Presidential Persuasion on Social Issues: A Two-Way Street?

Abstract

Although the ability of presidents to mobilize opinion on foreign policy issues is well documented, much less is known about presidents’ abilities to change public attitudes on social and moral issues. We explore the limits of presidential persuasiveness by examining President Clinton’s 1993 proposal to permit gay men and lesbian women to serve openly in the armed forces. Because the issue involved core values and religious beliefs, we might expect Clinton to have been unable to change voter preferences. However, we find evidence of a reciprocal relationship. Clinton’s support for the issue persuaded some members of the public to support the policy, even as it also caused others to think less favorably of him.