Chapter 13: The Presidency Section 1. Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc.Slide 2 Chapter 13,...

Chapter 13: The PresidencySection 1

Chapter 13: The PresidencySection 1

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 2Chapter 13, Section 1

ObjectivesObjectives

1. Describe the President’s many roles.

2. Understand the formal qualifications necessary to become President.

3. Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.

4. Describe the President’s pay and benefits.


Key TermsKey Terms

• chief of state: the ceremonial head of government

• chief executive: the leader of the executive branch and holder of executive power under the Constitution

• chief administrator: the director of the executive branch

• chief diplomat: the main architect of the nation’s foreign policy and its chief spokesperson to the world


Key Terms, cont.Key Terms, cont.

• commander in chief: the leader of the nation’s armed forces

• chief legislator: the main author of the nation’s public policies

• chief of party: the leader of the political party controlling the executive branch

• chief citizen: the representative of all the people and the champion of public interest


Roles of the PresidentRoles of the President

• Chief of State– Ceremonial head of the U.S. government– Symbol of the American people

• Chief executive– In domestic and foreign affairs

• Chief administrator– Directs more than 2.7 million civilian employees

of the executive branch



• Chief diplomat– The main architect

of American foreign policy

– Chief spokesman to the rest of the world



• Commander in chief– Commander of the

1.4 million men and women of the nation’s armed forces



• Chief legislator– Proposes laws that set the congressional legislative

agenda– The unofficial head of the political party that controls

the executive branch

• The unofficial chief citizen– Expected to champion the public interest– Expected to be the representative of all the people


Formal QualificationsFormal Qualifications

• Three requirements a potential President must meet to be eligible for office

– Natural born citizen of the United States

– At least 35 years of age

– Must have been a U.S. resident for at least 14 years


Terms in OfficeTerms in Office

• The Constitution sets no term limits for the presidency

• George Washington set the custom of serving two terms

• Franklin Roosevelt broke this custom by being elected to four terms from 1932 to 1944


Terms in Office, cont.Terms in Office, cont.

• The 22nd Amendment– Proposed by Congress in 1947– Ratified by the states in 1951– Limits Presidents to no more than two full elected

terms in office

– If a President succeeds to the office after the middle of a term, he or she can still seek two full terms.

– No President can serve more than 10 years in office


Pay and BenefitsPay and Benefits

• Congress decides the President’s annual salary

– It cannot be changed while a President is in office

– Current salary is $400,000 a year, plus $50,000 a year for expenses

– The Constitution forbids the President from receiving any other pay from the government or the States while in office


• The President also receives many benefits– The White House– Air Force One– Camp David– A fleet of cars, a large

staff, a suite of offices, excellent healthcare, and many other fringe benefits

Pay and Benefits, cont.Pay and Benefits, cont.


Presidential Successionand the Vice President

Presidential Successionand the Vice President

(Section 2)


ObjectivesObjectives

1. Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.

2. Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.

3. Describe the role of the Vice President.


Key TermsKey Terms

• presidential succession: the scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled

• Presidential Succession Act of 1947: the current law fixing the order of succession to the presidency after the Vice President

• balance the ticket: the practice of choosing a vice presidential running mate who can strengthen the presidential candidate’s chance of being elected


IntroductionIntroduction

• What if the President is unable to perform the duties of the office?

– If a President dies, resigns, or is removed by impeachment, the Vice President succeeds to the presidency

– If the President is temporarily incapacitated, the Vice President becomes Acting President until the President can resume office


Presidential SuccessionPresidential Succession

• The Vice President succeeded the President nine times in U.S. history, beginning with John Tyler replacing William Harrison in 1841

• At first, the Vice President didn’t actually become President– Technically assumed only

the powers and duties of the presidency


Presidential Succession, cont.Presidential Succession, cont.

• 25th Amendment– Adopted in 1967– Vice President now

formally assumes the office of President


Order of SuccessionOrder of Succession

• The Presidential Succession Act of 1947– Sets the order of

succession after the Vice President

• The presiding officers of Congress, then

• Heads of the cabinet departments– In the order they were

created


Presidential DisabilityPresidential Disability

• For many years, there were no provisions for deciding if a President was too disabled to continue in office

– Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919 and was too ill to meet with his cabinet for seven months

– President Eisenhower had three serious but temporary illnesses while in office

– In 1981, President Reagan was badly wounded in an assassination attempt


Presidential Disability, cont.Presidential Disability, cont.

• 25th Amendment– Vice President becomes Acting President if

• The President informs Congress, in writing– Cannot carry out the powers and duties of the

office, OR

• The Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress, in writing

– The President is incapacitated


The Vice PresidencyThe Vice Presidency

• Two formal duties by the Constitution– Preside over the Senate– Help decide if the President is disabled (under

the 25th Amendment)

• Otherwise, the Vice President must be ready to assume the duties of the presidency if necessary


The Vice Presidency, cont.Balancing the TicketThe Vice Presidency, cont.Balancing the Ticket

• Historically, the office of Vice President has had low status

• Vice presidential candidate is often chosen because he or she can balance the ticket– Help the president get elected

• Ideology, geographic background, race, ethnicity, or gender


• Recent Vice Presidents have had more political experience and influence

• Dick Cheney is widely viewed as the most influential vice president in history

• Joe Biden, right, brought years of foreign policy experience to his office

The Vice Presidency Today The Vice Presidency Today


Vice Presidential VacancyVice Presidential Vacancy

• The vice presidency has been left vacant nine times by succession, seven times by death, and twice by resignation

• 25th Amendment– The President can fill a vice presidential vacancy– Nominate a Vice President– Must be confirmed by both houses of Congress

• In 1973, Gerald Ford became the first Vice President appointed in this fashion

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