Handwriting on the Wall: Hidden Profiles of Washington's Most Powerful Leaders

What's in a signature? More than most people can even imagine, handwriting experts say. And considering the state of our nation's troubles, it wouldn't be such a bad thing to know how President Obama and his newly appointed leadership will work together to tackle some of the most pressing issues.

"The signature of a person can tell us a great deal about who they are," said Ronald Rice, a certified forensic handwriting identification and examination specialist.

A consultant for the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, Rice has been performing civil, criminal and forensic handwriting examinations for 18 years, including notes written by O.J. Simpson and documents in a number of other celebrated cases.

Often he only sees short documents, he said, such as suicide notes with very few words and letters. But even short handwriting samples -- a signature alone -- can reveal important information about the person who wrote them.

For example, he said, when Jacqueline Kennedy signed her name, she wrote Jackie -- not Jackie Kennedy -- because she saw herself as royalty. But when Eleanor Roosevelt signed her name, it was Eleanor Roosevelt -- with an emphasis on the Roosevelt, displaying her part in the family structure.

FOXNews.com reached out to Rice to analyze signatures of 12 of the most powerful leaders in Washington. He said their John Hancocks revealed not only their personality traits, but their compatibility and their ability to work together as they steer the ship of state through difficult times.

Click here to see the signatures and for an inside look at Washington's brokers.

The key players in Washington share the ability to be secretive, which can both help and hinder when governing the nation. Where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shows enormous strength and power, Obama is far more reflective and capable of thinking in the now.

They will project the image of getting along, but -- as in every administration -- a power vacuum exists. Strong men and women like Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Clinton add great muscle to Obama's thoughts. Interestingly enough, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader John Boehner, Biden and Gates are entirely compatible and could prove to be an excellent package.

In the end, though, the president is the boss, and anyone who has achieved the level of power that these people have clearly understands that. Some will appease Obama, while others will take him on. The president seems to have put together a diverse administration of people who share the ability to be emotional and secretive when it is called for, sensitive at other times and incredibly strong when the situation demands strength.