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06.25.08

What Makes a President Great?

Having grown weary of the of what he terms as the presidential ratings game, historian, teacher, and politico Alvin Felzenberg decided to present a new ranking in his book, The Leaders We Deserved (and a Few We Didn't): Rethinking the Presidential Rating Game. Instead of evaluating the presidents and giving them a single score, he had devised six criteria to better account for their actual contribution to history. The first three criteria are: character, vision and competence. They give insight as to how they would handle the next three criteria: economic policy, the preservation and extension of liberty, and national security and defense. While you may disagree with his conclusions, you will no doubt find it useful in evaluating presidents and by extension it will give you a framework to appraise future presidential candidates.

Based on this exercise, Felzenberg gives a list of what we should look for in presidential candidates:

A Sense of Purpose. “Nearly all presidents who earned a rating of great or near great articulated specific goals that they wanted to achieve as president.”

Examine How They Met Adversity. “All of he great and near great presidents emerged from conflicts and disappointments they encountered stronger and more resilient ten they had before. This is what made their previous ordeals transformative. All regarded these adversities as learning experiences, however painful. None emerged from such setbacks regarding themselves as victims. None were known to complain or whine—at least out loud or in public—about their private misfortunes.”

Broad Life Experiences. “Most great and near great presidents had multiple occupations, not all of them in politics, before coming president. Through the depth and breadth of their experiences, successful presidents learned how to relate to people in all walks of life.”

A Natural Curiosity. “Great of near great presidents remained curious all their lives about the world around them and about the cause of the problems they were called upon to solve.”

A Well-Developed Sense of Integrity. Look for honesty (“doing what one said he would do, or explaining why unforeseen circumstances necessitated a different course”), courage (‘meeting adversity head-on, often at political or personal risk”), and integrity (“placing the interests of one’s office and one’s country ahead of personal convenience or interests, or those of one’s associates”).

Humility. “Although confident in their abilities, successful presidents held their egos in check. All great and near great presidents understood that they would receive the credit for the achievements of their subordinates. For this reason they strove to find outstanding ones…including on occasion, former rivals and members of the opposition party.”

The nation’s worst presidents had some or all of the following traits we would do well to avoid:

• Watch out for cynicism and complacency.
• Stay away from whiners.
• Keep away from know-it-alls.
• Steer clear of candidates with a narrow focus.
• Be leery of unrelenting ideologues.
• Stand guard against bearers of grudges.
• Eschew tendencies toward bald assertions of power.

According to Felzenberg we certainly deserved Lincoln, Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Truman, Reagan, Ford, and surprisingly enough, Coolidge, among others. As he did with so much else, Ronald Reagan knew precisely what he was doing when he ordered Calvin Coolidge’s portrait hung in the White House cabinet room.

Of the presidents we least deserved, most proved especially adept at mastering the electoral machinery of their respective eras and, sadly, at little else.

The Leaders We Deserved is carefully considered and not only provides a fresh perspective on our nation’s presidents, but will give you a few surprising insights as well. A good book to read in this election year. Below is a list of the top twelve presidents based on Felzenberg’s criteria:

President	Character	Vision	Competence	Economic Policy	Preserving & Extending Liberty	Defense, National Security & Foreign Policy	Average Score
Lincoln	5	5	5	5	5	5	5.00
Washington	5	4	5	5	4	5	4.67
Roosevelt, T.	4	5	5	5	3	5	4.50
Reagan	5	5	3	5	4	5	4.50
Eisenhower	5	3	5	4	4	4	4.17
Roosevelt, F.	3	4	5	3	4	5	4.00
Taylor	5	4	4	3	4	3	3.83
Grant	4	5	3	3	5	3	3.83
McKinley	5	3	4	4	2	5	3.83
Truman	5	4	4	2	4	4	3.83
Kennedy	3	4	4	4	4	4	3.83
Coolidge	5	3	4	4	4	2	3.67

Posted by Michael McKinney at 08:21 AM
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Ultimately as Americans, we need to take responsibility. Regardless of party, all Americans are responsible. Our individual and collective actions in society daily have consequences. Our vote or failure to vote. Our indifference or our protests. How we act out is as important as what we act out. Our leaders are human beings who need our faith even when we tell them we disagree. Ultimately, our leaders decisions and their consequences whether we agreed with it or not are our responsibility. If your an environmentalist and the President decides to open drilling in ANWAR, you are just as responsible for that decision even when you disagreed with the decision. You do not get a pass because you disagreed. And your response is even more culpable. In fact, how you respond is just as important. Do you take time to consider that the President is making a difficult decision. Do you understand his rationale for his decision. Did you really take time to understand his concern for the well being of the Nation. Did you congratulate him on doing his job even when you disagreed with his decision? Ultimately, how you handle those moments is as important as the decision. You are a part of whatever happens. In fact, this is what made Martin Luther King so great. Just because things did not always go as he wanted, he did not advocate behaviour that was counterproductive. He did not relinquish his responsibilities. He understood that his actions had consequences and that he influenced the decision makers. His actions were always peaceful even when he was personally beaten. He took responsibility for the times he lived in and for the cause he beleived in. He suspected he might not even live to see the final changes, yet that did not change how he wanted change, peacefully. He never waived responsibility even when he disagreed. When he openly broke with President Johnson on support for the Vietnam War, he did it peacefully. Yet, his dissent for the War did not relinquish his responsibility for the President's decisions, rather, it makes it greater. Ultimately, we are responsible for our leaders and their actions and those consequences even when we disagree with them. In some ways, our leaders deserve our respect and faith even when we disagree with them. Just because you disagree does not give you license to be unruly, commit illegal acts, or act our unpeacefully. In fact, those actions are counterproductive and their consequences may even be more culpable. Suppose you are an environmentalist and the government begins drilling in ANWAR and their is a spill. Saying "I told them so" is not acting responsibility. Rather, start cleaning up because you are just as responsible and that is when you are really taking responsibility regardless. I know this sounds counterintuitive; but it is true, we really do get what we deserve.

Posted by: Matthew Laos | June 26, 2008 08:19 PM

Small correction, ANWAR should be ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge). Best, Matt PS, I am not advocating a decision on that one way or another. Yesterday, I was opposed, today with gas prices, I am considering the idea more seriously. Ultimately, I know both sides have great arguments. Whatever the decision, I am just as responsible for it as our leaders. We all are.

Posted by: Matthew Laos | June 26, 2008 10:36 PM

I would like to comment on this year's national election. I would like to tell you who NOT to vote for....Do not vote for Barak Obama because he is black. Do not vote for John McCain because he is a war hero. Be sure your reason for voting for someone is based on ability and not on color of skin or war hero status.

Now, who should you vote for? Listen to the issues and search beyond the rhetoric. Vote independently and not necessarily along party lines. If you believe in your heart of hearts that Barak Obama would be best to lead this country, then vote for him. Likewise, if you believe in your heart of hearts that John McCain would be best to lead this country, then vote for him.

Do not be like the grass which sways whichever way the wind blows. Be an independent thinker; be knowledgeable and be able to vote intelligently.

May God bless America and may God bless us as we choose our next leader.

Posted by: Linda L. Kalehoff | June 29, 2008 08:31 AM