The Washington Sun Perspectives
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The Washington Sun's platform for analysis, ideas and narratives
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“Young people know more about 9/11 than you think.”
“My Muslim family put down roots in rural America. Then 9/11 happened.”
Washington Sun Perspectives presents five reflections on 9/11 — by people born after the attacks.
“My Muslim family put down roots in rural America. Then 9/11 happened.”
Washington Sun Perspectives presents five reflections on 9/11 — by people born after the attacks.
Five Reflections on 9/11 — By People Who Were Born After 9/11
Anusha Mathur, Denzel Massaley, Taha Vahanvaty, Seyi Arogundade, Ashton Pack
washingtonsun.com
September 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM
“Young people know more about 9/11 than you think.”
“My Muslim family put down roots in rural America. Then 9/11 happened.”
Washington Sun Perspectives presents five reflections on 9/11 — by people born after the attacks.
“My Muslim family put down roots in rural America. Then 9/11 happened.”
Washington Sun Perspectives presents five reflections on 9/11 — by people born after the attacks.
Abdul El-Sayed is using his ability to pump significant amounts of iron to send the message that progressive politics shouldn’t be equated with weakness.
Is that a good thing? It’s gratifying, certainly. But it’s also complicated, writes Robin Givhan.
Is that a good thing? It’s gratifying, certainly. But it’s also complicated, writes Robin Givhan.
The Complicated Masculinity of Abdul El-Sayed
Over a year ago, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed met the political commentator Hasan Piker at the Hype Recreation Center in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, for a live online conversation hosted...
washingtonsun.com
September 12, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Abdul El-Sayed is using his ability to pump significant amounts of iron to send the message that progressive politics shouldn’t be equated with weakness.
Is that a good thing? It’s gratifying, certainly. But it’s also complicated, writes Robin Givhan.
Is that a good thing? It’s gratifying, certainly. But it’s also complicated, writes Robin Givhan.
The Republican National Committee had tried its best to deliver such a crowd for Trump. When ticket orders didn’t come in as hoped, the RNC first reduced prices, then offered tickets for free in a lottery.
But it turns out they couldn’t even give ’em away, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
But it turns out they couldn’t even give ’em away, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
Dana Milbank: In Dallas, Trump’s Land of Make Believe Unravels
Republicans discover there is no escaping the unpopular president
washingtonsun.com
September 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM
The Republican National Committee had tried its best to deliver such a crowd for Trump. When ticket orders didn’t come in as hoped, the RNC first reduced prices, then offered tickets for free in a lottery.
But it turns out they couldn’t even give ’em away, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
But it turns out they couldn’t even give ’em away, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
Perspectives’ @danamilbank.bsky.social: The Washington Sun rises today. I hope you’ll join our orbit.
https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/dana-milbank-the-washington-sun-rises-today-i-hope-youll-join-our-orbit
https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/dana-milbank-the-washington-sun-rises-today-i-hope-youll-join-our-orbit
Dana Milbank: The Washington Sun Rises Today. I Hope You’ll Join Our Orbit.
My boss, Tim Grieve, posted a photo on X last week of a shipment of office chairs that had just arrived at the Arlington, Virginia, headquarters of our new publication, The Washington Sun. “It's fun t...
washingtonsun.com
September 9, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Perspectives’ @danamilbank.bsky.social: The Washington Sun rises today. I hope you’ll join our orbit.
https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/dana-milbank-the-washington-sun-rises-today-i-hope-youll-join-our-orbit
https://washingtonsun.com/perspectives/dana-milbank-the-washington-sun-rises-today-i-hope-youll-join-our-orbit
Scott Brown can’t quit Trumpism — even though Trump has quit on him.
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/the-ballad-of-the-once-and-not-future-senator-scott-brown-is-the-story-of-the-republican-party-in-2026
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/the-ballad-of-the-once-and-not-future-senator-scott-brown-is-the-story-of-the-republican-party-in-2026
The Ballad of Scott Brown Is the Story of the Republican Party in 2026
He can’t quit Trumpism — even though Trump has quit on him.
www.notus.org
September 4, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Scott Brown can’t quit Trumpism — even though Trump has quit on him.
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/the-ballad-of-the-once-and-not-future-senator-scott-brown-is-the-story-of-the-republican-party-in-2026
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/the-ballad-of-the-once-and-not-future-senator-scott-brown-is-the-story-of-the-republican-party-in-2026
The hundreds of millions of books she gave to kids weren’t just an impressive act of charity. They created a common reading list in a society that desperately needs one.
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/how-dolly-parton-unilaterally-fixed-a-massive-flaw-in-american-education
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/how-dolly-parton-unilaterally-fixed-a-massive-flaw-in-american-education
How Dolly Parton Unilaterally Fixed a Massive Flaw in American Education
The hundreds of millions of books she gave to kids weren’t just an impressive act of charity. They created a common reading list in a society that desperately needs one.
www.notus.org
September 3, 2026 at 1:01 PM
The hundreds of millions of books she gave to kids weren’t just an impressive act of charity. They created a common reading list in a society that desperately needs one.
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/how-dolly-parton-unilaterally-fixed-a-massive-flaw-in-american-education
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/how-dolly-parton-unilaterally-fixed-a-massive-flaw-in-american-education
I’m not suggesting that El-Sayed vs. Watters was the Lincoln-Douglas debate. Both sides dodged questions, made cheap shots and parried the other guy’s questions. But put aside those viral lines. Underneath the spin, there were some real questions being debated, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
Jesse Watters vs. Abdul El-Sayed Was Compelling TV — And Great for American Democracy
An event that sounds mundane, and yet was pretty significant, occurred earlier this week: Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed debated Jesse Watters on his Fox News show. Other outlets ge...
www.notus.org
August 30, 2026 at 9:30 PM
I’m not suggesting that El-Sayed vs. Watters was the Lincoln-Douglas debate. Both sides dodged questions, made cheap shots and parried the other guy’s questions. But put aside those viral lines. Underneath the spin, there were some real questions being debated, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
Since the start of the second Trump administration, there has been a lot of chatter about “Mar-a-Lago face.” But historically, if you want to know where politics is headed, a better guide has been the constriction of women’s waists, argues Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson.
Forget Mar-a-Lago Face. The Real Symbol of Right-Wing Politics Is the Cinched Waist.
On a warm evening in May, Lauren Sánchez Bezos walked the red carpet at New York's legendary Met Gala wearing a sculpted, midnight-blue satin gown with a plunging neckline. The dress code for the party was “Fashion Is Art,” and Sánchez Bezos and her des...
www.notus.org
August 30, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Since the start of the second Trump administration, there has been a lot of chatter about “Mar-a-Lago face.” But historically, if you want to know where politics is headed, a better guide has been the constriction of women’s waists, argues Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson.
The president has made occasional gestures to lower prices, but mostly he has dismissed the affordability issue as a “Democratic hoax.” And some Republicans who are on the ballot this fall have joined Trump in denial, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
Dana Milbank: The Republican Midterm Message on Inflation? Stop Whining!
Prices are climbing, President Donald Trump has hit a record low in polls, and only 16 percent of Americans think the country is going in the right direction. So several Republican candidates and offi...
www.notus.org
August 29, 2026 at 10:00 PM
The president has made occasional gestures to lower prices, but mostly he has dismissed the affordability issue as a “Democratic hoax.” And some Republicans who are on the ballot this fall have joined Trump in denial, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
Democrats deluded themselves into believing they didn’t need a course correction — in terms of policies or leadership — before 2024, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social. Will that dynamic — midterms success begets presidential calamity — repeat itself between 2026 and 2028?
The Better Things Look for Democrats in 2026, the Worse They Could Be in 2028
We are 70 days out from the midterm elections, and Democrats seem increasingly likely to have a great night. They appear to be on a path to winning back the House, and even the Senate now seems within reach. And why shouldn't Democrats triumph? Aside fr...
www.notus.org
August 29, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Democrats deluded themselves into believing they didn’t need a course correction — in terms of policies or leadership — before 2024, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social. Will that dynamic — midterms success begets presidential calamity — repeat itself between 2026 and 2028?
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed debated Jesse Watters on his Fox News show. And it was actually good for democracy, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
Jesse Watters vs. Abdul El-Sayed Was Compelling TV — And Great for American Democracy
An event that sounds mundane, and yet was pretty significant, occurred earlier this week: Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed debated Jesse Watters on his Fox News show. Other outlets ge...
www.notus.org
August 28, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed debated Jesse Watters on his Fox News show. And it was actually good for democracy, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
Several Republican candidates and office holders are approaching the midterm elections with a most unorthodox message for voters: Quit your bellyaching, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
Dana Milbank: The Republican Midterm Message on Inflation? Stop Whining!
Prices are climbing, President Donald Trump has hit a record low in polls, and only 16 percent of Americans think the country is going in the right direction. So several Republican candidates and office holders are approaching the midterm elections with...
www.notus.org
August 27, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Several Republican candidates and office holders are approaching the midterm elections with a most unorthodox message for voters: Quit your bellyaching, writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
The more likely scenario is also the familiar one: Democrats have a good year in 2026 and read this as a broad endorsement of their brand. That mistake set up disaster last time. It could easily happen again, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
The Better Things Look for Democrats in 2026, the Worse They Could Be in 2028
We are 70 days out from the midterm elections, and Democrats seem increasingly likely to have a great night. They appear to be on a path to winning back the House, and even the Senate now seems within reach. And why shouldn't Democrats triumph? Aside fr...
www.notus.org
August 26, 2026 at 1:30 PM
The more likely scenario is also the familiar one: Democrats have a good year in 2026 and read this as a broad endorsement of their brand. That mistake set up disaster last time. It could easily happen again, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
New from @danamilbank.bsky.social: The threat to attack the bond market may be outlandish, but it is no less convincing than the threats Bessent laid out against the whole world on Monday afternoon.
Dana Milbank: Allow Me to Present the Secret War Plans for Trump's Military Attack on the Bond Market
The idea is no less convincing than his “ECONOMIC D-DAY” against Iran.
www.notus.org
August 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM
New from @danamilbank.bsky.social: The threat to attack the bond market may be outlandish, but it is no less convincing than the threats Bessent laid out against the whole world on Monday afternoon.
Forget Mar-a-Lago Face. The real symbol of right-wing politics is the cinched waist.
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/forget-mar-a-lago-face-the-real-symbol-of-right-wing-politics-is-the-cinched-waist
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/forget-mar-a-lago-face-the-real-symbol-of-right-wing-politics-is-the-cinched-waist
Forget Mar-a-Lago Face. The Real Symbol of Right-Wing Politics Is the Cinched Waist.
On a warm evening in May, Lauren Sánchez Bezos walked the red carpet at New York’s legendary Met Gala wearing a sculpted, midnight-blue satin gown with a plunging neckline. The dress code for the part...
www.notus.org
August 24, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Forget Mar-a-Lago Face. The real symbol of right-wing politics is the cinched waist.
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/forget-mar-a-lago-face-the-real-symbol-of-right-wing-politics-is-the-cinched-waist
https://www.notus.org/perspectives/forget-mar-a-lago-face-the-real-symbol-of-right-wing-politics-is-the-cinched-waist
“Virginians of all political leanings are getting fed up with data centers. ... But it’s still the Wild West in Virginia.”
@danamilbank.bsky.social argues data center projects are destroying Virginia's countryside — even where there are none.
@danamilbank.bsky.social argues data center projects are destroying Virginia's countryside — even where there are none.
Dana Milbank: Data Centers Are Destroying Virginia’s Countryside — Even in Places That Have No Data Centers
Why won’t Spanberger stop the madness?
www.notus.org
August 23, 2026 at 1:30 PM
“Virginians of all political leanings are getting fed up with data centers. ... But it’s still the Wild West in Virginia.”
@danamilbank.bsky.social argues data center projects are destroying Virginia's countryside — even where there are none.
@danamilbank.bsky.social argues data center projects are destroying Virginia's countryside — even where there are none.
What might a modern TR-esque leader do? Break up big tech? Put the “malefactors of great wealth” back in line? Determine that some apps are now actually utilities? Rein in Elon Musk? Yes, yes, yes, and a thousand times yes, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
Reagan Worship Is So Yesterday. Republicans Need a New Hero -- And It Should Be Teddy Roosevelt.
To everything there is a season. During his first inaugural address, Ronald Reagan declared, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Almost nobody remembers the first part of that clause -- “in...
www.notus.org
August 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM
What might a modern TR-esque leader do? Break up big tech? Put the “malefactors of great wealth” back in line? Determine that some apps are now actually utilities? Rein in Elon Musk? Yes, yes, yes, and a thousand times yes, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
The more people I talked to, the more that word — whimsy — appeared to tell much of the story. And not just about this event’s bizarre popularity, but about what people, perhaps young people in particular, yearn for amid D.C.’s oh-so-serious culture, writes Anusha Mathur.
1,000 People Met in a Park to Eat Apples Together. What Does It Say About Washington in 2026?
The hunger for whimsy in this oh-so-serious city is surprisingly strong.
www.notus.org
August 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM
The more people I talked to, the more that word — whimsy — appeared to tell much of the story. And not just about this event’s bizarre popularity, but about what people, perhaps young people in particular, yearn for amid D.C.’s oh-so-serious culture, writes Anusha Mathur.
“The rampant destruction of the state’s natural beauty, and the obvious unfairness to its residents, have set off a bipartisan clamor in the state for a moratorium on new data-center projects,” writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
Dana Milbank: Data Centers Are Destroying Virginia’s Countryside — Even in Places That Have No Data Centers
Why won’t Spanberger stop the madness?
www.notus.org
August 21, 2026 at 1:15 PM
“The rampant destruction of the state’s natural beauty, and the obvious unfairness to its residents, have set off a bipartisan clamor in the state for a moratorium on new data-center projects,” writes @danamilbank.bsky.social.
1,000 people met in a park to eat apples together. What does it say about Washington in 2026? via @anushamathur.bsky.social
www.notus.org/perspectives...
www.notus.org/perspectives...
1,000 People Met in a Park to Eat Apples Together. What Does It Say About Washington in 2026?
The hunger for whimsy in this oh-so-serious city is surprisingly strong.
www.notus.org
August 19, 2026 at 8:01 PM
1,000 people met in a park to eat apples together. What does it say about Washington in 2026? via @anushamathur.bsky.social
www.notus.org/perspectives...
www.notus.org/perspectives...
Reposted by The Washington Sun Perspectives
Our biggest problem today is arguably the prospect that we are losing our freedom and humanity to our technological overlords.
This presents a huge opportunity for somebody who wants to be a hero.
What America needs is another Teddy Roosevelt.
This presents a huge opportunity for somebody who wants to be a hero.
What America needs is another Teddy Roosevelt.
Reagan Worship Is So Yesterday. Republicans Need a New Hero — And It Should Be Teddy Roosevelt.
To everything there is a season. During his first inaugural address, Ronald Reagan declared, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Almost ...
www.notus.org
August 19, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Our biggest problem today is arguably the prospect that we are losing our freedom and humanity to our technological overlords.
This presents a huge opportunity for somebody who wants to be a hero.
What America needs is another Teddy Roosevelt.
This presents a huge opportunity for somebody who wants to be a hero.
What America needs is another Teddy Roosevelt.
While there are some similarities between the challenges Reagan faced and the ones we face today (inflation, Iran, acid-washed jeans), the “present crisis” in 2026 is fundamentally different — and calls for a new historical model for the GOP. www.notus.org/perspectives...
Reagan Worship Is So Yesterday. Republicans Need a New Hero — And It Should Be Teddy Roosevelt.
To everything there is a season. During his first inaugural address, Ronald Reagan declared, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Almost ...
www.notus.org
August 19, 2026 at 7:22 PM
While there are some similarities between the challenges Reagan faced and the ones we face today (inflation, Iran, acid-washed jeans), the “present crisis” in 2026 is fundamentally different — and calls for a new historical model for the GOP. www.notus.org/perspectives...
Tucker Carlson is not the only person on the right concerned with beauty these days. President Donald Trump, a Carlson ally-turned-nemesis, also thinks and cares about aesthetics. A lot, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson Are Right: Politicians Should Care About Aesthetics.
On his podcast earlier this month, Tucker Carlson laid out 10 ideas that he said should undergird American life and politics. It sounded, as Axios put it, very much like a “manifesto” — perhaps for a ...
www.notus.org
August 16, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Tucker Carlson is not the only person on the right concerned with beauty these days. President Donald Trump, a Carlson ally-turned-nemesis, also thinks and cares about aesthetics. A lot, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social.
Baseball is a lot, in short, like the real world, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social. The rich get to take big swings. If they strike out, there’s a safety net. If they hit a home run, they can say they did it all on their own.
Baseball and America’s Summer of Socialism
In the movie “Moneyball,” Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) asks, “How could you not be romantic about baseball?” Well, this is a tough time to be romantic about base...
www.notus.org
August 15, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Baseball is a lot, in short, like the real world, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social. The rich get to take big swings. If they strike out, there’s a safety net. If they hit a home run, they can say they did it all on their own.
President Donald Trump’s taste is vulgar and gaudy, and it probably says something about the state of the rest of his presidency that he is spending so much time on aesthetics, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social
Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson Are Right: Politicians Should Care About Aesthetics.
On his podcast earlier this month, Tucker Carlson laid out 10 ideas that he said should undergird American life and politics. It sounded, as Axios put it, very much like a “manifesto” -- perhaps for a new political party or a presidential run -- but the...
www.notus.org
August 14, 2026 at 3:14 PM
President Donald Trump’s taste is vulgar and gaudy, and it probably says something about the state of the rest of his presidency that he is spending so much time on aesthetics, writes @mattklewis.bsky.social