Re: And why. . .? (long)

Karl Wee wrote:

> I'm beginning to realize
> that one of the biggest sins is to appear to be intelligent.  No
> matter how innocent your attitude is, there'll always be at least a
> few who will bear resentment.  George W. may be the most intelligent
> of all, who knows how to get elected President.

Not wanting to turn this into a full blown political discussion, I will
nevertheless comment about perceptions.  One of the mistakes of the left is
their superficial understanding of GWB.  On TV he is apt to come across as
a buffoon, but to think that this is his actual political persona is
wrongheaded.  What I am going to write next may sound incredulous to many,
but W is a political genius.  He is currently pursuing a very dangerous
path, and whether he can pull the whole thing off is a big question.  But
he is no idiot.

No one grows up in and makes their way to the top of Texas politics without
a cunning wit and a ruthless streak.  In this Bush is very much like LBJ. 
To the general public Johnson came across as a kind of nice old grandfather
figure.  To those who knew him, and to his enemies, he was one mean son of
a gun.  No one took LBJ for granted.  The war doomed Johnson, and it will
be the war that either makes or breaks Bush.

As long as W's opponents continue to believe that he is a simple minded
incompetent they can kiss the White House goodbye.  I'm not saying that
they have to like him.  Indeed, for all I care they can continue to hate
him with all their passion.  But the biggest mistake in war is to
misunderstand and mischaracterize your enemy.  Clausewitz should be heeded.

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