 35 years old  a native-born American citizen  resident of the United States for at least 14 years

 Most have won elections before  Most are college educated  Many have been lawyers  Many have come from large states Why would it benefit a presidential candidate to be a governor of a large state?

 All but one have been Protestant Christians (John F. Kennedy was Catholic)  In 1984 the Democratic Party nominated Geraldine Ferraro as its first female vice-presidential candidate  In 1988 Jesse Jackson, an African-American, ran a close second in the race to become the Democratic candidate for president  In 2000 the Democrats nominated Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman as the first Jewish candidate for vice president  In 2008 former Senator Hillary Clinton ran a close second in the race to become the Democratic candidate for president  All have been white males until 2008 with the election of our first African-American, President Obama.

 4 year terms  Originally there were no term limits  George Washington served for eight years and refused to run for a third term  All the presidents followed Washington’s path until 1940 when Franklin D. Roosevelt ran for a third term. In 1944 Roosevelt won a fourth term.  The 22 amendment ratified in 1951, limits each president to two elected terms in office, or a maximum of 10 years if the presidency began during another president’s term.

 The United States Constitution gives the POTUS the following powers: › Veto of a bill › Call the Congress into a special session › Serve as Commander in Chief of the armed forces › Receive leaders and other officials of foreign countries › Make treaties › pardon

 The U.S. Constitution requires that the President address the Congress throughout his term in office  Every year the President gives his “state of the union” address  This speech lays out the President’s plan for the nation for the upcoming year.

 $400,000 a year plus money for expenses and travel  live and work in the White House, which contains a private movie theater, a small gym, a bowling alley, and a heated pool  a staff of more than 80 people takes care of the president’s family  the use of Camp David in Maryland  Air Force One

 The president is elected every four years  There is no popular election of the president  The Constitution does provide for an indirect method of election called the Electoral College  Each state “shall appoint” electors, who then vote for one of the major candidates.

 To become President you must receive 270/538 electoral votes.  The 538 electoral votes comes from the total membership in the Congress (535) + 3 electoral votes for Washington D.C.  Each state gets the same amount of electoral votes as it has voting members in the Congress. For example, N.C. has 13 representatives +2 senators = 15 electoral votes.

 The Electoral college is a winner-take-all system.  This means that if a candidate receives 51% of a state’s popular vote, he or she will receive all of the state’s electoral votes.

 The Vice President is elected through the electoral college like the president  The qualifications are the same  The Constitution does not give much power to the Vice President  Not very visible to the public  The vice president does become president if the president dies, becomes seriously ill, or resigns

 Twenty-fifth amendment  this amendment says that if the president dies or leaves office the vice president will become president  The vice president then will become president and choose the new vice president which the Senate and House would approve  This amendment also allows the vice president to assume the presidency if the president is disabled or unable to do the job

 The twenty-fifth amendment has only been used three times  in 1973 Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned, and President Richard Nixon replaced him with Gerald Ford  when Nixon resigned in 1974 Ford became president and chose Nelson A. Rockefeller to be his new vice president  In 1985 President Ronald Reagan informed Congress that he would need to undergo surgery and be unable to carry out his presidential duties. Vice President George H.W. Bush served as acting president for about eight hours

 on/cabinet on/cabinet

 Commander in Chief  Party leader  Legislative leader  Economic leader  Head of state  Chief executive  Chief diplomat

 A nation’s overall plan for dealing with other nations is called its foreign policy.  The basic goal of American foreign policy is national security, the ability to keep the country safe from attack or harm.  Another goal is international trade. For example, NAFTA.  NAFTA stands for the N orth A merican F ree T rade A greement. This is where Canada, America and, Mexico trade goods at lower costs.

 Another goal is world peace. When we are at war it can disrupt trade and peace in other areas of the world.  Promoting democracy around the world is also a goal of foreign policy. Promoting democracy can insure our national security.

 The State Department, Defense Department, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Council make up the foreign policy team.  These agencies do not always agree on how to solve a problem  “The State Department wants to solve everything with words, and the generals, with guns.” President Johnson

 The Constitution divides the power to conduct foreign policy b/w the Congress and the president.  The president is commander in chief and chief diplomat but Congress has the power to declare war, and to spend or withhold money for defense.  Over the years the balance of power has been tipped back and forth b/w the president and Congress.

 Creating treaties and executive agreements  Appointing ambassadors  Foreign Aid  International Trade  Military Force  Turn to page 223 and describe each tool of foreign policy.

 Should Congress or the president have in more power in conducting foreign policy? Explain your answer.  HW: who hold currently holds the following positions?  Sec. of State, Sec. of Defense, head of National Security Council, and director of Central Intelligence Agency.