Today‎'‎s presidents enter office having campaigned on an ambitious policy agenda‎,‎ eager to see it enacted‎,‎ and willing to push so that it is‎.‎ The central question of presidents‎'‎ legislative leadership‎,‎ therefore‎,‎ is not a question of resolve‎,‎ it is a question of strategy‎:‎ by what means can presidents build winning coalitions for their agenda‎?‎ Pushing the Agenda uncovers the answer‎.‎ It reveals the predictable nature of presidents‎'‎ policy making opportunities and the systematic strategies White House officials employ to exploit those opportunities‎.‎ Drawing on an eclectic array of original evidence ‎- spanning presidents from Dwight Eisenhower to George W‎.‎ Bush and issues ranging from education to energy‎,‎ and healthcare to taxes ‎- Matthew N‎.‎ Beckmann finds modern presidents‎'‎ influence in Congress is real‎,‎ often substantial‎,‎ and ‎- to date ‎- largely underestimated‎.‎