Obama’s Bank Statement

With the economic crises at hand, many Americans examine the candidates, assessing their strengths and weakness and the effects of those strengths and weaknesses. As a young candidate, Senator Obama must come under the spotlight of analysis. By adding his positives, as seen through his strengths, and his negatives, as seen through his weaknesses, the combined total can help one assess where Obama stands in this election.

With the election drawing near, Obama stands with some positives in the bank. First, Obama comes from a populace state. Populace states generally produce ideal candidates.1 Second, African Americans continue increasing their influence in presidential politics.2 While race may not be a key factor, it still remains an issue and appears more helpful than harmful for Obama. Third, Obama benefits from the American people’s like for mediocrity because his record appears mediocre.3 Fourth, Obama does an excellent job of balancing elitist, pluralist, and populist interests. Being very charismatic, Obama connects with various groups, but he must recognize the competing tensions between the groups and now how to respond.4 Fifth, as presidents continue trusting more people for knowledge in various fields, it lessens the load demanded on Obama.5 He can turn to experts for their knowledge and not have that as a liability. These factors only represent a few of the positives Obama has in the bank, but they remain significant.

While Obama’s account shows positives, he also has negatives that represent his weaknesses. First, while Obama cannot help it, the trend concerning the states from which presidents come has shifted to the South and to the Sunbelt. In fact, the last four of the five presidents have been from these areas.6 Second, presidents as of late seem to stay on the offensive and keep moving, so it proves difficult when pinning the president down.7 However, this has been a bit more difficult for Obama because of his associates and also his history of traveling around, making one statement at one location and a totally different statement somewhere else. Third, Obama does not have a long career or stable public policy record like those of Presidents Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II.8 This proves significant because a long career with stable public policies helps predict successful presidents.9 In fact, this connects with the fourth minus, which pertains to his public policies as they appeal to the mainstream. Because of Obama’s short record, his more liberal actions sometimes don’t connect as well with the mainstream public. This creates a problem because success depends on successfully appealing to the mainstream with public policy.10 Now, in the campaign Obama has been moved to the middle, but only time will tell if he can successfully bridge the gap between his record and his campaign positions.

With these positives and negatives come warnings for Obama. First, Obama must stay connected with the mainstream.11 Advocates of radical policies usually lose.12 Lucky for him, some of his proposals, like a national health care system, do not appear radical because other politicians have introduced them. Therefore, as long as Obama avoids introducing new policies considered radical, he avoids playing the role of the third-party candidate, which remains dangerous.13 On top of all of this, Obama must be aware of the moral decline in America.14 Obama should also know that traditional moral leadership goes against mainstream. However, if he goes with mainstream society, then he adds to the moral pollution. Ultimately, successful moral leadership comes down to leadership by example and the use of the bully pulpit.15

Counting the positives and negatives, Obama stands in a good position. While one cannot say the outcome of this roller coaster election. one can take stock in the fact that Obama has done well in positioning himself, balancing his strengths and weaknesses.



Notes
1. Dunn, Charles W. Lecture: “Resolved that Great Men are Not Chosen President.” Presidential Leadership, Regent University: October 1, 2008.
2. -----------. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership: An Introduction to the American Presidency. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007: 132.
3. -----------. Lecture: “ Resolved that Great Men are Not Chosen President.” Presidential Leadership, Regent University: October 1, 2008.
4. -----------. The Seven Laws of Presidential Leadership, 138.
5. Ibid., 133.
6. Ibid., 132.
7. Ibid., 134.
8. Ibid., 130-131.
9. Ibid., 129.
10. Ibid., 135.
11. Ibid., 129.
12. Ibid., 134.
13. Ibid., 136.
14. -----------. The Scarlet Thread of Scandal: Morality and the American Presidency. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000: 137.
15. Ibid., 163.