02/16/2012Rankings (not lifetime perf but achievent in WH)G- Wash, Lincoln, FDRNG- jeff, jack, T roos, wils, trum, polkHA- eisen, john a, jfk, clev, lbj, Monroe, mckA- mad, jqa, harr, clin, van b, taft, hayes, bush, rea, arth, carter, fordBA- taylor, cool, film, tylerFail – pierce, grant, hoov, nix, a Johnson, Buchanan, hardCspan:"Public Persuasion," "Crisis Leadership," "Economic Management," "Moral Authority," "International Relations," "Administrative Skills," "Relations with Congress," "Vision/Setting An Agenda," "Pursued Equal Justice for All," and "Performance Within the Context of His Times."abe, GW, TR, FDR, jeff, reag, trum, eisen, Monroe, mad, JA, JFK, wils, jack, JQA, HW, polk, mck, lbj, nix, clev, cool, ford, taft… Buchanan.Person of PresidentEnormous power in one-person officeHow they operate in a complex and uncertain environment which leads to stress, fatigue and depressionDo characteristics of individual president’s matter? Whom do we want in the White House – Whom to avoid?You want decisiveness, intelligence, capacity for growth and integrityGreenstein would argument we need to look at their public communication, organizational capacity, political skill, vision, cognitive style and most importantly emotional intelligence.The Log Cabin MythWe want a president who emerges from the common typical person – not born to wealthFramers – people (including future presidents) are inherently selfishHope that the Constitution checked the PresidentIn their slow-paced world, a wicked and mad president could only do limited harm before checked (electoral defeat or impeachment)Does their logic and hopes still apply?Destructive powers of modern presidents are swift and ultimateImpeachment process is uncertain and slow; the electoral college does not provide for peer review and the rise of national media as a tool do a demagogue and the ever looming threat of nuclear weaponsPersonal basis of Presidential powerNeustadt saysHe must be good at persuading and bargainingThe power to persuade rests onProfessional reputationPublic prestigeJames David Barber saysPersonality  performanceImportant personality componentsCharacterHow does this person orient himself towards life?Vital factor – Self esteemPolitical styleHow does this person perform at political roles?Rhetoric – public speakingpersonal political relations“homework” – handle information and details and work hardWorldviewView of human nature, social causality, ect.Two broad dimensions of personalityActivity-passivityHow much energy does the president invest in the job?Positivity-negativity affectDoes the president enjoy the job?]4 personality typesActive positives – work hard enjoy the jobHigh self esteem, relates well, flexible with big goalsActive-negatives – work hard, hates the jobCan become compulsive, presidency a strugglePassive-positivesPassive-negativesCriticism of Barber:Not one of the most credible criticism for success of the presidency among political scientists. Too much subjectivity involved More than 2 dimensions (too limited on considerations)? External events and conditions more important than personality.FDRTrumanJFK CarterH.W. Bush(most successful type according to Greenstein)WilsonHooverL.B. JohnsonNixon(the ones to be most worried about according to Greenstein)TaftHardingReaganCoolidgeEisenhower02/21/2012Read “further reading” for chapter 1 (pg 292 to 297) in the Greenstein bookFor homework assignmentWhich personality type is most desirable/dangerous?Active positives are desirableActive negatives are dangerousInability to admit failure/weaknessMay fixate on failing line of policyJohnson and Vietnam, Nixon and WatergateExternal events and conditions are more important than personalityClinton – active or passive, positive or negativeActive positiveStanley Renshon (High Hopes) writing in 19913 and 1994 – pre Monica Lewinski scandal.Says he likes the job and as soon as he is told someone is unhappy with the job he has done, he gets very defensive and rants on, high temper.May suffer from self-idealization (too high of a sense of self-esteem)High risk-taking behavior in personal life (Monica Lewinski scandal)Had no model of limits on behavior (set upon him by his parents)From Hope AK, a conservative Baptist town, but grew up in hot springs AK a gambling partying town.02/23/2012Reshon’s summary of character styleAmbitionIntegrity (ideas and values)RelatednessObama “Politics of redemption” through an organizing lens of fairnessGrenstein’s qualities that relate to presidential performancePublic communicationOrganizing capacityPolitical skillVisionCognitive styleEmotional intelligenceFor Greenstein, emotional intelligence is key to a presidents ability to manage his or her emotions and turn them to constructive purposes rather than being dominated by them and allowing them to diminish his or her leadership02/28/2012Public approval in “real time” rankingGallup “do you approve or disapprove of the way the president is handling his job?”Role of time in public approvalHoneymoon period followed by decay (coalition of minorities)Role of the economyRepublicans are more responsive to inflationDemocrats are more responsive to unemploymentRole of international eventsUnpopular, prolonged war vs. rally events (like killing of Bin Laden, start of a war or US troops being sent into combat)Role of ScandalCronin’s paradoxical expectations?Kernell’s going publicLeadership strategy involves public appeals  generalized force/pressure on other politicians (coercive strategy = costs, penalties)A “bully in the pulpit of the presidency”Differs from Neustadt’s public prestige = which enhances the president’s ability to persuade/bargain other in DCWhy/HowAdvances in technology and transportation“Outsider” presidents with weak ties to the party and DC (and inexperienced at bargaining/persuasion) experienced at appealing to the publicMore difficult to bargain in modern DC? (power dispersed, divided government is the norm)Carter- one-term governor of GA. Never worked for the House or Senate.Reagan – governor of CA. but never served in House as Senator.Clinton- governor of AK.Bush- governor of Texas, however, some ties.Obama- limited ties in DC.Explosive growth inMinor addresses (local audiences)Public appearancesPresidential travelA lot of domestic travelInstitutions available to shape the POTUS’s imageOffice of communications (part of the White House Office beginning