Success in Accomplishing Their Goals: Presidents Kennedy, LBJ and Reagan

The success of any president is dependent on politicking. One can have charisma, public support, or a famous face, but if he does not try to be the best politician he can be, it is nothing. He will fail as a president and people will only remember his charisma, public support, or public face a hundred years from now instead of what he tried to accomplish as the president.

Kennedy was a phenomenal success in becoming elected president. He was the first Roman Catholic in the history of our country's presidency and one of the youngest elected presidents. He was an all-American boy with good looks, a good family (well-known), and America couldn't wait to see how far he'd take them.

His most prized piece of legislation was the education bill. He thought that all children should receive a public education, so he struck out to make it happen. He made Pat Moynihan chair of the committee and surprisingly left the action there. When Catholic groups voiced their opposition to Kennedy's "education for all"-except-Catholic-children-program, his committee told him, but he did nothing about it. He gets a 0 in the Ability to Pre-empt Problems category. When members of Congress voiced their opposition (like Delaney), he did almost nothing to woo them over to his side. He might have talked to his chair of committee later about him but did nothing like "giving cufflinks". He gets a 1 in the Ability to Compromise department.

Most of all, Kennedy didn't use his capacity as president in getting other people to speak for his bill to Congress. He gets a 0 on Ability to Mobilize Others. Kennedy's education bill didn't pass Congress because he ignored them. He claimed it was his number one goal and then set up others to do his work without contributing any of the charisma he used to get elected. He gets a 0 for Ability to Mobilize Self. In success with Congress, Kennedy gets an F.

Johnson was different. He knew what opportunities were and when to take advantage of them in a true mastery of politicking. He introduced his Equal Opportunity Bill the day after Kennedy died. He gets a 10 for Ability to Mobilize Self. He set up a committee for the bill but stayed close to it at all times. He had people join his side by his famous letter-writing campaign and later people spoke for his bill to Congress. They attacked opposition to the bill also. He gets a 10 for Ability to Mobilize Others.

Later when the bill needed more to get passed than support from members of Congress, LBJ was willing to compromise-all in the name of getting equal opportunities for all. He gets a 9 for Ability to Compromise. He stayed up on the opposition and "bribed" them with favors (pictures with the president, cufflinks, etc.) when they proved stubborn. He gets a 9 in Ability to Pre-empt Problems and succeeded in getting his bill passed. LBJ gets an A.

Reagan came to the White House already famous but no one knew the charisma he could charm Congress and the press with. He pushed his Economy Bill aka Reagonomics and made it a priority to talk to members of the Congress about it (a 10 for Ability to Mobilize Self). He made the press do some of his work unknowingly for him in getting good publicity out to America on his bill through "seducing" them (a 10 for Ability to Mobilize Others).

Reagan was also famous for charming the opposition with "cufflinks". No one could say no to the 70 year old gentleman who didn't seem like a politician until you were out of his office realizing what you agreed to do for him (a 10 for Ability to Compromise). He gets an A for his successful politicking for the economy bill.

Lessons future presidents can learn from these examples is 1) never distance yourself from the action and 2) flattery/gifts/favors can't hurt! A successful future president will be at the focal point of his/her bill through all stages-no vacations while it is being debated, and will know that sometimes all a stubborn senator/representative needs is his favorite bill getting placed in the hoper and being appointed the chair, a cordial invite to go play golf, or a nice pair of cufflinks.