Molly Ball

MOLLY NEWS: I'm leaving the WSJ to work on a book about the realignment! Here's the announcement:

SUNDAY 8a & 11a ET: Can Democrats bounce back in Maine? ... President Trump faces tough choices on Iran... PLUS: @mkraju goes 1-on-1 with Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. @bresreports @mollyesque @ToluseO #InsidePolitics

Last week, at a Best Western in Sioux Falls, Joe Biden kissed a woman who wasn’t his wife on the mouth. That, and other observations about the return of the Bidens. nymag.com/intelligencer/…

That kicker!

In 2019, an independent commission comprising "distinguished jurists, Ivy League professors, nonprofit leaders, journalists, and theologians" invited @YAppelbaum to brainstorm concepts that might unite divided Americans. He suggested "patriotism"—and this is what happened: theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/…

New -- @insidepolitics 8aET/11aET - Trump and GOP after a tumultuous week - Big primary week ahead. My interview with Zach Wahls in #iasen - New Graham Platner controversy: The fallout -CA gov race, LA mayor - Trump's projects hit snag @mariannareports @burgessev @mollyesque

SUNDAY 8a & 11a ET: It's another big primary week in California and Iowa. Can progressives keep up their winning streak? PLUS: @mkraju goes 1-on-1 with Iowa Dem. Senate candidate Zach Wahls. @MariannaReports @mollyesque and @burgessev join #InsidePolitics

You would call Barney Frank’s office & they would just put you on the phone with him. “Hold on for Barney.” No one else did this, it was extraordinary in the pre-cell phone days. Then he’d yell at you, curse, lie, butter you up, spin you, tell you the truth. He was unique

the vast majority of babies ever born were raised by parents who would consider live video monitoring of a sleeping baby so excessive they’d be confused by the concept. having a baby is hard in a bunch of ways, but a whole lot of parents are making it much harder than it needs to be. they’re doing their best to shame everyone else into having a harder time than necessary too.

DC, Maryland, Virginia

Dems had been trying to reason with Scott for years — he was old, fading and unable to do the job like he used to. But he filed to run again and now Dems have their fourth death-caused vacancy of this Congress. politico.com/news/2022/01/1…

NEW: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will continue publishing! It has been acquired by the nonprofit Venetoulis Institute, which runs the Baltimore Banner. My story here: nytimes.com/2026/04/14/bus…

Amazing bit of reporting by Cokie Roberts that has stuck with me: Her discovery of a letter from Louisa Adams detailing how members of Congress left behind *40 pregnant mistresses* after the extra-long session of 1820, necessitating more orphanage space--> archives.gov/files/about/ar…

@elainejgodfrey Great piece!

‘Open the school!’ Hundreds of parents are demanding Fairfax County to add more 5-day school weeks. Right now, fewer than half of the school weeks have five days of instruction time in Fairfax County Public Schools. wjla.com/news/local/hun…

“They’ve taken a lot of steps on who they’ll allow to give them political advice,” one Democratic strategist told me, adding that the industry is suddenly much more willing to talk to Democrats. “They realized you can’t pass legislation in a close Congress and target only one party.”

A 2024 story about the guy who will now be the GOP nominee in Tony Gonzales's district.

James Merrill, poet I love, born 100 years ago today.

“Last May, Mr. Patel attended a secret national security conference at an exclusive resort outside London, and invited Ms. Wilkins to join him at a group dinner with King Charles III at Windsor Castle. The Royalty and Specialist Protection service balked at fetching her from the airport, so the F.B.I. scrambled tactical agents and an embassy vehicle, according to a person with knowledge of the plan.” Kash Patel’s Girlfriend Seeks Fame and Fortune, Escorted by an F.B.I. SWAT Team nytimes.com/2026/02/28/us/…

Btw I highly recommend you read @hannah_natanson insightful personal essay about what her year was like. At a time of distrust in media and a decline in media literacy, Hannah's essay pulls back the curtain and captures what it takes to do journalism. washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/…

Trump claims a tough policeman told him his sex life is better and his wife no longer treats him like a dog thanks to the stock market under President Trump.