The American Presidency, Political
Science 3300, Fall 2008 Study Guide for Exam 2, October
27, 2008
The first exam covers the following
material:
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 twenty percent of your final
grade.
Part 2: Identification:
You will define, illustrate, and explain the importance for the presidency 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)
Stress and presidential health (class)
"Political Presidents" (class)
"Administrative Presidents” (class)
Political realignment (class)
President Bush and Social Security reform, 2005 (class)
The Politics of Affiliation (class)
Psychiatrist's visit to Jed Bartlett
(video)
Race and the 2008 election (class)
The Politics of Reconstruction (class)
Presidents’ social
background (PM)
Presidents' career experience (PM)
Bill Clinton’s Prepresidential Political
Career (PM)
George W. Bush's Life (PM)
The Budget
Models of Presidential-Congressional Relations
(PM)
[George W.] Bush and Congress
(PM)
"Pounding the Press"
(Jacobs)
“Active negative” presidents (Nelson, in
Nelson)
The “minimalist” presidency (Quirk, in
Nelson)
Strategic competence (Quirk, in Nelson)
The Reagan Presidency
and the Revitalization of Party Politics (Milkis, in
Nelson)
Franklin Roosevelt’s Regime
Reconstruction (Skowronek, in Nelson)
John F. Kennedy: reaffirmation and the dilemmas of interest management
(Skowronek, in Nelson)
Reagan’s assault on liberal citizen
groups (Tichenor, in Nelson)
Congress and the president in the era of
incumbency and insulation, 1960-1990 (Dickinson, in Nelson)
Divided Government and Policy interests
(Quirk and Nesmith, Nelson)
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.
Presidents and Interest Groups. What are the two important dimensions of
presidential relations with interest groups, according to Tichenor (in Nelson)?
What are the four types of ways that presidents interact with interest groups
(table 12.1)? Explain and illustrate each type. Carefully
explain the two key cases of "collaborative breakthrough politics" in
the administrations of Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.
2.
Presidents in Political Time. Presidents take office at different
“political times” – that is, when established political orders are strong or
weak. Using Skowronek (in Nelson) and lecture, describe the four types of
circumstances in which a president takes office, name the types of presidencies
these circumstances produce, and clearly describe an example of a president for
each type.
3.
Presidential Success in Congress. Discuss thoroughly the ways that (1)
Congressional support, (2) Popular support, (3) presidential style and
legislative skills, (4) contextual factors, and (5) cyclical trends account for
difference in presidential success in Congress. Be sure to use clear
examples (Pika and Maltese, chapter 5).
4.
The Personal President. How have George W. Bush's life and
prepresidential political career affect Bush’s presidency? Draw primarily
on the Pika and Maltese discussion, but also draw on material from class and
other readings. Be specific.