The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency

by John Dickerson

In a campaign, candidates have to do one thing: convince voters to pick between two alternatives. All the smaller choices lead to the larger one. If you don’t like my opponent’s views on the Supreme Court, vote for me. If you don’t like the way my opponent talks, vote for me. All action focuses on a single deadline day in early November. The binary choice works as a shield, too. If, as a candidate, you face a problem, you can deflect attention from it by highlighting your opponent’s problems. Campaigns center on constant confrontation. Durable and successful governing, on the other hand, requires building coalitions through conciliation and cooperation. Campaigns offer no partial victories. In governing, durable solutions with lasting impact are partial solutions. Everyone gets something. A president or voters who demand total victories are campaigning, not governing. Victories through unilateral action are brittle. Often they can be undone by the next president.