What president did the most to shape the modern presidency?

[A18]

Discuss.

[Jake]

Nixon

[afleitch]

In shaping the presidency as an office and institution I would have to say Nixon. He set a precedent when it came to how large his office actually reached and the connections he had. It was only the fact it was so well connected that he was able to fall from grace.

[Sam Spade]

Define "modern presidency".

[A18]

The function of the office of president, characteristic or expressive of recent times or the present.

[MasterJedi]

I'd say McKinley, before him for awhile most Presidents weren't that involved with shaping policy and the world.

[dazzleman]

I'd say Franklin D. Roosevelt.  He was the first president to travel by plane, the first to leave the country in wartime, the first to actually attend a convention that nominated him, but most of all, he set the precedent that government oversaw and tried to influence the economy.  Roosevelt also set a precedent of using government agencies to go after his political enemies that was followed by some of his successors.

I have to disagree about Nixon doing a lot to shape the modern presidency.  Nixon modeled himself implicitly not after the man whom he served as VP, but after his immediate predecessors LBJ and JFK.  He didn't really do anything that they hadn't already done.

[Yates]

Kennedy, though possible Franklin Roosevelt.  JFK turned presidential elections into popularity contests, beating the less-handsome Nixon.

[A18]

Presidential elections have been popularity contests at least since Andrew Jackson.

[Sam Spade]

The function of the office of president, characteristic or expressive of recent times or the present.

FDR, if the question is on the governmental function of the Presidency.

Ronald Reagan, if the question is on the non-governmental function of the Presidency.

Nixon and JFK are both important to the latter, but really no one defined how to shape the non-governmental function of the Presidency better than Reagan.  Clinton and Bush have learned the lessons well.

[dazzleman]

The function of the office of president, characteristic or expressive of recent times or the present.

FDR, if the question is on the governmental function of the Presidency.

Ronald Reagan, if the question is on the non-governmental function of the Presidency.

Nixon and JFK are both important to the latter, but really no one defined how to shape the non-governmental function of the Presidency better than Reagan.  Clinton and Bush have learned the lessons well.

Great point, man.

[© tweed]

George Washington.  He set dozens of precedents, such as running for two terms (which only one person has broken, and it's now law), the nam Mr. President, and so on.

[phk]

George Washington.  He set dozens of precedents, such as running for two terms (which only one person has broken, and it's now law), the nam Mr. President, and so on.

I think he's asking for 'modern' presidency.

[© tweed]

George Washington.  He set dozens of precedents, such as running for two terms (which only one person has broken, and it's now law), the nam Mr. President, and so on.

I think he's asking for 'modern' presidency.

Those two precedents don't apply to modern presidents?

[A18]

I mean the modern aspects of the presidency, not the precedents that have been with us since Washington.

[Beet]

I would say FDR, merely due to the vast expansion in the Executive Branch bureacracy and responsibility that came through the New Deal. If you think about the Harding and Coolidge administrations, then think about all the administrations we have had since 1945, its clear that the post-FDR executive branch is a radically different creature, both in its domestic and foreign responsibilities. The Reagan revolution did nothing to change this.

[PBrunsel]

Herbert Hoover

He was the first President to offer a social welfare program.

[© tweed]

I mean the modern aspects of the presidency, not the precedents that have been with us since Washington.

Oh.  Well, in that case, FDR.  He is responsible for many of the government programs that are hotly debated today.

[A18]

I was really thinking more about presidential influence and style, not their policies.

I agree that FDR is probably the winner. However, Lincoln also set a lot of precedents for wartime executives.

[MODU]

Kennedy.

[Defarge]

Depends.  Teddy Roosevelt perhaps, but I lean towards FDR.

[memphis]

Like others I say FDR, but mainly for his use of radio. He was the first president who was regularly able to talk to millions of Americans at once.