Remember the Greenfield rule

As George W. Bush’s policy advisors give their exit interviews, I suspect that we are going to see sentiments similar to this one from Josh Bolten: Bolten said another of his goals when he took over was to try to get the country to see the likable boss he and other aides saw in private, ...

By Daniel W. Drezner, a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

January 2, 2009, 2:33 PM

As George W. Bush's policy advisors give their exit interviews, I suspect that we are going to see sentiments similar to this one from Josh Bolten: Bolten said another of his goals when he took over was to try to get the country to see the likable boss he and other aides saw in private, convinced that would boost Bush's popularity. "I failed miserably," he conceded. "Maybe in the beginning of the sixth year of a presidency, that's a quixotic task. . . . But everybody who has actual personal exposure to the president, almost everybody, appreciates what a good leader he is, how smart he is and, especially, how humane he is." Whenever I read something like this, I always go and get my copy of Jeff Greenfield's diverting political novel,
The People's Choice
, because he has a great take on this kind of statement from a politico: When a political aide says, "He's really good in small groups," it means, He is so completely incapable of understanding the power of words or ideas that I can barely restrain myself from leaning across his desk, grabbing his lapels, and screaming, "Wake up, schmuck!" into that lean, beautiful face of his. Indeed.

As George W. Bush’s policy advisors give their exit interviews, I suspect that we are going to see sentiments similar to this one from Josh Bolten:

Bolten said another of his goals when he took over was to try to get the country to see the likable boss he and other aides saw in private, convinced that would boost Bush’s popularity. “I failed miserably,” he conceded. “Maybe in the beginning of the sixth year of a presidency, that’s a quixotic task. . . . But everybody who has actual personal exposure to the president, almost everybody, appreciates what a good leader he is, how smart he is and, especially, how humane he is.”

Whenever I read something like this, I always go and get my copy of Jeff Greenfield’s diverting political novel,
The People’s Choice

, because he has a great take on this kind of statement from a politico:

When a political aide says, “He’s really good in small groups,” it means, He is so completely incapable of understanding the power of words or ideas that I can barely restrain myself from leaning across his desk, grabbing his lapels, and screaming, “Wake up, schmuck!” into that lean, beautiful face of his.

Indeed.

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

Tag: Politics