The image-is-everything presidency

the long version

The Image-Is-Everything Presidency examines the way American presidents in the media age have shaped their public personas as a means of cultivating and advancing their political and ideological agendas. Images play an important role in the perceived success or failure of our presidents. Since public expectations are most often aimed directly at the White House and its central occupant, it is more important than ever that a president control and present the right image to the Amercan public. Reality thus becomes secondary and image is everything.