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This book systematically examines the first terms of every president from FDR to Barack Obama and assesses the leadership style and policy agenda of each. Success in bringing about policy change is shown to hinge on the leadership style and skill in managing a variety of institutional and public relationships. The second edition of this timely book adds chapters on George W. Bush and Obama and focuses on the significant domestic policy challenges of their respective times. The authors have reconfigured the analytical framework of the book to take into account the 'dynamic opportunity structure' that emerged during the George W. Bush administration. The Presidency and Domestic Policy provides unique insights into contemporary presidential leadership in a highly partisan age.
List of contents
List of Tables
Preface
Part I. The High Opportunity Presidents
Chapter 1. Strategies for Assessing Presidents
Chapter 2. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Artful Leadership during Hard Times
Chapter 3. Lyndon B. Johnson: Legislative Leadership and a Credibility Gap
Chapter 4. Ronald Reagan: One Big Year
Chapter 5. George W. Bush: A Resolute Decider with a Co-President
Part II. The Moderate Opportunity Presidents
Chapter 6. Harry S. Truman: A Broker with Beliefs
Chapter 7. Dwight D. Eisenhower: A Skilled Centrist
Chapter 8. John F. Kennedy: A Quest for Heroic Leadership
Chapter 9. Barack Obama: A Negotiator without a Partner
Part III. The Low Opportunity Presidents
Chapter 10. Richard Nixon: An Activist with an Enemies List
Chapter 11. Jimmy Carter: An OutsiderâEUR(TM)s Pursuit of âEURœTrusteeâEUR Leadership
Chapter 12. George Bush: A Reluctant Guardian
Chapter 13. Bill Clinton: A Perpetual Campaigner under Siege
Part IV. Conclusion
Chapter 14. Opportunities, Challenges, and Skills: Comparing the Presidents
Select Bibliography
Subject Index
Citations of Authors
About the author
Michael A. Genovese is Director of the Institute for Leadership Studies and holds the Loyola Chair of Leadership as Professor of Political Science at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He received his PhD in political science from the University of Southern California and has authored over 30 books and edits a series on the presidency. Genovese has won numerous awards for outstanding teaching and scholarship.
Todd L. Belt is Professor of Political Science at the University of Hawaiâ (TM)i at Hilo. He received his PhD at the University of Southern California. He is the coauthor of the books
We Interrupt This Newscast: How to Improve Local News and Win Ratings, Too and
Getting Involved: A Guide to Student Citizenship.
William W. Lammers (late) was Professor of Political Science at the University of Southern California. He was an authority on presidential politics and federal policies toward the aging, and he dedicated his research to American political processes and public policy formation. His books include
Presidential Politics: Patterns and Prospects and
Public Policy and the Aging.
Summary
This book systematically examines the first terms of every president from FDR to Barack Obama and assesses the leadership style and policy agenda of each. Success in bringing about policy change is shown to hinge on the leadership style and skill in managing a variety of institutional and public relationships. The second edition of this timely book adds chapters on George W. Bush and Obama and focuses on the significant domestic policy challenges of their respective times. The authors have reconfigured the analytical framework of the book to take into account the 'dynamic opportunity structure' that emerged during the George W. Bush administration. The Presidency and Domestic Policy provides unique insights into contemporary presidential leadership in a highly partisan age.
