Chapter 10 The Presidency

Enduring questions Did the Founding Fathers want the president to be stronger or weaker than Congress? How does character influence how the president does his job? Should we abolish the electoral college?

Powers the president shares with the Senate Make treaties Appoint ambassadors, judges, and high officials

Powers the president shares with Congress as a whole Make laws Administer the laws Make war

War Powers Act (1973) (CRS report) Catalyst Provisions Notification of Congress Congressional action Automatic withdrawal after 60 days unless Declaration of war Approval of undeclared war Legislative veto within 60 days Examples Afghanistan Iraq

Structure of the executive branch White House Office Chief of staff, counselor, press secretary, national security adviser, domestic policy adviser, Congressional liaison Executive Office of the President CEA, NSC, OMB Cabinet departments Independent agencies

Presidential popularity (Truman – Nixon)

Presidential popularity (Ford - Obama)

Presidential success in Congress (Eisenhower – Obama) Source: Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, various years.

Four presidential character types (James David Barber) Positive Negative Active Jefferson T. Roosevelt F. D. Roosevelt Truman Kennedy Lincoln Wilson Hoover L. B. Johnson Nixon Passive Madison Taft Harding Reagan Clinton Washington Coolidge Eisenhower George H. W. Bush George W. Bush (2nd term)

C-Span historians’ presidential rankings (2009)

Presidential succession Death Natural causes Assassination Resignation Impeachment & conviction Andrew Johnson William Jefferson Clinton

Presidential disability 25th amendment: Catalyst: Provision: vice-president can now become “acting president” in cases of presidential disability Three scenarios: President initiates process President takes no action President denies disability