The Presidency: An Overview
Overview of the Presidency
Qualifications
 Constitutional
 Natural Born Citizen
 35 Years of Age
 Resident for at least
14 yrs.
 “Unwritten”
 Experience in Gov’t
 No criminal past
Terms of Office
 Four Years
 Maximum of 2 elected terms
 Washington’s precedent sealed by 22nd Amendment
 22nd Amend. Passed due to Republican concern over future
FDR’s
 Possible to serve 10 years in office if V.P. becomes
President just after midpoint of President’s term (If V.P.
serve more than half of President’t term, he can be elected
to the presidency only once)
 LBJ succeeded JFK in 1963, and was therefore able to be
elected twice
 Gerald Ford succeeded Nixon in 1974 and was therefore
eligible to be elected only once
Compensation
 Set by Congress (cannot be raised during President’s
term; fear of undue influence)
 Salary raised from $200,000 to $400,000 in 2001
(first raise since 1969)
 Numerous other “perks”
 Opportunity to make serious money after leaving
office
 Speaking fees (Clinton earns $300,000/speech; Reagan $3
mil. For three speeches to Japanese firm)
 Writing memoirs (Clinton received $12 mil. From publisher)
 Serving on corporate boards of directors (e.g., Ford)
Succession
 If office of presidency is vacant due to death, resignation, or
impeachment and removal, V.P. becomes President
(Line of succession: V.P.SpeakerSenate Pres. Pro Tempore
Sec. Of StateSec. Of Treasury Sec. Of defenseother
cabinet secretaries (Pres. Succession Act of 1947)
 If president is disabled, the 25th Amendment applied
 Pres. Informs Congress, V.P. acting presidency
 If pres. Is unable to inform (coma) V.P. receives Congressional
approval to become acting president
 In either case, President regains power by informing Congress of
intent to return. If there is dispute, Congress decides who has
power.