the presidency

Chapter 14Chapter 14The PresidencyThe Presidency

Copyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1.1. Did the Founders expect the presidency Did the Founders expect the presidency

to be the most important political to be the most important political institution?institution?

2.2. How important is the president’s How important is the president’s character in determining how he character in determining how he governs?governs?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1.1. Should we abolish the electoral Should we abolish the electoral

college?college?

2.2. Is it harder to govern when the Is it harder to govern when the presidency and the Congress are presidency and the Congress are controlled by different political parties?controlled by different political parties?

Presidents and Prime MinistersPresidents and Prime Ministers

Presidents are Often OutsidersPresidents are Often Outsiders Presidents Choose Cabinet Members Presidents Choose Cabinet Members

from Outside Congressfrom Outside Congress Presidents Have No Guaranteed Presidents Have No Guaranteed

Majority in CongressMajority in Congress Presidents and Prime Ministers at Presidents and Prime Ministers at

WarWar


The first cabinet: left to right, The first cabinet: left to right, Secretary of War Henry Knox, Secretary of War Henry Knox, Secretary of State Thomas Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Attorney General Jefferson, Attorney General Edmund Randolph, Secretary of Edmund Randolph, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, and President George Hamilton, and President George Washington. p. 360Washington. p. 360

Copyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 CengageBettmann/Corbis

Divided GovernmentDivided Government

Divided government – Divided government – One party One party controls the White House and another controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of party controls one or both houses of CongressCongress

Unified government – Unified government – The same party The same party controls the White House and both controls the White House and both houses of Congresshouses of Congress

Does gridlock matter?Does gridlock matter? Is policy gridlock bad?Is policy gridlock bad?


The Evolution of the PresidencyThe Evolution of the Presidency

Concerns of the FoundersConcerns of the Founders The Electoral CollegeThe Electoral College The President’s Term of OfficeThe President’s Term of Office The First PresidentsThe First Presidents The JacksoniansThe Jacksonians The Re-emergence of CongressThe Re-emergence of Congress


America witnessed peaceful America witnessed peaceful transfers of power not only transfers of power not only between leaders of different between leaders of different parties (such as Woodrow parties (such as Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft Wilson and William Howard Taft in 1913), but also after a in 1913), but also after a popular leader was popular leader was assassinated (Lyndon Johnson assassinated (Lyndon Johnson is sworn in after John F. is sworn in after John F. Kennedy’s death). p. 366Kennedy’s death). p. 366


Library of Congress

Cecil Stoughton/White House/AP Photo

The Powers of the PresidentThe Powers of the President

Powers of the Powers of the President AlonePresident Alone

Powers the President Powers the President Shares with the Shares with the SenateSenate

Powers the President Powers the President Shares with Shares with Congress as a Whole Congress as a Whole


A military officer carrying “the football” – the briefcase containing the secret codes the president can use to launch a nuclear attack. p. 370

Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images

The Office of the PresidentThe Office of the President

The White House OfficeThe White House Office• Pyramid structurePyramid structure• Circular structureCircular structure• Ad hoc structureAd hoc structure

The Executive Office of the PresidentThe Executive Office of the President The CabinetThe Cabinet Independent Agencies, Commissions, Independent Agencies, Commissions,

and Judgeshipsand JudgeshipsCopyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage


Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2009, table 481.

Who Gets AppointedWho Gets Appointed

Prior federal experiencePrior federal experience ““In-and-outers”In-and-outers” Political followingPolitical following Expertise/ administrative Expertise/ administrative

experienceexperience


Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins (left), appointed by President Franklin (left), appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt, was the first woman cabinet Roosevelt, was the first woman cabinet member. member.


When Condoleezza Rice was selected by President George W. Bush to be National Security Advisor, she became the first woman to hold that position (and later the first African American woman to be Secretary of State). p. 378

Bettmann/CORBIS

Bob Daemmrich/PhotoEdit

Presidential CharacterPresidential Character

Dwight EisenhowerDwight Eisenhower John KennedyJohn Kennedy Lyndon JohnsonLyndon Johnson Richard NixonRichard Nixon Gerald FordGerald Ford Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter

Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. Bush Bill ClintonBill Clinton George W. BushGeorge W. Bush Barack ObamaBarack Obama


The Power to PersuadeThe Power to Persuade

The Three AudiencesThe Three Audiences• Fellow politicians and Fellow politicians and

leadersleaders• Partisan grassrootsPartisan grassroots• The publicThe public

Popularity and InfluencePopularity and Influence The Decline in PopularityThe Decline in Popularity


President Bush shakes hands with Speaker Nancy Pelosi after his State of the Union address. p. 380

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Sources: Updated from Congressional Sources: Updated from Congressional Quarterly, Quarterly, Guide to U.S. ElectionsGuide to U.S. Elections, 928; , 928; and and Congress and the NationCongress and the Nation, vol. 4 , vol. 4 (1973–1976), 28.(1973–1976), 28.


Figure 14.2 Presidential Victories on Figure 14.2 Presidential Victories on Votes in Congress, 1953–2006Votes in Congress, 1953–2006


Note: Percentages indicate number of congressional votes supporting the president divided by the total number of votes on which the president has taken a position.Sources: Congressional Quarterly Almanac (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, various years); Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report (CQ Weekly) (1992), 3894; (1993), 3473; (1994), 3620; (1996), 3428; (1998), 14; (1999), 76, 2972; (2001) 54; (2002), 142, 3237; (2004), 54–55,2947–2948; (2006), 87; (2007), 50.

The Power to Say NoThe Power to Say No

VetoVeto• Veto messageVeto message• Pocket vetoPocket veto• Line-item vetoLine-item veto

Executive PrivilegeExecutive Privilege Impoundment of FundsImpoundment of Funds Signing StatementsSigning Statements



Source: Norman J. Ornstein, Thomas E. Mann, and Michael J.Malbin, Vital Statistics on Congress, 2001–2002 (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 2001), 207 (updated).


Source: Norman J. Ornstein, Thomas E. Mann, and MichaelSource: Norman J. Ornstein, Thomas E. Mann, and MichaelJ. Malbin, J. Malbin, Vital Statistics on CongressVital Statistics on Congress, 2002–2003 , 2002–2003 (Washington, D.C(Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 2003), , 2003), 207 (updated).207 (updated).

The President’s ProgramThe President’s Program

Putting Together a ProgramPutting Together a Program• Interest groupsInterest groups• Aides and campaign advisersAides and campaign advisers• Federal bureaus and agenciesFederal bureaus and agencies• Outside, academic, other specialists and Outside, academic, other specialists and

expertsexperts Attempts to ReorganizeAttempts to Reorganize


A group of Civilian ConservationA group of Civilian ConservationCorps workers hired by the governmentCorps workers hired by the government

during the Great Depression. p. 390during the Great Depression. p. 390


Scherl/SV-Bilderdeinst/The image Works

Presidential TransitionPresidential Transition

The Vice The Vice PresidentPresident

Problems of Problems of SuccessionSuccession

ImpeachmentImpeachment Lame duckLame duck


President Reagan, moments before he was shot on March 30, 1981, by a would-be assassin. The Twenty-fifth Amendment solves the problem of presidential disability by providing for an orderly transfer of power to the vice president. p. 392

Michael Evans/The White House

M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M

To: To: Delegate James NagleDelegate James Nagle

From: From: Amy Wilson, legal staffAmy Wilson, legal staff

Subject: Subject: Six-year presidential termSix-year presidential term

The proposal to give the president a single six-year term is The proposal to give the president a single six-year term is perhaps the most popular amendment now before the perhaps the most popular amendment now before the convention. Polls suggest that it is supported by a sizable convention. Polls suggest that it is supported by a sizable percentage of the American people.percentage of the American people.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. Today, a president no sooner learns the ropes after being 1. Today, a president no sooner learns the ropes after being elected for the first time than he or she has to start elected for the first time than he or she has to start preparing for the next election. A six-year term will give the preparing for the next election. A six-year term will give the president a chance to govern for several years after president a chance to govern for several years after learning how to be president. This will lessen the extent to learning how to be president. This will lessen the extent to which political pressures dictate what the president does.which political pressures dictate what the president does.

2. Limited to a single term, the president need not cater to 2. Limited to a single term, the president need not cater to special-interest groups or the media in deciding on policy. special-interest groups or the media in deciding on policy. He or she can concentrate on what is good for the country.He or she can concentrate on what is good for the country.

3. Many states have limited their governors to a single term.3. Many states have limited their governors to a single term.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. It is the need to win reelection that keeps the president 1. It is the need to win reelection that keeps the president (like any politician) attentive to what the people want. A (like any politician) attentive to what the people want. A president unable to succeed himself or herself will be president unable to succeed himself or herself will be tempted to ignore public opinion.tempted to ignore public opinion.

2. Limiting a president to a single term will not free him or her 2. Limiting a president to a single term will not free him or her from the need to play to the media or special-interest from the need to play to the media or special-interest groups, since the formal powers of the presidency are too groups, since the formal powers of the presidency are too weak to permit the incumbent to govern without the aid of weak to permit the incumbent to govern without the aid of Congress and the press.Congress and the press.

3. There is no evidence that presidents (such as Dwight 3. There is no evidence that presidents (such as Dwight Eisenhower) who served a second term knowing that they Eisenhower) who served a second term knowing that they could not run for reelection did a better or less “political” could not run for reelection did a better or less “political” job in the second term than in the first.job in the second term than in the first.



Your decision:Your decision:

Favor amendment?Favor amendment?

Oppose amendment?Oppose amendment?



How Powerful is the President?How Powerful is the President?

Presidential rules of Presidential rules of thumb for dealing with thumb for dealing with political problems:political problems:• Move it or lose it.Move it or lose it.• Avoid details.Avoid details.• Cabinets don’t get much Cabinets don’t get much

accomplished; people do.accomplished; people do.


Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president. p. 396

Susan Walsh/AP Photo

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