In Scott Brown, America gains a senator with a military background
The 52-47 per cent victory of a conservative in one of the most Left-wing states in America is a monumental political upset. From the perspective of foreign and defence policy, it’s also excellent news, as Senator-elect Scott Brown has invaluable practical military experience: he’s currently a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard.
Foreign and defence policy was a key issue in the special election for Ted Kennedy’s old senate seat. The Democrats thought that a state that voted for Obama by a 30 per cent margin, and whose state government they’ve controlled for 55 years, would easily elect any faithful party hack. So the Democrats put up state attorney general Martha Coakley, a solid Kennedyite loyalist. Used to a one-party state and the automatic endorsement of every major media company, union and power group, Coakley was unused to things like discussing the issues. In liberal-land, the chosen hack is simply annointed and can usually get by with a few platitudes before assuming his/her