Democracy for hire : a history of American political consulting
(Book)
Author
Published
New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2017].
Status
Copies
Location | Call Number | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|
Westover - Adult Nonfiction | 324.0973 JOHNS | Checked Out | May 11, 2024 |
Description
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More Details
Published
New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2017].
Format
Book
Physical Desc
xiii, 591 pages : portraits ; 25 cm
Language
English
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages [485]-576) and index.
Description
"During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, political campaigns were run by local political parties, volunteers, and friends of candidates; but as party loyalties among voters began to weaken, and political parties declined as sources of manpower and strategy, professional consultants swept in to carry the day. Political consulting emerged as a profession in the 1930s with writers Leone Baxter and Clem Whitaker, the husband and wife team who built their business, in part, with a successful campaign to destroy Upton Sinclair's 1934 bid for governor of California. With roots in advertising and public relations, political consulting has since developed into a highly professionalized business worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In fact, some of the top campaign consulting outfits have more recently come full circle and merged to create new public relations firms, serving not just candidates but also shaping public advocacy campaigns for businesses and nonprofits. Johnson, an academic who has also worked on campaigns alongside the likes of James Carville and pollster Peter D. Hart, suffuses his history with the stories of the colorful characters who have come to define the profession of consulting, from its beginning to its present. This will be the most complete and sweeping story of the profession to date. As such it tells not just the making of a political business but the very contours of modern American politics."--,Provided by publisher.
Description
"Though they work largely out of the public eye, political consultants-- "image merchants" and "kingmakers" to candidates-- play a crucial role in shaping campaigns. They persuaded Barry Goldwater to run for president, groomed former actor Ronald Reagan for the California governorship, helped derail Bill Clinton's health care initiative, and carried out the swiftboating of John Kerry. As Dennis Johnson argues in this history of political consulting in the United States, they are essential to modern campaigning, often making positive contributions to democratic discourse, and yet they have also polarized the electorate with their biting messages. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, political campaigns were run by local political parties, volunteers, and friends of candidates; but as party loyalties among voters began to weaken, and political parties declined as sources of manpower and strategy, professional consultants swept in to carry the day. Political consulting emerged as a profession in the 1930s with writers Leone Baxter and Clem Whitaker, the husband and wife team who built their business, in part, with a successful campaign to destroy Upton Sinclair's 1934 bid for governor of California. With roots in advertising and public relations, political consulting has since developed into a highly professionalized business worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In fact, some of the top campaign consulting outfits have more recently come full circle and merged to create new public relations firms, serving not just candidates but also shaping public advocacy campaigns for businesses and nonprofits. Johnson, an academic who has also worked on campaigns alongside the likes of James Carville and pollster Peter D. Hart, suffuses his history with the stories of the colorful characters who have come to define the profession of consulting, from its beginning to its present. This will be the most complete and sweeping story of the profession to date. Moving beyond the making of a political business, this book also describes the very contours of modern American politics."--,Provided by publisher.
Subjects
LC Subjects
Political campaigns -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Political campaigns -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Political consultants -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Political consultants -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Political culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Political culture -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Public relations and politics -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Public relations and politics -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Political campaigns -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Political consultants -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Political consultants -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Political culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Political culture -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Public relations and politics -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Public relations and politics -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
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Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Johnson, D. W. (2017). Democracy for hire: a history of American political consulting . Oxford University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Johnson, Dennis W.. 2017. Democracy for Hire: A History of American Political Consulting. Oxford University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Johnson, Dennis W.. Democracy for Hire: A History of American Political Consulting Oxford University Press, 2017.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Johnson, Dennis W.. Democracy for Hire: A History of American Political Consulting Oxford University Press, 2017.
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
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