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.

The Best Way to Free 30,000 Convicts

The Best Way to Free 30,000 Convicts

In California, where the Supreme Court has ordered prison inmates released, an experiment with ankle bracelets may be in order More »

Police Ignore Illegal Drugs, Focus on Seizing Cash

Police Ignore Illegal Drugs, Focus on Seizing Cash

Asset forfeiture laws also give law enforcement an incentive to harass innocent people More »

Tim Pawlenty's Innocuous Book

Tim Pawlenty's Innocuous Book

Rather than "Courage to Stand," it should be called "Well Adjusted Man From Loving Family Is Hardworking, Unlikely To Do Anything Terribly Objectionable" More »

Off the Bookshelf: The Frontier Made Us American

Off the Bookshelf: The Frontier Made Us American

Short excerpts from long reads More »

What America Looks Like: Vicksburg, Mississippi

What America Looks Like: Vicksburg, Mississippi

The United States as seen by its residents More »

Off the Bookshelf: The Purity of Aristotle

Off the Bookshelf: The Purity of Aristotle

Short excerpts from long reads More »

When Did Tim Pawlenty Know He Wanted to Be President?

When Did Tim Pawlenty Know He Wanted to Be President?

The former Minnesota governor tells a reporter that he's not sure when he made the call -- and that's refreshingly normal More »

What America Looks Like: Smyrna, Georgia

What America Looks Like: Smyrna, Georgia

The United States as seen by its residents More »

Mitch Daniels Is the Tea Party's Dream Candidate

Mitch Daniels Is the Tea Party's Dream Candidate

Thanks to the dysfunctional conservative movement, they just don't know it yet More »

Everyone Hates How Presidential Campaigns Are Covered

Everyone Hates How Presidential Campaigns Are Covered

There is widespread agreement the political press suffers from certain pathologies. Here's one way to fix them. More »

Dick Cheney Pens His Memoirs

Dick Cheney Pens His Memoirs

The controversial VP's book comes out in August, and his apologists are already trying to airbrush his tenure More »

Texas Exposes the Salaries of Its Professors

Texas Exposes the Salaries of Its Professors

Data released by the public university system have sparked questions about what faculty are worth and how they should be compensated More »

Jon Stewart vs. Bill O'Reilly on Common's White House Invitation

Jon Stewart vs. Bill O'Reilly on Common's White House Invitation

Proof that the Fox News is capable of hosting a passable argument that also makes for good TV More »

What America Looks Like: Yokena, Mississippi

What America Looks Like: Yokena, Mississippi

The United States as seen by its residents More »

Let Them Test the Body Scanners

Let Them Test the Body Scanners

Reputable scientists have raised questions about safety, and they deserve access to Rapiscan machines to confirm or deny the risk of cancer More »

Glenn Beck Plans Apocalyptic Rally in Jerusalem

Glenn Beck Plans Apocalyptic Rally in Jerusalem

Carrying eschatological undertones, an event in the Middle East represents the next step in the talk-show host's evolution More »

What's Worse, Illegally Spying on Americans or Talking About It?

What's Worse, Illegally Spying on Americans or Talking About It?

The Obama administration's behavior suggests it regards prosecuting whistleblowers as the bigger priority More »

The Tea Party's Defining Choice

The Tea Party's Defining Choice

Will the right-leaning movement elevate an effective small government reformer or a bombastic rhetorician? More »

Mitt Romney's $10 Million Day

Mitt Romney's $10 Million Day

That's how much the GOP hopeful just raised an impressive one day effort. How far will it take him? More »

Schwarzenegger Fathered Child With Household Staffer, Hid It as Governor

Schwarzenegger Fathered Child With Household Staffer, Hid It as Governor

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times he apologized to his family and asked that the press leave them alone More »

The Biggest Story in Photos

Early Monsoon Rains Flood Northern India

Subscribe Now

SAVE 65%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)