The White House Internship Matthew Bennett 1

The White House Internship 2 Monica Lewinsky

The White House Internship The White House 1. The Power and Culture of the presidency 2. Executive Bureaucracy 3

Power of Presidency The Power of the Presidency: The evolving Presidency September 11: Demonstrated Power of Presidency Framers Intent: President able to Act Framers designed presidency to able to act quickly in times of crisis. Delicate Balance: Need to “Napoleon Threat” Framers wanted President to able act in moments of crisis, but not be able to seize too much power… and therefore limited “his” power… Source: Kernell and Jacobson

The President and the Constitution Modern Presidency has shallow statutory roots: much of its power has been given or relinquished by Congress. Commander in Chief President commands the military, but only Congress can declare war. “Hollow Check” Congress’ authority to declare war was become a “hollow check” since presidents frequently ignore it… …

President as Chief Executive Article II is somewhat rambling: real power is not laid out until section 2. Section 2: Commander in Chief The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. Executive Privilege? Can the president legally withhold information from Congress?

A New Presidency? Rise of an Imperial Presidency: Power to go to War (Schlesinger) Forces promoting Presidential power were both foreign and domestic, but real sources was foreign policy, presidential power to go to war… Emergency, or a crisis invited expansion of presidential power… (222)

Imperial Presidency? Historical Pre-Conditions: Truman, LBJ, Nixon Truman: NSC 68, Korean War, Steel Seizure LBJ: Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam War Nixon: Bombing of Cambodia, Watergate Bush: Domestic Surveillance, Iraq Factors that Enabled Modern Presidents to Become so Powerful 1) Decay of Parties 2) Rise of candidate-centered campaigns 3) Changes in the Economy 4) Rise of Nuclear Age (Cuban Missile Crisis)

Power of President: Historical Context Congress and Vietnam War: Congress Pushes Back Congress tried to reassert and clarify its power with War Powers Act (1973). The Act states that: 1) President must notify Congress with 48 hours of deploying troops 2) Military campaigns limited to 60 Days without Congressional authorization. …

The White House Internship Executive Bureaucracy : What is inside the White House Gates? “18 acres:” Where work is done at the White House 1. West wing 2. East wing 3. EEOB: Eisenhower Executive Office Building 10

The White House Internship How a White House Internship Works 1. Professional Environment 2. Staff Hours 3. News-Centered Enviornment 11

The White House Internship What You Will Do (and What You Will Not Do) Administrative Work Since the White House does not have a lot of secretaries, it depends heavily on interns to administrative work. “If you do administrative work well you will be asked to do more substantive work.” 12

The White House Internship How the White House is Organized: EOP: Executive Office of the President 1. Oval Office Operations: Office of the Chief of Staff 2. Advance 3. Counsel of the President 4. First Lady 5. InterGovernmental Affairs 6. Legislative Affairs 7. National Security Council 8. Press Office 9. Vice President 13

The White House Internship Office Assignment: Don’t High Expectations Access Pass: Color-Coded Status Orange Pass: access limited to EEOB Blue Pass: have access to almost the entire White House compound 14

The White House Internship Things to Avoid: 1. Don’t Worry About the Color of Your Pass 2. Don’t Whine 3. Don’t Break Rules 4. Don’t Leak 15