Elizabeth Warren, call your office. That seems to be the takeaway from Hillary Clinton’s stiff, haughty, and profoundly guarded press conference this week. Those who say she’s finished may be jumping the gun, but Jay Nordlinger and I, on this week’s Need to Know, take it as the opening of the campaign season. Gloves off, let’s speculate about 2016.

We dig deeply on Ferguson, meditate on the endless topic of race and racism (real and fabricated), revel in Harry Reid’s discomfort at being accused of racism himself (sacre bleu), and consider the evidence of racism in the Ferguson police department.

We discuss whether Tom Cotton — God bless him with a long and fruitful life — is a “traitor,” why Obama lied so flagrantly about his intentions toward Iran, what the Constitution requires (if anyone cares), and Obama’s little comment in an interview this week that spoke volumes about his true views on Iran. We close with some thoughts about novels, some read and some never finished. Do join us!