Sherlock Holmes and the Dog that Didn't Bark

[grantcart]

In grade school I read everything I could get my hands on.

I distinctly remember reading Sherlock Holmes story titled "Silver Blaze".

He solves the case not by evidence but by the lack of evidence:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Blaze
One of the most popular of the stories, "Silver Blaze" focuses on the disappearance of the eponymous race horse named Silver Blaze, a famous winner, on the eve of an important race and on the apparent murder of its trainer, John Straker. The tale is distinguished by its atmospheric Dartmoor setting, and late Victorian sporting milieu. It also features some of Conan Doyle's most effective plotting, hinging on the famed "curious incident of the dog in the night-time":

Gregory (Scotland Yard detective): "Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
Holmes: "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."
Gregory: "The dog did nothing in the night-time."
Holmes: "That was the curious incident."

I remember realizing as I read it that there were deeper levels of logic, and that most people are oblivious to it.




We are now witnessing a very strange phenomena in the Obama Whitehouse.

The dogs aren't barking.

And no one notices, the pundits don't talk about it.

This Administration simply does not have any leaks. None. None by accident and none by intention. They keep their cards close to their chest.

Leaks serve a very useful purpose in DC, at least in the short term. You can use leaks to box in your opponents, to lay blame, to impugn the motives of the other side.

By not leaking President Obama is showing what he has believed from the beginning, that persistent (and this persistent to the 10th power) engagement in a respectful way will get you more than grandstanding and feeding by force. It means that you keep yourself engaged to more people for a longer period of time.

It increases you chances for legislative victories.

It means that you don't take short term victories at the expense of long term relationships.

You saw it when VP Biden made a funny little comment about the Chief Justice. The President flashed some displeasure because it is exactly this type of comment that is made in a leak that makes opposition harden.

It also means that Obama is willing to take a lot of flak while he works his process. Since we can't see all of the intramural discussion we are in a weak position in defending him, and that those with no patience or who harbor hostility against the President have room to vent and the results can be seen every hour every day in GD and GD Presidential.

Let me give you an example.

I am absolutely convinced that the President is committed to changing DADT in a timely fashion. I am also convinced that he wants to do it in such a way that it has the maximum amount of support in the military so that the possible negative effects that some will try to create after the change are minimized. I think that means that he is trying to get the senior officers not simply to accept the new policy but embrace it enthusiastically. Such a strategy would be most consistent with the Presidents demeanor and naturally strategies.

In the absence of leaks it appears that nothing is being done. Obama gets attacks and could ameliorate these attacks with a couple of well place leaks.

He would rather suffer the criticism personally and get a better policy result.

So the big news today (and it doesn't matter what day your reading this) is that there are no leaks today, no dogs have barked.

Rather than taking the short path and immediate positive reviews from the left he would rather pursue our policies with a strategy that will have deeper and more long term consequences.

A reporter in this Whitehouse may hear Bo barking but he isn't going to get any leaks.

[goclark]

1. Excellent !

He is masterful IMO.

I believe that he is strongly supportive and on the right side of DADT and he wants to make it stick!

Didn't he say , " Make Me Do It?"

Those words stuck with me because what he is really saying is " Change WE Can Believe In."

All citizens of good will will have to "push" others to do it so that he will have the votes/means to get critical issues addressed correctly.
DADT I believe is at the top of his list.