Monday, September 17th, 2007

Hello,

Today, after 30 minutes of preparation (and to better understand the application of these ideas as we'll be expecting on tommorrow's test), please present, with a partner, a selection from The Prince and then offer a contemporary example of that either being followed or blatantly disregarded.

For example:

p. 100 A prince need not necessarily have all the good qualities. He should certainly appear to have them.

From Brooks's September 11 appearance on NBC's The Chris Matthews Show:
MATTHEWS: Do you think there's a problem with this? I remember when the president wrote in his diary -- his father, President Bush senior -- "you know, I picked [former Vice President Dan] Quayle the first time around, and I wish I hadn't. But I'm stuck with him, and I can't admit it." Is there a problem with this president simply admitting, "I put the wrong people at certain jobs, I didn't get back fast enough to the White House, I wasn't calling the orders fast enough?"
BROOKS: From Day One, they had decided that our public relations is not going to be honest. Privately, they admit mistakes all the time. Publicly -- and I've had this debate with them since Day One; I always say admit a mistake, people will give you credit --
MATTHEWS: Who do you debate this with?
BROOKS: With people who work in the White House.
MATTHEWS: I thought you were talking about with the president in the back room.
[laughter]
BROOKS: Not with him, but they represent what he believes, which is, if you admit a mistake, you get no credit from your enemies, and then you open up another week's story, because the admission of a little mistake leads to the admission of big mistakes and another week's story. It's totally tactical and totally insincere.

We'll be back in the class in 30 minutes.

Other resources:

'05 blog
'06 blog
still stuck? Try a search for "Rove and Machiavelli" or "modern law and machiavelli connections" or "machiavelli and religion" or wherever your interest guides you. . .