democratic convention - night 1

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Photo credit: Kennedy & Obama (Stephen Crowley - New York Times).

what you don't have you don't need it now

This is almost the end of the road for Hillary Clinton's campaign. She won't be VP. Aside from the historical baggage the Clintons lug around with them, H. Clinton could have been Obama's VP. However, her primary campaign foreclosed that option. Pursuing an all or nothing strategy, she will have to settle for nothing and another fifteen minutes of fame on the second day of the Democratic convention and the symbolic roll call vote. I don't expect either Clinton to be an effective campaigner for Obama: he stole their legacy, or at least deferred it until 2012. Hardcore Clinton supporters continue to overlook the wafer thin policy differences between Hillary and Barack, preferring to remain fixated in a self-destructive form of resentment that could advantage McCain (who shares none of the policy positions of H. Clinton). 

it's a beautiful day

The waiting is over: number two on the Democratic ticket is Joe Biden. Obama played this safe. According to pundits, Biden will move Hillary's 'white working class' supporters into the Obama camp. Joe from Scranton, the Scranton scrapper, the poorest Senator, Catholic Joe: this will be the political detritus of the coming week. The code words don't really code anything: Biden is supposed to counteract the effects of race; i.e., Obama's melanin (dis)advantage.

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Of course, that's not all Biden will do. He is allegedly a foreign policy heavyweight. To his credit, after supporting the decision to invade Iraq, Biden has been a persistent critic of the conduct of the war. I remain convinced his suggestion that Iraq could be broken into three states (a suggestion that recognizes the thoroughly constructed nature of post-colonial states) is an idea worth pursuing. The pundits immediately jumped on this perceived strength, arguing that it shows Obama's weakness (in foreign policy). This sort of argumentative gibberish, which turns into a "damned if he does, damned if he doesn't" sackgasse, will also contribute to the political detritus of the coming week. 

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I haven't taken to Biden in the past. He comes across as bombastic and shows too much attraction to his own rhetoric. However, the choice of Biden is probably the best possible among a weak pool of Democratic politicians. Of course, there was Hillary Clinton...

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Photo credit: A. Spencer Green (AP)

knights redux

Move aside Dick Cheney, the original Crusaders are back.

knorwegian knight

Sir Nils Olav.

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Photo credit: David Moir/Reuters

sovereignty for dummies

It looks like Saakashvili's provocations stirred the Russian bear -- with entirely predictable consequences. Unfortunately, Georgians are suffering the consequences of his irresponsible leadership. It's simultaneously risible and tragic when something like this happens and some fearless leader cries for help from the international community. Thinking like a state isn't exactly rocket science.

First rule of sovereignty: don't pick a fight you can't win by yourself.

Second rule of sovereignty: don't expose your civilian population to external attacks unnecessarily.

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The violation of these rules is criminal.

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Photo credit: Zurab Kurtsikidze/European Pressphoto Agency

USA! USA!

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Photo credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images