Final answer:
Presidential accomplishments are influenced by factors such as the president's ability to persuade, party support in Congress, and the prevailing political climate. Circumstances such as crises and the political time they enter office in also play a pivotal role in a president's effectiveness and legacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
A president's accomplishments have largely depended on a variety of factors beyond the margin of victory in an election. Notably, these include whether circumstances favor strong presidential leadership, the president's party support in Congress, and the arrival of crises such as war or economic decline. The ability of the president to persuade and the political climate during their term also play significant roles in their success.
Presidents use strategies of negotiation, persuasion, and compromise to secure policy achievements in cooperation with Congress. The presidential power is often described as the power to persuade, a concept popularized by political scientist Richard Neustadt.
Presidents must be aware of “political time,” understanding when the nation is prepared for drastic propositions or when less inclined to revolutionary change. For instance, this was the case following the 1932 election of FDR at the height of the Great Depression. Context such as high levels of public approval and control of Congress by the president's party can facilitate the advancement of their policy agenda, whereas partisanship and a divided government can pose obstacles to presidential accomplishment.