Presidents set precedents. Or break them. At this time of year, we celebrate Presidents’ Day, but officially it is Washington’s Birthday in honor of George Washington. The abandonment of a patriotic memorial for a bland, commercial holiday leads me each year to write a column to recall the greatest president. As the first president, Washington […]

I was blissfully surfing through YouTube the other night when, alas, I chanced upon the face that buzz-killed my bid for escape. Mitch McConnell, whose craven Senate machinations nudged us, goosestep by goosestep, toward our fascist future, was featured last week on CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” and I felt compelled to click on the interview, […]

I totally understand why President Trump sees the press the way he does. Back in the good old days — before he committed the unforgivable crime of running for office — he was a media darling. Even the five enlightened sages of “The View” found him entertaining. But the second he rode down that escalator, […]

We live in a world of faux stuff, right? Melanie Griffith’s lips, beige hair dye to cover the grey, great bouquets of magnificent, exotic faux flowers in huge vases in hotel lobbies, the faux Picasso hanging over the faux fireplace burning faux logs in your favorite gin joint, a great crystal chandelier which when joggled […]

“He violates international law.” “It’s unconstitutional.” “It’s against the law.” That has become the usual response of opponents of new Trump-Musk public policies. President Trump is accused of actions violating the laws he dislikes. Federal courts are already dealing with legal challenges to the Trump political whirlwind. What are his chances of prevailing? As for […]

Several years ago, I went to a department store to buy a bathing suit. The salesperson asked, “Do you want a Tommy?” I said, “No, I just want a bathing suit.” He explained that he meant a Tommy Hilfiger bathing suit. He had assumed that any dumb cluck would know what a “Tommy” was. Bad […]