Celebrity in chief  A history of the Presidents and the culture of stardom, With a New Epilogue on Hillary and “The Donald”

More about "Celebrity in Chief" by Kenneth T. Walsh

•        Julian E. Zelizer, author of The Fierce Urgency of Now

  “Ken Walsh brings his keen eye to one of the defining aspects of the modern presidency. In this entertaining and informative book, Walsh provides a fascinating look at the ways in which celebrity culture has shaped presidential politics in recent decades. The book is sure to contribute to debates about the future of the White House and the health of American democracy.”

   

  —Julian E. Zelizer, author of The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for the Great Society

•        Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets"

  Obama sees self as national 'role model,' but Clintons will outshine his celebrity

  March 11, 2015

   

  A new book about presidents becoming celebrities reveals that President Obama believes himself to be a "role model" who can use his celebrity status to push his agenda, notably his switch to supporting same sex marriage.

  In Celebrity In Chief, by longtime U.S. News White House correspondent Kenneth T. Walsh, a key aide said that the White House believes that Obama's support for gay marriage and where he aired it will end up being the turning point on the issue.

  "His interview with TV reporter Robin Roberts about his evolution on gay marriage was likely instrumental in changing people's minds," wrote Walsh, who then quoted a top Obama aide: "Maybe 20 years from now it will be seen as a seminal moment."

  Walsh, who has personally covered every president since Ronald Reagan, said that Obama has an outsized image of himself. "Obama sees himself as a role model," writes Walsh, adding:  "He believes that it's helpful for him to talk about his unique background to educate the country about different issues, such as race and staying in school. So from time to time he will 'reveal himself' for a higher purpose."

  While Walsh dubbed Obama "the biggest superstar to ever occupy the White House," he suggested that the president could be lost in the dust if Hillary Clinton succeeds him.

  Well, her and Bubba. "Bill Clinton could overshadow her or at least compete with her for attention," Walsh warns. "The former president is a superstar in his own right, one of the best-known people in the world and one of the most popular Democrats in the country. If she runs, it would be the first time that a celebrity couple without peer has sought the White House."

   

  Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist