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Internationalism in the Heartland: Dubuque Gets It. . .
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I traveled out to the heartland yesterday -- to Dubuque, Iowa. Just got back to Washington minutes ago.
It was impressive to meet so many deeply interested in the great debates of the day, in America's foreign policy, in the scandals in the White House, and in American politics in general. I spoke to the Dubuque Area Committee on Foreign Relations, which assembled about 70 people to hear some of my thoughts on the state of America's national security portfolio. The room covered the complete spectrum from folks with Vietnam-era peace buttons and Anti-Bush buttons on their lapels to deeply conservative, pro-Bush Republicans.
Two of the people who helped escort me around Dubuque were brothers -- one a retired high school principal and the other a retired doctor. They started their lunch conversation with me with tales of "Lonely Planet" guided trips they had made to Syria, Jordan, Libya, Laos, Cambodia, and Tunisia. I think Nepal and India are on the list -- and both are trying to think of ways to get into Myanmar (Burma). Just regular fun guys who have no fear and like seeing the world. They both said that most of the people that they encounter around the world are able to distinguish between them, as Americans, and President Bush or the U.S. government -- which are exceeding unpopular today.
They both said that more youthful Tunisians, Jordanians, and others tend to blur Americans and the American government -- and they pose greater risks.
I'm sharing this because it's impressive to go into the center of this country and so easily find Republican, Democrat and Independent believers in enlightened American engagement in the world.
Here is an article that did a pretty decent job getting my story repeated in the regional paper, the Dubuque Telegraph Herald:
Dubuque Telegraph Herald -- 18 November 2005SPEAKER CRITICAL OF BOTH DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS
Washington think tank official says foreign policy is in 'dire' shape
By Mary Rae Bragg
TH staff writer
Steven Clemons is a man with friends in high places in Washington, D.C., and what they are telling him does not speak well for either Republicans or Democrats.
Clemons, a program director for the New America Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, describes Democrats as leaderless and without a vision, while Republicans are at odds with their leaders and led by a president who isolates himself from all but a few.
Clemons was in Dubuque Thursday as a guest speaker to the Dubuque Area Committee on Foreign Relations.
America's foreign policy is in a "dire" state, according to Clemons, partially because of President Bush's failure to take opposing views into consideration.
"This is a president who thinks he makes his own weather," Clemons said. "The cost of being surrounded by 'yes' men has been very high, resulting in military overreach in Iraq."
The result of recent foreign policy decisions such as invading Iraq "is that your allies don't count on you and your enemies move their agendas," Clemons said. His sources inside the White House tell him there have been major divisions in the White House over where the nation's foreign policy should be going, he said.
Clemons objects to those in the administration who foster "ballot-ocracies," nations where one election is held and it calls itself a democracy.
"If a small player can't sue and win against a big player, you don't have a democracy," he said.
Clemons believes that Democrats don't think Bush can change and feel that he is so defensive that they only need to keep questioning his Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, make accusation against Rove and oppose the Iraq War.
"They are defining the problems, not fixing them," Clemons said. "It's a 'blame them' time."
Clemons, who publishes a popular political blog, www.TheWashingtonNote.com, describes himself as an "ethical realist," with sources and friends all over the political spectrum.
"Reasonable people of different mindsets can agree to disagree, but at least put things on the table," he said.
The one thing I'll add is that Ben Bradlee is WRONG to think that there isn't strong interest around the nation in the recent journalistic misbehavior of Bob Woodward. I received no less than a dozen questions yesterday about Woodward -- and what the revelations he made meant to the Libby investigation -- and whether Bob Woodward had become the "Judy Miller of the Washington Post."
Bradlee, like Woodward, have both been irritatingly dismissive of the importance of the Plame investigation -- and what both need to realize is that NEITHER of them has much to do anymore with establishing the appetite for news in the country. The political marketplace has already determined that the Plame CIA leak is enormously consequential to this White House -- and the American public is interested.
They certainly were in Dubuque.
-- Steve Clemons
« Previous Article - Chat with Len Downie on Bob Woodward Scandal» Next Article - Murtha's Message: Our Troops Are Getting Blown Apart and We Have No Strategy, Mr. President
Good news.
How cool is that, that you can hang out in Dubuque, hang out in Prague, and you seem to think respectfully of folks from small town or international city, conservative to liberal. Will we ever have a chance to vote for you for some office?
Hey, Steve
I live in a small town in the south and read you. Most of your commentaries keep us folks interested.
I heard your talk last night in Dubuque superb! Keep up the good work. Dan
thanks for helping to destroy the myth that the heartland folks are somehow rubes and uninformed hicks... not the case at all... there are proportionately just as many vacant upper-stories walking around d.c. and its 'burbs as there are anywhere else in the country... i can vouch for it having lived there for a time... it's also important to demolish the myth that our brethren in other countries are not informed... that may have been true once upon a time but with satellite tv spanning the globe, that is no longer the case...
my experience, both in the u.s. and in my many other travels, is that people are generally no dummies... they are perfectly capable of thinking for themselves and, given regular, good, reliable, un-spun information, will form solid opinions...
my parking spot when i am in the u.s., reno, nevada, is not exactly regarded as a bastion of liberalism but, again, proportionately, you find the same mix here as elsewhere... it's the generalizations and stereotyping that creates the myths...
I'm not sure why you should be so surprised over informed Iowans. They have historically believed in adequately funding and otherwise supporting their great public education system.
I will have to agree with corngirl.
Your statement:
"It was impressive to meet so many deeply interested in the great debates of the day, in America's foreign policy, in the scandals in the White House, and in American politics in general."
Steve, you have to get out more. The interest in policy, both domestic and foreign, is at an all time high, thanks to internet access to AP, Reuters, and all sorts of alternative (left, right, middle) "blogs" and foreign news agencies' web sites. We are more aware of what is being done in our name than you might imagine. That you find that "impressive" kind of smells a tad of condescension. I read your site because it is one of the most informative with regards to the goings on in our federal government. Please don't be surprised that we care about what is going on in our government.
As a resident of Cedar Rapids, IA I am sorry I didn't learn of your appearance ahead of time. I would have gladly driven to Dubuque to hear you speak. TWN is at the top of my "must read daily" page. I read you before I go to dkos or any others. Thank you for your kind words about Dubuque and Iowans. Hopefully I will have an opportunity at some point in the future to hear you speak.
I was there Thursday when you spoke to our group, The Dubuque Area Committee on Foreign Relations. Your in-depth, comprehensive answer to each person's question during Q&A was impressive, informative, and highly appreciated. Your views about our country's economic policies - an impending trainwreck (my words) - and how it effects our overall foreign policy resonated well with me and with many others who were there. Thanks for those insights.
As you made so clear, our country's economic and foreign policies have been misdirected during the past few administrations. Perhaps Katrina will be the tipping point that brings about the necessary course corrections which our country needs.
Dave Simon, please explain why you feel that "the past few administrations" have misdirected our economic & foriegn policies? I don't understand how you can include the Clinton crew in this lump.
How can turning a deficit into a surplus be a misdirection?
No, I'm not a flaming liberal or conservative, and no, I don't know want to quarrel with you. I do admire BC for the economic progress his group made. I didn't know the US was capable of a surplus during my lifetime (from 1956), and I greatly admired him for standing up to The Newt and Republican Congress over their proposed budget cuts, and turning their Federal Govt. Shutdown against them. Not as an ideologue, but as a citizen tired of the political comedy that has been passed of as partisan politics.
In my view, citizens loved BC because he invested in us. I do not see how he misdirected us in either of the arenas you speak of.
If you would rather discuss this offline, I'd be happy to. I'm seeking enlightenment, not debate as a tool of persuasion. I'll be happy to listen to your views on this, and I promise not to "bite"!
Steve,
I consider myself very, very lucky to participate in your online fora. Thank you for providing online the continuous education that makes the internet such a raging success!
While I was growing up, I only went to libraries for specific reasons: enjoying music I could not afford and researching different topics that warranted the time and process. I believe there is no better fount of wisdom than libraries, but before the 'net those drinks required massive energy expenditures. Now I essentially live in a "library", and I am grateful for the ability to search for entertainment and answers to nearly any question with no more than a monthly invoice.
It often perplexed me as to why, in conflicts like the Civil & Revolutionary Wars, people would find ways to watch the fighting from as close as possible, even having picnics while death feasted upon the land. Then I met you via TWN, as you made history organizing the deflection of and shining the lights of informed dissent onto Bolton.
I feel blessed being in your company, even if it is only virtual. I too have wondered about voting for you in some office, but I'd rather support your freedom vicariously. I always come here to find a credible view of our world, and I hope you never get restricted by partisanship.
Thank you, for being an important part of my world view.
J
Bob Woodward and Judy Miller are the Sammy Sosa and Raphael Palmeiro of journalism. Their using dope (provided by the Powers That Be) is akin to the ballplayers taking steroids, leading to suspicion of all the playahs in their respective fields.
I love your column and support it. I just hope you will reconsider ever using the phrase "gets it" again -- it is SO Andrew Sullivan pre-Iraq invasion when he was banging the war drums like a chicken-hawk on crack. It is a patronizing phrase and seems only to serve the writer's vanity. Indeed, if we had more leaders/journos/bloggers who told the truth (like you) and weren't part of the corrupt DC infrastructure, the American people who -- last time I looked -- are still sovereign, would always make sure their leaders "got it."
I have been very annoyed at the many remarks I have heard that americans "out there" don't have much interest in what the boobs in DC are doing....such as Reps saying we will forget about the latest fiasco the next day...or the ABC kahuna saying that we don't watch news (ha! if the msm actually reported real news more americans would watch)...or trying to tell us how the majority feels..evidently close to 80% of us are now unpatriotic. The contempt for americans is outrageous...appointing a veternarian as head of women's health in FDA was very telling...the interest that americans out in the "flyover states", the boonies, "North Country" where I live, etc is grossly "misunderestimated" by this administration.
Steve: As one of those attending your conference in DBQ, let me say that you indeed packed your discourse with lots meaningful observations...thankfully, no fluff. I only wish I had taken notes. (I asked your take on Able Danger and Karen Hughes).
I did also want to ask you clarify your answer to a question about Germany's economic situation. I believe the question related to Germany's economic policies, having budget deficits despite a policy of trade surpluses... as opposed to the US's 'dual deficits' (28 years of trade imbalances, as Lou Dobbs is fond of reminding us) having kept our economies humming along...
Do mistakes made in conversation act as bullets, or feathers, to the life of a reputation?
Has Steve been mortally wounded by using a non-PC term?
Do you know absolutely what his intention was when he used it, or are you assuming that how you take it is how he meant it? And even if you do, when does it become the last straw?
Steve--
I couldn't agree with some of these posts more. Why in earth would you expect to find unenlightened, ingorant Americans in the Midwest anymore than you would in the West, South, or Northeast. I think you've been inside the beltway for too long.
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