Governing is one thing, campaigning is another - and the latter becomes far more pronounced in an election-year State of the Union.
From Robert Dallek
If nobody trusts you as president, then you can't get anything done.
American politics is theatre. There is a frightening emotionalism at national conventions.
A presidential candidate's great desire is to be seen as pragmatic, and they hope their maneuvering and shifting will be seen in pursuit of some higher purpose. It doesn't mean they are utterly insincere.
With television, you can make anyone look larger than life.
Eisenhower was quite supportive of Kennedy and Johnson in terms of foreign policy.
There are examples of ex-presidents speaking out. Jimmy Carter has not held back on a variety of issues. Harry Truman didn't.
At the end of their first years, there are few people who would have predicted that Truman would be elected in 1948 or that Reagan would get a second term. It's always premature to make some kind of categorical judgment after the first year in office.
How many State of the Union addresses do people remember? They don't resonate that way.
The institution of the presidency was profoundly affected by Watergate.
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