Government and Politics of the USA Lecture 8

Government and Politics of the USA Lecture 8: Presidential Character Comparing Presidents & Presidential Candidates Dr Simon Boucher ~ bouches@tcd. ie

Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory ME • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008 YOU

Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008

Barber’s theory- quick summary GOAL: “to cut through confusion and provide clear criteria for choosing Presidents” by revealing “the whole man” WHAT HE EXAMINES • “Political personality” composed of… Character World view Political style Tend to form consistent packages. Helps anticipate candidates’ likely direction, operating styles, and performance • Barber also considers “climate of expectations”- President’s “political air”

Barber’s theory- quick summary GOAL: “to cut through confusion and provide clear criteria for choosing Presidents” by revealing “the whole man”

Barber’s theory- quick summary GOAL: “to cut through confusion and provide clear criteria for choosing Presidents” by revealing “the whole man” WHAT THIS CAN TELL US Use what we learn in relation to these factors to categorise individuals along two continuums: Continuum 1: Activity level ACTIVE PASSIVE Continuum 2: Emotional involvement POSITIVE NEGATIVE Individuals can consequently be clustered into 4 consistent “types” which tend to act in specific ways

Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level Positive Negative Emotional Involvement Passive Active

Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level Active / Positive Passive Active …They tend to make good Presidents. Positive Negative • High energy • Enjoy their work • The ability to flexibly adapt their style • High self-esteem • Rationally master issues • Motivated by goalachievement Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . ACTIVE / POSITIVE

Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level Active / Positive Passive …They tend to make good Presidents. Positive Negative • High energy • Enjoy their work • The ability to flexibly adapt their style • High self-esteem • Rationally master issues • Motivated by goalachievement Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . Active JFK JEFFERSON FDR TRUMAN. . . CLINTON?

Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level Passive / Positive Passive …Likeable, electable, but not necessarily strong / decisive Positive Negative • Receptive, compliant personalities • Likeability • A need for affection • A lack of resolution and low self-esteem • Superficial optimism • Hopefulness can elicit encouragement from others • Preference for compromise Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . PASSIVE / POSITIVE Active

Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level Passive / Positive Passive …Likeable, electable, but not necessarily strong / decisive Positive Negative • Receptive, compliant personalities • Likeability • A need for affection • A lack of resolution and low self-esteem • Superficial optimism • Hopefulness can elicit encouragement from others • Preference for compromise Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . REAGAN MADISON HARDING. . . CLINTON? Active

Barber’s theory- quick summary Passive / Negative Activity Level Passive …Can be effective when stability / consensus required Positive Negative • Relatively inactive • Relatively little enjoyment from their tasks • A sense of dutiful service • Tendency to avoid conflict, emphasizing principles, procedures • A preference for stability • Reactive rather than proactive leadership • A focus on civic virtue Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . PASSIVE / NEGATIVE Active

Barber’s theory- quick summary Passive / Negative Activity Level Passive …Can be effective when stability / consensus required Positive Negative • Relatively inactive • Relatively little enjoyment from their tasks • A sense of dutiful service • Tendency to avoid conflict, emphasizing principles, procedures • A preference for stability • Reactive rather than proactive leadership • A focus on civic virtue Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . WASHINGTON EISENHOWER COOLIDGE …BUSH SNR? Active

Barber’s theory- quick summary Active / Negative Activity Level Passive …Tend to make bad Presidents. Positive Negative • Contradiction: intense effort but low emotional reward • Compulsive natures • Ambition for winning / maintaining power • Aggressive stance towards environment • Low self-esteem • Inclined to pessimism • Highly driven, persistent Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . Active ACTIVE / NEGATIVE

Barber’s theory- quick summary Active / Negative Activity Level Passive …Tend to make bad Presidents. Positive Negative • Contradiction: intense effort but low emotional reward • Compulsive natures • Ambition for winning / maintaining power • Aggressive stance towards environment • Low self-esteem • Inclined to pessimism • Highly driven, persistent Emotional Involvement These Presidents exhibit. . Active WILSON LBJ NIXON

Barber’s typology Activity Level Positive Negative Emotional Involvement Passive Active

Barber’s typology Activity Level Positive Negative Emotional Involvement Passive Madison Taft Harding Reagan Washington Coolidge Eisenhower Active Jefferson FDR Truman JFK Ford Adams Wilson Hoover Lincoln LBJ Nixon

Barber’s typology Activity Level Positive Negative Emotional Involvement Passive Active Madison Jefferson Taft FDR Harding Clinton? Truman Reagan JFK Ford Washington Coolidge Eisenhower Bush Snr? Adams Wilson Hoover Lincoln LBJ Nixon

Strengths and weaknesses of theory STRENTHS • Groundbreaking- highlights importance of personality • Appears to have predictive power • Intrinsically interesting approach? WEAKNESSES • • Dimensions slightly random / overly-simplistic? Can modern politicians really be considered “passive”? Overly-skewed to assessment of personality? Are leader-types consciously designed with certain individuals in mind?

Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008

Dean’s study of George W. Bush Bare in mind… • Dean is clearly anti-Bush! • Dean’s classification is contested Dean’s argument Bush is an active / negative President… • • “Capable of generating tremendous energies for political domination” Power-hungry orientation Doesn’t acquire “rational mastery” of issues Exhibits a “compulsive quality” “Takes big risks” Is stubborn Dislikes criticism- “caught up in own self-righteousness” Sees issues in black-or-white terms

Dean’s study of George W. Bush What implications? • In 2 nd term more gambles and more secrecy? • Expect “classic active/negative pattern”? • Active / negatives stick rigidly to their courseexpect Bush to “stand his ground… masking his decision in whatever rhetoric is necessary, he will ride the tiger to the end. . ” Is Dean convincing? • • Bush’s life “a hard struggle to achieve and hold power”? Bush “hampered by a perfectionist conscience”? Does Bush really derive little satisfaction from the job? Is he really comparatively active in his role?

Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008

Assessing the 2008 field VS. VS.

How to evaluate the candidates Discuss your candidate’s 1. 2. • • Character World view Political style The “climate of expectation” they face Estimate their position on the 2 continuums • Activity level (how active / passive? ) • Emotional involvement in work Determine 3. • Their position on Barber’s typology • What sort of President does this suggest they’d make? • Did you find Barber’s approach useful?

How do you categorise them? Affect Active PASSIVE / POSITIVE ACTIVE / POSITIVE PASSIVE / NEGATIVE ACTIVE / NEGATIVE Positive Negative Activity Level Passive ?

Next week Lecture 1: The institution of the Presidency – Mc. Kay chap 10 – Singh chap 9 – LGS epilogue Lecture 2: The Media and US Politics – Mc. Kay chap 7 – Singh chap 7