1Presidency and Political Parties• Nominations and elections• Symbolic leader of party• Control over national party organization• Partisan support in Congress• Partisan appointments to executive and judicial branchesPresident as Symbolic Party LeaderRepublican party = President George W. Bushhttp://www.rnc.orghttp://www.dnc.orgPresident as Symbolic Party Leader• Platform and webpage contain president’s positions• Public identify president’s issues as party’s issues• Executive-centered party versus headless opposition partyPresidential Control Over National Party Organization• Past - connections to states• Today - build support for president’s programs• Problems– divided duties of party leaders– make president’s policies too partisan2President Selects Party ChairIN(Rep)KenMehlmanOUT(Dem)HowardDeanConflict withWhite HousestaffPresident Major Fund Raiser for Party• Raises money for national party• Attends fundraisers for party’s candidatesBush at May 2004 GOP fund raiser = $38.5 millionPresidents, Congress & Parties• Divided versus unified government• Unified– innovative policy• Roosevelt New Deal• Johnson MedicarePresidents, Congress& Parties• Divided government– stalemate• December 1995, January 1996 government shutdown– compromise policy3Presidents Attempt to Set Congressional Agenda• Speeches• Bills and budget– OMB vs. Congressional Budget OfficeGeorge W. Bush State of the UnionJanuary 2001Presidential Success in Congress01020304050607080901001964 1968 1972 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003LBJNixonFordCarterReaganBushClintonBushSource: Congressional Quarterly Weekly ReportsPresidential Success Rate in Congress• Partisanship – 2/3rds from own party– 1/2 or less from opposition party• Bipartisanship– more on foreign than domesticSuccess Rate for George Bush (1989-1992)01020304050607080901989 1990 1991 1992Dem. House Rep. House Dem. Senate Rep. SenateSource: Congressional Quarterly Weekly Reports4Success Rate for Bill Clinton01020304050607080901001993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000Dem. House Rep. House Dem. Senate Rep. SenateSource: Congressional Quarterly Weekly ReportsSuccess Rate for George H.W. Bush01020304050607080901002001 2002 2003 2004 2005Dem. House Rep. House Dem. Senate Rep. SenateCongressional Quarterly Weekly ReportsPresidential Vetoes• Regular veto (1,484 - 58%, 1789 to 2001)– 10 days to sign, ignore, or return to Congress– Weakness or strength?– Veto override - 2/3rd vote in both House and Senate (106 total - 7%)• Pocket veto (1,066 - 42%)– Congress adjourns during 10 day period– Unsigned bills automatically vetoedNumber of Presidential Vetoes0100200300400500600700HooverFDRTrumanDDEKennedyLBJNixonFordCarterReaganBushClintonBushSource: Clerk of the House of Representatives5Number of Presidential Vetoes Since 196001020304050607080KennedyLBJNixonFordCarterReaganBushClintonBushPresidential Vetoes• Number of vetoes unrelated to party size in Congress• Number of veto overrides is related to party size in CongressNumber of Vetoes Overridden024681012KennedyJohnsonNixonFord CarterReaganBushClinton106 out of 1484 vetoes overridden = 7%Reasons for Presidential Influence on Own Party Members in Congress• Policy agreement• Successful president helps party• Small favors – fundraisers– photo ops6Reasons for Less Presidential Influence on Own Party Members in Congress• No sanctions• Little personal contact between president and rank-and-file members• Different constituencies– national– district/statePartisan Appointments• Presidents appoint less than 10% of executive branch• Presidents appoint– Heads of Department/Cabinet– Executive Office of the President– About 3,500 people• 2/3rds along party linesAppointment Not Equal Loyalty• Other reasons for appointment• Staggered terms of boards– Federal Reserve Board • Some boards require bipartisan members– Federal Election Commission, 1/2 from each• Appointees “captured” by