Article II:
 “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully
execute the Office of President of the United States,
and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and
defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Article II Section I
44th President Barack Obama: Oath of Office
 The oath of office puts our president in the
position of Chief Executive.
 As chief executive he serves as head of the
branch. The power is derived from the office of
the presidency.
 This is just one of many roles the president
plays.
Chief of State: The ceremonial role
of the president. In other nations,
kings or emperors are seen as
figureheads and not actual rulers.
In America, our president portrays
this role among many that contain
more active governing duties.
Chief Executive: Holding the most
powerful office in the world, the
president is the head of his branch
and nation. Any broad use of this
power is an example of this
powerful role.
Chief Administrator: As the head of
his branch, he is the “boss” to an
administration of 2.7 million
people. As the head seat at the
conference table, he must ensure
the branch functions smoothly.
Chief Diplomat: Our president (with
advisers) makes our foreign policy.
He and his administration sets the
tone for how the United States
interacts with the rest of the world.
Commander In Chief: The
presidential powers over our
military has significantly grown over
time. The president does not
declare war, but still retains
immense power over the armed
services. He is the highest rank
among all services.
Chief Legislator: As chief legislator, the
president suggests legislation to
Congress, who initiates the process. He
also serves a role in that process in
holding the powerful veto. In addition,
the president can practically create
law through executive orders.
Chief of Party: As an elected official, the
president is by nature a politician. As
member of his respective party that has
ascended to the presidency makes him
the chief of that party. Often times, the
president will be asked to represent the
party or members when needed.
Chief Citizen: The president must
represent all citizens. This is done
in governing by promoting the
diverse needs of Americans, and in
leisure by relating to our lives and
interests.
 Citizenship:
 Natural born: American citizenship by soil/blood. No
president has ever been born abroad.
 Age:
 35 yrs old
 Residency:
 Within the US for 14 years. Straight? Up to election?
 (lifetime)
Over time, Americans have expressed a clear
bias for certain characteristics in their
president. Preferences of the people
include:
 Male
 Military background
 Long political career
 Caucasian
What does this say about the election of 2008? Or 2012?
The 22nd
Amendment states
the president can
only serve two 4year terms, serving
a maximum of 10
years.
 As of January 20, 2001 the taxed income of the President
became $400,000. In addition, the president receives a
$50,000 expense account.
Other benefits of the presidency include:
 Lodging: 137-room mansion fully staffed and equipped with
sports and entertainment.
 Transportation: limos, Air Force One, Marine One, yacht…
 Protection: 24hr secret service protection (including family)
 Much more…
25th Amendment
Section 1.
In case of the removal of the President from
office or of his death or resignation, the Vice
President shall become President.
After the Vice President’s position, the
succession order is detailed by the
Presidential Succession Act of 1947.
Presidential Succession
• Vice President
• Speaker of the House
• President pro temp
• Secretary of State
• Secretary of Treasury
• Secretary of Defense
• Attorney General
• Secretary of Interior
• Secretary of Agriculture
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Labor
• Secretary of Health and Human
Services
• Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development
• Secretary of Transportation
• Secretary of Energy
• Secretary of Education
• Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs
• Secretary of Homeland Security
 Beyond taking the role of President in a situation of
disability, the vice president is the “president-inwaiting”.
 VP (with majority of Cabinet) can inform Congress of
the President’s disability, if the President doesn’t do
this himself.
 The only other role the VP has is to preside over the
Senate. (has tie-breaker vote)
 The VP also helps to “balance the ticket” or improve
the viability of the Presidential candidate.
Vice Presidential Candidate:
Joe Biden
Age: 66
Experience:
14th longest
serving
Senator
in history.
Strengths:
Foreign Relations,
established
politician, many
friends in
Washington
Presidential Candidate:
Barack Obama
Age: 47
Experience:
Freshman
Senator
Strengths:
Speaking,
reaching youth,
uniting factions,
intelligent
Balance the Ticket
 20th: Moves inauguration from March to January
 22nd: Limits the presidency to two terms
 25th: details disability and names VP acting
president
Election of the President
 12th: Changes the way electoral votes elect
President/VP
 23rd: Gives Washington D.C. electors (and a
voice)
 Most framers disliked the popular vote and
thought America was too vast for voters to be
well educated about candidates.
 Presidential Electors: body composed of electors
from each state that would cast TWO votes for
choosing a president. These “elite” would act as
“free agents” and ensure the uneducated lay
folk would not choose the “wrong” president.
 Most votes won the Presidency
 Second most votes won the Vice Presidency.
 What potential tensions could exist by this
design?
 By the election of 1800, political parties were born.
Federalist
Democratic-Republicans
Adams
Jefferson 73
65
Pinckney 64
Jay
Burr
73
1
 The electors from each state were loyal party candidates,
thus voted identically (all for their party’s candidates)…
causing a tie. (Jefferson, Burr 73 ) House of Rep. breaks tie
th Amendment will establish SEPARATE ballots
 By
1804,
the
12
Considering the presence of political parties, how does this
for
the President
andeach
Viceelector?
President.
electors
one
process
change for
DoGiving
they have
a choice?
vote for each. Tie less likely.
The Constitution requires that the electoral
college chooses the President, so they still
exist and carry out the act.
The “judgment” of the electors has been
removed. They are chosen by parties.
Electors are instead, a “rubber stamp” or
assumed validation for their party’s candidate.
Whoever wins the state (by popular vote) gets
the set of electors from that party.
• Another difference in today’s Electoral
College is the body of electors.
• The framers set up a system to have one body
Romney
Obama
of electors,
but today political
parties in each
Ryan
state create
Biden their own set.
• These electors pledge to vote for their party’s
candidate.
• 24 states have laws that make it mandatory
20for the electors to vote in accordance with20
the popular vote.
Who are the electors?
 Electors are chosen from each state’s party
structure.
 Electors apply and even take an oath to vote for
their pledged candidate if that candidate wins the
state.
 Typically electors are long-time party supporters
with service or donation history.
The candidates also run on a paired ticket
(Pres/VP) since 1864.
This is how the citizen voter sees the candidates.
Barack Obama/Joseph Biden
Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan
The elector will cast separate ballots if their
candidate wins the state.
 The biggest controversy with the electoral college
today is the winner-take-all characteristic.
 If a candidate loses a state by a close margin, millions
of popular votes received equate to 0 electoral votes
toward the goal of 270.
 Winning big in smaller electoral vote-carrying states,
and losing narrowly in states with many electoral
votes can result in the election’s loser attaining more
popular votes.
 Democracy?
Party organization at the national level
determines when and where the Party
Convention will be.
National party organizers also set the number
of delegates that will attend the convention
and apportion them by state electoral votes.
2004: Republicans=2509, Democrats=4353
Now a formality, delegates once chose
candidates at the National Convention.
How do candidates get delegates?
Presidential Primaries & Caucuses
The “race before the race” is an
early election that :
Chooses party delegates in the state
State a preference for certain candidates as
the presidential nominee
 The primary system is scheduled by the National Party
structure.
Primary date is important to choice-why?
 What purpose do primaries serve (beyond delegatechoosing/preference pick)?
Filter the less popular choices out
 States are responsible for setting up primary regulations.
 Pennsylvania currently holds a closed primary.
Dem-Dem, Rep-Rep, Ind/No pref- sorry.
D
Nat’l Convention
(Summer)
Primary/ Caucus
(January-June)
Announce
Candidacy
General Election
(November)
 Typically, candidates in each party won’t survive the
primary races past February.
January
January
January
January
Switched
Parties
January
R
Nat’l Convention
(Summer)
Primary/ Caucus
(January-June)
Announce
Candidacy
General Election
(November)
January
March
February
June
(1.6%)
January
January