The President

1. The President

2. Obama • Are individual personalities now more important than parties?

3. Bush Can the President control public discussion?

4. Clinton, Reagan, Nixon Does a president have to be “moral” in order to be a good president?

5. Nixon Do Americans need a President to have trustworthy character?

6. Eisenhower Must the modern President always be involved in everything or have a solution for everything?

7. Franklin Delano Roosevelt What role does confidence in the President have on American morale?

8. FDR Does a lot of action and policy creation make a President “great”? Can a President be “great” if not much is changed during their Presidency?

9. Constitutional Requirements Qualifications • Art. II • “natural-born citizen” • 14 years of US residency • 35 years of age • THAT’S IT!!!

10. Qualifications of Presidency • Informal qualifications: • Government experience—Congress, Governor, VP, cabinet member, etc • Military experience • Money $$$$$$ • $33.78 million in primaries & $67.56 million in general election on average in modern elections • Political beliefs—moderate • Personal characteristics and background

11. Take Five What “informal” characteristics are required to be President today?

12. Duties of the President • Appointing heads of executive departments, federal ct judges etc. (with Senate consent) • Commander in chief • Manages a $400 billion defense budget • Conducting foreign policy • Lawmaking abilities • State of the Union address

13. Take Five What are some of the perks to being President today?

14. Benefits of Presidency • Most powerful man in the free world • Salary $400,000 + $100,000 travel allowance • Air Force One—planes, trains and automobiles • Free medical, dental, health care etc • The White House = home! • Camp David = vacation • Lifetime retirement pension $148,400 per year + free office space + free mailing service + $96,000 for office support + Presidential Library and other honors

16. Lincoln’s Bedroom & the Rosewood Bed

17. The Red Room & The China Room

18. Balancing work and home

20. Oval Office in the 1960’s

21. Oval Office under George W.

23. Obama’s Oval Office

24. Camp David

26. Malia & Sasha Obama’s Playhouse

27. Constitutional Powers • Powers/duties are very limited • “executive power” – enact/enforce law • Military Power • Diplomatic Power • Appointment Power • Veto Power

28. Presidential Powers • “The Executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America” • Too vague…

29. The top 10 BEST Presidents (1) Abraham Lincoln (2) Franklin D. Roosevelt (3) George Washington (4) Thomas Jefferson (5) Theodore Roosevelt (6) Andrew Jackson (7) Woodrow Wilson (8) Harry S. Truman (9) James K. Polk (10) Dwight D. Eisenhower

30. The top 10 WORST Presidents • James Buchanan • Warren G. Harding • Andrew Johnson • Franklin Pierce • Millard Fillmore • John Tyler • Ulysses S. Grant • William H. Harrison • Herbert Hoover in a tie with • Richard Nixon • Zachary Taylor

31. Presidential traditions • George Washington • Mr. President • 2 terms and stepping down • Salary • Franklin D. Roosevelt • 22nd Amendment

32. Strengthening the Presidency • Washington – set precedent for future • Jackson – frequent use of veto power • Lincoln – Commander and Chief to new levels of power during the Civil War • FDR – huge influence on policy with New Deal, checked by Supreme Court

33. Strong executives • Thomas Jefferson • LA Purchase= “inherit powers” • Abraham Lincoln • Suspended the writ of habeas corpus & raised an army • Theodore Roosevelt • “president’s right and duty to do anything that the needs of the Nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Constitution or by the laws” • Franklin D. Roosevelt • Social welfare programs • Lyndon Johnson • Gulf of Tonkin incident & the blank check • George W. Bush • Homeland security

34. Roles of the President • Head of State • Ceremonial duties—living symbol of the nation • Chief Executive • Ensures the laws of Congress are carried out • Right to appoint or remove federal officials • Appoints all federal judges and justices of the Supreme Court • Granting Amnesty—group pardon • George Washington & the Whiskey Rebellion • Issues repreives and pardons • Ford pardoned Nixon • Clinton pardoned numerous individuals before leaving office • Impoundment—refusing to spend money that Congress has authorized • Jefferson refused to spend money on gunboats • Nixon refused to spend money on social programs • Issues exectutive orders • Desegregation of armed forces under Truman

35. Roles of the President • Chief Legislator • State of the Union address • Influencing Congress for support • Political favors • Power of veto • Line item veto—ruled unconstitutional in Clinton v City of NY • Economic Planner • Council of Economic Advisors • Nixon control to freeze prices and wages • Prepares the federal budget • Party Leader

36. Veto Power • Veto – return the bill to house it originated (no action within 10 days – bill becomes law)

37. Appointment Power • Power to appoint ambassadors, public officers, and Supreme Court Judges with Senate approval (advice and consent) • Civil Service – most gov jobs under executive filled based on merit system Harriet Miers John Bolton John Roberts

38. Roles of the President • Chief Diplomat • Directs foreign policy • Directs CIA, State Department, Defense Department & NSC • Power to make treaties (w/ Senate approval) • Recognition of foreign governments • Wilson refused to recognize the leader of Mexico • Kennedy refused to recognize the leader of Cuba • Power to make Executive Agreements • FDR and G. Britain in WWII • Nixon’s secret deal to N. Vietnam • Congress makes it illegal in 1972

39. Diplomatic Power • Create treaties with foreign nations with Senate permission, 2/3 Senate approval (advice and consent) • Executive agreement – not permission needed, deal between heads of state, not binding to next administration • Diplomatic Recognition – power to officially recognize foreign gov as legit • Ex. 1917-1933 – USSR not recognized • Ex. 1949-1970s – China not recognized

40. Roles of the President • Commander in Chief • Power to make war • Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Panama (overthrow of dictator Manuel Noriega) War on Terror—Afghanistan & Iraq • Military operations and strategy • Day to day operations • Military backgrounds of Presidents • Atomic capabilities • Nagasaki and Hiroshima

41. Military Power • Commander in Chief (civilian control) • Prez can send armed forces abroad • Congress has not declared war since 12/8/1941 • Korea, Vietnam, Iraq? – all Constitutional • War Powers Resolution, 1973 • Prez must report to Congress within 48 hours after deployment • If Congress does not OK in 60 days, must withdraw • Check on president, attempt to limit president

42. Presidential deaths in office (Tecumseh’s curse?) • 8 Presidents have died in office • William Henry Harrison - April 4, 1841, died of pneumonia after giving a long inaugural address in the cold and rain. • Zachary Taylor - July 9, 1850, died of cholera after eating tainted cherries and milk in the middle of the summer. • Abraham Lincoln - April 15, 1865, died a few hours after being shot by an assassin. • James Garfield - September 19, 1881, died of blood poisoning two months after being shot by an assassin. • William McKinley - September 14, 1901, died eight days after being shot by an assassin. • Warren G. Harding - August 2, 1923, died of pneumonia. • Franklin D. Roosevelt - April 12, 1945, died of a cerebral hemorrhage. • John F. Kennedy - November 22, 1963, died a few hours after being shot by an assassin. • 25th Amendment establishes Presidential Succession

43. Order of Succession… • Succession Act of 1947 established order of succession based on creation of cabinet positions • VP; Speaker of the House; President Pro Tempore; Sec. of State; Sec of Treasury; Sec of Defense…. • First applied in 1973 (Nixon administration) • Spiro Agnew resigned • Gerald Ford becomes newly appointed VP • Richard Nixon resigned • Gerald Ford becomes Pres • Nelson Rockefeller becomes newly appointed VP

44. Take Five What happens if the President is NOT dead, but disabled?

45. Presidential disabilities • James Garfield • Woodrow Wilson • Dwight D. Eisenhower • Ronald Reagan • 25th amendment • President informs Congress of disability or • VP & majority of cabinet informs Congress of disability • Congress has 21 days to settle disputes in favor of Pres or VP by 2/3 vote

46. Presidential Disability and Succession • 22nd Amendment – limited President to 2 terms, serving no more than 10 years • 25th Amendment – If the VP office is vacated, then the President can select a new VP

47. Role of the Vice President • All qualifications of President apply • Presides over Senate—tie breaker • 25th Amendment—waiting for the President to die (14 VP’s have become President in this fashion) • Modern day—diplomatic responsibly, foreign policy, lawmakers, extension of President

48. Vice President • Preside over the Senate, tie breaking vote • Takes over the presidency if the President cannot finish term • 12th Amendment – voters choose President and VP together • Previous to 1804, the losing candidate became VP • WHAT A DISASTER!!!!

49. Electing the President • Electoral college • Popular vote is actually a vote for either the Democrat or Republican electors of each state • 538 Electors determine the President • State electors = # of HOR + Senators in Congress • Wyoming = fewest electoral votes (3) • California = largest electoral votes (55) • Candidates must win 270 electoral votes to win • Maine & Nebraska are exceptions (split the electoral vote)

50. Take Five… • Is the “winner take all” system of the electoral college fair? Why or why not? What are some possibilities for reforming the current system?