Oh, the President matters a great deal.

You may recognize that voice.

I'm Don Rumsfeld, and I've just written a book known and unknown in memoir.

He's also a former Navy pilot, Congressman, US Ambassador to NATO, White House Chief

of SAF, and a two-time Secretary of Defense.

Needless to say, our Constitution divides the powers between the legislative and the

judicial and the executive branches.

So no President of the United States has the overwhelming power that dictators do, for

example.

However, a President of the United States has the bully pulpit.

He can talk and be heard and people listen.

And of course, in our society, with a free political system, you lead not by command, but

by persuasion.

And persuasion, my uncle used to tell me, is a two-edged sword, reason and emotion, plunge

it deep.

Today, we're going to plunge deep into a couple of questions.

The first one, the one I asked Rumsfeld.

Now, I have a feeling you're not going to like it.

Most people, if you ask him this question, their heads explode.

They sputter, they swear, they tell you you're a moron for even thinking this question.

But let's ask it anyway.

How much does the President of the United States really matter?

...