A “honeymoon period” is a period of popularity enjoyed by a new leader. Usually, the term refers to an incoming president but it can refer to other high ranking officials as well. Traditionally, both Congress and news outlets give presidents a bit of a break at the start of their first terms, so that they can ease into the office. Incoming presidents tend to be popular – after all, they were just elected by a plurality of Americans. Researchers have found that this translates into political power early in a president’s first term — especially if their party has a large majority in Congress. A new president enters office with a mandate from their election, and Congress is likely to respect this mandate, at least during the first few months of the first term. This means that a president’s first 100 days in office are the ideal time for them to pass legislation. Gallup has found the presidential honeymoon period is getting shorter and shorter. By the last few decades of the 20th century, the typical honeymoon period had shrunk to seven months, down from an average of 26 months earlier in American history. In general, the larger a president's electoral victory, the longer their presidential honeymoon tends to last.
Questions
Translate Presidential Honeymoon into plain English.
When do presidents get their honeymoon?
Explain which president is likely to have a longer honeymoon: one that wins an electoral college and popular vote landslide or one who loses the popular vote?
Use Presidential Honeymoon in a sentence:
Some experts say that Trump did not get a presidential honeymoon when he won in 2016, but that he is getting one today. Why do you think he would be treated differently in 2025 from in 2017?
Can a president declare an presidential honeymoon?
Is there anything about a presidential honeymoon in the U.S. Constitution?
What emoji does the best job of representing the meaning of presidential honeymoon?
What emoji does not do a terrible job of representing presidential honeymoon?
Why do the press and Congress tend to give the president their support for the first few months of the president's first term?
How long do you think the Trump honeymoon in his second term of office will last?
Why do they call it a honeymoon anyway?
Do members of the Congress tend to get honeymoons?
Do GoPo teachers get a teacher honeymoon the first few weeks of class? PLEASE!!
Remember!
Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw the presidential honeymoon! Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.
