What makes a great politician?

[AussieMick]

(12-18-2017 10:19 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  I just don't understand why Kennedy occurs on "greatest" lists. The Cuba crisis is all, no? I believe he wouldn't have come up to the hype and the hopes the people had had in him, and if he hadn't been assassinated he would have struggled like Obama did. I think several of the best unexpectedly turned out so and v.v.

I was thinking that somebody would 'jack up' about me nominating Kennedy ... Eva, I could just as easily have been referring to his brother Robert. As a politician I think Robert had some great qualities.

I know many would agree with you about Jack. His strengths were balanced by a considerable weakness in his ... moral attitude to life, I think. I guess a selection criteria would need to cover something like "Being above reproach with regard to morality and so not open to blackmail". I think that might rule out quite a few politicians and others ...

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(12-18-2017 08:53 PM)JMadonna Wrote:  

(12-18-2017 04:06 PM)AussieMick Wrote:  My candidate selection criteria for a great politician (not in priority order):

Ability to choose subordinates and trust them to make decisions.
Ability to make decisions and recognise mistakes and make new decisions.
Ability to focus on objectives and the strategy to achieve them.
Ability to inspire and maintain confidence.
Ability to conceive the impact of decisions on individual members of society.
Pragmatism: in the terms of knowing what is achievable and when.

I have to disagree, those are the qualities of a leader - not a politician.

Above all else a politician needs to be elected. As FDR often said, If I'm not elected I cant do anything. He was a master at manipulating events to his political advantage.

His 1940 election was a classic. With the help of the British secret service he managed to turn the main issue not on the economy (in which he failed miserably) but on the war in Europe. The BSS operation managed to manipulate the Republican convention into nominating a No-War neophyte named Wendell Willke who had never even ran for dog catcher before. The choice boiled down to experience vs rookie and FDR won easily.

Is their any doubt about his manipulation of Japan into attacking Pearl Harbor or the court packing scheme to control the Supreme Court?

FDR was probably the greatest politician ever - he devoted his entire life to succeed at the game. He was so good that the 22nd amendment was passed to prevent another FDR.

My selection of criteria was trying to prompt suggestions such as yours. I agree politicians must win election . good point. I guess my "Ability to inspire and maintain confidence" goes some way to covering that but it needs to be more specific to winning office.

As for FDR ... well, not being a US citizen, I hesitate to quibble. But that doesnt stop me... I'd suggest that FDR was bamboozled by Stalin. Yes, his illness was a considerable factor. But the victory in Europe and the resultant communist influence could have been very different if FDR had been clear about objectives and strategies.