It’s Friday, March 20. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Yuval Levin on why the filibuster isn’t going anywhere. A new play brings Roald Dahl—and his poisonous politics—to Broadway. Our editors’ picks. And much more.
But first: Suzy Weiss on the rise of the news avoiders.
One of the many reasons I love The Free Press is because I don’t much like the news. Let me explain: I hate when I’m scrolling on Instagram and I’m hit with an infographic, or admonished by a secondhand clothing influencer that it’s very important I pay attention right now. I don’t like how reading too many posts on X makes me feel; or how the lowdown on current events is often accompanied by instructions on how to feel about them, or else screaming heads tell me that whatever is happening is surely a precursor to the end of democracy—or the world. In an algorithmic age, staying informed can come at the cost of sanity. Which is why I love reading our essays and updates, which are sober and to the point, and come straight to my inbox, so I can go about my day.
But there’s a tribe of people, let’s call them the News Avoiders, who don’t want to read the news at all. They’re recovering news junkies—their words—and they spoke to me about why they’re dropping out from the 24-hour news cycle. Of course, no Free Presser should feel inspired to become a total News Avoider, though I’d support at least deleting X on the weekend. But to learn more about the people going the whole way, or as close to it as possible, read my piece below.
—Suzy Weiss
Roald Dahl is best known for beloved children’s classics like “Matilda” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” But he’s also responsible for some of the most explicitly antisemitic remarks ever made by a celebrated author. In a notorious 1983 interview, Michael Coren exposed Dahl’s views—an encounter now at the center of the new hit Broadway play, “Giant.” “I certainly didn’t believe in canceling writers,” Coren writes, “but . . . I would prefer it if people recognized what a nasty old Jew-hater he’d been.”
Every few years, the Senate’s majority party vows to kill the filibuster—and then backs off. Yuval Levin explains why: The rule protects the most vulnerable members of the majority, who would rather block a single rules change than fight an endless stream of losing partisan battles. Read his full analysis on why, even as some Senate Republicans push to end the filibuster to pass the SAVE Act, reports of its demise remain greatly exaggerated.
Earlier this week, Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, emerged victorious in one of the most closely watched Democratic congressional primaries in the country—just hours after a woman online accused him of “grooming.” The allegation, writes River Page, was nothing more than an “opportunistic political hit job.” But the episode isn’t just a case of #MeToo overreach—it’s also a reflection of the enduring class divides shaping contemporary American politics.
Last week, we launched a weekly newsletter tracking the rise of antisemitism around the world. In this week’s edition, we examine both overt acts of violence against Jews and the more insidious incidents simmering beneath the surface on both sides of the Atlantic. To receive this newsletter in your inbox every Friday, click the button below.
Fragmented data makes it hard to find patients who need urgent care. Qualified Health used Claude to screen 1M+ heart failure patients.
New Free Press Merch Just Dropped!
Want to show the world how much you love The Free Press? Grab yourself a new beanie, an embroidered “Think for Yourself” sweatshirt, or a limited edition America at 250 Ebbets Field wool cap. But hurry—only 250 caps exist in each color.
Editors’ Picks
As the war in Iran drags on, one question grows more and more urgent: How will it end? That’s the question several of our pieces tackled this week. First, Niall Ferguson on how one of the most technologically advanced wars in history is now confronting a very old problem: control of a strategic waterway. Read Niall’s piece to understand why the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil normally passes, could determine whether the Iran war goes global. Next, Michael Doran argues that, despite mounting pressure on President Donald Trump to bring the war to an end, anything less than “decisive victory” would leave the global balance more fragile than before. And for an inside look at the strategy on the ground, turn to Eli Lake’s reporting on how Israel’s national intelligence agency has spent years covertly aiding Iranian opposition groups. Much remains uncertain about how the regime might fall, he says, but Mossad is “evening the odds for a revolution.”
You may not recognize the name Arthur Liu, but you probably know his daughter, Alysa, who skated her way to gold at this year’s Winter Olympics. Watching her perform, Arthur wrote this week, was “another lesson in how precious freedom is”—one he knows all too well. In 1989, he was placed on China’s “most wanted” list for organizing pro-democracy demonstrations, and this year, he watched Jimmy Lai receive a 20-year prison sentence for fighting for the same cause. It’s an essential read about how easily freedom can be taken for granted—and how costly it remains for those still fighting for it.
Howard Kessler has never been interviewed by a journalist. That is, until Gabe Kaminsky headed to his Palm Beach mansion this week for a conversation with the architect of one of Trump’s most controversial decisions: signing an executive order to set the stage for looser federal marijuana restrictions. How did a 78-year-old credit card pioneer persuade the president to buck decades of Republican dogma on marijuana? Read Gabe’s piece to find out—and get a window into how things happen in MAGA world.
In case you missed it: This week, we reprinted a sweeping essay by our friend Alana Newhouse, first published in Tablet magazine. At a moment defined by questions—about AI, about artificial wombs, about drone warfare—why is it, she asks, that “all anyone can talk about is . . . Zionism?” According to Alana, the answer is about far more than Israel. It’s a provocative, wide-ranging piece—and well worth your time this weekend.
The Front Page will be back on Monday morning. Until then, look out for The Weekend Press—featuring Maya Sulkin’s Two Drinks with Bridgit Mendler, Joe Nocera on the Apple TV series “Shrinking,” and more.
Fragmented data makes it hard to find patients who need urgent care. Qualified Health used Claude to screen 1M+ heart failure patients.
I really haven't noticed that all people are talking about is zionism. Except when I read The Free Press, which is obsessed with it.
The big story today is flooding in Hawaii. Hundreds of people evacuated from their homes.
All as Democrats, including Hawaii's two senators, continue to block funding for FEMA and the Coast Guard.