The Myth of Presidential Representation

The Myth of Presidential Representation examines how American presidents represent the public. The book explores a widely held belief—rooted in the founders' vision and reflected in current political culture and social science theory—that presidents should represent the entire community, reflect public opinion, and compromise for the national good. Social scientists typically model presidential behavior as centrist, aligned with the median voter's preferences. However, partisanship appears central to modern American politics. The book investigates whether presidents actually follow the centrist model the founders envisioned, or whether they instead attempt to move the public toward their own partisan positions. It examines how successful such efforts are and what effects centrist versus partisan presidential representation have on the political system. The analysis combines theoretical and empirical approaches to address these questions.