Mitchman's Blog

SO YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT?  (The Making of a President Series)

From the time they are young someone plants in their little heads the idea that when they grow up they can be anything, even president.  Hillary even took a swipe at Barrack Obama a few weeks ago about an essay that he wrote in kindergarten about his presidential ambitions.  I went to school with a guy that told his senior class to remember to cast their vote for him in the 2016 Presidential campaign.  Unfortunately, that plan has not worked out to well for him, no one has heard from him since high school. 

In my last political blog I discussed that it takes a certain kind of person to run for political office, but even more so for president.  Think about it, we have only had 42 Presidents in history of our nation.  Only 42 men out of millions; it takes no mathematician (which I am not by the way) to figure out, that is not a lot.  All of these men have been asked the question, “Why do you want to be president?”  The answer is pretty simple, and much too candid for them to say on the campaign trail, “They want the power.”  Not to say these men did on feel a calling to run for office, such President Bush, he felt God had called him to run.  Or Roosevelt, he knew the government should have been doing more for the people suffering from the Great Depression. Others have been inspired or disgusted with the status quo or felt the responsibility to rise to the moment. 

I pull the next paragraph from a great book on the Presidency edited by Robert A. Wilson, called, “The Power of the Presidency.”  His words in the preface are much more eloquent than mine… “While we like the idea of the office seeking the person, it doesn’t work that way with the exception of military figures associated closely with the leadership of a war:  Washington, Grant, Eisenhower.  The person has to have much, much more than an itch for the office and its power; it takes a mania and the capacity for the punishment of having a life and family turned inside out in the blood sport search for all sins of omission and commission.  Not to mention the endless indignity of fund-raising and the requirement to take absurdity (i.e. the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries) with a straight face.”

In other words, they have to be glutton for punishment.  Why else would they travel across the country on average of nine months, (this year’s campaign started about a year and half ago) shake a million hands, kiss a thousand babies and make way too many promises.  Seriously, I believe there is some kind of a calling.  At some point in their life something forces them to reach beyond ordinary dreams and ambitions to claim this ultimate responsibility. 

We will continue our discussion next week, but feel free to comment on what you have read, and add something to conversation.  Until next time American, YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IT REAL!!!!!