Presidential Support Staff

Unit 4: Institutions

The White House

I. Executive Office of the President

The Oval Office

The President’s World

A. White House Office/ White House Staff1. Immediate staff of President: Office space in

West Wing of White House Proximity to President. “Rule of Propinquity”: power is wielded by people who are in the room where decisions are made

2. Organization: Two general forms 

a) Circular method (used by FDR and Carter):

b) Pyramid method (used by Ike, Nixon, and Reagan):

c) Analysis of methods

Visual for Forms of Organization

Circular Method Pyramid Method

1. Appointments to the White House Office- A. Chief of Staff, generally do not require

Senate consent• The following appointments do require

Senate confirmationB. OMB: prepares the annual budget and reviews federal programs

C. NSC (National Security Council)

D. NSA (National Security Agency)

E. CEA (Council on Economic Advisory

F. Council on Environmental Quality

II. Cabinet A. Definition: heads of the Cabinet depts.

And 5 others who hold “cabinet rank” (OMB Director, CIA Director, White House Counselor, UN Ambassador, US Trade Rep)

B. Each of these is appointed by the President w/ Senate consent

C. In parliamentary systems

• Hammers out policy w MPs

• MPs are part of cabinet

D. In our system:

• Const. ban from being members of Cong

• Interest is to empower their own depts, not hammer out policy for all stakeholders

E. President influence over Cabinet is limited- Examples:

1. Can fire appointees2. Little control over Civil Service employees

F. Factors affecting selection of Cabinet Secretaries:

1. Party affiliation2. Interest group influence3. Race4. Geographic diversity5. Sex6. “Confirmability”

III. Who gets appointed to federal positions?

A. Dependence on staff recommendations

B. Background of appointees

IV. Vice President

A.Only two constitutional duties:

B.Traditionally VP is a dull do nothing job:

1. “The vice presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm spit”- John Nance Garner

2. “I do not choose to be buried until I am really dead”- Daniel Webster on refusing a VP nomination in 1848

3. “…the most insignificant office ever conceived”- John Adams

C. VPs job is whatever the president says it is

D. Importance of the office:1. 9/43 Presidents have not finished

their terms of office2. VP can become Acting President if

the President is disabled3. In recent years, Presidents (i.e.

Carter, Reagan, Clinton) have made more effective use of VP. Esp Bush-Cheney

4. Vice Presidency can be a stepping stone to the Presidency- i.e. Bush 41

Lecture DQs

1. List and discuss the two methods of organization for the President’s

office. Provide examples of presidents for each.

2. Discuss the role of the Cabinet. Provide 2 examples that

demonstrate the role.