 | 1. John F. Kennedy: He won the 1960 election due to his charisma during the TV debates with Richard Nixon and became the first President to regularly hold live televised news conferences. Pluses: Quick wit, clever rejoinders and graceful appearance. Minuses: A bit wooden in formal speeches. Most memorable line: "Ask not what your country can do for you....". Overall Image: Despite political setbacks, he inspired confidence with his optimism and idealism. |
 | 2. Ronald Reagan: For all the jokes about his just being an "acting President" he had star quality on TV. Pluses: He was a master at delivering prepared addresses and a natural storyteller. Minuses: He gave ill-informed responses at the few press conferences he held; clarifications often had to be issued afterward. Most memorable line: "Stay the course". "I'm a contra too". Overall Image: A combination national coach, cheerleader and chaplain whose optimism and faith in America were evocative and moving. |
 | 3. George Bush: Determined to liberate himself from his handlers. Pluses: He can give a solid prepared address ("Thousand points of light speech"). Minuses: He seems slightly defensive on television. Most memorable line: "Read my lips". Overall image: Despite his pinched facial expressions and flat delivery, he is getting better, especially in foreign policy talks. |
 | 4. Jimmy Carter: He came across on TV as sincere, caring and well-prepared, yet he was largely humorless and carried a chip-on-his-shoulder self-righteousness that eventually cost him public support. Pluses: At his best when answering complicated policy questions. Minuses: Some of his mannerisms undercut his TV performances. His soft voice often faded in the middle of sentences. He sometimes flashed his toothy smile at inappropriate moments. His earnest and often blunt policy talks were weighted down with too much detail. Most memorable line: "I'll never lie to you". Overall image: His thoughtful yet sermonizing tones left the impression of an indecisive, not forceful leader. |
 | 5. Richard Nixon: That rarest of phenomena: the introverted politician. He didn't like people. He certainly, despite what he said, never liked the press, and he feared television. Pluses: His training as a debator and intensive homework made him at least temporarily persuasive in both formal talks and staged interviews. Minuses: For all his brightness and sometimes majestic grasp of international relations, he came across on TV as ill at ease. And he was a poor conversationalist. Most memorable line: "I am not a crook". Overall image: His lack of self-esteem, reflected in his mannerisms, isolation and preoccupation with his self-image, conveyed a deceptiveness that ultimately did him in. |
 | 6. Dwight D. Eisenhower: In his two terms in office, Ike so feared making "misstatements" on television that he refused to permit regular live broadcasts of his news conferences, footage of which his press secretary reserved the right to edit. Pluses: A five-star American hero who conveyed a warm, grandfatherly likability. Minuses: Ill at ease before the cameras, he talked slowly and invariably used more words than were needed to make simple points. Most memorable line: "I shall go to Korea". Overall image: He left the impression that his service in the White House was more a duty than a joy. |
 | 7. Gerald Ford: Apointed by Nixon and approved by Congress, he is our only 25th Amendment President. Americans were grateful to have him take over in the wake of the Watergate scandal, yet he sometimes bored us. Pluses: Sincere, honest, affable, uncomplicated. Minuses: Continued to look and sound more like a member of Congress than a word leader. Monotone delivery and inexperience in world affairs hurt him. Most memorable line: "I'm a Ford, not a Lincoln". Overall image: Nice person who served us well as transitional president but failed to project an image of leadership. |
 | 8. Lyndon Johnson: The quintessential cloakroom political leader. He was best in one-on-one negotiations and in small groups where he could tell earthy Texas stories and mimic his opponents---abilities that could not be translated to television. Pluses: LBJ gave some moving televised talks on civil rights and the war on poverty. Minuses: A bit pious and syrupy--at times he seemed like molasses sticking to the lens. Most memorable line: "We are not about to send Americans boys...." Overall image: Unreal on television. |