THE PRESIDENCY
Commander-in-Chief
AppointmentPower
PardoningPower
LegislativePower
Treaty-makingPower
Veto Power
Chief Executive
Chief Diplomat
Chief-of-State
• Summary of Responsible Party System
• First Principle: Presidents should have strong personality
• Second Principle: Presidents implement the party’s platform
• Third Principle: Promote party legislation in messages
• Fourth Principle: Organize office to pass party legislation
Ideal: The Responsible Party Model and the President
• James David Barber, The Presidential Character– “Typed” Presidents: two dimensions
• Active-Passive
• Positive-Negative
Reality: Do Presidents Have the Right Personality?
Active-PositiveBush II, Clinton, Bush I,
Carter, & Kennedy
Active-NegativeNixon
Johnson
Passive-PositiveReagan
Passive-NegativeEisenhower
Do President’s Work to Implement Party Platform?
Fulfillment of Party Pledges
1976 61%
1972 51%
1968 30%
1964 83%
1960 81%
1956 32%
1952 80%
Divided Government
UnifiedGovernment
• Budget Message
• Press Conferences
Do Presidents Promote Party Legislation in
Messages?
Reality: Do Presidents Promote Party Legislation in Messages?
• State of Union Message
Reality: Do Presidents Promote Party Legislation in Messages?
• Budget Message
• Press Conference– Purpose
• Provide information to various audiences
• Make important announcements
• Develop support for an initiative
– Sample Press Conference
• Power of the President is the power to persuade– Who does he persuade?
• Party leaders
• Members of Congress
• Public Opinion
• Media
• International Leaders
– Sources of power• Social Prestige
• Charisma
• Material Benefits
• Approval Rating
Do Presidents Promote Party Legislation in Messages?
Presidential Support
Obama
Presidential Success on Major Proposals
The End