US politics
Starmer’s specs appeal
No doubt Lord Alli should not have been given a 10 Downing Street pass, but that is true of most…
Can Kamala Harris bluff her way to the White House?
Chicago ‘There are no disasters,’ said Boris Johnson, who was born in America. ‘Only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh…
Trump misses Biden
Chicago Everyone in the Democrats’ Convention centre – a bleakly corporate sports stadium on the edge of Chicago – is…
Is it time for me to move back to Britain?
I first saw America 50 years ago. I spent the summer of 1974 with my New York girlfriend. Richard Nixon…
Portrait of the week: riot justice, Olympic success and Ukraine’s Russian advance
Home Riots subsided after 7 August, a night when many were expected but only empty streets or demonstrations against riots…
My ringside seat at the Nixon resignation melodrama
American politics seem particularly febrile in 2024. The sitting President has withdrawn from the election, days after his predecessor was…
Woody Johnson: What a second Trump term would mean for the UK
If Donald Trump does return to the White House, then another restoration could soon follow. Woody Johnson, a confidant of…
How supporting Trump became cool
For the past decade, the basic lines of conflict in American public life seemed clear. Donald Trump was pitted against…
Joe Biden’s legacy is one of failure
He resisted as they tried to force him away. He showed his defiance. Then, after a struggle, he gave in…
Republicans shouldn’t underestimate Kamala Harris
Joe Biden has bowed to the inevitable in withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsing his Vice President, Kamala Harris.…
Does Kamala Harris poll better against Donald Trump?
Kamala Harris seems overwhelmingly likely to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, having been given the blessing of both…
The cognitive dissonance of the Democrats
Believe it or not, I planned to write the gist of this column before Saturday night. However, a caveat. Unlike…
Biden is as big a narcissist as Trump
The dullest assertion you can make about Donald Trump is that he’s a narcissist who has no interest in the…
Jill Biden’s relentless pursuit of power
At rallies, Joe Biden often speaks after his wife. ‘My name is Joe Biden and I’m Jill’s husband,’ he begins.…
The youth vote is turning right
Young people are supposed to drink a ton, have a lot of sex, hang out with their friends at every…
Another election boost for Trump
Last Thursday evening a companionable London dinner party was just wrapping up when our hostess returned to the table brandishing…
How would Athenians have dealt with Donald Trump?
Has Humpty-Trumpty had a great fall, or a great bounce? That will depend on what the Great American Public thinks…
My message for Columbia’s protesting students
There are several frustrating things about American college campuses, just one of which is the sheer volume of column inches…
Who will Trump pick for his running mate?
We are in the fifth week of Donald Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial and the real scandal is that it’s all…
Trump has stolen a march on Biden
The Democrats dare to hope that this week will be a study in contrasts. On their side stands President Joe…
Will Biden support Ukraine’s attacks on Russia?
This time last year, Volodymyr Zelensky was touring western capitals, calling for weapons and money to launch a decisive summer…
