Answer:
The term "going public" refers to:
a. action taken by a president to communicate directly with the people in order to influence public opinion and put pressure on Congress.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a president goes public, that means he addresses the people directly in order to "sell" his programs. That is, instead of presenting his policy agendas to the Congress, the president presents it to the people first. By doing so, the president is able to get the people on his side, which pressures the Congress. However, such a tactic offers risk. If a president fails after "going public", he may appear ineffective.