Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Will the Super Bowl weather the MAGA outrage cycle?

Is it possible that some sporting events are just so big that they can more or less do whatever they want politically without suffering any real consequences?

I’m asking this because of what happened during the Super Bowl halftime performance. Bad Bunny was everything the MAGA crowd expected - and perhaps feared - he would be.

Wendy Geus: Mike Waltz 'cleans house' at UN – hopefully nixes Ardern's Secretary General aspirations

Mike Waltz, recently appointed US Ambassador to the United Nations has been doing a bit of housework at the UN lately and as of now has swept up $1 billion dollars of savings, and 'we're only getting started', he says. (see link below)

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Will Mamdani be the next big thing or the next big disappointment?

I think I am more interested in seeing how Zohran Mamdani goes than any other Democrat that I can remember in a very, very, very long time, because I genuinely am not sure if this is gonna go brilliantly for him. And he's the next big thing, or he's the next big disappointment, because there is no way, is there? Like, no way at all he's gonna be able to do everything that he's promised. I mean, he might be able to do a rent freeze in New York City. Sure, that's an easy thing to do. That's a stroke of a pen. Off you go. But it might backfire. Like it might lead to fewer housing units being added, which ultimately makes the problem worse.

Damien Grant: The circus that is American politics

I enjoy the circus that is American politics but have a similar emotional reaction to the America’s Cup and the eternal Star Wars franchises.

They are all interesting spectacles but I am not invested in the end result because I do not believe it matters.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: I'm shocked by Biden's behaviour following his decision to drop out

Do you know what’s surprised me the most about Joe Biden quitting this morning?

It's obviously not that he’s quit - I mean that was predictable, it clearly needed to happen. But what’s surprised me is that he’s been so badly behaved about it.

First of all, it shouldn’t have taken him more than three weeks to quit. It should've been obvious to him immediately after the debate that it probably wasn't survivable.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Why do charges against Donald Trump make him more popular?

Do not fall into the trap of thinking these latest charges against Donald Trump, just because they’re the most serious yet, are going to change his fortunes in next year’s American election. 

He is still on track to become the Republican nominee for President.

In fact, if anything, we should assume right now that this is going to only make him more popular. Because if you look back, you will see that his popularity in the run up to this upcoming election didn't really take off until he was slapped with the first set of Stormy Daniels charges.

Thomas Klingenstein: Trump's Virtues

We are still in need of the qualities of great leadership.

Many leading Republicans and conservatives want someone other than Donald Trump to run for President in 2024. But this judgment requires an assessment of Trump’s vices and virtues in the context of our current political and cultural circumstances, as well as an assessment of other prospective Republican presidential candidates. Among the talked-about alternatives to Trump, I have not yet seen anyone who possesses either his virtues or his backbone. I am not suggesting that everyone make way for Trump; rather that it is too early to throw him overboard.