Celebrity in Chief : A History of the Presidents and the Culture of Stardom

It didn t take long for Barack Obama to make his mark as the biggest political star to ever occupy the White House. Over the course of his two terms in office, Obama has injected the American presidency deeper into popular culture than any of his predecessors. He and his wife Michelle have become iconic figures, celebrities of the first order.This book, by award-winning White House correspondent and presidential historian Kenneth T. Walsh, discusses how the Obamas reached this point. More important, it takes a detailed and comprehensive look at the history of America s presidents as celebrities in chief since the beginning of the Republic. Walsh makes the point that modern presidents need to be celebrities and build on their fame in order to propel their agendas and rally public support for themselves as national leaders so that they can get things done.Combining incisive historical analysis with a journalist s eye for detail, this book looks back to such presidents as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as the forerunners of contemporary celebrity presidents. It examines modern presidents including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt, each of whom qualified as a celebrity in his own time and place. The book also looks at presidents who fell short in their star appeal, such as George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, Richard Nixon, and Lyndon Johnson, and explains why their star power was lacking.Among the special features of the book are detailed profiles of the presidents and how they measured up or failed as celebrities; an historical analysis of America s popular culture and how presidents have played a part in it, from sports and television to movies and the news media; the role of first ladies; and a portfolio of fascinating photos illustrating the intersection of the presidency with popular culture.' Analyzes The Inherent Celebrity That Comes With Being The United States President And Explains How Some Presidents Successfully Capitalized On Their Fame To Make Themselves More Effective Leaders And Others Did Not. Introduction: The Rise Of The Concept Of Stardom And The Culture Of Celebrity -- Forerunners Of The Modern Celebrity Presidents: Washington To Cleveland -- Theodore Roosevelt: The Strenuous Life -- Franklin D. Roosevelt: Public Advocate -- John F. Kennedy: Glitter And Cool -- Ronald Reagan: The Role Of The Century -- Bill Clinton: Pop Icon -- Barack Obama: Making History And Taking New Paths -- Second Billing: From Truman To The Bushes -- First Ladies: Partners In Celebrity -- Presidents And Television: Primal Forces -- Presidents And The News Media: Tug Of War -- Presidents And The Movies: Cinema Stars -- Presidents And Reading: Gravitas Alert -- Presidents And Sports: Links To Everyday America -- Presidents And Music: Sweet And Sour Notes -- Presidents As Trend Setters And Trend Spotters: Food, Fashion, Pets, And More -- Callow Vs. Consequential Celebrity: All Stardom Is Not Equal -- Epilogue: The Future Of Presidential Celebrity. By Kenneth T. Walsh. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Ch. 1. Forerunners of the modern celebrity presidents : Washington to Cleveland -- ch. 2. Theodore Roosevelt : the strenuous life -- ch. 3. Franklin D. Roosevelt : public advocate -- ch. 4. John F. Kennedy : glitter and cool -- ch. 5. Ronald Reagan : the role of the century -- ch. 6. Bill Clinton : pop icon -- ch. 7. Barack Obama : making history and taking new paths -- ch. 8. Second billing : from Truman to the Bushes -- ch. 9. First ladies : partners in celebrity -- ch. 10. Presidents and television : primal forces -- ch. 11. Presidents and the news media : tug of war -- ch. 12. Presidents and the movies : cinema stars -- ch. 13. Presidents and reading : gravitas alert -- ch. 14. Presidents and sports : links to everyday America -- ch. 15. Presidents and music : sweet and sour notes -- ch. 16. Presidents as trend setters and trend spotters : food, fashion, pets, and more -- ch. 17. Callow vs. consequential celebrity : all stardom is not equal