A Calculated Risk

A political career is a series of calculated risks. Since no two people agree on every policy this leaves no politician able to please everyone all the time; Hence the need for calculation. Yet a great politician can turn calculated risks into winning strategies through solid ability.

Dick Morris, (a spectacular arm chair quarterback- one of my favorites!) see's Romney's leadership in the Big Dig as a dangerous political move:

“I think he is digging himself into a hole as big as the Big Dig,” said Dick Morris, a former top adviser to President Clinton. “He is now going to be held responsible for every delay, every cost overrun and every construction defect. Some things are best kept at arms length.”

While Morris has disassociated himself from Clinton and offers insightful opinions on Fox News, the irony is that responsibilty during moral dilema was never a halmark of the Clinton Administration. But to be fair pundits like Morris make their money with authorotative predictions like these.

The Big Dig has potential to rain peril on a potential lodestar in American politics. But what is the alternative? We have seen the results of good politicians distancing themselves from such large problems at the costs of public safety before. Bush's PR response to Hurrican Katrina and Bush Sr.'s involvement with Hurricane Andrew all provide a foretelling future for inaction. The great sin here would be the sin of omission.

That being said, "High Risk" is a variable that rises and falls with the aptitude of the risk taker. For one person brain surgery is a much higer risk operation to perform than for another. While there is always some risk involved, neccessity dictates performance -as it does for Romney.

With Romney's managerial/buisness/political experience, the risks associated with the Big Dig plunge. Romney has shown cool under pressure and history of turning troubled programs into viable working entities. If Dick Morris was talking about Bill Clinton, John McCain or anyother elected official I'd say he has a good point. Be careful. Despite the prospects of disaster, his past history of solving problems is a solid foundation to show he can lead Boston out of it's current dilema. Couple this with America's desire to have a strong take charge leader and we have ourselves a winner in '08.