Unserious Leadership in a Serious Time

September 9th, 2022 3:30 PM

We live in a deeply serious time with deeply unserious leaders. Historian Niall Ferguson has written that the "extreme violence of the twentieth century" was precipitated by three preconditions: "ethnic conflict, economic volatility, and empires in decline." It is difficult not to see such preconditions repeating themselves in this century. The West is currently tearing itself apart over…

Harvard Historian Niall Ferguson Schools Morning Joe Panel on Obama an

October 10th, 2013 5:40 PM
British historian Niall Ferguson brought a breath of fresh air to the set of MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Thursday, effortlessly cutting through the show’s typical left-wing spin. Co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski were engaged in their new favorite pastime – slamming Ted Cruz and other GOP “extremists” – when Ferguson jumped in and suggested that President Obama may also be culpable in…

Former NYT Public Editor Says Majority of Workload Involved Krugman's

October 10th, 2013 11:33 AM
NewsBusters readers are well-aware that one of our problems with New York Times columnist Paul Krugman - besides his perilously liberal bias, of course! - is how he plays fast and loose with facts to support his agenda. On MSNBC's Morning Joe Thursday, co-host Joe Scarborough said, "One of the public editors of the New York Times told me off the record after my debate that their biggest…

Niall Ferguson Smacks Down Bill Maher’s Claim Fracking Supporters De

June 15th, 2013 12:35 PM
HBO’s Bill Maher once again made a fool of himself on national television Friday. After making the truly absurd comment during a discussion about hydraulic fracturing, "How anyone with children defends contaminated water I’ll never know,” the Real Time host was thoroughly smacked down by economist Niall Ferguson (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):

Newsweek's 'Hit the Road, Barack' Author Strikes Back: 'I Suggest Krug

August 20th, 2012 12:45 PM
As NewsBusters reported, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman on Sunday called Newsweek's cover story "Hit the Road, Barack" unethical. Niall Ferguson, the author of the piece, responded at the Daily Beast writing, "I suggest Krugman reads a wee bit more carefully before his conscience next starts blogging":

Paul Krugman Calls Newsweek's 'Hit the Road, Barack' Cover Story 'Unet

August 20th, 2012 9:34 AM
NewsBusters reported Sunday that Newsweek is out with a truly shocking edition featuring a cover story entitled "Hit the Road, Barack: Why We Need a New President." New York Times columnist Paul Krugman took to his blog Sunday excoriating the article in a piece he called "Unethical Commentary, Newsweek Edition":

Shocking Newsweek Cover: 'Hit the Road, Barack - Why We Need a New Pre

August 19th, 2012 5:57 PM
After some of the recent Obama-loving/Romney-bashing Newsweek covers, the one hitting newsstands Monday is guaranteed to turn some heads. Under the picture of our dear leader are the words, "Hit the Road, Barack: Why We Need a New President."

'This Week' Guest: 'All The Texans I Know Can't Stand' Rick Perry

November 6th, 2011 2:13 PM
Call it Niall Ferguson's Pauline Kael moment . . . During the roundtable segment this morning on ABC's This Week, Ferguson, an academic with appointments at Harvard, Stanford and Oxford, said that "all the Texans I know" can't stand Rick Perry. Ferguson was reacting to host Christiane Amanpour's question about Perry's highly-animated New Hampshire address.  Ferguson professed to like the "…

Harvard Professor Slams Obama's Handling of Egypt; 'Morning Joe' Panel

February 14th, 2011 5:44 PM
For about ten minutes on MSNBC Monday, Harvard History professor Niall Ferguson offered a articulate, detailed, and biting indictment of President Obama's handling of the crisis Egypt – and those disagreeing on the usually Obamaphilic "Morning Joe" panel could offer little of substance in response. Co-host Mika Brzezinski began the segment reading Ferguson's latest column – which is the…