Former Trump Administration Official Joe Grogan and Author Kenneth Lowande Talk Presidential Power

Mastering the Room

Links

• Kenneth Lowande, Associate Professor of Political Science, Associate Professor of Public Policy (by Courtesy), Faculty Associate at the Center for Political Studies at the University of Michigan
  • Latest book, False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age
  • At UM
• Joe Grogan, Former Director of the Domestic Policy Council of the United States under President Donald J. Trump and Senior Fellow USC Schaeffer Center
  • On Twitter
  • At USC
• 2024 GSPM Election Hub, for post-election analysis and insights from experts in the Graduate School of Political Management

Takeaways

• Presidential power is often more about perception than substance.
• Executive actions can provide symbolic benefits without real follow-through.
• The Domestic Policy Council plays a crucial role in shaping policy initiatives.
• Legislative action is often sidelined in favor of quicker executive decisions.
• Expectations from the public drive presidents to act swiftly, sometimes recklessly.
• Bandwidth and capacity constraints limit what presidents can realistically achieve.
• Congress has ceded significant power to the executive branch over time.
• Inflated expectations can lead to worse policy outcomes.
• The political system incentivizes presidents to make bold promises.
• Bipartisanship is essential for effective governance and legislative action.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Presidential Power
• 02:23 The Premise of Presidential Actions
• 05:33 The Role of the Domestic Policy Council
• 10:59 Symbolism vs. Substance in Executive Actions
• 14:44 The Challenges of Legislative Action
• 19:37 Expectations and the Need for Action
• 23:34 Bandwidth and Capacity Constraints
• 26:45 The Legislative Branch and Executive Overreach
• 30:31 The Real Root of Presidential Power
• 35:30 Inflated Expectations and Shared Responsibility

ABOUT MASTERING THE ROOM

Mastering the Room is produced by the George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management and hosted by political analyst and professor Casey Burgat. In less time than the average D.C. morning commute, you'll get an inside take on today’s issues with information and perspectives you won’t get anywhere else.

MTR challenges guests to go beyond the Sunday show talking points and offer a deeper understanding of polarizing topics, discussing ideas that few have heard before.

Whether you agree with them or not, you’ll see unique arguments from surprising new angles. Packed with influencers, experts, and familiar names in DC and beyond, Mastering the Room is a podcast with access, connections, and proximity to power.

To listen to vintage episodes from the original Mastering the Room podcast, click here.

ABOUT CASEY BURGAT

Mastering the Room host, Casey Burgat, is the Director of the Legislative Affairs program at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management.

Before joining GSPM, Dr. Burgat was a Senior Governance Fellow at the R Street Institute where his research focused on issues of Congressional capacity and reform. Mr. Burgat is known for his regular contributions to scholarly and journalistic publications, including CNN, the Washington Post, and Politico, and has appeared on various television and radio outlets.

Dr. Burgat is the author of the 2025 Amazon best-seller We Hold These "Truths," exploring society's myths and misconceptions about how government works (published by Authors Equity). He's also co-authored Congress Explained: Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch, a textbook on all things Congress, published by Sage/CQ Press in the fall of 2022.