Today's New York Times used the term bully pulpit in a headline:

Schwarzenegger's Bully Pulpit: Muscle Magazines

http://snipurl.com/gaok

Merriam-Webster defines bully pulpit as a prominent public position (as a political office) that provides an opportunity for expounding one's views; also: such an opportunity.

But what is the origin of the term?

Not "bully boy", but perhaps "bully for you!" is a relative.

Encarta bully boy
noun [C] INFORMAL
a rough and threatening man, especially one paid by someone to hurt or frighten other people: bully-boy tactics

Cambridge "bully for you!
used to express approval (dated) used ironically"