This post was originally published on this site
In the midst of doing research, Jeremi Suri noticed something interesting in the appointment calendars of Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy. FDR’s daily schedule included few pre-arranged meetings and ceremonial events, leaving ample opportunity for flexibility and improvisation. Roosevelt, writes Mr. Suri in “The Impossible Presidency,” had “time to acquire new information, discuss it with numerous people, and then carefully decide on his chosen course of action.” Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower maintained similar…