President Obama's Leadership Style
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-04-21/president-obamas-leadership-style
President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, in the Oval Office, after Stevens' announcement that he would be retiring from the Supreme Court. (April 9)
Pete Souza/Official White House Photo via Flickr
President Obama's popularity has been falling at home but rising abroad: analysis of the president's leadership style, how it has evolved and his effectiveness in Washington and around the world.
Guests
James Thurber
professor and director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University
Richard Murphy
served as U.S. Ambassador to Syria, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia, and former Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asian Affairs under President Reagan
Ron Elving
Washington editor for NPR.
Comments
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I find President Obama to be cool and measured in his thoughtful responses. While that shows a depth and respect for whatever subject matter he is discussing, I fear that Americans tend to respect a more firey and spontaneous response. I respect and mostly approve of his administration, but I long for him to just unload on his critics from time to time. I think Americans like our presidents to have a few "uncool" moments so we can connect with them.
Recently James Ponsoldt in a letter to the New York Times wrote, "Mr. Obama’s failure to fight indicates that he lacks confidence in his political convictions." However one might ask, "What ARE President Obama's political convictions?" This is a question your guests might wish to answer. It appears Barack Obama of the 2008 campaign demonstrated a set of "convictions" that are at variance with Barack Obama the president. Initially I was an Obama supporter, but my disappointment in his willingness to perpetuate "politics as usual" has caused me to doubt his "conviction" to "change" the way the nation's business is conducted.
Doug Giebel
Big Sandy, Montana
I am not a fan of Obama, but for the most part I think he is doing a good job. What I don't understand is why he or his media handlers don't understand the very poor image he presents when speaking from a podium. He NEVER looks toward the camera, his head is always moving from side to side. I know he is using the teleprompters but isn't there a way to allow him to do that while looking to the center -- or move the camera to where he is looking? Peggy, St. Louis, MO
Does anyone on your panel know what George Bush did during his first year in office? It would be interesting to compare to Obama's first year. As I recall, he took a lot of vacations and did not initiate any programs or policies and there was little complaining from the public. Do Americans prefer a less ambitious President?
My question around the poll numbers for President Obama is who exactly do the pollsters contact? I have never been polled on any issue and no one I know has been either. I have to wonder also what influence articulating that "the President's poll numbers are falling" drives the subsequent poll numbers down?
I think the falling approval rating of the President may be proof he is doing exactly what he should be doing. The extreme Right think he is doing too much and the Progressives think he is doing too little. The President can't do everything at once so the progressive are unhappy and the reactionary right are unhappy that he is doing too much. I personally am impressed with how much he has done in the face of massive republican resistance.
Dear Diane:
It didn’t have to be this hard. I’m an Obama fan, but the problem that has worried me from the beginning has been Obama's lack of a clear message.
On every important issue, President Obama has failed to tell the people who voted for him WHAT he wants, and WHY he wants it.
Obama has run an inside game, trying to persuade Republicans in Congress to pass his legislative agenda. But he’s appealing to the wrong Republicans, and in the wrong place. The Republicans in Congress are the most ideologically right-wing, and they have the most to gain by making sure Obama fails. If Obama wants to get past party polarization, he should turn to the multiparty majority who elected him.
If Obama can persuade the public that what he is doing is right, Congress will find the courage (or self interest) to go along, too.
With the stimulus bill, health care reform, mortgage foreclosure relief, and every major initiative, President Obama should have told the public: “Here’s what I’m asking for – and here’s why.” He should say it clearly enough so ordinary people can explain his plans to each other.
When Obama has failed to explain his own policies clearly, he has left a vacuum that his opponents have rushed in to fill.
Cindy Barr
Boston, MA
Barbesq makes a good point. I'd like to add the unwillingness -- even of NPR -- to factor in the effect of our outrageous and dominant right wing media.
Much of the frustration and often dangerous anger exhibited in protests is fed by media coverage and -- sometimes -- media sponsorship. That distorts any assessment of Washington realities, including the president's popularity. And certainly including the dubious validity of the usually reliable Pew Research polls.
From Ron Elving through most NPR commentators, avoidance of this issue is really damaging to NPR.
I trust President Obama to do the right thing. I haven't been able to say that since President Carter.
Thank you for having this discussion on your show today. President Obama has made me feel more proud than ever to be an American. It is so wonderful to have a leader who acts in such a professional manner even in the midst of the unprofessional, almost childish attacks from the conservatives.
Deficit, Deficit, Deficit....it's a ticking time bomb and many people realize it. President Obama has just added a HUGE new health care entitlement that will only exacerbate the problem.
why doesn't President Obama meet more often in public with the republicans?
when he did that wrt the health care proposal, he came away the clear winner
Just listened to program and just want to say that DR is a national treasure for hosting such intelligent conversation about issues of such importance.
Thank you Diane
Listening to the panel this morning (west coast time). I generally agree with the caller (Kevin) speaking about Obama’s consistent center-right politics and the mismatch of his record with expectations of his strongest block of supporters during the democratic primary.
Doug Giebel’s comment expresses a version of this view as well.
It’s interesting listening to the general agreement of your panel on the President’s excellent performance. Makes me think if their opinions were the basis of an approval poll, the President’s score would be a 90?
Rhesa J
San Francisco
President Obama encourages active participation from the people and seeks input from his staff and a wide variety of colleagues and experts but his final decisions remain guided by his overarching goal to move this country forward in a positive direction. He is concerned about what is best for all citizens in the country and does not marginalize the poor and disadvantaged. Unfortunately, public perception of him is being shaped in part by the falsehoods spread by right wing media and the GOP than it is by actual analysis and understanding of his performance.
I for one am glad that an intelligent man of good character is president during these difficult times. He has made a sharp u-turn with the economy, it is slowly recovering but definitely going in the right direction. He inherited a cataclysm of problems and is patiently and prudently sorting through them toward pragmatic solutions. He has the intellectual ability and strength of character to choose the right means toward a worthy end and I believe his leadership style is admirable.
It was highly disappointing to hear Diane refer to the Tea Party movement as the "Tea Bag Party" this morning. Et tu, Diane? I tune in for thoughtful analysis and dialogue, recognizing it comes from a liberal leaning viewpoint. I'm not involved with the Tea Party organization, but I can certainly relate to the message of its majority. Strangely, her comment didn't come across as name-calling; but rather as though she was merely using its correct name. If that's the case, I guess I'm listening to the wrong source for informed commentary. Even if it was merely a slip of the tongue, it creates an impression that her understanding of the Tea Party comes solely from the likes of Keith Olberman.
I for one, (and my family and many of my friends as well) are enormous supporters of President Obama. He is a good family man (rarely do I hear this aspect of him being displayed), a capable, wisely educated, very caring person, and brings a much needed world view to our nation . Many of us are quite proud that he is our president. I am not mystified by the vocal and confused minority that doesn't seem to like him, after all, years upon years of mismanagement and malfeasance by Nixon, Reagan, Ford, and TWO Bushes (You would have thought that we would have learned from just one), have had a numbing effect on them and they seem to have gotten used to and even desire the failed theories of conservatism and the coporate plutocracy that only desires to serve it's own financial ends. Those who support him and have been less keen to do so are discouraged in the fact that when decent people like this President are in office, they aren't more aggressive in dissolving the damaging behavior of the conservatives and Republicans in absolute ways that will lead to their permanently reduced status. Take heart, however, Rome wasn't (re)built in a day and it will take many years of progressive and intelligent people in place to accomplish this. Lets always support him and never forget what the alternative looks like, after all we never want to live through that again.
Luv Keith Olberman. Is there any other "tea bag party" point of view that even applies. If the shoe fits....
While I applaud our President for some of his measures (taking the fight with the Taliban across the mythical Af-Pak border, for instance), I take issue with any characterization that he is particularly more thoughtful, non-partisan or even susbtantially more intellectual than past occupants of the office.
He is a polished speaker when scripted, but so is your average mid-market radio announcer or voice-over specialist.
His leadership style is troublesome in that he has exhibited precisely the trait that astute critics were concerned about during the campaign stage: poor foreign policy handling, especially with respect to traditional allies.
His handling of relations with the UK, Israel, France and India have been abysmal.
I am glad he and his fellow Democrats decided to take on health-related reforms, but unfortunately they've addressed the wrong end of the bull and now so many of us will pay so much more for our health insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays that it actually might be more financially prudent for working people to drop insurance and pay the fines.
Additionally, the panelists' assessments of his leadership was so overtly sycophantic in some instances (Mr. Thurber) and so blithely silly in others (Ambassador Murphy's assertion that Iran does not know how to deal with him as opposed to the "cowboy" Bush) that there wasn't much helpful to glean from the program except the typical, left slanted political sloganeering one can expect from NPR and the DR Show on a regular basis.
Amusingly, the Ambassador's depiction came flashing back when I read in the Verbatim section of the most recent Time magazine today about the Iranian "president's" remark last week that "American politicians are like cowboys."
I guess the new leadership style really has made an impression on adversaries, huh?
Now, back to the mindless hero worship from the left and the similarly thoughtless bashing from the right.
I must add, however, that I do enjoy the show and all that NPR has to offer, despite its obvious political slant, and unlike many of my conservative associates, I believe our President, like the ones before, needs to be given every opportunity to lead and then evaluated on that basis and either re-elected or sent to the lecture circuit.
I am so glad to read Peggy's comment (above) that President Obama never looks toward the camera. It's true, and it's very disconcerting. I wish someone would remind Obama that his most important audience - the public - is on the other side of the lens. Cindy, Boston, MA
It is quite evident that the lack of a draft has left us with 2 generations of ignorant citizens.
Obama is the greatest threat to the American way of life since Bill Clinton pursued his communist view of the world. For young people or leftists who never had to live or work in the real-world for 8 - 10 years outside of the US on their economy, and as a military retired officer, America is at great risk as a nation that simply is flattening it's social structure, appears indecisive globally, has layers of government not authorized under our Constitution, and a youth that simply is not prepared for the violent, hungry, and religious zealots coming our way. Bill played in Moscow while Hillary's mentor was who???; and Obama's circle needs real scrutiny as my background is constantly under the intelligence microscope to maintain my clearance even after serving my country, but his is exempt??? Well from a cursory view of his peers, Obama is a habitual liar, coward, and racist.
In closing, praise the man's speaking ability that says nothing, delivers nothing, and lulls those without logical thought processes...other great orators were as destructive to their nation as this man is proving to be. The fact is if you are a real American you cannot possibly believe in this pre-communist state he has created in less than 1 term.
No one gives you anything for free especially politicians. At what price do you sell yourself or your freedom (same thing) so cheaply as an America.
This creeping control of our nation, our businesses, and our very family structures and norms is just plain treason and will lead us ultimately to national doom or a civil war, at best.
Agreed most strongly. As soon as you younger types see 33% or more of your paycheck go to those who never work a day in their lives, and often for more than 3 generations, let's see your tune then.
This reckless spending and creeping interest rates will destroy this nation. But then if you never had to work for anything including a car, an education, ... he seems perfectly harmless.
No one gives you anything for free without some price; and the price of surrendering your free will and freedom to choose, and family structure or future dreams smacks of a Faust-like opera.
To prostitute one's freedom of choice and blunt the impact of its consequences is as un-American as it can get.
But then the reckless spending is achieving his aims - read up on this charlatan before you rant and rave on his positive contributions to my nation (only yours if you have earned that right which the majority of you have not, and hence your willingness to follow rather than lead).