After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

• Explain the features that distinguish presidential from parliamentary systems.
• Describe the five principal roles of the president as laid out in the Constitution, new roles not found in the Constitution, and the reasons those roles have changed over time.
• Analyze the factors that affect a president’s approval ratings.
• Describe the staff support that allows the president to manage and fulfill the responsibilities of his role.
• Understand the president’s primary goals and the strategies the president employs to achieve these goals.