448 Chapter 12Chapter 12 || The PresidencyThe Presidencyincluding Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former House Speaker Paul Ryan,
have disagreed with President Trump’s policy views and legislative proposals (for
example, the travel ban and sanctions on Russia). However, such disagreements have
arisen for all presidents and their party; Trump is not unique in this regard.
The president’s value to the party also depends on his or her popularity. When
presidential approval ratings drop to low levels, most members of Congress see no
political advantage to campaigning with the president or supporting White House
proposals, and they may become increasingly reluctant to comply with the president’s
requests. In the 2018 elections, when President Trump was unpopular in many
urban and suburban parts of the country, Republican legislators from these areas
de-emphasized their connection to the president and did not request joint campaign
appearances. On the other hand, Trump appeared at many rallies for Republicans
campaigning in rural areas, and many candidates appeared with Vice President Mike
Pence, whose popularity was significantly higher than Trump’s.Going Public and Public Opinion Presidents are in an excellent position to
communicate with the American people because of their prominent role and the
extensive media coverage devoted to anything they say to the nation. Broadcast and
cable networks even give the president prime-time slots for the State of the Union speech
and other major addresses. The media attention that comes with the presidency provides
the president with a unique strategy for shaping government policy: going public, that
is, appealing directly to American citizens.^36 Presidential appeals are designed partly
to persuade and partly to motivate the president’s supporters, in the hope that they will
pressure members of the House and Senate to support the president’s requests.
Going public sometimes works—but more often it is ineffectual or even
counterproductive. A president’s appeals may energize supporters, but they may also
have a similar effect on opponents.^37 Thus, rather than facilitating compromise (or a
wholesale presidential victory), publicizing an issue may deepen existing conflicts.
More generally, studies suggest that most Americans ignore or reject a president’s
attempts to go public. As presidency scholar George C. Edwards III notes, people
who disapprove of a president’s time in office are not going to change their minds just
because of a presidential speech.^38 Thus, unless a president is extraordinarily popular,
going public is not going to help enact the president’s agenda.going public
A president’s use of speeches and
other public communications to
appeal directly to citizens about
issues the president would like the
House and Senate to act on.President Obama made18
major speeches (often televised)
calling for new regulations on
handgun purchases and ownership.DID YOU KNOW?
President Donald Trump shakes hands
with Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell of Kentucky, who has been
supportive of his agenda, before
a meeting with House and Senate
leadership at the White House.Full_13_APT_64431_ch12_418-453.indd 448 16/11/18 10:34 AM