It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.

Harry Truman, John Wooden, and Earl Weaver said that.  (I knew Weaver had; Google told me about the others.)

Today I experienced that expression.

We were talking about the floor amendment that did serious damage to one of my bills a few years ago. 

Legislator X was “genuinely confused” about the amendment, commented one of my allies. 

I had never heard that expression before, but I understood it. 

 A legislator who committed to vote for your bill can support an amendment that does major damage and act as if he didn’t know the implications.  In that case, you’re being genuinely used. 

On the other hand, in the heat of debate, a member can truly be unaware of the effect of an amendment, especially if you don’t have a whip system – where designated members remind those sitting near them how to vote.

 Organization can trump genuine confusion.

February 7