… The implications of Johnson’s administration for Obama are different from what many of these commentators think. What we perceive as presidential leadership (or lack of it) often reflects structural factors that are largely beyond the control of the chief executive himself — a reality of presidential power that critics […] Read more »
State of the Union 2014: The cognitive power of the President
There are enough people guessing what the president will do. This is about what he almost certainly won’t do, but what I would like him to do. The president has material power without the Congress, and personally, I would like to see him use it. … Beyond material power, the […] Read more »
State of Union address won’t turn Obama’s polling numbers around
As President Obama readies his State of the Union address, he confronts the lowest job-approval rating of his presidency. According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, an even smaller number of Americans are confident in the president’s ability to make the right decisions for the country. His address on […] Read more »
The NY Times uncovers conservative attacks, then prints one; both are on the front page
… For decades, Republican conservatives have constructed and carried out extensive, well-planned, long-term communication campaigns to change public discourse and the way the public thinks. It has been done very effectively and, for the most part, not secretly. … I have always suggested to progressives to know their values and […] Read more »
Defining the Opponent
Elections are about choices. Beyond defining themselves, successful candidates also define opponents by framing the choice facing voters in a favorable way and then creating a clear contrast within that frame. If Democrats aim to become synonymous with “reasonable solutions,” then how best to characterize Republicans? Specifically, what is the most […] Read more »
Does the President Have the Power to Convince Us of Anything?
… Americans see the president’s power to sell Congress and this country’s citizens on an idea as one of the more important duties of his office. In 1961, Richard Neustadt, a professor of government at Columbia University, wrote Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents, which argued that the most important […] Read more »