And just fulfilling those promises and hanging onto the victories could fill up much of a president's tenure. Ambitious politicians and political aides add to the early excitement as they push and shove to try to get a position in the new administration. In those early days is when the action is, it is believed. By the last year of an administration, even the political scientists tell us that the president is on his last legs. His influence over the legislature is low, and he turns his attention to foreign affairs where he has greater power to move events.
Many political appointees seek to leave even before the ship is put into dry dock.
Some stay on, hoping to get a position in the next administration, and, to achieve that end, try to do all they can to help in the campaign of the candidate of the same party. The new presidential contest gets almost all the attention, and focus is on the creation of winners and losers. Continuing with the sports metaphor, however, consider the weakness of the coverage. Very seldom does one get a report on new training techniques, the late-night calculations of new strategies, and all the other efforts that are made to prepare a team for the coming season. The attention of the press to politics, just like sports, seldom provides a glimpse of what is to come.