THE PRESIDENCY “The presidency has made every man who occupied it, no matter how small, bigger than he was, and no matter how big, not big enough for its demands.” – Lyndon Johnson

Focus Your Thoughts... Think about Lyndon Johnson’s quote from the previous slide: “The presidency has made every man who occupied it, no matter how small, bigger than he was, and no matter how big, not big enough for its demands.” What do you think he meant by this? What are some of the responsibilities of the President?

Formal Qualifications 1. The President must be a “natural born Citizen of the United States.”  A person born abroad to parents who are American citizens is legally an American citizen at birth as well. 2. The President must be at least thirty-five years of age.  The youngest President ever to take the oath of office was Theodore Roosevelt who reached the presidency by succession at the age of 42; followed by John F. Kennedy who was 43. How old is our current President? 3. The President must have been a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years at some point in his life. 4. The President can be elected to no more than two consecutive terms... (22 nd Amendment, 1951)  Can you think of a way in which a President might, hypothetically, be able to serve more than eight years? Discussion Question: Do you think a child born in the United States to parents who are illegal immigrants is qualified to run for President?

Informal Qualifications  Most have substantial and well known records in public office which are free of controversy  Generally they have served in elective office and demonstrated an ability to attract votes, especially as governors and/or senators  Most leading contenders have been Protestants, the only exceptions to this were Catholics  Most have come from large states (Sorry, guys)  They typically have a pleasant, healthy appearance and appear happily married with an attractive family  Most are considered eloquent speakers capable of projecting well on television Can you think of any Presidential candidates in recent years who were criticized/scrutinized for failing to meet one or more of these qualifications?

Chief of State “The personal embodiment and representative of their [the citizens] dignity and majesty.”  Ceremonial head of government of the United States  The symbol of all the people in the nation  In many other countries, the Chief of State reigns but does not rule  Queens of England/Denmark  Emperor of Japan  Kings of Norway/Sweden  Presidents of Italy/Germany

Chief Executive “The most powerful office in the world.”  The President is vested by the Constitution with the “Executive Power” of the United States  These powers are vast, particularly in regards to domestic and foreign affairs  However...  The President is NOT all powerful, a system of checks and balances is in place to protect the practical limits of the office.

Chief Administrator  Director of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government  His administration employs more than 2.7 million civilians and spends more than 2.5 trillion dollars a year. “I have to spend entirely too much of my time ‘flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they were supposed to do anyway.’” – Harry Truman

Chief Diplomat  The ‘architect’ of American foreign policy  The nation’s chief spokesperson to the rest of the world What the President says and does is carefully followed in this country and – especially - abroad.

Commander in Chief  Chief of the nation’s armed forces  Approximately 1.4 million men and women in uniform and the nation’s entire military arsenal are subject to the President’s direct and immediate control  While the Constitution gives Congress some power over foreign affairs and the military, the President long ago became dominant in both fields Barack Obama and the commander of America’s armed forces, David Petraeus

Chief Legislator  The main ‘architect’ of public policy  The President sets the shape of the congressional agenda  The President initiates, suggests, requests, insists, and demands that Congress enact much of its major legislation, although... the President does not necessarily always get his/her way!

Chief of Party  The acknowledged leader of the political party that controls the executive branch  Much of the real power and influence wielded by the President depends on the manner in which he commands this critical role, as parties play a vital role in the American governmental system.

Chief Citizen “The representative of all the people.”  The President is expected to work for and represent the public interest against the many different and competing private interests. “The presidency is not merely an administrative office. That is the least of it. It is preeminently a place of moral leadership.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Assignment When you consider voting trends, particularly in terms of our most recent presidential election between Barack Obama and John McCain, which formal and informal qualifications do you think voters took into consideration? Which were most influential? Why? The 2008 Presidential Election