All of us want to be loved. Well, at least liked.
This is apparently no more the case than with our president.
President Trump is obsessed with what people say about him; what people think of him and his popularity. This is not a political statement. He has admitted it and displayed this obsession by watching what seems to be countless of hours of cable television to see what the media say about him.
Obviously, much if not most of it, is not good. So how does he change that? How does President Trump manage his own PR so he markets himself in a way that will improve his likability and make him happy?
There is only one way, and it is not through polished statements read off a teleprompter. (Not his strength.)
The President needs to stop worrying so much about his image and start getting things done.
Certainly much of what he wants to get done people disagree with. I won’t rehash the list, but we know what they are.
But one thing is for sure. Everybody wants a stronger economy. Everybody wants a job. Everybody wants healthcare If he can achieve this, and it won’t be easy, then his misstatements and political pitfalls will be easier to forgive. At least for some people. For many others there is nothing he can do that will redeem him.
He also needs to remember that presidential criticism is part of the job. There has never been a president when everything he did received 100% approval. Maybe Trump is facing more of an uphill battle than prior presidents, much because of his own doing, but he needs to swallow it and roll up his shirtsleeves.
So if he can, and that is a big IF, he should turn off the TV and get to work. Americans want a better life, not someone who can deliver a pretty speech. Doing both is better, but people will take what they can get.
And right now, people aren’t asking for much. They just want to pay their bills, raise their families in peace and have the dignity of a job.
If he can do that, his PR and image will rise.
IF he can do that.