January 22, 2009

Prof: President's first 100 days is an unrealistic measure for action

"The 100-day measuring stick goes back to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first 100 days in office," says Bert Rockman, professor and head of the Department of Political Science. "It was a term historians coined for FDR's accomplishments, and now it's a good story for media and political analysts. It's a phrase that should be wiped from the books, because the U.S. political system takes time to do significant things, and it was meant to be that way by the founders.

"Roosevelt inherited an economic crisis much like the one Obama inherited, but a number of differences must be considered when evaluating the next 100 days. Congress granted Roosevelt a lot of slack for numerous executive orders, and he was able to move quickly. Yes, we are in very deep crisis, but I don't think today's Congress is going to be as willing. The system isn't designed to make things happen fast. But Obama is coming into office with a huge amount of public approval, and the big question is how he is going to use it."

When President John F. Kennedy took office in 1961, the Democrats had lost 20 seats in the House of Representatives. Kennedy wanted to move things quickly, as most presidents do, but he understood how fragile his political coalition was and how many roadblocks there were in Congress, Rockman says. Some of the politicians in Kennedy's party and most of his party's activists were impatient with his caution.

"Kennedy set his tone starting with his inaugural speech," Rockman says. "Not only was it an exceptional speech, but it also was a remarkable speech for its lack of partisanship. The next few months will be a time for Obama and his administration to craft their own tone and identity."

Rockman is co-editor of a book series that assesses the terms of former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. His most recent book, "The George W. Bush Legacy," was published in July 2007.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Bert Rockman, (765) 412-8644, barockma@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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