The Presidency and the Supreme Court after Bush V. Gore: Implications for Institutional Legitimacy and Effectiveness

Posted: 18 Apr 2005 Last revised: 20 Jan 2015

See all articles by Jeff Yates

Jeff Yates

Binghamton University - Department of Political Science

Andrew B. Whitford

University of Georgia - Department of Public Administration and Policy

Date Written: 2002

Abstract

In this article we assess the ramifications of the Court's decision in Bush v. Gore for the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Presidency and the Court. In Part I, we briefly explore how the Court came to help determine the outcome of the election, and reflect on several short-term political effects of the decision. In Part II, we examine the political institutions of the Supreme Court and the presidency in light of the Bush v. Gore decision. In Part III, we briefly discuss the theoretical link between institutional legitimacy and effectiveness and examine the impact of Bush v. Gore on public perceptions of institutions' legitimacy. In Part IV, we reconsider the potential consequences of the decision for the Court and the presidency. We conclude that while the decision may have had important short-term effects for both the Court and the President, these institutions' long-term credibility will remain intact.

Keywords: law, legal, bush, gore, president, court, empirical, survey, election, confirmation, nomination, justices

Suggested Citation

Yates, Jeff L. and Whitford, Andrew B., The Presidency and the Supreme Court after Bush V. Gore: Implications for Institutional Legitimacy and Effectiveness (2002). Stanford Law & Policy Review, Vol. 13, No. 1, p. 101, 2002, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=700687

Jeff L. Yates (Contact Author)

Binghamton University - Department of Political Science ( email )

Binghamton, NY 13902
United States

Andrew B. Whitford

University of Georgia - Department of Public Administration and Policy ( email )

Athens, GA 30602
United States
706-542-2898 (Phone)
706-583-0610 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://andrewwhitford.com

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