Clinton v. Trump: Politics, War and the 2016 Presidential Race – Part II

This post is the second and final part of an essay dealing with the application of power in politics.   

Part I addressed how, in the 1960’s, Lyndon Baines Johnson interpreted the nature of power and of how he used it to push through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, despite almost overwhelming opposition from his own Democratic Party, and of how he unsuccessfully expanded the Vietnam War.

Also, Part II of this essay describes my understanding of how Hillary Rodham Clinton and Donald Trump view the application of power, and of how their insights about it are not dissimilar to the forceful manner by which power was employed by LBJ.

NEARLY SIX DECADES AFTER LBJ, THIS IS WHAT POWER LOOKS LIKE IN THE QUEST FOR THE PRESIDENCY: 

 

There are early signs that the initial preparations being made by advisers for both Clinton and Trump will result in a presidential race that has all of the hallmarks of political warfare similar to that which LBJ employed to get his results.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is anticipating Trump’s no-holds-barred onslaught, but will not likely respond in kind – she will leave that job to her proxies.

Expect that she will attempt to maintain her composure during forthcoming debates, while still pushing back very strongly against Trump’s fierce and fiery language, (if that’s what he chooses to do) – a barrage of words not heard in public at this level during my lifetime. 

      

Nonetheless, Trump is unlikely to change his approach materially, since it is what propelled him to this point in his campaign.

However, his previous strategy may not be effectively sustainable without behavior modification.  He is getting distracted by self-inflicted forays that have nothing to do with his campaign, but are placing him under an unfavorable spotlight, even among some of his high level supporters.

The latest incident was Trump’s comments about Gonzalo Curiel, the Federal Judge currently presiding over the Trump University lawsuit – a completely tangential affair having no direct impact whatsoever on Trump’s presidential hopes, but one that minimizes his judgment and questions his ability to compartmentalize.

Clinton v. Trump: Politics, War and the 2016 Presidential Race – Part I

This post is the first part of an essay which addresses the topic of power politics at the highest levels of office in the United States, especially at the presidential level. 

 

Today’s writing sets the background for describing the nature of the current run for the U.S. Presidency as I see it by harkening back to the days when Democrat Lyndon Baines Johnson (All the way with LBJ!!) assumed control of the Oval Office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

The second and final part of the essay will follow on the next post.

It will deal with the power plays and tactics which we might expect to see employed by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the red heat of their run for the Presidency of the U.S.

IT HAPPENED THEN, ALMOST SIX DECADES AGO:

“All the Way” is the title of an award-winning play that depicts the tumultuous years of the LBJ Presidency during the 1960’s – a time of the Kennedy assassination, of racial strife, and of the acceleration of the Vietnam War.  Enough of an agenda to test the mettle of any president.

Recently, Pris and I viewed that play in Washington, D.C. courtesy of our daughter and, a few weeks later, on a PBS special of the same name.

Lyndon Baines Johnson was a master political strategist and tactician who knew how to cajole, twist arms, and effectively threaten – anything to get his programs through the U.S. Congress.

Susan Wigenton: A judge reaching for a bridge too far.

Christie and Bridget Anne Kelly.  (Screen Grab on 01/09/2014)

The drama continues and the band plays on as some of the blood-seeking, revenge-toting politicians, as well as a few in the press continue to pursue their on-the-record speculation that “Christie had to know” about vehicular lane closures leading from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge.

If our governor had to satisfy all the demands of those who dislike him (despise him is a more accurate verb), he would have to turn himself into a pretzel.  Yet, even that wouldn’t be acceptable.

The characterization in the aggregate of what his detractors want him to do is unbalanced and contradictory:  It is a schizophrenic conflation of bipolar thinking that evokes a “Can’t live with him, can’t live without him” syndrome.  Impossible!

Governor Christopher Christie is a tough personality and can be very abrasive in his interactions, no matter with whom – no news to anyone.

His I-am-what-I-am behavior does not sit very well with political opponents, even, lately, among some of those in his own party where he has kept a tight rein.

Forbes Advances a Compelling Socio-Economic Argument

Forbes with a book fan. (Bergeron Image)

A week ago yesterday, on a beautifully sunny afternoon, Priscille and I attended Steve Forbes’ discussion of his latest book, Reviving America, at the library in Bridgewater.

The nature of book signings is as varied as the personality of the authors.  Some writers, pleasant as they can be, will simply be introduced to their audience, say a few words, and politely put their John Hancock to paper.

On the other hand, some writers will speak at length to a captivating audience that is just as eager to hear what the author has to say as they are to obtain his signature.

Listening to Forbes falls in the second category.  It’s like being exposed to a flow of information presented with a rare clarity dispensed from a man who has devoted a lifetime honing his skills on economic matters.

Non-fiction books can be very dry and boring, but not this one.

Americana Visits the Mall, Lego-Style

A Massive Lego Creation of the U.S. Capitol Building, 

Last Saturday, before the stores at the Bridgewater Commons Mall opened, and long before the flood of shoppers began to stream in, Priscille and I came to see the “Lego Americana Roadshow, Building Across America.”

It’s a superb display of nine historic structures marking the birth and development of our country.  There are also displays of varied scenes and cityscapes behind glass – all constructed with Lego Blocks.  They are impressive for their detailed beauty and significance.

The models were first created digitally with computer-aided design software, and all of the Lego pieces were individually fabricated to plan requirements.  It took from one to three skilled assembly teams to put together each of the nine big Lego models.

Two of my favorites are the U.S. Capitol Building and The White House.  I was awed by the ingenuity of the designers and builders.  The Capitol Building is so massive that it dominates the Mall’s Center Court at Level 1, amazing those who stand before it.