Understanding the Presidency

SECTION I. CONSTITUTIONAL ORIGINS OF THE PRESIDENCY


Reading 1. James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, James Madison
Reading 2. Federalist No. 69, Alexander Hamilton
Reading 3. Federalist No. 70, Alexander Hamilton
Reading 4. To the Citizens of the State of New York, George Clinton
Reading 5. Reevaluating the Electoral College, James P. Pfiffner



SECTION II. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE PRESIDENCY




Reading 6. The Strict Constructionist Presidency, William Howard Taft
Reading 7. The Stewardship Presidency, Theodore Roosevelt
Reading 8. The Public Presidency, Woodrow Wilson
Reading 9. The Prerogative Presidency, Abraham Lincoln
Reading 10. The Presidency in the Political Order, Stephen Skowronek



SECTION III. SELECTING PRESIDENTS: CAMPAIGNS, ELECTIONS, AND MANDATES


Reading 11. Nomination Politics, Party Unity, and Presidential Elections, James E. Campbell
Reading 12. A High Speed Chase: Presidential Aspirants and the Nomination Process, Lara M. Brown
Reading 13.The Changing Dynamics of Presidential Election Fundraising: From 2008 to an Early Look at the 2012 Election, Gregory Fortelny, Peter L. Francia, and Clyde Wilcox

Reading 14. The Magnitude of the 2008 Democratic Victory: By the Numbers, James Ceaser and Daniel DiSalvo
Reading 15. The Myth of Presidential Mandate, Robert A. Dahl
Reading 16. Changing Tides: Public Opinion, Campaigns, and Governance, 2004-2012, Roger H. Davidson



SECTION IV. THE PUBLIC PRESIDENCY: PRESS, MEDIA, AND PUBLIC APPROVAL


Reading 17. The "Permanent Campaign", Hugh Heclo
Reading 18. Legislative Success and Political Failure: The Public's Reaction to Barak Obama's Early Presidency, Gary Jacobson
Reading 19. The Presidency and Image Management: Discipline in Pursuit of Illusion, Jeremy D. Mayer
Reading 20. The Presidential Pulpit: Bully or Baloney?, George C. Edwards, III



SECTION V. THE INSTITUTIONAL PRESIDENCY


Reading 21. The White House Staff, The President's Committee on Administrative Management (Brownlow Committee)
Reading 22. The Changing Presidential Office, Hugh Heclo
Reading 23. Presidential Appointments and the Office of Presidential Personnel, Bradley H. Patterson and James P. Pfiffner
Reading 24. The Administrative Presidency, Unilateral Power, and the Unitary Executive Theory, Richard W. Waterman



SECTION VI. THE SEPERATION OF POWERS


Reading 25. Presidential Relations with Congress, Roger H. Davidson
Reading 26. The Disappearing Political Center, Sarah A. Binder

Reading 27. Presidents and the Judicial Appointments Process, John Anthony Maltese
Reading 28. The Tea Party at the Election, Zachary Courser



SECTION VII. POLICY LEADERSHIP


Reading 29. The Presidential "Hundred Days", Richard E. Neustadt
Reading 30. Obama Becomes President: Policy Development and Leadership, John P. Burke
Reading 31. Unilateral Powers: A Brief Overview, William G. Howell
Reading 32. Prerogative Power and the War on Terrorism, Richard Pious
Reading 33. Decision Making in the Obama White House, James P. Pfiffner



SECTION VIII. COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF AND NATIONAL SECURITY


Reading 34. Presidential Power in National Security, Louis Fisher
Reading 35. Deference and Defiance: The Shifting Rhythms of Executive-Legislative Relations in Foreign Policy, James A. Lindsey
Reading 36. Constraining Executive Power: George W. Bush and the Constitution, James P. Pfiffner
Reading 37. The Commander in Chief and the Courts, Jules Lobel
Reading 38. President Obama's War in Libya, Louis Fisher



SECTION IX. EVALUATING PRESIDENTS: GREATNESS AND ABUSE OF POWER


Reading 39. Three Crises of Character in the Modern Presidency, James P. Pfiffner
Reading 40. "If Men Were Angels . . . .": Presidential Leadership and Accountability, Thomas E. Cronin and Michael A. Genovese
Reading 41. Presidential Character and Judgment: Obama's Afghanistan and Health Care Decisions, Stephen J. Wayne
Reading 42. A New Imperial Presidency?, Andrew Rudalevige