The New York Times op-ed page mimics the blogosphere
As a blogger, I’ve been bemused by the exchanges between Paul Krugman, David Brooks, and Bob Herbert on the meaning of Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign kickoff in Philadelphia, Mississippi. They’re exactly like a typical blog exchange, in that the debate quickly devolves from Big Questions to minutiae. Unlike a typical blog exchange, none of the ...
As a blogger, I've been bemused by the exchanges between Paul Krugman, David Brooks, and Bob Herbert on the meaning of Ronald Reagan's 1980 campaign kickoff in Philadelphia, Mississippi. They're exactly like a typical blog exchange, in that the debate quickly devolves from Big Questions to minutiae. Unlike a typical blog exchange, none of the participants have linked/mentioned the others by name. Also, instead of taking a few days to play out, this will take two months. In that spirit, the hard-working staff here at danieldrezner.com urges its readers to participate in its first ever Mimic the New York Times Op-ed Columnist Contest!! To enter, just submit, via a comment to this post, the opening paragraph of either Maureen Dowd or Thomas Friedman's op-ed contributions on this subject. Winners will be lifted from comments and promoted to the hilt by this mighty blog. I just can't write Dowd, but here's my sample Friedman entry: RIYADH, KSA: If you want to smoke at King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh, you have to brave the 120 degree outdoor heat. I wanted to continue my conversation with Prince Bandar, however, so I took my ice water from the first class lounge and followed him outside. He tapped his cigar ash on the round and said, "What the Middle East needs right now is its own sunny optimist -- it's own Ronald Reagan." I sipped my Evian and told him how the cradle of Reagan's political successes could be found in Philadelphia. Not the one in Pennsylvania, but the one in Mississippi. Let's call it the Philadelphia Story.....
As a blogger, I’ve been bemused by the exchanges between Paul Krugman, David Brooks, and Bob Herbert on the meaning of Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign kickoff in Philadelphia, Mississippi. They’re exactly like a typical blog exchange, in that the debate quickly devolves from Big Questions to minutiae. Unlike a typical blog exchange, none of the participants have linked/mentioned the others by name. Also, instead of taking a few days to play out, this will take two months. In that spirit, the hard-working staff here at danieldrezner.com urges its readers to participate in its first ever Mimic the New York Times Op-ed Columnist Contest!! To enter, just submit, via a comment to this post, the opening paragraph of either Maureen Dowd or Thomas Friedman’s op-ed contributions on this subject. Winners will be lifted from comments and promoted to the hilt by this mighty blog. I just can’t write Dowd, but here’s my sample Friedman entry:
RIYADH, KSA: If you want to smoke at King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh, you have to brave the 120 degree outdoor heat. I wanted to continue my conversation with Prince Bandar, however, so I took my ice water from the first class lounge and followed him outside. He tapped his cigar ash on the round and said, “What the Middle East needs right now is its own sunny optimist — it’s own Ronald Reagan.” I sipped my Evian and told him how the cradle of Reagan’s political successes could be found in Philadelphia. Not the one in Pennsylvania, but the one in Mississippi. Let’s call it the Philadelphia Story…..
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
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