McCain and OODA Loop

[Unisaw]

Here's an article from American Thinker about McCain's recent campaign moves:

McCain and the OODA Loop
By Charlie Martin
Man, is this guy a fighter pilot, or what?

There are two military concepts here that explain the (absolutely spectacular) choice of Governor Sarah Palin.  Both of them are important to the training of a fighter pilot, and while one of them wasn't formulated until after McCain's flying career was over, it was an observation based on what fighter pilots had to know.

One of them is the "envelope" -- which is to say the parameters within which a fighter airplane must operate.  The envelope can be seen as a sort of egg-shape, based on how quickly a plane can turn and maneuver.  If your plane as a "tighter envelope" than another plane, the pilot has the advantage in a dogfight: you can turn inside the other plane, which means you can get into the perfect firing position, behind the opponent.

More important is the "OODA loop" -- which is the envelope for the pilot's thought process.  How quickly can the pilot observe the situation, orient within the situation, decide, and act.  If the pilot's OODA loop time is shorter, the pilot can overcome the slower.

At this point, we're seeing that McCain is completely within the Obama campaign's OODA loop -- they are out-thinking them and out-acting them -- and very problably the McCain campaign has a tighter envelope than the Obama campaign, as well.

Look at the choice of Palin, and the remaining tactics of the last week. It was the week of the Democratic Convention, and while they had their show, he continued to campaign, with immensely effective responses every day (see my day one coverage of Silver Salazar and the Democrats for McCain.) Then, on Thursday, the campaign let it be known that there would be an announcement and ad running that night.

The talking heads chattered about it -- would it be a challenge? Would he announce his VP choice to step on the speech?

It got to the point that the Obama campaign said it would be "political malpractice" to announce his VP pick, and that it was more evidence the McCain campaign was a "war room masquerading as a political campaign" --- on the day that Obama was to say in his speech "But what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes."  Then the ad comes out ...
... and it's congratulations on Obama's nomination on the anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech.  In one day, they make Obama's campaign look cheap, they make McCain look gracious, and the get the Obama campaign to belie Obama's own speech.


Then the next day, they announce Sarah Palin -- after a dozen head fakes.  It's Romney.  No it's Pawlenty.  It's Romney again. Oh my God, it's Lieberman.  Instead of the days and days of anticipation, followed by anxiety, followed by boredom, followed by even more boredom when Obama picked Biden, we get a real surprise -- and the air is sucked out of Obama's big day.

Now look at what this means to the running criticisms of McCain.
Age?  Palin is young, beautiful, charismatic and strong. What's more, Biden is going to have to be very careful about an attacks in the vice presidential debate; he'll look like a misogynistic jerk, and then Sarah Barracuda will gut him like a trout. Smiling.

Hit too hard, and Hillary PUMAs they managed to attract back with the campaign's show of unity will flee in droves. Besides, the McCain campaign is all over it already. According to Real Clear Politics' Tom Bevan, "McCain senior advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer just said on Fox -- and I'm paraphrasing: I think the Obama campaign would have learned not to belittle women."
Experience?  The Obama campaign has already tried hitting at Palin as inexperienced --- but every time they do so, they open themselves to the obvious retort: she's got more executive experience than Obama, and she's only running for Vice President. 

Foreign policy? Again, she's been to Iraq as often as Obama has -- and she's got a son going there.  Hugh Hewitt rightly points out "by reason of just her work with Canada, she's light years ahead [sic] Obama." The Democratic nominee has had his own problems with Canada in fact.

Corruption and pork? She got into office attacking corruption among Republicans in Alaska and turned down the famous "bridge to nowhere".
There's one more military concept here, as well: operational security.  Unlike the usual campaign leaks, this really was kept completely quiet -- in fact, they even managed to almost eliminate the usual hints, like aircraft movements.  It was planned and executed like a SEAL op.

All in all, it was masterful.  We just finished the Denver convention, and the self-congratulation last night was thick on the ground.  But this week, it looks like the Obama campaign's "Chicago Rules" have turned out to be bringing a knife to a gunfight.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/08/mccain_and_the_ooda_loop.html

If you aren't familiar with the concept of the OODA loop, just do a search for "OODA loop" or "John Boyd".  There are several good websites that contain a lot of information about Boyd's work.

[Antibubba]

One thing about the OODA--the first person to make a move usually wins, even if it's the wrong move.  This isn't a dogfight.

But it it a brilliant move by a former fighter pilot.

[Perd Hapley]

Seems like the McCain campaign was wallowing in the wilderness for a long time, there.  Ever since the Hilton/Spears ad, though, they've really come out swinging.  And connecting. 

And last week they were just brilliant.  Let us hope this continues. 

[RobNDenver]

These observations about Governor Palin are simply not true.  And anyone who says that a victim of rape or incest must carry the product to term is out of her mind.  I don't care if she is a hunter or a life member of the NRA.  She and the candidate for President she is running with are so out of touch with the state of the nation.

[Manedwolf]

These observations about Governor Palin are simply not true.  And anyone who says that a victim of rape or incest must carry the product to term is out of her mind.  I don't care if she is a hunter or a life member of the NRA.  She and the candidate for President she is running with are so out of touch with the state of the nation.

Uh. As opposed to a socialist fool who wants to disarm every law-abiding citizen, and a longtime do-nothing democrat who is in love with the sound of his own voice?

[MicroBalrog]

These observations about Governor Palin are simply not true.  And anyone who says that a victim of rape or incest must carry the product to term is out of her mind.  I don't care if she is a hunter or a life member of the NRA.  She and the candidate for President she is running with are so out of touch with the state of the nation.

Uh. As opposed to a socialist fool who wants to disarm every law-abiding citizen, and a longtime do-nothing democrat who is in love with the sound of his own voice?

Check on this.

I stand behind my criticism of McCain, but the truth is, not only is Obama worse, McCain is better. (and these are two separate, not necessarily self-repeating, statements).

[longeyes]

Well, one thing we know: what's wrong with America ain't gonna be cured by Obama and his Obamatons.  They are part of the problem that started decades ago.  Let's hope they're the last link in the chain dragging on us.

[Matthew Carberry]

These observations about Governor Palin are simply not true.  And anyone who says that a victim of rape or incest must carry the product to term is out of her mind.  I don't care if she is a hunter or a life member of the NRA.  She and the candidate for President she is running with are so out of touch with the state of the nation.

She doesn't say "must", she says "should". 

Which is entirely consistent with her personal beliefs and actions on the subject. And, in fact, is not that far off the prevailing will of the nation which is that abortion shoud be a decision for the individual but that abortion should always be safe, legal and rare.  Most Americans support, reluctantly and with concerns about the reasons for, early term abortions, but support drops off sharply the later in term they occur.  It is not an "all or nothing" position, but one that is full of nuance.

As VP or even President, Palin will not be in a position to impose her beliefs on anyone in the US, even if she wanted to.  That is Congress' job and would entail overturning Roe v. Wade (which won't happen) which would then simply devolve the question back onto the several States. 

Most of which States now have laws, determined by their citizens to be in line with their own beliefs, on what is allowable in terms of what is, at root, a question on the taking of a (potential) human life.

Other than stating her beliefs on abortion and why she holds them, what risk to the "right to abortion" does Palin really hold as VP or Pres?

The answer is none.

[Lennyjoe]

I was walking through a flea market on Saturday morning in Ohio and heard a couple talking about the VP pick.  They were saying that since she was from Alaska and her husband worked for an oil company that she was all about big oil and was in bed with them.  I laughed when I heard the comment and they took notice.  I then took about 15 minutes to educate their superficial minds on who she is, what she's been involved with and that they should do some constructive research before tagging her. 

Who knows if it sunk in but it made me feel good. 

[GigaBuist]

They were saying that since she was from Alaska and her husband worked for an oil company that she was all about big oil and was in bed with them.

Sadly, this is all the more thought some people put into these elections.

I can't tell you how many times people would, upon seeing something from Ron Paul, comment "Republican from Texas.  Tells me everything I need to know.  We don't need another George Bush!"

What I'm getting at is that people really are dumb enough to believe the Palin == big oil crap.  You can try and educate them, but they'll see a TV spot 5 hours before they go and cast their vote and revert back to their "zomg hate big oil!!!" line of thinking.

[Perd Hapley]

You mean Palin is NOT in bed with Big Oil?  And I was all set to vote for her...   

[Perd Hapley]

  Anyone who says that a victim of rape or incest must carry the product to term is out of her mind. 

It's always easier to justify out-and-out murder when you call the victim a "product."  Our friends on the left call that "dehumanizing language." 

[MicroBalrog]

  Anyone who says that a victim of rape or incest must carry the product to term is out of her mind. 

It's always easier to justify out-and-out murder when you call the victim a "product."  Our friends on the left call that "dehumanizing language." 

I'm sorry, but I cannot accept that an early-term foetus is a 'person' in any appreciable form.

After there's a developed brain, sure.

[mtnbkr]

  Anyone who says that a victim of rape or incest must carry the product to term is out of her mind. 

It's always easier to justify out-and-out murder when you call the victim a "product."  Our friends on the left call that "dehumanizing language." 

I'm sorry, but I cannot accept that an early-term foetus is a 'person' in any appreciable form.

After there's a developed brain, sure.

Sorry you feel that way.

I'm closing this before it gets ugly.

Chris