Changing Their Minds? The Limits of Presidential Persuasion

Leading the public is at the core of the modern presidency. Even as they try to govern, presidents are involved in a permanent campaign. Both politics and policy revolve around presidents’ attempts to garner public support, both for themselves and for their policies. At the base of this core strategy for governing is the premise that through the permanent campaign the White House can successfully persuade or even mobilize the public. Commentators on the presidency in both the press and the academy often assume that the White House can move public opinion if the president has the skill and will to exploit the bully pulpit effectively. In journalist Sidney Blumenthal’s words regarding the permanent campaign, “The citizenry is viewed as a mass of fluid voters who can be appeased by appearances, occasional drama, and clever rhetoric.”1