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Supreme Court Echoes: Alito, Scalia, and a Biography That Stops at the Court's Door

Oct 7, 2026, 10:30 AM UTC

Why does a justice who died ten years ago still turn up at Supreme Court oral argument as if he kept a reserved seat?

Recommended read: Scalia by James Rosen

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Supreme Court Echoes: Alito, Scalia, and a Biography That Stops at the Court's Door

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September 2026

The School Fence Is the Cheapest Part of the StoryThe School Fence Is the Cheapest Part of the StoryPower, Secrecy, and the StateSep 30, 2026, 11:15 PM UTCStart with the ordinary part: a school morning, small children on a playground, and two men with backpacks watching the grounds.Recommended read: Endgame by Omid ScobieNicolas Cage Plays Madden. 'League of Denial' Covers What the Trailer Won't.Nicolas Cage Plays Madden. 'League of Denial' Covers What the Trailer Won't.Power, Secrecy, and the StateSep 25, 2026, 10:30 AM UTCThere are two ways to watch the trailer for "Madden": as affectionate mythmaking, or as a period piece about a sport that had not yet been told what it was doing to its players.Recommended read: League of Denial by Mark Fainaru-Wada, Steve FainaruNine Years From Exposé to Sentence: What She Said Explains About the Weinstein CaseNine Years From Exposé to Sentence: What She Said Explains About the Weinstein CasePower, Secrecy, and the StateSep 24, 2026, 4:31 PM UTCHarvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, and the number sits on top of a story that started with nondisclosure agreements.Recommended read: She Said by Jodi Kantor, Megan TwoheyWhat 'Network of Lies' Explains About Maria Bartiromo's Fox News DepartureWhat 'Network of Lies' Explains About Maria Bartiromo's Fox News DeparturePower, Secrecy, and the StateSep 11, 2026, 10:45 PM UTCA chair sat empty on a Sunday morning set this week, and nobody on air said why.Recommended read: Network of Lies by Brian Stelter

August 2026

Seventeen Minutes on August 28, 1963: Reading King's "I Have a Dream" WholeSeventeen Minutes on August 28, 1963: Reading King's "I Have a Dream" WholePower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 28, 2026, 10:30 PM UTCTwo versions of August 28, 1963 circulate every year, and only one of them runs seventeen minutes.Recommended read: I Have a Dream - Special Anniversary Edition by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.The 2026 College Football Schedule Was Sold Before It Was PlayedThe 2026 College Football Schedule Was Sold Before It Was PlayedPower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 28, 2026, 5:16 PM UTCSept. 19, Oxford.Recommended read: The Price by Armen Keteyian, John TaltyA Week Without a Press Release in the Islamic RepublicA Week Without a Press Release in the Islamic RepublicPower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 25, 2026, 10:45 PM UTCLast Tuesday, Mojtaba Khamenei received mourners for his father. Since then, the office of Iran's Supreme Leader has said almost nothing.Recommended read: The Shadow Commander by Arash AziziWhat Enes Kanter's WNBA Ejection Leaves Out About His Stateless YearsWhat Enes Kanter's WNBA Ejection Leaves Out About His Stateless YearsPower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 24, 2026, 10:45 PM UTCSunday night in Indianapolis, a WNBA game stopped being about basketball for roughly a minute.Recommended read: In the Name of Freedom by Enes Kanter FreedomA Special Grand Jury Is a Quiet Thing. Injustice Explains Why That MattersA Special Grand Jury Is a Quiet Thing. Injustice Explains Why That MattersPower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 13, 2026, 10:30 AM UTCProcedure is where power gets quiet, and a special grand jury is about as quiet as it gets.Recommended read: Injustice by Carol Leonnig, Aaron C. DavisThe Weapons Nobody Used, and What They Teach the National Security Debate of 2026The Weapons Nobody Used, and What They Teach the National Security Debate of 2026Power, Secrecy, and the StateAug 12, 2026, 10:45 AM UTCWhy did states that spent decades building biological weapons never use them in a major war? The answer matters now that national security language governs the life sciences.Recommended read: Biological Weapons by Jeanne GuilleminThimerosal, Fewer Childhood Vaccines, and How a Preservative Fight Reached the Oval OfficeThimerosal, Fewer Childhood Vaccines, and How a Preservative Fight Reached the Oval OfficePower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 11, 2026, 11:18 AM UTCThree executive orders on childhood vaccines in under a year, none with obvious legal force, which makes the better question how the argument got there at all.Recommended read: Thimerosal: Let the Science Speak by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Mark Hyman, Martha Herbert, Bill PoseyCalifornia's Billionaire Tax Is a Loyalty Test, and Newsom Is Failing ItCalifornia's Billionaire Tax Is a Loyalty Test, and Newsom Is Failing ItPower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 7, 2026, 10:30 PM UTCFor a California Democrat in 2026, endorsing a tax on billionaires is the cheapest available proof of independence.Recommended read: Fool's Gold by Susan Crabtree, Jedd McFatter, Peter SchweizerJenna Bush Hager's Interviews and the Case for Reading the OriginalsJenna Bush Hager's Interviews and the Case for Reading the OriginalsPower, Secrecy, and the StateAug 1, 2026, 10:30 AM UTCFour men who have held the same office sat for separate interviews, and the line that traveled fastest was six words about kings.Recommended read: The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States by Jon Meacham

July 2026

The Thune Standoff Is a Stress Test, Not a SpatThe Thune Standoff Is a Stress Test, Not a SpatPower, Secrecy, and the StateJul 27, 2026, 11:16 AM UTCPicture the standoff: a White House spokeswoman letting slip that the President's patience is running thin, and the top Senate Republican shrugging back that she might try finding the votes herself.Recommended read: The Conspiracy to End America by Stuart StevensBeyond the AI Nuclear Summit: The Military Reality in AI at WarBeyond the AI Nuclear Summit: The Military Reality in AI at WarPower, Secrecy, and the StateJul 15, 2026, 10:46 AM UTCPicture the Pontifical Gardens at Castel Gandolfo in 2026, where Nobel laureates and world leaders gather to weigh artificial intelligence against nuclear war.Recommended read: AI at War by Sam J Tangredi, George GaldorisiCan Anyone Catch Lilly? Ask the People Who Hunt Drugs for a LivingCan Anyone Catch Lilly? Ask the People Who Hunt Drugs for a LivingPower, Secrecy, and the StateJul 10, 2026, 10:31 AM UTCThe story making the rounds is about Eli Lilly running away from the pack.Recommended read: The Drug Hunters by Donald R. Kirsch, Ogi Ogas, Madelyn FernstromWhat a Signed Peace in Ukraine Might Actually BuyWhat a Signed Peace in Ukraine Might Actually BuyPower, Secrecy, and the StateJul 7, 2026, 11:00 AM UTCThe most useful question about Russia right now is what happens the day after Putin wins something, not whether he escalates before then.Recommended read: If Russia Wins by Carlo Masala, Olena Ebel, Ruth Ahmedzai KempThe Decade of Planning Behind China's Calm Response to the Iran WarThe Decade of Planning Behind China's Calm Response to the Iran WarPower, Secrecy, and the StateJul 6, 2026, 4:45 PM UTCWhy did China start stockpiling oil and building pipelines years before anyone was talking about a war with Iran?Recommended read: The New Map by Daniel YerginWhy the $18 Coffee in ICE Detention Was Always Going to Cost $18Why the $18 Coffee in ICE Detention Was Always Going to Cost $18Power, Secrecy, and the StateJul 4, 2026, 12:45 AM UTCAn $18 tub of coffee grounds. A $21 box of tampons.Recommended read: Immigration Detention Inc. by Nancy Hiemstra, Deirdre ConlonA Scientist, a Poisoning Accusation, and the Book That Explains the Chemistry of TrustA Scientist, a Poisoning Accusation, and the Book That Explains the Chemistry of TrustPower, Secrecy, and the StateJul 2, 2026, 4:31 PM UTCWhat turns a lab colleague into a suspect? At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, court documents describe a scientist who spent five years accumulating grievances before authorities say he put chemicals in a co-worker's water.Recommended read: The Poison Squad by Deborah BlumThe Bunting and the Archive: Reading the Great American State FairThe Bunting and the Archive: Reading the Great American State FairPower, Secrecy, and the StateJul 1, 2026, 6:03 PM UTCA tribute to the states, staged on the National Mall, tinged with extra red.Recommended read: Myth America by Kevin M. Kruse, Julian E. Zelizer

June 2026

Why the Real Question About America's Gulf Bases Is How They Got ThereWhy the Real Question About America's Gulf Bases Is How They Got TherePower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 30, 2026, 10:31 PM UTCThe argument over America's Gulf bases usually plays out as a cost-benefit problem. The more honest question is how the bases got there at all.Recommended read: America's War for the Greater Middle East by Andrew J. BacevichBefore the Brooding Supergirl, Superman Fought the Klan on the RadioBefore the Brooding Supergirl, Superman Fought the Klan on the RadioPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 25, 2026, 10:32 AM UTCA superhero is only as interesting as the thing they refuse to punch.Recommended read: Superman versus the Ku Klux Klan by Richard BowersTucker Carlson Quit the GOP. He Quit the Idea of It Years Ago.Tucker Carlson Quit the GOP. He Quit the Idea of It Years Ago.Power, Secrecy, and the StateJun 23, 2026, 2:15 PM UTCWhat does it mean when the man who sold the base its grievances says he wants nothing to do with the party?Recommended read: Hated by All the Right People by Jason ZengerleBefore You Mock Graham's Iran Reversal, Read the Argument Behind ItBefore You Mock Graham's Iran Reversal, Read the Argument Behind ItPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 22, 2026, 4:31 PM UTCLindsey Graham once called Donald Trump a jackass and a bigot. Now he is the loudest voice pushing to expand a war with Iran.Recommended read: Battlegrounds by H. R. McMasterWhat Meloni's Three Words to Trump Reveal About the Staged PhotoWhat Meloni's Three Words to Trump Reveal About the Staged PhotoPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 20, 2026, 11:16 AM UTCA single word did the damage. "Begged." That was how President Trump described Giorgia Meloni's request for a photo together at the G7 in France, and her reply, that Italy doesn't beg, turned a small diplomatic friction into a fight over who controls the framing when two strong personalities share a stage.Recommended read: Melania by Melania TrumpWhy Oil Prices Fell on a Sentence, Not a ShortageWhy Oil Prices Fell on a Sentence, Not a ShortagePower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 16, 2026, 10:45 AM UTCA single sentence from a president, and crude jumps or sinks before a barrel has moved.Recommended read: Oilcraft by Robert VitalisA Craton Bigger Than India Meets a Century of Antarctica RumorA Craton Bigger Than India Meets a Century of Antarctica RumorPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 14, 2026, 10:46 AM UTCPicture a research team running deep-radar surveys over East Antarctica and catching something steady under all that ice: a craton wider than India.Recommended read: Secrets of Antarctica by Brad OlsenHow a Thousand Cars Became a Lifetime of Belief in MuskHow a Thousand Cars Became a Lifetime of Belief in MuskPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 13, 2026, 11:15 AM UTCWhat did people think they were buying when Tesla went public in June 2010?Recommended read: Elon Musk by Ashlee VanceWhy Musk and Zuckerberg Take Out Mortgages They Don't NeedWhy Musk and Zuckerberg Take Out Mortgages They Don't NeedPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 6, 2026, 10:31 PM UTCElon Musk, the richest person on the planet, took out $61 million in mortgages on five California properties through Morgan Stanley. Read that again.Recommended read: The Haves and Have-Yachts by Evan OsnosWhat the Mexico Travel Warning Leaves Out About the Border, According to Paul TherouxWhat the Mexico Travel Warning Leaves Out About the Border, According to Paul TherouxPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 6, 2026, 11:19 AM UTCAt a crossing near Nogales, the cars idle nose to tail while a vendor works the line with bags of cut mango. That scene never makes it into a travel advisory.Recommended read: On the Plain of Snakes by Paul TherouxTrump's Approval Slump and the Record of What He Actually SaidTrump's Approval Slump and the Record of What He Actually SaidPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 5, 2026, 11:04 AM UTCA polling slump has a way of focusing the mind. Trump's approval has slid to 34 percent in a top-tier poll, a record low less than halfway through his second term, with cost-of-living anger and an unpopular war with Iran chipping away at a base that once looked immovable.Recommended read: Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth by The Washington Post Fact Checker StaffWhy One Tossed Redistricting Map Can Feel Like Losing the FloorWhy One Tossed Redistricting Map Can Feel Like Losing the FloorPower, Secrecy, and the StateJun 4, 2026, 10:45 AM UTCWhy does a single court ruling on a Virginia congressional map send House Democrats into a private call humming with fury and something close to panic?Recommended read: Tyranny of the Minority by Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt

May 2026

Backrooms, Rosemary, and the Fear That Keeps SellingBackrooms, Rosemary, and the Fear That Keeps SellingPower, Secrecy, and the StateMay 29, 2026, 5:17 PM UTCHorror is the genre most willing to say the quiet part out loud, and the box office keeps confirming that people show up to hear it.Recommended read: Scream with Me by Eleanor JohnsonWhy NVDA Moves on Memos: A Field Guide via The Nvidia WayWhy NVDA Moves on Memos: A Field Guide via The Nvidia WayPower, Secrecy, and the StateMay 21, 2026, 10:46 AM UTCWhy did NVDA jump 3.7% in an afternoon session after a Reuters note about roughly ten Chinese tech firms getting cleared to purchase from the company? The short answer comes in layers.Recommended read: The Nvidia Way by Tae KimWhy the Ahmadinejad Plot Reads Like a 1953 RerunWhy the Ahmadinejad Plot Reads Like a 1953 RerunPower, Secrecy, and the StateMay 20, 2026, 10:30 PM UTCOne reading of the recent reporting treats it as a twist: an Israeli strike, according to U.S. officials, aimed in part at springing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from house arrest and installing him as a hard-line replacement for the current leadership in Tehran. The second reading is duller and more useful.Recommended read: All the Shah's Men by Stephen KinzerReading The Wrong Enemy in the Year of the Air RaidsReading The Wrong Enemy in the Year of the Air RaidsPower, Secrecy, and the StateMay 19, 2026, 10:47 AM UTCA family in Khost loads what they can carry into a pickup after a night of air raids.Recommended read: The Wrong Enemy by Carlotta GallThe Hantavirus Scare Is a Stress Test, Not a PandemicThe Hantavirus Scare Is a Stress Test, Not a PandemicPower, Secrecy, and the StateMay 15, 2026, 10:30 PM UTCA cruise ship docks, passengers scatter across borders, and a familiar dread starts circulating before the case count does.Recommended read: The Premonition by Michael LewisWhy the FBI Is Still Chasing Monica Witt From a Press ReleaseWhy the FBI Is Still Chasing Monica Witt From a Press ReleasePower, Secrecy, and the StateMay 15, 2026, 10:30 AM UTCWhat does it actually take for one American intelligence specialist to hand a foreign service the names of her former colleagues, and why is the FBI still working the case from a podium nearly a decade later?Recommended read: Spyfail by James BamfordTulsi Gabbard, the CIA Files Fight, and What 'Surprise, Kill, Vanish' ExplainsTulsi Gabbard, the CIA Files Fight, and What 'Surprise, Kill, Vanish' ExplainsPower, Secrecy, and the StateMay 14, 2026, 10:45 PM UTCPicture a hearing room in March 2026. A Director of National Intelligence sits at the witness table, cameras rolling, while a Florida lawmaker insists somewhere offstage that her agency just raided a vault for JFK and MKUltra files.Recommended read: Surprise, Kill, Vanish by Annie Jacobsen