Here is what I think any American President's basic function is: You believe that you know better than most people what needs to be done. They tend, on balance, not to take the big picture or the long term into account, so you've got to convince them to go along with what needs to be done by exagerating the immediacy, likelyhood, and direness of the consequences of doing otherwise. I am writing here of all Presidents, at all times, under all circumstances.

Someone has linked to me!