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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
December 29, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Jimmy Carter Was a Politician I Could Believe In
It’s easy to forget after so much time has passed, but his presidency began with great promise—which still resonates today.
July 11, 2024
Walter Shapiro
What Will Biden’s Enablers Say if He Loses the Election?
The president is currently surrounded by yes-men. How will they defend their actions in the event of the unthinkable?
July 3, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Democrats Are Panicking. Why Aren’t Their Leaders Doing Anything?
For years, party leaders mocked Republicans for sticking with Trump when it was clear he was unfit for office. Now that Joe Biden is unfit for office, they’re silent.
June 28, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Joe Biden Is Facing the Biggest Decision of His Political Career
Can he beat Trump and save American democracy? If not, he should step aside.
June 26, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Joe Biden Should Be Boring in Thursday’s Debate
Voters don’t need zingers or put-downs. They need to be reminded that an adult is in charge.
June 25, 2024
Walter Shapiro
The Craziest Convention in American History: Part Two
The final installment of our look back at the 1924 Democratic Convention.
June 24, 2024
Walter Shapiro
The Craziest Convention in American History
Think this year’s Democratic convention is going to be nuts? One hundred years ago, Democrats took 103 ballots—and more than two weeks—to choose a candidate.
June 7, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Joe Biden Shouldn’t Say Anything About Trump’s Conviction
Many Democrats want the party’s leaders to shout “convicted felon” from the rooftops. But the best way to win over swing voters is to let others press the case.
May 27, 2024
Walter Shapiro
The Two Events That Could Save Biden
Polls this far out from the election are notoriously unreliable. But the outcome of Trump’s hush-money trial and the first presidential debate could help shift public opinion.
May 17, 2024
Walter Shapiro
The Protest Vote That Still Haunts Me 50 Years Later
In 1968, as a college student, I didn’t vote for Hubert Humphrey. I regretted the decision almost immediately—and still do.
May 9, 2024
Walter Shapiro
No, the 2024 Election Won’t Be Anything Like 1968
The election will be a challenge for Joe Biden. But looking to the past won’t help him—or us—understand what lies ahead.
May 6, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Joe Biden’s Terrible Approval Rating May Not Matter
The president’s approval rating is abysmal. But he can still win.
April 29, 2024
MagazineWalter Shapiro
The 10 Types of Dems Who Will Decide the 2024 Election
America’s big-tent party is finding different ways to cope with a tense election.
April 25, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Mike Johnson Is Stoking the Culture War to Save His Job
The accidental House speaker’s visit to Columbia University was a cynical P.R. stunt.
April 22, 2024
Walter Shapiro
The GOP’s Worst Fears About the End of Roe v. Wade Have Come True
Republicans were quick to wave away the political consequences. Now that they’ve arrived, they have no answers.
April 9, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Party of Reagan? Please. This GOP Is the Appeaser Generation.
Congress is back (yikes), and Speaker Johnson can force a Ukraine aid vote—and it would pass. But even Johnson isn’t the real appeaser here.
March 17, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Why Gaza Won’t Cost Biden the Presidency
Foreign policy rarely swings presidential elections.
March 7, 2024
Walter Shapiro
Biden Needs to Stop Hiding
The president and his allies can’t just tell voters that he can handle the job. They have to show it.
February 29, 2024
Walter Shapiro
The Media Is Overhyping the “Uncommitted” Threat to Biden
Breathless press reports present 100,000 votes as an existential danger. But there’s little reason to believe the president’s reelection effort is in mortal peril.
February 27, 2024
MagazineWalter Shapiro
Don’t Panic, Democrats!
They’re freaking out about a Biden-Trump rematch. It’s far too early to start worrying.

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