Larry Glickman
@larryglickman.bsky.social
Historian at Cornell University and author, most recently, of FREE ENTERPRISE: AN AMERICAN HISTORY. Working on a history of backlash politics in the United States, from Reconstruction to the present.
This is the essence of the story: three billionaires with no understanding of higher education are seeking to force Harvard to pay a bribe.
December 3, 2025 at 1:41 PM
This is the essence of the story: three billionaires with no understanding of higher education are seeking to force Harvard to pay a bribe.
I also find it interesting that Kahn used a euphemism, "sewage," to describe the AI-generated video that Trump posted of him dumping shit on the American people.
December 3, 2025 at 12:25 PM
I also find it interesting that Kahn used a euphemism, "sewage," to describe the AI-generated video that Trump posted of him dumping shit on the American people.
By situating the Times as nobly filling the space between the diametrically opposed wants of the “left” and the “right” and suggesting that all of these critiques are ideologically motivated and are equally valid (or invalid), this misses the point of much of the criticism of the paper’s coverage.
December 2, 2025 at 3:32 PM
By situating the Times as nobly filling the space between the diametrically opposed wants of the “left” and the “right” and suggesting that all of these critiques are ideologically motivated and are equally valid (or invalid), this misses the point of much of the criticism of the paper’s coverage.
For my part, I would say that questioning the framing of some Times stories—for example, the highlighting of Trump’s putative emotions or the foregrounding of what he says (even when, as is often the case, what he says is false)—is not an indication that I want my “views validated.”
December 2, 2025 at 2:28 PM
For my part, I would say that questioning the framing of some Times stories—for example, the highlighting of Trump’s putative emotions or the foregrounding of what he says (even when, as is often the case, what he says is false)—is not an indication that I want my “views validated.”
One thing I'll be interested in discussing is how conceptions of the "Age of Reagan" have changed since Sean Wilentz published his book of that title in 2008. I think we've gone from conceptualizing a long Reagan Age (~1974-2008) as framed here by Wilentz to a dramatically shorter one.
November 24, 2025 at 6:10 PM
One thing I'll be interested in discussing is how conceptions of the "Age of Reagan" have changed since Sean Wilentz published his book of that title in 2008. I think we've gone from conceptualizing a long Reagan Age (~1974-2008) as framed here by Wilentz to a dramatically shorter one.
I stand corrected. I thought Rowan had no experience in higher education. Turns out he has experience investing in the most unregulated, exploitative--and least successful-- element of that system: the University of Phoenix.
November 24, 2025 at 12:14 PM
I stand corrected. I thought Rowan had no experience in higher education. Turns out he has experience investing in the most unregulated, exploitative--and least successful-- element of that system: the University of Phoenix.
What a strange framing and characterization. How does one describe his blatantly dishonest, racist question about taxes as “press[ing] the Mayor-elect on his policy proposals”? In what way does this lying troll emerge as a “winner“?
November 24, 2025 at 11:50 AM
What a strange framing and characterization. How does one describe his blatantly dishonest, racist question about taxes as “press[ing] the Mayor-elect on his policy proposals”? In what way does this lying troll emerge as a “winner“?
After the assassination, there were tons of articles like this about the similarities between the Kennedy and Lincoln assassinations, including that both were succeeded by VP's named Johnson.
But Lyndon diverged from Andrew in his support for Black civil rights.
But Lyndon diverged from Andrew in his support for Black civil rights.
November 23, 2025 at 2:38 PM
After the assassination, there were tons of articles like this about the similarities between the Kennedy and Lincoln assassinations, including that both were succeeded by VP's named Johnson.
But Lyndon diverged from Andrew in his support for Black civil rights.
But Lyndon diverged from Andrew in his support for Black civil rights.
Four days after JFK was assassinated, the new President, Lyndon B. Johnson, addressed a joint session of Congress and urged the lawmakers to pass the civil rights bill that Kennedy had proposed in June but that had been stalled for months. "It is time now to write the next chapter..."
November 23, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Four days after JFK was assassinated, the new President, Lyndon B. Johnson, addressed a joint session of Congress and urged the lawmakers to pass the civil rights bill that Kennedy had proposed in June but that had been stalled for months. "It is time now to write the next chapter..."
Many of Mamdani's proposals fit within the politics of the "New Deal Order," and I'm wondering whether this photo from his White House visit will lead to more discussion about these connections.
November 23, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Many of Mamdani's proposals fit within the politics of the "New Deal Order," and I'm wondering whether this photo from his White House visit will lead to more discussion about these connections.
"It seems to me that America is constantly reinventing what ``America'' means... I think it's really closer to the truth to say that America has assimilated as much as her immigrants have. It's made for a delightful diversity, and it's made us a stronger and a more vital nation." Reagan, 1984
November 21, 2025 at 11:06 PM
"It seems to me that America is constantly reinventing what ``America'' means... I think it's really closer to the truth to say that America has assimilated as much as her immigrants have. It's made for a delightful diversity, and it's made us a stronger and a more vital nation." Reagan, 1984
These are all examples of authoritarian overreach and it would have been helpful for Politico to say so, rather than simply describing these examples of Trump’s “vast advantage” in power.
November 21, 2025 at 1:28 PM
These are all examples of authoritarian overreach and it would have been helpful for Politico to say so, rather than simply describing these examples of Trump’s “vast advantage” in power.
Calling this infantile behavior by the president of the United States “tweaking” is a choice.
November 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Calling this infantile behavior by the president of the United States “tweaking” is a choice.
To be fair, Leonhardt here was, I think, trying to extend Isgur's thought. But this again is one of those inherently conservative both sides cliches that claims to speak in a register of common sense. There was quite a bit of significant legislation in Obama's and Biden's presidency./10
November 20, 2025 at 7:04 PM
To be fair, Leonhardt here was, I think, trying to extend Isgur's thought. But this again is one of those inherently conservative both sides cliches that claims to speak in a register of common sense. There was quite a bit of significant legislation in Obama's and Biden's presidency./10
I admit that I couldn't fully parse this paragraph. But here's a good example of mushing Obama, Biden, and Trump together as, I guess, all presidents who engaged in government overreach, without any mention of what they tried to do with government as political leaders. (Cue the Reagan joke.) /9
November 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I admit that I couldn't fully parse this paragraph. But here's a good example of mushing Obama, Biden, and Trump together as, I guess, all presidents who engaged in government overreach, without any mention of what they tried to do with government as political leaders. (Cue the Reagan joke.) /9
I found a lot to disagree with in this David Leonhardt interview with Sarah Isgur, starting with the assumption in the subhed about conservatives finding "its way back to small government," particularly since Isgur worked for one of the most invasive elements of the Trump I presidency.
November 20, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I found a lot to disagree with in this David Leonhardt interview with Sarah Isgur, starting with the assumption in the subhed about conservatives finding "its way back to small government," particularly since Isgur worked for one of the most invasive elements of the Trump I presidency.
So excited to have @maureenogle.bsky.social’s book on the history of meat in America.
November 20, 2025 at 4:52 PM
So excited to have @maureenogle.bsky.social’s book on the history of meat in America.
These are remarkable statements by Yoram Hazony and one would think that even a sympathetic interlocutor like Ross Douthat would ask some follow ups here, like, "really, how many of your Jewish friends have come to this conclusion?" and "what makes Trump's administration `the most pro-Jewish'?"
November 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
These are remarkable statements by Yoram Hazony and one would think that even a sympathetic interlocutor like Ross Douthat would ask some follow ups here, like, "really, how many of your Jewish friends have come to this conclusion?" and "what makes Trump's administration `the most pro-Jewish'?"
One gets a good sense of Trump's worldview in the quotations contained in these two paragraphs. Questions he doesn't like are "insubordinate." Appears to justify the murder of Jamal Khashoggi by asserting "a lot of people didn't like him" and that "things happen."
November 19, 2025 at 8:41 PM
One gets a good sense of Trump's worldview in the quotations contained in these two paragraphs. Questions he doesn't like are "insubordinate." Appears to justify the murder of Jamal Khashoggi by asserting "a lot of people didn't like him" and that "things happen."
It is true that Paul Pierson published DISMANTLING THE WELFARE STATE in 1990s before the popularization of the term neoliberalism, but it is instructive to see his treatment of Reagan and Thatcher as conservatives.
November 19, 2025 at 4:33 PM
It is true that Paul Pierson published DISMANTLING THE WELFARE STATE in 1990s before the popularization of the term neoliberalism, but it is instructive to see his treatment of Reagan and Thatcher as conservatives.
Not easy to see how Ben could have missed this. One the left is a photo from the Republican National Convention and on the right are the top two items on the 2024 GOP Platform.
November 18, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Not easy to see how Ben could have missed this. One the left is a photo from the Republican National Convention and on the right are the top two items on the 2024 GOP Platform.
Great reporting by @zackbeauchamp.bsky.social, but, wow, he offers disturbing evidence that the boundary between mainstream conservatism and right-wing extremism, which "has long been more porous than many think," has perhaps never been thinner.
November 18, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Great reporting by @zackbeauchamp.bsky.social, but, wow, he offers disturbing evidence that the boundary between mainstream conservatism and right-wing extremism, which "has long been more porous than many think," has perhaps never been thinner.
I think it is telling that David Leonhardt claims that Trump "has adopted all kinds of policies that the Republican Party not so long ago would’ve rejected," but that his bill of particulars includes only one example: tariffs. This is because his economic agenda is, by and large, boilerplate GOP.
November 18, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I think it is telling that David Leonhardt claims that Trump "has adopted all kinds of policies that the Republican Party not so long ago would’ve rejected," but that his bill of particulars includes only one example: tariffs. This is because his economic agenda is, by and large, boilerplate GOP.
Trump brags that he has ”normalized” inflation.
November 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Trump brags that he has ”normalized” inflation.
More “economic populism” in action: Trump tells McDonald’s franchise owners to fight an increase in the minimum wage.
Waiting for the army of pundits to opine that, “The GOP is a franchisee’s party now.”
Waiting for the army of pundits to opine that, “The GOP is a franchisee’s party now.”
November 18, 2025 at 10:44 AM
More “economic populism” in action: Trump tells McDonald’s franchise owners to fight an increase in the minimum wage.
Waiting for the army of pundits to opine that, “The GOP is a franchisee’s party now.”
Waiting for the army of pundits to opine that, “The GOP is a franchisee’s party now.”