Institution versus the

individual

Studying the president

BarberThe Presidential Character, 1972

A psychological approach that focuses on the ways that interpersonal experiences shape individual characteristics that then influence how the Presidents perform.

Personality and President

President’s personality is important for understanding Presidential behavior

Best way to predict personality is to look at a President’s formative years

Active Passive

Positive Active-Positive: much activity and

an enjoyment of it. High self-

esteem and relative success in

dealing with the environment.

Wants to achieve results

Passive-Positive: Very other-

directed character, constantly

searching for affection by trying

to please everyone. Superficial

optimism.

Wants love

Negative Active-Negative: intense effort

with a low level of emotional

reward for that effort. ambitious

and aggressive with a vague,

discontinuous self-image.

Wants to get and keep power

Passive-Negative: sees public

service as a “duty” that he is

called to fill, but is not happy

about it. Stoic or martyr like.

Emphasize their civic virtue

DimensionsActive- Passive -- how much energy does

he invest in the PresidencyPositive-Negative-- whether or not he

seems to enjoy his political office/ life

Barber, Presidential Character

"The danger is that

Nixon will commit

himself

irrevocably to

some disastrous

course of action"

Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents: Neustadt

All presidents are “clerks”: they accomplish a wide range of tasks, but clerkship is not leadership.

The strength or weakness of a President is measured in his ability to influence or persuade the other individuals who are part of running the country

Power=Influence

FDR as the ideal president

Should we compare Obama?

Going Public

Engaging in intensive public relations to promote

their policies to the voters and thereby induce

cooperation from other elected office holders.

Example–

– Reagan and Iran-Contra

– Clinton and the government shut down

– tone of State of the Union

Past

– Press conferences

– Weekly radio addresses

Present– the technology question

– Weekly web address

– The official White House MySpace page

– White House on Twitter

Thinking about institutional constraints

Institution versus person?

Difference in method and variables

Which better explains nuts and bolts of

decision-making

Two ways of assessing White House

Organization.

Institutional pressures

Expectations of president after FDR–

president as the ultimate scape-goat

– Clinton and the economy

– Bush and the economy

Expansion of the Executive Office of the

President (EOP)

Congress

Prefers decentralized,

insulated bureaucracy

Preference guided by

INSTITUTIONAL constraint

of re-election pressure

Because social fear of state,

Congress goes along with

their preferenc.

Presidency

Prefers centralized, unified,

coordinated bureaucracy that

they control from the top.

Preference guided by the

blame they receive.

“Presidents are held

responsible by the public for

virtually every aspect of

national performance…”

Institutions also help…

Constitutional and delegated powers allow

for assertion of leadership through action.

Action hard to reverse by Congress because

of legislative difficulties.

Additional takes on constraints

The Obama promise– to change politics in

Washington as we know it

Obama tries to follow through on promise.

Partisanship raises its head.