Much of the discussion of politics and policy -- on the left mostly, because the the right is just nasty -- much of the talk just seems so naive.... foolish. The arguments that Pelosi should do this or Obama is a fake or a failure seem informed by some fantasy of what managing power is like.
So here's a story. During the Carter Administration I ran into a friend at the White House. Things like walking the hall at the White House were easier then and I was visiting to report a magazine piece, she was on the National Security Council. Said, 'hey. How's it goin.' And this person, one of smartest and most capable I've known, she gave me a half focused look, and she said, 'It is unbelievably hard. You would not believe how hard it is.' Since I probably indeed can't believe how hard it all is, I've never fully digested her statement, but I think about it often. And BTW, if it was hard then, it's surely harder now.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)