The more respondents knew about the appointments process, the lower they rated the benefits of service and the more they worried about the costs. Thus 9 percent of respondents who knew little or nothing about the system said salaries would be much or somewhat better than other comparable senior positions, compared with just 2 percent of those who knew a great deal or something. Many corporate and civic leaders know little about the process. Nearly half of all respondents said they knew little or nothing about the appointments process. Lobbyists, think tank scholars, and university presidents were the most knowledgeable, nonprofit executives were in the middle, and corporate CEOs and state and local government officials were the least informed.
Many potential appointees base their impressions of the system on what they see in the media.
All the groups interviewed said the media had some influence in forming their impressions of the process. Think tank scholars and lobbyists were more likely than the other groups to base their impressions on personal experiences or the experiences of their friends or colleagues. Potential appointees think the problems lie at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. Two-thirds of the respondents said the Senate made the process an ordeal and 42 percent said the White House was too demanding. Once again, corporate and civic leaders were more negative in their assessments than past appointees.