It’s Wednesday, July 8. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Can Rahm Emanuel thread the needle on Israel? Kat Rosenfield on how the Graham Platner scandal became a turning point for progressives. Suzy Weiss on what the “Jackass” films mean for a generation of risk-averse young men. And much more.
But first, Douglas Murray asks: Will the truth win out at Tyler Robinson’s trial?
The assassination of Charlie Kirk was a grave national tragedy: a prominent political figure killed while exercising the First Amendment rights on which American freedom depends.
What has happened since Kirk’s killing may not be as shocking as the shooting itself, but it is just as disturbing. Over the last 10 months, some of the most prominent podcasters and influencers on the internet—including people who were once Kirk’s friends—have peddled deranged conspiracies about who killed him. This week, the baseless theorizing of Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, and others finally collided with reality in a Utah courtroom. That’s where the main suspect in the case, Tyler Robinson, will stand trial once a judge rules that the evidence against him is strong enough for the case to proceed.
At a hearing on Monday, Kirk’s family, including his widow Erika, came face to face with Robinson for the first time. It’s also where these noxious conspiracy theories will be met again and again with actual evidence. The stakes could not be higher, which is why we asked Douglas Murray to tackle this important case in his latest column.
—The Editors
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Rahm Emanuel Bows to the Left on Israel |
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Today, 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful Rahm Emanuel will give a speech in Israel premised upon a familiar threat: America’s support of the Jewish state is no longer unconditional. But the speech isn’t for Israelis, writes Peter Savodnik. It’s for Democrats in the United States—to show them that Emanuel can pass the party’s litmus test without betraying his Jewish identity. Attempting this balancing act is one thing—pulling it off will be another. | |
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Graham Platner Is Bad. But Nobody’s Perfect! |
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The real Graham Platner story, Kat Rosenfield writes, is something deeper than the sum total of the Maine Senate candidate’s misdeeds: “It’s about members of the progressive elite wanting to shed the unflattering image of themselves as the perpetually offended HR department of politics in favor of something rougher, tougher, and more relatable”—and the depravity they embraced to make their wish come true. | |
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‘Jackass’ Was the Last Great Boys’ Show |
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Before men complained that a few glasses of wine made it harder to podcast, they did stupid, dangerous stuff and pointed a camera at it. These were the men of “Jackass,” and the glorious era that began in 1998 is now coming to an end. Today, Suzy Weiss reviews the latest and final “Jackass” film—and reflects on what the series’ conclusion means at a time when young men are becoming more and more risk-averse. | |
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