Reader who caught our pieces on Military Blindness in the Media... And Beyond or Liberal Builders, Conservative Defenders, and National Debate have seen references to Heather Hurlburt. She's a former Clinton NSC staffer whose excellent article neatly captured the disinterest and disconnects she faced within the Democratic Party re: national security issues.
Ms. Hurlburt is now blogging at Democracy Arsenal, along with a number of liberal commenters who take national security seriously. Bloggers include (in alphabetical order):
- Derek Chollet
Fellow at the Center for Security and International Studies, whose credits include work as the foreign policy advisor to 2004 VP candidate John Edwards and speechwriting for Richard Holbrooke (double shudder). But he has written good things, like this bit re: reporting progress in the War on Terror.
- Heather Hurlburt
Former Clinton NSC staffer, wrote War Torn (Hat Tip: Matt Yglesias)
- Lorelei Kelly
Former Congressional staffer, "peace studies" background but in her defense, also worked with the underground democracy movements of Eastern Europe at the end of the Cold War.
- Suzanne Nossel
Deputy to the Ambassador for UN Management and Reform 1999-2001, also worked on implementation of South Africa's National Peace Accord. Wrote "A Trustee for Crippled States."
- Michael Signer
Member of The Truman Project (see A.L.'s post), advocate of "tough liberalism."
The military according to the latest Gallup Poll has the highest level of trust of any institution in America. On the order of 75%.
The Democrats have a serious problem here. If they do not connect with at least 1/3 of that 75% they can't win Presidential elections.
Their problem is that the 25% with a low level of trust in the military represents about 1/2 their base.
They are between a rock and a very hard place.