Question 1

What is the plebiscitary presidency, and how did it develop? Discuss the presidents who contributed to its establishment.

Accepted Answer

A) Define the plebiscitary presidency as a view of the presidency defined by the speeches, public appearances, press conferences, and the like that presidents perform before the American public.
B) Explain how the plebiscitary presidency began with Theodore Roosevelt and a shift to modern public relations, noting his use of the bully pulpit to shape public opinion and his efforts to reward loyal journalists with access.
C) Discuss how Woodrow Wilson established many of the modern conventions of the plebiscitary presidency, including his early arguments for increased presidential engagement with the public, the establishment of regular press conferences, and the role of the press in informing government of what the public was thinking.
D) Describe how FDR took Wilson's populist strategy even further by tapping the power of radio to bring his voice and opinion directly into the homes of Americans in addition to having those addresses filmed and inserted into news reels that were shown in movie theaters.
E) Identify FDR's role in using public opinion polls to adapt his legislative agenda as well as the creation of the full-time press secretary to manage the president's communications.

Question 2

Wilson conceived the relationship between the press and president as __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  irrelevant 
B)  conflicted 
C)  adversarial 
D)  a partnership 
A)  irrelevant 
B)  conflicted 
C)  adversarial 
D)  a partnership D

Question 3

If you were a president who wanted to assess how the public was going to respond to your new policies regarding gun control in the United States, what would you be likely to do?

Accepted Answer

A)  Write an opinion piece. 
B)  Float a trial balloon. 
C)  Put it in the State of the Union address. 
D)  Enact the policy and wait for a response. 
A)  Write an opinion piece. 
B)  Float a trial balloon. 
C)  Put it in the State of the Union address. 
D)  Enact the policy and wait for a response. B

Question 4

Franklin Roosevelt transformed the president's relationship with the public by being the first president to __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  give a press conference 
B)  use the bully pulpit 
C)  commission large-scale public opinion polls 
D)  engage in demagoguery 
A)  give a press conference 
B)  use the bully pulpit 
C)  commission large-scale public opinion polls 
D)  engage in demagoguery

Question 5

If you were applying Barber's model and wanted to evaluate the personality of Barack Obama, to which of the following would you look?

Accepted Answer

A)  political engagement 
B)  worldview 
C)  regime affiliation 
D)  policies 
A)  political engagement 
B)  worldview 
C)  regime affiliation 
D)  policies

Question 6

Which statement best characterizes the use of strategic leaks by presidents?

Accepted Answer

A)  It always embarrasses the administration. 
B)  It is helpful for distracting the media from more serious scandals. 
C)  It is useful for getting information into the public sphere. 
D)  It is damaging to presidential appointment efforts. 
A)  It always embarrasses the administration. 
B)  It is helpful for distracting the media from more serious scandals. 
C)  It is useful for getting information into the public sphere. 
D)  It is damaging to presidential appointment efforts.

Question 7

Which statements regarding the rally effect is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  It affects partisans in identical ways. 
B)  It occurs only following a domestic crisis. 
C)  It creates different trajectories for partisans. 
D)  It has a lasting effect on approval ratings. 
A)  It affects partisans in identical ways. 
B)  It occurs only following a domestic crisis. 
C)  It creates different trajectories for partisans. 
D)  It has a lasting effect on approval ratings.

Question 8

With respect to the media, the goal of Ronald Reagan's press team was to control __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  editorial content 
B)  the number of stories 
C)  what reporters said 
D)  what people saw 
A)  editorial content 
B)  the number of stories 
C)  what reporters said 
D)  what people saw

Question 9

With respect to the plebiscitary presidency, what distinguishes Woodrow Wilson from Theodore Roosevelt?

Accepted Answer

A)  Wilson established the plebiscitary presidency while Roosevelt established its conventions. 
B)  Roosevelt established the plebiscitary presidency while Wilson established its conventions. 
C)  Roosevelt rejected the plebiscitary presidency while Wilson embraced it. 
D)  Wilson defied the conventions of the plebiscitary presidency while Roosevelt adhered to them. 
A)  Wilson established the plebiscitary presidency while Roosevelt established its conventions. 
B)  Roosevelt established the plebiscitary presidency while Wilson established its conventions. 
C)  Roosevelt rejected the plebiscitary presidency while Wilson embraced it. 
D)  Wilson defied the conventions of the plebiscitary presidency while Roosevelt adhered to them.

Question 10

Using Skowronek's model, if a president appears open-minded and receptive to competing claims while he or she is in office, we could assume that the president was affiliated with a __________ regime.

Accepted Answer

A)  weak 
B)  strong 
C)  moderate 
D)  declining 
A)  weak 
B)  strong 
C)  moderate 
D)  declining

Question 11

Which statement is an institutional explanation for the rise of public appeals by presidents?

Accepted Answer

A)  Presidents are becoming more charismatic, which increases their likeability and the responsiveness of the public to their message. 
B)  Presidents are becoming more dependent on political elites, who always advise them to go public to advance the political message of the party. 
C)  The importance of political elites has declined, and thus presidents cannot remain isolated but must appeal to a diversity of interest groups and political actors. 
D)  Presidential power has grown so much that it now dominates the political world, making all other actors irrelevant. 
A)  Presidents are becoming more charismatic, which increases their likeability and the responsiveness of the public to their message. 
B)  Presidents are becoming more dependent on political elites, who always advise them to go public to advance the political message of the party. 
C)  The importance of political elites has declined, and thus presidents cannot remain isolated but must appeal to a diversity of interest groups and political actors. 
D)  Presidential power has grown so much that it now dominates the political world, making all other actors irrelevant.

Question 12

The shift to modern public relations began with which president?

Accepted Answer

A)  Ronald Reagan 
B)  Franklin Roosevelt 
C)  Theodore Roosevelt 
D)  Andrew Jackson 
A)  Ronald Reagan 
B)  Franklin Roosevelt 
C)  Theodore Roosevelt 
D)  Andrew Jackson

Question 13

Why did the nation's founders discourage a plebiscitary presidency?

Accepted Answer

A)  They feared the executive would inflame popular prejudices in order to advance goals for the larger public good. 
B)  They wanted to ensure that the executive would tell people what they wanted to hear in the name of the larger public good. 
C)  The Articles of Confederation had demonstrated to them how important it would be to avoid appointing an independent executive. 
D)  They were afraid of executive power being put to the wrong use, especially for private gain. 
A)  They feared the executive would inflame popular prejudices in order to advance goals for the larger public good. 
B)  They wanted to ensure that the executive would tell people what they wanted to hear in the name of the larger public good. 
C)  The Articles of Confederation had demonstrated to them how important it would be to avoid appointing an independent executive. 
D)  They were afraid of executive power being put to the wrong use, especially for private gain.

Question 14

Which statement best describes the change in the relationship between the press and the president as a consequence of the Watergate scandal?

Accepted Answer

A)  Journalists can reap professional rewards by exposing scandals in the executive branch, even if those scandals shake the faith of Americans in their political institutions, and thus they no longer adopt a deferential stance toward the actions of presidents. 
B)  Investigating the executive can exact an exceedingly high toll on journalists' personal and professional lives, and thus they have adopted a deferential stance toward the actions of presidents. 
C)  The American public has little interest in the investigation of scandals within American government, and so journalists have returned to the basic journalistic practice of reporting the facts provided by the government. 
D)  Journalists have the ability to bring down entire presidencies, reaping personal and professional fame in the process, and thus they now focus exclusively on investigative journalism and ignore mundane and nonscandalous events. 
A)  Journalists can reap professional rewards by exposing scandals in the executive branch, even if those scandals shake the faith of Americans in their political institutions, and thus they no longer adopt a deferential stance toward the actions of presidents. 
B)  Investigating the executive can exact an exceedingly high toll on journalists' personal and professional lives, and thus they have adopted a deferential stance toward the actions of presidents. 
C)  The American public has little interest in the investigation of scandals within American government, and so journalists have returned to the basic journalistic practice of reporting the facts provided by the government. 
D)  Journalists have the ability to bring down entire presidencies, reaping personal and professional fame in the process, and thus they now focus exclusively on investigative journalism and ignore mundane and nonscandalous events.

Question 15

The __________ was legitimized by the actions of Theodore Roosevelt.

Accepted Answer

A)  practice of giving the annual State of the Union address in person before Congress 
B)  principle that Congress should be the primary force for setting the policy agenda 
C)  notion that the president must make him- or herself routinely available to the media 
D)  commitment to using public relations as a way to chronicle the nation's history 
A)  practice of giving the annual State of the Union address in person before Congress 
B)  principle that Congress should be the primary force for setting the policy agenda 
C)  notion that the president must make him- or herself routinely available to the media 
D)  commitment to using public relations as a way to chronicle the nation's history

Question 16

Which of the following would support the claims made by Phillip Converse?

Accepted Answer

A)  a man calling himself a socialist while simultaneously supporting private enterprise 
B)  the dramatic spike in George Bush's approval ratings following the 9/11 attacks 
C)  the downfall of Richard Nixon as a result of his character traits 
D)  a woman changing her views of the president following a press conference by opposition party leaders 
A)  a man calling himself a socialist while simultaneously supporting private enterprise 
B)  the dramatic spike in George Bush's approval ratings following the 9/11 attacks 
C)  the downfall of Richard Nixon as a result of his character traits 
D)  a woman changing her views of the president following a press conference by opposition party leaders

Question 17

Some political scientists hold that presidential success can contribute to a drop in approval ratings because as presidents engage in successful actions, they __________, which lowers their approval ratings.

Accepted Answer

A)  increase the opportunities for critiques by the opposition party 
B)  invariably alienate the coalition of minorities that brought them into office 
C)  become arrogant and cause voters to dislike them personally 
D)  inevitably expand their power, making citizens nervous 
A)  increase the opportunities for critiques by the opposition party 
B)  invariably alienate the coalition of minorities that brought them into office 
C)  become arrogant and cause voters to dislike them personally 
D)  inevitably expand their power, making citizens nervous

Question 18

Why is the argument that a president's approval ratings decline over time because of presidential policy failure subject to critique?

Accepted Answer

A)  It implies that every president is doomed to policy failure around the midterm elections. 
B)  Although the argument is supported by a considerable amount of data, those data were not collected by political scientists. 
C)  It implies that presidents who are successful should maintain strong approval ratings, and the data do not bear this out. 
D)  It does not take into account the drop in approval ratings caused by the rally effect. 
A)  It implies that every president is doomed to policy failure around the midterm elections. 
B)  Although the argument is supported by a considerable amount of data, those data were not collected by political scientists. 
C)  It implies that presidents who are successful should maintain strong approval ratings, and the data do not bear this out. 
D)  It does not take into account the drop in approval ratings caused by the rally effect.

Question 19

How have television and the rise of social media affected the relationship that the president has with the American public? Use examples where appropriate.

Accepted Answer

A) Discuss that while radio changed the

Question 20

The decision by the New York Times to delay publication of a story on post-9/11 domestic surveillance is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  media deference 
B)  investigate journalism 
C)  the media watchdog role 
D)  a media trial balloon 
A)  media deference 
B)  investigate journalism 
C)  the media watchdog role 
D)  a media trial balloon

What is the plebiscitary presidency, and how did it develop? Discuss the presidents who contributed to its establishment.

Wilson conceived the relationship between the press and president as __________.

If you were a president who wanted to assess how the public was going to respond to your new policies regarding gun control in the United States, what would you be likely to do?

Franklin Roosevelt transformed the president's relationship with the public by being the first president to __________.

If you were applying Barber's model and wanted to evaluate the personality of Barack Obama, to which of the following would you look?

Which statement best characterizes the use of strategic leaks by presidents?

Which statements regarding the rally effect is most accurate?

With respect to the media, the goal of Ronald Reagan's press team was to control __________.

With respect to the plebiscitary presidency, what distinguishes Woodrow Wilson from Theodore Roosevelt?

Using Skowronek's model, if a president appears open-minded and receptive to competing claims while he or she is in office, we could assume that the president was affiliated with a __________ regime.

Which statement is an institutional explanation for the rise of public appeals by presidents?

The shift to modern public relations began with which president?

Why did the nation's founders discourage a plebiscitary presidency?

Which statement best describes the change in the relationship between the press and the president as a consequence of the Watergate scandal?

The __________ was legitimized by the actions of Theodore Roosevelt.

Which of the following would support the claims made by Phillip Converse?

Some political scientists hold that presidential success can contribute to a drop in approval ratings because as presidents engage in successful actions, they __________, which lowers their approval ratings.

Why is the argument that a president's approval ratings decline over time because of presidential policy failure subject to critique?

How have television and the rise of social media affected the relationship that the president has with the American public? Use examples where appropriate.

The decision by the New York Times to delay publication of a story on post-9/11 domestic surveillance is an example of __________.

Constitutional Origins

An Institutional Presidency

Power and the Institutional Presidency

The Nomination of Presidents

General Elections

Transitions of Governance

Negotiating With Congress

Unilateral Powers

Political Control of the Bureaucracy

Presidential Relations With the Federal Judiciary

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Economic Policy

Wartime Policymaking at Home

Appedix: Introduction Thinking Institutionally about an American Presidency

Filters

Exam 11: Public Opinion and the Media

What is the plebiscitary presidency, and how did it develop? Discuss the presidents who contributed to its establishment.

Wilson conceived the relationship between the press and president as __________.

If you were a president who wanted to assess how the public was going to respond to your new policies regarding gun control in the United States, what would you be likely to do?

Franklin Roosevelt transformed the president's relationship with the public by being the first president to __________.

If you were applying Barber's model and wanted to evaluate the personality of Barack Obama, to which of the following would you look?

Which statement best characterizes the use of strategic leaks by presidents?

Which statements regarding the rally effect is most accurate?

With respect to the media, the goal of Ronald Reagan's press team was to control __________.

With respect to the plebiscitary presidency, what distinguishes Woodrow Wilson from Theodore Roosevelt?

Using Skowronek's model, if a president appears open-minded and receptive to competing claims while he or she is in office, we could assume that the president was affiliated with a __________ regime.

Which statement is an institutional explanation for the rise of public appeals by presidents?

The shift to modern public relations began with which president?

Why did the nation's founders discourage a plebiscitary presidency?

Which statement best describes the change in the relationship between the press and the president as a consequence of the Watergate scandal?

The __________ was legitimized by the actions of Theodore Roosevelt.

Which of the following would support the claims made by Phillip Converse?

Some political scientists hold that presidential success can contribute to a drop in approval ratings because as presidents engage in successful actions, they __________, which lowers their approval ratings.

Why is the argument that a president's approval ratings decline over time because of presidential policy failure subject to critique?

How have television and the rise of social media affected the relationship that the president has with the American public? Use examples where appropriate.

The decision by the New York Times to delay publication of a story on post-9/11 domestic surveillance is an example of __________.

Constitutional Origins

An Institutional Presidency

Power and the Institutional Presidency

The Nomination of Presidents

General Elections

Transitions of Governance

Negotiating With Congress

Unilateral Powers

Political Control of the Bureaucracy

Presidential Relations With the Federal Judiciary

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Economic Policy

Wartime Policymaking at Home

Appedix: Introduction Thinking Institutionally about an American Presidency

Filters