Conor Friedersdorf

Conor Friedersdorf is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he focuses on politics and national affairs. He lives in Venice, California, and is the founding editor of The Best of Journalism, a newsletter devoted to exceptional nonfiction.

George W. Bush: Politics Is a Swamp and 'I'm Not Crawling Back In'

George W. Bush: Politics Is a Swamp and 'I'm Not Crawling Back In'

The former president went on to explain that he felt a moral responsibility to fight AIDS in Africa. More »

Filthy Rich in 1955: How the Wealthiest Americans Lived 60 Years Ago

Filthy Rich in 1955: How the Wealthiest Americans Lived 60 Years Ago

They forsook the town club scene, commuted to the suburbs, summered in pink shorts, and made do with but one or two servants. More »

Another Reason the Right Would Be Better Off Without Rush Limbaugh

Another Reason the Right Would Be Better Off Without Rush Limbaugh

A leading conservative intellectual thoughtfully critiques Obama, but he's drowned out by the talker's egregious, laughable straw men. More »

Pepper-Spraying Cop John Pike Is Still Employed at UC Davis

Pepper-Spraying Cop John Pike Is Still Employed at UC Davis

Why is Lt. John Pike still on paid administrative leave eight months later? Excessive job protections negotiated by a public-employees union. More »

The 'Most Transparent Administration Ever' Doctors Its Quotes

The 'Most Transparent Administration Ever' Doctors Its Quotes

Media outlets send snippets of interviews to White House officials, who tweak them before publication or prohibit their use entirely. More »

President Obama's Disingenuous Attack on Outsourcing

President Obama's Disingenuous Attack on Outsourcing

His populist critique of free trade and outsourcing is a cynical pander. Just look at the economic leaders with whom he surrounds himself. More »

Abraham Lincoln's Warning About Presidents and War

Abraham Lincoln's Warning About Presidents and War

Vesting one man with the ability to initiate armed conflict is "the most oppressive of all kingly oppressions," he wrote. More »

President Romney Would Not Remain a Conservative

President Romney Would Not Remain a Conservative

Conventional wisdom holds that he'll press the Paul Ryan agenda. But the shape-shifting consultant would never stick with an unpopular strategy for long. More »

Rumors of Mass Distraction: Why Condi Rice Would Be an Awful VP Choice

Rumors of Mass Distraction: Why Condi Rice Would Be an Awful VP Choice

Two of America's least reliable pundits say she's Mitt Romney's top choice. More »

Obama's Execution of the Drone War Should Terrify Even Drone Defenders

Obama's Execution of the Drone War Should Terrify Even Drone Defenders

It's one thing to support killing militants, and quite another to empower one man to do it in secret without checks or meaningful oversight. More »

We're Killing Alleged Militants Too Quickly to Reliably Determine Guilt

We're Killing Alleged Militants Too Quickly to Reliably Determine Guilt

In Pakistan alone, drones have killed more than one person per day since President Obama took office. More »

Why New Calls for Military Conscription and a National Service Draft Make Neither Moral Nor Economic Sense

Why New Calls for Military Conscription and a National Service Draft Make Neither Moral Nor Economic Sense

Advocates neither defend the value judgments implicit in the policies nor suggest that people in their age cohort should be conscripted. More »

Why It's OK Not to Love Mitt Romney—or Barack Obama

Why It's OK Not to Love Mitt Romney—or Barack Obama

For once, Rush Limbaugh is right: it's good that conservatives aren't crushing on their presumptive nominee. Look what happened when they loved George W. Bush. More »

Letter to the Editor: A Defense of the Ultra-Rich Who Give Up Their Citizenship for Tax Reasons

Letter to the Editor: A Defense of the Ultra-Rich Who Give Up Their Citizenship for Tax Reasons

An attorney for the very wealthy expresses outrage at the idea of penalizing his clients for leaving America. More »

Why the Coming Debate About Affirmative Action Will Be Different

Why the Coming Debate About Affirmative Action Will Be Different

Two veterans of the controversies of the 1990s explain how they'll treat the issue differently when it reemerges next year. More »

Republicans: Earnestly, Why Are You Giving Donald Trump an Award?

Republicans: Earnestly, Why Are You Giving Donald Trump an Award?

The Sarasota County, Florida GOP is naming him "statesman of the year." The party's reasoning sheds light on the role he's playing in Election 2012. More »

A Very Polite Request to Discontinue Hotel Room Pornography

A Very Polite Request to Discontinue Hotel Room Pornography

A case study in public persuasion done right: Two professors from different faiths make their non-coercive case to industry executives. More »

A Brief Reflection on Lying Politicians

A Brief Reflection on Lying Politicians

It's impossible to be elected president without misrepresenting the truth. Is it hurting America when we too readily concede as much? More »

The Pentagon's Vision: Drones Everywhere

The Pentagon's Vision: Drones Everywhere

The most interesting bits from a planning document on the future of unmanned vehicles. Will they one day kill autonomously? More »

The Romney and Obama 2004 Convention Speeches: How Do They Hold Up?

The Romney and Obama 2004 Convention Speeches: How Do They Hold Up?

A look back at two addresses, one forgotten, one renowned. More »

The Biggest Story in Photos

Picking up the Pieces After the Tornado in Moore, Oklahoma

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