HARD BALL: CHRIS MATTHEWS

I just finished Chris Matthews HARDBALL,  what has been described as the best book ever written on the nature of American politics.  I have to admit I enjoyed it immensely till about the last quarter, when it began to get a bit redundant.  Although he admires many our our politicians, especially how they use their wits, understanding of human nature, and Machiavelli to get what they want, in the end, I found them mostly despicable.  True, LBJ, FDR, Reagan, and Tip O'Neil were major influences, icons for both the left and right, but they did it by understanding the rules, some of which I have quoted below.  Mostly though, I. F. Stone got it right: "All politician are liars," and Michael Kinsley did too: "A gaffe is when the politician inadvertently tells the truth."  It ends up being all about power, not necessarily the common good,  the truth, the search for justice and fairness, rather dissembling, revenge, and often hate.

MATTHEWS HANDBOOK'S DICTUM'S:

" Some might say these tendencies are only human.  But such tendencies that pass for human nature, our hesitancy to ask for things, our unease in the face of opposition, are instincts for accommodation rather than leadership, the reflexes of  fear.  By following them, we trip ourselves.  We teach ourselves to stay in line, keep our heads down: the age old prescription for serfdom(16)."

"Our first impulses prod us, of  course, to avoid those who act against us.  Life is short, after all.  Who needs hassle?  Such an attitude is fine for those whose number-one-objective is to make their  days as pleasant and stress free as possible.  It's also a prescription for avoiding power, not acquiring it (105)."

"Hug your friends tight but your enemies tighter---hug'em so tight they can't wiggle (104, LBJ)."

"Better to have them inside the tent pissin out than outside pissin in(104, LBJ)."

"Don't get mad; don't get even. Get ahead."

"Always keep your eye on the goal. Accumulate power, and the opportunities to render justice will fall onto your plate (John Bailey, 115)."

"Catch them in a lie."

"Only talk when it improves the silence."

"Always concede on principle," but keep to the specifics, your own interests, the actual stakes and separate the two.

"Yield to a man's tastes and he will yield to your interests (Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1835)."

"Hang a Lantern on Your Problems"---in other words, admit to it, don't dissemble or put off...and if possible turn it into a strength.

"It goes against human nature to stand up of your own free will and volunteer information that is bound to cause nothing but trouble...but no matter how smelly it seems at first, it always gets worst as it ages (Jody Powell, Carter's press secretary).  In other words, unlike Spitzer, Weiner, et al, get the truth out immediately.

SPIN: "First, admit you have a problem, thereby establishing credibility; then use the use the enhanced credibility to define the problem in a way that keeps political damage at a minimum...the joy in spin lies in telling the accuser he is dead right and then getting the personal satisfaction of delineating exactly what he is right about(James Baker)."

"The press is the enemy, believe me there is no such thing as off the record...don't trust any of them; always remember they are wired to a different system from yours (the story is all)."

"The reputation of power is power (Thomas Hobbes)."

Positioning: "Reagan's mastery of positioning(appearing like George Bush, seeming to be what they are not, just common good old boys) has to be envied by all politicians.