It should have been Bill Clinton who brought more informality to the White House during his eight years, but credit here has to go to George W. Bush. Clinton seems to have moved everywhere with a coffee mug indoors and a to-go cup away from home. President Bush is shown increasingly without a necktie.
Also, other world leaders are going around with open collars, except for the most formal sessions. Even Russia’s Vladimir Putin. There’s the two top dudes of the world Friday, according to Yahoo and Google, in sportcoats and open dress shirts.
I am not persuaded that they take their jobs less seriously. Baring throats probably is good, psychologically. Still there is something to be said for the effect of these folks wearing what in essence is a uniform. Who is in charge? You are, sir, with the just-shined shoes, black socks, necktie and dark wool suit.
It should have been Clinton, though, with his easy-going Southernness, to have dropped the tie, not the prep-school Texan Bush. Why did Clinton wear a tie essentially every day he conducted official business as the Chief Executive?
So he’d have something to hang on the doorknob of the Oval Office? -30-
