Dick Morris: The Way to Box in Barack on Iraq
Dick Morris lays out the strategy he thinks McCain will use to discredit Obama as weak on national defense. Thus discredited, Obama can be defeated.
I think Morris is right about the fact McCain will use the strategy Morris describes. There's just one problem. That strategy is flawed and highly susceptible to counter-punching.
Here's a quiz for you readers. Read Morris' article and then tell me how the strategy is susceptible to counter-punching. See if you can figure it out. Either that, or why you think the strategy is not suscpetible to counterpunching.
I am fried right now. In the next day or two I'll have a story about an encounter I had with a retired AF Officer and his wife.
Here's a link to Morris' article.
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/2008/07/17/the-way-to-box-in-barack-on-iraq/
I think Morris is right about the fact McCain will use the strategy Morris describes. There's just one problem. That strategy is flawed and highly susceptible to counter-punching.
Here's a quiz for you readers. Read Morris' article and then tell me how the strategy is susceptible to counter-punching. See if you can figure it out. Either that, or why you think the strategy is not suscpetible to counterpunching.
I am fried right now. In the next day or two I'll have a story about an encounter I had with a retired AF Officer and his wife.
Here's a link to Morris' article.
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/2008/07/17/the-way-to-box-in-barack-on-iraq/
On Dick Morris' strategy.
How will Sen. Obama respond to this line of questioning? It seems to me his range of options fall into three broad categories. The three are (1) hem and haw, duck and dodge, (2)change the subject, or (3) 'fess up.
(1). As Dick Morris claims, he was the "We are losing, let's get out and cut our losses" candidate. He is now trying to say that his 16 month withdrawal plan is what is operating in Iraq now. That's absurd. The "What I really meant" statement could get old.
(2). He can try to change the subject. How would this look? Think three kids in the backseat of the car. "She touched me first" "He's on my side". In this campaign, that would sound like "Yes, but he's worse at ........" or "He (or I) did it first". That may actually work.
(3). I call this 'fess up. Just admit that the situation has changed, so new conclusions are needed. A sample statement - " Although I believed the surge was wrong, I see that it has been effective militarily and politically. We now have a good chance to establish a valuable ally in this volatile region. I have learned a hard lesson about forming policies before the information is known. I now understand that when a military action is started, we need to put enough boots on the ground to get the job done. With this new understanding, I believe I am the best choice to finish this job."
I would be impressed and persuaded with a statement like that. Two problems come to mind, however. First, I believe it takes a huge ego to run for a major office, and huge egos and "I was wrong" don't match. Second, his far left base, like the Netroots Nation, would probably do what Jesse Jackson whispered.
Just my opinion.
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Jim,
Morris' whole argument is based on a false premise.
Reread my post with articles by David Brooks and Tom Friedman (Tom's article in particular). The secret is in there.
Larry
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Larry,
I don't see a false premise. What false premise do you see?
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Jim,
Sorry for the delay in responding to you. House guests and other commitments, as I wrote earlier.
For professional reasons, I don't want to let the cat out of the bag here just yet.
Here's another hint. Reread Gen McCaffrey's trip report I posted here at the end of December, first of January. It alludes to the facts that reveal the false premise.
Or we can talk later off line.
Larry
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While Obama represents change, MacCain represents experience. I truly believe that on this historical moment the US needs someone with the background of MacCain. Not to say that Obama wouldn't be a good president, it's just not the right time.
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What kind of experience does McCain have? Is that experience rooted in assumptions that are no longer true?
If you had to choose between someone to run the automation of your business with a great deal of experience in Selectric Typewriters or someone fresh from school with skills in the latest programming language, which would you choose?
I strongly recommend you read through some of the other entries here, particularly Weekly Ezine #29.
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On Experience vs whatever the opposite of experience is:
Larry, you ask: If you had to choose between someone to run the automation of your business with a great deal of experience in Selectric Typewriters or someone fresh from school with skills in the latest programming language, which would you choose?
If I had a business with an I.T department, the manager of that department should have certain skills. Some of those skills are:
1. Knowledge of budgets, and preferably experience in developing a budget and then managing a group within that budget.
2. Knowledge and experience in allocating and delegating work, and then evaluating results.
3. A firm handle on how to hire and fire.
4. Some experience in this industry or a related industry, and some knowledge of the programming languages and databases to be used.
I ask: Does the manager of the department need to be THE expert on the programming language? I say, No. That's why you hire those well-educated entry-level employees. They do the technical work. And you take them along to meetings to answer those technical questions.
So, would a person with a great deal of experience in Selectric typewriters be disqualified to run my I.T. department? Not necessarily, if that person seemed to have some management potential. The concept is called Transferable Skills.
Would I hire a well-trained person with little or no experience to run my I.T. Department? Not on my dime. Not until they had been around the block a few times.
To extend the logic, would I hire this person with little or no experience to be mayor of my city? Maybe, maybe not. How about Governor of my state? I don't think so. How about President of the United States? Are you kidding me?
By the way, I think I know who you are talking about as your "someone fresh from school with skills in the latest programming language". What I don't understand is which skills you think he has.
Just my opinion.
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Jim,
I think the answer is in your item number 4, "some knowledge of the programming languages and databases to be used."
What I'm saying is you have one candidate who not only lacks the knowledge required, but has no interest in learning that language and thinks Selectric Typewriters are all you need.
Your other candidate may not have experience running the Department, but they have extensive training in the software you need from the most rigorous training institution in the world. The reality is if you don't start using computers with the appropriate software your competitors (who are already using the computers and software) will eat your lunch.
Does that make sense?
Larry
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