There is a concept called the OODA loop, it first came out of jet fighter pilots. It really is applicable to about anything, and politics is a great place to use it. I describes any course of action as a loop.

Observe
Orient
Decide
Act

And all actions are a constant repeat of this cycle.

The theory is that you have to move and react fast enough to "get inside" your opponents loop, reacting faster than they do in ways they don't expect, you short circuit their process and gain an advantage.

He seemed a lot like a man who, and his team, had people inside his loop reacting faster than they could, throwing them off their game. Once someone is inside your loop you end up just reacting to them, and not shaping events around you.