1. Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 1

2. Objectives Describe the President’s many roles.
Understand the formal qualifications necessary to become President.
Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.
Describe the President’s pay and benefits.

3. Key Terms chief of state: the ceremonial head of government
chief executive: the leader of the executive branch and holder of executive power under the Constitution
chief administrator: the director of the executive branch
chief diplomat: the main architect of the nation’s foreign policy and its chief spokesperson to the world

4. Key Terms, cont.
commander in chief: the leader of the nation’s armed forces
chief legislator: the main author of the nation’s public policies
chief of party: the leader of the political party controlling the executive branch
chief citizen: the representative of all the people and the champion of public interest

5. Roles of the President Chief executive Chief administrator
Chief of State
Ceremonial head of the U.S. government
Symbol of the American people
Chief executive
In domestic and foreign affairs
Chief administrator
Directs more than 2.7 million civilian employees of the executive branch

6. Roles of the President Chief diplomat
The main architect of American foreign policy
Chief spokesman to the rest of the world

7. Roles of the President Commander in chief
Commander of the 1.4 million men and women of the nation’s armed forces

8. Roles of the President Chief legislator The unofficial chief citizen
Proposes laws that set the congressional legislative agenda
The unofficial head of the political party that controls the executive branch
The unofficial chief citizen
Expected to champion the public interest
Expected to be the representative of all the people

9. Formal Qualifications
Three requirements a potential President must meet to be eligible for office
Natural born citizen of the United States
At least 35 years of age
Must have been a U.S. resident for at least 14 years
Checkpoint Answer: The President must be a natural born US citizen, a US resident for at least 14 years, and be at least 35 years of age. 9

10. Terms in Office
The Constitution sets no term limits for the presidency
George Washington set the custom of serving two terms
Franklin Roosevelt broke this custom by being elected to four terms from 1932 to 1944

11. Terms in Office, cont. The 22nd Amendment Proposed by Congress in 1947
Ratified by the states in 1951
Limits Presidents to no more than two full elected terms in office
If a President succeeds to the office after the middle of a term, he or she can still seek two full terms.
No President can serve more than 10 years in office

12. Pay and Benefits Congress decides the President’s annual salary
It cannot be changed while a President is in office
Current salary is $400,000 a year, plus $50,000 a year for expenses
The Constitution forbids the President from receiving any other pay from the government or the States while in office 12

13. Pay and Benefits, cont. The President also receives many benefits
The White House
Air Force One
Camp David
A fleet of cars, a large staff, a suite of offices, excellent healthcare, and many other fringe benefits

14. Presidential Succession and the Vice President
(Section 2)

15. Objectives
Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.
Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.
Describe the role of the Vice President.

16. Key Terms
presidential succession: the scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled
Presidential Succession Act of 1947: the current law fixing the order of succession to the presidency after the Vice President
balance the ticket: the practice of choosing a vice presidential running mate who can strengthen the presidential candidate’s chance of being elected

17. Introduction
What if the President is unable to perform the duties of the office?
If a President dies, resigns, or is removed by impeachment, the Vice President succeeds to the presidency
If the President is temporarily incapacitated, the Vice President becomes Acting President until the President can resume office

18. Presidential Succession
The Vice President succeeded the President nine times in U.S. history, beginning with John Tyler replacing William Harrison in 1841
At first, the Vice President didn’t actually become President
Technically assumed only the powers and duties of the presidency 18

19. Presidential Succession, cont.
25th Amendment
Adopted in 1967
Vice President now
formally assumes
the office of
President
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The above photo shows Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn into office, after President Kennedy’s assassination. 19

20. Order of Succession The Presidential Succession Act of 1947
Sets the order of succession after the Vice President
The presiding officers of Congress, then
Heads of the cabinet departments
In the order they were created 20

21. Presidential Disability
For many years, there were no provisions for deciding if a President was too disabled to continue in office
Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919 and was too ill to meet with his cabinet for seven months
President Eisenhower had three serious but temporary illnesses while in office
In 1981, President Reagan was badly wounded in an assassination attempt 21

22. Presidential Disability, cont.
25th Amendment
Vice President becomes Acting President if
The President informs Congress, in writing
Cannot carry out the powers and duties of the office, OR
The Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress, in writing
The President is incapacitated
NOTE TO TEACHERS: This clause has been enacted briefly on three times during medical procedures: once by Reagan in 1985, and twice by George W. Bush, first in 2002 and then 2007. 22

23. The Vice Presidency Two formal duties by the Constitution
Preside over the Senate
Help decide if the President is disabled (under the 25th Amendment)
Otherwise, the Vice President must be ready to assume the duties of the presidency if necessary
Checkpoint Answer: The Vice President’s only formal duties are to preside over the Senate, to help determine if the President is disabled, and to be ready to assume the duties of the presidency if needed. 23

24. The Vice Presidency, cont. Balancing the Ticket
Historically, the office of Vice President has had low status
Vice presidential candidate is often chosen because he or she can balance the ticket
Help the president get elected
Ideology, geographic background, race, ethnicity, or gender 24

25. The Vice Presidency Today
Recent Vice Presidents have had more political experience and influence
Dick Cheney is widely viewed as the most influential vice president in history
Joe Biden, right, brought years of foreign policy experience to his office
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The above image shows Vice President Joe Biden addressing the press. 25

26. Vice Presidential Vacancy
The vice presidency has been left vacant nine times by succession, seven times by death, and twice by resignation
25th Amendment
The President can fill a vice presidential vacancy
Nominate a Vice President
Must be confirmed by both houses of Congress
In 1973, Gerald Ford became the first Vice President appointed in this fashion 26