Alright, my honey babies, let's talk leadership and political strategy. Everyone knows that John Kerry is a flip-flopper and President George W. Bush is a steadfast, resolute leader. If you don't know by now, the Television will let you know by next November. So, let us all ponder the question, "What makes a good leader?" I am full aware that the world is a murky, complicated place with very little certainty. But, what does the Group want from a leader? They want sweet little lies, just like anyone else. Girlfriends, bosses and voters all want the same thing.. confidence. The President's job is to make the world make sense, not to ponder the more subtle crannies of the moral landscape (well, he-she-it isn't supposed to let us know about the pondering.) Therefore, as much as it pains me to admit, George W. Bush serves the Presidency's symbolic role well. He may be flap-jacking the English language, but he seems to have a clear sense of what must (rightly or wrongly) be done. This issue is one that more intellectual humans seem to overlook. All those truisms about "wisdom" rattle around in their heads: "Wisdom is knowing you know nothing", "The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know", etc. That crap may work for the swami on the mountain top, but it doesn't float for the 'Leader of the Free World'.

Now, why is it that the crux of Karl Rove's attack seems to be, "John Kerry is a waffle"? Labeling Mr. Kerry a breakfast treat might work with the Republican base, but I doubt it really stirs up the swingers. If Karl Rove really were a Boy Genius, he would make the attack somewhat more nuanced. "John Kerry thinks, but he can't act!" "John Kerry is unwilling to make the difficult decisions required by uncertain times." We shall see if Rove picks up on this necessity. [In case you were wondering, this was inspired by an Op-Ed titled "The Presidency And the Mind Of John Kerry" by Daniel Henninger in Friday's (3.12.4) Wall Street Journal]

Next up, The Iraq War was Necessary but Politically Damaging (in an international sense)