1. The Presidency

2. The Presidents Great Expectations
Americans want a president who is powerful and who can do good:
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Kennedy.
But at the same time, they don’t want the president to get too powerful since we are individualistic and skeptical of authority.
Nixon
Clinton

3. The Presidents Who They Are Formal Requirements:
Must be 35 years old
Must be a natural-born citizen
Must have resided in U.S. for 14 years
Informal “Requirements”:
White, Male, Protestant (except one JFK)
All manner of professions, but mostly political ones (former state governors, for example)

4. 22nd amendment established 2 terms/10 years
Govn’t experience (law)
$$$
Moderate viewpoints
Male
Lonely job

5. Salary and Benefits Determined by Congress
$400,000 salary/$50,000 expenses/$120,000 travel & entertainment
Air Force One
Free medical, dental, healthcare
White House (132 room mansion) swimming pool, bowling alley
80 domestic staff
Retirement = Pension - $151,800; office staff - $150,000 (former first ladies - $20,000)

6. 25th amendment (1967) Order Disability VP Speaker of the House
Pres. Pro-temp of the Senate
Cabinet Offices (secretaries)
Garfield, FDR, JFK, Harding all died in office
Disability
Pres informs Congress (vp takes over)
VP and majority of Cabinet indicate if president is disabled

7. Vice-President 2 duties: Other duties vary
President over Senate (vote in case of tie)
Helps decide if pres is disabled and acts as pres should that happen
Other duties vary
Recently given more power and responsibility (ex: Cheney)

8. The Presidents

9. The Presidents How They Got There
Elections: The Normal Road to the White House
Once elected, the president gets a term of four years.
In 1951, the 22nd Amendment limited the number of terms to two.
Most Presidents have been elected to office.

10. The Presidents How They Got There Succession and Impeachment
Vice-President succeeds if the president leaves office due to death, resignation, or removal.
Impeachment is investigated by the House, and if impeached, tried by the Senate with the Chief Justice presiding.
Only two presidents have been impeached: A. Johnson & Clinton - neither was convicted.
The 25th Amendment clarifies what happens if the president becomes disabled.

11. The Presidents

12. System of Electing the President
Elector - a member of a political party chosen by a popular vote in each state to formally elect the pres and vp
Electoral vote - official vote for pres and vp by electors in each state
# of electors per state = # of representatives + # of senators per state

13. Must win 270 of 538 votes (majority)
Elections 2000
If no one candidate wins majority than outcome determined by House of Rep. (ex: Jefferson, John Quincy Adams)
Winner take all system
Widely debated
Electoral votes vs. popular votes

14. BUSH/
CHENEY
271
electoral vote
50,456,062
popular vote
GORE/
LIBERMAN
266
50,996,582

15. Presidential Office 20th amendment
Changed the month the president takes office from March to January
Noon on January 20th

16. Presidential Powers
From Table 13.3

17. PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP
Head of State
Represent nation
Ceremonial duties
Light tree
Host dignitaries
Meet public figures
Chief Executive
Carries out laws of Congress
Executive orders - rules that have the force of law
Grant reprieve
Grant pardon
amnesty

18. Chief Legislator Economic Planner Propose legislation to Congress
State of Union address
Work with members of Congress
Veto power
Economic Planner
Employment Act of 1946 (annual economic report, council of Economic Advisors)
Prepare federal budget

19. Party Leader Chief Diplomat Commander in Chief
Help in election of members
Fund raising
Appointing party members (patronage)
Conflict of interest?
Chief Diplomat
Directs foreign policy
Struggle with Congress over power
Make treaties
Make executive agreements
Recognition of foreign governments
Commander in Chief
Power to make war
Military operation and strategy
Operations at home

20. Limitations on power
Congress - override veto by 2/3 vote (Ex: War Powers Act - Nixon’s veto 1973)
Congress - impeach pres (Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton - acquitted)
Supreme Court - Marbury v. Madison 1803
Some of FDR’s new deal legislation was ruled unconstitutional
Schechter Poultry Corp vs. U.S.
Richard Nixon’s White House Tapes
Bureaucracy - intentional and unintentional
Fail to provide info, misinterpret instructions
Public opinion
War, economic state, moral character
Mass media

21. Executive Privilege
Right of pres to refuse to testify before, or to provide info to Congress or a court
US v. Nixon (1974)
Nixon secretly taped conversations with key aides about Watergate coverup
SC ruled that Nixon had to surredner tapes to special prosecutor investigating scandal
Question remains: How far does executive privilege extend?

22. Presidential Powers The Expansion of Power
Presidents may develop new roles for the office
Presidents may expand the power of the office
Perspectives on Presidential Power
Through the 50’s & 60’s a powerful President was perceived as good.
From the 70’s on, presidential power was checked and distrusted by the public.

23. Running the Government: The Chief Executive
The Vice President
Basically just “waits” for things to do
Recent presidents have given their VPs important jobs
The Cabinet
Presidential advisors, not in Constitution
Is made up of the top executives of the Federal Departments, confirmed by the Senate
Pres, VP, 14 secretaries (dept. heads), top officials
President Bush's Cabinet

24. Running the Government: The Chief Executive

25. Cabinet Secretary Characteristics
Presidential advisors
“secretaries” head each major executive dept
Must please many (political party, Congress, interest groups)
Experience in area
Satisfaction of interest groups (ex: education: NEA)
NEA: About NEA

26. Administrative skills (large departments)
Background (college grads, advanced degrees, leaders in field)
Salary $161,200 (often sacrifice $$ for public service)

27. Nomination and Confirmation
List made by pres
Names may be leaked to assess views of public, Congress, interest groups
Confirmation hearings before committee that oversees particular dept
2/3 vote of Senate

28. Role of Cabinet Head of dept Advisor to pres
Most Cabinet’s are sounding boards more than advisors
Inner cabinet (state, defense, treasury, Attorney General) more influential

29. Limits of Cabinet
Conflicting loyalties (pres, career employees, Congress, interest groups)
Internal disputes (between secretaries - fight for control; disagree with pres)
Secrecy and trust issues
Pres often turns to Executive Office instead

30. Running the Government: The Chief Executive
The Executive Office
Made up of several policymaking and advisory bodies
Three principle groups: NSC, CEA, OMB
Figure 13.1

31. Running the Government: The Chief Executive
The White House Staff
Chief aides and staff for the president - some are more for the White House than the president
Presidents rely on their information and effort
The First Lady
No official government position, but many get involved politically
Recent ones focus on a single issue

32. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT (EOP)
Individuals and agencies that directly assist the pres
Gather info; advise pres; help implement decisions

33. Executive Office Agencies
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Largest
Prepares pres budget to Congress
Reviews budgets of agencies
Central clearance - review all legislative proposals

34. National Security Council (NSC)
Created in 1974
Coordinate military and foreign policy
Pres, vp, sec of state, sec of defense, other advisors
National security advisor directs staff
National Security Council

35. National Economic Council
Created in 1946
Helps pres formulate nat’l economic policy
3 top economists - 60 other economists, attorneys, political scientists
Assesses econ health, future econ conditions, aids other agencies
Proposes solutions to problems
Lawrence B. Lindsey

36. Running the Government: The Chief Executive
Principal Offices in the White House (Figure 13.2)

37. White House Office Pres appoints (withOUT approval of Senate)
Often long time personal supporters
Inner circle
Chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, White House counsel, press sec
Press staff (headed by press sec)
Handles relations with White House press corp
Press conferences
Public statements

38. Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers
Chief Legislator
Veto: Sending a bill back to Congress with his reasons for rejecting it. Can be overridden.
Pocket Veto: Letting a bill die by not signing it - only works when Congress is adjourned.
Line Item Veto: The ability to veto parts of a bill. Some state governors have it, but not the president.
Vetoes are most used to prevent legislation.

39. Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers

40. Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers
Party Leadership
The Bonds of Party
The psychological bond of being in the president’s party
Slippage in Party Support
Presidents cannot always count on party support, especially on controversial issues
Leading the Party
Presidents can offer party candidates support and punishment by withholding favors.
Presidential coattails occur when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president’s party because they support the president.

41. Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers

42. Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers

43. Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers
Public Support
Public Approval
Operates mostly in the background
Public approval gives the president leverage, not command
Mandates
Perception that the voters strongly support the president’s character and policies
Mandates are infrequent, but presidents may claim a mandate anyway

44. Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers
Legislative Skills
Variety of forms: bargaining, making personal appeals, consulting with Congress, setting priorities, etc.
Most important is bargaining with Congress.
Presidents can use their “honeymoon” period to their advantage.
Nation’s key agenda builder

45. The President and National Security Policy
Chief Diplomat
Negotiates treaties with other countries
Treaties must be approved by the Senate
Use executive agreements to take care of routine matters with other countries
May negotiate for peace between other countries
Lead U.S. allies in defense & economic issues

46. The President and National Security Policy
Commander in Chief
Writers of the constitution wanted civilian control of the military
Presidents often make important military decisions
Presidents command a standing military and nuclear arsenal - unthinkable 200 years ago

47. The President and National Security Policy
War Powers
Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, but presidents can commit troops and equipment in conflicts
War Powers Resolution was intended to limit the president’s use of the military - but may be unconstitutional
Presidents continue to test the limits of using the military in foreign conflicts

48. The President and National Security Policy
Crisis Manager
A crisis is a sudden, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous event.
The role the president plays can help or hurt the presidential image.
With current technology, the president can act much faster than Congress to resolve a crisis.
Working with Congress
President has lead role in foreign affairs.
Presidents still have to work with Congress for support and funding of foreign policies.

49. Presidential Isolation
Staff members are reluctant to voice criticism of the pres
Disagreement with the pres can sometimes lead to limited access to the pres
Top staffers control access to the pres

50. Power from the People: The Public Presidency
Going Public
Public support is perhaps the greatest source of influence a president has.
Presidential appearances are staged to get the public’s attention.
As head of state, presidents often perform many ceremonial functions, which usually result in favorable press coverage.

51. Power from the People: The Public Presidency
Presidential Approval
Receives much effort by the White House
Product of many factors: predispositions, “honeymoon”
Changes can highlight good / bad decisions
Figure 13.3

52. Power from the People: The Public Presidency
Average Presidential Approval for Entire Terms in Office (Figure 13.4)

53. Power from the People: The Public Presidency
Policy Support
Being an effective speaker is important.
The public may still miss the message.
Mobilizing the Public
The president may need to get the public to actually act by contacting Congress.
Difficult to do since public opinion and political action are needed.

54. The President and the Press
Presidents and media are often adversaries due to different goals
Many people in the White House deal with the media, but the press secretary is the main contact person
Media are often more interested in the person, not the policies
News coverage has become more negative

55. Understanding the American Presidency
The Presidency and Democracy
There are still concerns over the president having too much power.
Others argue there are too many checks and balances on the president.
The Presidency and the Scope of Government
Some presidents have increased the functions of government.