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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
January 6, 2022
The Soapbox
Don’t Take American Democracy for Granted
January 6 was the biggest shock to our republic since JFK’s assassination—and in many ways, much more frightening.
December 23, 2021
The Soapbox
Democrats Need to Suck It Up
In order to avert a catastrophe for democracy, the party must get over its Joe Manchin problem ahead of the 2022 midterms.
December 21, 2021
The Soapbox
Joe Biden Said All the Right Things on Omicron. But Will Unvaccinated America Listen?
The president’s bully pulpit isn’t too powerful if people are tuning him out.
December 6, 2021
The Soapbox
Bob Dole’s Pragmatism and Humor Put Him Out of Step With a Changing GOP
The former presidential candidate had an admirable knack for breaking inane political taboos.
November 1, 2021
The Soapbox
Biden Never Campaigned to Be FDR
Dour Democrats are forgetting that Joe Biden ran as a moderate against Trump and hatred—not on massive policy plans.
October 27, 2021
The Soapbox
The Democrats Might Lose Their Senate Majority Even Before the Midterms
Joe Manchin or Kyrsten Sinema could leave the party—or the Grim Reaper could come calling.
October 22, 2021
The Soapbox
Pundits Have a Terrible Track Record of Predicting Midterms a Year in Advance
Looking back on elections from the past three decades, it turns out political reporters aren’t clairvoyant.
September 28, 2021
The Soapbox
Is Biden’s Favorite Phrase a Sign of Urgency or Desperation?
The president has been calling everything an “inflection point” this month.
September 20, 2021
The Soapbox
“Build Back Better” Is an Awful Catchphrase
If Biden wants to convince voters of the urgency of his plans, he’ll need a stronger way to sell the Democrats’ reconciliation bill.
September 10, 2021
The Soapbox
Biden’s Done His Part on Vaccines. Now (Gulp!) It’s Up to America.
His terrific speech Thursday constitutes his bet-the-presidency moment. Will enough Americans roll up their sleeves?
September 3, 2021
The Soapbox
In Texas, the GOP Has Just Overplayed Its Hand
Hideous as the Texas law is for women, it could be good for Democrats in 2022—anger is a much greater motivator than complacency.
August 23, 2021
The Soapbox
It Took a Week, But Biden Finally Got Afghanistan Right
The president finally retreated from his hyperdefensiveness and reached into his bag of empathy. And it was about time.
August 17, 2021
The Soapbox
Biden’s Reckoning on Afghanistan Has a Gaping Hole
The president gave a mostly honest accounting of the Afghanistan disaster, but he really skipped over the epic intel failure.
August 16, 2021
Magazine
Can Biden Defy History in 2022?
Conventional wisdom says the Democrats are finished after the midterms. But the conventional wisdom might be wrong.
August 12, 2021
The Soapbox
The Only Thing Worse Than Leaving Afghanistan? Staying.
It’s tragic to watch the Taliban on the march. But the one unalterable truth we’ve learned is that we can’t create a nation out of gestures and statements.
June 24, 2021
The Soapbox
Why Are Democrats Acting Like the Sky Is Falling?
The Biden administration has already accomplished a lot—and the party is in a better position than many on the left claim.
June 17, 2021
The Soapbox
In Joe Biden, Putin Has Finally Met a U.S. President Who Sees Him for Who He Is
The Russian leader has now met five U.S. presidents. The latest seems to have no illusions about his intentions.
June 9, 2021
The Soapbox
Are Democrats Done Fighting Big Money in Politics?
New York City has one of the most generous campaign finance programs in the country. So why are all the leading Democrats in the mayoral race relying on super PACs?
May 28, 2021
The Soapbox
How Did New York City Politics Become So Boring?
The mayoral race used to be a reliably entertaining fight between outsize personalities and master operators. Now it’s a snooze fest.
May 6, 2021
The Soapbox
The Washington Media Is Overblowing the Liz Cheney Story
The Republican coup against her is an irresistible story, but it’s hardly a national referendum on Trump.

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