Modern presidents are often most remembered for single, iconic moments. Some are good. FDR’s inaugural address proclaimed we have nothing to fear but fear itself. Kennedy’s challenged us to ask not what we can do for ourselves, but for our country. Reagan’s speech at the Brandenburg Gate demanded that Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall.
Some, on the other hand, aren’t as good. The image of Eisenhower on the golf course gave a false impression — one that lasted decades — that he was a part-time chief executive who mostly delegated duties to his staff. Carter didn’t actually use the word “malaise” in his famous speech, but that tone-deaf address nevertheless underscored how out of sync he was with the rest of the country. And of course, who can forget, “I shall resign the presidency, effective noon tomorrow…”
