Russell Berman

How Susan Collins Did It

The Republican’s surprising win in Maine represents a victory for moderation in a polarizing era.

• Russell Berman
• November 4, 2020

Trump’s Risky Bet on Rural America

The president needs to squeeze even more votes out of small-town white Americans to offset his losses elsewhere.

• Russell Berman
• November 2, 2020

Trump Fails the QAnon Test

The president’s refusal to condemn the conspiracy theory was a shock, but not a surprise.

• Russell Berman
• October 15, 2020

When the Chaos Candidate Goes Missing

Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris offered America a window into a world where Donald Trump isn’t president.

• Russell Berman
• October 8, 2020

The November Surprise

What if everyone showed up to vote this year?

• Russell Berman
• October 7, 2020

The Virus Is Coming From Inside the White House

Asking whether the celebration of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination was a “super-spreader” event misses the point: Trump’s irresponsibility made this crisis likely.

• Olga Khazan and Russell Berman
• October 5, 2020

Suddenly, Amy Coney Barrett Might Not Have the Votes

For the moment, COVID-19 diagnoses have jeopardized three votes that Republicans can’t afford to lose.

• Russell Berman
• October 3, 2020

The Man Who Wouldn’t Shut Up

President Trump launched his comeback bid with a simple, familiar strategy: Bulldoze over everyone.

• Russell Berman
• September 29, 2020

No Other Western Democracy Allows This

Only in America does so much power rest in the hands of elderly judges.

• Russell Berman
• September 25, 2020

What Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Death Means for America

The Supreme Court vacancy will surely inflame an already-angry nation.

• Russell Berman
• September 18, 2020

The Election’s Biggest Threat Is No Longer the Postal Service

Reports of a vote-by-mail apocalypse are greatly exaggerated.

• Russell Berman
• September 18, 2020

If You Can Grocery Shop in Person, You Can Vote in Person

Experts now say the health risk of casting an in-person ballot is relatively low. Will Democrats tell their voters that?

• Russell Berman
• September 8, 2020

How Ed Markey Defeated Joe Kennedy

Facing a challenge from a young Kennedy, the long-serving senator from Massachusetts turned his biggest vulnerability into an opportunity.

• Russell Berman
• September 1, 2020

Remember the Pandemic?

President Trump’s surrogates are referring to COVID-19 in the past tense as it continues to ravage America and disrupt the RNC.

• Russell Berman
• August 25, 2020

The Question at the Heart of the Postal Service Crisis

The new postmaster general tried to assure senators that the USPS could handle the election, even as he acknowledged that his changes have slowed down the mail.

• Russell Berman
• August 21, 2020

The United States Versus Steve Bannon

Masked and handcuffed, President Trump’s former chief strategist was arraigned on charges of fraud.

• Russell Berman
• August 20, 2020

Barack Obama Is Scared

His warning to America during the Democratic convention’s third night was existential.

• Russell Berman
• August 20, 2020

No, COVID-19 Is Not a Metaphor

Democrats gave a hero’s welcome to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo despite his mistake-filled early response to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Russell Berman
• August 17, 2020

What Really Scares Voting Experts About the Postal Service

No matter what Trump says, the USPS has the money and the capacity to handle a huge surge in mail-in ballots. But new restrictions could disrupt the election.  

• Russell Berman
• August 14, 2020

Why Is Joe Kennedy Doing This?

The Democratic representative hasn’t come up with a good rationale for challenging progressive Senator Ed Markey in Massachusetts. But with a name like his, it may not matter.

• Russell Berman
• August 4, 2020