Hard Decisions
Before I start, let's remember the one rule about George W. Bush: the man cannot multitask.
So, let's say you are the President of the United States. You've campaigned as a religious hardcore conservative even though it's becoming more obvious that you're a borrow-and-spend moderate who likes to use special interests to keep your party together and your opposition fractured.
After two questionable elections, a poorly conducted war based on "fixed" information, the worst federal response to a natural disaster n recent history, and the possibility that members of your administration and party may be going to prison for various charges, your polls are low and sinking.
You try to boost them by teleconferences and speeches, but it doesn't work. So you try a "presidential action;" something you're allowed to do as president to remind people that you can still be presidential.
The problem is, this action (nominating another person for the Supreme Court) doesn't go well. What's worse, this decision is being challenged by members of your own party. Rumors abound, like your own Vice President is letting you stew because you didn't heed his misgivings about your choice. Or that you may start another war to get people to like you again.
Not that the rumors matter. What's really important is that your Vice President and also your most important advisor are so swamped with their own problems you haven't been getting your regular dose of sage advice on how to make yourself look good. Everyone's too busy trying to save their own necks (or prepare to run things when you leave) that no one's paying you much attention.
So you have a choice. You can bite the bullet and ask your enemies to help you out; so you can save face on you latest nomination. You can make a real speech and cut loose those who are facing some court time; separate yourself as an unwilling party to their shady doings (regardless of how connected to them you truly are). You can finally give in to the indisputable evidence that this war cannot be won based on the direction it's going in, and take a stand by declaring a detailed method for troop withdrawal as well making sure that the occupied nation can properly (and independently) defend itself.
Or you can do nothing of substance and continue to try and make yourself look good.
So, let's say you are the President of the United States. You've campaigned as a religious hardcore conservative even though it's becoming more obvious that you're a borrow-and-spend moderate who likes to use special interests to keep your party together and your opposition fractured.
After two questionable elections, a poorly conducted war based on "fixed" information, the worst federal response to a natural disaster n recent history, and the possibility that members of your administration and party may be going to prison for various charges, your polls are low and sinking.
You try to boost them by teleconferences and speeches, but it doesn't work. So you try a "presidential action;" something you're allowed to do as president to remind people that you can still be presidential.
The problem is, this action (nominating another person for the Supreme Court) doesn't go well. What's worse, this decision is being challenged by members of your own party. Rumors abound, like your own Vice President is letting you stew because you didn't heed his misgivings about your choice. Or that you may start another war to get people to like you again.
Not that the rumors matter. What's really important is that your Vice President and also your most important advisor are so swamped with their own problems you haven't been getting your regular dose of sage advice on how to make yourself look good. Everyone's too busy trying to save their own necks (or prepare to run things when you leave) that no one's paying you much attention.
So you have a choice. You can bite the bullet and ask your enemies to help you out; so you can save face on you latest nomination. You can make a real speech and cut loose those who are facing some court time; separate yourself as an unwilling party to their shady doings (regardless of how connected to them you truly are). You can finally give in to the indisputable evidence that this war cannot be won based on the direction it's going in, and take a stand by declaring a detailed method for troop withdrawal as well making sure that the occupied nation can properly (and independently) defend itself.
Or you can do nothing of substance and continue to try and make yourself look good.
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