Once upon a time, he was a smart and incisive observer of the political scene for National Review. I found his column "David Frum's Diary" a must read and his opinions insightful.
Something cracked inside his head during the 2008 campaign and he has steadily drifted leftward. He supported McCain but denounced McCain's choice of Palin for VP. Just prior to the election he parted with National Review over that and other issues. Once Obama was in office, he advocated negotiation with Obama on health care, effectively conceding that government run health care was inevitable.
He currently is the pet "conservative" at The Atlantic, he is only conservative when compared to the rest of their writers. The proof of his downward spiral is his opening paragraph of this article:
She will uphold the sovereignty and independence of the United States. She will defend allies. She will execute the laws with reasonable impartiality. She may bend some rules for her own and her supporters’ advantage. She will not outright defy legality altogether. Above all, she can govern herself; the first indispensable qualification for governing others.
There is not a single statement there that is not factually incorrect. I found the "not outright defy legality" comment particularly funny.
Did "Journalist" James Fallows Supply A Draft Copy Of An Article To The Clinton Campaign?
The Podesta Emails ^ | October 30, 2016 | James Fallows, The Atlantic
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3487033/posts