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