Tough Times for the President: Political Adversity and the Sour ...

Figure 1. Ideal Circumstances for Presidential Governance

If the president’s party is in the minority in both chambers of Congress, divided government makes it harder for the chief executive to prevail on Capitol Hill. Low public approval ratings and/or scandal also undercut support for the president, whereas sharp divisions over policy (e.g., division over the Vietnam War) can sap much of the president’s political support. Political adversity refers to circumstances that present the president with the fewest opportunities for persuasive influence; they are situations in which presidents lack what are considered the normal building blocks of political power (see figure 2).

Figure 2. Adverse Circumstances for the President

Consider these situations in which chief executives faced conditions of political adversity: