Great Communicating: Learning from Ronald Reagan's Public Appeals to Address the Obesity Epidemic in America
Abstract
Presidents of the United States face the formidable challenge of executing their polices and programs, while balancing relationships with political actors that are outside of their control and with whom they must share power. The Congress, the Supreme Court the press, interest groups, and the public are five main actors whose needs and interests merit attention and who can significantly contribute to presidential power. This paper specifically addresses the dynamic relationship between President Reagan and the American public. It uses his success with the "War on Drugs" and his failure to address the HIV/AIDS crisis as case studies to demonstrate' the potential power of this relationship. Building on this hypothesis, the paper advocates that President Bush engage the American public to successfully execute programs to fight the obesity epidemic within the United States. Reagan serves as an example from which future presidents can learn as they craft their relationship with the American public. This relationship is critical as modern presidents appeal to the public for support to accomplish their agendas.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 04, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA433151
Entities
People
- Susan L. Doyle
Organizations
- John F. Kennedy School of Government