All Fall Short

In the face of this presidential election between Senator Obama and Senator McCain, the campaigns do not focus on managerial skills, but they focus on persuasively communicating a vision and establishing a direction for America.1 After all, the presidential scale of greatness relies more on accomplishments than managerial effectiveness.  That being said, many presidents suffer from managerial shortcomings.  This creates an administrative gap between performance and promise2, just like the gap created when politicians attempt moving to the center from their normal positions.3 Obama and McCain must understand the managerial obstacles the next president faces balanced by the opportunities.

Part of presidential management includes managing relationships between Congress and the Courts.4  With both relationships, bureaucracy plays a big role. By slowing everything down, bureaucracy makes it such that issues transcend a presidential term, allowing for resistance of the president’s wishes.5 Bureaucrats also have the tool of the “Iron Triangle” that undercuts presidential directives through other relationships.  Complicating things further, Congress can impede presidential decisions by slowing down the confirmation process and holding investigations.  All of this comes in light of the exponential growth in bureaucracy since the New Deal.6  Obama must realize that if he takes office, the implementation of his policies proves more difficult than he might hope. However, he may have an extra advantage that McCain does not have in that Obama commands a wide range of support. McCain must prepare himself to fight and really fine tune the art of working across the aisles. He does not want an angry Republican party that does not support him, but he also must realize that he must work with the Democrats.

That being said, the president retains several opportunities at his disposal. When bureaucracy lacks vision beyond self-preservation, the president remains the only other person who can impart vision. Thus, successful presidents and successful presidential candidates must persuade the public and the bureaucracy of their superior vision.7  Properly conveying one’s vision requires the proper packaging and marketing that presents ideas in an irresistible way to Congress and the American public.8 Another opportunity presents itself in the president’s honeymoon, which allows a period of time for presidential leadership.9 Along with the honeymoon, successful transitions help a president guide the executive branch. The president must appoint approximately 5,000 positions.10 That being said, presidents should plan early for their transition, delegate responsibility for the transition, and appoint people with similar ideological beliefs.11 They must maximize the potential of their initial days in office. This holds true for both Obama and McCain. Most likely, their honeymoon will not be as long as others. Honeymoons seem shorter and shorter these days. They must prepare their staff so that they remain one step ahead.

Once either McCain or Obama enters the White House, he must help himself by appointing good managers who successfully administer agencies and departments. The higher the caliber of the person selected usually the more trust and confidence given to that person.12 In addition, McCain or Obama must choose between delegating and doing something himself. President’s drown in detail unless they delegate to others as a means of survival.13 However, president’s must scrutinize expert opinion as a means of ensuring that the opinion presented looks out for the best interest of the nation and the president.14 Other tools remain at the president’s disposal as well. Presidential popularity offers the president the tools needed in steering the country.15 A president must delicately handle his popularity because corruption of political power and scandals have weakened public trust and respect.16 In addition, presidents usually enjoy the power of leveraging their party’s members in Congress.17 One must also not forget midterm elections and the possibility of a popular president helping change up Congress by getting people, he wants, elected.18 Obama or McCain must understand these tools and appropriately use them. Obama specifically should focus on the power of presidential popularity and helping politicians get elected in 2010 because the 2010 Congress with handle redistricting. McCain should also consider his role in helping get elected, and he should also consider using the power of the veto if he becomes president.

All things being said, the realization that presidents lack managerial skills presents the challenge to the next president that he must recognize his short comings and promote his strengths. 

Notes
1. Dunn, Charles W. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership: An Introduction to the American Presidency. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007: 162-163.
2. Ibid., 162.
3. -----------. Lecture: “Elections.” Presidential Leadership, Regent University: October 8, 2008.
4. Ibid., 162.
5. Ibid., 163. 
6. Ibid., 164.
7. Ibid., 164. 
8. Ibid., 176.
9. Ibid., 165.
10. Ibid., 168.
11. Ibid., 169.
12. Ibid., 171.
13. Ibid., 172.
14. Ibid., 175.
15. Ibid., 178. 
16. -----------. The Scarlet Thread of Scandal: Morality and the American Presidency. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000: 185.
17. -----------. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership, 179.
18. Ibid., 180.