In theory, the expression could refer to any position of authority. In practice, it is usually used to describe the presidency.
Origin of “Bully Pulpit”
The phrase bully pulpit is attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt, who exclaimed the words in response to critics of his leadership style.
Roosevelt said: “I suppose my critics will call that preaching, but I have got such a bully pulpit” as he wrote an address to Congress.
Roosevelt often used the adjective “bully” to describe an event or action that was good or entertaining. The noun pulpit refers to a raised stand used for readings during religious ceremonies.
The bully pulpit in Roosevelt’s mind wasn’t about pummeling legislators with presidential authority; rather, he believed the president could encourage the public to push their legislators on behalf of his agenda.
Roosevelt, an avid reader and a prolific writer, coined an enduring phrase that would act as a litmus test for future presidents.
The Republican president was a more activist president than fallen successor William McKinley.
Roosevelt won a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War. He intervened in a Pennsylvania coal strike and used executive orders to protect natural resources.
Roosevelt remained a popular American figure beyond the end of his time as president with his name invoked during the 1916 and 1920 Republican nominating conventions.
Of course, Theodore Roosevelt was not the first president to use his position as a means of lecturing the American people.
Abraham Lincoln was using a bully pulpit when he addressed the nation after the Civil War, urging the American people to move forward “with malice toward none, with charity for all.”
Public evaluations of the presidency include how officeholders have used the bully pulpit to promote their values and policies.
As Robert Schlesinger has noted, the bully pulpit has magnified as communications methods reach deeper into American life.
The first presidential radio address was given by Warren Harding but Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt showed how the radio could engage the public. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chat was a use of the bully pulpit.
Dwight Eisenhower was noted for staying clear of the bully pulpit, which contributed to his broad popularity over two terms in office.
Jimmy Carter has been celebrated for using the fame of a former president to help domestic and international humanitarian organizations.
Donald Trump’s use of Twitter and rallies show modern applications of the bully pulpit concept.
Uses of “Bully Pulpit” in a sentence
NBC News (August 2, 2015): “Rick Santorum has said he would use the bully pulpit of the presidency to promote marriage if elected.”
The Wilson Quarterly (Summer 2011): “Theodore Roosevelt famously used the 'bully pulpit' of the White House to advance his agenda.”
Quad-City Times (qconline.com): “For much of his time as president, Donald Trump has been the bully in the bully pulpit, castigating targets foreign and domestic.”