ABSTRACT
Chapter 8, “Performing the Presidency: Continuity and Change,” compares the contemporary presidents and considers their performances against the standards set by George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. It argues that the lack of political experience and historical knowledge have especially hindered the last three contemporary presidents (George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump). Further, these “outsider” candidates who work to become partisan-adored celebrities are unable to perform the presidency and don the role of national leader. Although it explains that prudential leadership employs more than one approach, it suggests that compassion may be key to perceiving and adapting one's approach to the time. Ultimately, it concludes that while the country will not likely be able to endure many more outsiders with celebrity characters, it suggests that Donald Trump's presidency may be the end of the era, but that renewal cannot happen as long as he remains on the presidential stage.
