Presidents and the American Presidency

by Cox Han, Lori; Heith, Diane J.

• ISBN13: 9780190611460
• ISBN10: 0190611464
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2017-07-14
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Presidents and the American Presidency, Second Edition, engages students in the study of the presidency through an exploration of both the political institution and the men who have held the office. Considering both the strengths and the weaknesses of the office, authors Lori Cox Han and Diane J. Heith move beyond purely theoretical analysis to examine the real-life, day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of the presidency. They incorporate archival documents from multiple administrations, offer extensive coverage of methodology, and integrate both institutional and president-centered approaches.

Author Biography

Lori Han is Professor of Political Science at Chapman University. She is the past president of the Presidency Research Group and the APSA's section on presidential studies.

Diane J. Heith is Professor of Government and Politics at St. John's University.

Table of Contents

Each chapter ends with a Conclusion.
Preface
Tables and Figures
1. Introduction: Studying Presidents and the Presidency
Historical Context
Theories and Methodologies
Sources for Researching the Presidency
2. Presidents and the Constitution
The Framers' Plan and the Constitutional Convention
Powers of the Office
Expansion of Presidential Powers
3. The Presidential Selection Process
The Nominating Process in Historical Perspective
The Pre-Nomination Period
Primaries and Caucuses
Financing Presidential Campaigns
National Party Conventions
The General Election
The Consequences of Winning
4. The Public Presidency: Communication and Mass Media
The Evolving Rhetorical Presidency
Presidential Communication: Strategies and Resources
The President and the Press
5. Presidents and Public Opinion
The Evolving View of the Public
Evaluating the President
Popularity as a Source of Presidential Power
Presidential Polling as a Source of Power
Other Ways to Gather Opinion
6. Presidents and the Legislative Branch
The President's Formal Role in the Legislative Process
Creating the Chief Legislator
Achieving Legislative Success
The Challenges of Sharing Powers
7. Presidents and the Judicial Branch
Nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court
Nominations to Lower Federal Courts
The President's Relationship with the Judicial Branch
8. Presidents and the Executive Branch
The Job of the Chief Executive
The Executive Office of the President
Presidential Control of the Bureaucracy
Vice Presidents
First Ladies
9. Presidents and Domestic/Economic Policy
The Political Environment
Domestic and Economic Policymaking
Actors in the Policymaking Process
Economic Policy
Domestic Policy
Health Care: A Case Study
10. Presidents and Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy Defined
Presidents and Foreign Policymaking
The Evolution of American Foreign Policy
Implementing the Foreign Policy Agenda
Appendix A. Conducting Research at Presidential Libraries
Appendix B. Presidential Election Results, 1789-2016
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Credits
Index