Choosing the Chief describes and compares how presidents are elected in France and the United States. Simple in conception, the book is rich in content, for in both countries presidential elections are the most critical points of political conflict, and every force that contributes to shaping political life comes into play.

By focusing on the central theme of how presidential candidates emerge and how the voters perceive and evaluate them, Choosing the Chief presents a clear and complete picture of how the constitutional frameworks, electoral laws, party systems, social structures, and pivotal historical developments have converged to produce distinctive patterns of presidential politics in the two countries.