Campaign talk why elections are good for us

Roderick Hart may be among the few Americans who believe that what politicians say in a campaign actually matters. He also believes that campaigns work. Even as television coverage, political ads, and opinion polls turn elections into field days for marketing professionals, Hart argues convincingly...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author Hart, Roderick P
Format eBook
LanguageEnglish
Published Princeton Princeton University Press 2009
Edition1
Subjects
Electioneering
Elections
Political campaigns
Political oratory
Political Process
POLITICAL SCIENCE
United States
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Summary:Roderick Hart may be among the few Americans who believe that what politicians say in a campaign actually matters. He also believes that campaigns work. Even as television coverage, political ads, and opinion polls turn elections into field days for marketing professionals, Hart argues convincingly that campaigns do play their role in sustaining democracy, mainly because they bring about a dialogue among candidates, the press, and the people. Here he takes a close look at the exchange of ideas through language used in campaign speeches, political advertising, public debates, print and broadcast news, and a wide variety of letters to the editor. In each case, the participants choose their words differently, and this, according to Hart, can be a frustrating challenge to anyone trying to make sense of the issues. Yet he finds that the process is good for Americans: campaigns inform us about issues, sensitize us to the concerns of others, and either encourage us to vote or at least heighten our sense of the political world.
ISBN:1400803543
9781400803545
9781400823451
9780691092829
0691092826
1400823455
069100126X
9780691001265
DOI:10.1515/9781400823451