This book provides a new way to evaluate presidential performance by identifying the current standards--and examining them in the light of historical experience. The author describes and discusses the conventional wisdom (synthesized from the standards of the general public, commentators and scholars) on evaluating presidential performance and examines its efficacy through six case studies of presidential performance in foreign affairs. Finally, in looking at the lessons of the case studies he shows how they reveal significant flaws in presidential evaluation and foreign policy making and suggests changes.