1
Chapter
Thirteen:
The
Presidency
Learning Objectives
2
 Explain the formal qualifications for office and
detail the ways that the informal qualifications
have changed over time.
 Identify and explain the roles of the President
(including head of state, chief executive,
commander in chief, chief diplomat, chief
legislator, and chief of party).
Learning Objectives
3
 Identify and explain the types of presidential
powers:
 Constitutional
powers;
 Statutory powers;
 Express powers; and
 Inherent powers.
 Explain impeachment, differentiate it from
conviction, and give historical examples of the
process.
Learning Objectives
4
 Describe the organization of the executive
branch:
 The
Cabinet;
 The Executive Office of the President;
 The White House Office;
 The Office of Management and Budget; and
 The National Security Council.
Learning Objectives
5
 Discuss the evolving role for the vice president
as an adviser and successor to the president.
 Describe the Twenty-fifth Amendment and
discuss potential problems associated with it.
Who Can Become President?
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 Must be a natural born citizen
 Must be at least 35 years old
 Must be a resident within the United States for
at least 14 years
Who Can Become President?
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 Process of Becoming President
 Nominated by party
 Win a majority of electoral votes
The Many Roles of the President
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 Head of State
 Chief Executive
 Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces
 Chief Diplomat
 Chief Legislator
The Many Roles of the President
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 Head of State—As head of state, the president
engages in many activities that are largely
symbolic or ceremonial, such as:
Decorating war heroes.
 Throwing out the first pitch to open the baseball
season.
 Dedicating parks and post offices.
 Receiving visiting heads of state at the White House.

The Many Roles of the President
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 Chief Executive—As chief executive, the
president is constitutionally bound to enforce the
acts of Congress, the judgments of federal
courts, and treaties signed by the United States.
 Has
powers of appointment and removal
 Has power to grant reprieves and pardons
The Many Roles of the President
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 Commander in Chief—The President is the
civilian commander of the U.S. armed forces.
 Wartime
 War
Powers
Powers Resolution
The Many Roles of the President
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 Chief Diplomat—As chief diplomat, the
president dominates American foreign policy:
 Recognizes
foreign governments
 Makes treaties
 Executive agreements
The Many Roles of the President
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 Chief Legislator—Presidents must recommend
to Congress legislation that they judge
necessary and expedient.
 State
of the Union message
 Getting legislation passed
 Vetoing legislation
The Many Roles of the President
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The President as Party Chief and
Superpolitician
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 The President as Chief of Party
 Constituencies and Public Approval
 Presidential
constituencies
 Public approval
 “Going Public” for support
The President as Party Chief and
Superpolitician
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Special Uses of Presidential Power
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 Emergency Powers
 Executive Orders
 Executive Privilege
Abuses of Executive Power and Impeachment
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 Articles I and II of the Constitution authorize the
House and Senate to remove the president, vice
president or other civil offices for committing
“treason, bribery, or other high crimes and
misdemeanors.”
House impeaches (accuses)
 Senate conducts trial

The Executive Organization
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 Cabinet
 Executive Office of the President
 White House Office
 Office of Management and Budget
 National Security Council
The Vice Presidency
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 The Vice President’s Job
 Strengthening
the Ticket
 Supporting the President
 Presidential Succession
 The Twenty-fifth Amendment
 When the Vice Presidency Becomes Vacant
The Vice Presidency
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Web Links
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 The White House: extensive information on
the White House and the presidency:
www.whitehouse.gov.
 Bartleby.com: Internet publisher of literature,
reference, and verse providing unlimited
access to books and information on American
presidents:
www.bartleby.com/124.
What If…There Were No Executive Privilege?
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 When a U.S. president wishes to keep
information secret, he or she can invoke
executive privilege.
 If there were no executive privilege, a president
would have to be aware that all of his or her
words, documents, and actions could be made
public.
 There would probably be fewer records of
administration’s activities.
What If…There Were No Executive Privilege?
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 Without executive privilege, the president might
experience problems in waging a war on
terrorism.
 The White House would have a difficult time
regulating the flow of past presidential records
into the public forum.
You Can Make a Difference: Watching the
White House
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 Citizens should monitor the president’s
performance and policies.
 You can maintain a connection to the White
House and keep informed on the president's
initiatives by logging onto www.whitehouse.gov.
 You can sign up for email from the White
House or the President's political campaign to
receive constant updates on policy initiatives or
appointments.