Study Guide for Second Exam

The second exam format is the same as the first exam. It will consist of one long essay chosen from the ones below (and worth 35%), multiple-choice/true-false (35% and predominantly from readings), and short identification/ compare and contrasts (30%). The questions are designed to test your understanding of the concepts discussed in class and readings and your ability to integrate concepts/ materials to answer specific questions about the American Presidency. You are responsible for all material contained in all lectures, readings and links in the "Web Calendar" for this section of the course. Broad ideas from the first section of the course (what can be considered basic notions appropriate to analyzing the presidency) will also be integrated into questions as they apply to ideas relevant to this part of the course. As a junior/senior level class (especially when questions are given in advance), it is expected that students will be able to write a reasoned, cogent, to-the-point and complete response to the essay question. Preparation of all essays should also assist you with other parts of the exam.

While certainly not an exhaustive list, here are some of the key terms from this second section of the course:

selection process

character

style

world view

pulse of politics

resonance

McClelland’s needs

King Caucus

unit rule

plurality

issue ownership

reputation

retrospective voting

persuasion

influence

presidential power

presidential spectacle

the selling of the president

yellow journalism

the media

communications war

Two of the following five essay questions will be identified (one chosen by me and one randomly drawn at the beginning of the exam). You will have to answer one of the two that are drawn.

1. Two major factors which influence the "popular" connection (between people and the president) are the presidential selection process and the media. Do you believe that changes in both of these over the past three or four decades have strengthened or weakened the popular connection? Be sure to explain your answer.

2. What is "presidential power" according to Neustadt and how does the exercise of such power relate to the concept of presidential character developed by Barber? How do the concepts of "style" and "world view" suggest that "active-positive" characters are most likely to be successful in the use of "presidential power"? Why are "active-negatives" likely to be the least successful?

3. In the "Making of the Presidency" film discussed in class (1968), we saw the fundamental changes which evolved during the course of the 1960s. How did presidential action "cause" the changes in the presidential selection process that you witnessed in the films? Relate this discussion to the notion of presidential prerogative powers.

4. In Barber's two books on presidential character and "the pulse of politics", Barber claims hat one can find a relationship between electoral mood and presidential character. What are the moods and then demonstrate in general how the various presidential characters relate to the moods.

5. One of the most important developments in the modern presidency is the growth of the medium of television. How can one argue that technological changes in the media have changed the nature of the presidency for at least a century. Has the advent of television (and particularly changes in television) affected presidential power/ the power equation? How?

6. In a Time analysis, Barber made the following comment: "...understanding the ‘institution’ of the Presidency tells you far less than you want to know, and provides only the shape of the stage and the arrangement of the furniture on and around which the action will take place. Theory which fails to reach the person of the President will fall short of useful prediction and into the gap will stop whatever speculations politicians can generate, as they struggle to bring power to bear on urgent problems". How does this statement “resonate” with the presidential power paradigm approach to the study of the presidency?