The Modern Presidency

THE MODERN PRESIDENCY, Fifth Edition, is a concise, accessible and sophisticated text on the presidency. Case studies-a major strength of this short text-illustrate important aspects of presidential action and decision-making. Written by a top scholar on the presidency, and thoroughly updated through 2006 to include the presidency of George W. Bush, the text deals not only with presidents as individuals, but also with the large institutions that make up the modern presidency.

James P. Pfiffner is professor of government and public policy at George Mason University

Preface

iii

About The Author

ix

The Presidency: Origins and Powers

1

(14)

Origins of the Presidency

7

(4)

Powers of the President

11

(2)

Conclusion

13

(2)

The President and the Public

15

(29)

Nominating the President

16

(6)

Presidential Elections

22

(13)

Third-Party Presidential Candidates

26

(3)

The General Election

29

(3)

Electoral Trends

32

(3)

Going Public and Public Approval

35

(7)

Presidential Approval Ratings---Annual Averages

40

(2)

Conclusion

42

(2)

The White House Staff and Organization

44

(41)

Roosevelt and Truman: Laying the Foundations

46

(3)

Eisenhower Institutionalizes the White House

49

(4)

Chiefs of Staff to the President

51

(2)

Kennedy and the Collegial Model

53

(3)

Lyndon Johnson's One-Man Show

56

(1)

Nixon's Tight Hierarchy

57

(4)

Ford's and Carter's Lessons

61

(4)

Reagan's Contrasting Terms

65

(7)

Bush's Pit Bull

72

(7)

Clinton's Circus

79

(3)

Conclusion

82

(3)

The Institutional Presidency

85

(18)

White House Staff and the Executive Office of the President

86

(4)

Top-Level Assistants to the President, 1960-1992

87

(1)

Organization Chart for the White House Office

88

(1)

Executive Office of the President, 1939 and 1997

89

(1)

Office of Legislative Liaison/Office of Congressional Relations

90

(2)

Office of Presidential Personnel

92

(2)

Office of Communications

94

(2)

Bureau of the Budget/Office of Management and Budget

96

(2)

National Security Council Staff

98

(2)

Office of Policy Development (Domestic Policy Staff)

100

(2)

Conclusion

102

(1)

The Cabinet and the Executive Branch

103

(27)

Origins of the Cabinet

103

(2)

The Cabinet as a Deliberative Body

105

(7)

Departmental Secretaries versus the White House Staff

112

(5)

Cabinet Departments

114

(3)

Presidential Appointments

117

(6)

Political Appointments Available to Presidents

118

(4)

Political Appointees by Cabinet Department (1992)

122

(1)

The Executive Branch Bureaucracy

123

(4)

More Officials at the Top Layers of the Executive Branch

124

(1)

The Government of the United States

125

(2)

Conclusion

127

(3)

The President and Congress

130

(44)

The Constitutional Fundamentals

130

(2)

Midterm Losses by the President's Party

132

(1)

The Veto Power

132

(4)

Presidential Vetoes (1789-1996)

134

(2)

The President as Legislative Leader

136

(10)

The Political Fundamentals

140

(2)

Presidential Success

142

(1)

Presidential Skills

142

(4)

Cases of Presidential Leadership

146

(20)

Kennedy and the House Rules Committee: Behind-the-Scenes Leadership

147

(2)

LBJ's Activist Approach: The 1964 Civil Rights Act

149

(3)

The Politics of Confrontation

152

(3)

Richard Nixon

The Moral Equivalent of War

155

(4)

Jimmy Carter

The 1982 Budget Juggernaut

159

(2)

Ronald Reagan

Clinton and Two Congresses: A Study in Contrast

161

(5)

The Problem of Divided Government

166

(6)

Divided and Unified Control of the Government, 1944-1998

167

(5)

Conclusion

172

(2)

The President and National Security

174

(31)

The War Power

175

(9)

World War II

177

(1)

Korea

178

(1)

Vietnam

178

(2)

The War Powers Resolution of 1973

180

(2)

The Persian Gulf War

182

(2)

Other Constitutional Powers

184

(4)

Treaties and Executive Agreements Approved by the United States, 1789-1996

187

(1)

The National Security Council Dominates the Executive Branch

188

(5)

Assistants to the President for National Security Affairs

190

(3)

Presidential Leadership and Crisis Decision Making

193

(10)

Two Decisions on Vietnam: Eisenhower and Johnson

194

(2)

Two Decisions on Cuba: Kennedy's Lessons

196

(4)

Two Decisions on Iran: Carter and Reagan

200

(3)

Conclusion

203

(2)

Abuse of Power and Presidential Reputation

205

(38)

Corruption and Abuse of Power

206

(24)

Watergate

208

(6)

Iran-Contra

214

(4)

President Clinton's Impeachment and Senate Trial

218

(12)

Presidential Popularity and Reputation

230

(10)

Presidential Approval Ratings, 1953-1998

232

(1)

Presidential Reputation

233

(7)

Conclusion: Public Expectations and the Presidency

240

(3)

Appendix A Presidents of the United States

243

(1)

Appendix B The Constitution of the United States of America: Articles I and II

244

(7)

Appendix C Constitutional Amendments That Affect the Presidency: Amendments XII, XX, XXII, and XXV

251

(4)

Index

255

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The Modern Presidency

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials