Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown's wife won't let him speak Russian in public


Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is a Russophile — and he seems a little touchy about what that might imply.
The potential 2020 presidential candidate considers himself a populist and shares views with some of his more left-leaning colleagues, but unlike party up-and-comers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), he's squeamish about being called a socialist, The Atlantic reports in a profile published Thursday.
When asked to describe his political values, Brown cited three quotes: one from the Bible, one from Martin Luther King Jr., and one from Leo Tolstoy. The Russian author's quote mentions the "equality and brotherhood of men," something that reminded The Atlantic's George Packer of American socialist leader Eugene Debs. "Jeez, don't put that down," Brown said of the comparison, before conceding that most people don't remember Debs anymore.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The senator's fascination with Russia goes back to college where he "discovered Tolstoy before he discovered the working class," The Atlantic writes, seeing as he didn't start "hanging around local union halls" until after he majored in Russian studies at Yale University. Brown also picked up the Russian language there — though his wife, journalist Connie Schultz, won't let him speak it in public.
As The Atlantic puts it, Brown's "bookish idealism" founded at Yale "nourished his commitment" to his current populist message. Read more at The Atlantic.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Citizenship: Trump order blocked again
Feature After the Supreme Court restricted nationwide injunctions, a federal judge turned to a class action suit to block Trump's order to end birthright citizenship
-
Loyalty tests: The purge at the FBI
Feature Kash Patel is conducting polygraph tests on FBI agents to weed out anyone speaking badly about him
-
The all-seeing tech giant
Feature Palantir's data-mining tools are used by spies and the military. Are they now being turned on Americans?
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months