The Changing Leadership of George W. Bush: A Pre- and Post-9/11 Comparison

Presidential scholar, Fred I. Greenstein, presents a comparison of the pre- and post-9/11 political leadership style of George W. Bush, bringing up to date an assessment of Bush’s strengths and weaknesses from his book, The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to Clinton. After reviewing Bush’s background, political emergence, and pre-presidential political performance, Greenstein portrays a president who appears to have emerged as a more effective leader after 9/11, particularly in his grasp of policy and ability to communicate with the public. His remarks fall under the six headings he employs in The Presidential Difference to identify presidential leadership qualities: emotional intelligence, cognitive style, political skill, policy vision, organizational capacity, and effectiveness as a public communicator.