by Dan Nexon | 31 Aug 2008 |
Rob Farley points to a Times article reporting that Russia will soon annex South Ossetia. The source for the report? The South Ossetian president. So, as Rob notes, caveat emptor. Indeed, I can't find anything about this on an (admittedly quick) look through the English-language Russian press. I do see a word of a military cooperation agreement and mutual recognition between South Ossetia and Abkhazia. More griping about lack of adequate...
by Peter | 29 Aug 2008 |
Further thoughts on the Palin pick...There seem to be two different logics to picking a running mate.*Logic 1: Would this person make a good VP once elected? Could the person step into the role of President should the worst case scenario arise? Will the person be a partner in governing, capable of taking on a significant portfolio?Logic 2: Will this person help the ticket win the election? Does the person bring some sort of constituency into...
by Dan Nexon | 29 Aug 2008 |
I recently received a rejection on a piece from a major journal in my field. The piece had been with the journal for about seven months, which is very long in international relations.The rejection was fair, but, like all authors, I had some issues with some of the substance of one of the critiques--although other aspects of it were spot on. So, having received the decision, I write a quick email to my co-author in which I say something mildly...
by Peter | 29 Aug 2008 |
My initial reaction to McCain's choice of Sarah Palin to be his VP was: Who?This is very out of the box for McCain. On the one hand, you kind figured he'd try something like this, because after watching Obama's speech, he really to kickstart his campaign. On the other hand, picking a VP is supposed to be a serious choice, with the heartbeat away from the presidency thing and all. Palin, with zero, and I mean zero, national political profile,...
by Dan Nexon | 29 Aug 2008 |
Whadda ya know? Left-wing bloggers are extolling the speech and right-wing bloggers are talking it down. Gosh. You'd think they were all a bunch of partisans who not only watched it through their own filters, but consider it their duty to help or hurt Obama's cause. Nah. Bloggers are a new breed. They'd never do that.Image source: DemConvention on Flickr
by Dan Nexon | 28 Aug 2008 |
Russia encircled by enemies plotting against it?CNN's summary of its interview with Putin, passed along without comment:Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of orchestrating the conflict in Georgia to benefit one of its presidential election candidates.In an exclusive interview with CNN's Matthew Chance in the Black Sea city of Sochi Thursday, Putin said the U.S. had encouraged Georgia to attack the autonomous...
by Patrick Thaddeus Jackson | 28 Aug 2008 |
Nancy Pelosi -- "Permanent Chair of the Convention," whatever that title means -- called for a motion to suspend the rules so that the convention could approve Joe Biden as the party's Vice-Presidential candidate by acclimation. The motion was moved and seconded, and then approved; I didn't hear any opposition when she called for "no" votes. So the motion passed, and Pelosi then announced that Biden had been nominated by acclimation. Strictly...
by Dan Nexon | 28 Aug 2008 |
I'm watching PBS coverage of the 2008 Democratic Convention. In response to Bill Clinton's line about how the world is more impressed by the power of the United States' example than the example of its power, Brooks quipped (I paraphrase): "I don't think Vladimir Putin or Ahmadinejad will be impressed by our example."But that completely misses the point. The wager of liberal internationalism is that the United States can better achieve its...
by Dan Nexon | 27 Aug 2008 |
The convention is so much kabuki theater, but a few minutes ago the Democrats nominated the first African-American major-party candidate for President of the United States... on a motion by a woman who nearly became the first female major-party candidate for President of the United States.I think we can all agree that, whatever our politics, this is a pretty amazing day in the history of the United State of America.... But I don't need every...
by Dan Nexon | 27 Aug 2008 |
A lot of people are buzzing about Michael Totten's report on Georgia, in which he claims to have discovered the real truth about the outbreak of the war: Tblisi launched a preemptive attack in the face of a sudden escalation by the South Ossetians that presaged a Russian attack.The report contains very interesting claims. But Totten's narrative comprises, in essence, a transcription of a presentation given to him by a public-relations adviser...
by Peter | 27 Aug 2008 |
I want to disagree with Dan (who is very insightful in these matters) slightly here. I want to more strongly disagree with all the talking heads on CNN (who are not as smart as Dan), who have been decrying the lack of "red meat" in the convention speeches going after McCain and Bush.First off, there is plenty of Red Meat available-- it just happens to come from speakers who are talking when Anderson Cooper and Paul Begala are busy discussing...
by Dan Nexon | 27 Aug 2008 |
Clinton gave a great speech. Lots of commentators say that it hurt the Republicans. But they're wrong; this was a tactical victory, not a strategic one.The Republicans won the last two days... the meta narrative was about Democratic unity, and not about the Democrats' agenda or their critiques of McCain.Image source: MSNBC