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.

A Devastating 26-Word Challenge to President Obama's Leadership

A Devastating 26-Word Challenge to President Obama's Leadership

A single sentence from Senator Ron Wyden sums up the radicalism of the administration's national-security policies. More »

Cliffs Notes for the Filibuster: Rand Paul in His Own Words

Cliffs Notes for the Filibuster: Rand Paul in His Own Words

The Kentucky Republican's nearly 13-hour stand on the Senate floor, condensed into a tight brief for civil liberties More »

The Real Radicals of the Iraq War: Its Proponents

The Real Radicals of the Iraq War: Its Proponents

Compare a huge anti-war rally with a few "Bush = Hitler" signs to what mainstream conservative writers were saying. More »

Killing Americans on U.S. Soil: Eric Holder's Evasive, Manipulative Letter

Killing Americans on U.S. Soil: Eric Holder's Evasive, Manipulative Letter

The attorney general should be brought before Congress and interrogated about his notion of what the president could do in the aftermath of an attack. More »

Oberlin Should Deny Its Tormentor the Power to Disrupt Its Mission

Oberlin Should Deny Its Tormentor the Power to Disrupt Its Mission

When apparent hate crimes happen on campus, the trick is to provide targeted students all the support they need without empowering provocateurs. More »

Does the Political Press Focus Too Much on Inside Baseball?

Does the Political Press Focus Too Much on Inside Baseball?

Coverage would be more relevant to citizens if reporters held Congress responsible for passing bills and President Obama responsible for signing or vetoing them. More »

Responding to a Gay, Celibate Christian: 'We Are No Less His Creation'

Responding to a Gay, Celibate Christian: 'We Are No Less His Creation'

A reader argues that "the choice of celibacy by gays growing up in an evangelical household is not freely made." More »

If Bob Woodward Is Really Trying to Help Journalists, He's Doing It Wrong

If Bob Woodward Is Really Trying to Help Journalists, He's Doing It Wrong

The iconic newspaperman says his criticism of the White House was grounded in concern for young reporters. He isn't doing them any favors. More »

The Do-Nothing Congress of 1880 as Described at the Time

The Do-Nothing Congress of 1880 as Described at the Time

Does this matter-of-fact assessment of its failure to accomplish anything ring true for today's legislature, too? More »

Bob Woodward Has Now Picked the Most <em>and</em> Least Important Fights With a POTUS

Bob Woodward Has Now Picked the Most and Least Important Fights With a POTUS

The famous reporter made sure Richard Nixon was held accountable to the law, but he's urging Barack Obama to break it. More »

A Gay, Celibate Christian's Conflicted Take on Same-Sex Marriage

A Gay, Celibate Christian's Conflicted Take on Same-Sex Marriage

A reader's internal struggle, explained More »

Watch Tony Blair Defend the Iraq War to a Skeptical Journalist

Watch Tony Blair Defend the Iraq War to a Skeptical Journalist

It's the sort of adversarial interview that American broadcasters should conduct with presidents. More »

Behold Movement Conservatism's Information Disadvantage: Chuck Hagel Edition

Behold Movement Conservatism's Information Disadvantage: Chuck Hagel Edition

His confirmation was widely anticipated. Yet Jennifer Rubin and other neocons repeatedly published analysis that led their readers astray. More »

There Probably Isn't Any Neutral Way to Report on Homosexuality

There Probably Isn't Any Neutral Way to Report on Homosexuality

Journalists could do better at conveying the best traditionalist arguments against gay marriage. But some people won't be satisfied unless gays are stigmatized as in bygone days. More »

Former White House Press Secretary: Treating Drones Like a Secret Is 'Inherently Crazy'

Former White House Press Secretary: Treating Drones Like a Secret Is 'Inherently Crazy'

Robert Gibbs was told never to talk about drones, but he now says denying what actually exists undermines confidence in government. More »

Safety Isn't Everything: An Addendum on the $46 Billion in Pentagon Cuts

Safety Isn't Everything: An Addendum on the $46 Billion in Pentagon Cuts

Why Congress should stop sequestration, then make smarter cuts that add up to the same dollar figure More »

Why $46 Billion in Pentagon Cuts Shouldn't Make Us Less Safe

Why $46 Billion in Pentagon Cuts Shouldn't Make Us Less Safe

Even if they take effect, America's "defense" budget will dwarf its rivals so overwhelmingly that it's hard to comprehend. More »

Senator Graham: America Has Killed 4,700 People With Drones

Senator Graham: America Has Killed 4,700 People With Drones

The figure is in line with the findings of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Is that where he got it? Or does he know something we don't? More »

The Fluffiest Praise of Ted Cruz You're Likely to Encounter

The Fluffiest Praise of Ted Cruz You're Likely to Encounter

Jim DeMint's paean in Politico is unintentionally revealing. More »

The Conservative Media Need to Self-Police for Their Own Sake

The Conservative Media Need to Self-Police for Their Own Sake

Stigmatizing shoddy work results in less of it. More »

The Biggest Story in Photos

Photos of Tornado Damage in Moore, Oklahoma

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