Posts by James Joyner

James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

The Backlash Against the Biden Backlash

After a flood of stories saying the former Vice President is unsuitable for the modern era, the inevitable pushback is happening.

Bob Dole Promoted to Colonel

He’s a national treasure who has been appropriately honored for a lifetime of service and sacrifice. But this seems different.

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Mitch McConnell’s April Fools’ Joke

In some expert trolling, the Senate Majority Leader decries “mindless, undiscriminating obstruction for the sake of obstruction.”

White House Waived ‘Dozens’ of Clearance Denials

Findings of “foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use, and criminal conduct” were dismissed.

Open Forum

Our new bi-weekly tradition continues.

Biden’s Indeciveness Costing Him

The peril of not yet running for President include not yet having a campaign staff in place.

The Biden Backlash

The early frontrunner for the Democratic nomination is drawing fire from multiple fronts. It may destroy his candidacy before it begins.

EU Likens Brexit to Divorce

As a no-deal Brexit becomes more likely, the EU is taking things personally.

Misogyny and Nano-Bubbles

It’s increasingly challenging to discuss media coverage because we’re all consuming a hand-selected bit of it.

The Demise of Local News and the Rise of National Partisanship

Scholars argue that the shifting media landscape is largely to blame for our political crisis.

Majority of Americans Believe Trump Not Exonerated by Mueller Investigation

Another demonstration that evidence doesn’t much matter in modern American politics.

Andrew Marshall Dead at 97

The legendary figure was in charge of strategic forecasting at the Pentagon for decades.

Open Forum

It’s that time again.

Justices Divided on Partisan Gerrymandering

Oral argument hints that we may have a 5-4 ruling allowing state legislatures to continue stacking the deck.

Navy Ending Red ‘Misconduct’ Stripes

Military culture is a strange beast.

Does Media Coverage of 2020 Distort Reality?

A Washington Post columnists tries to make the case.

Trump ObamaCare Reversal Overruled AG and HHS Secretary

The decision to hand Democrats a victory and step on the good news from the Mueller report apparently came from the very top.

Jussie Smollett Charges Dropped for No Apparent Reason

One of the most bizarre cases in recent memory gets . . . much more bizarre.

Trump Administration Says ObamaCare Unconstitutional

The Justice Department has reversed course and will not fight a December ruling overturning the Affordable Care Act.

Spacesuits Don’t Come in Size ‘Small’

History’s first all-female spacewalk was thwarted by a lack of smaller suits.

Medicare for All’s Unintended Consequences

What would it mean for the companies’ workers, the stock market and the cost of care?

Pentagon Diverts $1 Billion for Illegal Wall Funding

The (Acting) Secretary of Defense has issued an unconstitutional order.

Post-Mueller Recriminations

The mea culpas and I-told-you-so’s are rather premature.

Batman Turns 80

Issue #1000 of Detective Comics is hitting the stands.

Time for Theresa May to Go?

Many are calling for the UK Prime Minister’s ouster. But the problem is Brexit itself, not any one leader.

Gaza Rockets Hit Tel Aviv

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is cutting short his US trip to deal with what his government is calling a Hamas attack.

Everything Isn’t Sexism

It’s possible to conclude that Pete Buttigieg is smarter than Elizabeth Warren for reasons having nothing to do with sex.

Where’s Doug?

Our most prolific front-pager hasn’t posted in two weeks. Readers are beginning to ask questions.

Legal Experts Weigh in on Barr Summary of Mueller Report

The Lawfare gang and Popehat weigh in.

Open Forum

So, what do you want to talk about?

Mueller Report: No Conspiracy or Coordination Between Trump Campaign and Russian Government

The principal findings of the Mueller report are now public. They’re good news for the President on Russia and a mixed bag on obstruction.

Second Parkland Shooting Survivor Commits Suicide

A male sophomore makes two suicides in less than a week.

Pelosi Demands Open Release of Mueller Report

The Speaker says she will reject any attempt to deliver it in a “highly classified” manner.

Feeding The Trolls Only Makes Them Stronger

Deny them the pleasure of an angry reaction, and they’ll probably leave you alone.

Barbra Streisand’s Bizarre Defense of Michael Jackson’s Child Molestation

“His sexual needs were his sexual needs.” And, you know, criminal.

No Secretary of Defense in Sight

The office has been vacant for 81 days. President Trump has yet to nominate a replacement.

Mueller’s Report: We Don’t Know Much

Predictably, news that the investigation has ended has people on both sides cheering. It’s unwarranted.

Mueller Report Delivered to Attorney General

The Friday news dump to beat all Friday news dumps.

Parkland Survivor Sydney Aiello Takes Her Own Life

Tragedy piled on top of tragedy.

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Lauren Duca Isn’t Very Nice

A weird takedown from within the #Resistance.

Trump Administration Merging OPM into Other Agencies

An odd bureaucratic reshuffling, seemingly out of the blue.

Jimmy Carter Oldest President Ever

Already the longest-serving former President, he’ll pass George H.W. Bush as the longest-living tomorrow.

Harvard Sued Over Ownership of Slave Photos

A racist scholar took some fascinating photos of an enslaved man in 1860. Now, his descendants want the rights to them.

Florida Republicans Working to Gut Restoration of Felon Voting Rights

Last November the state voted overwhelming to amend its constitution. The lawmakers they elected at the same time are sabotaging it.

Time for a National Primary

The consolidation of Super Tuesday makes the current system even more broken than before.

Americans Want to Ban Hate Speech But Can’t Define It

Two-thirds want social media platforms to ban harassment and racist, sexist, and other offensive speech.

Ben Carson’s Schedule

The HUD Secretary’s practice of treating Friday as a light-duty day is just fine by me.