ABSTRACT
The president is a figure symbolic of national purpose. There are few common characteristics of all presidents. Perhaps the chief constant is that the president must prove successful as a politician before he can attain this highest elective office. To reconcile these two political patterns the president needs some means for controlling local party organizations. If a direct line can be established between the national headquarters of the party and the local political workers who do the daily work of politics, the president's chances of getting dependable support in Congress are greatly increased. Since politicians must please the dominant elements in their districts, the chief executive must become a factor in local politics. Much to the discomfiture of some good citizens the presidency became a prize fought for by rival political factions. An outline of the president's formal powers relating to Congress emphasizes the fact that his powers in large measure are extraofficial, informal, and political.
