Rob Rakove's avatar

Rob Rakove

@robrakove.bsky.social

552 followers 546 following 745 posts

Historian at Stanford University, author of "Kennedy, Johnson, and the Nonaligned World" and "Days of Opportunity: The United States and Afghanistan Before the Soviet Invasion." It's good to have options.

Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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The second season's restaurant-relaunch as vehicle for personal renewal theme was a bit much for me.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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George Costanza finally has competition

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Remember when he called the 2018 midterms before the West Coast had wrapped up voting? Good times.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Tone Loc!!!

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Stephen Schwartz's avatar Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social
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Today in 1991, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” opened in theaters, ultimately grossing $521 billion worldwide. “Three billion human lives ended on August 29th, 1997. The survivors of the nuclear fire called the war Judgment Day. They lived only to face a new nightmare: the war against the machines.”

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Thanks – I've wondered this a lot over the years.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Mitch wouldn't have maintained the blockade anyway?

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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I can think of one potentially important market

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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The "intervention" argument hinges on all the departing candidates being effectively agnostic about who else might win the primary and being willing to soldier on numbly for an additional delegate or two. Turns out they each had active preferences within the field.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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I was especially stoked to discuss my book with old friend and grad school classmate Keith Harris on his podcast "The Rogue Historian." Keith has a special interest in the 19th century and Civil War, but the podcast is a great listen for all history enthusiasts.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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TV personalities favor the input that most validates their life choices.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Headlines with "might" or "could" are an invitation to move along, without clicking.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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We'd need a special journal issue to scratch the surface.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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If the Croatians want to bolster their position, they need only release *all three* seasons of Novine to a respectable streaming platform.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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I may have to steal this image for a lecture next week.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Alternatively, you sort of get the sense that Billy might die tragically within six months of the events depicted in the film.

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Laura Seay's avatar Laura Seay @texasinafrica.bsky.social
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Those who did this are likely too young to remember Kony 2012, but the underlying idea (that stunts -> awareness -> policymakers' attention -> meaningful action) is symptomatic of our era. There's no "right" way to protest, but some methods are far less effective than others. Fame isn't enough.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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1.) is dismaying and worth forwarding past

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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I'm taking a ride with my best friend I hope he never lets me down again He knows where he's taking me Taking me where I want to be I'm taking a ride with my best friend

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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70s Columbus, famously the pinnacle of urban civilization

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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dare I ask about the numbers in the handle?

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Zeb Larson's avatar Zeb Larson @zeblarson.bsky.social
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I had an article I once wanted to write on Chicago's anti-apartheid movement. I abandoned it when I left, and also because of Covid: there was no real chance in 2020 or 2021 to tackle something like this, especially without a university library. 🗃️

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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I'd wager I can't just walk into College Park and request this one.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Surprising degree of design here

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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So, umm, what do they look forward to?

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Whatever else, Friedman's Beirut reporting challenged easy notions about Israel and drew fire from his NYT editor. Kristof, meanwhile, has this penchant for stunts that repeatedly punctures any pretense of gravitas.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Their real estate stories are probably the definitive tell.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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How far the paper has strayed from the stern, no-nonsense publication it was for most of the 20th century is endlessly astounding.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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Will no one speak for the winery owners???

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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The Black Mirror episode was nice as a thought experiment. I didn't find myself craving more.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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We need some good Bart Stupak memes to help bridge the gap.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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I'm trying the show myself, and his deadpan is one of the highlights. It's hit and miss, but is tries enough different things to work.

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Rob Rakove's avatar Rob Rakove @robrakove.bsky.social
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I think a site hits critical mass when it turns into a Second World War forum.

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