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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
March 31, 2023
The Soapbox
What They’re Thinking Inside the White House About Trump’s Indictment
They’re probably elated. They’re probably freaking out. They probably—like the rest of us—have no idea of the consequences.
March 23, 2023
The Soapbox
The Trump Indictment Is Bringing Out the Worst in People. Here’s a List of Them.
The circus is back in town.
March 17, 2023
The Soapbox
Does Biden Suffer From Indispensable Man Syndrome?
Neither ill health nor old age has stopped past presidents from seeking reelection, but the most illuminating parallel to Biden’s expected reelection bid isn’t Reagan. It’s Eisenhower.
March 10, 2023
The Soapbox
There’s No Need for Biden to Announce His Reelection Bid Yet
Delaying a declaration until later this year comes with a number of side benefits.
March 6, 2023
The Soapbox
How Not to Predict the 2024 Election
A guide to common misconceptions you’ll read about the GOP primary.
February 17, 2023
The Soapbox
The 2024 Democratic Primary Calendar Would Be a Nightmare If Biden Doesn’t Run
And even if the incumbent is on the ticket unopposed, there’s a world of unnecessary headaches looming.
February 14, 2023
The Soapbox
Biden’s Ivy League Problem
For all the posturing as Amtrak Joe, the president has fallen into the same elite trap that has captured our political system.
February 9, 2023
Magazine
The Democrats Lost the House by Just 6,675 Votes. What Went Wrong?
At first glance, Democratic performance in last year’s House races was great. But a close look under the hood reveals that, with a few smarter moves and a little more luck, we’d have Speaker Jeffries.
February 6, 2023
The Soapbox
The Best Thing Biden Could Do With His State of the Union Is Revive Support for Ukraine
Anything on domestic politics will be a dead end in the GOP House. But the president could use his prime-time audience to remind the country about the importance of defeating Russia.
January 30, 2023
The Soapbox
The 2024 Presidential Race Is Off to a Blissfully Quiet Start
The permanent campaign might have actually taken a break for once.
December 26, 2022
The Soapbox
Bravest Democrat of the Year: Elaine Luria
The Virginian represented one of the swingiest House seats in the country but still staked her reelection on defending democracy and investigating what actually happened on January 6.
December 2, 2022
The Soapbox
Joe Biden’s Primary Calendar Is the Anti-Bernie Plan
By front-loading the 2024 presidential contests in Southern states, the president’s proposal would cement the Democrats as the center-left party and make it harder for future insurgents.
November 30, 2022
The Soapbox
Keep New Hampshire on the Presidential Calendar
As the DNC meets this week to schedule 2024, it just needs to ditch Iowa instead of revamping everything.
November 28, 2022
The Soapbox
Voters Have Never Been More Evenly Divided Between the Two Parties. It’s Breaking Our Political System.
The current level of sustained political balance in Congress is unprecedented.
November 14, 2022
The Soapbox
Dear Political Reporters: Can We Please Hold Off on 2024 Presidential Predictions?
The midterms are a reminder that prognosticating is a dangerous game for journalists.
November 9, 2022
The Soapbox
After Tuesday, Democrats Need to Learn That Every Election Night Isn’t a Reason to Panic
After the shock of 2016 and the narrow margin of 2020, it’s time for liberals to finally reset their expectations back to normal.
November 7, 2022
The Soapbox
The Northeast Is Supposed to Be Democrats’ Stronghold. Instead, It’s Where They Might Lose Their House Majority.
Karoline Leavitt, a 25-year-old former Trump staffer running in New Hampshire, is part of a wave of competitive House candidates in presumed Democratic territory.
November 4, 2022
The Soapbox
How Is a Conspiracy Theorist Surging in New Hampshire’s Senate Race?
The state should be a shoe-in for incumbent Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, but her far-right opponent, Don Bolduc, is keeping the race close.
November 3, 2022
The Soapbox
Wes Moore Is the Most Overlooked Candidate in the Midterms
He’s almost sure to win his campaign in Maryland, which would make him just the third Black man elected governor in the U.S. and set him on a path as a rising star in the Democratic Party.
November 1, 2022
The Soapbox
The 2022 Midterms Are the Ultimate Triumph of Campaign Consultants
For decades, strategists have been trying to control candidates. Now, with fewer debates and events, they’ve finally gotten their way.

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