Caption this photo of Rusty after hours at this year's APSA Convention (or was it Conference?).

Winner will be announced on Monday afternoon. Or not, I may not be alive after this one.

We have a winner, Stephen:

"I'm gonna show him my C3P Oh face."

Honorable mention, Howie, for:

"I seem to be made to suffer." (obligatory script reference. Nicely done)

Dishonorable mention, Dan, for:

"Rusty - Be sure and check your email I'm sending you something you'll want to see." (I'm not Rusty, but I checked my email anyway.)

Thanks to all the great entries, I'm going into hiding now.

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I've made it back in one piece from the American Political Science Association's annual meeting. The highlight of this year's journey was finally meeting Steve the Llama Butcher who, to my great delight, never let out a single orgle. (Although I did hear the cry of 'yips' at the conslusion of his panel).

Mad Dog Vinnie and the other Jawa bloggers got together and told me that if I ever do any more lame APSA posts that they'll hunt me down, shoot me, grind up my remains, make sausages, and then send them to Wonkette in a Hilshire Farms gift basket. He was being seriously.

I promise, on the grave of my dead father Inego Montoya, to never blog a political science convention again. Unless there are strippers. That would make a good post!

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I won't elaborate, but I'm now completely convinced that we're in a war with "the liberals" (meaning, the Social Democrats) just as much as we're in a war with "irreconcibable Islam." I'm also beginning to think that, at least as an organizing principle, we ought to start pushing to change the "working Capital" of the US from DC to Omaha, Nebraska. And it's not that I hate Omaha all that much, but it's a lot closer to the "middle" of the country than any place else I can think of, in just about every way I can imagine.

And the parking lots are epic.

Keep DC as a symbolic totem.

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All APSA related posts can now be found at The Jawa Report's APSA archives

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Above (click for larger image): Paul Mirengoff of Powerline speaks at the American Political Science Association. Next to Paul (from left to right) is John Klenker of the Claremont Review of Books, Scott Johnson, also of Powerline, Peter Cannellos, of the Boston Globe, and Bill Gertz, of the Washington Times. (Bad photo, I know, but it's from a camera phone). Charmaine of Reasoned Audacity sat right behind me and has a few better photos here.

Report from the panel: Wasn't able to stick around and meet Paul or Scott from Powerline because I had to rush off to a job interview.

Two memorable observations from the panel. First, a heated exchange betwen Peter Cannelos and Scott Johnson. more...

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Hung out with some fellow anonymous political scientist bloggers last night. We met up with the not-so-anonymous Daniel Drezner. He's good people.

Next door, Cornell West was at a party. Wait, that guy is a political scientist. I thought he was a hip-hop artist or something?

Two worlds colliding. You know about the worlds. A non-blogging, not-in-the-know about "Rusty Shackleford", friend from grad school was hanging out at the party with us. Turns out, he and Steve the Llamabutcher know each other. Small world. Awkward, since none of could talk about blogging around him. Best to keep academic world and blog worlds apart.

If you have to make a choice between going to a party hosted by libertarians or conservatives, go to the libertarian party. Just trust me on this one.

Best. Advice. Ever: Never challenge Steve the Llama Butcher or Professor Chaos to a drinking game. more...

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Above (click for bigger pic): The guy in front of me falls asleep during Michael Ledeen's talk.

Panel 3, Sponsored by the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy

A Neo-Conservative Conspiracy? Principles and objectives of Bush's Foreign Policy: A Roundtable

Excellent roundtable. Most of these academic panels put me to sleep. Not this one. Unfortunately, the guy sitting in front of me wasn't as into the talks as me. I couldn't resist snapping a picture of him with my cell phone. That's Michael Ladeen, author of War Against the Terror Master, in the background talking.

Speaker 1: Adam Wolfson, former editor of Public Interest

Wolfson began by talking about how Bush outrages both Realists and Idealists. Later, Wolfson would claim that Bush is a Hamiltonian Realist. Hamiltonian Realists believe that the character of opposing regimes is somehow connected to our national security.

Bush is also not a Wilsonian Idealist, as some on the Right like to accuse him --think Pat Buchanan. This is evidenced by Bush's willingness to selectively apply his idealism. Think Cuba. After the Cold War, Cuba ceased to be threat. Bush's unwillingness to invade Cuba does not reveal a hypocrisy, as many on the Left like to accuse, rather it is consistent with a Realist foreign policy. No threat, no need for regime change. Iraq, on the other hand, was a threat and therefore only by regime change could we ensure the long-term national interests of the country.

Wolfson reminded us, though, that the cause-effect relationship between democracy, peace, and our national interest is a theory we are trying to test. It could very well be that the theory is wrong. Bringing democracy to the Middle East may not, in fact, bring peace and serve our interests in the long run. Let's hope the theory is right.

Random thought : This guy should definitely blog. more...

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