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Walter Shapiro

Walter Shapiro is a staff writer at The New Republic and a lecturer in political science at Yale. He has been a columnist for USA Today and Esquire and has covered politics for Time, Newsweek, and The Washington Post. He has published two books, performed standup comedy in New York, and was a White House speechwriter for Jimmy Carter.

All Articles
September 28, 2023
The Soapbox
The Case for Being Skeptical of Trump’s Huge Lead
The media declared Trump a winner of the second GOP debate he didn’t even show up for. But an early primary loss could hurt his campaign.
September 25, 2023
The Soapbox
Yes, the Polls Are Bad for Biden. But Republicans Still Have It Much Worse.
A looming shutdown, four upcoming Trump trials, and a general air of dysfunction—things are about to get very bad for the GOP.
September 19, 2023
The Soapbox
The Real Worry About a Second Biden Term Isn’t His Age
Franklin Foer’s new book makes a compelling argument that while the president has done a remarkable job, there’s trouble ahead.
September 11, 2023
The Soapbox
The Next Republican Nominee for Vice President Probably Isn’t on the Debate Stage
Forget the media narrative: Presidential nominees rarely select former rivals for the job.
September 4, 2023
Magazine
The Wall Street Journal’s Desperate Search for the Perfect Anti-Trump Candidate
The newspaper’s editorial board is the voice of the Republican establishment. No one is listening.
August 31, 2023
The Soapbox
Why Nikki Haley Scares the Biden Campaign
She almost certainly won’t be the Republican nominee. But she’s showing where Biden is vulnerable.
August 2, 2023
The Soapbox
The Latest Trump Indictment Is Damning. Will It Change Anything?
Political parties used to change their ways after defeat. Electoral losses and indictments have only brought Republicans closer to Donald Trump.
July 28, 2023
The Soapbox
Why Biden May Never Get Credit for a Booming Economy
Gratitude is an overrated commodity in American politics—and it’s not just Republicans who are pessimistic about the economy.
July 19, 2023
The Soapbox
Sonia Sotomayor’s Book Scandal Is Banal and Troubling
The Supreme Court justice’s buckraking hardly compares to that of her conservative colleagues. But it still says a lot about how much Washington has changed.
July 7, 2023
The Soapbox
House Republicans’ Impeachment Fever Is a Gift to Democrats
The GOP’s nutjob squad is going after Biden and a growing list of administration officials. If they keep it up, they’ll suffer the consequences in 2024.
July 3, 2023
The Soapbox
Biden Can’t Hide From the Media Forever
Scripted remarks won’t cut it anymore. The president needs to open wide up to the press, verbal gaffes be damned.
June 26, 2023
The Soapbox
Here’s a Conspiracy Theory: RFK Jr. Is a Tool of Pro-Trump Agitators
The wayward Kennedy, who is challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination, is proving to be a very useful idiot for MAGA demagogues like Steve Bannon and Roger Stone.
June 6, 2023
The Soapbox
The Arrogance of Already Crowning Trump the Republican Nominee
The press dismissed him in 2016. Why believe their bullish predictions now?
May 23, 2023
The Soapbox
We’re Being Terrorized Every Day—but Not How We Imagined
9/11 was supposed to usher in an era of catastrophic jihadist attacks. Instead, we’re living in fear of a different kind of mass violence.
May 19, 2023
Magazine
Tim Scott Is Sure to Rise—and Surer to Fade
The South Carolina senator’s presidential run will allow Republicans to demonstrate—briefly—that they aren’t racists.
May 15, 2023
The Soapbox
Abolish Live TV Audiences in the 2024 Presidential Race
CNN’s shameful town hall was a gift to Trump. Enough is enough.
May 10, 2023
The Soapbox
Democrats, Don’t Panic! Seriously, Don’t.
Problematic polls and New York Times op-eds are giving Biden supporters a heart attack. But the 2024 outlook isn’t nearly as gloomy as it seems right now.
April 27, 2023
The Soapbox
Don’t Make Dianne Feinstein Resign. Just Get Her to the Senate by Any Means Necessary.
What the Democrats can learn from the fabled story of Clair Engle, the dying senator who saved civil rights 60 years ago—without saying a word
April 10, 2023
The Soapbox
The Ex-President Who Cried Wolf
Trump’s complaints about his indictment don’t pack the same punch after he has spent his entire political career complaining about “witch hunts.”
April 3, 2023
The Soapbox
Democrats (and Republicans) Have Challenged Their Party’s Incumbent President Before. It Never Ends Well.
History does not bode well for Biden if one of his own decides to seek the nomination in 2024.

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