The American Democracy, 10th Edition (Patterson)

Chapter 12: The Presidency: Leading the Nation

Glossary


cabinet  A group consisting of the heads of the executive (cabinet) departments, who are appointed by the president, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The cabinet was once the main advisory body to the president, but it no longer plays this role.
honeymoon period  The president’s first months in office, a time when Congress, the press, and the public are more inclined than usual to support presidential initiatives.
momentum (in campaigns)  A strong showing by a candidate in early presidential nominating contests, which leads to a buildup of public support for the candidate.
open party caucuses  Meetings at which a party’s candidates for nomination are voted on and that are open to all the party’s rank-and-file voters who want to attend.
presidential approval ratings  A measure of the degree to which the public approves or disapproves of the president’s performance in office.
stewardship theory  A theory that argues for a strong, assertive presidential role, with presidential authority limited only at points specifically prohibited by law.
unit rule  The rule that grants all of a state’s electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the state.
Whig theory  A theory that prevailed in the nineteenth century and held that the presidency was a limited or restrained office whose occupant was confined to expressly granted constitutional authority.
White House Office (WHO)  A subunit of the Executive Office of the President (EOP), the White House Office is the core of the presidential staff system in that it includes the president’s closest and most trusted personal advisors.
Patterson Tenth Edition Large Cover
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