Thursday.....Politics.....Damage Control

The latest soap opera in government politics might be labelled The Harvard professor and the policeman. Attempts are being made by the President to control the political damage incurred from the Cambridge incident. With health care reform and cap and trade legislation in jeopardy and everything else seemingly in chaos, damage control is in high gear on this issue. When used in its original meaning-damage to a naval vessel, or a more modern usage with corporate struggles of some sort, damage control is a legitimate, logical response to limit damage from a particular accident or problem incurred. When used it politics, it may be logical in that political damage has occurred but its legitimacy should be questioned for its success relies on a public that is gullible and/or too lazy to analyze the diversion in process. President Clinton was a master at damage control, notwithstanding the events that led to impeachment. President Obama is on a pace to dethrone the king of damage control. Republicans also try diversion tactics; they're just not as good at it. It may not be the most important issue in The Harvard Professor and the Policeman but it's what grabs my attention first. One litmus test signaling a possible turnaround in American culture might be when the public immediately recognizes damage control for what it is and instead of it casting a diversion, it applies a magnifying glass to the original problem.