Greenberg, on solicitousness about public opinion.

"When you look at all of these leaders, you begin to realize, as you look across them, that they worked to be in tune with the public (...), they are reporting back on progress, they're engaged with people and trying to mobilize them at various times. They are trying to bring pressure on others, they're trying to educate people, they are trying to persuade, you know, and move people. And so, what is characteristic of these leaders, you know, was a solicitousness about public opinion, a sense of responsibility to educate and engage, which made them much more effective, in my sense made them more democratic leaders that produced an healthier society and healthier outcomes. (...) And that contrasts...what brought it home to me, more than anything, was George Bush and Vice-President Cheney. Cheney in particular. When asked by a reporter about, when we was in Iraq, noting that two-thirds of the American people thought the Iraq War was a mistake, and what he thought of that. And he paused, and his response was 'So?'. He said 'We don't drive our mission from focus groups and polls.' Maybe if they thought that part of their responsibility as leaders was to try to persuade, and engage, and educate, maybe they would have pursued different kinds of policies as they went forward."