"If I answer questions every time you ask one, expectations would be high. And as you know, I like to keep expectations low." ~ George W. Bush, 2002

People involved in the same profession (when that profession requires a lot of preparation and training) generally fall above a certain threshold of intelligence (IQ). For example, few physicians are of average intelligence. A physician must have an IQ above a certain level to make it through medical school. Some physicians are much smarter than others, but none are dumb. This is why emotional intelligence is so important. It is what sets people apart in their work from others with similar IQs.

President Bush used emotional intelligence (EQ) as an edge to win the 2000 Presidential election. How did EQ play a role?

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The answer is given in an HBO documentary by Aaron Lubarsky and Alexandra Pelosi, Journeys with George. Bush's success in the millennial election began on an airplane. After a presidential primary election, each candidate is accompanied by a 737 full of reporters, called the Press Corps. The same reporters stay with each candidate every single day of the campaign until the final election is complete. Pelosi, a member of the Press Corps, covered every day of that journey on her home video camera. With multiple events and speeches each day, it is a grueling journey for the Press Corps. They miss their families, homes, and friends. The daily speeches are unbearably repetitive.

In the documentary, Bush visibly expended a great deal of energy forming relationships with the Press Corps. Some of the time was spent trying to convince them of his political strategy, but this was usually unsuccessful. Bush was successful in bonding with the Press Corps because he made the election journey fun. While Al Gore was at the front of his airplane writing his next speech, Bush was at the back cracking jokes: he was building and managing relationships with the reporters.

In fact, Bush spent so much time with the Press Corps over the months after the primary election that one would think the novelty of "hanging out with George" would have worn off. Not so! In one clip, a reporter tells Pelosi, "everyone [in the Press Corps] goes weak in the knees when he [Bush] comes back here."

In the end, Bush's savvy in winning over the Press Corps helped him win over the American public. Bush recognized how grueling and lonely the campaign trail was for the Press Corps. Political analysts agree that Gore's campaign was run more smoothly than Bush's. It also had fewer mistakes. But after the primaries, Bush received very little bad press - and press has a strong influence on public opinion.

The documentary still shows occasionally on HBO.

See the upcoming "on air" schedule:
http://www.hbo.com/docs/catalog/catalog_page2.html

View the trailer: http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/journeys