Thinking About the Presidency

"Why do presidents do what they do? In this beautifully written treatise on the American presidency, William Howell cuts through the complexities that hobble most analyses and focuses our attention on a single thing--power--that motivates all presidents, explains much of their behavior, and holds the key to our efforts to understand them. His argument is insightful, compelling, and all the more important for its piercing simplicity."--Terry Moe, Stanford University"As one who served in the White House, I know something about the demands and dimensions of the modern presidency. In Thinking about the Presidency, William Howell contributes new and valuable insights into how the role has evolved, and what it means for our country."--David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama"In this brief, well-written book, William Howell ranges widely and astutely as he encourages readers to view the presidency through the prism of its core dimension--power. This volume will be a valuable complement to courses on the presidency."--George C. Edwards III, author of Overreach: Leadership in the Obama Presidency"Thinking about the Presidency is an important antidote to all the rhetoric, reporting, prognostication, and public discourse that focuses on presidential individuality. Focusing on commonalities across presidents, Howell looks at how the institutional and political setting influences presidential behavior. His message is important."--Jeffrey E. Cohen, Fordham University"Howell is a formidable scholar. His informative book will be of broad interest to educated people who want to read a scholarly analysis of the presidency, as viewed through the lens of power."--James P. Pfiffner, George Mason University"This book is a crisp take on a key topic. What makes presidents tick? What makes them succeed? It is a good moment to pare down to fundamentals, and this book will serve as a useful guide to our next chief executive--no matter who that turns out to be."--Andrew Rudalevige, Bowdoin College