How does public support impact the effectiveness of a presidency?-THOMAS JEFFERSON

           Public support is the process of being able to gather  voluntary contributions or other resources,  from individuals. It is soley based on the Public's opinion and is made up of an individuals attitude and beliefs. Public opinion can also be defined as the collection of opinions from many different people and can also be the sum of all their views, or as a single opinion held by an individual about a social or political topic. If does not agree with certain views they will not follow a leaders way.

            In his first term Jefferson was attacked on his personal character that have rarely matched in presidential history. In 1802 charges against him were publicized by James Thomson Callender, a journalist who he had befriended. He turned on him when not given a  federal appointment. These charges were taken up by Jefferson's political enemies, but he maintained his policy of making no public reply to personal attacks. The abuse he suffered from newspapers weakened his confidence in a free press. He believed that his reelection in 1804 justified his toleration of his critics.

              From an early stage in his public career, Jefferson had been subjected to attacks on religious grounds. He kept his opinions regarding religion very much to himself, he thought they were a private concern, his insistence on the complete separation of church and state was well known. That helped him gain the support of  dissenting groups, the Baptists, but it aroused bitter opposition among Congregationalists in those parts of New England where the clergy and constituted a virtual establishment. Overall, we can see that public supports affects any individual in a goal they are trying to accomplish.