Ch 9: Presidential Leadership
Section 1: Presidential Powers
Section 2: Roles of the President
Section 3: Styles of Leadership
Section 1: Presidential
Powers
• I. Constitutional Powers
• A. The founders created a strong executive to
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overcome the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation.
B. Most of the powers we think of the president
having today have evolved over time, reflecting
the changing needs of the nation, and the
personalities of those in the executive office.
Mandates from the people have also shaped the
presidency (FDR during the New Deal, for
instance)
• C. Article II grants the president broad but
vaguely described powers:
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Head of the executive branch
Commander in chief
Conducts foreign policy
Has judicial powers
Presidential Powers continued
• II. Informal Sources of Power
• A. Personal Exercise of Power
 Certain presidents have expanded the power of the
executive to fit needs as they saw them.
 Consider some historical examples:
• Jefferson’s decision to buy the Louisiana Territory
• T. Roosevelt’s claim that it was the right and duty of the
president to “do anything that the needs of the Nation
demanded unless such action was forbidden by the
Constitution or by the law.”
• Consider the current debate over the Bush administration’s
creation of the NSA warrant-less surveillance program.
• C. Modern presidents usually refer to a mandate
from the people when attempting to expand the
role of the president and use the mass media to
build support for their ideas. These media outlets
provide a forum for the president to spread the
administration’s message.
• Discussion question: Do you think modern
presidents have tried to gain powers the authors
of the Constitution did not intend for them to
have? (outside the scope of original intent?)
III: Limits on Presidential
Power
• A. Congress has constitutional authority to
override a presidential veto.
 Ex. Nixon’s veto of the War Powers Act
• B. The president can be impeached and
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removed from office for clear abuse of power
C. The Supreme Court can overturn presidential
actions
 Ex. President Truman in Youngstown v. Sawyer
(1952)
III: Limits continued
• D. Congress has the “power of the purse”, so it
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has final control over the budget. How does this
act as a check on presidential power?
E. The Senate must approve presidential
appointments.
F. Limitation by the bureaucracy--who actually
enforces the laws?
G. Limitation by public opinion--remember the
idea of a mandate?
 Johnson’s decision not to run again because of
Vietnam
 Clinton and health care
Section 2: Roles of the
President
• Some of what we expect the president to
do is in Article II and some of it has
developed over time and become custom.
• A. Head of State
 In this role, the president represents the nation
at ceremonial functions
 Serves as a symbol of the whole country
II. Roles of the President
continued
• B. Chief Executive
 In charge of the executive branch and its 2 million+
employees
 Can issue executive orders, which have the same
effect as a law
 Makes appointments (2,200 federal jobs)
 Appoints justices to the Supreme Court
 Removes appointed officials
 Has the power of impoundment (Nixon)
 Can issue reprieves and pardons
 Can grant amnesty
II. Roles of the President
continued
• III. Chief Legislator
• A. The president often proposes legislation to
Congress.
 The State of the Union address is usually an outline of
the presidential agenda for the year.
• B. Although he can propose legislation, Congress
must still pass the bill.
 The president faces more opposition when the opposing
party is in control of Congress.
 He may use political favors to gain support for legislation
he really wants to see pass. (campaign support, etc)
 Can use the threat of veto to persuade Congress to
cooperate.
II. Roles continued
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IV. Chief Economist
The president also acts as the country’s top
economic planner, although congress created
the Council of Economic Advisors in 1946 to
assist.
A. Since the New Deal, the president’s use of this
role has in increased.
B. Economic goals the president pursues include
high employment, production and purchasing
power.
C. One way the president directly influences the
economy is by developing the country’s budget
every year.
II. Roles continued
• V. Party Chief
• The president acts as head of his political party. As
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party leader, the president:
A. Helps raise campaign funds
B. Helps organize and plan party strategy for
campaigns and policy issues
C. Uses political patronage to appoint party
member to government jobs.
• Discussion question: Can this role ever be in
conflict with other duties the president has?
II. Roles continued
• VI. Chief diplomat
• As chief diplomat, the president. . .
• A. Directs foreign policy and oversees foreign affairs
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information agencies such as the CIA, the State
department and the National Security Council.
B. Has sole power to make treaties, which are subject
to Senate approval.
 (Remember WWI and the Treaty of Versailles?)
• C. May make executive agreements with foreign
nations.
 Ex. FDR’s “lend/lease” program to aid the British in WWII.
• Has the sole power to recognize foreign governments.
II. And finally. . .
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VII. Commander-in-Chief
As commander in chief, the president:
A. Shares with Congress the power to go to war
B. Makes key military decisions.
C. Supports war efforts on the home front during
times of war.
D. May use the armed forces to handle domestic
issues such as natural disasters.
Remember that use of the military is a power that
Congress watches very closely. Historically, this has
led to tensions between the executive and
legislative branches.
III. Styles of Leadership
• All presidents have the same tools of leadership
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available to them, but since they are individuals,
they choose to use them in different ways.
A. The Founders originally expected that the
legislative branch would be the “dominant” branch
and would lead the nation, not the president.
B. One way presidents provide leadership is in
introducing new ideas as well as responding to
crises at home and abroad.
 Truman and civil rights
 Nixon and China
 Bush (43) after 9/11
II. Leadership Qualities and
Skills
• Could you be president? Do you have the following?
• A. Presidents must have a good sense of what’s
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important to Americans and understand what the
people want (mandates again)
B. Presidents must be good communicators (chief
persuader)
C. Presidents must have a keen sense of timing
D. Successful presidents:
 Are flexible and open to new ideas
 Are able to compromise
 But be willing to go against public opinion in matters they
think are important.
III. Presidential Isolation
• One increased danger presidents face today is that
their dependence on White House staff and close
advisors will isolate them.
 Special treatment of a president by staff and advisers
risks keeping information from them that helps them
carry out their duties.
 Problems of personality--presidents may discourage
staffers from disagreeing with them or giving them
advice they don’t want to hear.
 Access to the president is controlled by top aides
 Dealing with staff issues cuts down on the time the
president has to stay in touch with the people.
 Examples: Nixon and Regan
IV: Executive Privilege
• Because much of the advice presidents get and
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discussions they have involve classified information,
presidents aren’t always comfortable letting Congress,
the public or the media know what’s going on. They
often rely on “executive privilege” to protect this
information.
Modern presidents have also claimed that executive
privilege includes their communications with other
members of the executive branch.
The Supreme court has ruled that executive privilege
is constitutionally based, but not without limits.
 U.S. v. Nixon http://www.oyez.org/oyez/resource/case/410/
 The Pentagon Papers (Johnson & Vietnam)