In the third debate, Mr Kerry drew thumbnail sketches of his policies on health care, raising the minimum wage, immigration policy and everything else that makes voters think he feels their pain and has ideas for doing something about it.

ECONOMIST: After the debates

What Mr Cohen's thumbnail sketches also confirm is that leaders at one remove from the military establishment are often quicker than generals at sensing when a historic sea-change has occurred, rendering useless all the conventional wisdom (including military wisdom) of years past.

ECONOMIST: Civilian leadership in war