not to wield power but to draw attention away

President of the Imperial Galactic Government

The President is very much a figurehead – the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.

Douglas Adams

Slightly abridged quote from http://hhgproject.org/entries/president.html