Stephen Hess
Stephen Hess
Stephen H. Hessis a senior fellow emeritus in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution. He studies media, the U.S. presidency, political dynasties and the U.S. government. He first joined Brookings in 1972 and was distinguished research professor of media and public affairs at the George Washington University. He served on Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon's White House staff and as an adviser to Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter...
news numbers polls reflection
Polls are a reflection of the headlines. When the news is bad, the president's numbers go down, and when the news is good, they go up,
commitment easy herself looking position president responds run senate time
She would be better off politically not making a commitment that she wouldn't run for president if she were re-elected, ... Clearly, if (her Senate race) were going to be a squeaker, she'd better give a lot of thought to how she responds to that. But, if, as it appears, she's going to have a pretty easy time of it, why put herself in a position of looking hypocritical or devious?
maybe shirt wants
Maybe he's been ducking this one because he wants to keep his shirt clean,
change nature
It doesn't change the nature of the court.
campaign press secret seeking suddenly wake
Suddenly the campaign is over, they wake up and the press is not seeking their opinion. There's no more entourage, no Secret Service. It's very, very difficult.
celebrity culture elect expect intrigued learn people president stars
I think as we become more and more of a celebrity culture -- as we expect to learn more and more about the people who we elect president or make movie stars -- we are intrigued by their families.
main
That's the main thing he's got going for him,
agenda came last robust state
Last year, he came out with a very robust agenda in the State of the Union.
certainly domestic effect immediate money
It certainly has some effect on his immediate domestic agenda. He has no money for anything but Katrina.
certainly focus presidency question seem
It certainly made this presidency. There was no question that there was a new presidency that had a new agenda. ... It certainly did seem to focus him grandly and powerfully.
invited might president situation
I think the president might have defused the situation if he had invited her in instantly.
close outcome
I think the outcome is going to be pretty close to what we have now.
good ordinary second simple sort year
If it were an ordinary year, a traditional year, sort of a simple first year of a president's second term, you would have to say he had a pretty good year.
name thrown
His name is thrown into the mix. Big time.