His muscles tremble as he heaves a burden of unimaginable proportions upon his shoulders. Should he fail he could end all we know. Not just anyone can be trusted with such a monumental task, but how would they be chosen?
When a president runs for office he must prove his ability to hold up our nation, as Atlas held up the sky, or in some stories, the earth. But what is it we’re searching for exactly? One of Obama’s biggest campaign boosters was his background. He came from a poorer family, and worked his way into wealth. This shows both an ability to relate to the common folks of America, but also proves that he knows the value of hard work. We’re often told that Abraham Lincoln, one of the most beloved presidents of all time, was born in a log cabin. People don’t want a man who’s rich, necessarily, because the average person believes that the rich will naturally favor the other rich, believing that wealth is entirely optional. On the other hand, if he’s proven to have quite a bit of money himself, especially hard earned money, he will have a great business mind, that is less likely to harm the rich’s purses.
People always prefer a convincing speaker. This doesn’t mean he’s a good speaker, necessarily, only that he’s a persuasive one. George W. Bush was persuasive enough to get elected, despite the more eloquent manner of speaking that Kerry possessed. Kerry didn’t have the arguments that Bush had though.
Unfortunately, fame and looks do enter into the picture. Ronald Reagan was elected because he stood out as a famous figure and speaker. He had been a big actor and radio star before he began his career in politics. Reagan and Kennedy were both noted for their good looks. Part of the reason that people voted Kennedy into office were because he looked so much better than Nixon. He appeared, young, fresh, and ready to lead. Nixon looked old, tired, and nervous. People voted based on their natural instincts to vote for the more charismatic, better looking president.
Family values are another important aspect of campaigning. Obama’s two daughters and wife were often featured or mentioned in his campaign, showing his connection to the parents of America. He wants to prove that as a parent he shares their concerns for education and supporting his family.
One of the most interesting things a president can do is use the new technology to innovate his campaign. Obama won a great number of votes from using the internet to appeal to the younger, computer savvy, generations.
These things are actually more important than the issues themselves, in some respects, because people have lied about following their plans through plenty of times before this. Not everyone does exactly what they plan to, and some do more. Kennedy, for example, challenged NASA to make it to the moon. Theodore Roosevelt pulled us out of the Depression by initiating tons of new government programs. Obama got us in a battle with Libya, which may or may not be a good thing. Only time will tell how a president will really turn out, but the first impressions to the USA are very important.
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