This book investigates the efficacy of conventional standards used to evaluate presidential performance in the realm of foreign affairs. Ryan J. Barilleaux, a scholar of executive power, synthesizes prevailing wisdom from public opinion, media commentary, and academic discourse to construct a framework for assessment. By applying this framework to historical case studies, the author identifies systemic flaws in both the evaluation process and the actual execution of foreign policy, ultimately proposing structural reforms.

Experts in political science recognize this work as a structured critique of executive evaluation methodologies. Readers frequently note that the text provides a clear, academic framework for understanding the complexities of presidential decision-making in global contexts.