Transcript THE US CONSTITUTION

THE AMERICAN
PRESIDENT
October 15th, 2002
Images of the Presidency
the “imperial” presidency
 the “imperiled” presidency
 the President as persuader

The “Power” of the Presidency?
Different Times/Presidents...Different
Presidential Images
 Different Policy Areas...Different
Presidential Images
 Power to Propose, Power to Oppose

Formal Roles of the President
formal powers over other branches of
government
 Chief Political Executive
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the White House
Executive Office of the President
the Cabinet
Head of State
 Commander in Chief
 Key powers in Foreign Policy

Controls Budget, Approves
Nominations and Treaties,
Override Veto, Impeach
VETO!
Declare Acts
Unconstitutional
Nominates
Judges
Formal Limits on the Power of
the President
Congress
 Supreme Court
 Term Limits -- 22nd Amendment (1951)

– lame duck president
– unrestrained president
Informal Power of the President
formal status and authority
 five constituencies
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the executive officialdom
Congress
partisans
citizens at large
interests from abroad
Informal Power of the President
formal status and authority
 five constituencies
 unity and energy
 symbolic leader

Informal Limitations on the
Presidency
five distinct constituencies
 paradoxical expectations of the president by
the American public

Paradoxes of the Presidency
1. Demand strong leadership/Suspicious of
strong leadership
 2. Want president to represent “common”
people; yet want president to be a heroic
figure
 3.Want a president that is decent, just,
caring, compassionate; yet want the
president to be ruthless in situations that
require it.

Paradoxes of the Presidency
4. Want president to be “above politics”; yet
an effective president must be highly
political.
 5. Want a president that can unify diverse
people and interests; yet, want a president
that will take firm stands on controversial
issues (that necessarily divide people)
 6. Want president to provide vision,
leadership; yet, want president to respond to
the will of the people.

Paradoxes of the Presidency
7. Want powerful, self-confident leadership;
suspicious of leaders who seem arrogant or
view themselve as infallible and/or above
criticism.
 8. What it takes to become president are not
necessarily the traits need to be president.
 9. Presidents are strong in some areas and
weak in others -- leads public to a clash of
expectations

The “Power” of the Presidency?
Different Times/Presidents...Different
Presidential Images
 Different Policy Areas...Different
Presidential Images
 Power to Propose, Power to Oppose
