Presidential lecture kicks off Branigin Series

 Vision. Pragmatism. Charisma. Consensus. Trust. Judgement. Luck.

Historian Robert Dallek explained what he called the most important features for a president Thursday night at Rawles Hall.

About 70 students, faculty and citizens attended the first lecture in the three-part Branigin Lecture Series. Dallek spoke about his experiences as a presidential historian and professor for 44 years, including qualities of successful presidents.

“He plays no favorites,” said history professor John Bodnar, who introduced Dallek, a former professor at several universities, including Columbia, UCLA, Oxford, Dartmouth and Stanford.

Dallek has written books about Presidents Nixon, Johnson, Clinton and Reagan.
Through his research he has identified seven traits presidents needed to succeed.

“They must be visionaries,” Dallek said. “They must have an idea of a larger design. Where are you going to take the country?”

Pragmatism or realistic decisions. Charisma or the power of personality. The ability to build a consensus and bring Americans together. Trust and credibility.

Graduate student Bobby Macedo said he appreciated Dallek’s simplicity.

“He wasn’t speaking over anybody’s head,” Macedo said.

While presidents make judgement in real time, historians use time to evaluate their decisions, Dallek said.

“We historians have a large advantage because we know how things turned out,” he said. “We can look back on it with 20/20 eye sight.”

A little luck doesn’t hurt either.

“If you have good fortune, it can be so helpful...,” Dallek said. “But luck can only be carried so far.”

Dallek said most Americans identify George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt as the best presidents in American history, followed by John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

Turning to the present, Dallek said he wasn’t sure which presidential candidates had more of the qualities, but whoever assumed control would have difficult times ahead.

“They’re going to have to deal with a crisis situation that will match what Franklin Roosevelt dealt with in 1933,” Dallek said, adding Americans need to rise above politics when voting.

“We need to be above partisanship,” he said. “Whoever wins I wish them luck, more than luck, because we’re going to need a very effective president.”

He said he was excited about this election, particularly the chance of increased voter turnout.

Dallek said Americans needs a president to unite them, rather than a national disaster.

“I hope it doesn’t take a Depression to bring us back together again,” he said.

The next Branigin lecturer will be Charles Franklin, who will speak about polling data at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Woodburn Hall, Room 120.