#MeToo and Congress On March 11, I was scrolling through the news and saw a headline from Politico that gave me pause: “Former Gillibrand aide resigned in protest over handling of sex harassment claims.” I reread the headline to make sure I understood correctly. Kirsten
Scandal and Spectacle Someone asked me if I watched former Trump attorney Michael Cohen’s testimony before Congress last week. Unless you count highlights from comedy shows, no, I didn’t watch it. Did I want to? Not really. One of my friends asked me a few
Lives of Servicemembers An acquaintance once said in a group conversation, “I don’t understand why we have to respect the military,” glancing quickly over at me and looking away. I was baffled. Did this person remember my husband is in the Air Force? Was the
Creepy Political Fans Stanning is a term used for fans of certain celebrities acting obsessive and overzealous. It’s a phenomenon that tends to be particularly pronounced during celebrity feuds, as last year Nicki Minaj and Cardi B’s fans were famously involved in their months-long public
Workplace Abuse in Politics Last week, both Buzzfeed News and The Huffington Post published stories about Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar’s problematic interactions with subordinates. The Minnesota Senator, according to Buzzfeed, frequently “yelled, threw papers, and sometimes even hurled objects,” while The Huffington Post claimed
Northam’s Demise On Feb. 1, an old photo from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s medical school yearbook page resurfaced, displaying one man in KKK robes and another man in blackface. It was not immediately clear which man in the photo was Northam, though Northam’s claim the
Elections and fundraising Before starting graduate school, I used to do fundraising on political campaigns. A major part of political fundraising is “call time,” which is when candidates spend hours calling through a giant list of potential donors to ask for a campaign contribution. Most
Faith in Democracy According to an Axios poll released shortly before the 2018 midterm elections, only half of Americans report that they have faith in U.S. democracy. It’s possible that some Americans mostly feel disillusioned with the U.S. political system because of the election of
A Morsel of Hope Every morning, I listen to The Dan Le Batard Show podcast on my daily commute. Among their reoccurring bits is analyzing the inevitability of “football” happening on a weekly basis, the reoccurring theme in the NFL for inexplicable upsets. It’s so
Embracing Ineptitude Jon Gruden is a genius. Yes, the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, the biggest dumpster fire in professional sports, is a genius. No, I haven’t lost my mind—maybe I have, but bear with me. Gruden has committed himself to the absolute