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
by Charli Carpenter | 27 Aug 2008 |
What you are looking at is Wordle's representation of 282 survey answers to the following question: "Name three or more specific issues that come to your mind when you think of human security today. An issue means something that human security specialists are actively concerned about."The survey was disseminated this summer to 6,000 individuals who subscribe to mailing lists of "hubs" in the human security network such as the Liu Institute, as...
by Dan Nexon | 26 Aug 2008 |
I would run a series of ads called "Friends." Each would begin with rapid cuts of McCain repeating his "My Friends" catchphrase. Then the screen would ominously fade to black, and the voice talent would read "Just who are McCain's friends, anyway?" The first add would feature of lobbyists in his campaign. The second would feature "people who brought you the Iraq War." The ads would conclude: "John McCain: his friends... are no friends of ours."...
by Dan Nexon | 26 Aug 2008 |
That was quick. So much for the resolution simply serving as "leverage" for Putin and Medvedev in negotiations with the US and NATO.As predicted, Moscow's rationale borrows directly from the west's argument in favor of Kosovo independence.Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a televised broadcast Tuesday he had signed decrees to recognize the independence of Georgia's breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia."This is not an easy...
by Dan Nexon | 25 Aug 2008 |
Rob Farley suggests that the Patterson school can deter Fletcher and the School of Foreign Service by acquiring some new Russian blow-up sex toys "S-300 SAMs, along with a couple of inflatable Su-27s and maybe a Hind or two."Unfortunately for Rob, Georgetown no longer has an active "Team B", and so we are unlikely to respond by invading the University of Kentucky, dismantling its basketball team, and supporting its College of Agriculture's...
by Dan Nexon | 25 Aug 2008 |
Because one good Kosovo deserves another (or two)?Russia's parliament has backed a motion urging the president to recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.Both houses voted unanimously in favour of the non-binding motion, which analysts say could help President Dmitry Medvedev in talks with the West.The UK, Germany and Italy were among the nations expressing concern that the vote would further...
by Dan Nexon | 25 Aug 2008 |
Is Pakistan returning to pre-Musharraf political patterns? Nawaz Sharif's decision to break with the PPP and pull his party, PML-N, out of Pakistan's governing coalition, certainly suggests so. The story of the last months reflects, however, more general dynamics associated with democratization in competitive authoritarian regimes, i.e., those characterized by elections in which opposition groups have some ability to challenge an autocratic...