Machiavelli's son: Lee Atwater
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 10:26PM One of the most fascinating aspects of the presidency is the quest to get there. I've always found campaigns to be infinitely more interesting than governing.
There's something Machiavellian about the lust for power that makes otherwise good people do unsavory things. And it makes them listen to people that they know they shouldn't.
That's the Lee Atwater story. He was the boy-wonder who served as king-maker to President George H.W. Bush, mentor to Karl Rove, confidant to George W. Bush, and patron saint to a generation of political gunslingers. He almost single-handedly got Bush the Elder elected in 1988 using tactics that straddled between cynical and despicable, and in the process handed Bush the Younger a road map for the same.
Tonight PBS ran a riveting documentary on the life and times of Lee Atwater that is must-see TV for all political junkies. The guy was a political animal through and through; a soulless operative with a burning desire to acquire, and be around, power -- nothing more. He re-wrote the rules and tactics of modern political campaigns, and spawned legions of likeminded disciples who have made our politics the worse for it.
There are many who believe that had Atwater not passed away from cancer in 1991, President Clinton would have been taken apart like Dukakis in 1988. His life was cut short, but unfortunately his politics was not.
Reader Comments (6)
Bravo
I watched this last night. An amazing program for sure.
I hope they replay it. Boy what an interesting documentary.
Frontline is one of the best programs on TV, next to Mad Men and Family Guy of course.
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