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John Avlon

Virginia is a cautionary tale for conservatives this year. And those Republicans who always argue that their party wins when it moves further to the right are going to have a lot of explaining to do after Election Day.

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From inside, Nixon presidency surrealupdated Wed Jul 31 2013 12:13:30

In the rearview mirror of history, the Nixon administration can look monstrous. It features a brilliant but insecure and almost constantly cursing chief executive who ruined a landslide 49-state re-election with a corrupt cover-up of a burglary ordered from within the White House.

Why 'The Newsroom' mattersupdated Mon Jul 22 2013 15:24:47

Aaron Sorkin's HBO show "The Newsroom" represents the reality of working in television news about as accurately as "The West Wing" captured working in politics -- which is to say, not at all.

How will the Supreme Court decide the Culture Wars? updated Sat Jun 22 2013 11:52:30

This week on the "Big Three" prodcast we talked with our special guest, CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, about the momentous upcoming week for the Supreme Court.

'Sopranos' a violent fantasy for middle-aged guysupdated Thu Jun 20 2013 10:01:37

Why do we love gangsters -- at least the ones on TV and in the movies?

Russell Brand: Don't blame Muslimsupdated Fri May 31 2013 11:12:31

This week on The Big Three we say bye bye to Michele Bachmann; comedian Russell Brand joins us (naked, apparently) to talk about his column condemning group-blame in the wake of the brutal beheading of a British soldier; and Dean and Margaret offer their take on a commencement address for the Class of 2013.

How did 'patriot' become a dirty word?updated Mon May 27 2013 07:53:01

On Memorial Day, we honor those patriots who gave "the last full measure of devotion" -- in Abraham Lincoln's words -- and died defending our freedom and union.

Will scandals stall Obama agenda?updated Fri May 17 2013 16:48:15

This week on "The Big Three," we take a look at what might have been Obama's worst week ever -- as a negative trifecta of scandals threaten to overwhelm his administration and derail his ambitious legislative agenda. We get a reality check with special guest, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison. And no talk about the biggest stories of the week would be complete without a conversation about Angelina Jolie's decision to have a preemptive double mastectomy and the message it sends to millions.

Why a Democrat has a chance against Mark Sanford in South Carolinaupdated Fri May 03 2013 08:17:15

The fiery South Carolina congressional special election between former Gov. Mark Sanford and Elizabeth Colbert Busch is attracting national attention -- but not for the reasons it should.

GOP's cowardly gun filibuster threatupdated Tue Apr 09 2013 17:05:54

There are days when Congress seems determined to earn its 12% approval rating -- and that 14 Republican senators are threatening to filibuster any new gun legislation should make your blood boil if you still have a heart to pump it with.

Podcast: Kim's tantrum--with nuclear weaponsupdated Fri Apr 05 2013 15:58:38

This week on The Big Three we tackle North Korea's nuclear threats, North Carolina's push for an official state religion and a new poll that shows conspiracy theories proliferate along partisan lines across the USA.

Baseball is back, thank Godupdated Sun Mar 31 2013 14:27:51

Forget Punxsutawney Phil's predictions. The words "Play ball!" are the most dependable sign that spring has arrived in America. Finally, baseball season is here.

How gay rights went mainstreamupdated Wed Mar 27 2013 07:29:52

Some days start out historic. The gay civil rights movement has reached the Supreme Court -- a milestone by any measure. We won't know what the justices will decide until June, but it is not too early to reflect on how we got here.

Podcast: Three voices, three big storiesupdated Fri Mar 22 2013 10:25:48

Welcome to The Big Three -- a CNN Radio podcast on the big three stories of the week, featuring three contributors who write for CNN Opinion -- myself, my bride, Margaret Hoover, and political comedian Dean Obeidallah, who is of no relation (as far as we know).

Is Jeb Bush right about campaign 'crack addicts'?updated Tue Mar 12 2013 16:38:11

"You guys are crack addicts."

In North Korea, Dennis Rodman fouls outupdated Sun Mar 03 2013 22:30:01

Never fear. While North Korea is a closed communist state, a rogue nuclear power that regularly threatens war and starves its own people in prison camps, Dennis Rodman has just returned from some one-on-one diplomacy with its "dear leader" Kim Jong Un and has good news to report: "I love him. The guy is awesome. He was so honest."

Oscar likes his political flicks realupdated Sat Feb 23 2013 16:26:10

With a crop of political movies in the Oscar running, this weekend Hollywood is looking more like Poliwood. Best Picture contenders such as "Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Lincoln" have managed to pay off at the box office even as they brought politics and history to the big screen -- proof that we'll take smart over stupid as long as we're entertained while educated.

Tea party's anti-Rove 'Nazi ad'updated Wed Feb 20 2013 16:53:23

You would click on the link, and there you'd find the Tea Party Patriots' mailer, calling for liberty and asking for money, decrying "big-government Republicans" and "leftist Obama Democrats" alike.

Obama's chance to lead -- or kick the can down the roadupdated Tue Feb 12 2013 08:22:04

"What we have done is kicked this can down the road. We are now at the end of the road and are not in a position to kick it any further. ... We have to signal seriousness in this by making sure some of the hard decisions are made under my watch, not someone else's."

NRA's enemies list: Most of Americaupdated Wed Feb 06 2013 11:52:27

Question: What do George Clooney, Chaka Khan, the American Medical Association, Bon Jovi and C. Everett Koop have in common?

A reality check for Chuck Hagel bashersupdated Wed Jan 30 2013 14:59:15

At Thursday's Capitol Hill confirmation hearing, Chuck Hagel will finally get to answer his critics.

Jindal, courage is not enough updated Fri Jan 25 2013 16:26:09

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal rode into the Republican National Committee retreat in Charlotte, North Carolina, ready to offer a dose of tough medicine for the Republican Party, which he now says "must stop being the stupid party."

'No Budget, No Pay' is no-brainerupdated Wed Jan 23 2013 14:00:24

If you don't get the job done at work, you won't get paid.

GOP's surprising edge on diversityupdated Fri Jan 18 2013 07:32:08

Everybody knows the Republican Party is basically an all-white bastion, right? After all, even Colin Powell condemned the "dark vein of intolerance" that has flowed through his party since the post-civil rights era political realignment.

Three areas where Biden and NRA can find common groundupdated Thu Jan 10 2013 07:34:17

Joe Biden doesn't much like the NRA -- and the feeling is mutual.

Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leadersupdated Wed Jan 02 2013 17:40:12

"It's why the American people hate Congress. Unlike the people in Congress, we have actual responsibilities."

From Wall Street to the street: A cabdriver's taleupdated Mon Dec 31 2012 07:57:51

Jack Alvo drives the streets of the New York City six days a week -- the 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift. He never imagined he'd be a cabdriver at his age.

Don't let this moment pass without acting on gun controlupdated Tue Dec 18 2012 12:31:30

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to make us confront reality.

Beware the fiscal cliff deniersupdated Tue Dec 04 2012 06:27:09

Washington is playing chicken with the fiscal cliff -- the combination of automatic tax hikes and deep spending cuts in 2013 that could plummet our recovering economy back into recession. Brinksmanship is back while the clock ticks.

The man who changed baseball foreverupdated Tue Nov 27 2012 21:26:28

Marvin Miller died Tuesday at the age of 95.  And here's why you should know his name: Miller transformed the game of baseball even though he never put on a uniform.

Republicans wisely break with Grover Norquistupdated Mon Nov 26 2012 08:03:41

Who's afraid of Grover Norquist?

Election a call for purple politicsupdated Mon Nov 12 2012 12:25:25

In the horse race coverage of political campaigns, we sometimes forget that elections are just exciting preambles to the main event -- governing.

Mourdock's rape remark and extremismupdated Wed Oct 24 2012 16:29:49

Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock believes that rapes resulting in pregnancy are "something that God intends to happen."

For GOP, it's the social issues, stupidupdated Wed Sep 26 2012 13:51:45

This election is about the economy -- not social issues or other distractions.

Romney foreign policy attack was disgracefulupdated Thu Sep 13 2012 08:44:01

"Partisanship ought to end at the water's edge" is a longstanding adage of American politics.

Obama speaks to Americans as adultsupdated Fri Sep 07 2012 02:27:15

One of the mysteries of this administration is that President Obama is a great orator, but not always a great communicator, and we saw that dichotomy in effect again last night in Charlotte.

Politics of Clint Eastwood's empty chairupdated Mon Sep 03 2012 08:53:01

Clint Eastwood's rambling speech to an empty chair in Tampa, Florida, was more than just awkward performance art on a political stage. 

Is that the best Mitt Romney can do?updated Fri Aug 31 2012 02:00:42

Is that the best he can do?

GOP policy is the scandal, not just Akin's commentsupdated Tue Aug 21 2012 10:54:42

"If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

What we in 2012 can learn from Teddy Roosevelt in 1912updated Mon Aug 06 2012 07:34:02

One hundred years ago Monday, Theodore Roosevelt launched the most successful third party presidential bid in American history, declaring, "We stand at Armageddon, and we battle for the Lord!"

Is it still too soon to talk gun control?updated Mon Jul 30 2012 07:51:51

The bodies of the victims are being buried. The court case will continue, without cameras. The horror in Aurora has faded from the front page in favor of Olympic coverage.

3 bipartisan bills that could get the economy moving updated Mon Jul 09 2012 08:20:20

Welcome back to work, Congress. Hope you enjoyed your fourth full week off this year. Now find a way to work together to help get America back to work.

Jeb vs. Grover: Battle for GOP's soulupdated Wed Jun 13 2012 12:30:04

This is what happens when politics starts looking like a cult: Jeb Bush gets attacked for being a traitor to the conservative cause.

Hyper-partisanship dragging down nationupdated Thu Jun 07 2012 14:54:01

It's not your imagination: Our politics are more polarized than at any point in recent history.

The Freedom Tower, rising from ashesupdated Mon Apr 30 2012 15:37:41

The World Trade Center is again the tallest building in New York one year after the killing of Osama bin Laden and more than 10 years after the attacks that brought them down.

Why tax reform talk a dead endupdated Mon Apr 16 2012 18:53:33

It turns out that Richard Nixon was a hippie.

Where's the outrage over Republican's 'communist' claim?updated Sun Apr 15 2012 18:13:54

"I have here in my hand a list of 205 communists ..."

Palin, Huckabee and the lure of star powerupdated Wed Apr 04 2012 12:56:23

It's tough to get quality people to run for political office these days. There's the cult-like polarization, the vicious mudslinging, and the cost to families and finances.