Inaugurations that loom large in history are seen differently at the time. ...more

January 18, 2009

Barack Obama's remarkable election has inflicted a stunning defeat on Republicans and conservatives, apparently reversing the pro-market Reagan revolution that began in the early 1980s. Conservatives are now beginning what will be a long period of soul-searching to understand what went wrong and how they can rebuild. ...more

November 22, 2008

Yes, Mike Eruzione still believes in miracles. He was captain of the 1980 United States Olympic gold medal-winning hockey team, the "Miracle on Ice." His 20-foot wrist shot toppled the unbeatable Soviets, triggering a wave of nationalistic pride, placing him at the forefront of the 20th century's greatest sports moment, as defined by Sports Illustrated. ...more

October 21, 2008

They came to Tropicana Field on Sunday, the new Rays and all their new fans, not knowing whether it was the end or another beginning. ...more

October 20, 2008

FOOTBALL Ridgewood tailback Sterling Ross gashes Central for 270 rushing yards and two touchdowns, but visiting Rams fall from unbeaten ranks behind three turnovers, 21-13. ...more

September 27, 2008

In 1951, Morton Sobell was tried and convicted with Julius and Ethel Rosenberg on espionage charges. He served more than 18 years in Alcatraz and other federal prisons, then traveled to Cuba and Vietnam after his release in 1969 and became an advocate for progressive causes. ...more

September 12, 2008

On the seventh anniversary of Sept. 11, we will once again mourn; politicians will intone about fighting the war on terrorism. Some will even talk about World War IV. ...more

September 11, 2008

After the Vietnam War, respect for the military sank to an all-time low. In one survey, sanitation workers were the only profession Americans thought less of - and some considered that an insult to sanitation workers. Defense spending plummeted. The armed services "hollowed out," lacking the budgets to sustain modernization, training and readiness. ...more

September 8, 2008

Imagine a President McCain or a President Obama receiving the following top-secret briefing from his national security adviser: "Iran has successfully developed a nuclear warhead and may have already mated it with a medium-range Shahab-3 missile targeted at Israel. A preemptive strike could trigger a nuclear exchange. What do we do, Mr. President?" ...more

July 6, 2008

To Barack Obama's thrust that John McCain is running for George W. Bush's third term, McCain parries that Obama is running from Jimmy Carter's second. We are supposed to cringle in horror at the prospect. ...more

June 28, 2008