Perspective as to W's Game--another side to MTP Interview?

andrewsullivan blog ^ | 2-9-2004 | Sullivan, Andrew

[ontos-on]

BUSH'S MBA: A fellow student and subsequent professor analyzes George W. Bush from the Harvard Business School perspective. It's interesting reading. Money quote:

By reputation, the President was a very avid and skillful poker player when he was an MBA student. One of the secrets of a successful poker player is to encourage your opponent to bet a lot of chips on a losing hand. This is a pattern of behavior one sees repeatedly in George W. Bush’s political career. He is not one to loudly proclaim his strengths at the beginning of a campaign. Instead, he bides his time, does not respond forcefully, a least at first, to critiques from his enemies, no matter how loud and annoying they get. If anything, this apparent passivity only goads them into making their case more emphatically.

Only time will tell, whether Saddam ever had any WMDs. Their non-existence has not been proven. Only time will tell whether or not Osama bin Laden (or his corpse) will be taken into custody by American Troops. Only time will tell whether or not Iraq will continue to make progress toward a transition toward a peaceful democratic government. George W. Bush knows much more information about these topics than his domestic political opponents do. At the moment, they are betting a lot of their chips on one side of these questions.

We will see by November who has the winning hand.

[ontos-on]

I know Bush and Rove are smart. I could not understand why they would pick the time and place for the Russert interview and then show up not as sharp or prepared to hit homeruns, as W surely could have been.

Conservatives,I suspect, mostly are dissapointed at what they see as a lost opportunity to knock these no-nothing critics on their sixes. But maybe this post is a hint as to an explanation. Trust "W" appears to be the watchword.

[Political Junkie Too]

Their non-existence has not been proven.

Lesson one: absence of proof is not proof of absence.

At the moment, they are betting a lot of their chips on one side of these questions.

They are playing both sides. They will rig the game if they have to. They will flip over the table, pocket an ace, mark the cards if they have to.

-PJ

[Keith in Iowa]

People have missunderestimated Bush for years - this Russert interview plays into that...expectations are low right now, and it won't be long before GWB hits one out of the park...

[abclily]

I listened to some of the interview. Sounded to me like W was sandbagging. He's holding info for later - after the dems are all on film screaming and ranting their lies, then W will show what wimpy liars they are.

[EllaMinnow]

Yep.

[Fawnn]

...it won't be long before GWB hits one out of the park...

Or shows his winning hand. ;)

(Love your tagline, btw! LOL)

[jdege]

Winning now doesn't count.

[Pukin Dog]

Some interesting quotes from another web site:

Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Emptiness and Fullness

The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.

Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Planning a Siege

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.

Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Strategic Assessments

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.

Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Strategic Assessments

[section9]

Something else that conservatives such as Noonan harped on was his tendency to repeat his positions.

John Tabin had a fine article in Today's American Spectator. Go to it, and you will see the method to Bush's repetition. When I read the first reports, yesterday, I wondered why Bush seemed to be not up to par. I hadn't seen the interview. Common Tator did, and his thoughts were similar to Tobins.

He wasn't talking to Russert. He was talking past Russert.

Bush was his disciplined self.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Bombard]

You want homeruns while more games are won with singles and doubles. It is only Feb. 9th, it still is a long race to run. Set the pace so you can finish in front at the end, I think that is what Mr. Bush and Mr. Rove have in mind.
BUSH 2004!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Servant of the 9]

I know Bush and Rove are smart. I could not understand why they would pick the time and place for the Russert interview and then show up not as sharp or prepared to hit homeruns, as W surely could have been.

Bush also looked very tired and sounded not all there last week when he announced the intelligence commission.

I wonder if he has the Flu or something and didn't want to cancel and cause gossip?

So9

[Hoosier-Daddy]

I think the real telling feature is Algore screaming that Bush betrayed the trust of the American people by using 9/11 as an excuse to attack Iraq. Frankly, I don't think Algore has, in the last 4 years, been right about anything in politics. If Algore doesn't think there are WMDs, you can bet the farm that they're going to appear before the November elections. If there's one consistency in this universe, it's that whenever Algore has an opinion on something, you can bet in very short order something will come out to make him look like a complete fool.

[beckysueb]

You are so right! Glad to see some upbeat comments for a change!

[shrinkermd]

"By reputation, the President was a very avid and skillful poker player when he was an MBA student."

Usually most believe the game of successful politicians and military strategists is chess. Actually, bridge or poker is closer to real life's challenges. While there is skill and knowing the odds of the cards, there is also psychology and luck. Just like in life. That is why Buffet, Gates et al are ferociously competitive bridge players.

IMHO everyone underestimates President Bush because of his means of presentation. I would bet anyone who has spent time with him would see him as super contactful and persuasive. It probably does no harm for the RATS to underestimate him, but it is important we don't.

[ontos-on]

I love your image of AlGore as a reverse weathervane. LOL

[Miss Marple]

Agree! Global warming speech before the coldest Northeast winter in decades, anti-war speech right before we catch Saddam, endorsing Dean right before he imploded...and now this!!! I bet we find WMD's and Osama by next week. LOL!

[RightWhale]

I don't think Algore has, in the last 4 years, been right about anything in politics.

He's a day-trader taking long shots all the time. He endorsed Dean. Now Kerry is terrified he might get Algore's endorsement.

[LS]

Obviously, no one knows what's going to happen. But I think W learned from 2000 and the "October surprise" DUI.

1) I don't think that will happen again.

2) I think there is FAR more proof/connection between AQ and Saddam than the admin has ever admitted to---and there are only two reasons I can see for keeping this quiet: a) protect sources; b) pull the Ace of diamonds out at election time.

3) The WMDs were there. In what quantity, who knows? But Rush has this right---the only question is, "Where are they now?"

There is NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING that Bush can do right now that is going to stop the Dem mantra until everyone drops out and Kerry will have to virtually stop campaigning for lack of funds. Then there will be a lull as W's poll numbers rise, all the way until the Dem convention.

[OldFriend]

Recently saw a clip of Ann Richards doing her 'pore george, he caint hep himsef, he was born with a silver foot in his mouth.

Oh she got the biggest applause line....but then, if memory serves....it was pore Ann Richards who got the boot to her backside by the people of Texas.

[nutmeg]

Trust "W" appears to be the watchword.

Yup... I have all along. :-)