The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to Barack Obama - Third Edition

by Fred I. Greenstein

Book Overview

Fred I. Greenstein has long been one of our keenest observers of the modern presidency. In The Presidential Difference, he provides a fascinating and instructive account of the presidential qualities that have served well and poorly in the Oval Office, beginning with Franklin D. Roosevelt's first hundred days. He surveys each president's political skill, vision, cognitive style, organizational capacity, ability to communicate, and emotional...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691143838
• ISBN13: 9780691143835
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 344 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Review

Greenstein's The Presidential Difference is short and sweet. It condenses the story of our Presidents from FDR to George W. Bush into an easy to read manner. Each chapter is dedicated to a President and gives six points upon which they are evaluated, which makes comparisons with other Presidents in the book easy. Even with only 223 pages nothing seems to be left out. The book is engaging from beginning to end and before you know it you have gone through twelve presidencies. To end it all Greenstein wraps 13 chapters up in a magnificent conclusion titled "Lessons from the Modern Presidency". There isn't any more one can ask for. I highly recommend this book as a good read, that is fun, short, and a great way to brush up on knowledge of our Presidents.

Creative, Original, and Objective...

An excellent book! The book illustrates a face of American presidents in a way in which we rarely see in politics today. Not only is the book bipartisan, but Greenstein gives many specific examples of each of his points, therefore giving you a true feeling as if you knew each of the American Presidents. The book does a great job of summarizing the successes and downfalls of each administration, while at the same time reflecting the specific leadership styles of each president. Greenstein has put together a fabulous compilation of facts and examples as this book reflect tremendous research of an insiders' view of each of the presidents he discusses.

A Timely Read Worth Your Time

Professor Greenstein's book is a must read for those who want to learn, those who want to re-learn, and even those who may never have reflected on the political scene and leaders of their times, or those of years prior. Concisely written, his deliberately chosen narratives speak to the depictions they present and, at the same time, reflect the depth of Greenstein's decades of highly respected scholarship. The presentation is accessible -- clear categories that guide the reader to think about that which has been said as well as that which could not make it into these 13 compact chapters. The criteria challenge the reader to think about our presidents from new, thought-provoking vantages.Whether you are a political junkie or a lay reader, this volume is worth your reading time; you'll certainly continue thinking after you finish reading. And, if you find yourself looking to keep reading, then turn to the comprehensive bibliography for a plethora of sources. In this presidential election season everyone should be reading The Presidential Difference!

The Presidential Difference

This book offers insightful, thorough, and well-reasoned analysis of every modern president, from FDR through Clinton, all in slightly more than 100 pages. Greenstein concisely but comprehensively reviews all of these presidents based on various categories -- from charisma to cognitive abilities to emotional maturity. Beyond that, he provides a historical backdrop to each presidency, providing context and texture for each tenure. This book offered fresh perspectives to most every presidency, and forced me to reevaluate the Bush and Ford presidencies in particular. I imagine most readers will find that Greenstein's book challenges many of their long-held assumptions too.

Modern Presidents under the Microscope

Fred Greenstein has written a readable, enjoyable account of the modern presidency covering FDR to Clinton. The author reveals the tone of his book when he states in Chapter 1 "Each of the modern presidents is a source of insight, as much for his weakness as his strengths. The variation among them provides intellectual leverage, permitting comparisons and expanding our sense of the possible." Each president is covered in chronological order by a chapter where they are analyzed on six qualities, Public Communicator, Organizational Capacity, Political Skill, Vision, Cognitive Style and Emotional Intelligence. The reader may be tempted to skip and read only the chapters for the presidents that interest them; however, the book should be read from beginning to end "in sequence" as the evolution of the modern presidency is clearly illustrated as the chapters unfold.The author avoids the pitfall of attempting to rank the presidents leaving the reader to form his own opinion. Presidents are shown to have defects, and all presidents are shown to have certain strengths making for a balanced analysis, i.e. none are total losers or absolute winners. Readers may be surprised by positive qualities for presidents, such as Johnson and Nixon, as well surprise with the shortcomings of the more popular chief executives such as Kennedy and Reagan. The author lists features of these modern presidents that future incoming presidents and their staffs should study and/or emulate.An interesting observation Greenstein makes is the critical importance of Effectiveness as a Public Communicator . To illustrate his point, he relates concerning the 1960 missile gap, that U-2 flights had confirmed to Eisenhower that there was no missile gap and that in "Eisenhower's concept of national security, the United States did not need to equal the Soviet Union in all areas of military endeavor. What it needed was sufficient retaliatory power to deter the Soviets from aggression." The author continues that "This thesis was eminently suited for public enunciation . . " which Eisenhower failed to so enunciate. Ultimately this communication failure led to a defense policy that started a nuclear arms race with the Soviets. However, Greenstein notes that the majority of the other presidents also failed to effectively use the "bully pulpit". Today's complaints about public manipulation through presidential press conferences, speeches, etc. should not be confused with the author's regard for the importance of effective public communication as a means both to educate and to inform the public regarding critical issues. Many persons look upon the presidency as a one man show. However, the author clearly demonstrates the critical factor of how the White House is organized and the importance of the roles played by the president's staff and aides. In some cases the staff and aides made the presidency successful while in other instances weak, i