A little wonkish commentary on this point below that might give it some context. To date, a lot of critics of the WH often say "and they haven't even faced a crisis yet" as a warning about what we might expect from this chaos Administration if something "real" were to happen. 1/
There is a difference between routing emergency and a crisis. A routine emergency is an event that happens that is anticipated b/c the nature of the institution: a five-alarm fire, a bank robbery, even a DoS attack against a network. All anticipated; all manageable. 2/
A crisis is different and is generally defined as an event that contains substantial novelty, characteristics of the emergency that have not been previously encountered by the organization or people involved. A crisis tests the systems; doing more of the same isn't a solution. 3/
But it is a mistake to view a crisis as only a sudden event, like a "boom" (a terror attack, a hurricane) There is the often more challenging idea of an emergent crisis, or a slow-roll crisis and they are hard to recognize, often only in hindsight. 4/
Ebola, the opioid epidemic, a mass migration, unaccompanied minors from South and Latin America. . . these are crises that aren't sudden, but crises nonetheless. 5/
I say this not just based on my experiences ("boom" events are easier to rally the troops), but because we shouldn't be waiting for the "boom" moment to describe the political situation we are in (it's like waiting for the Mueller smoking gun. . . .) 6/
Instead of wondering whether this Administration can handle a (sudden) crisis, it seems obvious now -- whether self-inflicted or not -- that that is besides the point. We are in one now; I don't say this to be alarmist though I think last week was pretty worrisome. 7/
I say this because the flurry of headlines, instead of viewing them as discrete and hard to distinguish, are actually the same single event: a governance system that is under stress from a crisis defined as a failure of leadership. 8/
If it helps, think of the WH more like a pandemic than a hurricane (i'm only partially kidding). But, I no longer wait for the "boom" moment. We are in a slow roll now.
I will now turn on the pre-Oscars shows, onto the Red Carpet, and keep my fingers crossed for "Get Out." 9/9
I will now turn on the pre-Oscars shows, onto the Red Carpet, and keep my fingers crossed for "Get Out." 9/9
