Obama the "Arm-Twister"

It was outlined in a recent Congressional Quarterly report that President Obama has acquired more votes regarding issues where he took a stance than any other president in the five decade history of the Congressional Quarterly. With regard to winning congressional votes, in his first year in office, Obama appears to be garnering more votes for issues than even the great negotiator Lyndon Johnson. When he took a clear position on an issue, Obama won approximately 96.7 percent of all votes in the House and Senate. Interestingly enough, this number was almost 10 percent higher than the George W. Bush administration after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. One question to ask from these facts is whether all of this success is coming solely from Obama's work as the Chief Legislator. More than skills as a legislator it seems to be the extreme state of turmoil in which the country sits. President Obama must keep his image in high status, which means using his power to influence the politics of the country. In this way, Obama is mixing his roles as Chief Legislator and Chief of State, trying to create a balanced workhorse. The article link is here.