Date
1999/08
1998/02
1996/08
1995/02
1993/08
1992/02
1990/08
1989/02
1987/08
1986/02
1984/08
1983/02
1981/08
1980/02
1978/08
1977/02
1975/08
1974/02
1972/08
1971/02
1969/08
1968/02
1966/08
1965/02
1963/08
1962/02
1960/08
1959/02
1957/08
1956/02
1954/08
1953/02
% Approving and Unemployment Rate
Presidential Approval and Unemployment,
Eisenhower to Clinton
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Date
1999/08
1998/02
1996/08
1995/02
1993/08
1992/02
1990/08
1989/02
1987/08
1986/02
1984/08
1983/02
1981/08
1980/02
1978/08
1977/02
1975/08
1974/02
1972/08
1971/02
1969/08
1968/02
1966/08
1965/02
1963/08
1962/02
1960/08
1959/02
1957/08
1956/02
1954/08
1953/02
% Approving and Unemployment Rate
Presidential Approval and Unemployment,
Eisenhower to Clinton
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
% Approving and Unemployment Rate
(standardized)
-1
-2
-3
-4
Date
2000/08
1999/01
1997/06
1995/11
1994/04
1992/09
1991/02
1989/07
1987/12
1986/05
1984/10
1983/03
1981/08
1980/01
1978/06
1976/11
1975/04
1973/09
1972/02
1970/07
1968/12
1967/05
196510
1964/03
1962/08
1961/01
1959/06
1957/11
1956/04
1954/09
1953/02
Presidential Approval and Unemployment,
Eisenhower to Clinton
4
3
2
1
0
Public Expectations of Presidential Performance
Explanations for the “honeymoon effect”:
• the “media presidency” - the idea that the news media,
particularly TV news coverage, exaggerates the power of
the presidency
• the “textbook presidency” - the idea, fostered by textbook
treatments of the presidency, that the office has a large
number of specific powers to wield or roles to play:
-head of state
-chief executive
-commander-in-chief
-chief diplomat
-chief legislator
-crisis manager
-protector of the people
-manager of prosperity/economy
-leader of the free world
-chief of the party
-head of government
-voice of the people
-chief policy-maker
Constitutional Basis for Presidential Power
•Framers’ intent
•Constitutional powers
-act as administrative head of nation/chief executive
-serve as commander-in-chief
-convene Congress in special sessions
-veto legislation
-nominate other executives, judges, ambassadors, etc.
-negotiate treaties
-grant pardons
•Two theories of presidential power
-literalist theory
-stewardship theory
The Myth versus the Reality of Presidential Power
• The myth of presidential power is that somehow great
powers have accumulated in the institution of the
presidency
• Three adjectives best describe the reality of
presidential power:
-personal
-episodic
-negative
[based on H. Mark Roelofs, Ideology and Myth in American Politics: A Critique of a National
Political Mind, 1976: 164-175.]