What Makes a Good President?

All of the presidents of my life.

If you are of a certain age, you have seen your fair share of American presidents. They usually come and go every four to eight years, barring resignation or assassination.  Most were decent hard-working men who, with the best of intentions, governed this nation to the best of their ability. Your opinion of each of them will certainly vary. They each brought to this vaunted office a skill-set based on their backgrounds, education, and experience. Most had previous political positions, which gave them a foundation for the job. Notably, Donald Trump and Dwight Eisenhower did not hold public office prior to their elections to this highest national office. Eisenhower did have extensive government experience in the military in a very responsible leadership role.  As the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, he oversaw the allied invasion of Normandy that eventually ended the war in Europe.  I can remember my "I Like Ike" bumper sticker on my red Western Flyer wagon.  My dad, a registered Democrat, voted for Ike.  He fought in the European theatre, Sicily, Italy, and North Africa and thought highly of Eisenhower.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Campaign Button

So, what makes a good president? Ask a psychologist that question and you would get a very different list than one provided by an economist. We each have our own priorities. All, in their own way, would be defining competence.  If we avoid matters of policy, what qualities would a person have to have that would make them at least a competent president?

Government Experience

Previous political/government experience is not a requirement for office but it certainly has benefits. Military experience is also not a prerequisite but it too seems beneficial in this regard. Why are these two backgrounds important? Having served either in the military or in a political or other government position provides a certain mindset. Things that are common practice in civilian jobs are either unlawful or contraindicated behavior in political office. This attitudinal change may be difficult for some. Trying to run our government like a business won’t work. I think we have all seen recent evidence of this bad behavior.

Intelligence

Most people would agree, having a smart president is a good thing. The appropriate level of intelligence for the position is of paramount importance. Whether or not that intelligence comes from formal education, life experience, or mere aptitude is not important. We want a smart president. That person would understand our nation’s history, world history, current events, science, and human nature.  Wherever they may be weak in a certain area, they would seek advice from others to supplement their own knowledge. They themselves would know enough to understand where they may be lacking and would have enough intelligence to develop an understanding of a topic with advisory help. They would also be smart enough to take that advice even if it deviated from their once held opinions. Selected advisors should not be sought out for their compliance with presidential opinions and biases, they should be chosen for their own expertise in an area of importance. Both Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon were students of history who could think on their feet. George W Bush, on the other hand, could be derailed from his train of thought in a heartbeat. Jimmy Carter was intelligent, honorable, and honest to a fault, but couldn’t deal with his Congress recently fractured by inter-party caucuses after Watergate. Intelligence is important but not the only necessary trait.

Honesty/Integrity

We have all sadly come to accept and even expect a certain level of dishonesty among our elected officials. The nature of politics makes it a dirty business. Jimmy Stewart’s Mr. Smith would never survive a trip through modern Washington politics. Eddie Arnold’s corrupt Jim Taylor, on the other hand, would probably thrive. While we don’t necessarily need a Mr. Rogers for president, his moral compass might come in handy. We should, however, expect and demand truth and honesty for all matters of national urgency. We should demand factual explanations of public policy. We should hold our president accountable when he/she deviates from the truth. We should demand that they follow and uphold the laws outlined in our Constitution. We should not tolerate attempts to bend/break the law when it is politically expedient. We should not tolerate presidential activities perpetrated for personal financial or political gain through abuses of their presidential powers.  Character and integrity matter.

Vision

A president should have a strong sense of our country’s future and direction. They should be able to utilize their perspective of history in order to apply that knowledge, with courage, to make sound, if not always popular, decisions. Using that vision, they should be able to effectively manage crises. Leaders with vision are generally successful while myopic ones typically fail. This is especially true in times of crisis.

Communication Skills

Good presidents should be good communicators. They should have the ability to clearly convey, through either written or verbal pronouncements, all manner of policy and position. They should know what, how, and when things should be brought to the attention of the public. They should be able to express empathy when that is warranted. They should be able to project strength when appropriate. They should be able to bring the nation together and heal its' divisions. They should be able to work with Congress and negotiate with both parties in a common cause beneficial to the nation as a whole.

Management Skills

Being an effective president requires the ability to manage both people and resources. An effective manager knows how to get the best from the people around her or him. They surround themselves with others who are good at their particular jobs. They take the advice of people who may be more knowledgeable in particular areas. They know when and how to delegate authority and responsibility for certain tasks. They are good problem solvers. They are good planners. They know how to negotiate but not bully. They can manage conflict without resorting to baser instincts like name-calling.

Republican Presidents

Democratic Presidents

Summary

A good president will have all of these skills and character traits. Being weak or wanting in one or more of these areas is a recipe for disaster unless that weakness is countered with good staff appointments.  John Kennedy was articulate and charismatic. Richard Nixon had an astute knowledge of foreign policy. Jimmy Carter was honest. Ronald Reagan was a good communicator. Dwight Eisenhower was a great leader. Barack Obama was honest, a good communicator, and intelligent.

Donald Trump is neither articulate nor astute. He has no understanding of history. He lacks government or military experience. He lacks empathy.  He is not a good communicator. Pumping up a rally crowd with shop-worn platitudes and slogans does not equate to being a good communicator.  His only good speeches have been those written by others and read from a teleprompter.  His much-touted negotiation skills have been found to be wanting. Being tough in negotiations and coming away with nothing, is not how you show off your negotiating skills.  Trump was not successful negotiating with North Korea, he left with nothing. He was not successful in negotiating with China and came away with a tariff war that has hurt both sides. He negotiated with Canada and Mexico and came away with essentially minor changes to the trade policies that he had before the new negotiations.

Donald Trump’s staff appointments should tell us all we need to know about the man. He shuffles through press secretaries, staffers, advisors, and department heads as if he were a reality-show host. Anyone who does not make a declaration of fealty to his/her new lord will be axed.  He does not tolerate opinions differing from his own. As of May 25, 2020, the list of dismissals and/or resignations totaled 415. Granted, some of those were just ahead of indictments.

Speaking of firings, I would recommend that Donald Trump dump Mike Pence in 2020, and replace him with Rep Bill Johnson (R) of Ohio. Donald Trump, not being a student of history, would fail to see the significance of that appointment; another Vice President Johnson.