[gjenkins]

"Then you agree with me that it is likely that Askel's theory, that he is a dunce who has just been moved as certain powers wish, is horsepucky?"

No matter how dim, smart, or clever he is, I think he is still controllable based on his commitment to pragmatic politics. If nothing else he is controllable by public opinion. He has certainly bought into the pragmatic requirements of ruling over a democracy, which is a suckers bet to those who believe in absolute rights and wrongs. IMHO

[AlGone2001]

If nothing else he is controllable by public opinion.

Is that why he was pulling for ANWR drilling well before it was a considerable option, due to public pressure?