Chapter 12 The Presidency: Leading the Nation

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Chapter 12The Presidency Leading the Nation
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• The American presidency is always a central
  office in that its occupant is a focus of
  national attention. This chapter examines the
  roots of presidential power, the presidential
  selection process, the staffing of the
  presidency, and the factors associated with the
  success or failure of presidential leadership.

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Monica Lewinski
As Bill Clinton was launching an aggressive
second-term policy agenda, however, he got
entangled in an affair with a White House intern,
Monica Lewinski, which led to his impeachment by
the House of Representatives and weakened his
claim to national leadership.
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Chapter 12 Main Ideas

• Public expectations, national crisis, and
  changing national and world conditions have
  required the presidency to become a strong
  office.
• The modern presidential election campaign is a
  marathon affair in which self-selected candidates
  must plan for a strong start in the nominating
  contests and center their general-election
  strategies on media, issues, and a baseline of
  support.
• The modern presidency could not operate without a
  large staff of assistants, experts, and
  high-level managers, but the sheer size of this
  staff makes it impossible for the president to
  exercise complete control over it.

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Chapter 12 Main Ideas

• The presidents election by national vote and
  position as sole chief executive ensure that
  others will listen to the presidents ideas but
  to lead effectively, the president must have the
  help of other officials and, to get their help,
  must respond to their interest as they respond to
  the presidents.
• Presidential influence on national policy is
  highly variable.

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Foundations of the Modern Presidency

• The writers of the Constitution knew what they
  wanted from a president national leadership,
  statesman of foreign affairs, command in time of
  war or insurgency, enforcement of the laws- but
  they could devise only general phrases to
  describe the presidents constitutional
  authority. (Article II of the Constitution).
• Over the course of American history, each of the
  presidents constitutional powers has been
  extended in practice beyond the Framers
  intention.

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Foundations of the Modern Presidency

• Example
• The Constitution grants the president command of
  the nations military, but only Congress can
  declare war. Nevertheless, the nations
  presidents have sent troops into military action
  abroad more than 200 times. Of the more than a
  dozen wars included in that figure, only five
  were declared by Congress. All of Americas most
  recent wars- the Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf,
  Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts- have
  been undeclared.
• The presidency is a more powerful office that the
  Framers envisioned, for many reasons. But two
  features of the office in particular national
  election and singular authority have enabled
  presidents to make use of changing demands on
  government to claim the position of leader of the
  American people.

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Asserting Claim to National Leadership

• 19th Century Conditions in the United States
  did not call for a strong national leader and
  most felt that the President should not have
  implicit powers for dealing with national
  problems. They felt that the president was
  primarily an administrator charged with carrying
  out the will of Congress.

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Asserting Claim to National Leadership

• Andrew Jackson First president to forcefully
  assert a claim to popular leadership.
• Jackson was the only president who ever paid off
  the national debt.
• Jackson's soldiers nicknamed him "Old Hickory" in
  honor of his toughness.
• The hot-tempered Jackson killed Charles Dickinson
  in a duel after Dickinson made insulting remarks
  about his marriage.

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• Whig Theory A theory that held that the
  presidency was a limited or restrained office
  whose occupant was confined to expressly granted
  constitutional authority.
• President James Buchanan
• My duty is to execute the laws ..and
  not my individual opinions.
• (1857 1861)
• Buchanan, a large robust man.
• Reportedly took great pride in his tiny feet.
• James Buchanan was the first unmarried man to be
  elected president.
• By the time Buchanan's presidential term ended,
  seven states had seceded from the Union.

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• 1901 Theodore Roosevelt elected He rejected
  the Whig Theory.
• Stewardship Theory Argued for a strong
  assertive presidential role, with presidential
  authority limited only at points specifically
  outlined by law.
• (1901 1909)
• Roosevelt's foreign policy was
• "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
• Roosevelt was shot during a speech
  in the campaign of 1912. But he
  continued, saying, "I will
  deliver this speech or die."
• At age 42, Roosevelt became the youngest
  president in U.S. history.
• Roosevelt was the first president to ride in a
  car or fly in an airplane.
• Roosevelt was the first president to travel
  abroad while in office. He visited Panama and
  Puerto Rico in 1906.

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• The stewardship theory was further developed by
  Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDRs New Deal economic
  package signaled the end for the idea of a
  limited presidency. Today the presidency is an
  inherently strong office.

In April 1939 Roosevelt became the first
president to appear on television. Roosevelt
held the presidency for 12 years, longer than any
other president. Franklin D. Roosevelt was
related, either by blood or by marriage, to 11
former presidents. Roosevelt was the first
president to appoint a woman to his cabinet when
he named Frances Perkins secretary of labor in
1933.
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The Need For Presidential Leadership

• During most of the 19th century (the Civil War
  period excluded), the United States did not need
  a strong president. The U.S. governments role
  in world affairs was also small. As these
  conditions changed, however, the presidency also
  changed.

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Foreign Policy Leadership

• United States
  isolationism reigned
  supreme.

The Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor and the
Beginning of World War II fundamentally
changed the nations international role and the
presidents role in foreign policy. In
1945, the U.S. emerged as a global superpower, a
giant in world trade, and the recognized leader
of the non-communist world.
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Sept. 11 2001 - After the terror attacks, the
initiative in the war on terrorism rested
squarely with the White House. Americans wanted
decisive action and were looking to the
president, not Congress, for leadership.
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Domestic Policy Leadership

• Throughout most of the 19th century Congress
  jealously guarded its constitutional powers,
  making it clear that domestic policy was its
  business. Early in the 20th century, the
  national government began taking on regulatory
  and policy responsibilities.
• 1930s Great Depression Roosevelts New
  Deal legislation responded to the publics
  demand for economic relief with a broad program
  that involved a level of policy planning and
  coordination beyond the capacity of Congress.
• Presidential authority has continued to grow
  since Roosevelts time. In response to pressures
  from the public, the national governments role
  in such areas as education, health, welfare, and
  protection of the environment has expanded
  greatly, which in turn has created additional
  demands for presidential leadership.

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Choosing the President

• The United States in its history has had four
  systems of presidential selection, each more
  democratic than its predecessor. The
  justification for each new electoral system was
  legitimacy, the idea that the choice of a
  president should be based on the will of the
  people as expressed through their votes.

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Toward a More Democratic System of Presidential
Election

• The delegates to the Constitutional Convention of
  1787 feared that popular election would make the
  presidency too centralized and too powerful and
  thereby undermine the principles of federalism
  and separation of powers. They devised a novel
  system the Electoral College.

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• President chosen by electors who are appointed
  by the states winner of majority electoral
  votes wins presidency each state is entitled to
  an lector for each member it has in Congress
  (House / Senate).
• The primary election process has been used more
  recently and the candidate who dominates those
  primaries can expect to receive the presidential
  nomination.
• The presidential election system has changed from
  an elite-dominated process to one based on voter
  support. This arrangement has strengthened the
  presidency by providing the office with the
  reserve of power that popular election confers on
  democratic leadership.

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The Campaign for Election

• By tradition, the choice of the vice presidential
  nominee rests with the presidential nominee.
  Critics say the vice presidential nomination
  should be decided in open competition, because
  the vice president could become president
  someday. The chief argument for the existing
  method is that the president needs a trusted and
  like-minded vice president.
• A tie vote in the 1800 election between Thomas
  Jefferson and Aaron Burr led to the enactment in
  1804 of the 12th Amendment to the Constitution,
  which provides that the electoral college use
  separate ballots, one for president and one for
  vice president. (Ties - House Chooses Pres. /
  Senate Chooses V.P.)

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The Campaign for Election

• The winner of the November general election is
  certain to be either the Republican or the
  Democratic candidate. Two-thirds of the nations
  voters identify with the Republican or Democratic
  Party, and most independents lean toward one or
  the other of them. As a result, the major-party
  presidential nominees have a built in source of
  votes. A third party candidate has no hope of
  overcoming this disadvantage. Therefore, the
  current system of election can deter potentially
  effective presidents from running for the office.

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Election Strategy

• 2 Electoral votes per state / assigned by
  representation in the House of Representatives.
• 538 Total Electoral Votes 270 required for a
  majority.
• If no candidate receives a majority the House
  of Representatives decides the election.
• John Quincy Adams ran for president in 1824.
  Opposing him were General Andrew Jackson of
  Tennessee, Speaker of the House Henry Clay of
  Kentucky, and Secretary of the Treasury William
  H. Crawford of Georgia. None of the candidates
  received a majority of electoral votes. The vote
  was Jackson, 99 Adams, 84 Crawford, 41 and
  Clay, 37.
• Unit Rule The rule that grants all of a states
  electoral votes to the candidate who receives
  most of the popular votes in the state.

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Media And Money

• The modern presidential campaign is a media
  campaign. Televised debates can influence
  voters assessments of the candidates. Televised
  commercials are by for the most expensive part of
  presidential campaigns, accounting for half the
  candidates general election expenditures.
• Federal funding is available for the presidential
  candidates. The major-party nominees in the 2004
  presidential election each received about 75
  million. (One string is attached those
  candidates that accept that money can spend no
  additional funds on their campaigns.)

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The Winners

• The Constitution specifies only that the
  president must be at least 35 years of age, a
  natural-born U.S. citizen, and a U.S. resident
  for at least fourteen years. Except for four
  army generals, all presidents to date had served
  previously as vice presidents, members of
  Congress and state governments, or top federal
  executives.

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Staffing the Presidency

• When Americans go to the polls on Election Day,
  they have in mind the choice between two
  individuals, the Democratic or Republican
  presidential nominee. In effect, however, they
  are choosing a lot more than a single executive
  leader. They are also picking the Secretary of
  state, the director of the FBI and the Chairman
  of the Federal Reserve Board. Each of these is a
  presidential nominee.

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Presidential Appointees

• Newly elected presidents gain important
  advantages from their appointment powers
• 1. Their appointees are a source of policy
  information.
• 2. The appointees extend the presidents reach
  into the huge federal bureaucracy by
  exerting influence on the day-to-day
  working of the agencies they lead.
• The Vice-President Although the vice president
  works in the White House, no constitutional
  executive authority comes with this office.
• The EOP (Executive Office of the President)
  created in 1939 to provide the president with the
  staff necessary to coordinate the workings of the
  executive branch.

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• Cabinet A group consisting of the heads of
  the executive departments, who are appointed by
  the president, subject to confirmation by the
  Senate.
• (15 departments)

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Factors Influencing Presidential Leadership

• Significant presidential action normally depends
  on the approval of Congress, the cooperation of
  the bureaucracy, and sometimes the acceptance of
  the judiciary. Congress in particular holds the
  key to presidential success. Without
  congressional authorization and funding, most
  presidential proposals are nothing but ideas,
  empty of action.

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Factors Influencing Presidential Leadership

• Force of Circumstance
• In the eyes of the American public, presidential
  success hinges on a healthy economy. When
  conditions are favorable, the power of the
  presidency appears awesome.
• The Stage of a Presidents Term
• Most presidents are usually most powerful when
  they are least knowledgeable during their first
  months in office.
• Honeymoon Period - The presidents first months
  in office, a time when Congress, the press, and
  the public are more inclined than usual to
  support presidential initiatives.

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Factors Influencing Presidential Leadership

• Presidents are somewhat more likely to get what
  they want when the issue is foreign policy,
  because they have more authority to act on their
  own and are more likely to receive support from
  the opposite party in Congress.
• 2002 State of the Union Address
• Pres. Bush declares the Axis of Evil Iran,
  Iraq,
• North Korea
• Relations with Congress
• Although the presidency is not nearly as powerful
  as most Americans assume, the capacity of
  presidents to influence the agenda of national
  debate is unrivaled, reflecting presidents
  unique claim to represent the whole country.

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Factors Influencing Presidential Leadership

• Relations with Congress
• 1991 George Bush said flatly that he would veto
  any bill that imposed hiring quotas on
  employers. Congress changed the provisions of the
  bill.
• The most basic fact about presidential leadership
  is that it takes place in the context of a system
  of divided powers. Although the president gets
  most of the attention, Congress has most of the
  constitutional authority in the American system.
  
• Even the presidential veto has clear limits. The
  veto is as much a sign of presidential weakness
  as it is of strength, because it comes into play
  when Congress refuses to go along with the
  presidents ideas.

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Colliding with Congress

• On rare occasions, presidents have pursued their
  goals so zealously that Congress has been
  compelled to take steps to curb their use of
  power. Congresss power to impeach and remove
  the president from office is an example.
• The House of Representatives decides whether the
  president should be impeached (placed on trial),
  and the Senate conducts the trial and then votes
  on the presidents case, with a 2/3s vote
  required for removal from office.

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Colliding with Congress

• 1886 Andrew Johnson 1 vote shy of being
  removed from office.
• 1974 Richard Nixon resignation halted
  congressional hearings on Watergate.
• 1998 Bill Clinton accused of lying under oath
  and obstructing justice. He was acquitted by the
  Senate.

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• During the Vietnam War, presidents Johnson and
  Nixon repeatedly mislead Congress with false
  information so Congress would continue to fund
  the continuation of the war.
• To prevent future Presidential wars, Congress
  passed the War Powers Act. Nixon vetoed the
  measure but, Congress overrode his veto. The War
  Powers Act is Congresss most significant
  historical effort to curb presidential power.
• War Powers Act
• 1. Required the president to notify Congress of
  the reason for committing combat troops with 48
  hours.
• 2. Specifies that hostilities must end with
  sixty days grants 30 extra days to withdraw the
  troops.
• 3. Requires the president to consult with
  Congress whenever feasible before committing
  troops.

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Public Support

• Public support affects the presidents ability to
  achieve policy goals. Policy initiatives are
  more successful with strong support from the
  American people.
• Presidential Approval Rating A measure of the
  degree to which the public approves or
  disapproves of the presidents performance in
  office.
• Economic downswings tend to reduce the publics
  confidence in the president. The most important
  factor in determining the level of a presidents
  support is the current state of the economy.

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Public Support

• Scandal is the biggest threat to a presidents
  ability to influence news coverage. When a whiff
  of a possible scandal is detected, a media
  feeding frenzy ensues, and power shifts from
  the White House to the press and the presidents
  political opponents.
• Because the public expects so much from its
  presidents, they get too much credit when things
  go well and too much blame when things go badly.
  The American public tends to blame the president
  for national problems that may be out of his
  control (gas prices / hurricanes).
• The public expects far more from its presidents
  than they can deliver.