Thursday, February 12, 2015
Cutting Losses
Political campaigns have mastered the craft of cutting losses by spinning off people and organizations that threaten the success of candidates. Consider this example. Jeb Bush has not yet formally declared he is going to run for President, and he already is letting people go who could embarrass him. It's a smart thing to do. Campaigns are bloody affairs with the media and the internet examining every detail of a candidate's personality and people. They are looking for faults that are symptomatic of how the candidate thinks and what he might do in office. They are less interested in issues, especially if they are check-box statements designed to appease segments of voters. It's the campaign itself that motivates them -- who's winning, who's receding, who's navigating the shoals of special interests best. Despite decades of self-flagellation over focusing on the horse race, the media continue to play the ponies. Bush knows that as does every serious candidate. Hence, it is not too soon to cut loose a staffer who could distract the media and voters from the candidate himself.
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