Bush: Marketing versus Sales

Bush is one of those types who thinks he can market anything. He may not understand foreign policy or world affairs but he understands marketing. That's why Karl Rove is his number two man. So far, the two men have had a pretty good run but there are many people from the past whose marketing luck ran out after running things like a Ponzi scheme; making sales from Ponzi schemes, besides being illegal, involves nothing more than making promises that are never fulfilled; it's a strategy not destined for an indefinite run.

Suzanne Nossel of Democracy Arsenal points out a few things Bush ought to remember from the corporate world, including the difference between marketing and sales:

Don’t Confuse Marketing with Sales – The Administration has put heavy efforts into trying to market the Iraq War through speeches, outreach, and artfully worded statistics. But sagging poll numbers show that no one’s buying. To get the public to buy into this war would have required addressing their fundamental qualms – the shaky rationale, poor planning, and absent international support. The biggest marketing blitz in Hollywood can’t sell tickets to movies people don’t want to see.

Keep in mind that a low level sales pitch is already being made for war in Iran. And the heaviest sales this time might take place after a strike. The American people need a word with Congress before things get out of hand.