Family Photos
But if it was a bipartisan consultation, as advertised by the White House, it was a brief one. Mr. Bush allowed 5 to 10 minutes this morning for interchange with the group - which included three veterans of another difficult war, the one in Vietnam: Robert S. McNamara, Melvin R. Laird and James R. Schlesinger. Then the entire group was herded the Oval Office for what he called a "family picture."
**
Perhaps most Americans agree that if the President asks you to do something for the country, you would exert yourself to do it, subject to the constraints of law. But was it really wise for the former Defense and State Department heads of Democratic Administrations to allow themselves to be assembled for a photo op that purported to demonstrate the Administration's interest in bipartisan views? Republicans rarely if ever participated in such sessions in the Clinton Administration; indeed many made public commentaries about their unwillingness to associate with the President whom they scorned. Moreover, one might think a higher purpose would be served if these former leaders explained publicly why they had declined the invitation to be photographed, and how they would have been delighted to offer their views if they had been given a chance to talk for more than a minute or two. Democrats have a very difficult time getting any press attention even when they do muster the willingness to speak; a claque of such leaders turning down the chance to stand like props on a stage would have garnered that attention.
As I said at DeLong, this is an example of the omerta of the international-relations clique. Their primary loyalty is to their trade, and everyone else is an outsider. If one of them rocks the boat in the smallest way, he will be shunned and ejected from the system, and his career will be over with.
January 6, 2006 5:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Also (and I'm starting to feel like a broken record on this): Mr. Hundt, please provide links to the material you quote.
January 6, 2006 5:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
he talked to the university of texas longhorns coach for the same amount of time
January 6, 2006 5:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I heard that Colin P. did not utter a word. How humiliating it would have been for him to pick up a broom and dust pan.
Desperate times demand desperate PR efforts. How sad that this coincided with such a heavy loss of life in Iraq.
Sad. Sad. Sad.
January 6, 2006 5:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Re: Republicans rarely if ever participated in such sessions in the Clinton administration:===========
I always got the impression that Clinton was popular with a subset of internationalist Republicans, including someone like Newt Gingrich who has publicly complimented Clinton's intellect. Plus, didn't Clinton appoint a Republican to the Defense Dept?
Clinton might have been viewed as a ladies man; but I think tall men like to elongate with each other too.
Basically I don't find it all that surprising to find retired or shoved aside dept heads to hob nob with each other.
January 6, 2006 6:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a former student of Soviet history, I find this scenario amusingly--no, actually disturbingly--familiar. This behavior is that of the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks (and foreign fellow travelers). The ruthless, propaganda-savvy manipulators of the "reality-based community" versus the naive, well-meaning patsies of popular-front sentimentality. This scenario shows that our ruling/managerial class still does not understand the danger to the republic posed by glib fanatics who represent, in their own eyes, History, Natural Law, and the Guys in the White Hats. The rest of us are only pawns in their game. Folks, keep your powder dry--and order more.
January 6, 2006 6:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
January 6, 2006 7:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Schlesinger, insulting in condescension, "just happened to bring along" some quote purportedly from Zarkawi about conversion or death or some such.
Just happened to have it.
January 6, 2006 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
My answer, I would attend and then take full advantage of the public attention to offer my point of view, publicly, for way more than a few minutes.1. I would attend to get the briefing and ask questions.2. I would plan my 1-2 minute advice so I used every second.3. After the "meeting" I would talk with the media and announce my upcoming speech at X on day Y.4. I would give a speech that amplified my agreement, disagreement and approach to a way forward.
Albright did 1,2 and part of 3. I hope she finds a way to speak at length somewhere soon.
The eternal optimist in me thinks that some think tank or university should immediately set up a public forum for former Sec'ys of State and Defense to speak for more than 1-2 minutes.
January 6, 2006 9:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
The gall of this President is staggering; when he finally decides, after years of disastrous incompetence and folly, to "give in" and include non-sycophants in a discussion of the nation's policies abroad, his conception of "discussion" consists of delivering an hour-long lecture -- doubtless reeking with the same boilerplate platitudes, straw men, evasion and foot-stamping as his usual ramblings -- to a group with centuries of foreign-policy experience, and then grudgingly permitting that vast assemblage of wisdom and knowledge a total of five minutes -- three hundred seconds -- an average of twenty-three seconds apiece -- in which to voice any and all opinions and recommendations for the salvation of this nation's interests and reputation abroad. The historical parallels of this execrable administration are not Nixon and Harding; they are Nero and Ethelred.
January 6, 2006 9:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's true that the Dem secretaries were no more than living versions of the repetitive photo-op banners the Prez loves to stand in front of.
(http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,76753,00.ht
ml)
However, with respect to the "Republicans didn't do this for Clinton" angle, I don't think Dem's participation was bad.
In so many instances, the Democrats reluctance to get down and dirty, while admirable and honorable, has cost us dearly, e.g. not strongly questioning and criticizing a "war-time president," or Gore's and Kerry's refusal to highlight Bush's failures in any meaningful, critical, negative way. It ultimately ends up backfiring, making us look like weak, appeasement junkies.
By contrast, any military intervention by the Clinton administration was met with cries of, "wagging the dog," and Rove devastated Gore and Kerry by going negative with untrue, but effective, caricatures of overexaggerting and outright lying.
Once again, with this meeting, the Democrats can claim the moral high-ground and show that they will put policy ahead of politics, the Nation ahead of the party. In the past, this willingness to sacrifice political principles ended up being harmful. But the nice thing about this instance is that it has no consequenses! The Dems are out of power and don't have to answer for this mess. This is Bush and the Republican's war and no amount of media manipulation could override yesterday's disastrous news from Iraq. The general public has no idea who half those people are anyway, and they will continue to associate Iraq with the President.
January 6, 2006 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know I'm supposed to provide the link but for reasons I've not yet understood, I don't seem able to do it from the ISP I sometimes use. I'm still trying to learn why I'm so challenged by this problem.....
January 6, 2006 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
[www].tmpcafe.com
January 6, 2006 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nope. They should have loudly and publicly stayed away. Like St. Augustine said, conscience and reputation are two different things. Conscience is due to yourself, reputation to your neighbor. They all risked ruination of reputation by appearing in a photo-op with this neighbor. And apparently they have no conscience - Bush called and they came, didn't they? Thomas Jefferson said that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing. So a little dissent (like a '68 raised fist and bowed head) would have been an appropriate expression from men and women of conscience regarding the most misguided foreign frolic in history. The next best thing to guiltless hands, is ignorance of guilt itself. So Bush took care of that; bring them to the White House, tell them all about it and they can no longer claim ignorance of guilt. It's just like the Senators who were "briefed" on the NSA wiretapping as if that supplied congressional oversight. So, let's take a collection and get them some little stamps for their foreheads that say "Duped and Used by Bush".
January 6, 2006 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right you are. True consultation takes place in private. True bipartisanship would mean actually appointing a (God forbid) Democrat to a position of authority in your foreign policy establishment. This is the ultimate cynical, PR, photo-op administration.
January 6, 2006 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
No surprise, either, to see how easily flattered the "formers" were to receive an invitation to return to the White House.
January 6, 2006 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
now, those "wise men" back then knew how to back up what they said.
and obviously johnson knew how to listen.
the meeting this past week is a whole other story. and beyond the absurd.
January 7, 2006 12:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Such White House photo ops are very likely the ideas of Karl Rove. So they invite all those former Secretaries, lecture them for nearly an hour, give them 5 to 10 minutes to speak, set up the photo for what they call "A Family Picture". By this time they must have been wondering, "What are we doing here?" They were being used. I can't see if any are smiling or not. One could appear to be smiling while thinking, "Hopelessly incompetent!" but maybe not while thinking, "Pathetic."
January 7, 2006 1:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, LBJ kept that war going right until he left in January 1969, and he hampered Humphrey's efforts to speak out in favor of a halt to bombing. So I'm not too sure how much listening LBJ really did.
January 7, 2006 5:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
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December 24, 2006 6:37 AM | Reply | Permalink