Obama and D’Israeli have an interesting fact in common though.. the only two examples I can think of of a country electing a member of a marginalized ethnic minority to its highest office.
Oh, wait.. maybe Fujimori, in Peru?
Benjamin Disraeli?
Hell, he isn’t even worthy of comparison to Cream!
1. The Japanese immigrants weren’t that marginalized in Peru, were they?
2. The article doesn’t explain *why* the President is no Benjamin Disraeli (i.e. psych analysis), just *that* he is, and *how* he is no Disraeli.
I would really like to understand the President’s psyche, and why the Democrat power centers rubber stamped his ascendancy. Did they do it *because* of the President’s vacuity, or *despite* it?
I would really like to understand the President’s psyche, and why the Democrat power centers rubber stamped his ascendancy. Did they do it *because* of the President’s vacuity, or *despite* it?
They did it because he was their nominee. They would have preferred Hillary Clinton but their rank and file had other ideas.
They did it because he was their nominee. They would have preferred Hillary Clinton but their rank and file had other ideas.
I agree here. Obama won a close primary race. His ascendancy wasn’t preordained.
I would really like to understand the President’s psyche
I would really like to understand … why the Democrat power centers rubber stamped his ascendancy.
“Ablution” is the ritualistic washing away of sins. The Atheist Left claim not to believe in primitive religions any more, but nonetheless they are steeped in the European religion of Marxism, which preaches guilt by racial and class association. Electing Obama was the only way they could rid themselves of the incredible guilt they feel about being white people.
Ironically I expect welfare reform will have a much better chance of sticking after Obama has served his term in office, and the Revs. Jackson and Sharpton will lose much of their support. So it’s not all bad.
I remember back when the left were all making fun of George W. because he was a CEO of failed corporations. I think now they are understanding what being an executive in charge really entails and how to compose oneself in the position (attempts at dancing aside). One can say lots of things of Bush but the man at least knew how to run an office and staff. Hillary was right, the office of the President is not a on-the-job training ground.
They would have preferred Hillary Clinton but their rank and file had other ideas.
That “rank and file” being Howard Dean, and it was a brilliant move to win the hearts and minds of the Gen Xers and get out from under the thumb of the Clintons.
One can say lots of things of Bush but the man at least knew how to run an office and staff.
He knew how to make them wear coats and ties. In other regards, his management was an utter failure. For example, the biggest decision Bush made was to invade Iraq, but you will look long and hard to find the meeting where that decision was made, and what arguments for and against it were advanced by his top advisers. Things were so disfunctional that Rove could have McClellan lie to the press about the Plame leak, and not get fired or even demoted.
“their rank and file had other ideas.”
That’s correct iff “rank and file” = mainstream press + Hollywood celebs.
“For example, the biggest decision Bush made was to invade Iraq, but you will look long and hard to find the meeting where that decision was made, and what arguments for and against it were advanced by his top advisers. ”
Um, Douglas Feith, War and Decision. Didn’t take that long and hard a look to find — it was in the Wal-Mart storage tub I keep under the bed.
This is an example of the Gell-Mann Effect that Richard Feynman talked about. Feynman once talked about how his esteemed physics colleague Murray Gell-Mann would read an article in the newspaper reporting on some finding in high-energy physics, and he would be sputtering about “how could this reporter get so many of the basic facts so wrong!” That is, when you have expert and direct knowledge of a subject and when you see a newspaper article on the subject, one is amazed at how many liberties are taken in the translation between what the reporter was told and what appears on the printed page.
On the other hand, Gell-Mann would read something in the paper about something taking place in the Middle East, and the paper would be critical of some action taken by the Israelis, but Gell-Mann would read and take the entire newspaper account at face value. Whereas Gell-Mann was an expert on high-energy physics, there was very little that he knew first-hand about the Middle East, and he had no basis for doubting anything that appeared in the paper.
So when Jim asserts that Mr. Bush made the decision to go to war in Iraq with only the most superficial of deliberation and consultation with advisors, based on other sources of information I have, that is one of the dumbest comments made on Rand’s blog.
On the other hand, when Jim states that Mr. Bush was a poor and ineffective manager, I don’t really know much about good or bad managers apart from whether my boss lets me take time off when I want or not, so as far as I can tell, Jim is right and I have to agree with what he says on the subject.
That’s correct iff “rank and file” = mainstream press + Hollywood celebs.
I was using “rank and file” to mean “people who vote in Democratic primaries”.
Paul:
Had you read the PNAC document on policy for the new American Century you would have seen the invasion of Iraq was on the cards before Bush was even elected. IIRC the claim was that Iraq was on a strategic position in the Middle East and was required for securing access to oil. It also had wild ravings about the US being the sole remaining superpower and how it had to sustain that position of leadership for the next century for the good of the world. A civilizing mission not unlike The White Man’s Burden.
Josh,
W knew how to run an office and staff? You’ve got to be kidding.
When Andrew Card “retired” in 2005, his schedule came out. He got up at 4 AM. He arrived at work shortly after 5 AM. He worked until 8 PM — 9 PM. He took phone calls after that.
Those of us who have studied human psychology have a technical term to describe people on that sort of schedule.
What is it?
CRAZY.
I’ve finished the Marine Corps Marathon. In 1996, not yesterday. I’m back being a leader in Metro Washington Mensa. I can’t make sense on that sort of schedule. People who try are CRAZY.
Now it is back to reading the Economist — before I go to bed for 7-8 hours of sleep.
Obama and D’Israeli have an interesting fact in common though.. the only two examples I can think of of a country electing a member of a marginalized ethnic minority to its highest office.
Oh, wait.. maybe Fujimori, in Peru?
Benjamin Disraeli?
Hell, he isn’t even worthy of comparison to Cream!
1. The Japanese immigrants weren’t that marginalized in Peru, were they?
2. The article doesn’t explain *why* the President is no Benjamin Disraeli (i.e. psych analysis), just *that* he is, and *how* he is no Disraeli.
I would really like to understand the President’s psyche, and why the Democrat power centers rubber stamped his ascendancy. Did they do it *because* of the President’s vacuity, or *despite* it?
I would really like to understand the President’s psyche, and why the Democrat power centers rubber stamped his ascendancy. Did they do it *because* of the President’s vacuity, or *despite* it?
They did it because he was their nominee. They would have preferred Hillary Clinton but their rank and file had other ideas.
They did it because he was their nominee. They would have preferred Hillary Clinton but their rank and file had other ideas.
I agree here. Obama won a close primary race. His ascendancy wasn’t preordained.
See: Narcissistic personality disorder and Marxism, then add in a hefty dose of “As the champion of capitalism, America must be defeated.”
“Ablution” is the ritualistic washing away of sins. The Atheist Left claim not to believe in primitive religions any more, but nonetheless they are steeped in the European religion of Marxism, which preaches guilt by racial and class association. Electing Obama was the only way they could rid themselves of the incredible guilt they feel about being white people.
Ironically I expect welfare reform will have a much better chance of sticking after Obama has served his term in office, and the Revs. Jackson and Sharpton will lose much of their support. So it’s not all bad.
I remember back when the left were all making fun of George W. because he was a CEO of failed corporations. I think now they are understanding what being an executive in charge really entails and how to compose oneself in the position (attempts at dancing aside). One can say lots of things of Bush but the man at least knew how to run an office and staff. Hillary was right, the office of the President is not a on-the-job training ground.
That “rank and file” being Howard Dean, and it was a brilliant move to win the hearts and minds of the Gen Xers and get out from under the thumb of the Clintons.
One can say lots of things of Bush but the man at least knew how to run an office and staff.
He knew how to make them wear coats and ties. In other regards, his management was an utter failure. For example, the biggest decision Bush made was to invade Iraq, but you will look long and hard to find the meeting where that decision was made, and what arguments for and against it were advanced by his top advisers. Things were so disfunctional that Rove could have McClellan lie to the press about the Plame leak, and not get fired or even demoted.
“their rank and file had other ideas.”
That’s correct iff “rank and file” = mainstream press + Hollywood celebs.
“For example, the biggest decision Bush made was to invade Iraq, but you will look long and hard to find the meeting where that decision was made, and what arguments for and against it were advanced by his top advisers. ”
Um, Douglas Feith, War and Decision. Didn’t take that long and hard a look to find — it was in the Wal-Mart storage tub I keep under the bed.
This is an example of the Gell-Mann Effect that Richard Feynman talked about. Feynman once talked about how his esteemed physics colleague Murray Gell-Mann would read an article in the newspaper reporting on some finding in high-energy physics, and he would be sputtering about “how could this reporter get so many of the basic facts so wrong!” That is, when you have expert and direct knowledge of a subject and when you see a newspaper article on the subject, one is amazed at how many liberties are taken in the translation between what the reporter was told and what appears on the printed page.
On the other hand, Gell-Mann would read something in the paper about something taking place in the Middle East, and the paper would be critical of some action taken by the Israelis, but Gell-Mann would read and take the entire newspaper account at face value. Whereas Gell-Mann was an expert on high-energy physics, there was very little that he knew first-hand about the Middle East, and he had no basis for doubting anything that appeared in the paper.
So when Jim asserts that Mr. Bush made the decision to go to war in Iraq with only the most superficial of deliberation and consultation with advisors, based on other sources of information I have, that is one of the dumbest comments made on Rand’s blog.
On the other hand, when Jim states that Mr. Bush was a poor and ineffective manager, I don’t really know much about good or bad managers apart from whether my boss lets me take time off when I want or not, so as far as I can tell, Jim is right and I have to agree with what he says on the subject.
That’s correct iff “rank and file” = mainstream press + Hollywood celebs.
I was using “rank and file” to mean “people who vote in Democratic primaries”.
Paul:
Had you read the PNAC document on policy for the new American Century you would have seen the invasion of Iraq was on the cards before Bush was even elected. IIRC the claim was that Iraq was on a strategic position in the Middle East and was required for securing access to oil. It also had wild ravings about the US being the sole remaining superpower and how it had to sustain that position of leadership for the next century for the good of the world. A civilizing mission not unlike The White Man’s Burden.
Josh,
W knew how to run an office and staff? You’ve got to be kidding.
When Andrew Card “retired” in 2005, his schedule came out. He got up at 4 AM. He arrived at work shortly after 5 AM. He worked until 8 PM — 9 PM. He took phone calls after that.
Those of us who have studied human psychology have a technical term to describe people on that sort of schedule.
What is it?
CRAZY.
I’ve finished the Marine Corps Marathon. In 1996, not yesterday. I’m back being a leader in Metro Washington Mensa. I can’t make sense on that sort of schedule. People who try are CRAZY.
Now it is back to reading the Economist — before I go to bed for 7-8 hours of sleep.
Try sleep sometime. It works wonders for humans.