Understanding Presidential Character: Barber’s Theory in Practice

1. Government and Politics of the USA Lecture 8: Presidential Character Comparing Presidents & Presidential Candidates Dr Simon Boucher ~ bouches@tcd.ie

2. Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008 ME YOU

3. Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008

4. “to cut through confusion and provide clear criteria for choosing Presidents” by revealing “the whole man” GOAL: Barber’s theory- quick summary WHAT HE EXAMINES • “Political personality” composed of… • Tend to form consistent packages. Helps anticipate candidates’ likely • direction, operating styles, and performance • Barber also considers “climate of expectations”- President’s • “political air” Character World view Political style

5. “to cut through confusion and provide clear criteria for choosing Presidents” by revealing “the whole man” GOAL: Barber’s theory- quick summary

6. “to cut through confusion and provide clear criteria for choosing Presidents” by revealing “the whole man” GOAL: Barber’s theory- quick summary WHAT THIS CAN TELL US Use what we learn in relation to these factors to categorise individuals along two continuums: Continuum 1: Activity level Continuum 2: Emotional involvement Individuals can consequently be clustered into 4 consistent “types” which tend to act in specific ways ACTIVE PASSIVE POSITIVE NEGATIVE

7. Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level Passive Active Positive Emotional Involvement Negative

8. Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level • Active / Positive • These Presidents exhibit.. • High energy • Enjoy their work • The ability to flexibly adapt their style • High self-esteem • Rationally master issues • Motivated by goal-achievement • …They tend to make good Presidents. Passive Active ACTIVE / POSITIVE Positive Emotional Involvement Negative

9. Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level • Active / Positive • These Presidents exhibit.. • High energy • Enjoy their work • The ability to flexibly adapt their style • High self-esteem • Rationally master issues • Motivated by goal-achievement • …They tend to make good Presidents. Passive Active JFK JEFFERSON FDR TRUMAN ...CLINTON? Positive Emotional Involvement Negative

10. Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level • Passive / Positive • These Presidents exhibit.. • Receptive, compliant personalities • Likeability • A need for affection • A lack of resolution and low self-esteem • Superficial optimism • Hopefulness can elicit encouragement from others • Preference for compromise • …Likeable, electable, but not • necessarily strong / decisive Passive Active PASSIVE / POSITIVE Positive Emotional Involvement Negative

11. Barber’s theory- quick summary Activity Level • Passive / Positive • These Presidents exhibit.. • Receptive, compliant personalities • Likeability • A need for affection • A lack of resolution and low self-esteem • Superficial optimism • Hopefulness can elicit encouragement from others • Preference for compromise • …Likeable, electable, but not • necessarily strong / decisive Passive Active REAGAN MADISON HARDING ...CLINTON? Positive Emotional Involvement Negative

12. Barber’s theory- quick summary • Passive / Negative • These Presidents exhibit.. • Relatively inactive • Relatively little enjoyment from their tasks • A sense of dutiful service • Tendency to avoid conflict, emphasizing principles, procedures • A preference for stability • Reactive rather than proactive leadership • A focus on civic virtue • …Can be effective when • stability / consensus required Activity Level Passive Active Positive Emotional Involvement PASSIVE / NEGATIVE Negative

13. Barber’s theory- quick summary • Passive / Negative • These Presidents exhibit.. • Relatively inactive • Relatively little enjoyment from their tasks • A sense of dutiful service • Tendency to avoid conflict, emphasizing principles, procedures • A preference for stability • Reactive rather than proactive leadership • A focus on civic virtue • …Can be effective when • stability / consensus required Activity Level Passive Active Positive Emotional Involvement WASHINGTON EISENHOWER COOLIDGE …BUSH SNR? Negative

14. Barber’s theory- quick summary • Active / Negative • These Presidents exhibit.. • Contradiction: intense effort but low emotional reward • Compulsive natures • Ambition for winning / maintaining power • Aggressive stance towards environment • Low self-esteem • Inclined to pessimism • Highly driven, persistent • …Tend to make bad Presidents. Activity Level Passive Active Positive Emotional Involvement ACTIVE / NEGATIVE Negative

15. Barber’s theory- quick summary • Active / Negative • These Presidents exhibit.. • Contradiction: intense effort but low emotional reward • Compulsive natures • Ambition for winning / maintaining power • Aggressive stance towards environment • Low self-esteem • Inclined to pessimism • Highly driven, persistent • …Tend to make bad Presidents. Activity Level Passive Active Positive Emotional Involvement WILSON LBJ NIXON Negative

16. Barber’s typology Activity Level Passive Active Positive Emotional Involvement Negative

17. Barber’s typology Activity Level Passive Active Madison Taft Harding Reagan Jefferson FDR Truman JFK Ford Positive Emotional Involvement Adams Wilson Hoover Lincoln LBJ Nixon Washington Coolidge Eisenhower Negative

18. Barber’s typology Activity Level Passive Active Madison Taft Harding Reagan Jefferson FDR Truman JFK Ford Clinton? Positive Emotional Involvement Adams Wilson Hoover Lincoln LBJ Nixon Washington Coolidge Eisenhower Bush Snr? Negative

19. Strengths and weaknesses of theory STRENTHS • Groundbreaking- highlights importance of personality • Appears to have predictive power • Intrinsically interesting approach? WEAKNESSES • Dimensions slightly random / overly-simplistic? • Can modern politicians really be considered “passive”? • Overly-skewed to assessment of personality? • Are leader-types consciously designed with certain individuals in mind?

20. Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008

21. Dean’s study of George W. Bush • Bare in mind… • Dean is clearly anti-Bush! • Dean’s classification is contested • Dean’s argument • Bush is an active / negative President… • “Capable of generating tremendous energies for political domination” • Power-hungry orientation • Doesn’t acquire “rational mastery” of issues • Exhibits a “compulsive quality” • “Takes big risks” • Is stubborn • Dislikes criticism- “caught up in own self-righteousness” • Sees issues in black-or-white terms

22. Dean’s study of George W. Bush What implications? • In 2nd term more gambles and more secrecy? • Expect “classic active/negative pattern”? • Active / negatives stick rigidly to their course- expect Bush to “stand his ground… masking his decision in whatever rhetoric is necessary, he will ride the tiger to the end..” Is Dean convincing? • Bush’s life “a hard struggle to achieve and hold power”? • Bush “hampered by a perfectionist conscience”? • Does Bush really derive little satisfaction from the job? • Is he really comparatively active in his role?

23. Agenda • Introducing Barber’s theory • Applying Barber to Bush • Applying Barber to 2008

24. Assessing the 2008 field VS. VS. VS. VS. VS.

25. How to evaluate the candidates • Discuss your candidate’s • Character • World view • Political style • The “climate of expectation” they face 1. • Estimate their position on the 2 continuums • Activity level (how active / passive?) • Emotional involvement in work 2. • Determine • Their position on Barber’s typology • What sort of President does this suggest they’d make? • Did you find Barber’s approach useful? 3.

26. How do you categorise them? Affect Passive Active PASSIVE / POSITIVE ACTIVE / POSITIVE Positive ? Activity Level PASSIVE / NEGATIVE ACTIVE / NEGATIVE Negative

27. Lecture 1: The institution of the Presidency McKay chap 10 Singh chap 9 LGS epilogue Lecture 2: The Media and US Politics McKay chap 7 Singh chap 7 Next week