Responding to Foggy Bloggom
In latest issue of The National Interest, I have a small response to David Frum’s “Foggy Bloggom” essay (see my initial reaction here) in which point out a few empirical problems with Frum’s essay: In his essay, Frum suggests that bloggers are ?pretty much the opposite? of the foreign-policy community, which ?insists upon formal credentials, ...
In latest issue of The National Interest, I have a small response to David Frum's "Foggy Bloggom" essay (see my initial reaction here) in which point out a few empirical problems with Frum's essay: In his essay, Frum suggests that bloggers are ?pretty much the opposite? of the foreign-policy community, which ?insists upon formal credentials, either academic or bureaucratic.? It is puzzling, then, that the first four bloggers quoted in Frum?s essay possess the very credentials that the foreign-policy community extols. Duncan ?Atrios? Black holds a PhD in economics from an Ivy League institution. Matthew Yglesias is a Harvard graduate writing for the Atlantic. Steven Clemons is the director of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation. Glenn Greenwald is a Salon columnist and a partner in a DC law firm. Pajama-wearing stereotypes to the contrary, most influential bloggers possess the elite credentials necessary to crack the foreign-policy community. Read he whole thing -- Megan McArdle has a response letter as well. Publicly defending the credentials of Atrios, Matt Yglesias, Glenn Greenwald and Steve Clemons leaves me in a grumpy mood, so blogging will be light for the rest of the day.
In latest issue of The National Interest, I have a small response to David Frum’s “Foggy Bloggom” essay (see my initial reaction here) in which point out a few empirical problems with Frum’s essay:
In his essay, Frum suggests that bloggers are ?pretty much the opposite? of the foreign-policy community, which ?insists upon formal credentials, either academic or bureaucratic.? It is puzzling, then, that the first four bloggers quoted in Frum?s essay possess the very credentials that the foreign-policy community extols. Duncan ?Atrios? Black holds a PhD in economics from an Ivy League institution. Matthew Yglesias is a Harvard graduate writing for the Atlantic. Steven Clemons is the director of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation. Glenn Greenwald is a Salon columnist and a partner in a DC law firm. Pajama-wearing stereotypes to the contrary, most influential bloggers possess the elite credentials necessary to crack the foreign-policy community.
Read he whole thing — Megan McArdle has a response letter as well. Publicly defending the credentials of Atrios, Matt Yglesias, Glenn Greenwald and Steve Clemons leaves me in a grumpy mood, so blogging will be light for the rest of the day.
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
More from Foreign Policy

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.