Sara Polk was desperately concerned that her husband lacked presence. This may not have mattered for most people but it represented a fatal flaw if your husband happened to be the President of the United States.

Measuring 5 feet 8 inches and ranking in the 10 shortest presidents of all time evidently Sara was concerned that her husband James – the 11th American President – lacked stature and accordingly was not receiving the respect that was his due.

How could the masses bow down before her man when they had no idea which man he was?

And so she conceived a unique solution. Whenever James appeared the United States Marine Corps Band would play a song – Hail to the Chief – so that the assembled would know that greatness had just entered the room.

It worked a treat.

James’ sense of insecurity evaporated and to this day the tradition continues.

It is a notable example of the way our leaders are decorated with the adornments of high office: little formalities that give an office prestige and the office holder a kick start. So no matter how ordinary a person may be, once they are bejewelled with the cloak of power they appear extraordinary.

In a place infinitely further down the food chain, I have encountered my own minor version of the cloak.

An important ornament on the cloak is the manner of address. For me that has always been clear. Just ask my son’s friends who happily call me Richard with all the formality of a footy trip.

Yet soon after my election I was ushered into my new office by an official from the Department of Finance who said:

“Mr Marles, here are the keys …”

I turned around thinking that my father must have come to meet me on my first day in the job for he was the only Mr Marles I knew.

“And Mr Marles here is a folder that explains the procedures …”

She was talking to me!

“Oh please, just call me Richard.”

“I am sorry I can’t do that Mr Marles. It’s government policy.”

I was all for wearing the cloak of power but this cloak was making me feel like I was prematurely 60.

Over the last month Prime Ministerial language has been put in the spotlight – references to sauce bottles causing a mini sh*t-storm. The inquisitors charge the PM with not being real. But how do we marry reality with the expectations we have of those who wear the cloak – particularly the Prime-Ministerial cloak?

Well as it happens I have known the man experiencing that cloak for many years prior to him ever putting it on. To be sure, watching a friend become the Prime Minister is exciting but it comes with some confusion.

In the very first caucus meeting after the election, the very first question asked of Kevin started thus:

“Kevin … I mean PM … er, Mr Prime Minister …”

“Just call me Kevin.”

Now that is a breach of Government policy according to the parliamentary website which specifically states that the way to address the man is “Prime Minister”.

So when I first saw him after the election I had to make a choice between the formality of the website or the Prime Ministerial edict. I went with the website.

“Richard, none of that crap … It’s Kevin.”

To those who accuse the PM of not being real this insistence on being called Kevin was not done for the cameras. And all of us who have had a coffee with him know that the Aussie vernacular bubbles just beneath the surface.

However we see our mandarin speaking PM, the man sees himself as just Kevin from Queensland.

And so here is a curious fact about the cloak of power. It is not always the office holder who wants to wear it or have to conform with the persona the rest of us imagine comes with it. Sometimes it’s the people around him– like Mrs Polk – that just love to see it worn.

So be it that it makes you feel old, or is a constant reminder that you are 5ft 8in, or simply that it gets in the way, the cloak of power comes with a little sting in the tail.

It may be a thing of beauty but occasionally it can just feel a little less comfortable than it looks.

7 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • realto says:

      08:46am | 01/07/09

      President Polk was ‘only’ five feet eight? While that wouldn’t have let him tower over most other men it was hardly short for it’s time. Even now it’s about average height. OK maybe I’m sensitive because that’s my height. Australian PMs like Howard and Hawke have been shorter than that and didn’t suffer for it.

    • Terry Barnes says:

      09:06am | 01/07/09

      Mr Marles misses his own point.  “Call me Kevin” is itself a status thing.  The person inviting such informality is declaring himself to be the top dog, and reminding others of his status - as of course is “Call me Richard” in writing of his exalted treatment as an MP…

    • Jeff Marsh says:

      09:48am | 01/07/09

      Mr Barnes, sometimes inviting informality is more about the recipients comfort than anything else. As a CEO of a medium sized company, I find that using anything other than my first name makes me uncomfortable. My position is my job, not who I am.

    • Lucy says:

      10:12am | 01/07/09

      Interesting article from Richard Marles. While I don’t dispute that Kevin Rudd wants his colleagues to call him ‘Kevin’, the nature of the Kevin’07 campaign contradicts any suggestion it wasn’t done for the cameras and political gain.

      I don’t have a problem with that - clever campaigning, and you do what you have to do to win. But no-one should pretend it was anything other than a tactic.

      @realto

      John Howard is actually closer to 5ft 10”. He is around 3 inches taller than Bob Hawke - although it was Bob that coined the term “little Johnny Howard”.

      The only reason I can think of is that Howard looked short when compared to Malcolm Fraser - who was PM at the time Hawkie would have first encountered them.

      Also, those on Howard’s front bench when he became PM were also very tall. Peter Costello is around 6’ 4”, Peter Reith was also well over 6’.

    • Terry Barnes says:

      12:25pm | 01/07/09

      Fair points Mr Marsh.  But why are we in Australia so self-conscious about status and success that get into these status games?  If somebody’s achieved something like election to high public office, there’s no shame in addressing them with respect and deference, as long as it’s reciprocated genuinely with mutual respect and consideration (yes I mean YOU Belinda “do you know who I am?” Neal!).  There’s too little formality these days in political and business life, and frankly I think that’s a bit of a shame in itself.

    • realto says:

      02:11pm | 01/07/09

      Lucy, I’ve met John Howard. No way is he 5’10”. 5’7’’ is my guess and Hawke maybe 5’5” though I haven’t met him. I’ve met Whitlam and Frazer too and they are both very tall men, or were in their heydays.

    • Grambo says:

      02:49pm | 01/07/09

      So just how tall / short is Kevin Rudd?  As for Howard the lack of a neck can be deceiving.

 

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