“Under favorable circumstances, presidents seem to be in command of events, but that’s largely a reflection of the context they face,” says Nyhan, an assistant professor of government. “It’s not hard to seem in control when the economy is booming, the president’s party has a large majority in Congress, or the nation is rallying around the president after a national tragedy. Once unfavorable circumstances arise, though, even the most accomplished chief executives seem to lose control.”
Read the full opinion piece, published 7/24/14 by The New York Times.