Mass Media And The President
Advancements in technology over time have affected the exchange relationship for the better. With creation and expansion of the newspaper, radio, television and the internet, the president went from soldier (starting with George Washington) to public and political spokesperson (with George Bush II). These advancements have given more spot light to the president. In the beginning of the presidency, the president was not linked with the public due to the lack of resources to effectively communicate with the masses. I feel that because of the influence that the press has on the people and the president that the president responds to the media. Support is a necessity for the public as well as the president. The public is important to the president for interconnecting reasons. For the president it starts with the public. One, the president needs support to move policy. With a president who has little to no public support, it becomes difficult for the commander and chief to influence legislature. Government officials listen to the public, because of the power of the people to vote on major positions of government. With favor, the president can use the people as foot soldiers to push government officials to make policy that benefits the president’s issues. Secondly, it sends a message internationally that the people are happy with their government, therefore increasing popularity within other countries. In the early creation of the president, the president only made ceremony appearances and stood as only a symbol for the country. At this time the country was very new and he (First president George Washington) did not have the means to speak to the nation, spread his message, and build public rapport without touring (which he rarely did). This distance between the president and the public began to close as the 19th century approached. In the beginning, presidents spoke on policy through written message. The rhetorical presidency became more of a launching point for...
View Full Essay
