Poker in the News

The article is not about poker. I KNEW that right from the beginning. There was never a moment when I thought that Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was ACTUALLY playing poker, or that he only started wagering national policy after losing the deed to his primary residence, as well as his summer home, and the apartment in NYC. However, I was curious as the how they were using "playing poker" as a metaphor for political bargaining.

It's actually quite a clever metaphor, hinging on the word "brinksmanship".

Brinksmanship is the practice, especially in international politics, of seeking advantage by creating the impression that one is willing and able to push a highly dangerous situation to the limit rather than concede. (taken from www.dictionary.com)

So, as you can see, Sharon has a pretty solid excuse to tell his wife.
Sharon plays poker to head-off coalition crisis