esident appears on prime time television to educate the people on a subject. However, there are many factors involved for this to be a successful endeavor. First and foremost, the president must be a prestigious one. If he is not a popular president, the public will not listen to him and the networks may even refuse to air him. Second, he must communicate well his argument. Third, and most difficult, the people must be effected and take action. Should the public opinion on the issue be shifted, then the president was successful and can continue with his project. An example of an unsuccessful attempt at going public can be seen when President Clinton proceeded to bomb Afghanistan the day after the Monica Lewinsky scandal was proven true. The public was informed on the bombing, but nobody really cared. The media's greatest effect on the Office of the Presidency is indirect, but nonetheless a powerful one. The media has a direct effect on public approval in addition to being the facilitators of public approval polls. Public approval in turn is the most decisive factor separating powerful presidents from weak ones. The amount of influence a president has over his five constituents (party, bureaucracy, congress, foreign leaders and the American people) has a direct relationship with his level of public approval. This is not to say that presidents have zero influence on how successful they are, but perception is everything when it comes to playing the game of politics. Most American do not actively seek out as much information as they can about presidents; they only see what is presented to them through the media. ...
