A significant amount of media attention has been generated by the Clinton advertisement on her ability to respond to a crisis phone call at 3:00. Let me make several points: 1) The advertisement was successful 2) Obama’s inability to respond effectively to this advertisement indicates some deficiencies on his part and his senior advisors 3) The advertisement totally fails the reality test: that is, the ability to respond to crisis during my lifetime did not take place from instantaneous split-second decision-making in the middle of the night. Instead, our government responded in a series of days bring in top experts before the president opted for his preferential choice 4) I cannot think of one crisis during the Clinton presidency that required an early morning call.
Dealing with a Crisis
Effective dealing with a crisis requires 1) careful developed contingency plans for possible “hot spots” 2) establishment of command centers 3) appointment of delegated leaders with clear lines of authorities 4) Establishment of Supervisory committee to hear timely on the ground problems 5) Establishment of appropriate manpower, equipment and funding levels for expected problems.
Historical Crisis during my lifetime
- Berlin airlift-1948
- North Korean invasion-1949
- Firing of General Douglas MacArthur-1951
- Hungarian Revolution-1956
- Sputnik-1957
- Bay of Pigs-1961
- Erection of Berlin Wall-1961
- Cuban Missile Crisis-1961
- Assassination of Diem Brothers-1963
- Assassination of John Kennedy-1963
- Watts Riots-1965
- Six Days War-1967
- Yom Kippur War-1973
- Richard Nixon Watergate Scandal, Saturday Night Massacre, Nixon Resignation-1972-1974
- Fall of Shah of Iran-1978
- Iranian Hostage Crisis-1979
- Contra Affair-1987
- Attempted Assassination of Ronald Reagan-1981
- Fall of Berlin Wall-1989
- Attempted Coup against Michael Gorbachev-1991
- Iraq invasion of Kuwait-1990
- Persian War-1991
- Attack on Twin Towers-2001
- Katrina-2005
