Because of the all-access nature of the press, what was once known as the mythic leader title is now damaged by interpretive photos and misleading quotes. The president used to be a separate entity from Hollywood. Now, his pictures share the sidebar with cheap-and-easy celebrity dirt.
When you think of the ultimate American president, what comes to mind? Is this person a man or a woman? Is the president tall? Does the president wear a suit or pants suit? Is he or she jolly or a person of few words? Attractive or unattractive? Like it or not, what you envision about your idea of the perfect president plays a major role in deciding to vote for a person or not.
Now imagine that perfect president again. Is this person sitting behind a desk? Or is the president signing something, or in front of a podium, or talking with other people who look official? Is your president fly-fishing or playing on a beach?
Over the years, the title of the American president has grown increasingly tarnished because of the media. It began with JFK, who used his good looks and even better sailing skills to woo Americans far and wide. The picture of celebrity, JFK would go on to win the election against his less than adorable opponent, Richard Nixon. The result of this was, of course, the absence of televised presidential debates in the following years. These days, cameras aren’t the only things doing good and bad.
Once the element of celebrity was added to the presidency, campaigns had to not only calculate a competitive advantage over their opponents, but also keep their candidate looking pretty without giving voters a thousand words to say about a recent paparazzi photo. Presidents started using props for themselves. Jimmy Carter ate peanuts in an effort to prove his Georgia farmer roots, and Ronald Reagan ate jellybeans, a truly American snack.
When George H.W. Bush came into office, the media mocked him and created undermining advertisements. This was the leader of our country!
Not that I think people should be shot for voicing their opinions (I’d be dead by now) but the level of respect for the leader of our nation should have at least some standard. Bill Clinton received the same treatment, and unfortunately is remembered not for his cunning negotiation skills, but for a scandal.
The disrespect hit an all-time high with George W. Bush. Often depicted as a monkey or with skewed features, the former president is now remembered for his “Bushisms,” a collection of ridiculous things he said during his two terms.
Americans have the right to voice opinion. Americans have the right to rebel, to respond to social discourse in the political spectrum. But how could our country possess another mythic leader, the kind with dignity, grace, and the opportunity to be on money, if our media continues to polarize us with such comedy?
In recent months, President Obama has made headlines for vacationing in Hawaii, filling out a March Madness bracket, and being in South America when everything is going awry elsewhere. I can’t help but wonder if a president from long ago would have received the same criticisms. Did anyone ever resent Lincoln for being at the theater when he was assassinated instead of burning the midnight oil in his office? Was there ever a caricature of George Washington atop his white horse, looking like a monkey? I doubt it.
I know we can’t help it. We’re immune to all the noise constantly surrounding the spectrum of consumption. Just the other day, a classmate read aloud a tweet from CNN that said 30 people were killed in Afghanistan. Unshaken, she said, “Weird” before moving on to a funny tweet by the Bronx Zoo’s Cobra.
The level of respect and admiration for the president is diminished. Gone are the days when people were released from work to hear him speak; gone are the days when there was little room for rebuttal on his final decision. Even though we have smart phones now, we sadly lack the prolific understanding about what this job means. So today, instead of passing along that picture of Bush pressing a “kick me” sign on President Obama’s back, think about how you’d like the president to look, and choose to see him that way.
Kingsley Clark is a junior majoring in communications studies and creative writing. Her column runs biweekly on Thursdays.
