The Stokes Report: The Legacy of a President

If you ask people what they remember about a certain President, most will mention some of the same things. Presidents throughout history always leave a legacy of some sort. Some have a great legacy, and some not so great. Let’s go down memory lane for just a minute as we look at some Presidents of the last fifty years.  

What comes to mind when the name John F. Kennedy is spoken? For me it is his speeches, beginning with the Inaugural Speech of 1961, when he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” This speech inspired a generation of men and women to enter public service. We could also reflect on the Bay of Pigs or the Cuban Missile Crisis. But the one event that we remember most is that sad day in November of 1963 when a talented and gifted leader was taken from us by a sniper’s bullet. Kennedy’s legacy was that he was not allowed to have a completed one.  

After Kennedy, we come into the Johnson era. This President’s legacy is not as well known as others, for the simple reason that he had to live in the shadow of a slain President. But there are two things that I remember about this time in history: the Vietnam War and riots in the major cities of America. The war strengthened under Johnson, who micro-managed it from the White House. At home, cities were dealing with their own war, based on race and economic conditions. I was a young boy living in the Detroit area in 1967, and I can remember when the city was being burned and violence was in the streets. It was a time of turmoil, and the President was Lyndon B. Johnson.  

Next came Richard Nixon, the once-defeated candidate to Jack Kennedy. He set himself up as the answer to the race problems, the never-ending war, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. But his legacy is wrapped up in one word: Watergate. Nixon was one of the brightest men alive when it came to foreign policy, but that will always be overshadowed by a night when a few zealots decided to break in to the Democratic headquarters at the Watergate building.  

Nixon was replaced by Gerald Ford, who will go down in history as the man who pardoned Nixon. Ford was then put out of office when Jimmy Carter won the election. Jimmy Carter’s legacy is high interest rates, gas station lines, and hostages in Iran. Both of these men were, and are, good men. They were faced with many obstacles, such as a loss of confidence in the office itself.  

Then there were the Reagan Years. Ronald Reagan followed Carter and on day one was able to see the hostages released in Iran. What a way to begin his legacy as President. But there were controversies during Reagan’s time in office, too. We cannot forget Iran-Contra, Oliver North, and the rebels in Central America. But, when Ronald Reagan died, a nation truly mourned a beloved leader. I remember his humor; even when he was shot in 1981, he joked to the hospital staff, “I hope you are all Republicans.” But I think the legacy of Reagan will be his way of bringing a nation together when our hearts were broken, such as the day the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up and Reagan said that the crew left this world and touched the face of God.  

After Reagan came George Bush Sr. President Bush was the quiet Vice President to Ronald Reagan. He kept out of the spotlight for eight years, until it was time to run for President. What do we remember? First, we remember Dan Quayle as his selection for Vice President. (Has anyone heard from Dan lately?) Then there was the first Gulf War. I remember the Wednesday night it began. I was in my office, working late and watching the news, when the war broke out to liberate Kuwait. I did not make it home until midnight because I was glued to the TV set. But Bush’s legacy will also be the shift in the economy and not knowing the price of bread and milk. The last thing that people remember is during the Clinton/Bush/Perot debate when President Bush was caught on camera looking at his watch, as if he had somewhere else to be. (That is why most of us now take our watches off during debates.)  

After President Bush came Bill Clinton, the comeback kid. His legacy can be summed up in one word also: Monica. This will always be the item that overshadows all the achievements Clinton had in his eight years. He was, and still is, a gifted speaker. Though some will disagree, the economy grew during his time as President. But, it all comes back to his personal choices and an intern half his age.  

After President Clinton we selected another George Bush. President George W. Bush will go down in history as the President of 9/11. Yes, there were many other issues he had to deal with, including the economic crash near the end of his second term. But the history books will focus mostly on his handling of the war on terror and the attacks on our homeland.  

Now, the big question is, what will President Barack Obama’s legacy be? Will it be his ability to motivate people in his eloquent speeches? Will it be his handling of the economy? Will it be his inability to create policies to help job growth? Will he be remembered by one word that has overshadowed his presidency, namely "Stimulus?"  

You see, every President has to consider how he or she will be remembered. You can be assured that every decision a president makes, he has his legacy in mind.   If President Obama wants to be considered in the history books to be a great President 50 years from now, he needs to do three basic things.  

One, he needs to forget about political polls and do what is in the best interest of the nation. Two, he needs to take risks and be bold in his decision making on the economy. He needs to break away from pleasing his party’s liberal wing and become a centrist. Third, he needs to accept the possibility of being a one-term President and do the things that statesmen do: lead.

I have said often that the only way to lead in elected office is to not care about the next election. It’s a choice between keeping your office and bettering your community.  

The legacy of past Presidents is already in the books. The legacy of President Obama is still being written. He controls his destiny and legacy.