sors. If anything, he was less qualified than most. But he
did have one skill they lacked. He knew how to play the game, and he
lied (to no one more than to himself) with great conviction.

Because in the Commonwealth politicians were judged not so much by what
they did, as by the way they appeared to be doing it. Lincoln, Kennedy
and Reagan were remembered as the greatest of men, though they
seriously mishandled important matters of state, largely because, as
the poetic put it, "They captured the spirit of their countrymen."
More cynically, they gave good speeches. Edgar Stone, though
considerably less moral than any but the third, understood this (or
something like it), and with the aid of the power groups he
represented, had modeled his administration accordingly.

He did this by surrounding himself with strong and intelligent men who
understood the inner workings of government, economy and diplomacy,
concentrating his own energies---with the help of various acting
coaches and speech writers---on the subtleties of image and
appearances. His was the mask worn by those who had elected him, and
those who held real power. Not only did he fail to question the
morality of the policies they had him put forward, but in truth, was
not particularly interested. He had for nearly twenty years made his
living as a front-man for conservative causes, knew his job and stuck
to it. And having for so long been immersed in right wing-propaganda
(it also appealed to his ego and warped sense of patriotism), he really
did, or certainly appeared, to believe it himself. Thus the last and
most important element of the facade fell into place: 'sincerity'.

Any seasoned political observer (who cared to look with his eyes) could
see this, and yet few with any authority chose to attack the graven
image. Why? Because he SEEMED to be doing a good job, and was (in the
persona that had so been carefully been constructed) a pleasant,
hard-working and respectable family man. The fact that he had changed
professions (a former salesman), parties (a former Democrat), and wives
(a divorcee), was routinely shouted down as liberal mud-slinging. The
press was cowed by his popularity, the opposition by the power it gave
him. The middle class LIKED Edgar Stone, and big business stood behind
him. It was a formidable combination. No chink had yet been found in
his armor, and the political sharks that arise within any system,
democratic or oth