The American Presidency, Political Science 3300, Fall 2008  

Study Guide for Exam 1, September 24, 2008

The first exam covers the following material:

• Class, Augst 18 – September 22
• Pika and Maltese, The Politics of the Presidency, pages 1-137
• Wayne, The Road to the White House 2008, pages iv-vi, 2-342
• Nelson, The Presidency and the Political System, pages 1-56 (Nelson; Rockman), 195-218 (Pious), 255-283 (Miroff) 

The exam includes 20 true/false items worth two (2) points each, two identification items worth ten (10) points each, one essay worth 40 points. The exam counts as fifteen percent of your final grade.

Part 2: Identification: You will define, illustrate, and explain the political importance of two of the following. You will be able to choose from four on the exam. Each identification item is worth 10 points. (PM=Pika & Maltese; N=Nelson; W=Wayne).

Prerogative theory of presidential power (PM, ch 1)                                                    

Political experience of candidates: presidents and vice-presidents (PM, pp 43-44)                                                              

Presidents and midterm congressional elections (PM, pp 117-121)                                                          

“going public” (PM, p 94)                                 

White House Office of Communications (PM, ch 3)                                  

Nominating Conventions: Nominations by State Party Organizations (Pious, N)

Bureaucrats: Strength amid Careerism (Nelson, N)

The Presidency as Spectacle (Miroff, N)                              

Cross-National Similaries: Political Culture and Expectations (Rockman, N)

BCRA (W)

News Media Coverage of Political Conventions (W)

"Building a Winning Geographic Coalition" in the General Election (W)

Party Parity and the Realignment of Electoral Coalitions, 1980-Present (W)

"Bad news syndrome" (W)

"Negativity" in media ads (W).

Formal Models for predicting presidential elections (W).

James Madison's strategy for the Constitutional Convention (class)

Roger Sherman (class)

Political participation in caucuses and primaries and “Wingers” (class)

Convention bounce (class )

Campaign finance: Lessons from 2008 (class)

Presidential electors (class)

Political Realignment (class)

Part 3: Essay. You will write an essay in response to one of the following questions. The best answers will blend evidence from lectures and all the books; they will be clear, concise, and they will use specific examples. Two of these essay questions will appear on the exam. The essay is worth 40 points.

1.  The Constitution and the Presidency (class). How did James Madison originally conceive of the executive in the Virginia Plan? What happened to change his mind about the presidency? Describe the the grand compromise on the presidency and the effect on the presidency?

2. Expansion of the Presidency (Pike & Maltese). How did Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt expand the presidency, according to Pika and Maltese? How has Congress expanded the presidency through statute law? How have precedent and custom expanded the presidency? How have institutional changes expanded the presidency?

3. Presidential Debates. How do the candidates and the news media view the presidential debates (Wayne, chapter 8)?  How do the candidates prepare for the debates?  What are the candidates’ strategies and tactics?  What impact do the debates have?  Be thorough and specific.

4. Spring Interregnum. What does Stephen J. Wayne mean by the “spring interregnum” in the presidential campaign (chapter 6)?  Describe and discuss in detail the tasks of “repairing the damage,” “repositioning and reprioritizing the issues,” and “healing partisan discord.” Use clear examples from earlier presidential campaigns, and from the 2008 campaign where appropriate.