Parade Sunday Magazine has a great article "The Secrets of America's Great Presidents" by Doris Kearns Goodwin in todays Sunday paper. Goodwin, an historian, uses Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt as guides to identify 10 attributes that distinguish truly great Presidents.
"The Secrets of the Great Presidents"
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
What makes a great President? As a historian, I look to the past to help predict the future. And I am convinced that Americans should consider the leadership strengths of our most successful Presidents when deciding how to cast their ballots in November. Focusing on the qualities that have made some of our leaders exceptional provides a better perspective on our current candidates than what's so often reported--mistaken words, glib replies, fundraising abilities, and TV ads. Taking Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt as guides, I've identified 10 attributes that distinguish truly great Presidents.
I hope that as this campaign reaches its end, we can all move beyond the superficial "issues" that now play too large a role in Presidential politics. Let us look closely at the leadership styles of John McCain and Barack Obama and analyze their strengths and weaknesses in relation to our greatest leaders. It will take imagination to shift our present mode of thinking. Old habits die hard. But let us begin.
THE 10 SECRETS OF AMERICA'S GREAT PRESIDENTS
Goodwin wants us to move beyond the superficial "issues" that now play too large a role in Presidential politics and identifies 10 attributes or "secrets" that distinguish truly great Presidencies and cites episodes in Lincoln and Roosevelt careers proving their greatness.
Goodwin's 10 Secrets:
- The courage to stay strong
- Self-confidence
- An ability to learn from errors
- A willingness to change
- Emotional intelligence
- Self-control
- A popular touch
- A moral compass
- A capacity to relax
- A gift for inspiring others
I found the article to a real "eye-opener" to easily judge John McCain and Barack Obama as to their strengths and weaknesses in relation to our greatest leaders. At the bottom of each secret page are polls to rate the candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama, on the ten key leadership qualities. Go over to the article in Parade "The Secrets of America's Great Presidents" and be amazed how Obama measures up to Lincoln and Roosevelt. You can also vote as to how Sarah Palin and Joseph Biden stack up. It's about even "The on courage to stay strong" but 2 to 1 Obama on the other leadership qualities. In the comments at the bottom, the poof-balls are finding it hard to find something to slam Obama on. Goodwin wrote a really thought-provoking article!
Under the voting blocks there is nice article from Obama, "Barack Obama: Patriotism Is Faith in One Another", that I missed in July 6's Parade.