Democrats Had a Theory of the Election. They Were Wrong.
Two columnists argue that the left neglected to hear what Americans were telling them over the past four years.
By Lydia Polgreen, Tressie McMillan Cottom and Vishakha Darbha
Tressie McMillan Cottom became a New York Times Opinion columnist in 2022. She is a sociologist, professor and cultural critic known for her incisive essays on social problems. She is the author of two books: “Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy” and “Thick: And Other Essays.” Her second book was a 2019 finalist for the National Book Award for nonfiction.
Dr. McMillan Cottom’s New York Times newsletter has covered sartorial politics, scam culture and depictions of social change in popular culture. She is a regular commentator on higher education, work, media and inequality, including for “The Daily Show,” “Fresh Air,” The Atlantic and The Washington Post. A 2020 MacArthur “genius” grant recipient, she is currently writing an essay collection and a memoir. She lives in Chapel Hill, N.C., surrounded by extended family and a dog, Kirby.
Two columnists argue that the left neglected to hear what Americans were telling them over the past four years.
By Lydia Polgreen, Tressie McMillan Cottom and Vishakha Darbha
Her loss is a sign that the age of identity politics is not over.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
Who will win the presidency, House and Senate? What is the election about? And what happens next for America?
By David Brooks, Ross Douthat, Michelle Goldberg and Tressie McMillan Cottom
He was clearly recalibrating what it takes to hook his addicted masses.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
He means everything that Trump means.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom
With Harris and Trump locked in a tight race, will the vice-presidential debate do anything to help or hurt either ticket?
By David Brooks, Ross Douthat, Tressie McMillan Cottom and Pamela Paul
How the allegations against Sean Combs change the way we talk about #MeToo, rumors and powerful men.
By Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat, Tressie McMillan Cottom and Jessica Grose
What does success or failure look like for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s debate?
By Jamelle Bouie, Ross Douthat, David French, Michelle Goldberg and Tressie McMillan Cottom
A columnist argues that Harris’s campaign is smart to downplay the vice president’s identity.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom and Vishakha Darbha
No doublespeak, no metaphors — just straight talk.
By Tressie McMillan Cottom