Adam Serwer

Conor Friedersdorf pwns Rush Limbaugh. Will Wilkinson is against aspirational exceptionalism. Haley Barbour is probably not going to pardon Gladys and Jamie Scott. I just bought Manning Marable‘s last book, and I’m sad he won’t be around to talk about it.

Spoiler warning Yesterday HBO showed a 14-minute teaser of the upcoming Game of Thrones series: Game of Thrones Exclusive Preview For superfans, the folks at Westeros have a more detailed impression of the first few episodes. I had a positive reaction to the sneak preview, which suggests the story will be told with the necessary […]

Attorney General Eric Holder grew visibly disappointed and even angry during his press conference announcing that Khalid Sheik Mohammed and the other alleged 9/11 conspirators would be tried by military commission at Guantanamo Bay rather than in federal court. Blaming Congress’ recent transfer and funding restrictions for his decision, Holder said that “for the victims […]

I frankly wasn’t going to write about the schmaltzy video released announcing Obama‘s 2012 re-election campaign until I heard the news that the administration plans to cave this afternoon on federal trials for the alleged 9/11 conspirators. But given the odd timing of Obama announcing his campaign just as he’s kicking the least influential element […]

Just saying: [Senator Lindsey] Graham’s reaction — the response to a security threat is to curtail individual freedoms — is the most frustrating response imaginable, but it’s typical of the way the U.S. has responded to terrorism after 9/11. But while other mistakes made in the name of security that have stoked outrage in the […]

Paul Waldman responds to my and Jonathan Chait‘s posts on whether Republicans will respond to a more diverse country with less culture-war campaigning: Unfortunately for political operatives who’d love to be able to devise a strategy and then just implement it, a party is a big, unwieldy beast with lots of people who can influence […]

Last week, Ben Wittes posted a letter from Chairman Buck McKeon and ranking member Adam Smith of the House Armed Services Committee indicating their intention to investigate the “the circumstances and mechanisms for post-transfer security measures and assurances for humane treatment for those transferred from Guantanamo Bay.” As you know, the committee continues to be […]

The black separatist groups that Republicans think Obama is pals with are really pissed at him over Libya. I’m sad to see Manning Marable has died, and just before his latest book was to be published. The worst idea in Washington. Women’s rights are not why we’re in Afghanistan. UPDATE: Charlie Savage offers an alternative […]