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The Politics of the Presidency
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The Politics of the Presidency

Tenth Edition


January 2020 | 720 pages | CQ Press
The most up-to-date coverage and analysis of the presidency 

Never losing sight of the foundations of the political office, The Politics of the Presidency maintains a balance between historical context and contemporary scholarship on the executive branch, providing a solid foundation for any presidency course. In the highly anticipated Tenth Edition of this bestseller, Pika, Maltese, and Rudalevige thoroughly analyze the change and continuity in the presidency during President Trump's first term, his relations with Congress and the judiciary, the outcomes of the 2018 midterm election, and the competitive setting for the 2020 presidential race.
 

 
Tables and Figures
 
Preface
 
About the Authors
 
Part I: The President and the Public
 
Chapter 1: The Changing Presidency
The Scope of Presidential Power

 
Expansion of the Presidency

 
Popular Expectations

 
Conclusion: The Changeable, Political Presidency

 
Suggested Readings

 
Resources on the Web

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 2: Election Politics
Evolution of the Selection Process

 
Defining the Pool of Eligibles

 
Competing for the Nomination

 
The National Convention

 
The General Election

 
Validation

 
Conclusion: Transitions to Governing

 
Suggested Readings

 
Resources on the Web

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 3: Public Politics
Public Attitudes toward the Presidency

 
Rallying Public Support

 
delete - The President and the Media

 
Conclusion: The Permanent Campaign

 
Suggested Readings

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 4: Presidential Character and Performance
Determinants and Evaluations of Performance

 
What Manner of Person?

 
Psychological Characteristics of U.S. Presidents

 
Management Styles of Modern Presidents

 
Understanding Presidents: Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump

 
Conclusion: Seeking Presidential Success

 
Suggested Readings

 
Resources on the Web

 
Notes

 
 
Part II: The President and the Government
 
Chapter 5: Legislative Politics
Three Confrontations in Interbranch Relations

 
Development of the President's Legislative Role

 
The Presidential-Congressional Relationship

 
The President's Formal Legislative Powers

 
The President's Informal Legislative Influence

 
Explaining Presidents’ Legislative Success

 
Congressional Oversight

 
Conclusion: Legislating Together

 
Suggested Readings

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 6: Executive Politics
The President as Executive

 
The President and the Executive Branch

 
The President and the Cabinet

 
The Vice President

 
The First Lady

 
Presidential Control of the Bureaucracy

 
Presidential Management of the Bureaucracy

 
Conclusion: The Frustrating Search for Control

 
Suggested Readings

 
Resources on the Web

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 7: Judicial Politics
Presidential Appointment of Federal Judges

 
Other Presidential Influences on the Federal Courts

 
Judicial Oversight of Presidential Action

 
Conclusion: A Balancing Act

 
Suggested Readings

 
Notes

 
 
Part III: The President and Public Policy
 
Chapter 8: The Politics of Domestic Policy
The Domestic Policy Process

 
The Domestic Policy Environment

 
The Domestic Policy Apparatus

 
Conclusion: Providing Policy Leadership

 
Suggested Readings

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 9: The Politics of Economic Policy
Macroeconomic Policy

 
Microeconomic Policy

 
Presidents and the Economy: 1933–2019

 
delete - The Politics of Macroeconomic Policymaking

 
The Economic Subpresidency

 
Presidents and Economic Policy Coordination

 
Congress's Role in Macroeconomic Policy

 
Conclusion: Avoiding Economic Disorder

 
Suggested Readings

 
Resources on the Web

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 10: The Politics of National Security Policy
Issues in National Security Policy: Search for a New Consensus

 
The Problem with National Security Policymaking

 
The President, Congress, and National Security

 
Organizing and Managing National Security

 
Conclusion: Limiting the Exercise of Power

 
Suggested Readings

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 11: An Embattled, Defiant President
Setting the Stage for 2020

 
Assessing Trump as President: Harbinger or Aberration?

 
A Stress Test for Madisonian Institutions

 
Notes

 
 
Appendices
 
Index

The Politics of the Presidency is well-designed and -written, easy for students to comprehend, and all-around useful in laying out the key facets and concepts of the American presidency. It is deep in its material without being dense and approachable without sacrificing rigor. I have not seen a text on the American presidency that does a better job of laying clear the history, powers, and limitations of the modern chief executive.”

Michael Julius
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

 “The authors’ approach puts politics front and center in the study of the presidency. The Politics of the Presidency is clearly the work of senior scholars who have devoted many years to the study of the presidency and scholarship on the office. They know a lot about the office and convey what they know to students in a well-organized and well-written manner.”

Andrew Battista
East Tennessee State University

 “I use The Politics of the Presidency in my undergraduate presidency courses because the essential topics are thoroughly covered in a style that is both readable and interesting. The cases and examples are always well-chosen and up-to-date, and the special circumstances and challenges facing the current president can be easily compared to enduring presidential responsibilities such as domestic politics, economic policy, and national security.”

Bruce Buchanan
University of Texas at Austin
Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • Extensive discussions of the Trump presidency give readers a stronger understand of Trump's relations with the media and his extensive use of tweets; relations with Congress and the ultimate congressional check, impeachment; approaches to managing the bureaucracy with particular attention to the heavy reliance on unilateral presidential tools like regulations; and Trump's court appointments, with special focus on Supreme Court nominations. 

  • The impact of new policies, such as domestic (health care), economic (tax cuts) and foreign (deemphasizing NATO) policies, is discussed. 

  • A new chapter, A Willingly Embattled President, helps prepare readers to cast a ballot in the 2020 election by assessing Trump's record on key policy initiatives (immigration, foreign trade, health care, foreign policy, court appointments) and examining how well he meets traditional expectations of how presidents should conduct the office.

KEY FEATURES:

  • An easy-to-understand analysis of all aspects of the presidency. 

  • "Resources on the Web" sections offer readers an opportunity to pursue topics of interest.

  • An examination of the full range of influences on the president provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the nation’s most important political office. 

  • A balanced assessment of all men who have held this central office enable readers to think critically about each president’s records of success and failure, disappointment and surprise.

  • A look at the challenges and opportunities a new president will confront empowers readers to have informed discussions about the qualifications of potential candidates. 

For instructors

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