Politics. Hoyas. YMMV. Views expressed are mine alone, obviously. @TargetedVictory
Articles by Liam Donovan
How a hit Quebec play was reimagined for small-town Newfoundland
Arts For its English-language debut, Michel Marc Bouchard’s acclaimed stage drama La nuit où Laurier Gaudreault s'est réveillé gets an East Coast twist. The Night Logan Woke Up transports the action to Clarenville, N.L. The Night Logan Woke Up transports Michel Marc Bouchard’s stage drama from Alma, Que.
Axios Founders Mike Allen & Jim VandeHei: The Case For Simplifying Everything (Podcast)
In this episode of The Lobby Shop, hosts Josh Zive, Paul Nathanson and Liam Donovan are joined by Axios co-founders Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen to discuss their book Simplify, released today, September 15. They discuss the experiences and observations that led them to write the book, why so many leaders and organizations become trapped by unnecessary complexity, and how simplifying priorities, communication and decision-making can unlock better results.
Nothing good happens after midnight — unless it’s Edmonton Fringe
Arts How a midnight variety show inside a curling club became a fixture of North America’s largest Fringe festival. With games, pranks and a no-holds-barred attitude, the Late Night Cabaret has become an institution Liam Donovan · CBC Arts · Posted: Aug 12, 2026 11:29 AM EDT | Last Updated: 25 minutes ago Listen to this article Estimated 6 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur.
At Edinburgh Fringe, comedians are Canada’s chief export
Arts With troublemaking monks and puppet nightmares, these duos head to the world's largest performing arts festival to prove good things come in pairs. These duos are headed to the world's largest performing arts festival to prove good things come in pairs Liam Donovan · CBC Arts · Posted: Aug 05, 2026 2:31 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago Listen to this article Estimated 6 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur.
Is this the Democratic tea party?
Is this the Democratic tea party? (washingtonpost.com) Is this the Democratic tea party? By James Hohmann; Liam Donovan 2026063022370100 Is the Democratic Party having its tea party moment? In this episode of "Make It Make Sense," James Hohmann talks with Liam Donovan, political strategist and a president at Targeted Victory, about the rise of Democratic populism, its effects on the midterms and how it compares to the rise of Trumpism.
High energy bills? Blame the trial lawyers.
High energy bills? Blame the trial lawyers. (washingtonpost.com) High energy bills? Blame the trial lawyers. By Liam Donovan 2026042410460400 Who's to blame for pain at the pump? Americans looking for answers might train their ire on a less-noticed culprit: the campaign to subvert U.S. energy policy through targeted lawsuits.
Opinion: Why Republicans will not run away from Trump
A U.S.-Iran cease-fire means at least a temporary halt to most military action. But the consequences of the war in Iran will reverberate for some time — in prices at the gas pump and elsewhere, and also politically, with slumping approval ratings for President Trump. But the president isn’t on the ballot in November. What do Republicans think about how this war has gone? And what are they thinking about their prospects in the midterms and beyond?
What Republicans are Thinking
Sunrise from the east end of OIB Greetings from sunny Ocean Isle Beach, NC, where the Donovan clan is riding out Spring Break. Yesterday I took a break for a poolside chat with New York Times opinion editor John Guida, who was looking for an inside take on the mood among Republicans heading into November. Having been unplugged for the past six weeks, my perspective is less oriented by the online hive mind than it otherwise might be.
A Republican Strategist Explains What’s Going On With the Party
Opinion|A Republican Strategist Explains What’s Going On With the Party https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/10/opinion/trump-republicans-midterms-iran.html You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Guest Essay April 10, 2026 Credit...Damon Winter/The New York Times A U.S.-Iran cease-fire means at least a temporary halt to most military action.
Eyes On Texas: What To Make Of 2026 Primaries (Podcast)
Bracewell are most popular: within Real Estate and Construction topic(s) Politico's Jonathan Martin joins The Lobby Shop hosts Josh Zive and Liam Donovan to unpack the first contests of the 2026 election cycle. They break down key races in Texas, as well as North Carolina and Arkansas and what the early results could mean for the fight for Congress. The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter.
The Lobby Shop-Eyes on Texas: What to Make of 2026 Primaries [Podcast]
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The Greenhouse theatre festival grows new Canadian plays
Arts The influential incubator program has cultivated success at home and abroad. Now, a new crop of talent is ready to take the stage. Cultivating success at home and abroad, Tarragon Theatre’s influential incubator program returns to Toronto Liam Donovan · CBC Arts · Posted: Jan 22, 2026 1:47 PM EST | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago Listen to this article Estimated 6 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur.
Reviews of theatre in Toronto and beyond | Intermission
REVIEW: A Question of Character examines the psychology of a filmmaker who created Nazi propaganda The greatest strength of A Question of Character, now playing at the Aki Studio, is that its fundamental questions manifest as an active process. Rather than conveying a pre-packaged conclusion, the production undertakes a genuine attempt to work through Leni Riefenstahl's contradictions while weighing the payoffs of revenge.
Setting The Table For 2026: Tariffs, Messaging And The Midterm Map (Podcast)
Bracewell are most popular: within Real Estate and Construction topic(s) Kicking off the first The Lobby Shop episode of 2026, hosts Josh Zive, Caitlin Sickles, Dylan Pasiuk, and Liam Donovan take stock of the political forces already shaping the year ahead. The conversation spans looming Supreme Court decisions on IEEPA tariffs, the communications challenges facing parties heading into a midterm year, and what recent elections signal for House and Senate control.
Twelve indelible moments of performance from 2025
iPhoto caption: L to R, top to bottom: 'The 39 Steps' (photo by Raph Nogal), 'Benevolence' (photo by Jae Yang), 'The Born-Again Crow' (photo by Jeremy Mimnagh), 'Dimanche' (photo by Thomas Müller), 'Last Landscape' (photo by Fran Chudnoff), 'The Merchant of Venice' (photo by Kyle Purcell), 'Slave Play' (photo by Dahlia Katz), 'Waiting for Godot' (photo by Elana Emer), 'The Welkin' (photo by Dahlia Katz). The performing arts unfold in the moment.
REVIEW: Tom Rooney dazzles in world premiere of Michael Healey’s Rogers v. Rogers
int(113898) iPhoto caption: Tom Rooney in 'Rogers v. Rogers' at Crow's Theatre. Photo by Dahlia Katz. Rogers v. Rogers, Michael Healey’s new satire at Crow’s Theatre, skilfully captures a heartbreaking duality at the centre of contemporary life, particularly in Canada: That a tiny group of corporations dominate many key industries, but the people running those companies often base their decisions on self-interest.
REVIEW: Lester Trips’ stylish Public Consumption captures the internet’s profound emptiness
int(113860) iPhoto caption: Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton in 'Public Consumption.' Photo by Eden Graham. Shows intending to critique the internet can grow slack when they rely on literal representations of the digital realm to entertain the audience.
Washington Reopens: The Fallout, The Politics, And What Happens Next (Podcast)
Joshua C. Zive’s articles from Bracewell are most popular: in United States with readers working within the Retail & Leisure industries Bracewell are most popular: within Consumer Protection, Litigation and Mediation & Arbitration topic(s) With the federal government reopened, Lobby Shop hosts Josh Zive, Paul Nathanson and Liam Donovan break down the political fallout and how both parties are repositioning.
REVIEW: Icarus Theatre’s DNA paints a disturbing mural of teenage rebellion
int(113736) iPhoto caption: Photo by Elana Emer. In the opening minutes of Icarus Theatre’s DNA, by English playwright Dennis Kelly, a flood of bodies dances among fallen leaves, expressive graffiti, and metal scraps. It’s a party — but something’s off. The teenagers’ movements crackle with tension; there’s fear where there should be freedom. It’s a natural start to a grungy, passionate production that stars young people, but finds them terrifying.
REVIEW: Lepage’s ethereal The Far Side of the Moon is insomniac theatre
int(113700) iPhoto caption: Olivier Normand in 'The Far Side of the Moon.' Photo by Li Wang. Mirrors can bring us closer to ourselves or have a distancing effect; it depends on the hour, manner, and angle of our gaze. Writer-director Robert Lepage’s The Far Side of the Moon begins and ends with a large mirror on stage, and the show extracts enigmatic power from the tantalizing question of whether its protagonist is losing himself in his reflection, or moving toward self-discovery.
Stalemate In Washington: Shutdown Politics And Election Forecasts (Podcast)
Joshua C. Zive’s articles from Bracewell are most popular: in United States Bracewell are most popular: within Consumer Protection, Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration and Technology topic(s) As the U.S. enters its fourth week of the government shutdown, The Lobby Shop team breaks down where the pain points are emerging, the political strategies driving the standoff, and what potential paths forward might look like.
Shutdown Showdown (Podcast)
Joshua C. Zive’s articles from Bracewell are most popular: with readers working within the Business & Consumer Services industries Bracewell are most popular: within Consumer Protection, Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration and Tax topic(s) The Lobby Shop team breaks down Washington's latest shutdown, what sparked it, and how long it might last.
REVIEW: Talk is Free Theatre’s Blackbird offers a close-up look at two detailed performances
int(113512) iPhoto caption: Cyrus Lane and Kirstyn Russelle in Barrie run of 'Blackbird.' Photo by Dahlia Katz. Among traversing the globe, producing Sondheim musicals, and conducting site-specific experiments in its hometown of Barrie, Ontario, Talk is Free Theatre (TIFT) has taken to putting on well-acted stagings of contemporary Anglophone scripts just old enough to have been forgotten.
REVIEW: Kitchener’s biennial IMPACT Festival crackled with urgency
iPhoto caption: Sleman Aldib and an audience member in 'The Opposite.' Still from a trailer by Spectrum Associates. IMPACT Festival is a name that invites challenge. Though it doubles as an acronym for International Multicultural Platform for Alternative Contemporary Theatre, the word “impact,” considered in the context of a performing arts festival, raises an important but intimidatingly broad question: What does it mean for a performance to leave a genuine imprint on a community?
How director Jillian Keiley uses perspective to guide the audience’s eye in Dial M for Murder at Theatre Calgary
iPhoto caption: Tyrell Crews and Stafford Perry in 'Dial M For Murder.' Photo by Trudie Lee. A latchkey, a handbag, and a letter: the plot of Frederick Knott’s classic thriller Dial M for Murder hinges on small objects. For his hit film adaptation of this 1952 play about a man who murders his wife to nab her inheritance, Alfred Hitchcock highlighted essential details via close-ups and unexpected cinematographic angles. But in a live production, how should the audience know where to look?
REVIEW: The Veil brings stripped-down psycholgical thrills to the Crow’s Theatre Studio
int(113309) iPhoto caption: Byron Abalos in 'The Veil.' Photo by Raph Nogal. The characters of playwright Keith Barker often rub shoulders with the spirit world. Sometimes this means benevolent visitations: The Hours That Remain (2012) sees a woman mysteriously encounter her long-missing sister, while the Carol Bolt Award-winning This Is How We Got Here (2016) features a fox that can be understood as embodying an Indigenous couple’s dead son.
REVIEW: North America’s biggest fringe festival happens in Edmonton - and the atmosphere is invigorating
int(113141) iPhoto caption: Photo of Katie Yoner and Dayna Lea Hoffmann by Marc Chalifoux. Every August, the Edmonton International Fringe Festival transforms the popular historic neighbourhood of Old Strathcona into an 11-day street party. Multiple blocks become pedestrian-only. Food trucks whip up greasy food. A kids’ stage hosts family-friendly theatre. Beer tents flourish. World-class street performers attract crowds of passersby.
K Street Is Dead. Long Live K Street.
A lot has happened since my last post in the wee hours of election eve. The 45th President is now the 47th President, propelled by a broad, diverse coalition, and legitimized by a convincing victory that swept Republicans into full control of the federal government.
August Uncertainty: Tariffs, Trade Turbulence & The Funding Fight (Podcast)
This week on The Lobby Shop, the team dives into the storm brewing in Washington as Congress heads into August recess. Josh Zive and Paul Nathanson dissect President Trump's latest tariff moves and their ripple effects on American manufacturers already navigating a volatile trade landscape. Meanwhile, Liam Donovan and Dylan Pasiuk forecast the high-stakes battle over government funding, with a shutdown threat looming large.
Fireworks On The Floor: The July 4th Signing Of The One Big Beautiful Bill (Podcast)
This week on The Lobby Shop, hosts Josh Zive, Caitlin Sickles, Liam Donovan, and Dylan Pasiuk unpack the July 4th signing of "The One Big Beautiful Bill," a major political win for the GOP and President Trump. The team breaks down how the reconciliation bill made it through Congress, the differing strategies between House and Senate Republicans, and how Democrats may use key provisions like Medicaid changes and tax cuts as future campaign ammunition.
REVIEW: Shaw Festival’s wayward Gnit is an existential riff on Ibsen
int(112984) iPhoto caption: Gabriella Sundar Singh as Anitra and Qasim Khan as Peter in 'Gnit.' Photo by Michael Cooper. In an oft-quoted video interview, the Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami paid tribute to the joys of dozing in an auditorium. “I absolutely don’t like the films in which the filmmakers take their viewers hostage and provoke them,” he said.
REVIEW: Playful performances abound in brisk High Park Romeo & Juliet
int(112892) iPhoto caption: Praneet Akilla and Lili Beaudoin in 'Romeo & Juliet.' Photo by Dahlia Katz. Canadian Stage’s 2025 High Park production of Romeo & Juliet deftly captures the awkwardness of young love. Breaking off from their first kiss, the titular lovers appear endearingly nervous: Romeo (Praneet Akilla) lets out an overloud whoop, as if cooling himself off, before Juliet (Lili Beaudoin) scuttles toward the exit with a giggle.
Mayko Nguyen and bahia watson to star in Canadian premiere of The Welkin
int(112872) iPhoto caption: L to R: Raquel Duffy, Amaka Umeh, Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, Mayko Nguyen, Ruth Goodwin, Hallie Seline, and Brefny Caribou. Photo by Dahlia Katz. Soulpepper Theatre, the Howland Company, and Crow’s Theatre have announced the 17-person cast appearing in the Canadian premiere of Lucy Kirkwood’s The Welkin, a courtroom drama set in 1759 England.
Lighthouse Festival unearths rarely performed Norm Foster one-acts
int(112844) iPhoto caption: "My Narrator" photo courtesy of the Lighthouse Festival. Norm Foster’s plays have long been a pillar of the Lighthouse Festival’s programming, with multiple often appearing in the same season. Usually, that means full-length works — frequently, world premieres. But this summer, the Port Dover/Port Colborne-based company is diving into Foster’s back catalogue and producing a pair of rarely staged one acts from the mid-2000s.
Reviews: Toronto Fringe Festival 2025
int(112754) iPhoto caption: Adam Francis Proulx, Elm Reyes, Kay-Ann Ward in a Fringe promo photo by Joy Adeola. The Toronto Fringe Festival and an Ontario-based performing arts magazine bump into each other at a grocery store. Amid the squeak of carts on tile, the Fringe says: “Our 37th iteration runs July 2 to 13 and features over 100 productions across 22 venues. And for the first time, the festival hub is in the Distillery District.
REVIEW: Shaw Festival’s metatheatrical Major Barbara is sharp and subversive
int(112716) iPhoto caption: The cast of 'Major Barbara.' Photo by David Cooper. In director Peter Hinton-Davis’ latest Shaw Festival production, metatheatricality enters the conversation before the lights go down. A parchment-coloured curtain displays text in Times New Roman: “Major Barbara. In Three Acts.
Inside Biden's White House: A Conversation With NYT Bestselling Author Alex Thompson (Podcast)
In this episode of The Lobby Shop, the team welcomes back Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson, co-author (with CNN's Jake Tapper) of the explosive New York Times bestseller Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. Thompson shares the inside story of how he and Tapper uncovered internal divisions, strategic missteps, and high-stakes decision-making inside the Biden White House.
The Lobby Shop- Inside Biden’s White House: A Conversation with NYT Bestselling Author Alex Thompson [Podcast]
In this episode of The Lobby Shop, the team welcomes back Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson, co-author (with CNN’s Jake Tapper) of the explosive New York Times bestseller Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. Thompson shares the inside story of how he and Tapper uncovered internal divisions, strategic missteps, and high-stakes decision-making inside the Biden White House.
Reconciliation Roadmap And Tariff Updates (Podcast)
In this episode of The Lobby Shop, Liam Donovan provides an update on the budget reconciliation process in Congress, and the team dives into the proposed House cuts to energy programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, proposed Medicaid reductions, and the ongoing debate over SALT deductions—along with the challenges the legislation faces in the Senate and a tight legislative timeline.
The Lobby Shop- Reconciliation Roadmap and Tariff Updates [Podcast]
Skip to main content May 19, 2025 Volume XV, Number 139 Legal Analysis. Expertly Written. Quickly Found.
Reconciliation Reckoning (Podcast)
The Lobby Shop team turns their focus on the ongoing budget reconciliation process in Congress that will shape the Trump administration's economic agenda. Hosts Josh Zive, Paul Nathanson and Liam Donovan provide a quick update on the latest tariff developments before diving into the reconciliation process and the shifting legislative dynamics between the House and the Senate.
Post Liberation Day Blues (Podcast)
In the aftermath of President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements, the Lobby Shop team breaks down the philosophy behind President Trump's new tariffs and the real world ramifications for both domestic and foreign policy. The team also examines reactions from the private sector and Congress, including the potential impact on the timing for the Republicans' plan to move forward on a tax package.
Riding The Tariff Rollercoaster (Podcast)
The Lobby Shop team is back and talking tariffs! Caitlin Sickles, Josh Zive, Paul Nathanson, Liam Donovan and Dylan Pasiuk break down the latest developments in the ongoing tariff rollercoaster—separating the tariffs that have actually been imposed from those still being threatened, along with the retaliation from U.S. trading partners.
How to set out of office in Outlook 365?
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development Store and/or access information on a device You can choose how your personal data is used.
Where did the Freedom rides take place?
The Freedom Rides: A Journey Through the United States Introduction The Freedom Rides were a series of civil rights protests and demonstrations that took place in the United States during the 1960s. These events were a crucial part of the Civil Rights Movement, aimed at ending segregation and racial inequality in the country. The Freedom Rides were a pivotal moment in American history, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to racial equality.
How to automate Google reviews?
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development Store and/or access information on a device You can choose how your personal data is used.
Riding the Tariff Rollercoaster
Click here to listen to the podcast The Lobby Shop team is back and talking tariffs! , , , and k break down the latest developments in the ongoing tariff rollercoaster—separating the tariffs that have actually been imposed from those still being threatened, along with the retaliation from U.S. trading partners. They explore President Trump’s rationale for using tariffs and threats of tariffs, highlighting key differences between those imposed during his first term versus his second.
Awaiting Trump's Second Inauguration: GOP Challenges, Party Divisions, And What Lies Ahead (Podcast)
In the Lobby Shop's first episode of 2025, co-hosts Liam Donovan, Caitlin Sickles and Dylan Pasiuk convene to analyze the political environment ahead of President-elect Trump's second inauguration. The group explores the challenges facing Speaker Johnson in a very narrowly divided Congress, the enduring influence of Trump on the Republican Party and the Democrats' growing sense of resignation in legislative struggles.
The Trump Administration’s Day-One Executive Actions: Impacts on Energy and Environmental Policy and More | JD Supra
On January 20, 2025, President Trump re-assumed the presidency with a flurry of executive orders and memoranda, many of which directly impacted energy and environmental issues. These orders included a production-minded strategy entitled “Unleashing American Energy,” a short-term regulatory freeze, a declaration of a national energy emergency, a specific order regarding wind energy and an order establishing the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The Lobby Shop: Awaiting Trump’s Second Inauguration: GOP Challenges, Party Divisions, and What Lies Ahead [Podcast]
In the Lobby Shop’s first episode of 2025, co-hosts Liam Donovan, Caitlin Sickles and Dylan Pasiuk convene to analyze the political environment ahead of President-elect Trump’s second inauguration. The group explores the challenges facing Speaker Johnson in a very narrowly divided Congress, the enduring influence of Trump on the Republican Party and the Democrats’ growing sense of resignation in legislative struggles.
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