Presidential Leadership: Politics and Policy Making

by George C. Edwards III, Kenneth R. Mayer, Stephen J. Wayne

Long established as a leading introduction to the American presidency, Presidential Leadership, Fourteenth Edition, provides students with a comprehensive survey that addresses the capacity of chief executives to fulfill their tasks, exercise their powers, and utilize their organizational structures to affect the output of government. The authors examine all aspects of the presidency in rich detail, including presidential powers, presidential history, and the institution of the presidency. Edwards, Mayer, and Wayne analyze the institution and the presidents who hold the office through the key lens of leadership. The authors explain the leadership dilemma presidents face and their institutional, political, and personal capacities to meet it. Two models of presidential leadership help students understand the one in which a strong president dominates the political environment as a director of change, and another in which the president performs a more limited role as facilitator of change. Each model provides an insightful perspectives to better understand leadership in the modern presidency and to evaluate the performance of individual presidents. With no simple formula for presidential success, and no partisan perspective driving the analysis, the authors help us understand that presidents and citizens alike must understand the nature of presidential leadership in a pluralistic system in which separate institutions share powers. The fourteenth edition is fully updated through the start of Trump’s second administration, with recent policy developments, the 2024 elections, changes to the media environment, and the latest data. In addition, material from the prior edition’s chapter on domestic and economic policy has been incorporated into other chapters for an overall briefer text.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Textbooks, School

662 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1985

Reviews

[MBJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no election in recent history where a book of this nature could be a more timely read. Partisanship, policy objectives, and personalities aside, effective presidential leadership perhaps above all requires an understanding of how government functions and what it takes to accomplish the policy goals of an incoming administration. No president can lead without understanding what makes Washington tick. And there is a huge learning curve.

The federal government is extraordinarily complex. We have heard much rhetoric in the 2016 election cycle about how and why Washington has failed the people. But let's face it. No president, no matter what his policy objectives, can run the federal government effectively without having an understanding about how to move the ball forward in Washington.

This book provides an overview of the uphill battle every president faces in trying to establish effective leadership in Washington. It is simply not possible to step into the office and "drain the swamp".

Despite my fascination with the subject matter of Presidential Leadership: Politics and Policy Making, I was a bit disappointed in this particular book as it lacked the depth I was seeking in exploring this fascinating topic. The book is, however, a good starting point. The list of suggested readings at the end of each chapter is impressive and can certainly serve as a guide for further more in-depth exploration of the subject matter.

Good luck to any president-elect who thinks the whole system can be turned topsy-turvy overnight. This book elucidates for the reader why such a lofty objective is unobtainable. On a more positive note, this book also helps the reader understand why a system too easily upended would probably not be a desirable or stable one.

[Dr. Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much to say. A definitive work on presidential policy, and leadership including the various aspects of how the executive office is run and managed. Includes the rights and obligations of the presidential mandate. Outstanding title.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Textbook for my Political Science class.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who wants to bet I never finish this now that class is over? But it is well-written. We'll give it a couple of days ...

If only the class had lasted a couple more days, I would have finished this. Maybe some day.

[Chrystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad read as far as textbooks go.