Comments on: Elections vs. Primaries or My Dog Ate My Homework http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/ Jeff Nolan's take on investment, innovation, entrepreneurship and the technology industry Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:50:28 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: James Farrar http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/comment-page-1/#comment-212346 James Farrar Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:08:46 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/#comment-212346 Hi Jeff I saw this today on the Independent's website and thought of this blog post - http://news.independent.co.uk/fisk/article3291600.ece Robert Fisk if you haven't heard of him is a long time newspaper hack covering the Mid East. You may or may not agree with every thing he has to say but he has been around a the mid east long time & makes fiercely robust commentary (like strong coffee). Hope you enjoy his work : - http://news.independent.co.uk/fisk/ Hi Jeff

I saw this today on the Independent’s website and thought of this blog post –
http://news.independent.co.uk/fisk/article3291600.ece

Robert Fisk if you haven’t heard of him is a long time newspaper hack covering the Mid East. You may or may not agree with every thing he has to say but he has been around a the mid east long time & makes fiercely robust commentary (like strong coffee).

Hope you enjoy his work : –
http://news.independent.co.uk/fisk/

]]> By: Jeff http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/comment-page-1/#comment-209803 Jeff Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:43:51 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/#comment-209803 It is somewhat ironic that people are quick to label Bhutto "champion of democracy" when in her own party she was chairperson for life and kept a stranglehold on power that prevented a strong bench from developing. Now we see see orderly succession of power to her 19 year old son. I do think that some of the corruption charges leveled against her were trumped up, but it's a binary issue as it's a slippery slope to step on when the discussion shifts to "degrees of corruption". It is somewhat ironic that people are quick to label Bhutto “champion of democracy” when in her own party she was chairperson for life and kept a stranglehold on power that prevented a strong bench from developing. Now we see see orderly succession of power to her 19 year old son.

I do think that some of the corruption charges leveled against her were trumped up, but it’s a binary issue as it’s a slippery slope to step on when the discussion shifts to “degrees of corruption”.

]]> By: James Farrar http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/comment-page-1/#comment-209796 James Farrar Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:12:50 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/#comment-209796 Jeff I agree that Hillary was confused about Musharraf and the election. I was using the opportunity to bring out a point that the Presidential election in Pakistan was a sham. After the assasination broke there seems to have been an unseemly rush amongst the US presidential candidates to show off their statescraft skills. Some were better than others. Mike Huckabee completely lost the plot in trying to respond on the hoof. The whole thing in Pakistan is a mess and an interesting one. It's sad that Bhutto met her end this way. That said the Bhutto family have drained a lot of money out of that country by skimming govt contracts again and again. She was a convicted in Switzerland. Bhutto also appeased the Taliban. Now her husband (Mr. 10% as he is known) has taken control of the party and onstalled his son as heir aparent of the dynasty. So ... yes I was projecting onto Hillary Clinton more than I had poetic license to do but it's a real mess to clean up for whoever the next White House resident will be. Fascinating. Jeff

I agree that Hillary was confused about Musharraf and the election. I was using the opportunity to bring out a point that the Presidential election in Pakistan was a sham. After the assasination broke there seems to have been an unseemly rush amongst the US presidential candidates to show off their statescraft skills. Some were better than others. Mike Huckabee completely lost the plot in trying to respond on the hoof.

The whole thing in Pakistan is a mess and an interesting one. It’s sad that Bhutto met her end this way. That said the Bhutto family have drained a lot of money out of that country by skimming govt contracts again and again. She was a convicted in Switzerland. Bhutto also appeased the Taliban. Now her husband (Mr. 10% as he is known) has taken control of the party and onstalled his son as heir aparent of the dynasty.

So … yes I was projecting onto Hillary Clinton more than I had poetic license to do but it’s a real mess to clean up for whoever the next White House resident will be. Fascinating.

]]> By: Jeff http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/comment-page-1/#comment-209561 Jeff Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:36:01 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/#comment-209561 James, It's getting hard to dismiss Clinton's comments as meaning something other than what she actually said: from another piece on the subject for "foreign intelligence" among candidates: "Clinton's comments came in an interview with ABC Sunday, in which she said, "[Musharraf] could be the only person on the ballot. I don't think that's a real election."" James,
It’s getting hard to dismiss Clinton’s comments as meaning something other than what she actually said:

from another piece on the subject for “foreign intelligence” among candidates:

“Clinton’s comments came in an interview with ABC Sunday, in which she said, “[Musharraf] could be the only person on the ballot. I don’t think that’s a real election.”"

]]> By: Jeff http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/comment-page-1/#comment-209529 Jeff Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:51:51 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/#comment-209529 James, First and foremost, you are correct in that I should have wrote that this election is for parliament, upon which a PM would be selected. My error. It's easy play the game of "what s/he really meant" but my point in bringing it up is that Blitzer himself should have asked the question when prompted Sen. Clinton's statement. James,
First and foremost, you are correct in that I should have wrote that this election is for parliament, upon which a PM would be selected. My error.

It’s easy play the game of “what s/he really meant” but my point in bringing it up is that Blitzer himself should have asked the question when prompted Sen. Clinton’s statement.

]]> By: James Farrar http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/comment-page-1/#comment-209500 James Farrar Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:44:41 +0000 http://jeffnolan.com/wp/2008/01/02/elections-vs-primaries-or-my-dog-ate-my-homework/#comment-209500 Maybe what Hillary means is that Musharraf too should resign his position and face a genuine public vote in a general election. Musharraf was elected President by the Pakistan Electoral College (representatives of national and local elected officials) not the general public but not before rough handling the Supreme Court, forcing through constitutional changes marking out his powers without a vote from parliament and making clear should he lose the election he would not resign his command of the army. In other words Musharraf's election as President rather more resembles a strong armed negotiation with parliament than an open, free and fair election. Maybe Clinton was also referring to how Musharraf rather than accept his dismissal by the truly elected Nawaz Sharif as PM in 1999 he staged a coup and ousted Sharif's government and took power. The upcoming election is not for the position of PM, it is a general parliamentary election and the electoral college will then select the PM which I assume like the British system, the head of the majority party will lead govt as PM. Will be interesting to see how US foreign policy develops around Pakistan -- Musharraf was the bad guy until 911. Will US now recognise the office of the PM as the centre of power or Musharraf as President? If elected what will the Clinton position be? Maybe what Hillary means is that Musharraf too should resign his position and face a genuine public vote in a general election. Musharraf was elected President by the Pakistan Electoral College (representatives of national and local elected officials) not the general public but not before rough handling the Supreme Court, forcing through constitutional changes marking out his powers without a vote from parliament and making clear should he lose the election he would not resign his command of the army. In other words Musharraf’s election as President rather more resembles a strong armed negotiation with parliament than an open, free and fair election.

Maybe Clinton was also referring to how Musharraf rather than accept his dismissal by the truly elected Nawaz Sharif as PM in 1999 he staged a coup and ousted Sharif’s government and took power.

The upcoming election is not for the position of PM, it is a general parliamentary election and the electoral college will then select the PM which I assume like the British system, the head of the majority party will lead govt as PM.

Will be interesting to see how US foreign policy develops around Pakistan — Musharraf was the bad guy until 911. Will US now recognise the office of the PM as the centre of power or Musharraf as President? If elected what will the Clinton position be?

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