342mt2 Your name here______________________

Davis

The American Presidency

Second Hour Exam

Your answers to the questions below should be written on this exam sheet in the appropriate space. (Continuation of an answer on the reverse side is OK, but be sure to clearly identify the continuation.) Please read questions carefully and completely. Partial credit may be given for incomplete answers so please put down what you kno w.

  1. How many electoral college votes are required to win the Presidential election (1pt) 270 In total, there are how many electoral votes?(1pt) 538


    2. Must a winner in the Electoral College also win a majority of the

    popular vote? (1pt) No What state can provide the largest block

    of electoral votes? (1pt) California

  2. It is commonly observed that the Electoral College works to the disadvantage


    3. of Third Parties. For example, Ross Perot received almost 20 percent of the

    popular vote in l992, but not a single electoral vote. How do you explain this

    apparently anomalous outcome?(3pt) With the exception of two states, Maine and Nebraska, all states operate on a winner take all basis. Winning by just a few votes means that the winner gets all of a states electoral votes.

  3. What political offices are the most frequent launching pads for a presidential


    4. campaign. Mention at least 3. (3pt) President (campaigning for a second term)

    Vice President, Senator, and Governor.

  4. Sketch in the space below a presidential campaign time line—from earliest stage


    5. to final declaration of winner. Work back and forward from Nov 7, 2000(4pt)

    See page 50 in Thomas and Pika for a l996 time line. A 2000 time line would be

    Very similar.
     
     

  5. Why may the message of a candidate during the primary season shift noticeably
when the general election campaign gets underway? (2pt) In the primary season a candidate is appealing almost exclusively to members of

or his or her own party—and these will be either further to the right or further to

the left than the independents and moderates that are the target audience in the

general election campaign. The message shifts as the audience changes.
 
 
 
 
 
 

6.In the context of a presidential election campaign, define the term "soft money" (2pt) Soft money is money given to parties, rather than directly to

presidential campaigns, and may be given in unlimited amounts.

 What is it used for?(2pt) It is used for party building and get out the vote

campaigns. It can also be used for advertising and mail that does not

explicitly advocate voting for one particular candidate.

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  1. Presidential debates have become part of campaign routine, though there continues to be debate about the format. Briefly describe at least four formats


    2. that a Presidential debate might use.(4pt)

    Town hall meeting—as at Washington University this year.

    Formal debate, standing behind podiums, single moderator.

    Seated round table discussion with moderator

    Formal debate with questions from a panel (3 or 4) journalists.

  2. The contexts of a debate may effect both the strategy of the candidates and


    3. post-debate assessments and impact. What are the significant features of

    Presidential debate context? If you wish, use the October 17 debate as an example.(4pt) Expectations are important—how well is each candidates expected to do, and how well must each do? Relative standing in the polls is important, and may put more or less pressure on the debaters. Momentum is important. And immediately preceding events are important—armed conflict

    in the Middle East for example, or the death of Mel Carnahan are examples.
     
     
     
     

  3. What candidates for the Presidency are most likely to be advantaged by the front


    4. loading of presidential primary season?(2pt) Candidates who are already well known, have wide name recognition. Candidates who already have money or access to money are also advantaged. Candidates who gain momentum in New Hampshire and Iowa may also be advantaged.

  4. Briefly describe significant features of the context which has shaped the


    5. this year’s presidential campaign. (8 pt) (For full credit, this answer needed at least 4 separate features.) Unprecedented prosperity, a healthy economy, are certainly important. We are also at peace, though we continue to have troops deployed around the globe including those on peace keeping missions in Kosovo.

    The Republicans, out of the White House for 8 years, hungered for a victory—

    and Gore was still in the shadow of the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Serious

    primary challeges by McCain and Bradley effected Bush and Gore, and in the general campaign Nader was a constant presence, effecting Gore in particular.

    demographically, the continued aging of the population explains the attention

    given to social security and other concerns of the elderly—medicare and

    prescription drugs are two examples.
     
     
     
     
     
     

  5. How have the candidates of the two major parties in this


    6. election season framed their respective campaigns? That is, what is the main

    message/image that each candidate has tried to convey? (8pt)
    Gore has emphasized his experience. He has also pointed to the s tate of the country’s economy, its prosperity. And he focused attention on the middle class, on America’s working families. Gore made it clear he would fight for them. Bush emphasized his leadership skills, and that he would change the tone of

    government. "I trust you the people." Bush would restore honor to the White House and would unite, not divide.

  6. The President is the Chief Executive, but government agencies do not only respond to his directions. Who else, or what else, may government agencies


    7. also take direction from?(2pt) Government agencies may take direction or be influenced by Congress—especially by relevant Committee chairs and members. Interest groups may certainly influence agencies. And on occasion the courts may

    certainly give directions of government agencies.

  7. Is the time perspective of the bureaucracy likely to be more consistent with that


    8. of the President or that of Congress (2pt) The Congress. Why?(4pt) The President

    necessarily has a short term view—4 years, 8 at the most. The bureaucracy has

    career perspective and with no term limits Senators and Representatives may go on and on and on. Incumbents are relatively safe and are not likely to have the same sense of urgency that the President is likely to.

  8. What does the term (and book title) "A Government of Strangers" refer to?(2pt)


    9. The term and title refer to the fact that political appointees rarely know each other (or the president) before they are appointed, and are unlikely to know their civil service subordinates. Given the relatively short tenure of political executives (two years or so) and the near constant turnover it is uncommon for well knit teams to form. An analogy might be an ad hoc all star team—a team in name only.

  9. Presidents may promise cabinet government, and may start out trying to use the
the Cabinet as consultative, advisory body, but the effort is usually soon

abandoned. Why? (3pt) Cabinet members often have little in common with one another, and may have their own agendas—which may differ from the presidents agenda. Cabinet members may compete with each other for the presidents time and attention, and may clash with each other. Cabinet members may also have divided loyalties—partly to the president, but also to their own departments and perhaps relevant interest groups. For all these reasons Presidents find it easier to seek advice and assistant from their own White House staff.
  1. List four common sources of presidential appointees. That is, where do
Presidential appointees come from (2pt) They may come from the universities, from business, from think tanks. Members of Congress and Senators (or former members) may be offered presidential appointments as may Governors.

Significant contributors may also be offered appointments.
  1. Although Presidential candidates are habitually enthusiastic it is possible to argue that the "White House Can’t Govern." In making this argument, what would you point to? (8pt)


    2. Personal characteristics (ranging from inexperience and lack of information to unwillingness to delegate) may make it hard to govern. Having another party controlling Congress may make it hard to govern, and certainly our separation of powers makes it hard. Add federalism and pluralism (the strength of interest groups) and governing becomes more difficult. And then add a close election with no visible mandate. It should be no surprise that the White House may not be able to govern.

  2. It is common to say that the Constitution is an invitation to conflict—between


    3. the President and Congress. Explain why this is so. Why the conflict, and what

    are typical conflicts about? (8pt) The conflict exists because though the Congress and the President may differ, they need each other. The president may only propose legislation, it must be passed by the Congress. If legislation that the president disapproves is passed, the president can veto it—and Congress may attempt to override his veto. The President can spend no money that Congress has not appropriated, and most of his appointments –executive or judicial must be approved by the Senate. Treaties negotiated by the President may be approved by 2/3 of the Senate. The occasions for conflict are many, and when the White House and the Congress are controlled by different parties conflict is virtually guaranteed. What are typical conflicts? They arise over legislation, appropriations, personnel appointments, organizational structure. Foreign policy and presidential decisions may also bring conflict

  3. What is a "pocket veto?" (2pt) When the Congress has done out of session a president may simply not sign a bill and it will lapse. If the Congress is not in session he not need to positively veto a bill for it to die.
  4. What positions do Trent Lott and Dennis Hastert hold? (2pt) Lott is Majority Leader in the Senate (a Republican) and Hastert is Speaker of the House of
Representatives.