Michael Gerson https://tj.durangoherald.com/section/michael-gerson/feed/ Latest local news from The Durango Herald. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 21:00:24 -0600 en-us 30 https://tj.durangoherald.com/a-u-s-president-who-doesnt-understand-america/ WASHINGTON – One of the puzzling aspects of Donald Trump’s hyper-nationalism is its consistent denigration of the nation itself. In a 2017 Oval Office conversation between Trump, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, the president did... Mon, 07 Oct 2019 23:33:28 -0600 941849F0-16D1-0E9B-E053-0100007FF8EB https://tj.durangoherald.com/civility-doesnt-just-work-it-also-makes-us-noble/ WASHINGTON – In his 1984 book, “The Naked Public Square,” Richard John Neuhaus recalled attending an event featuring the late Jerry Falwell Sr., who delivered an excoriation of liberals and other supposed enemies of freedom. Seated next to Neuhaus was... Thu, 13 Jun 2019 17:33:45 -0600 8B22DCEC-C6A0-5C0E-E053-0100007FDFF8 https://tj.durangoherald.com/can-one-gop-candidate-take-on-trump-in-2020/ WASHINGTON – Republicans who are thinking about opposing President Trump in the 2020 primaries are facing the hardest of political choices. What are the handholds for a challenger to Trump? Economic conservatives are generally happy with the 2017 tax cut.... Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:03:09 -0700 7B07ED48-289D-1EBB-E053-0100007F092E https://tj.durangoherald.com/dems-will-do-all-of-these-self-destructive-things/ WASHINGTON – In the spirit of the political season, I want to claim credit for the most STUPENDOUS, INSIGHTFUL and POWERFUL political strategy since Pericles bound the DELIAN LEAGUE into an empire to resist THE PERSIANS. I urged voters to... Mon, 12 Nov 2018 17:03:15 -0700 7A7AF7BA-5CFA-6A16-E053-0100007F3D86 https://tj.durangoherald.com/afghanistan-shows-security-cost-in-hostile-world/ WASHINGTON – The Afghan War – really, the war against terrorists and their allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan – has elements of a Greek tragedy. It was unavoidable, but seemingly unwinnable. Following the murder of nearly 3,000 people on Sept.... Fri, 26 Oct 2018 09:59:55 -0600 7923EB22-F0E0-4DF9-E053-0100007F16EA https://tj.durangoherald.com/americas-foreign-policy-vacuum-filled-by-cruelty/ WASHINGTON – Whatever the eventual consequences of the Saudi Arabian regime’s suspected murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, President Trump’s initial response indicated much about the priorities of America First foreign policy. His instincts were commercial and transactional –... Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:50:36 -0600 785BE8EA-A839-60B6-E053-0100007F8307 https://tj.durangoherald.com/we-saw-two-human-beings-flayed-and-for-what/ WASHINGTON – In the end, everything – every blasted thing – gets sucked into the polarization black hole, never to emerge again. That now includes the U.S. Supreme Court. It is not, of course, that this process has never been... Mon, 01 Oct 2018 17:03:25 -0600 772D8C49-7948-42BA-E053-0100007FE9BA https://tj.durangoherald.com/gerson-republicans-must-pick-their-point-of-resistance/ Michael Gersondu1-i-syn WASHINGTON – One of the unpleasant surprises of your 50s (among many) is seeing the heroes and mentors of your 20s pass away. I worked for the late Chuck Colson of Watergate fame, who became, through his work... Mon, 03 Sep 2018 17:38:30 -0600 7500FB8A-E49E-1CD9-E053-0100007FF74C https://tj.durangoherald.com/gerson-feds-should-take-note-of-prison-reform-successes/ Michael Gerson, Washington Postdu1-i-syn WASHINGTON – An administration not known for policy creativity is unlikely to have useful internal policy debates. But in the Trump administration, prison reform is a welcome exception. This is largely because of the efforts of... Mon, 09 Jul 2018 17:03:02 -0600 7099FC50-D8DE-3ACF-E053-0100007F4EB6