last word: chapter 9 quiz - monday
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FrontPage : OL on your desk. Who was the greatest president, and why?. Last Word: Chapter 9 Quiz - Monday. Presidential Greatness. A Question of Style. Who were the all-time greatest Presidents?. President’s Name Rank *Bill Clinton15 *Ronald Reagan10 Harry S. Truman5 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Last Word: Chapter 9 Quiz - Monday
FrontPage: OL on your desk. Who was the greatest president, and why?
Presidential Greatness
A Question of Style
Who were the all-time greatest Presidents?
President’s Name Rank
*Bill Clinton15
*Ronald Reagan10
Harry S. Truman 5 Theodore Roosevelt 4 Franklin D. Roosevelt
3 George Washington 2 Abraham Lincoln 1Source: C-SPAN historian survey
Who were the worst presidents in American history?
President’s Name Rank
Warren G. Harding38
William Henry Harrison 39
Franklin Pierce40
Andrew Johnson41
James Buchanan42
Categories used in the C-SPAN survey
Public Persuasion Moral Authority Relations with Congress Performance Within Context of Times Crisis Leadership International Relations Vision/Setting An Agenda Economic Management Administrative Skills Pursued Equal Justice For All
The man and the moment….
“…it is of course necessary to recognize that the man and the era, or events, must meet if true greatness is even to be
possible. It is self-evident that Washington, Lincoln and FDR all faced enormous challenges. To succeed was to triumph, to fail
was to be politically inept.
It would be probably true to suggest that one or more ‘average’ presidents might have emerged in ‘great’ or ‘near great’
ranking had his era furnished him with dynamic challenges or exceptional opportunities…
In ranking great presidents, one is compelled to keep in mind the
old cliché of politics, ‘The man and the moment have met.”
C-SPAN Presidential Historian Survey
What makes a president great ?
3 different factors:› Presidential Style – how they view (and
use) their power, and their management perspective
› Leadership Qualities – you either have them or you don’t…
› **Opportunity – are you feeling lucky, punk?
Presidential Style – Under the control of the president
**A president’s style is determined by his views on…
Power Management
Views of Presidential PowerUnder the control of the president Strict Constructionist (Hoover)
The belief that the Constitution provides only a limited amount of power to a president
Considered a weak view of power
Vs.
Loose Constructionist (FDR) Belief that the President should stretch the powers
of the presidency in order to meet the needs of the nation
Considered a strong view of power
Managing the PresidencyUnder the control of the president
“Detail- oriented (Jimmy Carter)› Involved in most small details of policy
(micromanager);
vs.
“Big - Picture” (Reagan)› Avoid getting involved in the small details of
policy; Rely on advisors and make “big decisions”
Leadership Qualities*Possessing/lacking these
qualities can contribute to success /failure.
Understanding the public
Ability to communicate Sense of timing Openness to new
ideas Ability to compromise Political courage
Opportunity How do they
handle events during their presidency?› Not under the
control of the president
**Wars, depression, inflation, economic boom, terrorism, etc.