“A concrete agenda and landslide victory might not even guarantee a president his mandate in a capital as polarized as Washington.” MightPresidentVictoryGuaranteesAgendasConcreteMandatesLandslides Author:Ron Fournier
“Andrew Jackson was the first president to claim that the desires of the public overrode Congress's constitutional prerogatives. Virtually every president since Jackson has claimed the mantle, even while lacking two ingredients of an electoral mandate: a landslide victory and a specific agenda.” FirstsTwoDesirePresidentVictoryClaimsCongressAgendasIngredientsLackingMandatesAndrewPrerogativeLandslides Author:Ron Fournier
“Barack Obama won a second term but no mandate. Thanks in part to his own small-bore and brutish campaign, victory guarantees the president nothing more than the headache of building consensus in a gridlocked capital on behalf of a polarized public.” PresidentTermBuildingVictoryCampaignsThanksBarackGuaranteesBoresBehalfConsensusHeadacheMandates Author:Ron Fournier
“Perhaps the mistake I made at the start of my mandate is not understanding the symbolic dimension of the president's role and not being solemn enough in my acts. A mistake for which I would like to apologise or explain myself and which I will not make again. Now, I know the job.” KnowsMadeEnoughJobsUnderstandingPresidentMistakeRolesDimensionsSolemnSymbolicMandates Author:Nicolas Sarkozy