Jonathan Bernstein today features a long quote from presidential historian Richard Neustadt about the nature of presidential power. It is not wielded, generally, by "giving speeches, getting out on the campaign trail and forcefully making your case". It is about using the power of the presidency (including speech) to get others with power to do something - recognizing their ambitions, their dependencies on their constituents, etc. Click on the link and read it. Then think about the imminent big deal which will dominate the news for the next 10 days. - GWC
"Ezra Klein's post yesterday on what he called 'the paradox of presidential leadership' made a strong case, with which I agree, that going public is apt to be counterproductive in an era in which the out party demonizes the president and demonizes compromise.
Klein refers to Richard Neustadt, however, and I do want to clarify Neustadt's idea of presidential persuasion. It's not, or at least not primarily, about what Klein describes as Washington's idea of persuasion, which is 'taking strong positions, giving speeches, getting out on the campaign trail and forcefully making your case.' I think a nice long quote from Neustadt is in order" (click on the link above and you'll see it - gwc)
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