101 uses for a head of state...

....or rather, what is a president/monarch for?
Obviously, it depends on which country you're in. In the UK, we don't require much from our queen than to be inbred, equine-looking, and good at waving. For this, the taxpayer gives her a lot of money.
Likewise, our Prime Ministers are meant to be hard-working (but not ambitious), devout (but not in-your-face religious), clever (but not cunning), and decent (but not boring).
Of course, we are dealing in ideals. The monarch is the symbolic head, devoid of power in a political sense, but imbued with it; The Prime Minister is the one to get his hands dirty.
What about a president?
Well, a president is the boss of the entire government and its attendant civil service; He (or maybe she, eventually) approves or vetoes new laws, but cannot propose any him/herself; He is the commander-in-chief of a country's military powers; He represents a particular political viewpoint. So far, so basic.
But how far, exactly, does a president act as a symbol of a nation? Is the man the symbol, or is it the office of the president itself? In the UK, there is a clear distinction between the symbolic and the real. In a country with a presidential system, let's say, um, the United States, how does one make the distinction? And if it is difficult enough for a citizen of that nation to make the disctinction, how can you expect someone on the outside to do it? If the real and symbolic are one and indivisible, then surely the actions of the man (or woman) in office have a direct impact on how the symbol, and therefore the whole nation, is perceived by friend and foe alike.
I understand there's a big election for a president somewhere soon, and that it's too close to call. Now, I'm not the Guardian, with its spectacularly patronising and distinctly tongue-in-cheek advice to voters in Clark County, Ohio, but if I had to vote for a man (or woman) who would wield massive executive power and symbolise my nation for the next four years, I might want to ask myself the following:
In terms of representing me to the rest of the world, how will this candidate do? If the candidate is the president seeking a further term of office, how has he/she done?
Has the incumbent increased my sense of security, comfort and wellbeing through his/her actions, or will the candidate increase my sense of security, comfort and wellbeing, without compromising that of others?
As Commander-in-chief, has the incumbent taken reasonable, sensible and logical measures to protect my nation, or has he made my situation more dangerous? Will the candidate be a reasonable, sensible and logical commander in chief?
Has the incumbent allowed through laws that oppress, curtail and/or censor, my rights, freedoms and opinions? Is the candidate likely to pass laws with the same effects?
Has the incumbent allowed into office, through his role as boss of the government and civil service, those who should be disqualified from holding a role in government? Will the candidate do the same?

Well, those are a few questions. For myself, I don't trust symbols, especially when they get mixed up with real life: The king waving the sword, the eternal cowboy galloping into the eternal sunset, the gallant band of soldiers rallying to one bright and shining flag - myths, all myths.