The implosion of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer offers a cautionary tale for Democrats, columnists Frank Bruni and Bret Stephens argue. His centrist failure, they contend, stems not from bold policy but from a lack of consistent conviction and uninspiring delivery, leaving voters cold.

This charisma deficit in the center contrasts sharply with figures like Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who attempts to make reasonableness compelling. Others, such as Elissa Slotkin and Ruben Gallego, rehearse similar acts, blending practicality with personal narrative to connect.

Domestically, the debate over Israel fractures the left, with critiques shifting from Netanyahu to unhinged condemnations of the state itself. Simultaneously, the Trump administration's roster—from Kash Patel's bizarre children's books to the forced resignation of Marty Makary at the F.D.A.—epitomizes a preference for loyalty over competence, turning the MAHA movement into a HAHA movement.