Out of Sight, Out of Mind
With the 2008 Election close at hand, many analysts compare the presidential candidates with prominent theories concerning the roles and characteristics considered essential for a great president. However, no single theory can answer all of the questions.[i] As Obama approaches the election, he must understand the theories, the American expectations, and the reality of his role as president.
Working from the idea that no single theory exists to answer all of the questions, one should understand that presidents must perform on a balance beam. Presidents balance their roles and when a specific role must take center stage. Thus, there exists a balance between successfully exercising formal power and persuasion.[ii] While the Constitution grants presidents certain powers, there exist informal powers, particularly the power of persuasion. Persuasion manifests itself in the power of bargaining.[iii] Like bargaining, persuasion includes personal relationships.[iv] However, the balancing act does not stop there. Persuasion must also balance with the power of command. Commanders represent strong leadership. Commands in turn rely on public perception, which can backlash if the commands contradict perceived interests. One must also remember that public popularity and personal reputation affect the president’s bargaining ability.[v] For the most part, Obama remains a charismatic speaker who successfully bargains and relates to people. However, his questionable relationships hamper the effects of these roles. Also, his lack of command experience leaves him vulnerable. Time will only tell if these two weaknesses become a detrimental stumbling block.
While those remain only a few of the roles that a president must balance, the American people desire a president who plays the role of a strong leader and also the role of servant to the American people.[vi] For example, George Washington certainly made his own mistakes. Some even believed he had little intelligence.[vii] However, Americans remember him for his patriotism, refusing absolute power and serving as a force of stability in the first eight years of the U.S. Constitution.[viii] Washington successfully served as leader and served the people by restraining his power. In addition, Americans want a president who skillfully discerns the necessary qualities needed at a certain period in time.[ix] While Americans might acknowledge that perfection remains unattainable, they still expect that the president knows the proper action for the proper time, and if the president does not, then the president’s shortcoming becomes an issue. Therefore, the pressure on Obama remains great. As long as he discerns what role he should play and when, his shortcomings will not become a huge issue. However, if he does not successfully play the role the American people need him to play, it might create a problem for him.
The numerous theories and expectations create an unrealistic conception of presidential qualities. Presidents cannot attain such high standards that demand perfection.[x] However, the problem now exists that the public wants an exceptional president and now demands one. That being said, the misapplication of theories should receive the blame instead of the theorists.[xi] Because this unattainable presidential ideal exists, the success of Obama will depend on his ability to communicate that his imperfection just makes him a common man, striving for his best.
The truth of the matter remains that Obama faces a different world compared with the world the Founding presidents and other great presidents faced. Before radio, television, and later mass-market magazines, the American public experienced limited insight concerning a president’s character.[xii] So long as the president and his problems remained out of sight, they remained out of mind. This held true for the Founding Fathers in that their public reputation generally dominated over their private reputation.[xiii] In fact, Thomas Jefferson’s moral scandals did not create a problem for him like Bill Clinton’s did.[xiv] Obama must realize that because of technological advances in communication, theories on presidential leadership follow him and place extra pressure on him to successfully balance presidential roles. Obama must know which hats he should wear and when.
End Notes
[i] Dunn, Charles W. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership: An Introduction to the American Presidency. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007: 43.
[ii] Ibid., 44.
[iii] Ibid., 45.
[iv] Ibid., 44.
[v] Ibid., 45.
[vi] Ibid., 61.
[vii] -----------. The Scarlet Thread of Scandal: Morality and the American Presidency. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000: 42.
[viii] Ibid., 43.
[ix] -----------. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership: An Introduction to the American Presidency, 61.
[x] Ibid., 62.
[xi] Ibid., 61.
[xii] -----------. The Scarlet Thread of Scandal: Morality and the American Presidency, 41.
[xiii] Ibid., 42.
[xiv] Ibid., 45.
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