Why would someone want to run for president of the U.S.? What are the not so obvious "perks"?

Narcissim is the first thing that comes to my mind,in response to your first question. The level of narcissim varies widely among the American presidents throughout history as there were a few introverts(Abraham Lincoln).

One of the not so obvious perks is a permanent position in the highest levels of our societal hierarchy until death and beyond. The presidency is also the gift that keeps on giving for any personality that is also curious as any living president has access to the presidential daily briefing or P.D.B.This highly classified information can be useful to the management of any viewers wealth,since it contains the forecast as well as the existing trends and truth of the American and global economy.

Which brings me to money that most valuable of perks in modern American culture. The president who serves a 4 year term will only earn 2 million dollars. It seems like a great sum to a layman but the real money comes after leaving office.

Since leaving office in 2000 former president Bill Clinton has earned 109 million dollars on the lecture circuit,books,memoirs etc...

Presidents also earn a full retirement,keep their secret service detail for life and are granted access to secure locations for their families in case of a nuclear war/fallout,enviormental disaster,terrorist attack etc...

It could be to make a difference to the Country and the people in it or it could be for attainment of Power.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.