The Presidency in American Politics

“The modern American presidency is at once the most visible and most hidden of our political institutions. On any given day, the activities and duties of the President of the United States are known almost instantly throughout the nation, indeed, throughout the world. But why he and his colleagues in the Executive branch do what they do, how they do it, and the ways in which the public perception of their activities are formed, are all aspects of the presidency that remain elusive.

The Presidency in American Politics brings together the research of nine distinguished American political scientists, taking a broad view of presidential power and politics, and in some cases going beyond traditional approaches to the study of political phenomena. Among the specific aspects of the presidency examined are the organization of the White House staff; the President’s use of appointive power to shape the judiciary; the weight of presidential authority in our tripartite system; the changes in the process by which the parties select presidential nominees; how presidents present themselves; and the impact of electoral considerations on the President’s economic policy decisions.

New York University President John Brademas states in his introduction: “As the forty-first president has just assumed office, this is a fitting time to reflect anew on the challenges and opportunities that face him. I trust this volume will find an audience not only in college classrooms but in the Oval Office and on Capital Hill as well.””