshaw

NR’s Zach Kessel discusses his reporting on anti-Israel campus protests on an episode of Representative Dan Crenshaw’s podcast.

Berkeley’s ‘Babies’

Stop treating teens who chant ‘Kill the Jews!’ like ignorant children.

Enikia Ford Morthel, superintendent of the Berkeley Unified School District, listens during a hearing with subcommittee members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., May 8, 2024.

The Truth Is Out There, Jamaal Bowman

The House Democrats’ greatest source of accidental humor has been on the conspiracy-theory beat for decades.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D., N.Y.) speaks prior to President Joe Biden delivering remarks on the federal government's debt limit during a visit to SUNY Westchester Community College Valhalla in Valhalla, N.Y., May 10, 2023.

The Bear Swings for the Fences

The show drives some viewers to the edge but offers big emotional payoffs.

Colorado Town Learns the Harm Caused by Granting Rights to Nature

Granting ‘rights’ to waterways impedes all kinds of beneficial projects.

The Tea Party Movement Is Dead

Trump did for the Republican establishment what it couldn’t do on its own in killing the Tea Party and its demands for small, constitutional government.

Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Mich., April 2, 2024.

Heart Failure

The term ‘heartbeat bill’ has a reasonable basis in science. People shouldn’t let appeals to a supposed expert consensus intimidate them out of using it.

Warning to Young Women: Bears Will Maul You

If you prefer to share a bit of arboreal real estate with wild Ursus rather than Frank from Lac du Flambeau, you should rethink your choice.

Scotland’s New Leader Moves the Party to the Center

Kate Forbes, a Scottish politician who holds traditional Christian beliefs, has been appointed Deputy First Minister of Scotland.

Kate Forbes speaks as she attends the SNP leadership hustings in Aberdeen, Scotland, March 12, 2023.

Cancel Culture Isn’t Quite Dead, but It Can’t Sack Tom Brady and His Friends

The Netflix roast of Tom Brady featured just about everything that the modern Left deems problematic and politically incorrect. And yet, life went on.

Tom Brady arrives for “The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady” at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., May 5, 2024.

No Doubt, Ayaan Hirsi Ali Is a Christian

Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Richard Dawkins, who once bonded over their disdain for religion, still have common ground.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali gestures as she speaks at the European Parliament in Brussels, February 14, 2008.

NYC Gets It

Top New York officials really seem to get why this desecration of the WWI memorial was such a serious offense.

Trump Trial Off-Day Recap

Getting you up to speed on yesterday’s explosive Stormy Daniels testimony, where the trial is at, and the background of Bragg’s prosecution of Trump.

Former president Donald Trump walks amid his trial at Manhattan criminal court in New York City, May 7, 2024.

Why Must Social Workers Be Indoctrinated in Leftism?

Another once-useful field has been ruined.

Electric Vehicles: ‘Traditional’ Car Rationing Draws Closer

A key part of the U.K.’s green ‘transition’ has been the planned prohibition of the sale of new internal-combustion-engine cars from 2035.

Morning rush hour traffic in central London, July 6, 2020

Who Knew?

Oh, so Stormy Daniels isn’t central to the prosecution’s case against Trump?

California Attempts to Deny an Education to Religious Children with Disabilities

California’s excluding religious schools from receiving funding to help disabled children is anathema to our Constitution and spirit of religious pluralism.

Merchan Scolds Prosecutors for Doing What He Let Them Do

The judge flouts the rules, allows highly prejudicial evidence, and looks for a scapegoat when the prejudice can’t be ignored.

Justice Juan Merchan presides at former president Donald Trump's criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, May 2, 2024, in a courtroom sketch.

R.I.P. Boy Scouts

Scouting America, like all other organizations dedicated to progressive values, offers no compelling reason to join or maintain it.

Trent Torres of Boy Scouts of America Troop 959 salutes after placing an American flag on a gravesite at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day in Point Loma, San Diego, Calif., May 27, 2023.

Who Has the Best Chance to Be Trump’s Veep?

Veepstakes on The Editors.

Clockwise, from left to right: Sen. Tim Scott (R., S.C.), Sen. J.D. Vance (R., Ohio), North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.)

Simon Cowell Is onto Something

In a world that is so quick to pat everyone on the head and make them ‘feel good,’ Cowell is a beacon of hope for the truly talented.

Judge Simon Cowell speaks at a panel for the television show <i>America's Got Talent</i> during the NBCUniversal summer press day in Westlake Village, Calif., April 1, 2016.

Cooke: If Colleges Are So Useful, Why Do We Need to Bail Them Out?

‘You cannot bail out an industry that doesn’t do what it says it will do forever.’

Students walk past Princeton University's Nassau Hall in Princeton, N.J.

The University of Chicago Is Liberated from the ‘Liberators’ — for Now

Mayor Johnson, given the demographics (spoiled moron children and professional activists) he naturally identifies with, didn’t offer the services of the Chicago PD.

University police are confronted by protesters as they block access to the Main Quadrangle on the University of Chicago campus in Chicago, Ill., May 7, 2024.

Judge Merchan Allows Testimony That Unidentified Man Threatened Daniels

What does a claim of intimidation in 2011, uncharged and absent proof implicating Trump, have to do with alleged falsification of business records in 2017?

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo makes opening arguments as former U.S. President Donald Trump watches with his attorney Todd Blanche before Justice Juan Merchan during Trump’s criminal trial, in New York City, April 22, 2024 in this courtroom sketch.

Moscow’s War to Compel the West

The Biden administration should think seriously about its legacy and whether it wants to negotiate for itself or potentially allow Trump to do it.

Russian president Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with winners of the Leaders of Russia national management competition at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, March 12, 2024.

Stormy Testimony Shows: Trump’s Humiliation Is the Point of Bragg’s Prosecution

The porn star’s story is irrelevant to the charges.

Stormy Daniels is questioned by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger before Justice Juan Merchan during former president Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City, May 7, 2024 in this courtroom sketch.

Princeton Now Speaking with Pro-Palestinian Student Activists

The university’s stance is clear: The administration is willing to consider — even implement — demands raised by students who occupy buildings.

On the campus of Princeton University, 2013

The Math on Colleges Divesting from Israel Doesn’t Add Up

Say, fellas, I realize few of you majored in math or international relations, but BDS is not going to bring the State of Israel to its knees.

Signs in front of Deering Meadow where an encampment of students are protesting in support of Palestinians at Northwestern University campus in Evanston, Ill., April 25, 2024.

The Case against Saying ‘Pregnant People’ and other Gender-Neutral Phrases

Somehow, for thousands of years, the human race has managed to accurately identify the sex of newborns by a mere glance. No Columbia doctorate required.

Stop Greenlighting High-School Walkouts

When public schools abandon political restraint and impose ideological partisanship on students, it results in bias, pressure, manipulation, and division.

Students stage a walk out from Hillsborough High School to protest after Florida education officials voted to ban classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in all public school grades, in Tampa, Fla., April 21, 2023.

Man of the Book

On a podcast with Mohamad Jebara, scholar and explainer of Islam.

A fragment of a Koran manuscript is seen in the library at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

Judge Merchan’s Threat to Detain Trump for Contempt: Is Home Confinement an Option?

The logistics of detaining Trump would be challenging, to put it mildly.

Former president Donald Trump speaks to the press at the end of the day at his trial for allegedly covering up hush-money payments at Manhattan criminal court in New York City, May 6, 2024.

AI, Graduates, and Jobs

Questions about AI’s effects on jobs have not gone away.

Graduating seniors line up to receive their diplomas during Commencement at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Mass., May 26, 2017.

House Oversight Seeks More Briefings on U.S. Government Response to China’s ‘Political Warfare’

NR obtained letters sent to the FBI, the State Department, DOJ, and other agencies.

Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.) attends a hearing in Washington, D.C., April 26, 2023.

Chicago Transit Authority Embraces Homeless-Shelter Status

If homelessness is a growing problem in the city, this is not for the transit authority to solve.

Richard S. Vargas, The Salvation Army Director of Community Social Services, checks on homeless person in Chicago, Ill., January 31, 2019.

Why You Should Be Skeptical of Reports That Hamas Agreed to a ‘Cease-Fire’

Hamas has likely made a counteroffer that it knows would be a nonstarter for Israel merely as a propaganda move to make it seem that Israel rejected peace.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh gestures as he delivers a speech in Gaza, April 30, 2018.

What Holocaust Remembrance Means

Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day reminds us what the IDF is fighting for.

An Israeli flag is seen near the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Old City, Israel, December 6, 2017

The Magic of Missile Defense

Missile defense is still just one component of a wider defense strategy.

Trump Fined Again

Judge Merchan is just another Democrat who is using his power to punish Trump while suppressing the politicized nature of the prosecution.

Donald Trump speaks to reporters before the start of his criminal trial at New York State supreme court in New York City, May 6, 2024.

DeSantis Wrong to Criminalize Lab-Grown Meat

The market should decide, not the government.

Tim Scott’s Gotta Make You Nervous 

Scott was okay on Meet the Press yesterday, but allowed himself to get cornered on accepting the 2024 election results.

If Trump Wants to Alienate Women with His VP Pick, He Should Definitely Choose Kristi Noem

If Cricket didn’t finish off Noem’s VP chances, her interview yesterday on CBS should do it.

MIT Dumps Diversity Dogma

May other schools join in and do away with the diversity statements’ affront to merit.

People stand in front of Building 10 behind Killian Court at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass., November 21, 2018.

Welcome Self-Awareness from the New York Times

A Q & A from the deck of the Titanic.

People line up for taxis across the street from the <i>New York Times</i> building in New York City.

A New Battery Promises Less Child Labor per Kilowatt

Congress should try its best not to subsidize the new sodium-ion-battery technology out of existence.

A lithium-ion battery in an Apple iPhone 6S in 2018

California’s Minimum Wage Wipes Out Thousands of Jobs

In their incessant efforts at pretending to help the poor, leftist politicians come back again and again to this issue.

An In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Encinitas, Calif., May 9, 2022

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.

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

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.
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