Overreach: Leadership in the Obama Presidency - Softcover

Edwards III III, George C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0691163316 ISBN 13: 9780691163314

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2015

Synopsis

When Barack Obama became president, many Americans embraced him as a transformational leader who would fundamentally change the politics and policy of the country. Yet, two years into his administration, the public resisted his calls for support and Congress was deadlocked over many of his major policy proposals. How could this capable new president have difficulty attaining his goals? Did he lack tactical skills?

In Overreach, respected presidential scholar George Edwards argues that the problem was strategic, not tactical. He finds that in President Obama's first two years in office, Obama governed on the premise that he could create opportunities for change by persuading the public and some congressional Republicans to support his major initiatives. As a result, he proposed a large, expensive, and polarizing agenda in the middle of a severe economic crisis. The president's proposals alienated many Americans and led to a severe electoral defeat for the Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections, undermining his ability to govern in the remainder of his term.

Edwards shows that the president's frustrations were predictable and the inevitable result of misunderstanding the nature of presidential power. The author demonstrates that the essence of successful presidential leadership is recognizing and exploiting existing opportunities, not in creating them through persuasion. When Obama succeeded in passing important policies, it was by mobilizing Democrats who were already predisposed to back him. Thus, to avoid overreaching, presidents should be alert to the limitations of their power to persuade and rigorously assess the possibilities for obtaining public and congressional support in their environments.

About this title

From the Back Cover

"George Edwards has written a cogently argued, data-driven analysis of the Obama administration's failure to appreciate the opportunities and limitations of exercising power in the American political system. In the process, Edwards shows the relevancy of his and other scholarship for presidents, their advisers, and serious students of the American presidency."--Stephen J. Wayne, Georgetown University

"George Edwards is our leading analyst of the probabilities of presidential power. He shows that presidents are most effective at the margins, when they exploit existing opportunities rather than when they try to build new coalitions. And when they succeed (as with Obamacare) they might well be careful what they wish for. This book is a superb analysis of Obama's leadership style, and is essential reading for White House counselors."--Richard Pious, Barnard College

"In this provocative, accessible, and timely volume, George Edwards presents a sobering analysis not just of the Obama presidency, but of the very possibility of transformative political change. Overreach constitutes a valuable reminder that what the public expects of presidents, and what presidents expect of themselves, often amounts to a gross exaggeration of what is genuinely possible. Moreover, this book argues, presidents who proceed undaunted risk paying a significant political cost."--William G. Howell, University of Chicago

"Presidents facing criticism or difficulties--which is to say, all of them--normally blame their problems on a failure to communicate rather than their own policy choices. With a special focus on Barack Obama, though, Overreach shows us that presidential choices are the key, since attempts to use communication skills to change hearts and minds are largely doomed to failure. Fluently written, this book provides both a good read and important claims to consider."--Andrew Rudalevige, Dickinson College

About the Author

George C. Edwards III is University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Jordan Chair in Presidential Studies at Texas A&M University. His many books include The Strategic President. He is the editor of Presidential Studies Quarterly.

About this edition

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0691163316
• ISBN 13: 9780691163314
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 264