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Jewish World Review Oct. 17, 2000 / 18 Tishrei, 5761

Chris Matthews

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Play White House admissions officer


http://www.jewishworldreview.com -- THEY ARE TWO KIDS applying to the same college.

Al has high test scores but performs badly in interviews. George has a mixed record on paper but shines in person.

OK, you're the admissions director. Who gets in?

Let's look at Al's file. A quarter century of Washington experience capped by eight years as vice president. A hard-working student on issues both domestic and foreign. A spirited White House loyalist. Decided early that this is where he wants to go.

George is a different kettle of fish. While his preparation and S.A.T. scores are hardly Ivy League, he's done well in activities, both as a Major League baseball team owner and as Texas governor.

This applicant possesses two attractive intangibles: Luck and popularity. He has been impressive in his interviews, especially the second.

A deeper look at the two young men reveals even finer differences.

Despite his solid preparation, Al lacks spontaneity. He seems to say only what he thinks the admissions officers want to hear, adjusting his presentation with each meeting. He also displays a troubling tendency to exaggerate his achievements and to embellish his personal experiences.

George's file raises different concerns. While attending excellent schools he has failed to exploit the opportunities they have offered. In conversation, he appears to lack a passion for learning. His working vocabulary is extremely limited, his familiarity with some words highly fragile. His record is that of a pupil who masters only what he has to, when he has to.

That said, George has shown a steep learning curve. Perhaps he is a late bloomer, maturing a bit behind schedule for someone given so many breaks at birth.

Choosing between the two applicants, Al and George, creates an apples-and-oranges conflict:

Does the admissions director — that's you — prefer Al, the grade-getter, who seems to have manufactured his entire being for this very process, buffing his biography to gain our approval?

Or do you take George, the lax student who has succeeded through a mix of subliminal effort and serendipity? It's your choice. There's just one slot. You fill it.



JWR contributor Chris Matthews is the author of Hardball. and hosts a CNBC show of the same name. Send your comments to him by clicking here.

Up

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