But there are unpleasant doings that demand a little more serious contemplation than moving on. The one thing that worries me is that our new president may be unduly swayed by polls indicating a majority of Americans support the idea of getting tough with the Chinese. Three out of four of us think that means not sending too much wheat to China, rather than giving up the electronic gems produced by a combination of Yankee and Japanese ingenuity and Chinese cheap labor. The best-laid plans and campaigns of politicians and political consultants do not define presidencies. Presidents, at the end of the day, are judged by how they handle two or three or four emergencies, or ideas, or just things that happen, usually unexpectedly, in any four years.
Preparation is fine and necessary, but the job is about judgment.
And this is not a big one. Whatever words are spoken, sincerely or ritually, the Chinese will steal what they can from the plane and the American crew will come home. The big deal is what happens between the United States and China after this game is over. Inc. and Universal Press Syndicate. Distributed by uclick .