Post Reports

Today, a deep dive into the life of Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. Plus, a dispatch from Ukraine, where Russian forces are pressing closer to the capital, Kyiv.Read more: On Friday morning, President Biden announced his nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court: federal judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Currently serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Jackson is a former clerk for Justice Stephen G. Breyer. If confirmed, she will be the first Black woman and the first former federal public defender on the Supreme Court. Legal affairs reporter Ann Marimow on Jackson’s past, and what she’d bring to the court.Plus, a dispatch from Ukraine, where Russia is advancing on the capital, Kyiv. Our foreign correspondent Siobhan O’Grady reports.

On Thursday, Russia launched attacks on cities across Ukraine, from Kyiv to Kharkiv. Today on Post Reports, what it’s like on the ground there, Putin’s calculus, and why the United States and Europe feel powerless to stop Russia.   Read more:Ukrainians in cities and towns across the country woke up to the sound of explosions early Thursday morning as Russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine. On Thursday afternoon, President Biden announced further sanctions against Russia, saying, “We have no intention of fighting Russia. We want to send an unmistakable message, though, that the United States, together with our Allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory.”But will those sanctions make any difference? “I don't see any sanctions that are going to, especially at this point, prevent him from trying to execute his plan,” reporter Paul Sonne said of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added: “This is a horrific turn of events in world history. Russia is an incredibly powerful military, and it's unleashing its full military might against a neighboring, much less powerful state. And we're witnessing that in real time. “We're seeing Ukrainians suffering deeply, fearing for their lives, fleeing their cities, moving their children into bomb shelters. And because Russia is a nuclear power, people in the United States and in Europe are feeling quite powerless to do anything about it.”We also hear from our reporters on the ground in Ukraine about what these early days of attacks feel like for the people caught in the crossfire.Follow The Post’s coverage of the assault on Ukraine here. 

Robert Klemko, a Criminal justice reporter for The Washington Post, explores a police training conference revealing a disconnect between public demand for reform and the messaging at the event. He uncovers a militaristic approach to policing, with speakers advocating assertive tactics despite ongoing calls for accountability. Klemko also highlights troubling qualifications of trainers, often lacking extensive law enforcement experience. The recording he obtained sheds light on the nuances of police training amidst a national conversation on change.

In this discussion, Isabelle Khurshudyan, Moscow correspondent for The Washington Post, provides an on-the-ground perspective from eastern Ukraine as geopolitical tensions escalate. She shares insights on the implications of Russia recognizing separatist regions and the varied reactions from international allies. Khurshudyan also highlights the complex attitudes of Ukrainians toward their sovereignty amidst uncertainty. Additionally, photojournalist Michael Robinson Chavez recounts harrowing experiences while reporting on the front lines, showcasing the stark realities of war.

Students, teachers and historians reflect on what has changed – and what should change – about the way we teach presidential history today.Read more:Americans are grappling with the complex legacies of former presidents.In just the past few weeks, a Theodore Roosevelt statue came down in New York City and a high school in New Jersey named after Woodrow Wilson officially decided to drop the president’s name.Today’s episode is hosted by Lilian Cunningham and looks to students, teachers and presidential historians to illuminate what has – and hasn’t – changed about how the presidency is taught in the classroom.We’re joined by Professors Barbara Perry of the University of Virginia and Julian Zelizer of Princeton University; Clint Smith, author of “How the Word is Passed”; and the AP government and politics class of teacher Michael Martirone. To learn more about the life and legacy of every single American president, check out “The Presidential” podcast: Listen here.If you value the journalism you hear in this podcast, please subscribe to The Washington Post. We have a deal for our listeners – one year of unlimited access to everything The Post publishes for just $29. To sign up, go to washingtonpost.com/subscribe.

With midterms ahead, both parties are tryings to connect with voters. But what if voters just want politics to stop feeling like an existential death match? Plus, a tribute to “Arthur,” the kids show ending after 25 years.Read more:This year’s midterm elections have Democrats and Republicans facing tough questions about how to reach voters. Back in November, there was a test case that offered some insight to both parties: the Virginia governor’s race.Businessman Glenn Youngkin was the first Republican to be elected governor of Virginia in nearly a decade. The race was viewed nationally as both a test of Joe Biden’s presidency and whether Republicans could mount a return after losing the White House.Washington Post Magazine reporter David Montgomery wanted to know what led voters in a state that voted for Biden by big margins in 2020 to suddenly swing right in 2021. So he set out on a road trip across Virginia to talk to voters and to hear how the heated rhetoric between both political parties has influenced local communities.After 25 years, the animated children’s show “Arthur” is ending. Producer Ariel Plotnick speaks with the author of the original books and the longtime executive producer of the show about what made “Arthur” so relatable for kids and parents alike. 

Kim Bellware, a national reporter for The Washington Post, provides expert insight into the groundbreaking $73 million settlement reached by Sandy Hook victims' families with Remington Arms, highlighting the legal challenges that paved the way for this accountability. Amanda Coletta shares on-the-ground reporting from Ottawa, detailing the lengthy protests against vaccine mandates that turned into a broader demand for lifting all pandemic restrictions, causing significant disruptions across Canada and the U.S.

Peter Whoriskey, a financial reporter for The Washington Post, discusses how private equity is reshaping America's suburbs. He reveals the alarming trend where corporations are snapping up homes to rent them back to struggling families. Whoriskey delves into the experiences of tenants facing poor conditions and aggressive lease terms. He also highlights how investors are driving up housing prices, especially in Black neighborhoods, raising critical questions about homeownership accessibility amidst a national affordability crisis.

Kamila Valieva is arguably the best female figure skater in the world. She’s also a 15-year-old at the center of an Olympics doping scandal. After the skater’s emotional performance Tuesday, we talk about doping and her controversial coach.Read more:Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old figure skating phenom from Russia, arrived in Beijing poised for a coronation, with a potential Olympic title affirming her status as the best women’s skater of her time. But now at the center of the doping controversy that has rocked these Games, Valieva finished her short program and brought her hands over her eyes, overwhelmed by a week in which her eligibility for this competition was in jeopardy – and is still being called into question.Health reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb explains the doping scandal andthe questions being raised about Kamila Valieva’s coach, Eteri Tutberidze. The Russian coach has helped revolutionize women's figure skating, but the doping controversy surrounding her latest star has put Tutberidze’s methods under an unwelcome spotlight.

Diplomatic efforts to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine have failed to ease tensions — and that has huge stakes for Ukraine, for Europe and for America’s standing in the world.Read more:The U.S. State Department has announced that the U.S. will close its embassy in Ukraine’s capital, with remaining embassy personnel being relocated closer to the border with Poland because of mounting U.S. fears of an invasion by Russia.Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to leave the diplomatic door open, but as national security reporter Shane Harris explains, talks aren’t producing any breakthroughs.