The presidential expectations gap : public attitudes concerning the presidency / Richard Waterman, Carol L. Silva, and Hank Jenkins-Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Waterman, Richard W., author.

Silva, Carol L., author.

Jenkins-Smith, Hank C., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Presidents--United States--Public opinion.

Presidents.

Public opinion.

United States--Politics and government.

United States.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

viii, 208 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor, [Michigan] : The University of Michigan Press, [2014]

Summary:

"For decades, public expectations of U.S. presidents have become increasingly excessive and unreasonable. Despite much anecdotal evidence, few scholars have attempted to test the expectations gap thesis empirically. This is the first systematic study to prove the existence of the expectations gap and to identify the factors that contribute to the public's disappointment in a given president. Using data from five original surveys, the authors confirm that the expectations gap is manifest in public opinion. It leads to lower approval ratings, lowers the chance that a president will be reelected, and even contributes to the success of the political party that does not hold the White House in congressional midterm elections. This study provides important insights not only on the American presidency and public opinion, but also on citizens' trust in government"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Chapter 1 The Role of Public Expectations 1

Chapter 2 Public Expectations in a Historical Perspective 6

Chapter 3 Comparing Incumbent and Retrospective Evaluations of Presidential Performance 16

Chapter 4 Analyzing Public Expectations 29

Chapter 5 Testing the Expectations Gap Thesis: The Presidency of Bill Clinton 51

Chapter 6 The Economy, Ethical Standards, and Partisanship 72

Chapter 7 Presidential Scandal and the Expectations Gap: "Why Did Clinton Survive the Impeachment Crisis? 84

Chapter 8 George W. Bush: War and the Economy 104

Chapter 9 Barack Obama: The Candidate/Incumbent Expectations Gap 120

Chapter 10 Micro- and Macro-Level Models of the Expectations Gap 133

Chapter 11 The Expectations Gap in a Broader Theoretical Context 161.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0472119141

OCLC:

859252862

Publisher Number:

99958184611