1. Warm Up
"In the scheme of our national government, the presidency is preeminently the people's office.“ —President Grover Cleveland, 1900 Reflect on this quotation. In what way is the presidency “the people’s office”? What do you know about the job of President of the United States?

2. Roles of the President
Chief of State: the symbol of all the people of the nation
Chief Executive: leader of the government of the United States
Chief Administrator: director of the huge executive branch

3. As chief of state, the President is the ceremonial head of the United States government. In this role, President Obama welcomed British Prime Minister David Cameron to the White House in 2012.

4. Roles of the President
Chief Diplomat: the main architect of American foreign policy and the nation’s chief spokesman to the rest of the world
Chief Legislator: the one who sets the agenda for Congress
the President must work with Congress to get laws passed that support his agenda
Commander in Chief: the leader of the military

5. Roles of the President
Chief Economist: monitor of the nation's economic conditions
Chief of Party: the leader of his or her political party
Chief Citizen: the President is expected to be “the representative of all the people

6. President Obama comforts a New Jersey resident as he and Governor Chris Christie survey hurricane damage in As chief citizen, the President fights for the people's best interests.

7. Formal Qualifications
must be a natural born Citizen (born in the United States or to American parents abroad)
at least 35 years of age
must have lived in the United States for 14 years
Examples of Informal Qualifications: political experience and speaking ability

9. Term of Office 4 years in length Until 1951, there were no term limits
Limited to 2 terms
No president can serve more than 10 years in office

11. After Franklin Roosevelt was elected President four times, Congress passed the 22nd Amendment to limit the number of presidential terms. What are the pros and cons of term limits?

12. Presidential Succession and Disability
If a President dies, resigns, or is removed from office by impeachment, the Vice President succeeds to the office
25th Amendment: In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President
Disability of the President
This occurs during times when the President is unable to do his job

14. Presidential Succession and Disability
The Vice President is to become Acting President if…
the President informs Congress, in writing, "that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office“
the Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress, in writing, that the President is so incapacitated
The President may resume the powers and duties of the office by informing Congress by "written declaration" that no inability exists

15. By tradition, one of the people in the line of succession does not attend the President's State of the Union address with the others. Why do you think this is done?

16. How Long Should a President Serve?
The 22nd Amendment established a limit of two full terms (or ten years at most) for any President to serve. As an alternative, several Presidents have suggested reconsidering one of the original Framers’ ideas of a single six-year, nonrenewable term.
Remember what you have learned about a President’s roles and responsibilities, and write an opinion about this proposal. Support your opinion with details from the lesson.