R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.

Egregious stories abound, so it’s just a matter of picking the time to reveal them

My crack team of investigative journalists is sitting on an explosive revelation about a senior Democrat in the U.S. Senate. When we will publish this story I have not yet decided, but it could come as early as Thursday when supposedly Judge Brett Kavanaugh and professor Christine Blasey Ford will tell their stories in open-door hearings.

September 25, 2018

Trump supporters are not the kind who stay home on Election Day

Have you noticed the sudden popularity of books about fascism? It is amazing. I would say such books are even more popular than books about rock 'n' roll, though they are not as well written. I have in mind: "How Fascism Works," "Fascism: A Warning," "The Road to Unfreedom" and "Can It Happen Here?" Doubtless many more are coming. All are inspired by our president, Donald J. Trump, and they probably scare the hell out of his wife, Melania. She actually grew up on the continent where fascism was a dominant force for years and communism for many more.

September 18, 2018

The Democrats, the party of resistance

One explanation for the ferocity of modern politics is that The Political Party That Is Never Wrong is getting a frightful drubbing today. Moreover, it is coming from a man who has only sought political office once in his life, our president, Donald J. Trump. Congratulations, Donald!

September 11, 2018

Political correctness is out of control because everyone is just too touchy

I was watching Fox's coverage of the Aretha Franklin funeral last week and enjoying the celebration. I thought Stevie Wonder was particularly good and very moving. He is a marvelous singer, but for my money he is an even greater pianist. He really trips his fingers across the keys and to gorgeous effect. At any rate, the ceremony was a fitting tribute to a woman who for decades has entertained us all.

September 4, 2018

Should the pope resign?

If he speaks the truth the pope should be treated like any other prelate who has aided in the cover-up of sexual predators and of the practitioners of sacrilege, he should resign his papacy.

August 28, 2018

Death of a historian, Robert H. Ferrell

On August 8 one of the great historians of his generation, and — for a certitude — one of the great teachers of any generation, passed away, Robert H. Ferrell. He was 97. Some thought he was too old to die, but nonetheless he worked to the end. When he retired from Indiana University we thought he would quietly subside. He did not. He continued to write. Even after pulling up stakes and heading off to Michigan to live with his daughter he continued to write. The result was that he wrote or edited more than 60 books, but books were not his only area of fecundity. As I said, he was a great teacher.

August 21, 2018

The former foreign minister of the U.K. is no bigot, but his critics may be

A fellow Spectatorian is under enemy fire, and we all must rally around him, particularly because he has done nothing wrong and because if those attacking him triumph we shall all suffer. The cause is free speech. The free speech that is endangered is in Great Britain, but if the forces of censorship win in London it is only a matter of time before the forces of censorship will be bringing their muzzles to our shores.

August 14, 2018

The mob, the prosecutors, the media and the Democratic Party relive the lost election

Did you see this Wall Street Journal front-page headline on Monday? It read, "Profits Soar as Economy Advances." That headline will probably be the most important headline of the week. It certainly is of colossal importance.

August 7, 2018

Some relief for Trump

It has been a pretty good week for Donald Trump. The economy is growing faster than anyone on the left or in the middle or among the Never Trumpers believed possible.

July 31, 2018

The future site of the Never-Trumpers’ museum

Here is my World Exclusive for the week. The Secret Service adores its boss, President Donald Trump. Some government employees may be a bit wobbly in their loyalty to the president but not the Secret Service. Never Trumpers, remember the Secret Service's steadfast loyalty, when next you contemplate a coup. For that matter, George Will, remember the Secret Service's ardor for the president, when next you compose an indignant column.

July 24, 2018

Calling for declassifying documents

Mr. Strzok looked like a cocky crook testifying to Congress about a failed con job. His appearance was utterly astounding. He actually smirked at the assembled elected officials of government. He smirked from morning until late in the afternoon when Congress finally adjourned, though admittedly by late in the afternoon the wind was pretty much out of his sails, and his smiling face most assuredly ached. He looked deflated, and if he was eager for anything it was for the exit and the arms of his FBI paramour Lisa Page.

July 17, 2018

How Perkins Coie plans to get Jim Jordan

Have you been keeping up with the charges against Congressman Jim Jordan? They first wafted from the swamp around July 3, when NBC News quoted three former wrestlers as saying the congressman had to know about "inappropriate" behavior by an Ohio State University team physician toward some Ohio State wrestlers.

July 10, 2018

It’s clear that America is not ready for a left-wing dictatorship

Happy Birthday America! Sing "Yankee Doodle!" Light firecrackers! March in a parade! We have something to celebrate this year. What a difference a week makes.

July 3, 2018

Why George Will is down and out

I have in my office a framed note from Donald Trump. It says, "Bob, Now We Really Did It. Thanks For All Of Your Help!" The note is dated Jan. 13, 2017. He was responding to my congratulatory email to him earlier acknowledging that indeed he "did it."

June 26, 2018

Scott Pruitt and the return of the Black Cat news story

Do you remember when we called those utterly frivolous though dreadfully ominous news stories of yesteryear Black Cat news stories? They filled the media in the 1980s during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Not a week passed when a Reaganite was not being hounded by reporters for committing some minor misdeed or often no misdeed at all, for instance, forgetting to wash one's hands after lunch or neglecting to hold the door for a lady. That was back in the days when it was permissible to call a lady a lady, and her gender was a matter of fact not of litigation.

June 19, 2018

The passing of Charles Krauthammer’s important voice

On Friday, Charles Krauthammer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative journalist and writer, released a noble statement to the public. Its final words were:

June 12, 2018

Bill Clinton emerges from under his bed

During the current hysteria about sexual harassment within elite circles, one of the most revered of our elites, Bill Clinton, has been hiding under his bed. He has not been seen in public for eight months.

June 5, 2018

Re-examining the RFK assassination

I have never believed in conspiracy theories. Though some critics have lumped me in with conspiracy theorists excogitating on Clinton aide Vince Foster's death in Fort Marcy Park and other such phantasmagorias, I plead innocence.

May 29, 2018

Tom Wolfe set the pace for conservative social criticism

On May 14 a star failed to come out. Tom Wolfe passed away that day. With his passing the conservative movement lost its greatest social critic, and America lost one of its greatest novelists. As a writer Tom was his own man. He died as he lived, on his terms, or at least as much on his terms as a man can have it.

May 22, 2018

Why Americans don’t read newspapers

I once did a weekly column for The Washington Post. It appeared on Mondays, and was picked up in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, possibly Chicago and I believe Bull Snort, Georgia. It ran in a lot of newspapers, but that was many years ago. Things were different in America. Liberals were different then. For one thing liberals were liberal.

May 15, 2018