The American President S01E10 · The Balance of Power

Overview

The final episode examines presidential leadership in an era of an increasingly divided government. The American presidency was conceived as one part of a larger system of institutions, and its effectiveness rests in part upon a good measure of cooperation among the branches. The presidents arrayed in this episode (James Madison, James Polk, William Howard Taft, Bill Clinton) suggest four different conceptions of governance within a constitutionally structured balancing act.

Torrents

Subtitles

Episodes

1. 1 1. Family Ties2000-04-09 · 53mThe last thing that the Founding Fathers envisioned was a hereditary chief executive. After all, they had fought a war in part to rid themselves of a king. Yet power inevitably pas
2. 2 2. Happenstance2000-04-09 · 53mNearly one in six American presidents has died in office. The vice presidents who succeeded them were often chosen because they provided some electoral advantage (John Tyler, Milla
3. 3 3. An Independent Cast of Mind2000-04-10 · 53mIs an independent cast of mind the best approach to the presidency? The four men profiled in this hour (John Adams, Zachary Taylor, Rutherford B. Hayes and Jimmy Carter) pursued a
4. 4 4. The Professional Politician2000-04-10 · 53mIn our nation’s early years, taking part in political affairs was considered a duty and an honor, but not a way of life. It was not long, however, before the professional politicia
5. 5 5. The American Way2000-04-11 · 53mIt is often observed that American national identity is less a condition than an idea. What we have come to refer to as “the vision thing” is an expectation that our presidents wil
6. 6 6. The World Stage2000-04-11 · 53mThe president has no greater responsibility than representing the nation on the world stage. These four men (James Monroe; William McKinley; Woodrow Wilson; George H.W. Bush) enga
7. 7 7. The Heroic Posture2000-04-12 · 53mFrom the beginning, the presidential office has beckoned to national heroes renowned for their selfless service to their country (George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Ulysses
8. 8 8. Compromise Choices2000-04-12 · 53mWith the rise of political parties came the dawn of political compromise: nominees were selected because they were less offensive to some voters than those who might have been the
9. 9 9. Expanding Power2000-04-13 · 53mThough the powers of the presidency have expanded with the growth of the nation, the process has been anything but smooth. These four presidents are benchmarks in the development o
10. 10 10. The Balance of Power2000-04-13 · 53mThe final episode examines presidential leadership in an era of an increasingly divided government. The American presidency was conceived as one part of a larger system of institut