I’ve just gotten word from someone I trust that Carla Cohen of Politics and Prose, under a hail of criticism, has reconsidered her decision to disinvite author Saree Makdisi. “So this story may have a happy ending. If this all…
Disturbing news. Politics and Prose is a gem of a book store in Washington. A lot of smart and powerful people buy their books there. Last week P&P is said to have scheduled a reading by Saree Makdisi, a Palestinian-American…
I had too hopeful a reading of Obama’s speech yesterday. Dana Milbank (who wrote a horrifying piece a year or two back calling Walt and Mearsheimer Nazis for their views on the Israel lobby) gets it right here, exposing the…
Clayton Swisher, who wrote the book, The Truth About Camp David, is now a reporter for Al Jazeera. He filed this stunning report from the AIPAC policy conference, exposing the fact that AIPAC is not really ready for press coverage….
Just saw Obama speak at the AIPAC conference. An amazing speech. Deeply disappointing to me in some ways, but tremendously impressive as a projection of character, and in its late eloquence. He wanted to seem strong, that was his goal,…
The big takeaway at this year’s AIPAC policy conference is that Iran is the source of terror. There are endless images of goosestepping soldiers and of missile firing from the desert. The public urging is, Divest, sanction, yes, try all…
The place I’m staying in Washington is filled with books, and I went to bed Sunday night reading Tony Judt’s collection of essays, Reappraisals. It includes his 2002 review of Michael Oren’s book on the Six Day war, and Judt’s…
I probably spoke too soon in my last post. Or don’t know what I’m talking about. Dan Fleshler of Realisticdove says there have always been enlightened voices in AIPAC, the question is how empowered they are… But here’s the news….
I’m in my first day at AIPAC, on assignment for The American Conservative, but I think we’re seeing a kinder, gentler AIPAC. Call it the Obama Effect, or the Walt and Mearsheimer effect, the J Street effect, but AIPAC seems…