The Presidents’ Club’s Newest Member
Today was historic: for Obama’s approval ratings as Pres-Elect, the swell of public interest, the reflections on Lincoln and MLK, and the “hope” that he will lead our nation out of its depression. After such a long electoral slumber, New Medici looks forward to tracking Obama’s innovations in media and lifestyle choices. One area of particular interest is his involvement with past Presidents. How much will he learn, take counsel and treat them as a “sitting Cabinet”?
Say what you will about the caliber of past Commanders-in-Charge or -Chief, Obama is following the Lincolnian tradition from Day One. Given the enormous tasks ahead of his Presidency, who else can he draw from beyond his handpicked natural Cabinet, his close friends and influencers? As we get ready to launch the Obam.us site (Obama-Us!), we’ll look at how President Obama envigorates and innovates the model of a current world leader – from benefit dinners for Senator John McCain the night before the Inauguration to his observance of Lincoln’s historic train ride and swearing on Lincoln’s bible, we’ll track his progress.
Two more relevant quotes from the NYT, which like many outlets, is interested in Obama’s inclusion of the Ex-Presidents in a pre-Inaugural chat:
“One thing historians have talked about for years is that there should be a better way for sitting presidents to use the experience of former presidents, and it doesn’t happen enough,” said the presidential historian Michael Beschloss. “The reasons are varied: sometimes personal antagonisms, shyness, the feeling that the former president is too removed from today’s politics to know very much. The result is that there is a reservoir of wisdom and experience that is not relied upon.”
As Bush Jr. advised Obama: “past Presidents are better at condolences than counsel”; however, what can they offer that adds to the leadership 4-year cycle? What are the parameters of leadership that a new President would seek from past heads of office?
Top executive politicos – who share a lot in common in ways with other successful industry execs and entrepreneurs – are a mixture of management styles:
- There are “Managers” and represent the ability to manage people well. Their staff report well but never share the full schematics of the business, nor would the executive-in-charge necessarily have the interest or ability to follow. I’d put G.W. Bush in this category, although his people managed him.
- There are “Operators” and work the tactical game with some management agility. I’d put Clinton and possibly Bush I here, present-day operators.
- There are “Strategists” and favor the (well, clearly) the strategic designs, and have lesser operational and management skill sets. LBJ and Reagan might fall here.
- There are “Diverse” or “Renaissance” leaders with well-rounded or versatile executive styles – who understand not only the management of information and staff, but also the minute and grand-scale operations of the business; they know where the market is current, and can ably forecast where it will trend next. Posthumously, JFK, RFK (sadly), and present-day Obama.
From all accounts, Obama is heading down the Renaissance path – he knows how to build a team, win an election and will use clear design to get to his desired position. It’s not a very enviable position to inherit the country’s current status, but he’s methodically and yet creatively determined.
We’ll track his interaction with the Ex-Presidents’ club and see how he involves those. G.W. Bush put his father and Clinton together, and a friendship has happened. With Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, Obama has access to Bill, but he will assuredly reach across the aisle below the Potus level.
“I think he gains a lot of legitimacy with the political class,” said John Feehery, a Republican strategist. “There is this sense that all these guys who have been there before, by meeting with him, and eagerly meeting with him, they’ve showed they think he can do the job. The torch is passed.”