You don’t hear much about it on the campaign trail, but a presidency usually rises or falls, regardless of the party in the White House, based on a president’s capacity for leadership.
Candidates talk a lot about issues they think will motivate voters. Bernie Sanders wants to break up big banks. Donald Trump wants to build a wall at the Mexican border. Ted Cruz doesn’t want government to regulate guns, and Hillary Clinton doesn’t want government to shut down women’s abortion rights.
Yes, it’s important for us to know candidates’ stances on issues. But if your goal is an officeholder whose views precisely match yours, I offer two observations: First, you’re too unaware of what you don’t know; second, you’d better get ready to run, because otherwise government will always disappoint you.
New issues arise all the time, and circumstances change during terms of office. A politician too insecure to shift his or her views based on new information will ill serve the people.
It’s not positions that make presidents great; it’s their leadership. We are selecting a leader for our nation, not an issue-facilitator-in-chief, so a candidate’s demonstrated leadership capacity should matter.