There is a constant chorus respecting the freedom of speech. Little is heard respecting the right to remain silent. But many more Americans remain silent than speak, for more reasons than we can count. All of which are fine, except silence conveys assent.
When I asked White House Press Secretary, "What city does this Administration consider to be the Capital of Israel?" many of my colleagues laughed nervously and Jay tried to move on. But the incident appeared on a number of sites within hours.
Leaders calling for a renewed ban are, not surprisingly, those most exposed to them on the streets: America's police chiefs. Many of them are NRA members, but they know assault weapons put the lives of their officers and citizens at risk.
While lowering the unemployment rate is certainly urgent, it is essential to recognize that preparing America's workforce for sustainable careers is the best way to make a long-term difference.
I briefly interviewed Gore Vidal once. It was a little more than 30 years ago, at the end of a long day of filming in Los Angeles. I was working as writer and segment producer on an arts magazine pilot for public television.
Now more than ever we have the tools at our disposal to truly end AIDS. But our nation, and indeed the entire world, must summon the strength and the resources to stop this disease once and for all.
In the 1960s, a track and field athlete named Dick Fosbury developed a new high jump technique because he consistently failed to clear the bar using traditional methods. This unique "back first" approach helped him set an Olympic record and win the gold medal in 1968.
Vidal had no self-doubt. He used his legendary intellect in the service of opinions that drew blood. Feuds thrilled him. And he never lost the swagger that comes from knowing that -- at least in his youth -- he was a stunner. Want a guided tour?
Since Pennsylvania is a swing state, it has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over voter ID laws. The specifics of restrictive voter ID laws mean that many voters with a photo ID still might not be able to cast a vote that will count.
Indoor cats are not disease-free. Just like in humans, cats can get sick for a number of reasons. Infectious diseases are dramatically reduced if you keep your pet inside but not eliminated completely.
Yes, I know the criticisms. Chris Christie is a hot-head and a showboat. He's overweight. He doesn't represent a key swing state. He'd be uncontrollable, in the way that Sarah Palin was uncontrollable.
Protest is a conversation. It's been a strange, often frustrating, sometimes easy to mock, but essential ethos of American protest movements like #OWS and the Tea Party. And if you think about it, true conversation is democracy.
The United States cannot be a safe haven for those who torture -- whether they come from outside our borders or from within.
This is more than just some bureaucratic squabble. Strong support for the principles of transparency, good governance and fighting corruption has been hallmark of American policy for more than three decades, since passage of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
How much of a difference did Woodward and Bernstein really make in the Watergate scandal? It's true they didn't do it alone, but to say that journalists had nearly nothing to do with toppling Nixon is wrong.
In the summer there is no better supplement to rest and relaxation than a cocktail. But, sometimes making a proper cocktail can eat into the time you're trying to savor. I am here to tell you that you can have your cocktail and drink it too.