A weekly reading of the magazine’s “Comment” essay.
A Climate Change?
In “A Climate Change?,” Elizabeth Kolbert writes about climate change and the new age of extinction.
9/23/2019 • 8 minutes, 6 seconds
Trust Me
In "Trust Me," Amy Davidson Sorkin reports on how last week's debate was largely about how radical, or just how ambitious, the Party and its candidates are prepared to be.
9/16/2019 • 8 minutes, 11 seconds
This Is a Test
In "This Is a Test," Jelani Cobb delves into the clashes over the New York City school system's reforms.
9/9/2019 • 8 minutes, 12 seconds
Another Race to Run
In "Another Race to Run," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the complexities of the Senate race.
9/3/2019 • 7 minutes, 30 seconds
Hong Kong on the March
In "Hong Kong on the March," Evan Osnos reports on how the mass demonstrations are in bold defiance of Chinese authority, but a crackdown could be incalculably costly.
8/27/2019 • 8 minutes, 54 seconds
See Nothing
In "See Nothing," Amy Davidson Sorkin reports on the failure to see what Jeffrey Epstein was doing.
8/19/2019 • 8 minutes, 19 seconds
Words and Wounds
In "Words and Wounds," David Remnick writes about how President Trump is bearing out Toni Morrison's warnings about the violence of language.
8/12/2019 • 9 minutes, 5 seconds
Lost in Translation
In "Lost in Translation," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about Robert Muller's testimony.
7/29/2019 • 8 minutes, 13 seconds
No Going Back
In "No Going Back," Jelani Cobb writes about Trump's racist agenda.
7/22/2019 • 8 minutes, 54 seconds
The Health-Care Defense
In "The Health-Care Defense," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the battle for healthcare.
7/15/2019 • 8 minutes, 17 seconds
Margin Call
In "Margin Call," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the Democratic Party's moving margins.
7/8/2019 • 8 minutes, 27 seconds
Belligerence
In "Belligerence," Robin Wright delves into Donald Trump's four Iran options.
6/24/2019 • 8 minutes, 57 seconds
The Don and Joe Show
In "The Don and Joe Show," Amy Davidson Sorkin delves into what a Biden-Trump presidential race might look like.
6/17/2019 • 8 minutes, 26 seconds
Continental Shift
In "Continental Shift," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the European elections.
6/3/2019 • 8 minutes, 27 seconds
No Mercy
In "No Mercy," Margaret Talbot writes about the fate of immigrant children at the border.
5/28/2019 • 8 minutes, 16 seconds
The Threat to Roe
In "The Threat to Roe," Jeffrey Toobin writes about the abortion fight and the pretense of precedent.
5/20/2019 • 8 minutes, 40 seconds
Last Chances
In "Last Chances," Elizabeth Kolbert reports on climate change and the new age of extinction.
5/13/2019 • 8 minutes, 59 seconds
No Rules
In "No Rules," Margaret Talbot writes about Trump, Barr, and the rule of law.
5/6/2019 • 8 minutes, 39 seconds
What Mueller Found
In "What Mueller Found," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about President Donald Trump's brush with accountability.
4/22/2019 • 8 minutes, 7 seconds
Partners in Division
In "Partners in Division," David Remnick writes about the Trump-Netanyahu alliance.
4/15/2019 • 8 minutes, 34 seconds
Barr Review
In "Barr Review," Jeffrey Toobin writes about attorney general William Barr's choices.
4/8/2019 • 8 minutes, 3 seconds
What's The Story
In What's The Story, Steve Coll writes that the Attorney General’s summary reported no conspiracy, but serious newsrooms and journalists did the job they are supposed to do.
4/1/2019 • 8 minutes, 46 seconds
It's Mueller Time
The special counsel’s report is in, and other investigations are accelerating. And yet it is impossible to imagine the President changing his behavior, much less giving up his office. In "It's Mueller Time," David Remnick writes about what comes next, now that the report is finally out.
3/25/2019 • 8 minutes, 51 seconds
Last Exit to Brexit
The next two weeks will test how deeply a nation can immerse itself in self-delusion. In "Last Exit to Brexit," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the magical thinking around the upcoming deadline.
3/18/2019 • 8 minutes, 57 seconds
The Pros and Cons of Impeaching Trump
In "The Pros and Cons of Impeaching Trump," Adam Gopnik writes that real and reasonable arguments among congressional Democrats—and, indeed, among the public—range from the practical to the procedural.
3/11/2019 • 8 minutes, 24 seconds
Reality Shows
In "Reality Shows," Evan Osnos writes about Trump, Kim, Cohen, and the limits of the President's power.
3/4/2019 • 8 minutes, 54 seconds
May Days
In "May Days," Jeffrey Toobin writes about Andrew McCabe count down to the Mueller report.
2/25/2019 • 8 minutes, 53 seconds
House Cleaning
In "House Cleaning," Jelani Cobb writes about how the House is taking on Amerca's voting-rights problem.
2/11/2019 • 8 minutes, 35 seconds
Not Working
In “Not Working,” Margaret Talbot writes about President Trump’s state of disunion.
2/4/2019 • 8 minutes, 20 seconds
Guns and the City
In "Guns and the City," Amy Davidson Sorkin reports on whether the Supreme Court will use a New York City regulation to strike down gun laws.
1/28/2019 • 7 minutes, 37 seconds
Making the Case
In "Making The Case," Jeffrey Toobin writes about William Barr and Donald Trump.
1/22/2019 • 8 minutes, 25 seconds
On the Border
In "On the Border," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the Republican's test at the border.
1/14/2019 • 7 minutes, 57 seconds
Democrats in the House
In "Democrats in the House," Margaret Talbot writes about the house Democrats best path forward.
1/7/2019 • 8 minutes, 39 seconds
Unforeseen
In "Unforeseen," Jill Lepore writes about predicting the future.
1/2/2019 • 9 minutes, 16 seconds
Run, Republicans, Run
In "Run, Republicans, Run," Amy Davidson Sorkin reports on how the G.O.P has a chance to redeem itself, by launching a primary challenge to the President.
12/17/2018 • 8 minutes, 49 seconds
Coal for Christmas
In "Coal for Christmas," Elizabeth Kolbert reports on climate change diplomacy.
12/10/2018 • 8 minutes, 20 seconds
Political Borders
In “Political Borders,” Amy Davidson Sorkin reports on the border crisis.
12/3/2018 • 8 minutes, 35 seconds
The City of Dreams
In "The City of Dreams," the editors delve into the city that shaped The New Yorker.
11/26/2018 • 5 minutes, 36 seconds
Winning Votes
In "Winning Votes," Jeffrey Toobin delves into the voting rights fight.
11/19/2018 • 8 minutes, 35 seconds
Party of One
In "Party of One," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the midterm elections, and their aftermath.
11/12/2018 • 8 minutes, 21 seconds
This America
In "This America," Jill Lepore reports on how the bloody-mindedness of broken men can be countered only by principle and fortitude.
11/5/2018 • 9 minutes, 14 seconds
The Stakes
In "The Stakes," David Remnick reports on how the midterm elections are a referendum on Donald Trump.
10/29/2018 • 9 minutes, 1 second
Not Every Vote Counts
The suppression of minority votes is the homegrown corollary of the Administration’s xenophobic rhetoric—an attempt to place a white thumb on the demographic scale.
10/22/2018 • 8 minutes, 34 seconds
Global Warning
In "Global Warning," Elizabeth Kolbert asks what is Donald Trump’s response to the U.N.’s dire climate report?
10/15/2018 • 8 minutes, 52 seconds
Bystanders to History
In "Bystanders to History," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about Brett Kavanaugh and the G.O.P.'s bargain with Trump.
10/8/2018 • 8 minutes, 36 seconds
On The Attack
In "On The Attack," Margaret Talbot writes about how Christine Blasey Ford's experience was just as bad as Anita Hill's - maybe worse.
10/1/2018 • 8 minutes, 48 seconds
The Next Confirmation
In "The Next Confirmation," Amy Davidson Sorkin asks, do the Democrats have a post-Kavanaugh, post-midterm game plan?
9/24/2018 • 9 minutes, 9 seconds
Scary Stuff
In "Scary Stuff," George Packer writes about the scariest parts of "Fear."
9/17/2018 • 8 minutes, 40 seconds
The Week that Was
In "The Week that Was," Jeffrey Toobin writes about the deceptive contrast between Trump and Cavanaugh.
9/10/2018 • 8 minutes, 50 seconds
Fire Alarm
In "Fire Alarm," Elizabeth Kolbert writes about the new normal of wildfires.
9/4/2018 • 8 minutes, 36 seconds
It Was Never Thus
In "It Was Never Thus," Jill Lepore reports about measuring Presidents' misdeeds.
8/27/2018 • 9 minutes, 13 seconds
Ten Years After
In "Ten Years After," George Packer reports on how the financial crisis of 2008 was years in the making and has had a lasting impact on American political life.
8/20/2018 • 9 minutes, 4 seconds
The Digital Public Square
In "The Digital Public Square," Steve Coll reports on Alex Jones and social media neutrality.
8/13/2018 • 9 minutes, 20 seconds
Get Out and Vote
In "Get Out and Vote," George Packer reports on how the midterm elections are the last obstacle to Trump’s consolidation of power—and the greatest obstacle to voting is the feeling that it doesn’t matter.
7/30/2018 • 9 minutes, 11 seconds
Long, Hot Summers
In "Long, Hot Summers," Evan Osnos reports on how the G.O.P. is standing by as President Trump upends American security.
7/23/2018 • 8 minutes, 47 seconds
Bad Trips
In "Bad Trips," Amy Davidson Sorkin reports on how, when President Trump brings up Russia, he seems to be speaking of something that is defined less by reality than by what he needs it to be.
7/16/2018 • 9 minutes, 1 second
After Kennedy
In "After Kennedy," Jeffrey Toobin reports on how President Trump's Supreme Court pick could undo Kennedy's legacy.
7/9/2018 • 9 minutes, 12 seconds
Family Values
In "Family Values," Margaret Talbot reports on how the policy of separating children from their parents at the southern border was the purest distillation yet of what it means to be governed by a President with no moral center.
6/25/2018 • 9 minutes, 14 seconds
Going Rogue
In "Going Rogue," George Packer writes about in how, in half a week, between Quebec and Singapore, Trump showed that the liberal order is hateful to him, and that he wants out.
6/18/2018 • 9 minutes, 17 seconds
Kim’s Chinese Lessons
In "Kim's Chinese Lessons," Evan Osnos writes about Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un's nuclear summit, and the bid for history.
6/11/2018 • 8 minutes
Smelling the Coffee
In "Smelling the Coffee," Jelani Cobb writes about racial bias training at Starbucks.
5/29/2018 • 9 minutes, 11 seconds
The Long Fight
In "The Long Fight," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about John McCain's legacy.
5/21/2018 • 8 minutes, 49 seconds
Bad Bets
In "Bad Bets," Robin Wright reports on the end of the Iran deal, and Trump'confrontationaltatial foreign policy.
5/14/2018 • 8 minutes, 53 seconds
Dream On
In "Dream On," Amy Davidson Sorkin write's about how the Administration's incompetence and the courts' rectitudes have seen the Dreamers through. But those factors may be temporary safeguards.
5/7/2018 • 8 minutes, 48 seconds
Crash Course
In "Crash Course," Nicholas Lemann writes about the dangers of undoing Dodd-Frank.
4/30/2018 • 8 minutes, 48 seconds
Unrule of Law
One thing is becoming clear about the various Trump scandals: they center on the President’s disdain for the law.
4/23/2018 • 8 minutes, 37 seconds
Might and Right
In "Might and Right," George Packer writes about how the president and his new national security advisor, John Bolton, are in an especially bad position to respond to the atrocities in Syria.
4/16/2018 • 8 minutes, 59 seconds
About Facebook
In "About Facebook," Andrew Marantz writes about the future of Facebook after Cambridge Analytica.
4/9/2018 • 9 minutes, 7 seconds
Death of a King
In "Death of a King," Jelani Cobb writes about the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and what it means on the 50th Anniversary of his assassination.
4/2/2018 • 9 minutes, 6 seconds
Account Settings
In "Account Settings," David Remnick reports on Cambridge Analytica and a moral reckoning in Silicon Valley.
3/26/2018 • 9 minutes, 33 seconds
A Revelatory Case
In "A Revelatory Case," Amy Davidson Sorkin delves into what went wrong in the Stormy Daniels case.
3/19/2018 • 8 minutes, 43 seconds
Illiberal Arts
In "Illiberal Arts," David Remnick writes about Donald Trump and the stress test of liberal democracy.
3/12/2018 • 8 minutes, 40 seconds
Gun Shots
In "Gun Shots," Margaret Talbot weighs in on the gun control debate after Parkland.
3/5/2018 • 8 minutes, 40 seconds
Indicted
In "Indicted," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about Robert Mueller’s distinctly American indictments.
2/26/2018 • 8 minutes, 32 seconds
Peace Games
In "Peace Games," Evan Osnos writes about the politics at the Winter Olympics.
2/20/2018 • 9 minutes, 5 seconds
State of the Resistance
In "State of the Resistance," Jelani Cobb writes about the opposition to President Trump.
2/6/2018 • 8 minutes, 48 seconds
Firing Offenses
In "Firing Offenses," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about the questions that Mueller might ask Trump.
1/30/2018 • 8 minutes, 40 seconds
Trump in the World
In "Trump in the World," Amy Davidson Sorkin asked, "how can someone so “America first” attend an event so globally minded?"
1/22/2018 • 8 minutes, 42 seconds
Words of the Year
In "Words of the Year," Louis Menand writes about the importance of words.
1/2/2018 • 9 minutes, 20 seconds
Christmas Stories
In "Christmas Stories," Adam Gopnik writes about the Christmas spirit.
12/27/2017 • 8 minutes, 11 seconds
How Low Will They Go?
In "How Low Will They Go?," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about Roy Moore and the G.O.P.
12/11/2017 • 8 minutes, 12 seconds
Faking It
In "Faking It," Steve Coll writes about how, in attacking the media, the president has in many ways strengthened it.
12/4/2017 • 9 minutes, 42 seconds
A History of Paranoia
In "A History of Paranoia," Jelani Cobb writes about the new politics of race.
11/27/2017 • 8 minutes, 33 seconds
Tests for Liberals
In "Tests for Liberals," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about Al Franken, Roy Moore, and a test for the democratic party.
11/20/2017 • 8 minutes, 42 seconds
Autumn of the Patriarchy
In "Autumn of the Patriarchy," David Remnick delves into the Weinstein moment and the Trump presidency.
11/13/2017 • 8 minutes, 41 seconds
A Long Year
In "A Long Year," Steve Coll writes about the president's turbulent year.
11/6/2017 • 8 minutes, 53 seconds
The Silent Majority
In "The Silent Majority," Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about Jeff Flake and the G.O.P.'s complicity problem.
10/30/2017 • 8 minutes, 27 seconds
Limits of Power
In "Limits of Power," Jia Tolentino writes about Harvey Weinstein and the limits of powerful men.
10/23/2017 • 8 minutes, 54 seconds
Fighting Words
In "Fighting Words," Evan Osnos writes about President Trump's war tantrums.
10/16/2017 • 8 minutes, 24 seconds
Disasters Will Happen
In “Disasters Will Happen,” Amy Davidson Sorkin writes about President Trump’s trips to Puerto Rico and Las Vegas.
10/9/2017 • 8 minutes, 47 seconds
Inquietude
In “Inquietude,” Jill Lepore writes about our free speech fumbles.
10/2/2017 • 10 minutes, 29 seconds
Madmen Theories
In “Madmen Theories,” Steve Coll writes about President Trump’s U.N. début.
9/25/2017 • 7 minutes, 51 seconds
In The Dark
In “In The Dark,” Amy Davidson Sorkin explores how America is dealing with hurricane disasters.
9/18/2017 • 7 minutes, 53 seconds
Broken Dreams
In “Broken Dreams,” William Finnegan writes about saving DACA.
9/11/2017 • 8 minutes, 37 seconds
Coming Storms
In “Coming Storms,” Elizabeth Kolbert writes about Hurricane Harvey and climate change.
9/5/2017 • 8 minutes, 26 seconds
After Bannon
Jelani Cobb writes that some saw Steve Bannon’s blend of nationalism and racial grievance as the ballast in Trump’s ship. But will Bannon’s banishment change anything?