Notes; slides

1. V

2. The Road to the White House

3. These candidates must win support of delegates for their
party.
• DELEGATES—people who will SELECT THEIR
PARTY’S CANDIDATES for President and Vice-
President
• The number of delegates a state receives is based on
the number of electoral votes and the state’s support
of the party in the most recent elections
How do you “win” delegates? You do well in
presidential primaries.

4. Presidential Primaries
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES—the
presidential primaries either CHOOSE
DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL
CONVENTION OR EXPRESS A
PREFERENCE AMONG VARIOUS
CANDIDATES.

5. National Conventions
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS —a party
pep rally where DELEGATES GO TO
CAST THEIR VOTES
Three main purposes of the national convention:
• Name the Presidential and Vice-
Presidential candidates
• Bring the party together
• Adopt the platform

6. General Election
• Each state has a certain number of ELECTORAL
VOTES; this number is equal to THE NUMBER OF
SENATORS PLUS THE NUMBER OF
REPRESENTATIVES

7. General Election
• Pennsylvania has 21 ELECTORAL
VOTES
• There are a total of 538 electoral votes; to
win, a candidate must win 270 votes.
• If no candidate receives 270, the HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES decides the
winner.

8. David Axelrod—senior adviser

9. Rahm Emanuel—chief of staff

10. Joe Biden—Vice President of the
United States

11. James Jones—national security adviser

12. Robert Gibbs—press secretary

13. Department of Defense
Robert Gates

14. Department of Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano

15. Department of Justice
Eric Holder

16. Department of State
Hillary Clinton

17. Department of Treasury
Timothy Geithner

18. A President not a Prime Minister

19. PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
PRIME MINISTER
ADVISORS/CABINET
LEGISLATURE
PEOPLE

20. Notes:
• Chosen by legislature
• Surrounded (Cabinet) by members of the legislature
• Always experiences a UNIFIED GOVERNMENT —
the party of the prime minister is always the same as the
party of the legislature

21. PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
PRESIDENT
ADVISORS/CABINET
LEGISLATURE
PEOPLE

22. Notes:
• Often an “outsider” to Washington
• Chosen by people (directly or indirectly)
• Surrounded (Cabinet) by mix of politicians and
“outsiders” and “in-and-outers”
• May experience a unified government or a DIVIDED
GOVERNMENT —when the legislature is not of the
president’s party…GRIDLOCK

23. Powers

24. Legislative Powers

25. When a bill is passed, the
President has three options:
• Sign the bill
• Veto the bill
• Do nothing

26. The President may suggest certain
legislation be passed: formally or
informally.

27. Ordinance Power
Ordinance power authorizes the president to
issue executive order—rules or laws which
do not require Congressional approval

28. Executive Powers

29. Commander in Chief (“war
powers)
• Commands and directs military
• Is responsible for military
strategy

30. Key limitations:
• Congress declares war
• Congress raises armies and
navies
• Congress must approve funding
• War Powers Resolution—
Congress must authorize troop
deployments of over 60 days

31. Architect of US foreign policy:
• Responsible for recognition
and relations with foreign
countries
• Negotiates treaties with
other countries (Senate must
approve)

32. Chief Executive:
• Appoints as many as 6,000
positions while taking office
(ambassadors, Cabinet
members, etc.)

33. Judicial Powers

34. Judicial Powers:
• POTUS has the power to
nominate federal judges
• May grant
pardons, reprieves, commutati
ons, and amnesty
• Can declare executive
privilege

35. • Pardon—legal forgiveness of a crime
• Reprieve—a delay in punishment
• Commutation—lessening the punishment of a
crime
• Amnesty—a pardon given to a group
• Executive privilege—the right of secrecy on
certain matters within the executive branch

36. Impeachment

37. What is impeachment?
It is a process, authorized by the Constitution, to bring
charges against certain officials of the federal
government for misconduct while in office.

38. For what can the President, Vice-President, or other civil officers
of the law be impeached?
The Constitution specifies that high government
officials may be impeached for "treason, bribery, or
other high crimes and misdemeanors”

39. The Stages and Roles of Impeachment
The President, Vice President and all
civil Officers of the United States,
shall be removed from Office on
Impeachment for, and Conviction of,
Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes
and Misdemeanors. Article II, Section 4,
US Constitution
House of Representatives—has power to bring
about charges against government officials
Senate—hold the trial in impeachment cases

40. Procedures
1. House Judiciary committee—examines
evidence; majority vote is needed to send to
the full House
2. House of Representatives—a majority vote is
needed. If achieved, charges are sent to the
Senate
3. Senate—holds the trial; a two-thirds vote is
needed

41. How many presidents have been impeached?
Two