Paradoxes of the American Presidency*

• Americans demand powerful presidential leadership to address and solve the country's problems but are simultaneously suspicious of centralized leadership and abuse of power.
• The President should be a "man of the people" and also have extraordinary ability, charisma, heroic character and vision.
• Americans expect the President to be warm, caring, compassionate but also ruthless, clever, guileful.
• Presidents are admired for rising "above politics" and adopting a nonpartisan or bipartisan approach but the office requires a master politician to succeed.
• Presidents are expected to unify the country but also hold firm to controversial principles and policies that will be divisive.
• We require that the President be creative, bold and visionary but also pragmatic and responsive to public opinion.
• Confidence and self assurance are required but arrogance and a sense of infallibility are rejected.
• We elect presidents on the basis of their campaign skills which may not translate into governing skills and may indeed be very different entirely.
• The office of the President is sometimes too strong for circumstances and at other times too weak.
• Presidents are expected to affirm and maintain traditions and the existing order in society while simultaneously creating a new order and departures from the norm.

* See The Paradoxes of the American Presidency by Cronin and Genovese