Framing the Dialogue

“…politicians were all that way.  They honestly believed in their personal power of persuasion.  These were the men and women who never stopped campaigning.  Every dry cleaner, bar, and cafe they stopped in, every golf outing and fund raiser they hit, they shook hands, smiled, remembered an amazing number of names and convinced people though nothing more thatn their personality that they were likable.  These men and women excelled in politics.  They were willing to make to make concessions and be flexible so others thought them reasonable.  On the international stage, though, these types got taken to the cleaners.  Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister at the onset of WWII, was the classic modern example.  He had met Hitler, looked him in the eye, made him laugh, and concluded that he was a decent chap despite the evidence to the contrary that had been provided by the British intelligence services.  Hitler took Chamberlain for a fool and played him through the occupation of Austria, the invasion of Poland, and right on up to the invasion of France.  Somehow Hitler had been able to resist the irresistible charm of Chamberlain.”