Packaging the presidency

by Kathleen Hall Jamieson

Now in a new Third Edition, Kathleen Hall Jamieson expands her authoritative analysis of political advertising, looking at the media campaigns of American presidents from the early days of the republic to the successful 1992 Clinton campaign. Throughout, an argument emerges that is subtle but persuasive; though often equivocal, and even downright sleazy, political advertising is vital in reminding voters of the choices at the heart of democracy. This new edition covers such issues as the new forms of exposition created by cable television that so powerfully affected the 1992 campaign. The wide variety of venues, including MTV and the Nashville Network, coupled with almost daily appearances on morning talk shows, afforded candidates the ability to reach audiences by the millions in "news-ads" that served as free extended commercials. Jamieson points out the success of Ross Perot's unconventional revival of the thirty-minute program spot and the increasing prevalence of "adwatchs," in wh