In the hard fought election for the Senate here in Washington state, there was a lawsuit filed recently against Mike McGavick and the Safeco Board portraying his retirement bonus from Safeco as a campaign donation. Here is a video excerpt from the local KING 5 News about the lawsuit and its political roots. This is great example of Sun Tzu's strategy in the modern age. This is what Sun Tzu called a “fire” attack, that is, using conditions in the environment against an opponent, this case, the legal system, rather than fighting the opponent directly. My advice to McGavick: first rule of responding to a fire attack: keep calm. It can only hurt you if you over react. Second rule: try to turn the environmental attack back upon your opponents. Here something like: “Most American, of both parties, want to see their elections decide at the polls. They are tired of people misusing the courts and the apparatus of government itself to decide the winners of what should be free elections.” In other words, don’t make the issue a defense of the Safeco parachute. Make it about using the courts and control of government to influence or decide elections." My advice to Cantwell: first rule for attackes is that you cannot involved yourself in the attack itself, but you must wait for your opponent or the environment to create an opening for you. You must distance yourself from the attack until the target, in this case McGavick, makes a misstake in response. You can then use that opening he creates to press your case. There is a real danger in fire attacks of getting burned yourself by a change in climate. If the wind shifts, the fire can burn you instead of your victim. There are a number of other more specific rules about fire attacks (both how to use them and how to defend against them), but you must start with those basic. Remember, no attack can never damage your strategic position in a fundamental way. Only responding inappropriately can damage your fundamental position.