All American Presidents, Past And Present, Have Cared Deeply About Power--acquiring, Protecting, And Expanding It. While Individual Presidents Obviously Have Other Concerns, Such As Shaping Policy Or Building A Legacy, The Primacy Of Power Considerations--exacerbated By Expectations Of The Presidency And The Inadequacy Of Explicit Powers In The Constitution--sets Presidents Apart From Other Political Actors. Thinking About The Presidency Explores Presidents' Preoccupation With Power. Distinguished Presidential Scholar William Howell Looks At The Key Aspects Of Executive Power--political And Constitutional Origins, Philosophical Underpinnings, Manifestations In Contemporary Political Life, Implications For Political Reform, And Looming Influences Over The Standards To Which We Hold Those Individuals Elected To America's Highest Office. Howell Shows That An Appetite For Power May Not Inform The Original Motivations Of Those Who Seek To Become President. Rather, This Need Is Built Into The Office Of The Presidency Itself--and Quickly Takes Hold Of Whomever Bears The Title Of Chief Executive. In Order To Understand The Modern Presidency, And The Degrees To Which A President Succeeds Or Fails, The Acquisition, Protection, And Expansion Of Power In A President's Political Life Must Be Recognized--in Policy Tools And Legislative Strategies, The Posture Taken Before The American Public, And The Disregard Shown To Those Who Would Counsel Modesty And Deference Within The White House. Thinking About The Presidency Assesses How The Search For And Defense Of Presidential Powers Informs Nearly Every Decision Made By The Leader Of The Nation.--publisher's Description. On Being President -- Bearing Witness -- Constitutional Foundations -- Contrasting Conceptions Of Executive Leadership -- Misguided Entreaties -- What Failure Looks Like -- Limits. William G. Howell ; With David Milton Brent. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

Howell, William G; Brent, David Milton

Princeton University, Department of Art & Archaeology

United States, United States of America

Princeton, New Jersey, 2013

First Edition, PS, 2013

Apr 07, 2013

How the search for power defines the American presidential office
All American presidents, past and present, have cared deeply about poweracquiring, protecting, and expanding it. While individual presidents obviously have other concerns, such as shaping policy or building a legacy, the primacy of power considerationsexacerbated by expectations of the presidency and the inadequacy of explicit powers in the Constitutionsets presidents apart from other political actors. Thinking about the Presidency explores presidents' preoccupation with power. Distinguished presidential scholar William Howell looks at the key aspects of executive powerpolitical and constitutional origins, philosophical underpinnings, manifestations in contemporary political life, implications for political reform, and looming influences over the standards to which we hold those individuals elected to America's highest office.
Howell shows that an appetite for power may not inform the original motivations of those who seek to become president. Rather, this need is built into the office of the presidency itselfand quickly takes hold of whoever bears the title of Chief Executive. In order to understand the modern presidency, and the degrees to which a president succeeds or fails, the acquisition, protection, and expansion of power in a president's political life must be recognizedin policy tools and legislative strategies, the posture taken before the American public, and the disregard shown to those who would counsel modesty and deference within the White House.
Thinking about the Presidency assesses how the search for and defense of presidential powers informs nearly every decision made by the leader of the nation.

xiii, 185 pages ; 25 cm
Includes bibliographical references (pages 149-172) and index
On being president -- Bearing witness -- Constitutional foundations -- Contrasting conceptions of executive leadership -- Misguided entreaties -- What failure looks like -- Limits

2023-06-28