Political Campaign Communication

Preface





PART ONE An Overview of Political Communication Issues.



1 Political Communication: An Introduction

Academic Observers vs. Professional Practitioners / Areas of Research Related to Political Campaign
Communication * Interview with James T. Kitchens: The Conflict between Academics and Consultants / The Distinctive
Nature of Political Communication / Defining Political Communication / Summary / Questions for
Discussion





2 Political Socialization: The Development of Political Attitudes

Major Socialization Agents / Other Socialization Agents / Political Socialization Styles * Interview with
Jack Williams: Religion and Political Attitudes in the South / The Invisible Youth Vote / The Social Cost of
Voting / Partisan Orientations and the Political Consultant / Summary / Questions for Discussion





3 Campaign Strategies

Strategy Analysis * Interview with Skip Webb: Campaign Strategy and the "Truth Process" * Interview with Mike Mann:
Developing a Campaign Strategy / Two Strategic Models * Interview with Robin Rorapaugh: A Numerical Approach to
Campaign Strategy / Three Traditional Models * Case Study: The Shelby Campaign / Two Strategies for the
21st Century / Positional Strategies / Summary / Questions for Discussion





4 The Image of the Political Candidate

The Nature of Candidate Images / The Development of Candidate Images / Image Influences on
Election Decisions * Interview with Mike McClister: Image in a Narrative Format / Campaign Influences on Images *
Interview with Rich Niemand: Image as Branding / The Role of Gender / Summary / Questions for Discussion





5 Media Theory and Political Communication

The Bullet Theory (Hypodermic Model) * Propaganda Techniques / The Limited Effects Model / Agenda
Setting * Interview with Adam Goodman: The Impact of Media in Political Campaigns / Uses-Gratification /
Relational Theories / Influence Gaps / Other Issues / Summary / Questions for Discussion





PART TWO The Campaign Team



6 Campaign Organization

Organizational Roles / The Public Interface for the Candidate's Ideas * The General Consultant in Political
Campaigns by Mike Mann / Political Parties / Summary / Questions for Discussion





7 Campaign Communication in the Mass Media

The Effectiveness of the Process / Schools of Consulting / The Tasks of the Consultant * Interview with
Raymond Strother: On Media Strategy / Other Campaign Media / * Humorous and High-Concept Advertising by John
Rowley * Bush's Crash Ads / Summary / Questions for Discussion





8 Campaign Communication: Direct Voter Contact

Phone Banks (Political Telemarketing) * Interview with Tony Parker: The Role of Phone Banks in Political Campaigns *
Interview with Gerry Tyson: Phone Banks and the Future of One-on-One Campaigning / Something New Under the
Sun / Direct Mail * Case Study: Election Day in Florida, 2000 * Interview with Max Fose: Making the Internet Work for
You / Summary / Questions for Discussion





9 Political Speeches

The Nature of Political Speeches / The Speechwriter and the Process * Case Study: George W. Bush's Stump
Speech / Types of Campaign Speeches * The Top Ten Cases of Political Foot-in-the-Mouth Disease by Jim Kitchens *
Case Study: How Not to Do a Mea Culpa / * The Speech Not Given / Influencing the Situation / Summary /
Questions for Discussion





10 Cyberspace: The Internet and Political Communication

The Early Years of Internet and Politics / Fund-Raising / Viral Videos / Social Media / Voter
Contact / Back to the Future - Volunteers / Political Blogs / The Negative Side of Internet
Politics / Summary





11 Political Polling

Types of Political Polling / The Process of Political Polling / Levels of Confidence and the Confidence
Interval / What Can Go Wrong / The Ethical Controversy Generated by Political Polling * Interview with Bill
Hamilton: Polling in Political Campaigns * Interview with John Anzalone: Polling in the 21st Century / Pseudopolling /
Summary / Questions for Discussion





PART THREE Campaign Concerns



12 Press Coverage and Media Relations

Factors Influencing News Coverage / Topics for News Coverage / Types of News Coverage * Free Media
Relations: The State of the Fourth Estate by John Rowley / The Role of the Press Secretary / The Issue of Media
Bias / The Impact of New Media / Politics and Entertainment Media / Summary / Questions for
Discussion





13 The Role of Political Money

The Role of Political Money / Rules of the Game / Circumventing the Rules * Interview with Joe McLean:
Raising Political Money / Changes for 2010 / Fund-Raising Techniques * Bradyley's Sports Heroes * Making
Lemonade out of Lemons / Summary / Questions for Discussion





14 The Role of Interpersonal Influence

Interpersonal Opinion Leadership / Diffusion of Information / Political Elites / Political Lobbying /
Interview with George Clark: Lobbying State Legislatures / Legislative Cue-Giving / Campaign Implications /
Summary / Questions for Discussion





15 Critical Event Analysis

Antecedent Conditions / Identifying Critical Events * The Innocuous Critical Event: George W. Bush at Bob Jones
University / Studying Critical Events / Debates as Critical Events / The Consultant's View: Planning and
Coping with Critical Events / Mistake-Based Critical Events / Summary / Questions for Discussion





16 Ethical Questions in Political Communication

Types of Unethical Behavior * The Self-Motivated Spy / Negative Campaigning / The Role of Consultants *
Interview with Stan Adkins: The Consultant's View of Campaign Ethics / Becoming Critical Observers of the
Process / Summary / Questions for Discussion





References



Index