Analysis of a Quote by Lyndon B. Johnson
“Better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside pissing in.” said by Lyndon B. Johnson. This quote doesn’t include lots of words, but it does demonstrate some valuable strategies. Before we get into it, there is a necessary story that I should mention below. In 1976, that was the first time that Reagan’s serious run for President. At that time, Gerald R. Ford was leading in the delegate count for the Republican nomination. Reagan realized that he could be lost unless he did something unique. Therefore, Reagan named Senator Richard S. Schweiker of Pennsylvania as his prospective running mate. Since Ford also was from Pennsylvania State, Reagan wanted to use this way to promote some Ford’s supporters change to support him. In order to destroy Reagan’s strategy, Ford reached Jim Baker to let him break Reagan’s attack, cost what it might. He launched a furious retail campaign to lure one delegate at a time back to Ford. Finally, Reagan have traded his number one chit, the vice presidency, for a total of four delegates. In the next president election, Baker acted as presidential campaign as manager for his old friend George Bush to against Reagan again. However, American voters were not interesting in George Bush this time, so that Reagan surpassed him. Also, Jim Baker was exchanged from loser’s campaign manager to winner’s top advisor somehow. Reagan followed an old rule that is “Keep your enemy in front of you.” It is a wise choice that Reagan did not chase Jim Baker who is his adversaries away instead he took hostages. In order to make Baker bring the largest functions to benefit Reagan, Reagan put his old adversaries into a position where Baker could not do well unless his president did well. Thus, Baker’s achievements had to enhance Reagan’s; he had no choice to make the Reagan Revolution a winner. Maybe Baker’s abilities and relationships are higher than Reagan’s, however, Reagan knew how to change his adversaries’ position and became one of his men.