'Time' magazine editor talks about presidents and media

More than ever before, the media today can make or break a president's public image, according to long-time editor of Time magazine Hugh Sidey. Sidey, who has been reporting on the actions of presidents since Dwight Eisenhower's era, spoke at the Annenberg School for Communication last Thursday on the topic, "The Presidency and the Media." "The American presidency is the nerve center of the world," he said. "This is a fascinating time right now as far as the media goes. The media has never been so powerful before." In his talk, Sidey discussed the increased presence of the media in the White House and the effects it has had on the presidencies themselves. "Over the past 40 years, we have watched it become a soap opera," he said. "And Clinton's inauguration marks a strange time because of the relative tranquility." Sidey began his career at Life magazine in 1955. His "real break," as Communications Professor Amy Jordan said in her introduction, came in 1966 when he began his column called "The Presidency." Sidey soon moved to Time, where he continued his popular column. At one time, he also hosted the political TV forum Inside Washington. Annenberg graduate student Stacy Benjamin said Sidey gave a "great overview of the presidents over the years, and his anecdotes made it much more personal then any textbook. "Also, his focus on the 'show of it all' was unique from just the political side," she added. Starting with Eisenhower, Sidey recounted all the presidents' personalities and described how the media has grown in importance over the years. In the days of Eisenhower, he said, "the media had a sense of being together, and they wanted the president to succeed." TV media first became involved in the presidency when John Kennedy entered office in 1961, Sidey noted. "He knew the power of the TV," Sidey said. "The focus [of the media] became more on the personal side of the president. There was a Camelot. It was more fun and there was more laughter." In his descriptions of the subsequent presidents, Sidey connected their political success with their ability to interact with the media. "Bush was uncomfortable with the media. He couldn't follow the grace of Reagan," he said. "Clinton, on the other hand, understands better than any other politician how to use the media," Sidey added. "He is a talker and he has made his involvement in the media part of his leadership. He uses it [the media] very well." Commenting on last November's presidential election, Sidey said, "Dole had no chance because he didn't understand American society."