Presidents and the Constitution

Shines new light on America's brilliant constitutional and presidential history, from George Washington to Barack Obama. In this sweepingly ambitious volume, the nation’s foremost experts on the American presidency and the U.S. Constitution join together to tell the intertwined stories of how each American president has confronted and shaped the Constitution. Each occupant of the office—the first president to the forty-fourth—has contributed to the story of the Constitution through the decisions he made and the actions he took as the nation’s chief executive.By examining presidential history through the lens of constitutional conflicts and challenges, The Presidents and the Constitution offers a fresh perspective on how the Constitution has evolved in the hands of individual presidents. It delves into key moments in American history, from Washington’s early battles with Congress to the advent of the national security presidency under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, to reveal the dramatic historical forces that drove these presidents to action. Historians and legal experts, including Richard Ellis, Gary Hart, Stanley Kutler and Kenneth Starr, bring the Constitution to life, and show how the awesome powers of the American presidency have been shapes by the men who were granted them. The book brings to the fore the overarching constitutional themes that span this country’s history and ties together presidencies in a way never before accomplished.

A fluidly fashioned collection of essays about how the roster of American presidents shaped the executive duties as defined in the Constitution....an evenhanded consideration of each president's operating style and effectiveness...A useful...tome featuring top-drawer contributors., This volume helpfully spans the gamut of presidents and should be of interest to literate lay persons as well as academics looking for a comprehensive text for classroom use., As an author, Gormley is adept at bringing objectivity to controversial subjects, while also highlighting the human motivation behind significant historical events., Gormleyhas assembled a first-rate group of scholars of the American presidency...This book deserves close scrutiny by any student of the U.S. presidency and political development., The collection of presidential essays leaves readers understanding the extent of the evolution that occurs with each new president.

Ken Gormley is President and Professor of Law at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He is the award-winning author of the New York Times best seller The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr, and Archibald Cox: Conscience of a Nation.