...nobody would think of asking the U.N. General Assembly what it thinks because it is dominated by nations with no power and less legitimacy

Often GOP political strategy seems like the human wave theory of the Chinese military translated to politics. Where Beijing uses masses of soldiers to overwhelm their adversaries, the GOP uses huge campaign budgets as a substitute for strategy, thought or issues.

Despite romantic fantasies about caring candidates who learn of America in donut shops, most politicians rely on media to teach them what concerns the average person.

The typical presidential staff resents the vice-president even more than they do the first lady.

The opposing party rarely causes so much angst as does one's own.

The most basic decision a modern politician must make is whether to be aggressive or conciliatory.

Bill and Hillary Clinton have one central idea in their uncluttered, ambitious minds: Hillary in 2008. Let Bush get re-elected, use the '04 primaries and general election to clean out the underbrush of competing Democratic candidates, and proceed unimpeded to the '08 nomination.