--- title: Politics: The Danger of a Celebrity President description: It's a problem when a president becomes a personality more outsized than the office of the presidency itself canonical: https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/ author: TIME article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-24T15:15:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:41:45.948Z article:section: Ideas og:title: The Danger of a Celebrity President og:description: It's a problem when a president becomes a personality more outsized than the office of the presidency itself og:url: https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Danger of a Celebrity President twitter:description: It's a problem when a president becomes a personality more outsized than the office of the presidency itself twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The Danger of a Celebrity President > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=47e50dd7-86a5-4a0b-82d4-3b2f25e4359c&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 430,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 50.7% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=47e50dd7-86a5-4a0b-82d4-3b2f25e4359c&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=47e50dd7-86a5-4a0b-82d4-3b2f25e4359c&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. It reaches 430,000 subscribers with a 50.7% open rate as of August 2026. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ## Video: Watch The Best Quotes By Donald Trump [Watch (HLS stream): Watch The Best Quotes By Donald Trump](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/7MzTpVq2.m3u8) (1:21)  _Published 2015-07-23. Donald Trump's Most Ridiculous Quotes_ by [Mark Tapson / Acculturated](https://time.com/author/acculturated/) ## Mark Tapson / Acculturated Jul 24, 2015 3:15 PM UTC by [Mark Tapson / Acculturated](https://time.com/author/acculturated/) ## Mark Tapson / Acculturated Jul 24, 2015 3:15 PM UTC Once upon a time in America, it was believed that the president of the United States should have the _gravitas_ and proper sense of priorities to distance himself from the triviality of showbiz. Then along came television, and [Nixon poked fun at himself on_Laugh-In_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qRZvlZZ0DY), [Clinton played blues sax on _The Arsenio Hall Show_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRatTuWdT%5FQ), and [Obama slow-jammed the news with Jimmy Fallon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFQIciWsF4). Now anyone who aspires to occupy the White House is _expected_ to show that he or she is just as comfortable hanging with celebs as mingling with heads of state. Welcome to the era of the pop culture presidency. In his recent book [_Celebrity in Chief: A History of the Presidents and the Culture of Stardom_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612057063?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=1612057063&linkCode=shr&tag=theweesta-20&linkId=XJF3GYFCIXIFKU4J&qid=1435257401&sr=8-2&keywords=Kenneth+T.+Walsh), presidential historian Kenneth T. Walsh argues that celebrity is an indispensable part of the modern presidency, and that presidents who handle celebrity better are more successful. While what constitutes “successful” is arguable, it’s true that a comfortable engagement with pop culture has become an important selling point for presidential candidates. Walsh’s book [was reviewed](http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/white-house-cool%5F978544.html) recently by Tevi Troy, who traced the interaction (or lack thereof) between our presidents and the pop culture of their time in his own book on the topic, [_What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House_](http://www.amazon.com/Jefferson-Watched-Obama-Tweeted-ebook/dp/B00APDG0VK/ref=sr%5F1%5F1). Troy argues that pop culture is the most influential arena in which to connect with the American people—especially the politically coveted younger generations—and for capturing their imaginations. For example, --- > “” --- There is an obvious political advantage for the president or candidate who not only has his finger on the pulse of the culture, but who can manipulate it through the gravitational pull of his own charm and charisma. Troy believes that presidents who distance themselves from pop culture and focus on reading can show a seriousness of purpose that some voters appreciate. But the truth is that Americans have a healthy suspicion of bookish intellectuals as leaders—and rightly so. Leadership is primarily about vision and charisma, not intellect. Throughout our history it’s been more important to Americans for our presidents to have the common touch than to be well read or well educated, and today that means a president who understands pop culture. And no president understands it like Barack Obama, a man “shaped by popular culture more thoroughly than any other president in our history,” says Troy. Obama has won two elections in no small measure because of his shrewd understanding of, and what Walsh calls “his constant and unusual” engagement with, pop culture. He chats on late night talk shows, hangs with Jay Z and Beyoncé, and jets out to Hollywood periodically for fundraisers. He has successfully appropriated the hipness of movie stars and rappers, and raised the bar of presidential cool to heights Bill Clinton could only dream of. Is that a problem? What’s wrong with a president who “gets” young people, who is relatable and cool? In an era in which singer Bono is out there doing the work of a world leader himself, why install some boring old fart in the White House who probably doesn’t even listen to U2? The harm is not in having a president with personality and a sense of humor, and it’s perfectly understandable that he or she would take advantage of the platforms pop culture offers to reach voters, including the vast swath of the American public that might not otherwise pay attention to politics. The danger is that a president who takes time out to trade comic barbs with Zack Galifianakis on [_Funny or Die_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnW3xkHxIEQ), or be interviewed by [a YouTube star](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/23/obama-slammed-for-youtube-talks-with-glozell-a-wom/) best-known for bathing in Fruit Loops, not only diminishes the dignity of the presidency but unwisely gives both our allies and our enemies the impression that the American people and the Leader of the Free World are fundamentally unserious. The danger comes when voters are seduced into the orbit of a leader or candidate not because of his or her character and positions on the issues, but because of a shallow aura of cool. The danger comes when a president becomes a personality more outsized than the office of the Presidency itself, when he or she not only hangs with celebs, but becomes one. We live in dangerous times. Nothing would make them worse quite like an American Ppresident empowered not by the trust and respect of what Jefferson called an informed electorate, but by a corrupting cult of celebrity. _This_ [_article_](http://acculturated.com/celebrity-president/) _originally appeared on_ [_Acculturated_](http://acculturated.com) _More from Acculturated:_ * [Ashton Kutcher Sucks (but he has a point about diaper changing)](http://acculturated.com/ashton-kutcher-sucks/) * [Do We Fetishize Abstinence?](http://acculturated.com/abstinence/) * [How Sex Disrupted Fantasy on ‘The Bachelorette’](http://acculturated.com/bachelorette/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/"},"headline":"The Danger of a Celebrity President","datePublished":"2015-07-24T15:15:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-19T07:41:45.948Z","description":"It's a problem when a president becomes a personality more outsized than the office of the presidency itself","url":"https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/","keywords":["politics","society","2016 Election","Barack Obama","Bill Clinton","celebrity","Donald Trump"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Mark Tapson / Acculturated"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/politics/","name":"politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/","name":"The Danger of a Celebrity President"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Watch The Best Quotes By Donald Trump","description":"Donald Trump's Most Ridiculous Quotes","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/7MzTpVq2/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-07-23T21:38:04.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/7MzTpVq2.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/","duration":"PT1M21S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3971033/celebrity-president-danger/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```