| Looking beyond the sound bites of what has | | | | record shows a consistency in action over his |
| become an increasingly sound-bite driven | | | | career (he supported the Iraq invasion from the |
| campaign, it is the candidates' true temperaments | | | | start, and has been its staunchest supporter even |
| we need to consider. The next President will | | | | when facing overwhelming public opposition), he |
| inherit many tough problems from George W. | | | | can appear chameleon like. He says exactly what's |
| Bush. How he goes about addressing them may | | | | on his mind at the moment, and moments |
| be just as important as the political ideology that | | | | change. He is completely sincere when he |
| influences his solutions. | | | | admonishes the President regarding the use of |
| Historically speaking, it would probably be a good | | | | torture in military interrogations. He's just as |
| bet to take McCain in the Presidential race, as a | | | | sincere when he later votes against a Senate bill |
| major party Artisan candidate has never lost a | | | | that would outlaw use of such torture. In his mind, |
| November election. However, sure things never | | | | this is not a conflict, a lie, or a deception. He lives |
| are. Only this past weekend, a 38-1 long shot | | | | in the moment - not yesterday, and not |
| defeated Big Brown's bid for the Triple Crown. | | | | tomorrow. |
| Lorena Ochoa lost her bid for the LPGA Grand | | | | For Barack Obama, there are fewer past |
| Slam. Even Tiger Woods has been vulnerable. So, | | | | presidents to compare - actually, there is only |
| my friends, this roller coaster election still | | | | one. Dwight David Eisenhower was a Republican, |
| promises more ups and downs than your stock | | | | so again I can steer away from areas of political |
| portfolio. | | | | ideology and address what kind of president |
| Before Mrs. McCain begins choosing the new | | | | Senator Obama might be. As Organizer Rationals, |
| White House china pattern, let's take a look at our | | | | Obama and Eisenhower share a number of visible |
| presumptive candidates and what we might | | | | traits. Neither purposefully projects the typical |
| expect from an Obama or McCain presidency. | | | | Rational persona in his public appearance. Noted by |
| Specifically, how will the new President's | | | | historians as "a very tense man," Eisenhower was |
| temperament impact the country as we move on | | | | able to fashion a public image of an amiable, |
| from the last 8 years? | | | | sunny, sky-blue optimist with enormous patience. |
| Since history does have a tendency to repeat | | | | Serving under Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines, |
| itself, perhaps the best way to see how our | | | | he was the speech writer behind MacArthur's |
| candidates would behave if elected is to look at | | | | reputation for eloquence. He tempered his |
| their most recent predecessors who share the | | | | positions on many divisive issues, and frequently |
| same temperament and type. | | | | took actions that were more liberal than his |
| Let's look first at John McCain and his Artisan | | | | Democratic successor (JFK) in supporting civil |
| predecessors. It turns out we don't have to go | | | | rights and warning against the military-industrial |
| back far at all to find one - George W. Bush is | | | | complex. Similarly, Barack Obama masks the |
| also an Artisan Promoter. Gleaning from his | | | | hard-driven Organizer Rational intensity behind an |
| television appearances and press interviews, it | | | | easy smile; he has become known (positively by |
| does appear that with John McCain, we would be | | | | supporters, negatively by detractors) as 'Joe Cool'. |
| getting a repeat performance of George W. | | | | His eloquence in delivering written speeches has |
| Bush's presidency. But, since Bush is currently the | | | | become almost legendary, but like Eisenhower, |
| most unpopular president of all time, let's not tar | | | | this eloquence comes from his skill with language, |
| McCain with that brush. It may be more | | | | as opposed to an Artisan ability to perform. And |
| instructive to look at another Artisan Promoter | | | | Obama has, like Eisenhower, tempered some of |
| president, Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ). | | | | his positions on issues that are dear to his (in |
| There are a number of similarities between LBJ | | | | Obama's case liberal) base - he supports off-shore |
| and a potential McCain presidency; they share | | | | oil drilling, nuclear power, and 'clean coal'. |
| some very strong traits. Each follows a fellow | | | | What else can Eisenhower tell us about a potential |
| Artisan Promoter into the office; their | | | | Obama presidency? Ike was a strategic thinker |
| predecessors come from elite, super-wealthy, | | | | who was masterful at seeing the 'Big Picture'. So, |
| East Coast families. Each is incredibly sure of his | | | | important decisions received a great deal of |
| own abilities as a troubleshooter, and sure that he | | | | thought and contingency planning. Pragmatism |
| can 'win', no matter how dire the situation. Both | | | | outweighed ideology in his decision making |
| men would inherit a far-off war that would show | | | | process. Eisenhower appointed five Supreme |
| no signs of being winnable from a U.S. | | | | Court justices during his tenure; political ideology |
| perspective; civil wars in countries with borders | | | | doesn't seem to have been a consideration in his |
| drawn by outsiders who ignored the realities of | | | | decision process, as the appointments ranged |
| the regions' cultures. Neither takes the 'Big Picture' | | | | from moderately conservative (Potter Stewart) |
| view; they don't seem to consider the results of | | | | to very liberal (William Brennan). Though he |
| their actions, outside the current playing arena. | | | | projected a sunny public exterior, he was a |
| Hence, LBJ escalated, and continued to escalate, | | | | demanding and involved Chief Executive, who |
| America's involvement in Southeast Asia, despite | | | | expected subordinates to give honest input, even |
| his own advisors telling him that the strategy was | | | | if contrary, into the planning process. According to |
| doomed. The war must be won at all costs! | | | | the book Presidential Temperament, by David |
| (Sound familiar?) | | | | Keirsey and Ray Choiniere, Dwight Eisenhower |
| McCain doesn't deviate from this script. Notably, | | | | had a well-developed ability to work with people. |
| he has taken to ruminating lately that the | | | | He could be patient, yet persuasive; tactful, yet |
| Vietnam war was "winnable" and that it was only | | | | dominant. He could formulate his own opinions and |
| lost due to "a lack of will by the American People," | | | | still listen thoughtfully to opposing views; he could |
| not because it was un-winnable militarily. He's | | | | disagree with his subordinates' views and still work |
| pretty clear that he will follow Bush's strategic | | | | to reconcile them with what needed to be done. |
| footsteps in Iraq - in fact, he has stated that it | | | | Another Rational president, Abraham Lincoln, |
| wouldn't bother him, "if we stay there for 100 | | | | exhibited this trait most strongly when he |
| years." When questioned about massive war | | | | appointed his strongest political foes to his cabinet |
| spending and its effect on the American | | | | at the darkest moment in American history. To |
| economy, he is as sanguine as LBJ ever was. In | | | | solve the hardest problems, a leader needs to |
| other words, the economy is of much less | | | | encourage strong ideological debate in formulating |
| interest to him than the war and combating | | | | the solutions. |
| terrorism. Like LBJ and his Gulf of Tonkin ruse, | | | | An Obama presidency that reflected these |
| McCain also seems unwilling to challenge the Bush | | | | characteristics of Rational temperament would be |
| administration propaganda linking Al Qaeda to | | | | a definite contrast to one of Operator Artisan |
| Saddam Hussein, and now to the Iraqi insurgency. | | | | John McCain. Of the two, Senator McCain is more |
| These traits, and the complete lack of | | | | comfortable in making quick decisions. McCain is |
| introspection exhibited by both LBJ and John | | | | more at home 'in the moment', the reactive, |
| McCain, point toward a McCain Presidency being | | | | tactical world of daily politics where spontaneity, |
| very much like that of LBJ. Strong-willed, | | | | improvisation, and deal-making are key. Barack |
| "stay-the-course," "you're either with me, or | | | | Obama is more comfortable in a 'Big Picture' |
| against me" - a very stubborn mentality. We may | | | | world, where comprehensive strategies can be |
| see individual decisions and actions, such as LBJ's | | | | developed before leaping to action. The two |
| historical Civil Rights legislation of 1964, that hint at | | | | candidates' reactions to the recent Wall Street |
| greatness. But every decision, every program, will | | | | meltdown were a good window into the |
| tend to be measured on its immediate | | | | differences between how the two men react to |
| implications, without considering the Big Picture, or | | | | a crisis. |
| what will occur in aggregate in the future. | | | | Writing about Presidential temperaments was |
| If you believe in the current course, it's easy to | | | | personally enlightening - it gave me reason for |
| support Mr. McCain. If you are looking for | | | | reading about and observing the candidates more |
| someone willing to question his own beliefs - to | | | | extensively than I otherwise would have done. |
| back down and accept either criticism or | | | | Perhaps not surprisingly, it has strongly influenced |
| contradictory advice at times, McCain's | | | | my own opinions of the candidates and how I will |
| temperament simply won't go there. Though his | | | | vote in this historical election on November 4th. |