According to political scientist George Edwards, “empirical studies show that presidential speeches rarely shift public opinion significantly…nationally televised presidential addresses typically had little or no impact on presidential approval ratings” (Ellis 2015, 142). In his book The Strategic President: Persuasion and Opportunity in Presidential Leadership, Edwards raises questions about the lack of evidence pertaining to presidential persuasion. He argues that despite popular belief, presidents do not have the power to persuade, rather they act as facilitators in order to drive their political agendas. (Edwards …show more content…
Based off of prior knowledge, it was evident that not all presidents have been successful in their attempts to influence public opinion. While some presidents may be great communicators, most are simply facilitators of change (Edwards 2009), and it is difficult for a single speech to have a considerable impact on public opinion. However, because of President Reagan’s influential charisma and political charm—both of which are still discussed nearly three decades after his presidency, I reasoned that his speeches and public addresses would be more likely to increase his