In an event at Kirkland House on Thursday, DNC Chair Tim Kaine delivered a speech that was largely predictable in its substance. From emphasizing the problems that President Obama inherited to touting the many laws passed over the past two years, Kaine rattled off the Democratic Party’s 2011 list of talking points with dexterity. While … Read more
Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, foreign minister of Pakistan since March 2008, spoke at the John F. Kennedy, Jr. Forum at the Institute of Politics tonight. Professor R. Nicholas Burns of the Kennedy School moderated the event, which featured a statement from Qureshi and a question and answer session. 6:01 PM: Qureshi and Burns come out … Read more
I hope I’m not too late to the party, but I wanted to address Sam and Kathy on Newsweek’s Harvard and religion article. They both agree that Harvard should implement a religion requirement, but a careful look at General Education’s mission reveals no room for such a requirement. In specific, I took issue with Kathy’s … Read more
In his post “Harvard’s Supposed Crisis of Faith,” Sam Barr criticizes Lisa Miller’s recent Newsweek article about the study of religion at Harvard: “Of course religion is important to study, …even or especially if you’re a nonbeliever. But I also said, or implied, that she was wasting her time with this article, because religion is … Read more
Newsweek’s Lisa Miller spills a lot of ink and raises a lot of dust in her article on “Harvard’s Crisis of Faith.” But her conclusion is small-bore and uncontroversial. Of course Harvard and all other colleges should offer and even require some exposure to religion and its attendant issues and debates. I have seen no … Read more
We’re live tweeting Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson’s conversation in the JFK Jr. Forum. Check it out at www.twitter.com/harvardpolitics!
I really don’t understand the impulse among many Harvard students (if the Crimson is any guide) to pat the Tea Partiers on the head and say, “I don’t agree with you, but you’re totally what this country is all about.” No, they’re not. They’re just crazy. Do they sometimes “ask the right questions”? Yes, absolutely. … Read more
Perhaps inspired by the beauty that is our new blog, the Harvard GOP relaunched their website yesterday, giving harvardgop.org a patriotic, deeply American makeover. The new site makes heavy use of the “Ken Burns effect” with dynamic and engaging photos of Newt Gingrich standing at the front of a table. I learned from a quick … Read more
Harvard Thinks Big was billed as an “important” event. Its Facebook page was ebullient. Expectations were high. “A dream team of 10 Harvard professors will each talk for 10 minutes about the 1 thing they’re most passionate about…Inspired by TED Talks (Ted.com) and motivated by what makes Harvard great — amazing professors, cutting-edge research, and breakthrough ideas…” But somehow … Read more
I’m glad to see my Crimson column of October 18 is still getting some attention! I had written that discrimination against atheists, both in the legal arena and in the popular mind, is a serious problem — not the biggest problem in the world, but a problem worth noting and criticizing. In his critique of … Read more