Presidential? What Does That Even Mean?

Well, the Iowa Caucus is over, officially kicking off the race for the general election for president in November. Surprisingly, Republican Ted Cruz won, with Marco Rubio making a strong showing just behind Donald Trump. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton edged Bernie Sanders by the narrowest of margins.

How will these results affect the upcoming New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries? Or will it all become moot should former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg decide to step into the race as an Independent?

From the get-go, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has been hit by his fellow Republican candidates, and the Republican party itself, as well as Democrats for not being “presidential.” But just what does that mean?

Barack Obama could be called presidential. He looks great in a suit, exudes confidence. Give him a teleprompter and he reads with eloquence. But can you call his seven years successful?

Is Hillary Clinton, with her long list of scandals that continue to dog her, any more presidential? Did her husband’s countless affairs, which he lied about until he could no longer hide the truth, make him any more presidential? Apparently it didn’t make him any less presidential, given that he remains one of our more popular presidents.

Does Bernie Sanders’ rumpled hair, Brooklyn accent, and claim to never having worn a tuxedo make him less presidential? It certainly hasn’t appeared to hinder his appeal, especially among young voters.

How about Jeb Bush, the candidate who comes across as the kid always picked last down at the schoolyard to play sandlot ball, stuck in right field, and bullied for his lunch money? Presidential?

Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio might come across as presidential; but Cruz has a lot of enemies in Congress. What good is “presidential” if his inability to reach across the aisle or work with his own party results in a failed presidency? People claim Obama was elected with little experience in government, and that a lack of experience won’t hinder Rubio should he get elected to the White House. Truly? Again, can the Obama presidency, especially his foreign policy, be termed successful?

The New York Times recently endorsed John Kasich for president, and while Kasich has an impressive CV, does he really present himself as presidential, or only as camera shy? That shyness might not prevent him from being a good president; but voters are fickle. They put stock in outward appearances. Remember Nixon’s sweat and Kennedy’s cool demeanor during their televised debate back in 1960?

Ben Carson presents himself as presidential; but his low-key personality and questionable foreign policy have been criticized.

How about Chris Christy? In light of his platform and his ability to speak well, does his weight make him appear less presidential?

What good did Richard Nixon’s presidential image do him in the aftermath of Watergate?

John F. Kennedy’s presidential image appeared to work during the Nixon-Kennedy debates, and that image doesn’t appear to have tarnished given what we now know about his womanizing. Maybe, in the aftermath of his untimely death, we’d rather remember him as presidential. Or maybe honesty and fidelity aren’t as important in America as “presidential.” See Bill Clinton, above.

Donald Trump is apt to stick his foot in his mouth at any given time; yet it hasn’t, to this point, hurt him in the polls. If anything, his off the cuff bluntness seems only to endear him to his supporters. Compared to some of his utterances last summer, it can be argued, given his performances in the more recent debates, that he’s at least trying to engage his brain before his mouth.

Does his faux pas in referencing “Two Corinthians” instead of “Second Corinthians” make him any less presidential, or even less Christian? Wanting to keep our country safe from immigrating Muslim radicals doesn’t make him anti-Islam. Which begs the question: is a concerned American less presidential?

Trump has been accused of being the reality TV candidate, and he certainly has been good for cable news ratings. But more importantly, the message he sends to Washington—that Americans are tired of career politicians who, once elected, represent the Super PACs who fund their campaigns instead of the people who voted for them—is a mighty presidential message that needs to be heard.

Presidential? In 2016, what does that even mean?

Photo Credit: Jason Rutledge