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Walter Shapiro

@mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social
5.6K followers 386 following 645 posts

Covering my 12th presidential campaign for the New Republic. Columnist for Roll Call and teach at Yale. New Yorker whose idea of adventure travel is crossing West 86th Street against the light. And Twitter refugee.

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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 14/07/2024
FDR was almost killed by an assassin before he took office in March 1933.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 13/07/2024
Only cold takes from me for a while. And nothing that has not been and confirmed again by the mainstream news media.
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Reposted by Walter Shapiro
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 13/07/2024
amplify this not unverified reports until we know more
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 10/07/2024
Another brutally honest assessment in the subject line of a DNC fund-raising email: "You deserve an explanation." Boy, do I ever.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 09/07/2024
A small reminder that Thomas was appointed by the supposedly sainted GOP president, George H. W. Bush.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 09/07/2024
My Roll Call column: "For all the hyper-partisanship of the Reagan era, a GOP president was not a threat to democracy. This is not a moment to say — as the Democrats did in the 1980s — that Mondale and Dukakis are laudable public figures, and we cannot abandon them." rollcall.com/2024/07/09/t...
rollcall.com
The sad folly of Biden’s defiance - Roll Call
The most successful intervention in modern political history took place a half-century ago on Aug. 7, 1974. After the Supreme Court ordered the release of the Watergate “smoking gun” tape, three leadi...
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 09/07/2024
I cannot stress how important being vetted is in a presidential candidate. No surprises with Harris unlike every other would-be.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 07/07/2024
Love that detail.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 07/07/2024
The greatest scene in any film. Once again, I teared up watching it. I hope and pray that never changes. Viva La France on a day like today.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 06/07/2024
My mental health strategy for the rest of the weekend (if I can manage it) : Hidin from Biden.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 05/07/2024
Not sure this is the best subject line for the Biden campaign fund-raising efforts today: "Trump is closer than ever to retaking power." And why is that?
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 05/07/2024
My favorite British columnist on the election: Marina Hyde in Guardian. Her kicker invoking Sir Edward Gray saying in 1914, "The lights are going out in Europe," is powerful. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Sunak axed, the cast eviscerated: at last, it’s the Tories’ season finale | Marina Hyde
It was worthy of a TV special. Truss, Rees-Mogg, Shapps, Liam Fox: so many erased after 14 years of dystopian soap opera, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 05/07/2024
I noticed the same thing. I was surprised by "cuppa" after the "tuppence" debacle. Chimney sweeps like Dick Van Dyke should sue.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 04/07/2024
I assume if Sunak loses, Tory supporters will storm the Parliament.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 04/07/2024
"After Gov. Josh Green of Hawaii, a physician, asked Mr. Biden questions about the status of his health, Mr. Biden replied that his health was fine. 'It’s just my brain,' he added." Joke or reality? You make the call. www.nytimes.com/2024/07/04/u...
nytimes.com
Biden Tells Governors He Needs More Sleep and Less Work at Night
The president’s opening remark to a group of key Democratic leaders — that he was in the race to stay — chilled any talk of his withdrawal, participants said.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 03/07/2024
It says something about my mood over politics that my escape has been to belatedly binge watch "Babylon Berlin." When Berlin in 1929 looks good, boy, are we in trouble.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 03/07/2024
Such an important point -- everything is up for grabs at an open convention. All you need is a majority to change the rules. And, yes, superdelegates can vote on rule changes.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 03/07/2024
My latest in @tnr.bsky.social: "For years, party leaders mocked Republicans for sticking with Trump when it was clear he was unfit for office. Now that Joe Biden is unfit for office, they’re mostly silent." newrepublic.com/article/1834...
newrepublic.com
Democrats Are Panicking. Why Aren’t Their Leaders Doing Anything?
For years, party leaders mocked Republicans for sticking with Trump when it was clear he was unfit for office. Now that Joe Biden is unfit for office, they’re silent.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 01/07/2024
Another day in which I better stay away from sharp objects and open windows.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 29/06/2024
Barney Greengrass. Dagon. Nice-Matin.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 28/06/2024
My current mood: "Bring it on."
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 28/06/2024
I have never been a panicked Democrat. But the Atlanta debacle changed the equation for me. Biden must withdraw to save the nation from Trump. Me in @tnr.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/1832...
newrepublic.com
Joe Biden Is Facing the Biggest Decision of His Political Career
Can he beat Trump and save American democracy? If not, he should step aside.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 27/06/2024
You have undoubtedly made the right life choice.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 27/06/2024
Medical mystery: I can't tell if my sense of mal de mer is caused by Covid bounce-back or debate fears.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 27/06/2024
Teddy White on JFK on debate day in 1960: "[He] lay on his bed in a white, open-necked T-shirt...and fired questions at his intimates. He held in his hand the fact cards that Goodwin and Feldman had prepared for him...and, as he finished each, he sent it spinning off the bed to the floor."
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 27/06/2024
I hope to hell that Joe Biden is happily sleeping right now and not staring at the ceiling thinking of debate one-liners.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 27/06/2024
It has been an amazing four years for getting me to dramatically change my opinion of the Cheney family.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 26/06/2024
I thought they would be writing the previews in finger paint without a particular political bias.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 26/06/2024
Me in @tnr.bsky.social: "In keeping with the enduring principles of journalistic overkill, the only entities that have not yet weighed in with debate previews are two laggard preschools in Wichita, Kansas, and isolated pockets of Ukrainian soldiers in heavy combat." newrepublic.com/article/1831...
newrepublic.com
Joe Biden Should Be Boring in Thursday’s Debate
Voters don’t need zingers or put-downs. They need to be reminded that an adult is in charge.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 25/06/2024
Coincidence I am sure.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 25/06/2024
Extra! Extra! Stunning news from the NY Times: "With less than five months to go, new poll averages from The New York Times, which debut today, show a very close race nationally and in the critical battleground states." www.nytimes.com/2024/06/25/u...
nytimes.com
Introducing Our 2024 Poll Tracker
It starts by showing a very close race nationally and in critical battleground states.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 25/06/2024
We are working out the details but I think you have a 2025 gig.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 25/06/2024
Next year I will live out my dream and go on the road as a rock star. It will be my Errors Tour.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 25/06/2024
I hate this headline formulation: "Why Do We Love ‘The Bear’ So Much?" I have never seen the show, so while I am sure it is great, I hate being lumped in with the "We." www.nytimes.com/2024/06/24/d...
nytimes.com
Why Do We Love ‘The Bear’ So Much?
The grit, the merch, the biceps. Charting the cultural phenomenon that sparked new interest in the people behind the scenes at restaurants — or at least, in their stuff.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 24/06/2024
Best thing that happened to the Democrats in 1924: Bad weather conditions knocked some of the convention sessions off the air in some places.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 24/06/2024
This afternoon—a century ago—the Democrats began their 1924 convention that lasted 103 exhausting ballots and climaxed with a battle over denouncing the KKK by name. In two parts for the New Republic, I bring the chaos to life with the help of a fellow named Mencken. newrepublic.com/article/1830...
newrepublic.com
The Craziest Convention in American History
Think this year’s Democratic convention is going to be nuts? One hundred years ago, Democrats took 103 ballots—and more than two weeks—to choose a candidate.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 23/06/2024
No one should be enough of a martyr to rewatch a Trump 2020 super-spreader debate. www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
wsj.com
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
That's a vicious attack on Burr. Our dueling VP had real talent, although horribly misapplied.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
Thank you for this. I overlapped with McPherson at the Post (though I only knew the byline) and remember the down-and-out piece about him.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
The Guardian on Will Lewis with a bit about the effort "codenamed Operation Save Big Dog – that tried but ultimately failed to salvage Johnson’s premiership. Lewis was awarded a knighthood in 2023 for his political service to the conservative prime minister." www.theguardian.com/media/articl...
theguardian.com
Washington Post publisher alleged to have advised Boris Johnson to ‘clean up’ phone during Partygate Covid scandal
Sources’ claim suggests advice by Will Lewis, an informal adviser to then prime minister, contradicted instructions to staff
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
Probably played a much bigger role in obscuring his greatness.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
Throw into the mix the issue of whether tv ads five months before the election have much interest for meh voters who won't be paying attention for months.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
In a prescient column, @jilldlawrence.bsky.social highlights a key factor hurting Trump plus his GOP enablers and sycophants: "The Supreme Court’s rulings mean that politically inconvenient and sometimes traumatic reminders keep surfacing." And we're not done yet. www.thebulwark.com/p/if-trump-l...
thebulwark.com
If Trump Loses, We Might Owe the Supreme Court
They keep handing Biden all the arguments he needs to win.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
Sadly, the steroid-scarred Barry Bonds is now unequivocally the best living baseball player.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 19/06/2024
About a year ago,I got a call my my best friend in the third grade. We had a dinner -- and, mostly relevantly, I got to apologize. For all the 8-year-old debates in which I so wrongly claimed that Mantle was better than Mays. Say hey. www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...
washingtonpost.com
Willie Mays, baseball star of prodigious power and grace, dies at 93
Willie Mays, the “Say Hey Kid,” dazzled for most of a generation with the New York and San Francisco Giants and was arguably the greatest player in major league history.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 18/06/2024
Can't Nvidia (which sounds like an artificial sweetener just banned by the FDA) use some of its new-found wealth to find a new name in which the second letter is maybe a vowel. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
washingtonpost.com
Nvidia pushes out Apple, Microsoft to become world’s most valuable company
The computer chipmaker’s stock market value rose to $3.3 trillion, surpassing Apple and Microsoft.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 18/06/2024
This is the best government document of the decades. Kudos to the FTC.
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 17/06/2024
Even Gummo?
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 17/06/2024
When "Waiting for Godot" made its American debut at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in 1956 starring Bert Lahr and Tom Ewell, it was advertised as "the laugh sensation of two continents. "
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Walter Shapiro @mrwaltershapiro.bsky.social · 16/06/2024
I woke up this morning. Checked to see if my name was Will Lewis. When I realized that wasn't me, I went back to sleep with a smile on my face.
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