The Rhetorical presidency

By Tulis
1. What kind of presidency did the framers want? (old way)
i. Framers wanted executive branch to be undemocratic
b. Wanted a strong executive to create a strong, energetic central government
i. energy- an institutios ability to get things done quickly and with
effect
ii. a strong president is an energetic president
iii. energy is the leading characteristic fo good government according to
Hamilton.
c. liberal purpose (based on Locke)- if government exists to protect liberty, then
a president sues his energy to protect individual rights and liberty and
against threats.
d. The hobsian duty of government is provide order- so the executive exists to
provide order
e. The ability to provide things- protection/public goods/liberty/order
i. Note: these three are all the basic purposes of government
f. self preservation- president is supposed to be independent (designed to be
an independent office)
i. we created a president who is not selected by congress, is independent
& thus takes away some of the power of congress.
ii. Self preservation allows the president to resist the encroach on
executive powers by congress.
iii. President job is to preserve separation of power
g. framers feared demigogs:
a. Hamilton did not even want president making speeches to
the people because he believes the people do not
understand anyway. The elites who seek to lead the people
are dangerous to the people. The people deserve someone
who is going to tell the when their wrong and what the
public good actually is. The people will like popular leaders
who always tell them their right but they should not.
Leaders who want to be liked rather than doing what is
best.
b. Demigog- a popular leader who does leads with popular
interest.
i. Soft demigog- the politician who says the American
people understand this. Even in cases when it is
obvious they do not. The politician who says the
people are always right. Sucking up to the people.
ii. Hard demigog- they encourage factions, one who
does not flatter the people but plays on their fears.
1. Ex: hitler- blaming jewish for all the ills.
- You are supposed to listen to the people find out what tey want but tell them their
wrong.
2. What kind fo presidency did the anti federalists fear?
a. Undemocratic- the president is too far removed from the people
i. Because they have a long term, potential that president would stay
president for a long time

1. Remember this is coming from people who wanted annual

elections
ii. Presidential selection- they are selected by the electoral collage (this
removed president from democracy and put him/her above the
people).
1. Framers did this Because they believed the common good is not
what the majority wants
a. Majority factions are a threat to public interest
b. Mistrust of people and popular wisdom
iii. Antifederalism thought- do not let these elite removed people govern
your lives.
Two constitutional presidencies is the term used to describe the difference between the
framers presidency and what has emerged subsequently through stages of development.
- there is a presidency that exists on parchment
- but then layered on top of the framers expectations

this book is about what presidents do with rhetoric speeches

o presidents have made polciies through proclamations and in doing this, it
becomes real, it becomes policy (making policies through speechedemancipation proclamation)
the source of authority ehre is the president- is says this and its done
he gets his authority from the constitution
o presidents also have made speeches trying to get the people to do
something
people have the power here
it is a democratic act
going on and trying to get people to contact congress
makes president interchangeable- anyone can do this
prescribed behavior- behavior you are supposed to do
- giving speeches
- president should be above this
- it is harmful to public interest
proscribed- behavior that does what it wants
- president is doing what he believes is right
- telling people what is to be done

there is an elite level and mass level

o under the old way, the mass could get involved in politics but to be
persuasive and enter into realm of public discourse and affairs, they have to
become elite- rise yourself up with smarts.
o Elitist are maintained by elitist rhetoric- elitist rhetoric by speeches about
proclamation
o Appealing to the people is brining the elites down to the mass level
Antifederalism thought- do not let these elite removed people govern your lives.
There is popular leader vs. elite leader
o Lincoln believed the leader should be above the fray

Should learn about the issue and what they are going to do before they
make a speech to the people.
President nowadays say what they are going to do and then figure out
they cannot actually do it.
Worse thing someone could do is try to solve a problem before they
know it is a problem. See if things work themselves out
Wait to see if things will work themselves out
This goes against what we expect- activation, disruption instead
of steady administration of law, when things go wrong.
Giving opinion to early can make you less persuasive
Silence enhances persuasiveness of the speeches he will make
o If I sit back and dont say much, you will listen when I do
speak.
o It will mean more
President bashing congress used ot be thought of as impeachable
o We now want president to bash congress and vice versa to say what the
other is doing wrong
o The old way was keeping congress, president and people working together
The old way is going to succumb
o Succumbs to democracy in America
o It gives way so that presidents cannot remain above the fray
o To justify their activism even, they develop a new way

Old way
Energy- the ability to get things
done quickly and with effect
- president has unity- there is
only one of them
- which makes for a more
effective presidency because
one person can make decisions
a lot faster than if there were 7
or 3.
- Did not want popularity
because believed that with
energy and popularity comes
an imperial institutioninstitution begins to do things
not given to it by the
constitution.
strong/independent executive
undemocratic
- removed from the people through
electoral collage, a long term
continuity- present is supposed to be
a steadying force in American politics
(mass to elite)
- elite driven, out fo touch with
average americans and what they

New way
popularity- institution as people
perceive as on their side.
Theodore Roosevelt (middle way)
Woodrow Wilson (New Way)
Democratic
Bullypulpit- a public office or position
of authority that provides its
occupant with an outstanding
opportunity to speak out on any issue
- President has unity in the spotlight
that it gives you- national opportunity
to lead a conversation & convince
people that what is the national
interest is their interest. Breaking the
divide between common good and
personal interest.
(elite to mass)- presidents putting on
a show that they are just like you.
New way exists with some uneasy
tension with the old way because
they are still using the old way
constitution to justify what they are
doing.

needed

Congress was supposed to be the dominant institution in the beginning.

What did congress have at founding that president or courts did not have?
o Have full range of power in article 1
o Plus anything necessary in proper
o They had popularity- the peoples branch
Is directly democratic and elected
o The remedy to not make congress extremely powerful
o You separate the congress into house and senate
o Make a strong, energetic and independent executive branch
o This makes congress strong but energy poor
Almost instantly after founding, congress forms parties
o These parties allow them to become more energetic and get things done
o So long as parties are strong, it becomes a machine to pass policy
o Without parties, congress would be come together and deliberate about
the most pressing issue, come to some sort of agreement, pass policy.
Deliberation is not energetic- could take months
This si a recipe for very slow legislative process
This is madisons intention- let the minority factions clog the
administration
o Congress does makes parties that can just pass things.
Anti federlaists and federalist are afraid to give power to anyone because power is
too easily abused. They will all aggrandized and take more power and be harder to
control
Ad hot committee- a committee created to consider one piece of legislation and
asp soon as it is passed, the break up.
Standing committees eventually become created.
o Make congress decision making go faster
o Gives a division of labor- congress can be actively considering multiple
pieces of legislation at a time.
o Each committee takes on a different piece of legislation
Parites help bring together senate and house- they are no longer rivals, they are
working together for the same party.
Congress therefore gets energy and overpowers executive.
Congress dominants presidents fo 19th century.
Congress is supposed to be popular but not energetic, president is supposed to be
energetic not popular and judicial is supposed to be neither.
Presidents of the 20th century loose energy and gain popularity.
o They dominant American politics
Something significant changes and when does it happen and why? (Tuliss idea)
o The proscribed behavior fo the 19th century do not give speeches, talk to the
people, represent people as they- be above the people
Theodore Roosevelt is the middle way (moderation)
o He is a progressive republican
o He pushes for progressive policies that republican congress does not like.
o What is he for that traditional republicans arent?

Regulation of railroads, food industry, big businesses- child labor laws,

workplace safety,
Using national govt to protect people from big business
One fo the first environmental president
Sees a purpose in national govt for protecting people
Remember: republicans are against regulation
o Roosevelt wants some regulation on public utilities but does not go as far
as most progessive goes, which would be complete control.
o What does tulis like about Roosevelt? (What makes him different that prior
presidents?)
o He is above the warring factions between progressive forces and
conservative
o He thus rises above- seeks to be above the rivaling
o He is the middle
o He is thus representing the people- something has changed with the
old way executive conception that president should not give
speeches, not appeal to the people.
Earlier presidents said and believed they could do what ever
the law and constitution told them to do
Whatever congress or constitution says to do
Roosevelt felt that anything not forbidden by constitution or
law, they can do.
Constitution and law is the explicit list of limits
Everything else is fair game.
He gets his legitimacy therefore from the people while
prior presidents got it from the constitution.
Therefore, roosevelts presidency is more democraticdoing what he can for the people.
o Presidents job is too protect people.
Roosevelt creates the first imperial president
He is followed by Wilson
Woodrow Wilson (The new way president)
o What is his conception fo leadership according to tulis?
o The job of president is the forming of the mass through speech.
o So what was proscribed in the old way (dont give speeches), is now
prescribed (you job si to give speeches)
o He says represent the people, become popular leader.
o The art of getting the people on your side and scaring the hell out of
congress so they follow.
o Wilson believes America politics is stalled- no one is getting anything done,
there is no real deliberation or elections.
o Wilson says we can get passed this gridlock if I go to the people and explain
it to them.
o Forming of new image fo what president should do.
o He sees the lethargies and disunity in politics
This is what madison wants
Wilson as a progressive, uses government to redress problems and get
things done as well as be popular with the people.

o Wilson does not like separation fo powers so he seeks to supersede it.

o Wilson sees the job of the president to see the whole ground- the national
elected leader to see what the whole national interest is. The people
incorrectly perceive the interest from their single point of view.
President has unity in the spotlight that it gives you- national
opportunity to lead a conversation & convince people that what is the
national interest is their interest. Breaking the divide between common
good and personal interest.
This si known as bullypulpit
o Makes it easy, dumb it down, give them arguments they can assimilate.
See the public good and explain it.
o Elite to mass
Presidents are now no longer constrained by ideas they cannot give speeches and
appeal to people but now the democracy is unleashed.
What we called leadership now, Hamilton would call soft demography
What has changed since TR and Wilson that has expanded this?
o Acceptance of tradition (presidents modeling one another), and then media
o Ex: fDR- radio, fireside chats, creating a one on one connection