Are we making this too hard?

Reading between the lines, this has all the indications of being a classic “only the ends matter” Alinsky agit-op. What Mr. O. can’t have out in public view is that he was the token recruited to get the grants. The Alinsky types have no reluctance to play the system for maximum benefit to their cause (the “use their naivete and good-intentions against them” jujitsu). Why vault to (the appearance of being at the) top? Because he was a good looking, earnest, semi-literate (when well prepared) face of the type that would pull at the heartstrings more than heads of the granting agencies and foundation. This is how the system was then and is now corrupt. The meritorious need not apply