BRET STEPHENS hillary clinton

The best hope for what’s left of a serious conservative movement in America is the election in November of a Democratic president, held in check by a Republican Congress. Conservatives can survive liberal administrations, especially those whose predictable failures lead to healthy restorations — think Carter, then Reagan. What isn’t survivable is a Republican president who is part Know Nothing, part Smoot-Hawley, and part John Birch. The stain of a Trump administration would cripple the conservative cause for a generation.

The Wall Street Journal, May 9, urging conservatives to support Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump.

Anne Applebaum and Edward Lucas disinformation

Russia does not seek to promote itself, but rather to undermine the institutions of the West, often using discordant messages. RT [formerly Russia Today] pumps out scare stories about migrants, and also portrays the West as racist and xenophobic. Russian-backed websites promote conspiracy theories — 9/11 was an “inside job,’’ Zika was created by the CIA — while ridiculing the excellent Western investigative journalism that revealed the ties among Russian politics, business, organized crime, and intelligence.

The Washington Post, May 6, on Russian disinformation campaigns targeting Europe.

Wendy Davis ted cruz

While I had to resign from the Texas State Senate to run for governor, you didn’t have to leave the US Senate to run for president. That’s great! It means you can jump right back into the critical work of legislating. With all the work that the Senate is doing right now — meeting with appointees to the US Supreme Court and holding hearings to confirm a new secretary of the Army, passing budgets — wait, none of that is getting done. Well, you will fit right back in nonetheless given your penchant for shutting down the government when you don’t get your way.

The Guardian, May 7, on the end of Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign.

Muddassar Ahmed

Sadiq Khan

[It] is worth remembering the powerful message that Sadiq Khan’s London victory sends not just to anti-Muslim bigots, but also to Muslims themselves. Secular politics work: Faith-based prejudice might be real, but it is ultimately a losing proposition. And we can think of no better way to encourage and increase the embrace by British Muslims of their country and their democracy than this simple message: You will be judged by what you do, and not who you are.

CNN Opinion, May 6, on Sadiq Khan’s election as mayor of London.