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The Backstory

Too much gets left unsaid.

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Washington dominates the headlines. Local volunteers win elections.

I met a group of Bay Area retirees who are spending their weekends driving two and a half hours to Fresno to campaign for a Congressional candidate in heat that hovers around 42º this time of year.

What happens at a Republican Party Meeting? Mostly democracy.

Just hours before flying to California, I was interviewed by LaSexta about Americans who are calling for “household voting.” Under this scheme, each family would cast one vote through the husband.

Terraces are part of Spain’s identity. Smoking on them isn’t.

Summertime is terrace-time: gloriously cool mornings!

The Most Dangerous Job in Trump’s White House

“If it works out, I’m going to take the credit.

Trump’s dangerous unipolar mindset

I tell my students that they are lucky to be studying international relations at such a fascinating time.

Where Are the Democrats?

The Problem Isn't the Party—It's the System

Belonging Over Reality: Why MAGA Stays Loyal to Trump

When Trump launched his first campaign back in 2015, I watched the whole thing live and laughed out loud when he said that Mexico is “bringing drugs, crime and rapists” to the U.S.

Sánchez Shows U.S. Democrats How to Oppose a War

By clearly opposing and refusing to participate in Trump’s reckless war with Iran, Pedro Sanchez has done what Democrats should be doing, he stood up to Trump.

RNE Pódcast 'Diario de Ucrania' | One year of Trump: from solving the war in 24 hours to "it's more difficult than I thought"

RNE Pódcast 'Diario de Ucrania' | Un año de Trump: de solucionar la guerra en 24 horas al "es más difícil de lo que pensaba"

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Trump’s First Year of “No Doctrine”

It’s a perfect moment to be teaching a course titled The History of International Relations Since 1945.

It’s time for Spain to ban foreign donations to political parties

Trump called European leaders a bunch of losers in an interview with Politico this week.

MAGA learns that Trump isn’t really one of them

It’s been a strange week in Trumpland: rather than leaving Democrats sputtering with outrage, he has been sending convulsions through the MAGA-verse.Thanks for reading The Backstory!

By Ending the Shutdown, Democrats Squandered a Moment of Moral Clarity

Democrats enjoyed some big special election wins last week as the U.S.

TVE24h Interview: Democrats who Split from Party to End the Shutdown

📺I spoke with TVE 24h about the Democrats who split from the party to vote to end the shutdown without getting the one concession the party sought from the start: an extension of the healthcare tax credits that would allow millions of Americans to keep their health insurance coverage.

Democrats are asking the wrong question

In 2008, Democrats had a choice.

Sunday walk: some thoughts about avoiding burn out during these trying times

Some thoughts about avoiding burn out during these trying times while walking along the Rio Manzanares yesterday…how are you managing?

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The agonizing death of free speech in America

Beyond Jimmy Kimmel's firing, Trump has promised to revoke the visas of anyone seen "celebrating" Kirk's death and to designate certain organizations as "terrorists." But only those that oppose him.

Epstein’s Story Isn’t a Conspiracy—It’s Monstrously Real

It came as little surprise when the Wall Street Journal broke the news this week that the Justice Department told Trump in May his name appeared among many in the Epstein files.

Tuning Out the Noise: Rethinking Media Literacy in the Age of Distraction

The town of Dakhla, famous for kite surfing, is situated on a sandy windswept peninsula on the Southern coast of Western Sahara.

You Can’t Bomb Your Way to Peace, Mr. President

Donald Trump’s recent bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites reveals the recklessness of his so-called pacifist foreign policy.