Being Sammy Glick

An astute commentator once observed, "In The White House, you're either fighting Sammy Glick or you are Sammy Glick."

He was referring to the ruthless and memorable character in Budd Schulberg's novel, "What Makes Sammy Run?"

Most who read that line, I imagine, immediately place themselves in the "Fighting Sammy Glick" camp. Given the human capacity for self-deception, however, it is reasonable to assume that many of those noble office warriors are, in reality, Sammy Glick.

Some of the biggest weasels I've ever met regarded themselves as compassionate humanitarians. Lyndon Johnson who, as a young man, was a Sammy Glick prototype, later lamented a preference for opponents who would tell him directly that they were going to screw him over on an issue versus those who tried to cloak their activities in sanctimonious terms.

If humility is to be genuine, it must be accompanied by candor.