Chapter Focus
Section 1 Presidential Powers
Section 2 Roles of the President
Section 3 Styles of Leadership
Chapter Assessment
Strong presidents sometimes defy even the
Supreme Court. President Andrew Jackson
was determined to force Native Americans in
the Southeast to move west to the Oklahoma
Territory. When Chief Justice Marshall ruled
that the Cherokee nation’s treaty with Georgia
protected its rights and property, Jackson
reportedly refused to accept the decision.”
John Marshall has made his decision. Now let
him enforce it,” Jackson reportedly said. He
ignored the Court and carried out the Indian
Removal Act passed by Congress in 1830.
I. Constitutional Powers (pages 245–247)
A. The Founders recognized the need for a
strong executive branch to overcome the
weaknesses of the Confederation
government and to hold the legislative
branch in check.
II. Informal Sources of Power (pages 247–249)
A. Presidents have added to their powers by
their actions; for example, Theodore
Roosevelt declared his intent to do
anything the needs of the nation required if
such action was not expressly forbidden by
the Constitution.
B. During national crises, presidents like
Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt,
and George W. Bush greatly expanded the
powers of the presidency as the federal
government dealt with dangers facing the
United States.
III. Limits of Presidential Power (pages 249–250)
A. The Constitution gives Congress the
power to limit presidential authority by
overriding a veto or impeaching and
removing the president from office for
clear abuse of power.
III. Limits of Presidential Power (pages 249–250)
D. Public opinion can limit the president’s
actions, as it did with President Lyndon
Johnson’s policies in Vietnam and
President Clinton’s proposed national
health care program.
III. Limits of Presidential Power (pages 249–250)
Checking for Understanding
3. Identify War Powers Act.
The War Powers Act prevents presidents from
committing troops to combat for more than 60
days without congressional approval.
Former President George Bush, who led
the nation to victory in the Persian Gulf
War in 1991, made a parachute jump as a
personal fiftieth anniversary celebration in
1997. As a Navy pilot, Bush had escaped
death in World War II by parachuting into
the Pacific after his plane was shot down
by the Japanese.
I. As head of state, the president: (page 252)
A. represents the nation at ceremonial
functions;
B. is considered more than a politician, but
rather a symbol of the entire United States.
II. As chief executive, the president:
(pages 253–254)
A. heads the 2 million person executive branch;
B. influences how laws are executed through
executive orders, presidential
appointments, removal of appointed
officials.
C. grants pardons, or amnesty.
III. As chief legislator, the president:
(pages 254–255)
A. proposes legislation to Congress, usually in
the State of the Union Address;
B. must work harder for congressional support
when Congress is controlled by the
opposition party;
C. may use political favors to gain
congressional support;
D. has the threat of the veto to
influence Congress.
VI.As chief diplomat, the president:
(pages 257–258)
A. directs foreign policy and oversees foreign
affairs information agencies;
B. has sole power to make treaties, with
Senate approval!!!!!!!
C. has the sole power to recognize foreign
governments.
I. Increased Responsibilities
(pages 261–262)
A. Modern presidents have provided strong
leadership for the nation, even though the
Founders expected Congress to lead
the nation.
B. Presidents provide leadership in introducing
bold new ideas as well as responding to
crises at home and abroad.
II. Leadership Qualities and Skills (pages 262–264)
D. Successful presidents must:
1. be flexible and open to new ideas;
2. be able to compromise;
3. have political courage and be willing to
go against public opinion in matters they
believe are vital to the nation’s interests.
Checking for Understanding
3. Identify executive privilege, United States
v. Nixon.
Executive privilege is the right of the president
and other high-ranking executive officers to
refuse to testify before Congress or a court.
United States v. Nixon is the Supreme Court
case that rejected President Nixon’s claim of
executive privilege and unanimously ruled that
the president had to surrender secretly taperecorded conversations about the Watergate
cover-up to the special prosecution investigating
the scandal.
Checking for Understanding
4. How do presidents test public opinion before
announcing new policies?
A presidential aide leaks information about an
issue to the press so the president can
observe public reaction before actually
announcing the policy.
Recalling Facts
4. Why can failing to understand the public’s mood
weaken a president’s power?
The president may lose public support. Without
the leverage of public support, relations with
Congress will be difficult and the president’s
effectiveness will diminish.
5. How do presidents become isolated?
Most information comes through close aides
who screen out what they do not want the
president to hear. Thus, the flow of information
and ideas to the president may be severely
limited. Also, presidents may isolate
themselves by discouraging opposing opinions
or unwanted advice.
1) John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B.
Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Ronald Reagan
2) They all represent
issues Clinton has
faced.
3) These
former
presidents
each
faced an
issue
similar to
the ones
Clinton
faced.
Hail to the Chief When physically unimpressive
President James K. Polk entered a room, he
sometimes went unnoticed. His wife, Sarah, decided to
ensure him of a president’s welcome by requesting the
marine band to play “Hail to the Chief,” an old Scottish
anthem, when he arrived. The tradition has lasted to
this day.
Watergate, originally used to describe the 1972 illicit
entry into the Democratic Party national headquarters
in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., has
inspired countless, mostly short-lived words ending
in “gate,” such as Koreagate, nannygate, Irangate,
and Whitewatergate.
The Buck Stopped There
As commander in chief during World War II, President
Harry Truman’s most difficult decision may have been
whether to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. He knew
such a bomb would result in terrible loss of life, mostly
civilian. The long-term effects of radiation were also a
concern. But Truman believed that defeating Japan
would require a full-scale invasion, resulting in a great
loss of American lives. Ultimately, Truman ordered
bombs to be dropped on two Japanese cities,
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Debate over his decision
continues today.
Commanding the Military Some presidents, such as
Bill Clinton, have had no military experience. In fact, in
the 1992 presidential campaign, critics accused Clinton
of cutting ethical corners to avoid the draft during the
Vietnam War. Discuss the assets and liabilities of
having a president with a military background, and one
who has not served in the military.
Gerald R. Ford
President Gerald R. Ford is the only president to serve
as both vice president and president without having
been elected to either office. In an effort to put the
Watergate scandal to rest, he pardoned former
President Richard Nixon. The pardon created a
backlash of negative public opinion. Ford’s popularity
rating plunged from 71 percent to 50 percent. People
suspected that Ford had struck a bargain with Nixon:
Nixon would resign, Ford would become president and
pardon Nixon. He never regained the public’s
confidence as president.
Lyndon B. Johnson
President Lyndon B. Johnson liked to take a nap every
day after lunch and sometimes invited a few top
reporters to interview him right up until he fell asleep.
These interviews usually began with an impromptu
invitation to lunch in the family quarters. Johnson would
give an off-the-record talk through the meal. Then he
would signal the reporters to follow him to his bedroom,
where he would change for his nap, talking all the while.
Finally the president fell asleep and the reporters
rushed off to report what he had said.