What Makes Great Presidents: Suzanne de Cornelia 8/30 Leadership organizations like the United Nations and leading presidential historians like Arthur Schlesinger agree on the common attributes of Great Presidents: 1.Intelligence and Clear Vision: In under 20 minutes in President Kennedy’s famous 1962 Rice University ‘Moon Speech’ he articulated a complex context of human history, scientific development, American ideals. He laid out where we were, why we needed to be on the moon first, what needed to be done, in what time frame and with which tools. When he completed his speech, listeners understood the innovative powers of Americans when focused, the size of the goal and the urgency of reaching it. Like a commander of a great fleet he established the destination, charted the course and ordered actions. As leading presidential scholar, Arthur Schlesinger wrote, “Great presidents possess, or are possessed by, a vision of an ideal America. Their passion is to make sure the ship of state sails on the right course.” 2. Influence and Team Building: Great Presidents have clear strategies to build consensus, relationships and coalitions with Congress, the American people and with other nations and across vast ranges of possible key allies and foes. As Historian Elting Morison said of Theodore Roosevelt, “He could get the attention of his fellow citizens and make them think. He knew how to put the hard questions…how to make the search for sensible answers exciting; how to startle the country into informing debate; and how to move people into their thinking beyond short-run self-interest toward some longer view of the general welfare.” 3. Great Communication: The President is the Commander in Chief of the military, the CEO of the Federal government, a global policy maker, an advocate, negotiator, facilitator and mediator. Great Presidents have different styles; Abraham Lincoln showed respect, FDR acted the wise uncle in his fireside chats. JFK was a master of soaring rhetoric and wit. In common, they understood the needs of their time and were in sympathy with the anxieties and dreams of the people. FDR said that all our great presidents “were leaders of thought at times when certain ideas in the life of the nation had to be clarified.” And Woodrow Wilson stated they shared profound insight and for the common man and the common good.

She is untested and has never been scrutinized. Ms. Palin has never been under the pressure of prolonged scrutiny by the press or her opponents. How will she react to such pressure? Can she react with grace when pushed to the wall? Running a small city or state is nothing compared to the complexity of the federal system. Can she handle it? Selected just two months before the election, she not receive such scrutiny and we’ll not know the answer to these questions before entrusting her with the second highest office in our land. She is unknown. Ms. Palin has no history of positions on most of the major issues that are important to Americans. Check out the non-partisan Issues 2000 (http://www.issues2000.org/Sarah_Palin.htm ) She has no reported stance on 14 of the top 30 issues of the day. As an official for such small communities, she’s never had to deal with most of these issues. She can now say whatever she wants on these issues but has no record to show whether she is sincere or consistent. Ms. Palin’s own failures are exacerbated Mr. McCain’s lack of knowledge about his choice. He has only known her for four months, apparently only met her once, and spoke to her just a few times. What type of person gives this much responsibility to someone with no record and to whom he barely knows himself? Mr. McCain seems to have chosen her to appeal to women, to bolster his heretofore ridiculous argument that he an agent for change, and to distract us from Ms. Obama’s and Mr. Biden’s triumphant convention. But the selection puts our country at risk. Mr. Obama said that McCain doesn’t have the judgment to be president. I’ll go one step more. By making such a reckless choice, Mr. McCain shows that he unqualified to be president.

Palin is such an absurdity and McSame has made himself such a bad joke by choosing her that I can find no reason whatsoever to respect anybody who would still vote for that ticket. They can’t have any concern for anything other than their own special interests. What am I saying, of course they’re all about special interests, they’re republicans.

Well, I just hope McCain’s hail Mary pass fails to connect. This country deserves far better Senator McCain.

Phew, this is a hot thread. Throw some burgers on and they’ll be charred in no time flat.

For all of the know-it-all, self-proclaimed experts on this site all I can say is this… Keep spewing your vitriol for the Republican ticket and continue singing all praises for the Dems… In November, my vote counts just as much as yours does and that is the rare beauty of this genius system.