The State of the Presidency / Thomas E. Cronin.

Chapter-1: The presidential puzzle;
Chapter-2: The presidential selection process;
Chapter-3: The textbook and prime-time presidency;
Chapter-4: Presidential job description;
Chapter-5: The presidential job description;
Chapter-6: Presidential congressional relations;
Chapter-7: Presidential- departmental relations;
Chapter-8: The president's cabinet;
Chapter-9: Presidential non crisis policy making;
Chapter-10: Presidential accountability;
Chapter-11: Presidential leadership;

Do the American people expect too much of the presidency? too little? If we really want effective leadership, why aren't we getting it from our chief executive.? Should we criticize the president or the office itself?
Former white house aide and prominent political scientist Thomas E. Cronin addresses these questions directly in this crisp, objective, and thought- provoking appraisal of the nation's highest office, the institution of the American presidency. Examining changing public moods and attitudes toward the chief executive, Cronin probes the problems and paradoxes of leadership, power, and accountability. Although he maintains a deep respect for the presidency, he calls attention to the limitations of the office.
Comprehensive in scope, The State of the Presidency provides a detailed look at every aspect of the presidency, from the selection process itself to the crucial relationship between the president and congress to the making of policy. It includes important and timely recommendations for electoral college reform and offers a rigorous examination of the cabinet and White House staff and their impact on the image of the presidency.
Drawing on his analyses of major contemporary writings on the presidency Cronin offers his own assessment of recent presidencies and employs examples from the kennedy to Carter administrations to show how, in recent years, the presidency has changed-especially since the advent of television. He debates whether the office is an imperial or an imperiled one, and the author's own recommendations for making our chief executives "safe for democracy" are a valuable and provocative contribution to our understanding of the highest office in America.