The Presidential Character - Essay Sample

Introduction

The political landscape of the US has featured some of the greatest presidents. Therefore, there is a long history in the study of presidential greatness in the institution of the American presidency. However, what makes a president great? There are differing views of presidential competence and character. Not everybody is suited for the life in Oval Office. It takes more talent and character to persevere the pressures associated with the presidential institution. With this note, character traits play a central role in determining a presidential figure. The presidency requires a special kind of individual who is smart, tough and driven by the desire to serve the people and the country at large (Barber, 2017). People who run for public offices, especially the presidency, are highly scrutinized by the public to determine if they possess the right attributes for effective leadership. Even though the circumstances in which individuals wield power determine their effectiveness, there are certain character traits that are shared across by great leaders (Thompson, 2010).

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Presidential figures should showcase high levels of integrity and the strength to overcome and adversities. How a president deals with calamities determines what sought of leader he or she is. Great presidents should also be prosocial, adaptive and social effective (Barber, 2017). As such, honesty comes along, especially when delivering public speeches and with this regard, great presidents should have tremendous communication and political skills. For instance, campaigns give an idea of the core competencies and character of a presidential candidate based on their manifesto. It is through campaigns that honesty can be judged by a person's ability to win the trust of the voters. Similarly, a presidential figure should have strong management skills to enable them to follow through an overarching vision and maneuver the vision with respect to the reality or circumstances at hand (Thompson, 2010). Based on these establishments, it is evident that the personal traits of a person play a role in determining a good president.

Americans have great expectations from their presidents. The American political landscape entails a realistic expectation among US citizens. In the current state of political affairs, Americans have transitioned from an idealistic approach because they want to see presidents take action on the nation's graving problems such as crime, drug trade and trafficking, and healthcare, just to mention a few. Besides, presidents should be realistic with respect to foreign policy in the view that policies must be actionable and progressive in line with American virtues. As a result, Americans are tired of empty promises and call for realistic and actionable policy measures to safeguard the country's growth and development (Barber, 2017).

On the other hand, my review of The American Presidency Project captured the attention of the inauguration speech made by Barrack Obama on 20th January 2009 where he addressed the divisive issues affecting the American society. Furthermore, I reviewed Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural speech held on 4th March 1861. In the two speeches, division is a major theme the presidents talked about. During the inauguration of President Lincoln, slavery was a major challenge affecting the Union. Southern states were pursuing secession from the Union to form their own government ("Abraham Lincoln Inaugural Address"). As such, Lincoln addressed the Union in a language that would reassure that he meant no harm to slave states even though the issue nation apart. Likewise, Obama addresses a nation torn apart by political and social differences. As the first Black President in the history of the United States, much was expected of him to rebuild the nation in light of the financial crisis ("Barrack Obama Inaugural Address").

Conclusion

In conclusion, despite the diverse views of what makes a great president, character attributes give a clue of how a person will react under political duress. The traits such as integrity, honesty, strength, and caring are some of the view aspects people look into in choosing a presidential figure. Therefore, Americans pursue a realistic approach to political governance where actionable policies are implemented in line with the Constitution and American interests.

References

Abraham Lincoln Inaugural Address. (1861, March 04). Retrieved from https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/inaugural-address-34

Barber, J. D. (2017). Presidential Character and How to Foresee It. The Presidential Character, 1-11. doi:10.4324/9781351223706-1

Barrack Obama Inaugural Address. (2009, January 20). Retrieved from https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/inaugural-address-5

Thompson, D. F. (2010). Constitutional Character: Virtues and Vices in Presidential Leadership. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 40(1), 23-37. doi:10.1111/j.1741-5705.2009.03752.