The power and the story

by Evan Cornog

"The key to American presidential leadership and the secret of presidential success is, in great measure, storytelling. From the earliest days of our republic to the present, those who wished to hold the nation's highest office have had to tell persuasive stories - about the nation, about its problems, and most of all about themselves - to those with the power to elect them. A sitting president's ability to tell the right story and to adapt it as necessary is crucial. And when he has left office, he often spends his remaining years attempting to inscribe the narrative as he sees it into the record. The impact of these stories on the electorate and the nation is almost beyond measure, because it is often these stories that we call American history." "Evan Cornog's new look at the American presidency explores the ways our presidents craft persuasive personal narratives, and how their storytelling can capture the public imagination and build the support necessary to govern. The sheer narr