Real Change

Throughout America’s history, change occurs in numerous ways. The Founding Fathers understood the power of change and chose to guard against rapid change by creating a three branch federal government and then dividing the power between the federal and state governments.^[i] However, changes still occurs. Today, the visible signs of change emanates through shifts in presidential rhetoric, technological advances, and moral perspectives.

With the Founding Fathers’ attempt to limit change, they understand that change occurs. The presidency continues to be one area where change appears. As time goes on, the focus shifts from the office of the president to the president as an individual. This gives presidential rhetoric a bigger role.^[ii] During the Constitutional Era, presidents made few public addresses,^[iii] whereas today’s presidents deliver over 500 speeches per year.^[iv] The expansion of rhetoric to include images also intensifies the president’s role.^[v] Rhetoric becomes a form of currency, which presidents must now spend in large sums and quickly in order to stay on top of the game.^[vi]

As presidential rhetoric begins to play an expanding role, technology becomes a significant factor. Technological advances transform into different innovations. Radio, television, and twenty-four hour news remain the most note worthy in altering the presidency. In the continuum of time, Franklin Roosevelt successfully used the radio to connect with the American people and to ease their fears through his radio addresses. By connecting to the people in this way, Roosevelt converts the presidency into a focal point.^[vii] The presidency no longer relies on newspaper coverage. The president has the ability to communicate directly to the American people.

Later, Kennedy rivals Roosevelt’s success through the medium of television. Television cameras create magnifying lens, which solidifies the vital position the presidency plays.^[viii] The White House takes center stage. Presidents begin to enter Americans’ homes in a way they have never done before. With the proliferation of television coverage, presidents begin vying for media attention, which adds to the shift in importance from what presidents say to who they are with and the images they convey.^[ix] The technological advance of television leads to the addition of twenty-four hour news, which also creates a demand for competitive journalism that captures the attention of the American public. This competitive demand for air time puts extensive pressure on presidents to maximize good press and minimize bad press, again bring back the focal point to the presidency.

In addition to the changing focal point on the presidency and technological advances, presidencies maintain the responsibility of dealing with moral issues. While religion played a prominent role in numerous Founding documents such as state the Mayflower Compact and state constitutions, the place of religion in today’s society rests on “quicksand”.^[x] This transformation occurred slowly, however. The transformation evolves starting with Deists and Unitarians challenging Christian thinking through steps leading up to today’s challenge of Christianity by secular humanism.^[xi] The shift in time from Christianity to secular humanism, places presidents in an uncertain position. It also complicates the President’s ability to be successful on moral decisions.^[xii] Americans want truth, but in a society with varying definitions and understandings of truth, moral storm clouds hover over ever decision the president makes, waiting to unleash its built up furry. Intensifying the situation, the media waits expectantly to report on any moral storm that might transpire.

The Founding Fathers attempt to slow down the reins of change and have been successful in hampering those attempts at rapid and massive change. However, they did not foresee the technological advances that would allow the presidency to become a focal point, nor did they fully comprehend or anticipate the challenge to religion and morality. These factors have brought about real change, despite whether the change proves good or bad. Therefore, whoever wins the presidency this coming election, he must be aware of the changes occurring and the demands that will be placed on him because of those changes.

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^[i] Dunn, Charles W. The Scarlet Thread of Scandal: Morality and the American Presidency. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000: 19.

^[ii] -----------. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership: An Introduction to the American Presidency. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007: 26.

^[iii] Ibid., 25.

^[iv] Ibid., 31.

^[v] Ibid., 28.

^[vi] Ibid., 29.

^[vii] Ibid., 26.

^[viii] Ibid., 27.

^[ix] Ibid., 28.

^[x] -----------. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership: An Introduction to the American Presidency, 40.

^[xi] Ibid., 31.

^[xii] Ibid., 1.