The war is a small part of what concerns me. By the way, I’ve been working at my post, trying to get the words right. I’m tired and I don’t want to come off pompous or cloying. But really I wanted to communicate the sad shock at being charmed by this young man today and then wondering why on earth he had this set of notions in his head. There was a little bit more to our conversation, but I was too tired to set it out. Maybe in a follow-up. Not sure exactly which version of the words you saw.

No, the thing that has troubled me the most, or center of the nest of troubles, is the precendent this president is setting for the future, undoing the balance of powers. No veto in six years? That’s symptomatic of a radical departure. And the explosion of police powers. And the institutionalization of torture. And I do think it is a kind of gang or racket that’s taken over the government. And I want to do something about it.

It makes me think people need to figure a new kind of global popular sovereignty, maybe a level of ‘international’ justice akin to the Nuremburg trials. As an American I don’t hold any American-values higher than my values as a citizen of the World.

Also of course I felt a sense of loss. I was just surprised he could be so sensitive and alert and yet hold these beliefs. I asked if he thought Donald Rumsfeld was a competent manager and he said yes he did.

I didn’t argue with him. I just felt sad. Like there was something in his family that encouraged him to hallucinate.