Obama Gets High Scores on Leadership Report Card

[thundley4]

My thoughts are in red in the OP

impik   (996 posts)           Sun Mar-14-10 06:10 PM
Original message
Obama Gets High Scores on Leadership Report Card
   
He's been scored on his popularity, his speaking style, and even his basketball moves. But after a year into office, Barack Obama is getting one of the most important report cards of all: on his leadership qualities. And with the exception of an incomplete grade on political skill as he continues to pursue a victory on his top agenda item—healthcare reform—he's virtually a 4.0 student.

That's according to presidential historian and author Fred Greenstein, professor of politics emeritus at Princeton University. The author of the new Inventing the Job of President has just updated his initial Obama report card and declared the president a "rare political leader."

In a scholarly paper, Barack Obama: The Man and His Early Presidency, Greenstein looks at six key leadership qualities and seems to find that the nation's first African-American president is up to snuff. "Barack Obama is a fascinating political specimen," writes Greenstein, whose books include The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to Barack Obama; The Hidden-Hand Presidency: Eisenhower as Leader; and How Presidents Test Reality: Decisions on Vietnam, 1954 and 1965.

"Indeed," adds Greenstein, "he may turn out to be the rare political leader who is marked by both a first-rate temperament and a first-rate mind."

/ snip

As we reviewed the paper further, we found Greenstein's views on Obama's leadership insightful and thought readers would too. In it, Greenstein did not give letter grades, though it is pretty easy for us to determine them:

Public Communication: A. Reason: Obama has offered highly substantive arguments for his agenda and moved to respond to a complex media environment. D. Reason: Without his speech writers and telepromoter, he sounds like a stuttering fool.

Organizational Capacity: A. Reason: Obama, surrounded by strong personalities, has kept unity among his troops, delivered a strong message, and shown himself to be even-handed. C. Reason: If by unity, they mean throwing people under the bus?

Political Skill: Incomplete. Reason: As a conciliator, it's unclear if his style will work in a polarized political world. F. Reason: Claiming to be the first post-racial president, yet having his minions cry racism at every turn. He can not even get his own party to agree to his agenda, let alone the opposition party.

Policy Vision: B. Reason: When addressing his vision, he enunciates it in terms of an integrated set of components, though he appears open to junking portions that aren't politically feasible. D. Reason: He has let Reid  and Pelosi frame every major policy. He has no vision other than him being The  Won.

Cognitive Style: A. Reason: He has a style marked by a capacity for complex thinking and analytical detachment and a preoccupation with seeking evidence. F. Reason: Unable to grasp such a simple concept that others may have philosophical disagreements, and they have valid views. His are the only correct views.

Emotional Intelligence: A. Obama has clear command of his emotions, as he himself noted when he said that he doesn't get too high when things are going well or too low when they aren't. F. Reason: There's a term for this in criminal behavior, psychopathy.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2010/03...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x222333

Cha   (1000+ posts)           Sun Mar-14-10 06:13 PM
Response to Original message
1. Yeah, I'm very pleased..thank you, impik.
   
KickR

NC_Nurse   (1000+ posts)             Sun Mar-14-10 06:17 PM
Response to Original message
2. Then why are the Repubs running all over his agenda? I love him, but for
   
whatever reason, many folks seem to not be won over by his persona.

Not every one is fooled by an empty suit that is clean, well spoken and doesn't talk with a negro dialect.

ShortnFiery   (1000+ posts)             Sun Mar-14-10 06:28 PM
Response to Original message
4. If the behavior and major decisions President Obama has done over the past year ...
   
it termed "leadership" then I don't want any part of it. I honestly believe the proper terms for his actions are "Campaigning" and "Cajoling."

Freeper Troll, ALERT!!

IndianaGreen   (1000+ posts)             Sun Mar-14-10 06:31 PM
Response to Original message
6. Strange definition of leadership   
   
more like the anti-leader leader.

Another Freeper Troll.

[USA4ME]

That's according to presidential historian and author Fred Greenstein, professor of politics emeritus at Princeton University. The author of the new Inventing the Job of President has just updated his initial Obama report card and declared the president a "rare political leader."

In a scholarly paper, Barack Obama: The Man and His Early Presidency, Greenstein looks at ....

Scholarly??  Those are the conclusions he reached and it was called scholarly?  Anyone want to bet if a Republican president has said and done the same things Dear Leader has said and done that the scholar Fred Greenstein would have reached completely opposite conclusions than he did?  Anyone?

.

[JohnnyReb]

Greenstein must have taught every class the idiot Kenyan ever took in college.

[jukin]

That's according to presidential historian and author Fred Greenstein, professor of politics emeritus at Princeton University and professional Obama fluffer.

FIXORD!!

Might want to go look at CNN grade poll for what Real Americans think of the man-child POTUS.

I full expect to see lots of storie....fables such as these in the coming months.  This is all to make those schmucks that voted for the least experienced man in our history feel better as they wake up to the fact they screwed the pooch November 08.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Professor emeritus generally means "He used to have a clue, back in the day, but he really doesn't have jack to do since he retired ten years ago.  He still lives in town and he likes feeling like he still belongs, and wants to come to the faculty coffees, so what the Hell are ya gonna do, tell him to get checked for Alzheimer's?  Like he'd even remember it."

It would be easy to call that list a total steaming pile, but I'm afraid there's too much hot gas pumped into it for it to honestly pass as one.

I do like thundley's take on them, but I have my own somewhat-different ones:

Public Communication: A. Reason: Obama has offered highly substantive arguments for his agenda and moved to respond to a complex media environment. D. Reason: Overexposed personally and all rhetoric with no actual substance.  Obviously has no problem lying, though.

Organizational Capacity: A. Reason: Obama, surrounded by strong personalities, has kept unity among his troops, delivered a strong message, and shown himself to be even-handed. F. Reason: Nonexistent, unsurprising given his absolute lack of executive experience, really; sets things in motion and them immediately seems to completely lose control of them once they get out of the Democrat hothouse and out in the unconstrained public eye.

Political Skill: Incomplete. Reason: As a conciliator, it's unclear if his style will work in a polarized political world. F. Reason: Conciliator?  Are you smoking crack?  He sics Rahmbo on anyone who isn't on his side from the git-go.  It's all or nothing his way.  Do they not get TV or newspapers in Princeton these days?

Policy Vision: B. Reason: When addressing his vision, he enunciates it in terms of an integrated set of components, though he appears open to junking portions that aren't politically feasible. F. Reason: If "Jobs are my top priority," WTF is he actually advocating about doing anything on it, and why is he spending all his time on health care?  Of course, as noted, he has no trouble lying.

Cognitive Style: A. Reason: He has a style marked by a capacity for complex thinking and analytical detachment and a preoccupation with seeking evidence. Incomplete. Reason: Doesn't seem to be able to assimilate rapidly-changing events and information and react in a sound way, but this could be simply an impression rather than the disastrous mental flaw it appears to be.

Emotional Intelligence: A. Obama has clear command of his emotions, as he himself noted when he said that he doesn't get too high when things are going well or too low when they aren't.  B.  Hasn't gone off on a tirade against any of his staff in public or hit Michelle yet, at least as far as we know

[jinxmchue]

"Indeed," adds Greenstein, "he may turn out to be the rare political leader who is marked by both a first-rate temperament and a first-rate mind." He then resumed performing fellatio on Teh Wun.

[BlueStateSaint]

DAT, maybe you can comment on this little tidbit, pulled from his annual physical:  He needs to "moderate" his alcohol intake.  

My read is, coupled with "emotional intelligence," that drags him down to a C or D in that regard.  

Funny how we as a country go from a reformed alcoholic (and now teetotaler) to a damn-near full-blown alcoholic in the White House, isn't it?

[jinxmchue]

DAT, maybe you can comment on this little tidbit, pulled from his annual physical:  He needs to "moderate" his alcohol intake.  

My read is, coupled with "emotional intelligence," that drags him down to a C or D in that regard.  

Funny how we as a country go from a reformed alcoholic (and now teetotaler) to a damn-near full-blown alcoholic in the White House, isn't it?

Oh, Buddha on a cracker!  This is the first time I've heard about that and I had to look it up.  Many liberals are claiming the word "moderate" is in the sense of "drinking a moderate amount" instead of the sense of controlling the amount you're drinking.      Morons all.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I'm not really well-informed enough on the whole thing to comment on his drinking; personally I have no problem with someone enjoying a cup of cheer or a parting glass in the name of good fellowship, of course having a guy with his finger on the nuclear trigger who couldn't pass a fit-for-duty test because he was over .05 is where I draw the line.  I don't know how real this issue is for him, and how much of it is the press either covering up a real problem or them trying to make out that it's a lovable foible in their otherwise-faultless godhead.

[Karin]

to a damn-near full-blown alcoholic in the White House,

  I believe this is hyperbole.  We have no evidence of this. 

[thundley4]

  I believe this is hyperbole.  We have no evidence of this. 

When a doctor tells a person that they need to moderate their alcohol intake, they aren't doing so because they think the person is drinking to little.

[Karin]

Doctors always want everyone to be on 0% alcohol.  I'm saying full-blown alcoholic is hyperbole.  I've seen that.  Obama ain't that. 

[BlueStateSaint]

When a doctor tells a person that they need to moderate their alcohol intake, they aren't doing so because they think the person is drinking to little.

Bingo!  I've had my PA (Physician's Assistant) tell me that a one- or two-drink a day alcohol intake is alright.

And, Karin, when I was a young cavalry/signal officer, I had my section sergeant tell me that if you had one drink every night, the Army considered that an "alcohol problem."  Don't know if he was blowing smoke or what.

Yeah, we don't have evidence of Obama as a falling-down drunk.  But, if his doctors are telling him this, that's the smoke for the fire somewhere.

[thundley4]

Doctors always want everyone to be on 0% alcohol.  I'm saying full-blown alcoholic is hyperbole.  I've seen that.  Obama ain't that. 

He could be a functional alcoholic, and the public would never know.  They do exist.

[GOBUCKS]

He could be a functional alcoholic, and the public would never know.  They do exist.

I think he was taught abstinence when he was a little jihadi in the Indonesian madrassa. It's more likely the crack rumors that came up in the campaign are true.

[BlueStateSaint]

I think he was taught abstinence when he was a little jihadi in the Indonesian madrassa. It's more likely the crack rumors that came up in the campaign are true.

Then explain the "Beer Summit."

[crockspot]

Doctors always want everyone to be on 0% alcohol.  I'm saying full-blown alcoholic is hyperbole.  I've seen that.  Obama ain't that. 

When was the last time you saw a request to moderate alcohol intake in a presidential health report?

[diesel driver]

Greenstein must have taught every class the idiot Kenyan ever took in college.

No doubt....

He obviously grades Zero's leadership skills "on the curve"....

[vesta111]

No doubt....

He obviously grades Zero's leadership skills "on the curve"....

Sooner or later Obama's head will implode.

He reminds me of a blind seeing eye dog.