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...
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Presidents never get everyone they want -- no one does. There's simply no doubt that while these are fascinating jobs and interesting times ... some people are pleased to be mentioned and happy not to accept.
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The president has made it very clear: no looking back, no regrets. He feels this was the right thing to do.
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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?
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The president was still Ike, and the presidency went on.
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Whenever a president is in trouble, as this one is, the pundits and observers in Washington say, 'Don't just stand there, do something.' So they give a speech -- he's done that. They appoint a blue-ribbon commission -- he's done that. They change personnel -- they are doing that. The point is, that is not what really ails this administration. They've got a policy problem, and either they can change the policy or they have to hope the policy starts working better for them.
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We're talking on a week in which a woman president was inaugurated in Africa and a woman was elected in Latin America, so this is not any longer so unique.
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The president looks across the cabinet table at the vice president and has to realize, 'The only reason he's there is in case I die.
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It's more likely that a president will be there -- wherever there is -- and will speak more promptly after a disaster to a very large audience,
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I think the president might have defused the situation if he had invited her in instantly.
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That showed me he'll carry loyalty to a point - which is part of what presidents do,
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The year's gone well economically. The president has had moderate success in his legislative program, probably more than the public has given him credit for.
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There isn't any money. For presidents to make pronouncements it usually means they have to spend money and he's not in a position to spend any more.
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This is a situation in which the vice president by definition is a shadow, ... He must move the way the president moves, he can't move independently and at this point he should move forcefully.
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This is not a full-fledged mea culpa. But by presidential standards, it's there, or pretty close to it, ... The government did screw up, and he is president of the United States.