Buchanan was elected in an era that demanded strong executive leadership, but despite his political and diplomatic experience, he was ill equipped for the task. Buchanan failed as president not because he was weak, indecisive or in over his head, as he has been portrayed, but because he stubbornly adhered to a narrow, antiquated political philosophy that was out of touch with American society in the 1850s. He longed for the Jackson years of decades past, when Democrats North and South were unified, the anti-slavery movement was despised and sectional issues were settled by concessions to the South. He failed to comprehend the economic and cultural changes occurring in Northern society, didn’t understand the growing moral repugnance to slavery in the North nor the difference between those who wanted to prevent its spread and those who wanted to abolish it.
The structure of the president's executive office was able to help the role of the office of the President because the office contains multiple and different levels of advisers and staff who are required to help the president in many areas.
