As I have said before, one characteristic of a good leader is that he will own his mistakes tenaciously. The bad leader will quickly find others to blame. Wouldn’t you know it; a few days after the debate and Old Joe’s team is blaming three people for his bad showing during the debate.

In this case it is particularly bad. He is not doing the blaming, he’s letting his staff do that for him. That way he doesn’t have to own the fact that he’s blaming others. We all of course know better. Joe is the leader. It is Joe that failed and it is Joe who is blaming the aides. If he wants someone for his bad showing. he needs to look in the mirror.

Old Joe is an example of exactly what a leader ought not do.