Tracking: Presidential Habits

Photo by René DeAnda on Unsplash

I noticed this story about President Biden’s decision-making patterns today. I rarely follow controversies about presidential statements or policies anymore. There is little substance to the endless commentary. But presidential habits are another matter. Richard Nixon’s reclusive behavior, Ronald Reagan’s tolerance for divisions among his officials, Bill Clinton’s early rages, Barack Obama’s zen — these were some of the most important factors shaping policy. A president’s habits will yield stunning success in one area and humiliating losses in another. Also: I notice that the New York Times seems to have a lot more access to deep background material these days. It was pretty thin there for a while . . .