The speech was a snooze, but its significance lies in how it played with select groups Obama still cares about.
Walter Shapiro
Walter Shapiro, who has covered the last nine presidential races, is a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU and is a lecturer in political science at Yale. His email is waltershapiro@ymail.com. And you can follow him on Twitter @waltershapiroPD.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
A 2014 Primer: How to Talk Politely about 2016
Here are 11 sensible things to say about the far away race
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
The Year in Preview: Obama’s Last Stand
What the president should push for during his final 37 months in office—it’s not what the conventional wisdom would have you believe.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
“Double Down” Was Written for Morning Joe—Not Posterity
The campaign books of Mark Halperin and John Heilemann are not designed to be read. They are written as fodder for cable TV news.
Posted inBooks
Coming to Do Good, Staying to Do Well
D.C. is filled with young, dizzying ambition. This Town wishes the old-timers knew better.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Guns and Gut Feelings
Obama’s good intentions post-Newtown haven’t been enough to fix our gun problem. So what’s next for gun-control legislation?
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Dear 2016 Democratic Upstart
No need to read further if your name is Hillary or Joe.
