September 15, 2008 Issue

Cover art by: Cover photograph of Sgt. Juan Jimenez, courtesy of Jimenez; design by Gene Case & Stephen Kling/Avenging Angels.

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Feature

Sarah Palin’s Frontier Justice

Her appeal to a certain sector of the electorate lies in her willingness to take the law in her own hands–and use public power as a personal weapon.
Patricia J. Williams
Our Man Countryman

This Week: Ex-black ops agent Dieter Countryman comes to terms with a life misspent as the very dogs of chaos he helped unleash come back to bite him.
Gary Phillips
The Problem Is Empire

The challenge to the peace movement is not to liberalize the empire; the task is to peacefully and steadily bring it to an end–and make democracy safe for the world.
Tom Hayden
Blue-Collar Republicans

The Republican Party has set itself firmly against the agenda of the labor movement. So to observe Labor Day in St. Paul was a strange experience indeed.
Chris Hayes
How to Cover the GOP

Since they got all the megastories wrong in Denver, here’s a primer for the media horde as they descend on St. Paul.
Eric Alterman
Labor’s New Push

Meet Working America: a self-declared mass organization with a working-class base and a strategy to win.
David Moberg
Diary of an Obama Delegate

I came to the DNC as a middle-aged female Obama delegate eager to make peace with Hillary women, and I did not get off to a good start.
Cynthia Baughman
Apocalypse Later

From 2016, a futurist looks back on 2008, where the seeds of the slow-mo apolcalypse now consuming the planet were planted.
John Feffer
‘Zek’ Freedom Brings Back Memories of Stalin’s Russia

The freeing of the “zeks” confronted Russia with living memories of the Terror.
Stephen F. Cohen
New Orleans Redraws Its Color Line

After Katrina, white parishes are zoning minorities right out of the reconstruction.
Lizzy Ratner
US Soldiers Blocked From Blogging

Citing security concerns, the Pentagon frowns on soldiers blogging about Iraq.
Ari Melber
How the VA Abandons Our Vets

Injured veterans continue their battles at home while fighting for the healthcare treatment they deserve.
Joshua Kors

Editorial

Hello, God: About the Hurricane

OK, God, we know James Dobson asked his followers to pray for rain on Obama in Denver last week. But this storm in New Orleans isn’t what anybody had in mind.
Michael Moore
Peace Voters Face New Challenges

It was a barely good week for the antiwar movement in Denver; peace voters face huge challenges in the election season ahead.
Tom Hayden
Twin Cities Values

Minnesota’s message to the GOP: we’re all better off when we look after one another.
John Nichols
The Illusory Middle

Moving to the center to woo undecided voters, Obama risks losing his greatest asset: authenticity.
Victor Navasky
Noted.

Dems and the Constitution, dispatches from Denver, journos rescue our correspondent in Georgia.
The Editors
The Biden Bid

It could have been worse–a lot worse.
The Editors
We’ll Take It From Here

Eight years ago, the people gave the GOP the keys to the country. It’s time to take them back.
The Editors
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Column

Alaska’s Windfall Profits

Why is it a good thing for Alaskans to get a cut of exorbitant oil company profits, but not the rest of us, if we are all part of one nation?
Robert Scheer
Hillary Does the Right Thing

Will the Hillary diehards follow her lead and support Barack Obama?
Katha Pollitt
Toward a New New Cold War

The initiating party for our next cold confrontation with Russia most certainly was the United States.
Alexander Cockburn
The Rime of the Ancient Candidate

A home in every port.
Calvin Trillin
Condi Rice Is Finally Happy…

Now she’s in her element.
Steve Brodner

Books & the Arts

The Problem Is Empire

The challenge to the peace movement is not to liberalize the empire; the task is to peacefully and steadily bring it to an end–and make democracy safe for the world.
Tom Hayden
Poll Position: John Zogby and the Future of Polling

Pollster John Zogby’s new book illuminates the changing nature of American values and lives.
Alexander Provan
Britten’s ‘Peter Grimes’ a Masterpiece of Opera Noir

A recent production of Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes is a grim masterpiece of opera noir.
David Schiff
Salman Rushdie’s Imaginative New ‘Enchantress of Florence’

Salman Rushdie probes the limits of the imagination to produce his most coherent and readable novel.
William Deresiewicz
‘Zek’ Freedom Brings Back Memories of Stalin’s Russia

The freeing of the “zeks” confronted Russia with living memories of the Terror.
Stephen F. Cohen
And We Love Life

Mahmoud Darwish
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Letters

Letters

Just Discussion

Santa Fe
Our Readers

Crossword

Puzzle No. 3135

ACROSS

1 Like a couple of times with the spy group Little Edward? Tied in this way! (10)
Frank W. Lewis
Crossword Classic #15

From the January 24, 1948, issue.
Frank W. Lewis

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September 15, 2008 Issue

Feature

Her appeal to a certain sector of the electorate lies in her willingness to take the law in her own hands–and use public power as a personal weapon.

This Week: Ex-black ops agent Dieter Countryman comes to terms with a life misspent as the very dogs of chaos he helped unleash come back to bite him.

The challenge to the peace movement is not to liberalize the empire; the task is to peacefully and steadily bring it to an end–and make democracy safe for the world.

The Republican Party has set itself firmly against the agenda of the labor movement. So to observe Labor Day in St. Paul was a strange experience indeed.

Since they got all the megastories wrong in Denver, here’s a primer for the media horde as they descend on St. Paul.

Meet Working America: a self-declared mass organization with a working-class base and a strategy to win.

I came to the DNC as a middle-aged female Obama delegate eager to make peace with Hillary women, and I did not get off to a good start.

From 2016, a futurist looks back on 2008, where the seeds of the slow-mo apolcalypse now consuming the planet were planted.

The freeing of the “zeks” confronted Russia with living memories of the Terror.

After Katrina, white parishes are zoning minorities right out of the reconstruction.

Citing security concerns, the Pentagon frowns on soldiers blogging about Iraq.

Injured veterans continue their battles at home while fighting for the healthcare treatment they deserve.

Editorial

OK, God, we know James Dobson asked his followers to pray for rain on Obama in Denver last week. But this storm in New Orleans isn’t what anybody had in mind.

It was a barely good week for the antiwar movement in Denver; peace voters face huge challenges in the election season ahead.

Minnesota’s message to the GOP: we’re all better off when we look after one another.

Moving to the center to woo undecided voters, Obama risks losing his greatest asset: authenticity.

Dems and the Constitution, dispatches from Denver, journos rescue our correspondent in Georgia.

It could have been worse–a lot worse.

Eight years ago, the people gave the GOP the keys to the country. It’s time to take them back.

GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR LESS THAN $3 A MONTH!

Column

Why is it a good thing for Alaskans to get a cut of exorbitant oil company profits, but not the rest of us, if we are all part of one nation?

Will the Hillary diehards follow her lead and support Barack Obama?

The initiating party for our next cold confrontation with Russia most certainly was the United States.

A home in every port.

Now she’s in her element.

Books & the Arts

The challenge to the peace movement is not to liberalize the empire; the task is to peacefully and steadily bring it to an end–and make democracy safe for the world.

Pollster John Zogby’s new book illuminates the changing nature of American values and lives.

A recent production of Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes is a grim masterpiece of opera noir.

Salman Rushdie probes the limits of the imagination to produce his most coherent and readable novel.

The freeing of the “zeks” confronted Russia with living memories of the Terror.

The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Letters

Just Discussion

Crossword

ACROSS 1 Like a couple of times with the spy group Little Edward? Tied in this way! (10)

From the January 24, 1948, issue.

ACROSS

1 Like a couple of times with the spy group Little Edward? Tied in this way! (10)