theadministration in which he served, but when questions were raised about whether he hadplayed a part in the Iran-contra affair, he insisted that he had been “out of the loop”. Page 163It may be viewed that Bush seemed almost without interest in domestic policy because ofthe Gulf War all over the news, but that impression is misleading. He presided over twomajor domestic policy reforms: an extensive revision of the Clean Air Act and thepassage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Page 168There was one politically costly domestic theme that did run through the Bushpresidency. I followed from his categorical no new taxes pledge in the 1988 campaign. In 1990, he agreed to support a tax increase. Bush worsened matters with a dismissivecomment when reporters asked him about his change of position during one of hismorning jogs. Pointing to his buttocks, he tossed off the throwaway line, “Read myhips.” Page 168For bush to lean over backwards in order to avoid Reaganesque oratory, he deprived hispresidency of the teaching function that enabled presidents such as Roosevelt, Kennedy,and Reagan to frame public perceptions, place their administrations in a favorable light,and buffer themselves from negative developments. Page 169Organizational Capacity—Kennedy coordinated his own White House. Kennedyexcelled at team building and at rallying his aides.Public Communication—Kennedy’s approach to public communication is the eloquenceof his oratory and his intelligent and stylish performance in press conferences. “Kennedy’s public performance and the attractive ambiance of his presidency won himimpressive levels of public approval” Page 70Political Skill---Kennedy was never a Capitol Hill insider, but he came from a highlypolitical family and was a political professional with more than a dozen years oflegislative experience. He surrounded himself with politically experienced ...
