Judging the Wise Guys Judging the Wise Guys
It's that time of the decade again; time to ask the time-honored question, "Whither the Public Intellectual?" We did it in the 1980s when Russell Jacoby first published his still...
Jan 10, 2002 / Column / Eric Alterman
Idiocy Watch: The New Republic Idiocy Watch: The New Republic
The New Republic strains credibility with its 'Idiocy Watch'—it might want to keep itself in its sights.
Dec 20, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
Freedom Is History (and Vice Versa) Freedom Is History (and Vice Versa)
George W. Bush, whose administration is addicted to secrecy, wants presidential papers classified indefinitely, not for the usual 12 years.
Nov 21, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
Requiem for a Liberal Requiem for a Liberal
Mark Green was a worthy candidate for mayor, but for a variety of reasons he could not prevail.
Nov 8, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
‘Blowback,’ the Prequel ‘Blowback,’ the Prequel
The story of what historians call the second cold war often begins with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979, which shocked Americans into their own overreaction i...
Oct 25, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
Patriot Games Patriot Games
Patriotism requires no apologies. Like anti-Communism and anti-Fascism, it is an admirable and thoroughly sensible a priori assumption from which to begin making more nuanced jud...
Oct 11, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
The Uses of Adversity The Uses of Adversity
Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head; And this our life, exempt from public haunt, Finds tongues i...
Sep 20, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
The Not Obviously Insane Network The Not Obviously Insane Network
CNN, regularly derided as 'liberal' by conservative commentators, is only liberal if that word stands for 'somewhat sane.'
Sep 13, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
West Bank Dreamin’ West Bank Dreamin’
Last night I had the strangest dream... All of America's wealthy, conservative and safely belligerent pundits had been delivered by a just and beneficent Almighty Pow...
Aug 23, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman
Hey Buddy, Wanna Buy a Bridge? Hey Buddy, Wanna Buy a Bridge?
The problem of punditocracy ignorance does not usually constitute a national security threat. If most Americans walk around misinformed about Gary Condit's sexual escapades or El...
Jul 27, 2001 / Column / Eric Alterman