Presidential Leadership GOVT 2305, Module 13

Presidential Success Factors Presidential success depends on other people. Although the president enjoys certain unilateral powers, many of his powers are shared with other political actors. For the most part, these political actors are not subject to presidential orders. They may choose to cooperate with the president or they may not.

Power to Persuade Political scientist Richard Neustadt says that the power of the president is the power to persuade. Because the president can’t command people, he must persuade them to cooperate with him to achieve his goals. The president is a bargainer, a negotiator.

Obama Perceived as Aloof Obama is not good with the personal touch. He has not built personal relationships with members of Congress, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans. Democrats think he cares about his own issues and his legacy, but not their issues or their political fortunes. Republicans distrust him. “Sometimes Obama governs like a visitor from a morally superior civilization.” David Brooks, Journalist

Going Public Some political scientists believe that modern presidents use a “going public” strategy to get Congress to cooperate with their policy aims. Going public entails a president appealing directly to the voters on a policy issues and then asking the voters to contact their congressional representatives about the matter. Whereas members of Congress may be indifferent to the initiatives of the president, they will be responsive to public demands for action. After the Newtown, CT shooting in December 2012, President Obama asked citizens to pressure their member of Congress to take action on his proposals to restrict gun availability.

Effectiveness of Strategy Public opinion polling data show, however, that gun enthusiasts are more politically active than gun control advocates. Obama’s pleas for citizen pressure on lawmakers failed. Congress took no action on gun measures.

Assessing Leadership Theories Obama 2009-2011 Obama Since 2011 The president was remarkably successful in his first two years in office. Congress passed an economic stimulus plan, adopted healthcare reform, passed financial regulation, and acted on many other presidential priorities. In contrast, Obama has accomplished little since January 2011 that required congressional approval. It seems unlikely that Obama lost his political skills in his first two years. Instead, other factors were in play. Presidential effectiveness may depend on other factors than the chief executive’s skill as a bargainer or public communicator.

Political Party Control in Congress A president is more likely to win cooperation from a Congress controlled by his own political party than a Congress controlled by the other party. How was 2009-2011 different from 2011-2013? Democrats had large majorities in both Houses of Congress in 2009-2011, but not in subsequent years.

Type of Issue Presidents typically enjoy more leeway with foreign and defense policy issues than with domestic issues. If Congress is unwilling to support a president’s initiatives, the president often changes his focus from domestic policy to foreign affairs. Presidents often focus on foreign policy in their second terms because they are less successful getting Congress to go along with their domestic policy initiatives.

What You Have Learned What does Neustadt mean when he says that the power of the president is the “power to persuade?” What does it mean for a president to “go public?” What factors affect a president’s ability to achieve his goals other than his personal skills?