Books

Presidential Campaigns
Ronald Reagan and the Triumph of American Conservatism (Library of American Biography series) (Library of American Biography)
Harry S. Truman: "Give'Em Hell, Harry!"
The Political Writings of Thomas Jefferson (Monticello Monograph Series)
George Washington Reconsidered
Ronald Reagan: A Life in Pictures
High Hopes: The Clinton Presidency and the Politics of Ambition
John F. Kennedy : Commander in Chief
The Hitler/Hess Deception
Lincoln : An Illustrated Biography
Roosevelt the Reformer: Theodore Roosevelt As Civil Service Commissioner, 1889-1895
La Fe de George W. Bush / The Faith of George W. Bush
Off the Record: The Private Papers of Harry S.Truman (Give 'em Hell Harry Series)
Jack : A Life Like No Other
LBJ : A Life
The Taylor File
George Washington (American Statesman)
America's Queen: The Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (Thorndike Biography) [LARGE PRINT]
Correspondence of James K. Polk: July - December 1845 (Correspondence of James K Polk)
Life and Times of Washington
Life of Franklin Pierce
Nixon: La Arrogancia Del Poder/the Arrogance Of Power
Napoleon's Women
Laura: America's First Lady, First Mother [ABRIDGED]
Mao Zedong (People Who Made History)

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything

Average customer rating:

Happening NOW
Really informative
Joe Trippi just doesn't get it
Accepting transparency
Government Reading

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything
Joe Trippi
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

We the Media: Grassroots Journalism By the People, For the People
Winning Elections: Political Campaign Management, Strategy & Tactics
Breaking The News: How the Media Undermine American Democracy
Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution
Campaigning Online: The Internet in U.S. Elections

ASIN: 0060779594
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Book Description

When Joe Trippi signed on to run Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign, the long-shot candidate had 432 known supporters and $100,000 in the bank. Within a year, Trippi and his team had transformed the most obscure candidate in the field into a Democratic front-runner with a groundswell of 640,000 supporters and more money than any Democrat in history -- mostly through donations of one hundred dollars or less. Trippi's revolutionary use of the Internet and an impassioned, contagious desire to overthrow politics as usual grew into a national grassroots movement and changed the face of politics forever.
As Trippi argues persuasively, the Internet is distributing power to the people right now. And the companies that understand the coming revolution will be the first movers in this new era, while those that wait will be left behind. From his behind-the-scenes look at Dean's shocking rise and fall to his "seven inviolable, irrefutable, ingenious things your business or institution or candidate can do in the age of the Internet that might keep you from getting your ass kicked, but then again might not," Joe Trippi offers an inspiring glimpse of the world we are becoming. And he shows how power, in the hands of all of us, changes everything.

Customer Reviews:

Happening NOW.......2007-05-30

Great Read, and it gave me the insight to realize what is currently taking place despite the denial from the mainstream media. RON PAUL will be the next President of the USA.

Really informative.......2007-01-24

I had to buy this book for a college class, and it turned out to be surprisingly interesting and informative at the same time. I actually enjoyed reading this book, and learned a lot about the life of someone involved in a political campaign as well as more details about how the Dean campaign really did pioneer in the world of online politics.

Joe Trippi just doesn't get it.......2006-06-24

Trippi was one of the first to make use of the Internet in presidential campaign politics. Using Blogs, using MeetUp.com and the like, Trippi generated a grassroots movement for Howard Dean's campaign.

Young people jumped on the bandwagon quickly. The Internet made that possible, but the Internet did not and does not provide motivation. WHY did people start blogging for Dean, holding meetings for Dean? Trippi admits that he does not know why. Yet, this is the crux of the matter. Trippi also admits that to some extent, "the people" took the campaign out of their hands and ran with it. But why?

PC (Political Correctness) is a set of passionately held beliefs and policies that already existed before the campaign started. By signaling across the Internet that Dean's was to be a PC campaign (and without consulting Dean himself), Trippi already had a readymade constituency out there passionately committed. But Joe doesn't see this. He just doesn't get it. And to Joe, PC is as self-evident as the axioms of Euclid.

There was constant struggle between Dean and Trippi over positions and statements. Trippi wanted to run the campaign, even writing speeches for Dean, determining positions, stances and the rest. Dean resisted. At one point, Dean described himself as a "centrist". Can you believe that, knowing what you do about the Dean campaign?! Trippi describes himself as a "liberal". Ultimately, Dean fired Trippi; but it was too late.

Trippi in fact is not a liberal. He is a Political Correctist. Most people, including Trippi, don't know the difference between liberalism and PC, and the PC people do everything in their power to tell people that there is no difference. This is not the place to go into it. Interested readers should read The Rape of Alma Mater. But one instance from Trippi's book should give a clue. While a student at San Jose State College, Joe led a boycott against his father's small florist shop because his father kept his modest savings at the neighborhood bank, which happened to be Bank of America, which did business with South Africa, and it was politically incorrect to do business with South Africa. And to Joe, this boycott was the right thing to do. He still thinks so.

This book is a minute-by-minute account of the campaign. It is nothing if not repetitious. Every paragraph repeats the litany that "the people" were running the campaign. Toward the end, however, Trippi admits that one has to do business as usual and buy TV time, etc.

Joe Trippi is still running an Internet campaign, trying to insure that PC is triumphant at last. He may win. If that sounds like good news to you, you just don't get it. PC is the death of liberalism, and vice versa.

Accepting transparency.......2006-06-08

This was a good book connecting communication facilitated by the internet to the concept of organizational health. In a nutshell the internet can hurt or help an organization depending on its attitude about transparency. You can't fool all of the people all of the time.

Government Reading.......2006-06-07

I bought this book in around March, 2004. I have had it collecting dust since then. When I began looking for books to choose for my AP Government book project I figured why not choose this book. The only thing really knew about it was that it was about Vermont Governor, now Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean's failed attempt to capture the Democratic Parties nomination for President in 2004. Basically, this is a very well written and fun "historical" analyzation of the changes that occurred in 2004 by what politicians must now do to get elected. The reason I use quotations is because the author, Joe Trippi, a popular Democratic strategist and at one point Dean's campaign manager, makes it very clear that the events and changes that he describes in the book took place at his doing and by his campaign. This is a great book leading up to the 2006 Midterm elections and more importantly into the 2008 Presidential election.

Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential

Average customer rating:

not good people...
Absolutely chilling--and Rove is just one of the hit-men
A Story of a Masterful Pupeteer
Big Brother Bush!
Author has been placed on No Fly List

Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential
James Moore , and Wayne Slater
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Architect: Karl Rove and the Dream of Absolute Power
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Boy Genius: Karl Rove, the Brains Behind the Remarkable Political Triumph of George W. Bush
Bush's Brain
Boy Genius: Karl Rove, The Architect Of George W. Bush's Remarkable Political Triumphs

ASIN: 0471471402

Amazon.com

Political consultants are nothing new in American politics; they are the big guns called in to work on a campaign or deal with the occasional crisis, then dismissed for another day. Not so with White House Senior Advisor Karl Rove. Due to his close personal relationship and unlimited access to George W. Bush, as well as his control of the information that reaches the president, this "permanent consultant" occupies a unique spot in Bush's inner circle and in history. "His influence marks a transcendent moment in American politics: the rise of an unelected consultant to a position of unprecedented power," write authors Moore and Slater. Since Rove is ultimately responsible to Bush only, not to American citizens, he is not required to work openly. As a result, Rove is hardly a household name, despite his considerable clout. This intriguing and important book seeks to remedy this by offering a comprehensive look at this behind-the-scenes political guru. "Karl Rove matters to all Americans, many who have never even heard his name. While the president chafes at the description of Rove as 'Bush's Brain,' he can hardly deny that every policy and political decision either goes through, or comes from, the consultant," write the authors, leading them to pose the question, "Who really runs this country?"

Rove has been involved with the Bush family for nearly 30 years and has worked on every one of George W.'s campaigns. In great detail, the book shows how Rove led Bush, a "reluctant political warrior," all the way to the White House. The portrait of Bush and Rove's relationship is fascinating. Though opposites in many respects, they are an unusually effective political team. But where Bush seemed to fall into politics, Rove has been preparing for his current job all of his life, and Bush has served as a vehicle for Rove's considerable ambitions, the authors contend. "Without Karl Rove, there would be no President George W. Bush," they write. Moore and Slater look deeply into Rove's past to offer copious evidence of his political genius, his tenacity, and his remarkable success rate in getting his clients elected. The facts also portray Rove as unethical, vindictive, and a chronic abuser of power. Loaded with revealing anecdotes and inside information, this is essential reading for anyone looking to understand not only the Bush administration, but how politics really work. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

Praise for Bush's Brain

"Love him or hate him, Karl Rove is one of the most brilliant and successful political consultants of all time. In this riveting account, Wayne Slater and Jim Moore tell how he got there." âPaul Begala, CNN's Crossfire

"Bush's Brain isn't a hatchet job on George W. Bush. In fact, the two authors largely dispel the myth of Bush's supposedly deficient IQ. But, more importantly, they lay bare the story of how Karl Rove may be the most powerful man in America. It's a compelling story told by two veteran Texas journalists who don't need a briefing packet to understand the men they're writing about." âPhilip Bruce, KCET/PBS Television, Los Angeles

The most powerful individual in the United States may not be George W. Bush. It is probably Karl Rove, the President's brilliant advisor. Who is this man and how did he acquire so much power? Having watched in awe for over fifteen years as they reported on the rise of Karl Rove, Moore and Slater expose the brutal and sometimes morally questionable, but invariably effective ways in which Karl Rove?and America's political systemâactually operate.

Customer Reviews:

not good people..........2007-02-22

This review is not a memoir. Nor is it a policy memorandum issued by the government or by a local think tank. Rather, it is an assessment of how our long-corrupt legal system is parlously close to establishing a precedent that will enable Karl Rove to waste our time and money. Note that some of the facts I plan to use in this letter were provided to me by a highly educated person who managed to escape Karl's flippant indoctrination and is consequently believable. The problem is, if I didn't sincerely believe that there is certainly reason to fear that imprudent beatniks will provide covinous franions with an irresistible temptation to palm off our present situation as the compelling ground for worldwide Fabianism by the next full moon, then I wouldn't be writing this letter. His true goal is to implement a hotheaded parody of justice called "Karl-ism". All the statements that Karl's helots make to justify or downplay that goal are only apologetics; they do nothing to stand up and fight for our heritage, traditions, and values.

If I may be so bold, only by taking risks and pushing boundaries with this letter can I operate on today's real -- not tomorrow's ideal -- political terrain. And let me tell you, my message has always been that Karl's decisions are ill-advised. It's that simple. My general thesis is that Karl has written volumes about how there is something intellectually provocative in the tired rehashing of larcenous stereotypes. Don't believe a word of it, though. The truth is that if he thinks that he can make me experience psychological stress or "cognitive dissonance", then he's barking up the wrong tree. I'll talk a lot more about that later, but first let me finish my general thesis: I don't care what others say about him. Karl's still cold-blooded, offensive, and he intends to wipe out delicate ecosystems. If you think that Karl's blessing is the equivalent of a papal imprimatur, then think again. If Karl wants to put a demented spin on important issues, let him wear the opprobrium of that decision. To bring the matter closer to home, let me remind you that we've all heard his yammer and whine about how he's being scapegoated again, the poor dear. It is not uncommon for Karl to victimize the innocent, penalize the victim for making any effort to defend himself, and then paint the whole addlepated affair as some great benefit to humanity. Have you ever had a bad dream about her trying to exhibit cruelty to animals? Well, I have news for you. That wasn't a dream; it was real. I would like to end on a heartfelt note. I find Karl Rove's failed attempts to create an infantile world of guilt and shame mildly amusing.

Absolutely chilling--and Rove is just one of the hit-men.......2006-03-24

Reading about Rove's contempt for fair play from the beginning of his career is absolutely chilling. The book is even-handed and meticulous, but presents so many cases where he damaged lives, careers and democracy with his political ruthlessness.
What's frightening is how much influence he has on Bush today, and the fact that he isn't the only Lee Atwater disciple wielding power in the current Republican Party. Read David Brock's Blinded By the Light for a complementary tale of manipulation and dissembling.
This book was obviously completed before the Republican ads that defeated Senator Max Cleland by calling him unpatriotic, even though Cleland had lost two legs and an arm in Vietnam--but that approach only buttresses the core points I take from this powerful book: The bullying tactics of people like Rove need to themselves become a political issue, because they represent a direct attack on our democracy.

Paul Loeb
Author Soul of a Citizen

A Story of a Masterful Pupeteer.......2006-03-19

This is a masterful account of a Masterful Pupeteer, who determines, along with Rumsfield and Cheney, most of what is controlling our country.

It is written by two men who know what they're talking about, Texans, who've been there, seen this and that.

This book scares the daylights out of me. George W. Bush, our president on the surface, is no more than a puppet! Above him, moving the strings is Karl Rove in the center, with Cheney and Rumsfield, on his left and right.

Karl Rove apparently never felt the love and nurture of caring parents. Could this be what motivates his insatiable drive to control our country? I don't know, but I'm scared.

Big Brother Bush!.......2006-01-06

From James Moore's blog:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/branded_b_13272.html

"Mam, I'd like to know how I got on the No Fly Watch List."

"I'm not really authorized to tell you that, sir," she explained after taking down my social security and Texas driver's license numbers.

"What can you tell me?"

"All I can tell you is that there is something in your background that in some way is similar to someone they are looking for."

"Well, let me get this straight then," I said. "Our government is looking for a guy who may have a mundane Anglo name, who pays tens of thousands of dollars every year in taxes, has never been arrested or even late on a credit card payment, is more uninteresting than a Tupperware party, and cries after the first two notes of the national anthem? We need to find this guy. He sounds dangerous to me."

"I'm sorry, sir, I've already told you everything I can."

"Oh, wait," I said. "One last thing: this guy they are looking for? Did he write books critical of the Bush administration, too?"

Author has been placed on No Fly List.......2006-01-05

Scary stuff, this author, in what appears to be retaliation, has been placed on the No Fly List, read about it here http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/5/85158/32663

Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72

Average customer rating:

A Master Work in Political Campaign
here and now...and later
Insight into America's lost innocence
Lively & Exciting, if Biased
A Raw and Hilarious Account of U.S. Politics

Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72
Hunter S. Thompson
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0446698229

Amazon.com

With the same drug-addled alacrity and jaundiced wit that made Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas a hilarious hit, Hunter S. Thompson turns his savage eye and gonzo heart to the repellent and seductive race for President. He deconstructs the 1972 campaigns of idealist George McGovern and political hack Richard Nixon, ending up with a political vision that is eerily prophetic. A classic!

New York Times Book Review

The best account yet published of what it feels like to be out there in the middle of the American political process.

Customer Reviews:

A Master Work in Political Campaign.......2007-05-31

Another classic from HST, in fact maybe my favorite work of his. The setting for the book is the presidential campaign of 1972 pitting Gorge McGovern against Richard Millhouse Nixon. It begins with Thompson being sent by Rolling Stone to be the Washington D.C. correspondent for the magazine. From there the rollercoaster ride begins. HST chronicles the campaign from first, covering the Democratic primaries and running to the nomination of McGovern at the Democratic National Convention, and finally the Presidential election itself.
HST pioneered his own unique style of gonzo journalism and this book, along with the classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, defined him and his craft. Stark in its style and approach, the prospective provided by HST of what it is like to be out there on the campaign trail is unique to my knowledge. A dramatic inside story of the battles of the campaign trail emerges and fills in significant gaps in other press coverage of the time. HST's quest for truth, politics, and the eternal buzz paint a picture that the straight press never could because of restrictions like `objectivity' and the like. The result is perhaps the best account to date on what is really going on behind the scenes of a campaign for the highest office in the land.
The only drawback about reading HST is that it always gives me an incredible urge to drink and act in a semi-crazed style. It is says something about the infectious nature of his work and one often finds oneself wishing there were more gonzo journalists writing today.
This book is essential reading for anyone interested in politics and the machinery behind it. Even if politics aren't your cup up tea, HST brings a new dimension to any subject that he writes about, one that can be appreciated for its raw truth as well as its unconventional delivery. Although HST only provides one way of looking at politics out many possible, readers would be doing a disservice to themselves by passing over this book. Other views are widely espoused by many journalists and pundits, but to my knowledge no one else has tread where HST has dared to go.
This one gets 5 stars for being original, highly entertaining, and remaining relevant to this day.

here and now...and later.......2007-03-30

As I write this review, a dozen and a half presidential candidates are revved up to fly around the US, spending (all told) billions of dollars of Other People's Money, talking out of several sides of their mouth, slinging more mud than a construction crew, and falling over each other to get into the TV and newspaper spotlight.

It is astounding how much this book, written 35 years ago, can teach us about what is going on today. I have vowed to read this book again in 4-5 years.

Insight into America's lost innocence.......2007-03-27

For me this is Hunter's masterpiece - Its what crystallises all of his skill and insights as a writer. Fear and Loathing is an excellent book but its also a head trip which gives first time readers the wrong impression of Thomphson but its Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail that will show you the real Hunter in all his savage intelligence and wry observational skill - its a tour de force which shows so often the sharp mind behind the stories of drugs and debauchery - if you've only read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas then you don't know Hunter at all - this is a good starting point.

Its a picture of an America which has torn itself to pieces - the 1972 elections were a watershed in American politics, the death of Bobby Kennedy at the hands of Sirhan Sirhan in 1968 tore the heart of out the Democratic faithfull and was the major hinge of a series of events that led to the election of Richard Nixon in 68 when a country burned out on the divisive LBJ presidency voted Republican. The failure of the Democratic party to present a strong candidate in '68 led to the McGovern collapse in '72 as the party tore itself to pieces internally, consumed in infighting and political infighting that left it weakened and damaged.

Thompson's insights into the system go beyond mer reportage, he has an ability to get inside the process and lay it bare and clear and at the same time present a picture of the US on the eve of a recession and worn out from a long and divisive war. Oh and somebody mentioned how Hunter seemed unfair on Humphrey in the book - On the contrary he more than explains his reasons why he dislikes the candidate and some reading on Humphrey and history would enlighten - for one thing he won the Presidential Nomination in '68 without winning a single primary - Thompson and other democrats were quite justified in seeing him as the a political hack controlled by the likes of Chicago's power broker Mayor Daley.

Seriously. Read it. Distilled Hunter in so many ways and if youre expecting some sort of balance then youre in the wrong place - Hunter is here as always un comprimising - bitching about bias is missing the point - he never sets out to be balanced.

Lively & Exciting, if Biased.......2007-02-12

Journalist Hunter M. Thompson applies his gonzo style to the 1972 Presidential campaign, and makes us feel as if alongside the contenders as they move from rallies, to bus rides, to hotel rooms. The book focuses heavily on the Democratic primary campaign of Senator George McGovern, as he battled Hubert Humphrey, Ed Muskie, and several others for the Party's nomination. I enjoyed the author's fast-moving style and didn't mind his pro-McGovern bias, but saw no reason for his relentless slurs against Humprhey as a shameless phony - charges he never substantiates. McGovern won the nomination, but Thompson fails to see how the man's too-liberal positions and questionable competence (i.e. The Eagleton affair) doomed his chances. The author describes incumbent President Richard Nixon as devious and dangerous, but also sees him as rather human. Nixon wouldn't speak to Thompson, except for one brief interview granted on the condition that they only discuss one subject - football. It actually made interesting reading. This is a lively book, even if Thompson's kindly but bumbling candidate lost to the devious but skilled Nixon by a 61-38% landslide.

Many progressives loved Thompson's anti-establishment writing and didn't mind his lack of objectivity. Whatever your view, this book has a lively informative style that makes for fun, informative reading.

A Raw and Hilarious Account of U.S. Politics.......2006-08-03

'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72' is a fantastic journey through a spectacle which grips the U.S. every four years. It is a journey which in the hands of other authors would be thoroughly boring. But Hunter S. Thompson (HST) succeeds in combining great intelligence and insightful commentary with shocking hilarity and the result is a great book.

'Campaign Trail '72' doesn't have the same constant flow of wacky, laugh-out-loud humour and outrageous anecdotes as some of HST's other works, but then HST wrote this book as part of a year-long assignment to cover the Presidential campaign, not a week-long bender at the Kentucky Derby. In some respects, the length of time over which Thompson was reporting helps reveal a more 'everyday' side to an author who at other times appears to lead a wholly surreal lifestyle. Even the Doctor of Gonzo has down-time and boring days.

HST undoubtedly achieves what he set out to do in December '71. He gives his readers an insider's account of what it's like to cover a Presidential campaign. He reveals some of the underhand and downright corrupt tactics of the candidates and their entourages, the fickle nature of the electorate's support, the decisive role of the media in an election, and the importance of 'perception'. Thompson reports in a way that no one else is capable of reporting. He goes with gut instinct and from page 1 refuses to write from within the journalistic confines of objectivity. He openly supports Democratic candidate George McGovern, and sees Richard Nixon as a great threat to the U.S.A. and the rest of the world. Indeed, on a few occasions, he openly likens Nixon to Hitler; something which no other journalist would dare write, no matter how strongly they felt it.

Rick Steadman's sketches provide another interesting angle on the campaign and complement HST's writing excellently. The author also offers up a few timeless maxims on the nature of politics, which will strike a chord with anyone who lives in a Western 'Democracy'. In all, despite the fact that some of the detail in this book may seem mundane and dated to a present-day reader, most of HST's writing is timeless and one gets an overall sense that U.S. politics don't appear to have changed much since '72. Post-election, Thompson considers running for the office of Senator in Colorado; after reading this book, he certainly would have had my vote.

The Reasoning Voter: Communication and Persuasion in Presidential Campaigns

Average customer rating:

read it again
I learned so much
A misguided, poorly written, painfully arrogant analysis
Excellent introduction to polictical pshychology

The Reasoning Voter: Communication and Persuasion in Presidential Campaigns
Samuel L. Popkin
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology)
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ASIN: 0226675459

Book Description

The Reasoning Voter is an insider's look at campaigns, candidates, media, and voters that convincingly argues that voters make informed logical choices. Samuel L. Popkin analyzes three primary campaigns--Carter in 1976; Bush and Reagan in 1980; and Hart, Mondale, and Jackson in 1984--to arrive at a new model of the way voters sort through commercials and sound bites to choose a candidate. Drawing on insights from economics and cognitive psychology, he convincingly demonstrates that, as trivial as campaigns often appear, they provide voters with a surprising amount of information on a candidate's views and skills. For all their shortcomings, campaigns do matter.

"If you're preparing to run a presidential campaign, and only have time to read one book, make sure to read Sam Popkin's The Reasoning Voter. If you have time to read two books, read The Reasoning Voter twice."--James Carville, Senior Stategist, Clinton/Gore '92

"A fresh and subtle analysis of voter behavior."--Thomas Byrne Edsall, New York Review of Books
"Professor Popkin has brought V.O. Key's contention that voters are rational into the media age. This book is a useful rebuttal to the cynical view that politics is a wholly contrived business, in which unscrupulous operatives manipulate the emotions of distrustful but gullible citizens. The reality, he shows, is both more complex and more hopeful than that."--David S. Broder, The Washington Post

Customer Reviews:

read it again.......2001-09-09

A friend of mine told me: "If you are a candidate and you only have time to read one book during your campaign, you must read it. If you have time to read two books, you must read it twice." This book is simply excellent.

I learned so much.......2001-01-05

nuff said. Hands down best in subject matter.

A misguided, poorly written, painfully arrogant analysis.......1999-11-06

"The Reasoning Voter" has all of the marks of an academic wannabe who suggests the American people really aren't so stupid. Pity the students who buy this book--they're the only one who do, to be sure.

Excellent introduction to polictical pshychology.......1999-10-22

The Reasoning Voter is an excellent refutation of the argument that the american public is simply too poorly informed to make reasonable political decisions. On the contrary, voters are quite able to make intelligent decisions through information shortcuts. In fact, the rational voter will use these shortcuts to make sense of the vast sea of political information available.

Popkin's presentation of his theory of low information rationality is conceptually rich enough for the expert, but clear enough for any reader. Rather than endless statistics, Popkin relies on historical examples which are often quite amusing. This is a must read for anyone interested in elections.

On the Campaign Trail: The Long Road of Presidential Politics, 1860-2004

Average customer rating:

A great compilation of campaigns...
Great Political History..Visually Dynamic

On the Campaign Trail: The Long Road of Presidential Politics, 1860-2004
Douglas E. Schoen
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060734825
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Book Description

An elated, victorious Truman brandishes a newspaper with the headline "Dewey Defeats Truman." Theodore Roosevelt galvanizes the crowd with a fiery stump speech. Richard Nixon wipes away sweat during his debate with a poised JFK. Against the backdrop of a towering flag, Reagan captivates crowds with his promise of a stronger, prouder America. Bill Clinton weaves a spell with his saxophone. Throughout American history, few events have commanded the undivided attention of the public the way presidential campaigns have. Now the enduring moments of inspiration, the humiliating gaffes, and the heartbreaking losses of these campaigns are captured in a historic collection of photographs from America's greatest photojournalists.

From the divisive election of Abraham Lincoln to the opening salvos of the 2004 campaign, America's presidents -- and pretenders to the office -- come to life in these pages. These men embody not only the drama of their times, but also the great arc of American history. They are captured here in pivotal and telling campaign moments: on the stage and behind the scenes, on whistle-stop tours, at high-voltage conventions, and in head-to-head debates. Accompanied by political adviser Douglas E. Schoen's trenchant essays, the striking photographs in On the Campaign Trail offer a unique view of the moments that have united and divided us during the race for the presidency. A fascinating journey in words and images, this landmark collection brings home the drama, fanfare, and power of America's great national contest.

Customer Reviews:

A great compilation of campaigns..........2007-01-02

Wow, this book provides a great walk through American campaigns, both past and very recent. The campaign posters that are included are suburb -- some of the best available -- and the author does a nice job with the analysis portions of the book.

Great Political History..Visually Dynamic.......2004-07-12

A visually very interesting look at American Presidential campaigns..particularly timely now..much of what appears is new..at least to me..great addition to the line up of campaign books that always seems to come out at this point in the electoral cycle.

Average customer rating:

Funny, Racy and Satrical - A Winning Combination
Interesting plot idea not fully realized
Clinton Exposed!!!!!
His best since Shelley's Heart
How Long Has He Been Writing?

Lucky Bastard:: A Novel
Charles Mccarry
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Shelley's Heart
Second Sight: A Paul Christopher Novel
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ASIN: 067944761X
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Amazon.com

Task: Concoct a plot for a novel about a draft-dodging president with a ready smile and a readier libido; a staunchly feminist, Ivy League-educated First Lady; and a political campaign funded by the suspiciously manipulable accounts of a Midwestern bank.

Result: Primary Colors? Perhaps. Or you might barely have scratched the surface of Charles McCarry's darkly byzantine and wildly perceptive new novel, Lucky Bastard. McCarry rips the skeletons from Clinton's wide-open closet and clothes them with the slightly tattered grandeur of Camelot: his hero is John Fitzgerald Adams ("Jack"), who possesses an instinctual political genius and an unerring knack for charming voters while advancing his own interests. Jack also happens to believe that he is JFK's illegitimate son, and his march to the White House carries the aura of "divine right."

Or is that Left? McCarry spins a labyrinthine tale of political influence driven by two maverick Russians who believe that the Communist Revolution "happened in the wrong country at the wrong time." They recognize Jack's talent and charisma and sponsor his rise to power in the hope of achieving tradecraft's coup de grâce: a Soviet pawn in the Oval Office.

Perhaps the novel's greatest strength is its narrator, Dmitri, a cynical Russian whose dry wit and world-weary observations anchor the unabashedly excessive (and usually lubricious) machinations of agents, handlers, recruits, and just plain folks. Thanks mostly to Dmitri, you may never again watch the evening news without a raised eyebrow and a "What if...?" on your lips. --Kelly Flynn

Book Description

Lucky Bastard is the suspenseful and hilarious story of a gifted politician with dangerous friends and a zipper problem. The author is Charles McCarry, a writer widely acclaimed for his richly perceptive novels of political intrigue.

John Fitzgerald Adams, known by the voters who love him as Jack, has good reason to believe he is the illegitimate son of JFK.
His goal is the same as that of any Kennedy: to reclaim the presidency . . . and enjoy as many women as possible along the way. Jack possesses an instinctual political genius, an unerring knack for charming voters and advancing his own interests.

But Jack, up from poverty, cannot make it to the Oval Office without money and support. Luckily, he becomes the beneficiary of the largesse of two maverick Russians who recognize Jack's talent and invest considerable resources in his rise to power. Jack also relies on a strong-willed wife, an ardent radical who masterminds his political moves while guarding against the threat that his wild libido will destroy his career. As Jack marches toward the presidency, others who realize the truth about his sinister connections try to stop him. But will anyone believe them?

Charles McCarry has long been recognized as the dean of Washington's novelists, "a magical writer, the very best in this field" (Martha Gellhorn,
Sunday Telegraph). With Lucky Bastard, McCarry has written the novel of his career, a thrilling and imaginative vision of power and conspiracy in the age of Clinton.

Customer Reviews:

Funny, Racy and Satrical - A Winning Combination.......2006-06-09

I bought this book in August of 1998. I know WHY I bought it as I had just finished Shelley's Heart written by the same author and was anxious to read another. What I don't know is why I waited almost eight year's to read it, however it was well worth the wait. Others have outlined the plot and the comparison to "Slick Willie" Clinton. You would have to be brain dead or from another planet not to see the connection, but that is no reason to savage the book as it is funny, racy, satirical and a well told, if somewhat implausable story of politics and intrigue.You probably won't find any copies in the gift shop of the Clinton Library, however if you do come across one, buy it and enjoy it.

Interesting plot idea not fully realized.......2006-05-03

The idea that a gifted American politician is actually an unwitting tool of an international communist conspiracy that hopes to put him into the White House is certainly intriguing. It would make an interesting book. This isn't quite it, though. The author spends considerable time detailing the machinations behind all this, but I find the characters totally without dimension or interest on their own and serving merely to advance the plot. The question quickly becomes, how will it all turn out. Once you understand what the plot is, the best thing is to turn to the last chapter to see how the author resolves it.

Clinton Exposed!!!!!.......2006-04-11

From the 5 star reviews it is clear that Mr. McCarry has found his target audience, Clinton-hating yahoos who will never tire of hearing the same old recycled trash. And by putting it in a novel he doesn't have to even justify it, just hint, hint. Another advantage of this target audience is, apparantly, that one need not be able to plot, develop characters, dialogue, or any of the usual writerly skills, just type out the right code-words and one is home.

His best since Shelley's Heart.......2005-06-25

Those that are giving this 1 star are inconsoloble Clinton lovers. This is the best book written about the Clinton's....yes the Clinton's. The deal with China in the book spells it all out and is historically accurate. I can't believe this is not in paperback, this is a great thriller and just plain intersting whether you love or hate Bill. Highly recommended. BUY IT!

How Long Has He Been Writing? .......2004-09-24

The novel features totally unbelieveable plots, cardboard cutout figures whom it is hard to identify with or sympathize with, the strangest motivations masquerading as realism and an off-the-cliff ending that is not satisfying. The sex is near-pornographic and not believeable to the point of being almost funny. The main character has the behaviour of a robot and seems to have no inner life or feelings. The author hates liberals so badly I think he would personally like to go out and kill them bare handed; this axe to grind gets in the way of the development of a coherent plot. On the other hand, much of the writing is good in a technical sense, in spite of the often angry and sarcastic tone. Many scenes are very interesting and well-written; the whole work just does not hang together, especially when you consider it is written by an experienced writer with a background at the CIA. This is not Ludlum, or Le Carre and I enjoyed Clancy more. I like being entertained and told a nuanced story, not beat over the head by a heavy-handed piece of agit-prop so favored by the late unlamented Soviet Union. However, the author does manage to tell what is on many levels an interesting story. He needed an editor to intervene.

Glorious Disaster: Barry Goldwater's Presidential Campaign And the Origins of the Conservative Movement

Average customer rating:

An Insider's Look at the Beginnings of a Movement
A fascinating insider account
Interesting memoir, but not historical analysis
Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear!
Nice light book

Glorious Disaster: Barry Goldwater's Presidential Campaign And the Origins of the Conservative Movement
William Middendorf , and John William Middendorf
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Conscience of a Conservative (The James Madison Library in American Politics)
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ASIN: 0465045731

Book Description

The insider account that sets the record straight about the election that gave birth to modern conservatism in the United States

The 1964 presidential campaign lives on in conservative circles as an origin myth for the modern conservative movement. Even though their preferred (and now revered) candidate lost to Lyndon B. Johnson by a landslide, Barry Goldwater's failed presidential run was a major turning point of the twentieth century. Without Goldwater's philosophy to pave the way--and, just as importantly, without the strategic and political infrastructure created by the "Draft Goldwater" movement that preceded it--there likely would have been no Reagan or Bush administrations, and possibly no Nixon administration either. The policy positions and electoral strategies of the Goldwater campaign became standard tenets of Republican politics.

William Middendorf had better than a ringside seat for this pivotal campaign. A key member of the "Draft Goldwater" movement as early as 1962, he was Goldwater's campaign treasurer and, afterwards, a major force within the Republican Party. No one knows the real inside story better, and A Glorious Disaster tells that story in all its rollicking, agonizing, and never-before-published detail. Following his work on the Goldwater campaign and four years as treasurer of the Republican National Committee,

Customer Reviews:

An Insider's Look at the Beginnings of a Movement.......2007-06-26

Bill Middendorf offers a delightful insider's view of Barry Goldwater's trailblazing 1964 campaign for President.

As a true insider -- he was on the inner circle as campaign treasurer, a key fundraiser, an early Draft Goldwater leader and a seeming voice of seasoned maturity (at age 37) -- he certainly offers a view that is signficantly more robust than most historical accounts.

It's a very enjoyable read.

Of course, Goldwater was utterly shellacked in 1964. But in losing, his principled admirers won by helping establish the foundation for a conservative movement that would build and last for decades.

A fascinating insider account.......2007-02-26

J. William Middendorff II, A Glorious Disaster: Barry Goldwater's Presidential Campaign and the origins of the Conservative Movement ( 2006, basic books, new york, 303pp)

This is a fascinating and lively insider report from someone who really was an insider. Ambassador Middendorf played a significant role in the rise of modern conservatism within the Republican Party. As a Connecticut Republican with many friends in the moderate wing of the party he nevertheless early on saw the need for a new approach and a new movement.

Bill was part of the draft Goldwater effort and part of the Goldwater Campaign and then Treasurer for the Republican National Committee as it bounced back from the disaster of 1964. He was in on an amazing number of meetings and worked with virtually every major conservative of that period.

His observations are insightful and in some cases unique.

Even though I had lived through virtually every campaign this book covers I still found myself with new reflections and new insights.

From the perspective of 2007 the most stunning reminder was the level of ruthlessness, dishonesty, and viciousness which characterized the Lyndon Johnson campaign and Johnson's entire behavior. It is worth reading as a reminder of what a 2008 Clinton campaign might be like.

Middendorf repeats a story I first heard from Tim Russert about Goldwater and Kennedy agreeing that in 1964 they would tour the country on Air Force One holding a series of debates and proving that there could be civility and collegiality even in presidential politics. Building on the debates of 1960 and enjoying each other's company a Goldwater-Kennedy contest would have led to a much healthier America.

Middendorf also reminds us that results can shift with remarkable speed. The Goldwater defeat was seen as the beginning of the end for the GOP yet two short years later in 1966 there was a remarkable rebound. The GOP lost 529 legislative seats in 1964 and gained 700 in 1966. The GOP lost 37 house seats and gained 47 in 1966.

One other fascinating reminder about how the world can change is the question of being a frontrunner for the nomination. On the Friday before the 1964 California GOP primary Nelson Rockefeller was ahead by 49 to 40 and on Tuesday Goldwater won the primary and with it the nomination. After the 1966 elections Governor George Romney was the front runner and polls showed him beating President Johnson 54 to 46, After he said "the greatest brainwashing that anybody can get when you go over to Vietnam....they do a very thorough job" his campaign collapsed.

This is a useful book for anyone who would like to understand the rise of modern conservatism and anyone who would like to better understand presidential politics.

Interesting memoir, but not historical analysis.......2007-02-14

When I read the title of this book, I expected an in-depth analysis of why the Conservative movement started with Barry Goldwater's failed candidacy for the Presidency in 1964. Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case.

The author of this book was a critical player in the Goldwater campaign, and, as such, has tremendously valuable memories of Goldwater's unsuccessful attempt to become President of the United States. This book, however, is nothing more than a political memoir - how this one individual got involved in the Goldwater campaign and what the ride meant to him. It is filled with exciting and fun stories, and is an enjoyable book to read, but most assuredly is not for the historian.

I believe that this book is a good start towards understanding whether or not Goldwater's ascendancy to the head position in the Republican party really did start the Conservative movement that has been so powerful in the last 25 years, but it certainly does not live up to its title.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable political memoir - if the reader is conservative, this book will delight. Even a liberal will enjoy the book, though some of the disparaging remarks about LBJ or Jimmy Carter may not bode well with those who possess a leftist slant.

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear!.......2007-02-11

Wow. The origins of the conservative movement indeed!How much of a revolution was it? Consider this. In 1960,Richard Nixon received 50,000 contributions in his Presidential run,about the same as JFK.In 1964,Barry Goldwater received 1 1/2 MILLION!

This is the story of how a small band of pioneers plotted to literally draft a man who didn't want to run and who knew he would lose,but who changed the party and the entire world by doing so.

A glorious well-written historical work. As George Will wrote,"Barry Goldwater won..but it took 16 years to count the votes."

Highly Recommended.5 stars.

Nice light book.......2007-01-18

It really deserves 21/2 stars. I enjoyed it and maybe it was unrealistic to expect an in depth story of the draft and election from the Republican point of view but that's what I wanted.If you want a brief overview this is fine but not for the historian

Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington to George W. Bush

Average customer rating:

Fun and games with elections
Delightful Insight to the History of our Elections
A complete chronological history
Wonderful Information in Bite Sized Chunks

Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington to George W. Bush
Paul F. Boller
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Packaging The Presidency: A History and Criticism of Presidential Campaign Advertising
Presidential Anecdotes
Presidential Wives: An Anecdotal History
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Campaigns and Elections American Style (Transforming American Politics)

ASIN: 0195167163

Book Description

Were presidential campaigns always as bitter as they have been in recent years? Or is the current style of campaigning a new political development? In this revised and updated edition of Presidential Campaigns the answers to these questions are clear: the race for the presidency, although at times mean and nasty, has always been an endlessly entertaining and highly-charged spectacle for the American public. This book unveils the whole history of American presidential elections, from the seamless ascent of General George Washington to the bitterly contested election of George W. Bush, bringing these boisterous contests to life in all their richness and complexity. In the old days, Boller shows, campaigns were much rowdier than they are today. Back in the nineteenth century, the invective at election time was exuberant and the mudslinging unrestrained; a candidate might be called everything from a carbuncle-faced old drunkard to a howling atheist. But there was plenty of fun and games, too, with songs and slogans, speeches and parades, all livening up the scene in order to get people to the polls.Presidential Campaigns takes note of the serious side of elections even as it documents the frenzy, frolic and the sleaze. Each chapter contains a brief essay describing an election and presenting "campaign highlights" that bring to life the quadrennial confrontation in all its shame and glory. With a postscript analyzing the major changes in the ways Americans have chosen their Presidents from Washington's time to the present, Presidential Campaigns gives the reader a full picture of this somewhat flawed procedure. For all of its shortcomings, though, this "great American shindig" is an essential part of the American democratic system and, for better or for worse, tells us much about ourselves.

Customer Reviews:

Fun and games with elections.......2006-03-11

This book reminds me again just how much fun the study of history can be. The basic facts of Presidential elections from the beginning to today are solid historical accounts. But they also include the tidbits of electoral trivia that go on in each election, but that are often obscure or unnoticed. This book is both informative and entertaining. I plan to give it as a gift to my opthomologist who is also a history buff. As a retired history professor I look forward to chatting with him during my annual examinations.

Delightful Insight to the History of our Elections.......2004-10-19

You wouldn't have recognized the election of 1789. There were no primaries, nominating convention, rival candidates, campaign speeches, or debates on public issues." (All quotes are direct from the book.) Yet the will of the people was perfectly expressed. Everyone simply agreed that Washington had to be the President. Four years later they had political parties, but both of them picked Washington. That was the end of the smooth sailing.

In 1796 Adams and Jefferson remained on friendly terms with each other, but had their supporters do a lot of name calling (sound familiar?). By 1800 Adams was calling Jefferson ... well, read the book. Suffice to say, the American way of politics was in full swing, has continued unabated until now and shows no sign of making significant changes in the future.

I must say that I do miss the rum. When Washington was running for the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1758, there were 391 elgible voters. Washington gave them 160 gallons of rum. It's kind of a wonder just how they could vote.

This is a delightful book. I remember taking American History in college, and that was pretty dull. This reads like a novel, full of interesting anecdotes while conveying the facts as well.

A complete chronological history .......2004-10-10

Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington To George W. Bush by Paul F. Boller, Jr. is a lively, informative, and often surprising history of American presidential election campaigns. This is a complete chronological history of from the unanimously concented ascent of General george Washionhton, to the divisively contested Gore vs. Bush recall scandal. Presidental Campaigns is a superbly written and presented political history that, in these politically divise days of presential electioneering, deserves as wide a readership as possible among the electorate.

Wonderful Information in Bite Sized Chunks.......2004-07-16

I own a previous edition of this book. Facinating information about each campaign. You think 2000 was bad? Take a look at 1876 or 1824. I'd offer more in this review, but it's 4 am and I need to get back to sleep.

Reagan's Revolution: The Untold Story of the Campaign That Started It All

Average customer rating:

I Was There
An engrossing account of an historic political campaign...
A great narrative of the campaign that changed America
Monumental
Filling Potholes in America's Timeline

Reagan's Revolution: The Untold Story of the Campaign That Started It All
Craig Shirley
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Election 2004: How Bush Won and What You Can Expect in the Future

ASIN: 0785260498

Amazon.com

The campaign for the 1976 Republican presidential nomination is the only political race that Ronald Reagan ever lost. Ironically, that defeat to Gerald Ford "changed the conservative movement, the Republican Party, America, and eventually the world," writes Craig Shirley in Reagan's Revolution. Further, the campaign "marked the point when conservatives took over the Republican Party and changed its message and its ideology." Reagan's views on such issues as tax cuts, aggressive anti-Communism, reductions in government spending, and the use of military power to protect American interests moved from radical ideas to part of the Republican platform after 1976. Tracing Reagan's rise to national power to the concession speech he made at the convention, Shirley explains in great detail how Reagan almost single-handedly took the Republican Party from its "death throes" to its resurgence. He may have lost the nomination, but he saved the party. Based on interviews with insiders who worked on the campaign and the journalists and pundits who covered it, Reagan's Revolution offers many telling anecdotes and fascinating insights into the race's build-up and conclusion, making it the first book to offer exhaustive coverage of this vital period in Reagan's life. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

Today's political scene looks nothing like it did thirty years ago, and that is due mostly to Reagan's monumental reshaping of the Republican party. What few people realize, however, is that Reagan's revolution did not begin when he took office in 1980, but in his failed presidential challenge to Gerald Ford in 1975-1976. This is the remarkable story of that historic campaign-one that, as Reagan put it, turned a party of "pale pastels" into a national party of "bold colors." Featuring interviews with a myriad of politicos, journalists, insiders, and observers, Craig Shirley relays intriguing, never-before-told anecdotes about Reagan, his staff, the campaign, the media, and the national parties and shows how Reagan, instead of following the lead of the ever-weakening Republican party, brought the party to him and almost single-handedly revived it.

Customer Reviews:

I Was There.......2007-02-18

I worked for the Illinois primary committee through the full 1976 primary campaign and then attended the convention with the Illinois delegation.
I worked with Reagan's California people during the primary and Charlie Black and Roger Stone during the Illinois primary. Shirley has captured the essence of that campaign and written a book that should be a primer for any young gun that seeks to influence national politics. Well done Craig! A+.

An engrossing account of an historic political campaign..........2006-06-21

Whether you agreed or disagreed with his policies, there's no denying that Ronald Reagan casts a long shadow over modern American politics. His landslide victory in the 1980 presidential election made conservatism the dominant theme of American politics - a theme which is running strong even today. When most people today think of Republicans, they automatically think "conservative". Yet, as Craig Shirley notes, until Reagan's victory that was not always the case. In "Reagan's Revolution", Shirley offers an engrossing account of a campaign that he (and many political historians) believe changed the face of the Republican Party, and ultimately, the nation. And it's not the 1980 campaign that Shirley is writing about. Instead, he describes Reagan's hard-fought, near-miss 1976 primary battle to unseat President Gerald Ford and capture the GOP presidential nomination. Without this losing effort, Shirley argues, Reagan would never have been nominated and elected President in 1980.

Shirley offers an excellent account of the sad state of the Republican Party in the mid-1970's. TIME magazine did a cover story in 1976 on "The Plight Of The GOP", and even hinted that the Republicans were on their way to extinction, like the Whig Party of the mid-1800's. At the grassroots level the "Grand" Old Party was outnumbered two-to-one or more by the Democrats in many parts of the country, and at the congressional level many Republicans seemed resigned to a permanent minority status. Shirley argues that the GOP's plight was mainly a result of the fact that the party had no clear agenda or direction. What passed for the GOP Establishment consisted mainly of moderate-to-slightly liberal Republicans from the Northeast, such as Nelson Rockefeller of New York, Ford's Vice-President, and Pennsylvania Senator Richard Schweiker. Reagan, the leader of the GOP's conservative wing, became increasingly disgusted with what he believed was President Ford's complacent "me too" attitude towards the Democrats.

When Reagan announced his challenge to Ford in late 1975, he was promptly opposed by most of the "Rockefeller" Republicans who still controlled the party's finances and organization. Running with only his own resources and fellow conservative insurgents, he mounted one of the strongest challenges to an incumbent President in American history. Shirley, who interviewed plenty of former aides and campaign associates for both Reagan and Ford, gives a breathless account of the fierce primary battles throughout the spring and summer of 1976. Early on it looked as if Ford would win easily, as he defeated Reagan in New Hampshire, Florida, and Illinois. After each defeat the pressure mounted on Reagan to quit the race and "join the team" for Ford. Yet Reagan refused to quit, and his persistence paid off with a stunning upset of Ford in the North Carolina primary (with some help from then-Senator Jesse Helms). After that the two men engaged in an increasingly bitter nip-and-tuck battle for delegates that lasted until August 1976, when the Republican Convention opened in Kansas City. Only then did Ford finally manage to nail down enough delegates to narrowly win the nomination, thus making 1976 the last time that a presidential nomination would still be undecided before a political convention started. Yet even in defeat, Shirley notes, Reagan "stole" the moment from Ford with a stirring and eloquent concession speech that left even many pro-Ford delegates in tears. It was at that moment, Shirley believes, that the modern "Conservative Revolution" in American politics began.

I do have one problem with the book, and that is Shirley's obvious bias towards Reagan. Shirley is a conservative activist who supported Reagan in 1976 and 1980, and while he does try to be fair to Ford and his team, it's pretty clear which side Shirley supported. Even so, the bias is not so blatant that it seriously affects the pace or flow of the story. Interestingly, neither Dick Cheney nor (especially) Donald Rumsfeld come off looking very good in Shirley's account (perhaps surprisingly, they both supported Ford instead of Reagan). Shirley describes the 1976 campaign as a good sportswriter might describe a classic World Series or Super Bowl. If you're a political junkie and have read such classics as Theodore White's "Making of the President 1960", then you should definitely enjoy this book. Recommended!

A great narrative of the campaign that changed America.......2006-05-08

Craig Shirley has written a first class narrative of recent history in Reagan's Revolution.

It covers the 1976 Republican primary campaign, in which former California Governor Reagan challenged Republican incumbent Gerald R. Ford-- the only man to serve as American President who was never elected President or Vice-President.

Shirley does a good job of telling the story from each side of the the face-off, including the presence of current Bush administration members Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, who were members of the Ford administration.

A great work that provides insight into an important event in American history that is not often covered in such depth.

Shirley's work is also easily readable, often reading like a good novel.

Monumental.......2006-04-27

Craig Shirley's publication "Reagan Revolution" is a wealth for those who are seeking even even more information on Ronald Wilson Reagan. I remember thinking there needed to be a definitive account of the 1976 Republican primaries, and was glad to run across this account.

I enjoyed this book because there is so much new information about the 76 campaign and the inner workings of the Ford and Reagan teams. I felt like I learned much more about the Reagan team in 76 and really the great odds he faced in trying to unseat an incumbent president. It was especially neat to see how amazing Reagan was even without hardly any of the Republican Party establishment behind him. I think Reagan receives so much credit for his political skill, discipline, charisma, and intelligence just from this campaign.

Shirley is absolutely right in that he displays and unwraps the transformation of the GOP within this race. He understands the depth of the conservative moment, it helped since the author was a part of that movement. He also explains just how 76 was the launching ground for 1980. He understands that Ronald Reagan's political career was in many ways providential and revolutionary. Shirley's account is an exciting read and a descriptive and triumphant look at the greatest leader of the 20th Century.

Filling Potholes in America's Timeline.......2005-06-24

Let's face it, history is effervescent with little, silent victories. The biggest victories (Waterloo, Gen. Washington, Robert Evans) always receive the press, the notoriety, and the Mucollough books (or novels, in her Lady Partisan's eyes). Now look at those little victories that receive so sparse a note. This is one of them. Now I am not a Reagan fan, I am not a conservative (I am not a Shirley of the same blood, for that matter, interestingly, I share my first name with one of whom the book is dedicated. Don't worry, I beith no rock a'tall).

Mister Shirley frankly just does a delightful job of allowing this little victory to finally breathe the air, the life it deserves. I was moved by the passages. The premise of this entire book has served as a footnote struck down by editors galore, which really allows Shirley to stretch out his pen and write as if this was a synopsis for a film based off of "Trivial Persuit." I'll explain: because this entire premise begins with so...trivial...a piece of tedium, that he has to work, to actually researce and write. His laurels lie within Washington, but in the Historical Nonfiction realm of popularity or even making a return on the original investment, Mr. Shirley is the one who must make the Book-Reader relationship work. In fact, Mr. Shirley has an even farther way to go than any other author and his or her piece, for while '76 is not chronicled (much), Reagan most certainly is, probably moreso than any other President of the 20th century. And handily, he places his name right in the top ranks of authors of these types of works. He does a fine job. He...persues...this silent victory right to its very last interesting note, and keeps the reader along the whole time. A worthy read, and a point made (double entendre if anyone's keeping score).

Note: For one of the reviews above, as far as factual errors, this book contains them only if the 150+ sources researched contain them. It seems based upon the 51 pages of bibliography that Mr. Shirley did not want to be wrong (and Rocky was simply a reference of the times, of the atmosphere, not a direct reference to any single item occuring on the stump in '76.

Mexico's Pivotal Democratic Election: Candidates, Voters, and the Presidential Campaign of 2000

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Mexico's Pivotal Democratic Election: Candidates, Voters, and the Presidential Campaign of 2000

Manufacturer: Stanford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0804749744
Release Date: 2003-10-23

Book Description

The 2000 Mexican presidential race culminated in the election of opposition candidate Vicente Fox and the end of seven decades of one-party rule. This book, which traces changes in public opinion and voter preferences over the course of the race, represents the most comprehensive treatment of campaigning and voting behavior in an emerging democracy. It challenges the “modest effects” paradigm of national election campaigns that has dominated scholarly research in the field.

Chapters cover authoritarian mobilization of voters, turnout patterns, electoral cleavages, party strategies, television news coverage, candidate debates, negative campaigning, strategic voting, issue-based voting, and the role of the 2000 election in Mexico's political transition. Theoretically-oriented introductory and concluding chapters situate Mexico's 2000 election in the larger context of Mexican politics and of cross-national research on campaigns. Collectively, these contributions provide crucial insights into Mexico's new politics, with important implications for elections in other countries.

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