January 22, 2026

A disastrous unforced error

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 19 January 2026 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 A disastrous unforced error By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – A red line is being crossed, and it is time for a letter, and only a letter will do:   Mr. President, […]

Seriously

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 16 January 2026 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 Seriously? By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – A president brandishing the mightiest nation’s military might and making threats may or may not be serious, but those on the receiving end cannot know […]

Venezuela D j vu

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4 January 2026 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 Venezuela Déjà vu By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – A U.S. military intervention into Latin America? We have been here before. First, a brief history: The Monroe Doctrine (1823) asserted the right […]

First Among Equals

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 December 2025 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 First among equals By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – Napoleon was one of three consuls governing France until he became First Consul, first among equals. We all learned in grade school that […]

Rhetoric meets reality for 22 million people

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 18 December 2025 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 Rhetoric meets reality for 22 million people By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – January is going to be exciting and not in a good way for millions of Americans on the verge […]

Greed and Unabashed

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11 December 2025 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 Ego, greed, and unabashed By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – This is the most transactional president in history. Nothing happens without Donald J. Trump getting his share. It is all ego and […]

We await a valid reason

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7 December 2025 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 We await a valid reason By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley stated in a closed congressional hearing that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth did not order him to […]

Presidents Vance and Arthur

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 28 November 2025 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 Presidents Vance and Arthur By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – President J.D. Vance – a title that could very soon be real. Sooner or later, we will know more about Vance, who […]

His Man Johnson

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 November 2025 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 His man Johnson By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON –Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has turned the House of Representatives into a President Trump protection organization. Beneath the quiet exterior, there is a partisan […]

The Trump Bubble

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7 November 2025 WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Today’s Events in Historical Perspective America’s Longest-Running Column, Founded 1932 The Trump Bubble By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift            WASHINGTON – Although Queen Marie Antoinette did not actually say, “Let them eat cake,” the sentiment has served as a callous disregard of the Haves […]