It focuses on the politics within a government and suggests that the product is the result of bargaining games between these power actors. There are many elements to consider, such as the weight of each player's interests as well as what shapes their perceptions. This includes their relative power and negotiating skills. For example, Robert Kennedy, although he was attorney general, often became involved in other departmental matters. He had more influence than Vice President LBJ and Secretary of State Dean Rusk. No major national security issue has been resolved without Robert Kennedy's participation in the proceedings. Kennedy even used Robert to monitor executive committee meetings and to meet with the Soviet ambassador at the end - a critical moment in the Cuban Missile Crisis. This model suggests that outcomes are shaped by interaction and competing preferences. This is true of the process of uncovering the Cuban Missile Crisis. CIA Director McCone repeatedly called for more aerial surveillance over Cuba. However, he consistently encountered concern and opposition from Secretary of State Dean Rusk. This indicates that if there had not been a "fierce struggle" (p. 338, zelkow) between McCone and Rusk, the discovery of the missiles would have occurred sooner and would have had a significant impact on the outcome of the war.