The Presidential Difference : Leadership Style from FDR to George W. Bush

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Summary: Presidential Leadership in the 20th Century
Review: This book by political scientist Fred Greenstein is the first I've read focusing, not on presidential achievement but on effective leadership. Using a series of criteria including vision, cognitive ability, management style and most importantly emotional intelligence, Greenstein looks briefly yet closely at each president from FDR through Clinton with a special afterword on George W. Bush. (pre 9/11) Greenstein chronicles the successes and failings of each president he profiles. Roosevelt receives the highest regards for his ability to translate his popularity into bold leadership. His secretive and manipulative management style is condemmed. Truman is praised for his management style but criticized for his inability at times to lead the nation along the lines of his vision. There is truth to this criticism but Greenstein doesn't look at external facotrs that effected Truman's ability to govern such as the Republican demagoguery of the Democrats as "soft on communism". Eisenhower is highly praised, and properly so, for his strong management style and his strong, quiet leadership. Kennedy gets deserved criticism for his early failings but not enough credit for his later growth. One thing Kennedy is properly criticized for, in my view, is his overreliance on intellectuals, something that would plague Clinton as well. After Kennedy we have a series of failed presidents, with Ford excepted. The common denominator between Johnson, Nixon and Carter are their weak emotional intelligence quotas. All are thin skinned, unable to work well with others, naturally suspicious of those outside their circle. Clinton too is regarded as weak emotionally. Greenstein's thesis is that persons of low emotional intelligence should not become president as it is a recipe for failure. Interestingly, in his brief comments on President Bush, written before Sept. 11, 2001, he predicts, based on his observations of Bush's steady emotional inner core, that he will be a strong and succesful leader. You don't have to agree with Greenstein's entire analysis to appreciate the achievement of this book. It is refreshing to read a book about the presidency that moves beyond Arthur Schlesinger's tired and outdated theory of active and passive presidents. A good read and I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: The Presidential Difference
Review: 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.

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Summary: Creative, Original, and Objective...
Review: This book seemed too easy a read to be taken seriously. Although the author's takes on the various presidents are interesting, he skims through them all too quickly to go into any serious detail on any of them, instead just giving brief little sum-ups. Nice little preview, but feels like there's not much substance.