This document provides an overview of the US presidency, including the selection process, qualifications, and basic duties and powers of the office. It discusses how presidents are nominated, elected, and succeed to the office. It also examines the formal and informal powers of the presidency, the roles presidents play, and factors that influence presidential approval ratings such as the economy, national events, and divided government. Finally, it analyzes presidential character and leadership styles.

1. POL 205
Fall 2017

5.  Presidential Selection
 Chosen by Electoral College to serve 4 years
 Basic Qualifications
 Natural-born citizen of the United States
 At least 35 years old
 U.S. resident for 14 years
 Presidential Succession
 Presidential Oath of Office

7. GeorgeWashington Wins!

8. THOMAS JEFFERSON AARON BURR
RESULT: TWELFTH AMENDMENT
Separated out balloting for President andVice President

9.  Presidential nominations controlled by Congress
 Ended with 1824 Election and “Corrupt Bargain”

10. 2016 DNC
Philadelphia, PA
The “Smoke-Filled Room”

12.  Formal Powers
 Informal Powers
 Unilateral Powers

14.  Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces
 Granting Reprieves and Pardons
 MakingTreaties
 Nominations and Appointments
 Ambassadors
 Supreme Court Justices
 Cabinet Members

15.  “Give to Congress information on the state of
the union…”
 Receive “ambassadors and other public
ministers”
 “Take care” that the laws are faithfully
executed”
Article II, Section 3

17. “The power of the
presidency is the
power to persuade.”

19.  Executive Orders
 Issued by the president that have force of law
 Do not require consent of Congress
 National Security Directives
 Executive order dealing with national security issues
 Signing Statements
 Presidential proclamation on how the executive
branch will interpret a given law

23. Described president
as “tribune of the
people.”
President supposed
to guard public
against outside
influences.

24. Andrew Jackson
The “Tribune of the
People”

25. Used the “bully pulpit”
to gain support
for his agenda.

26. Breaking precedent,
Wilson personally delivered
his 1913 State of the Union
message to Congress.

27. Roosevelt used his famous
“Fireside Chats” to explain
policy decisions to the public.

28. JFK’s personality and
humor helped form a
close bond with public.
Presidents now judged by how
telegenic they are AND on whether
they can give an effective speech.

30.  Gallup Poll Question:
 Do you approve or disapprove of the way
__________ is handling his job as president?
 High approval (60-70%)
 POTUS is strong and effective
 Low approval (20-30%)
 POTUS is weak and ineffective

33.  1) Honeymoon Period”
 2) Divided Government
 3) “Expectations Gap”
 4) State of Economy
 5) National Events

35. GEORGEW. BUSHTHROWING
OUT FIRST PITCH AT GAME
HARRYTRUMAN PARDONING
THANKSGIVINGTURKEY
This role involves ceremonial functions.

36. LYNDON JOHNSON SIGNING
MEDICARE INTO LAW, 1965
GERALD R. FORD
This role includes faithfully executing laws passed by Congress.

37. BARACK OBAMA GEORGE H. W. BUSH
The president serves as head of all
branches of the military.

38. JIMMY CARTER,
CAMP DAVID ACCORDS
BETWEEN ISRAELAND EGYPT
BILL CLINTON NEGOTIATING
WITH ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
This job centers around negotiations with foreign nations.

39. JOHN F. KENNEDY RONALD REAGAN
This role involves presidential-congressional relations.

41. Franklin D. Roosevelt
1933 Inaugural Address
Soup and bread lines were common
during the Great Depression.

42.  White House Office (WHO)
 Policy, Personnel, Public and Congressional Relations
 Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
 Implements programs and prepares budget
 National Security Council (NSC)
 Responsible for national security issues

45.  Geographic Balance
 Ideological Balance
 Political Experience
 Age
 Media Exposure

46. Kennedy was from Massachusetts
and Johnson was fromTexas.

47. Reagan was a strong
conservative, whereas
Bush was more
moderate in his views.

48. Obama had little foreign policy
experience. Biden had been the
Chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee.

49. McCain = 72 years old.
Born in 1936.
Palin = 44 years old.
Born in 1964.
Romney= 65 years old.
Born in 1947.
Ryan = 42 years old.
Born in 1970.

50. Liebermann and Edwards had a high
level of experience with the media.
Palin did not—and it showed during
various campaign interviews.

51. John Adams: “The most insignificant
office that ever the invention of man
contrived or his imagination
conceived.”
John Nance Garner: “A bucket of
warm spit.”

54. ACTIVE-PASSIVE
 How much energy does
president invest in job?
POSITIVE-NEGATIVE
 How much does the
president enjoy their job?
James David Barber

55. Can we categorize recent presidents?
George W. Bush? Barack Obama?
Active-Positive
Thomas Jefferson
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt
JFK
Active-Negative
JohnAdams
LBJ
WoodrowWilson
Richard Nixon
James Madison
Ronald Reagan
William H.Taft
Passive-Positive
G GeorgeWashington
Calvin Coolidge
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Ulysses S. Grant
Passive-Negative
Presidential
Character
Credit given to Dr. James M. Curry, GVPT 475, University of Maryland