The Isolated Presidency

It is increasingly rare to learn something from books on the presidency, but Jordan Cash has written a book that will surprise and delight. In addition to offering pathbreaking work on our three 'isolated presidents,' Cash's book reminds us of the many ways that the Constitution creates presidential power. * Jeremy D. Bailey, Sanders Chair in Law and Liberty, University of Oklahoma * Can a president govern without relying on such extra-constitutional sources of authority as support of popular opinion, an election mandate, majority party backing in Congress, and the use of various 'powers of persuasion' identified by Richard Neustadt? In this careful and ingenious study, Jordan Cash responds to this question by examining the presidencies of John Tyler, Andrew Johnson, and Gerald Ford, who by circumstances or choice drew less on informal authority than nearly all who have held the office. In showing that these men survived and even had some successes, Cash reminds us of the importance of beginning the study of the presidency with looking at the formal powers the president possesses. * James W. Ceaser, Harry F. Byrd Professor of Politics, University of Virginia * By examining those vice presidents who are forced to assume the office after a death, assassination, or resignation, Cash successfully isolates and establishes the inherent constitutional authority of the presidency. Because of its unique focus, this book will become one of the seminal books on the presidency. It achieves what many scholars have asserted but never fully established: the Constitution, on its own, gives the president a great deal of authority. This is a path-breaking and important book. * Benjamin A. Kleinerman, R.W. Morrison Professor of Political Science, Baylor University * Jordan Cash shows the Constitution to be the major source of presidential power by looking at very hard cases-presidents who are among those thought to be the weakest and least ineffective. Even these 'isolated presidents' deployed considerable power stemming from the place of the executive in the constitutional order. Original, insightful, exceptionally well written, a must read for presidency scholars and their students. * Jeffrey K. Tulis, Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin * Jordan Cash shows the Constitution to be the major source of presidential power by looking at very hard cases-presidents who are among those thought to be the weakest and least ineffective. Even these 'isolated presidents' deployed considerable power stemming from the place of the executive in the constitutional order. Original, insightful, exceptionally well written, a must read for presidency scholars and their students. * Jeffrey K. Tulis, Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin *