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Presidential Power In The United States

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In All the Way the Presidency is portrayed as a powerless and manipulative position, contrasting to the media portrayal of current day presidents as all-powerful and ultra-refined. Lyndon B Johnson gives the audience a behind the scenes view of the everyday life a president, and it is not what would be expected. His daily tasks did not include barking orders and everyone graciously following his every command. President Johnson was constantly attempting to persuade members of congress, bartering with what little power he had. He had to manipulate Capitol Hill in order to pass the Civil Rights Act, but he felt that he was doing it for the good of the American people. The president is not seen as someone who can control all things in All the Way, which is often what is portrayed in the media. …show more content…
He elaborates on this point, adding a quote by President Truman, “I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do the things they ought to have the sense to do without my persuading them…that’s all the power the President amounts to.” Neustadt goes on to explain that the president has the illusion of power through “self-executing orders.” These orders create the appearance of presidential power, but in reality there are many factors that contribute to the order that makes it undeniable. Outside of these self-executing orders, the only power the president has is persuasion. The best presidents know how to use their persuasion and status to create the illusion of power. As Neustadt mentions, it is hard to deny a president’s request when you are sitting in the oval office at the White House. By using persuasions and status, the president can avoid the fact that they have very little real authority, and they can create their own

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