Are likeable Presidents more effective?

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Permalink Reply by Shane Johnson on April 29, 2009 at 11:56pm

Are likeable people more effective?

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Permalink Reply by Blanca Houston on April 30, 2009 at 8:45am

Likeable people are better able to ease people's fears. And presently, there is a lot to fear--loss of jobs, loss of identity,etc.. That is the social and psychological reality of our times. The other side of this coin is that the greater the loss or perceived loss, the greater control one is likely to surrender.
This is a dangerous situation. Remember, we have 3 branches of government. Congress is not likeable, and not effective. Now we have two branches of government who share the same political acumen, are they going to save the day? Stay tuned, but don't expect miracles. You know what they say, "Absolute power, corrupts absolutely!

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Permalink Reply by David Mark on April 30, 2009 at 3:23pm

@ Shane You took the exact words out of my mouth! It doesn't begin or end with El Presidente.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Larson on April 29, 2009 at 11:57pm

Simply put... I think Presidents are more likeable IF they are effective.

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Permalink Reply by Tiffany Sauder on April 30, 2009 at 9:24am

Amen!

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Permalink Reply by Mark Howard on April 30, 2009 at 10:40am

O'bama has been effective (at passing things I disapprove of) which make me like him less

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Herndon on April 30, 2009 at 12:01am

You know, I would say that likable presidents face less opposition and can push their agenda more effectively. That being said it appears to me that President Obama has capitalized on fear and discord rather than building on the public favor he's garnered. Will that be to his detriment or is he playing the cards well?

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Permalink Reply by Julia Muney Moore on April 30, 2009 at 9:36am

I disagree--I think Obama has so far REFUSED to use fear tactics and gone out of his way to reassure the public that he and his team have things well in hand. He has then backed up his words by putting effective programs and measures in place. This is why he is so likeable--AND effective.

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Permalink Reply by Cissi Sherlock on April 30, 2009 at 9:52am

We've got a lot of "Amen's" here, and here's mine!

(P.S.: Do the "Amen's " mean we are a nation founded on Christian principles?) OOps, the topic is likability!!!

I am so tired of the negative atmosphere that he (Obama)creates when he is "updating" us on the state of affairs. He may as well use Orson Welles as his writer. Will people be convinced that the martians are coming just because Obama said it.

Negative breed negative. Positive breeds positive. When you hear people saying "...well, Obama said...", you know we are in trouble.

A negative delivery creates a fearful nation. He might term it "transparency", but in the running of a government, just like in the running of a family, you have to listen to the people and do what best for them without being so transparent that you become overexposed and vulnerable.

Don't get me started on the release of the waterboarding files!

How can we look forward to a positive outcome if we are feed such doom and gloom like, "This is the worst economic situation since the Great Depression!"?

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Permalink Reply by Janette Dollar on May 1, 2009 at 12:23am

"Negative breeds negative. Positive breeds positive." Refers to attitude, not information. Truth breeds freedom. Give me a person who tells the truth any day, over someone who will try and protect us from ourselves by ignoring truths & realities that are not "positive". Get a grip. You'd rather not hear anything "negative"?? Bring George back and he'll give you some flag waving and freedom smiles while he destroys the constitution and demonstrates how we all are just as expendable. (And BTW, "christian principles" are the same principles as many other religions. This country belongs to all its citizens, not just those belonging to the religion with the strongest arm.)

I don't disagree with everything you say, but this argument that people need to be treated with kid gloves is disturbing and all too prevalent.

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Permalink Reply by Joyce Detterline on April 30, 2009 at 10:56am

Totally agree. If you look at economic trends through the years, we've seen it worse (in the early 80's for example) and we worked through that, not with fear, but with determination and a President making us feel we COULD DO ANYTHING, instead of focusing on all the bad.

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Permalink Reply by Cissi Sherlock on April 30, 2009 at 9:42am

I questions, as will many, "effective".

Just like in the cae of the CNN newsperson that interviewd the guy with the baby (I know, and the Hitler sign). She stated to him (in effect)"...but you're getting a $400 stimulus refund!"

Well and good when you consider that $400 is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions it's going to take to pay it back to China.

So I might like you. But, does what you do make good sense?

You run into that all the time in everyday life. Why have a different perception now just because it pertains to the president.I think people are just so Bush-weary that they are not using common sense.

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