ABSTRACT
THE PARTICIPANTS The president of the United States functions in several capacities in the American political system. He is a foreign policymaker, legislator, party leader, manager of the economy, protector of the peace, and commander in chief. In performing all of those roles, he is confronted with having to make decisions. This task is a formidable one. As President Dwight Eisenhower informed the incoming president, John Kennedy, “There are no easy matters that will ever come to you as President. If they are easy, they will be settled at a lower level.” 1 Moreover, the president cannot sidestep the problems that come over his desk. This reality was poignantly conveyed by a sign on President Harry Truman’s desk that read, “The Buck Stops Here.” The president may act or refuse to act on a given matter, but in either case, he will be making a decision; whether the consequences are good or bad, he must ultimately accept the responsibility for that decision. Finally, the task of making presidential decisions is challenging because “all of the facts are rarely, if ever, available to a President at the time he must make most decisions. Those that are, often turn out to be half-facts or incorrect as they are subjected to careful analysis.” 2 President Lyndon Johnson demonstrated his sensitivity to this dilemma when he observed that the problem for presidents lies not so much in doing what is right but in knowing what is right.
