Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996

Download Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780786438914
Total Pages : 830 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (389 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996 by :

Download or read book Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996 written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 830 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996

Download Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : McFarland
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 856 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996 by : Leslie H. Southwick

Download or read book Presidential Also-rans and Running Mates, 1788 Through 1996 written by Leslie H. Southwick and published by McFarland. This book was released on 1998 with total page 856 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a greatly expanded and now illustrated second edition of a "Best Reference Book of the Year" (1984) acclaimed by the American Library Association. It provides detailed biographies of the 95 United States major party and significant third-party nominees who were never elected president or vice president in the 53 quadrennial elections from 1788/89 through 1996. New to this fully updated edition are biographies of nominees since 1984 as well as 41 historic third-tier candidates who received at least 2 percent of the popular vote or 5 percent of the electoral votes - and portraits or photographs of every single nominee.

Enduring Controversies in Presidential Nominating Politics

Download Enduring Controversies in Presidential Nominating Politics PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University of Pittsburgh Pre
ISBN 13 : 0822972611
Total Pages : 333 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (229 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Enduring Controversies in Presidential Nominating Politics by : Emmett H. Buell Jr.

Download or read book Enduring Controversies in Presidential Nominating Politics written by Emmett H. Buell Jr. and published by University of Pittsburgh Pre. This book was released on 2004-08-29 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The process of nominating and electing a president is a spectacle that never fails to engage and excite millions of Americans—and rarely fails to enrage us, as well.Enduring Controversies in Presidential Nominating Politics retraces the more than two hundred-year history of presidential elections in the United States to provide a primer on how the process has evolved from the days of the founders, through the heyday of nominating conventions, to today's overwhelming interest in early primaries.Original essays by the editors introduce, critique, and occasionally even refute a wide variety of historical readings including Alexander Hamilton's defense of election procedures, excerpts of individual states' nominations of candidates in 1824, an overview of the impact television has had on nominating conventions, and calls for a national rotating primary scheme in 2004. As a whole, the collection reveals the common threads that run through the history of the nominating process, and points out that today's litany of complaints is not at all new.

The First American Political Conventions

Download The First American Political Conventions PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : McFarland
ISBN 13 : 0786490306
Total Pages : 277 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (864 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The First American Political Conventions by : Stan M. Haynes

Download or read book The First American Political Conventions written by Stan M. Haynes and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2014-01-10 with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For almost two centuries, Americans have relied upon political conventions to provide the nation with new leadership. The modern convention, a four-day, carefully choreographed, prime-time television event designed to portray the party and its candidate in the most favorable light, continues many of the traditions and rules developed during the first conventions in the mid-19th century. This study analyzes the birth of the convention process in the 1830s and follows its development over 40 years, chronicling each of the presidential elections between 1832 and 1872, the leading candidates, and an analysis of the key issues, and memorable speeches and events on the convention floor. Other topics include back-room deal making, "dark horse" candidacies, meeting halls, parades, rallies, and other accompanying hoopla. This volume reveals the origins of a quintessentially American spectacle and sheds new light on an understudied aspect of the nation's political past.

The Year That Broke Politics

Download The Year That Broke Politics PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Yale University Press
ISBN 13 : 0300274920
Total Pages : 395 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Year That Broke Politics by : Luke A. Nichter

Download or read book The Year That Broke Politics written by Luke A. Nichter and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2023-08-01 with total page 395 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The unknown story of the election that set the tone for today’s fractured politics “A fresh, authoritative analysis of a pivotal election year.”—Kirkus Reviews The 1968 presidential race was a contentious battle between vice president Hubert Humphrey, Republican Richard Nixon, and former Alabama governor George Wallace. The United States was reeling from the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy and was bitterly divided on the Vietnam War and domestic issues, including civil rights and rising crime. Drawing on previously unexamined archives and numerous interviews, Luke A. Nichter upends the conventional understanding of the campaign. Nichter chronicles how the evangelist Billy Graham met with Johnson after the president’s attempt to reenter the race was stymied by his own party, and offered him a deal: Nixon, if elected, would continue Johnson’s Vietnam War policy and also not oppose his Great Society, if Johnson would soften his support for Humphrey. Johnson agreed. Nichter also shows that Johnson was far more active in the campaign than has previously been described; that Humphrey’s resurgence in October had nothing to do with his changing his position on the war; that Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” has been misunderstood, since he hardly even campaigned there; and that Wallace’s appeal went far beyond the South and anticipated today’s Republican populism. This eye-opening account of the political calculations and maneuvering that decided this fiercely fought election reshapes our understanding of a key moment in twentieth-century American history.

Alton B. Parker

Download Alton B. Parker PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : State University of New York Press
ISBN 13 : 1438495994
Total Pages : 482 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (384 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Alton B. Parker by : Bradley C. Nahrstadt

Download or read book Alton B. Parker written by Bradley C. Nahrstadt and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2024-01-01 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This first full-length biography of Alton Brooks Parker provides an in-depth look into the life, career, and legacy of one of the most important New Yorkers of the Gilded Age. Parker had the courage to challenge Theodore Roosevelt for the presidency in 1904—at the height of Roosevelt’s popularity—and was a transition point between the conservative and the new, progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Based on new archival research, this book contributes to our understanding of how political campaigns were conducted during the Gilded Age/Progressive Era, in comparison to modern campaigns. It also provides insights into the changing Democratic Party as it transformed from the presidency of Grover Cleveland to the presidencies of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

James Monroe Diplomatic Correspondence

Download James Monroe Diplomatic Correspondence PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Algora Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1628944544
Total Pages : 354 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (289 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis James Monroe Diplomatic Correspondence by : Brett F. Woods

Download or read book James Monroe Diplomatic Correspondence written by Brett F. Woods and published by Algora Publishing. This book was released on 2021-10-01 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1789, George Washington took office as the first American president — just as the French Revolution was about to erupt. In 1794, he sent James Monroe to serve as the first international ambassador to Paris, which was still reeling from the Reign of Terror. Monroe was resourceful in getting his bearings in the shifting social and political sands. He had major accomplishments, including protecting U.S. trade from French attacks and achieving the release of patriot Thomas Paine and Adrienne de Lafayette, the wife of the Marquis de Lafayette, from French jails. But the French Revolution led to war between Britain and France in 1793, and after Monroe arrived in France the U.S. and Great Britain concluded the Jay Treaty. The treaty outraged the French because it appeared to favor Britain. Monroe had not been fully briefed on the treaty but he was tasked with repairing the rift it caused. Indeed, he achieved some success in what was probably an impossible task. Washington recalled Monroe from his post in November 1796 and he returned to the United States. Monroe’s letters provide our best window into his thinking and that of his correspondents, the prevailing atmosphere in that turbulent era, and the efforts he made to perform his duty in good faith.

Strategic Selection

Download Strategic Selection PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University of Virginia Press
ISBN 13 : 9780813927435
Total Pages : 204 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (274 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Strategic Selection by : Christine L. Nemacheck

Download or read book Strategic Selection written by Christine L. Nemacheck and published by University of Virginia Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The process by which presidents decide whom to nominate to fill Supreme Court vacancies is obviously of far-ranging importance, particularly because the vast majority of nominees are eventually confirmed. But why is one individual selected from among a pool of presumably qualified candidates? In Strategic Selection: Presidential Nomination of Supreme Court Justices from Herbert Hoover through George W. Bush, Christine Nemacheck makes heavy use of presidential papers to reconstruct the politics of nominee selection from Herbert Hoover's appointment of Charles Evan Hughes in 1930 through President George W. Bush's nomination of Samuel Alito in 2005. Bringing to light firsthand evidence of selection politics and of the influence of political actors, such as members of Congress and presidential advisors, from the initial stages of formulating a short list through the president's final selection of a nominee, Nemacheck constructs a theoretical framework that allows her to assess the factors impacting a president's selection process. Much work on Supreme Court nominations focuses on struggles over confirmation, or is heavily based on anecdotal material and posits the "idiosyncratic" nature of the selection process; in contrast, Strategic Selection points to systematic patterns in judicial selection. Nemacheck argues that although presidents try to maximize their ideological preferences and minimize uncertainty about nominees' conduct once they are confirmed, institutional factors that change over time, such as divided government and the institutionalism of the presidency, shape and constrain their choices. By revealing the pattern of strategic action, which she argues is visible from the earliest stages of the selection process, Nemacheck takes us a long way toward understanding this critically important part of our political system.

Attack Politics

Download Attack Politics PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University Press of Kansas
ISBN 13 : 0700616802
Total Pages : 400 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (6 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Attack Politics by : Emmett H. Buell Jr.

Download or read book Attack Politics written by Emmett H. Buell Jr. and published by University Press of Kansas. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This second edition of Attack Politics updates Emmett Buell and Lee Sigelman's highly regarded study of negativity in presidential campaigns since 1960 with a substantial new chapter on the 2008 contest between Barack Obama and John McCain. That campaign, the authors contend, proved to be the least negative in the last half century and reinforces their central argument that these campaigns have actually not grown "dirtier" and more negative since the election of JFK. In this new edition, Buell and Sigelman address the same questions that guided their research in the original book. Who attacked whom? How frequently? On what issues? In what ways? And at what point in the race? They also update their analysis of whether presidential campaigns have gotten more negative since 1960, whether opposing sides addressed the same issues or avoided subjects "owned" by the other side, and whether trailing candidates wage more negative campaigns than leading candidates. The authors expand their analysis well beyond their original research base-17,000 campaign statements extracted from nearly 11,000 news items in the New York Times—focusing on both presidential and vice-presidential nominees as sources and targets of attacks and examining the actions of surrogate campaigners. They also compare their findings with previously published accounts of these campaigns—including firsthand accounts by candidates and their confidants. Each chapter features "echoes from the campaign trail" that reflect the invective exchanged by rival campaigns. Their new chapter shows that, rather than neatly resembling either of their typology's extremes ("runaways" or "dead heats"), the 2008 race began as a "dead heat" in late summer but began to take on all the characteristics of a "somewhat competitive" affair by the end of September. Campaign discourse that began with an anticipated focus on the Iraq War and other national security issues came to be dominated by concerns about the economic meltdown. As the campaign headed toward the home stretch, anxiety about the economy seemed to eclipse national security, health care, immigration, and other concerns. This shift of emphasis, they argue, doomed whatever chance McCain had of winning. Like the first edition, this update of Attack Politics systematically analyzes negative campaigning, pinning down much that has previously been speculated on but left unsubstantiated. It offers the best overview yet of modern presidential races and remains must reading for anyone interested in the vagaries of those campaigns.

William McKinley and His America

Download William McKinley and His America PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Kent State University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780873387651
Total Pages : 510 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (876 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis William McKinley and His America by : Howard Wayne Morgan

Download or read book William McKinley and His America written by Howard Wayne Morgan and published by Kent State University Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 510 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In 1896 McKinley swept away all rivals to win the presidential nomination on the first ballot. Faced in the general election by the well-respected and highly touted orator William Jennings Bryan, Republicans adopted their "Front Porch Campaign." Thousands of citizens from across the country were brought to McKinley's home in Canton for a handshake and a few words. Hanna arranged for this $3.5 million campaign to be paid for by big business, with oil baron John D. Rockefeller writing the largest check. McKinley's military service and his support among veterans were significant factors in his campaign. He became the first presidential candidate in a generation to win a majority of the popular vote." "This extensively revised and expanded edition of H. Wayne Morgan's William McKinley and His America will be an important resource for historians and scholars."--BOOK JACKET.

The Crucible of Public Policy

Download The Crucible of Public Policy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : State University of New York Press
ISBN 13 : 1438488599
Total Pages : 398 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (384 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Crucible of Public Policy by : Bruce W. Dearstyne

Download or read book The Crucible of Public Policy written by Bruce W. Dearstyne and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2022-05-01 with total page 398 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Crucible of Public Policy: New York Courts in the Progressive Era relates the dramatic story of New York State courts, particularly the Court of Appeals, in deciding on the constitutionality of key state statutes in the progressive era. The Court of Appeals, second in importance only to the United States Supreme Court, made groundbreaking decisions on the constitutional validity of laws relating to privacy, personal liberty, state regulation of business, women workers' hours, compensation for on-the-job injuries, public health, and other vital areas. In the process, the Court became a crucible of sorts—a place where complex public policy issues of the day were argued and decided. These decisions set precedents that continue to influence contemporary debates. The book puts people—those who made the laws, were impacted by them, supported or opposed them in public forums, and the courts, attorneys, and judges—at the center of the story. Author Bruce W. Dearstyne presents new material previously unused by scholars, reflecting extensive research in the Court of Appeals' archival records.

The Lives of the Constitution

Download The Lives of the Constitution PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Encounter Books
ISBN 13 : 1641770635
Total Pages : 227 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (417 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Lives of the Constitution by : Joseph Tartakovsky

Download or read book The Lives of the Constitution written by Joseph Tartakovsky and published by Encounter Books. This book was released on 2019-10-08 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a fascinating blend of biography and history, Joseph Tartakovsky tells the epic and unexpected story of our Constitution through the eyes of ten extraordinary individuals—some renowned, like Alexander Hamilton and Woodrow Wilson, and some forgotten, like James Wilson and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. Tartakovsky brings to life their struggles over our supreme law from its origins in revolutionary America to the era of Obama and Trump. Sweeping from settings as diverse as Gold Rush California to the halls of Congress, and crowded with a vivid Dickensian cast, Tartakovsky shows how America’s unique constitutional culture grapples with questions like democracy, racial and sexual equality, free speech, economic liberty, and the role of government. Joining the ranks of other great American storytellers, Tartakovsky chronicles how Daniel Webster sought to avert the Civil War; how Alexis de Tocqueville misunderstood America; how Robert Jackson balanced liberty and order in the battle against Nazism and Communism; and how Antonin Scalia died warning Americans about the ever-growing reach of the Supreme Court. From the 1787 Philadelphia Convention to the clash over gay marriage, this is a grand tour through two centuries of constitutional history as never told before, and an education in the principles that sustain America in the most astonishing experiment in government ever undertaken.

American Conservatism

Download American Conservatism PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Open Road Media
ISBN 13 : 1497651573
Total Pages : 1355 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (976 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis American Conservatism by : Bruce Frohnen

Download or read book American Conservatism written by Bruce Frohnen and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2014-05-20 with total page 1355 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A must-own title.” —National Review Online American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia is the first comprehensive reference volume to cover what is surely the most influential political and intellectual movement of the past half century. More than fifteen years in the making—and more than half a million words in length—this informative and entertaining encyclopedia contains substantive entries on those persons, events, organizations, and concepts of major importance to postwar American conservatism. Its contributors include iconic patriarchs of the conservative and libertarian movements, celebrated scholars, well-known authors, and influential movement activists and leaders. Ranging from “abortion” to “Zoll, Donald Atwell,” and written from viewpoints as various as those which have informed the postwar conservative movement itself, the encyclopedia’s more than 600 entries will orient readers of all kinds to the people and ideas that have given shape to contemporary American conservatism. This long-awaited volume is not to be missed.

The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered

Download The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 : 0313056412
Total Pages : 197 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (13 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered by : Jody C. Baumgartner

Download or read book The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered written by Jody C. Baumgartner and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2006-07-30 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since 1960 the office of the vice presidency of the United States has evolved into a fundamentally different institution than the one the founders envisioned, attracting better-qualified aspirants who may be called upon to perform a variety of important tasks. This book offers a corrective to the overwhelmingly negative view that Americans have had of their vice presidents by demonstrating how the role has changed over time. In addition, Baumgartner examines those who were candidates for vice president but who were not elected. The book is organized thematically according to the career path of the vice president, from the selection process through campaign and nomination to election, service in office, and post-White House contributions. John Adams famously called the vice presidency, the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived. Harry Truman called it, about as useful as a cow's fifth teat. How things have changed in a world where many consider Vice President Dick Cheney the most powerful figure in the current administration. Since 1960 the office of the vice presidency of the United States has evolved into a fundamentally different institution than the one the founders envisioned, attracting better-qualified aspirants who may be called upon to perform a variety of important tasks. No longer a ceremonial figurehead or legislative drudge, the vice president today consults closely with the president and plays an important role in executive decisions. Those who are chosen as running mates are examined more thoroughly than ever before, not merely for the boost they might give the presidential candidate in the general election, but also for the kind of president they might be if fate called upon them to serve. In a book that is as readable as it is fascinating, Baumgartner offers a corrective to the overwhelmingly negative view Americans have had of their vice presidents by demonstrating how the role has changed over time. Setting the stage with a visit to the Constitutional Convention and a brief look at pre-modern vice presidents, he examines the 19 men and one woman who have been vice presidents or candidates for the office since 1960. His insightful book is organized thematically according to the career path of the vice president-from the selection process through the campaign and nomination to election, service in office, and post-White House contributions.

The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections

Download The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000327582
Total Pages : 321 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (3 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections by : Yanek Mieczkowski

Download or read book The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections written by Yanek Mieczkowski and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-12-29 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in its second edition, The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections covers each race for the presidency with brisk, lively narratives up to the election of 2016. Filled with more than 100 full-color maps and illustrations, this updated volume is an indispensable resource for learning about the suspense-filled races to gain America’s highest office. Distinguished presidential historian Yanek Mieczkowski captures intriguing details about candidates, issues, and campaigns, allowing readers to experience the drama of every contest. The colorful maps that put state-by-state results at readers’ fingertips show geographic voting trends during the country’s history. The presidency is America’s greatest political prize, and this book describes how candidates have won it—including changes in electoral strategies and campaign practices over the years. This text offers a treasure trove of historical information, such as: The early tradition of the "mute" candidate The period where just one effective political party existed nationwide One race that witnessed an astounding 80 percent voter turnout A popular-vote victory of 39.9 percent that triggered secession The emergence of the "front-porch" campaign A third-party candidate who got more votes than the incumbent president The impact of radio, television, and the Internet on the election process This book is essential reading for students of American history and the U.S. presidency.

Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections

Download Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 : 0313007624
Total Pages : 480 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (13 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections by : William C. Binning

Download or read book Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections written by William C. Binning and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 1999-07-30 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this comprehensive guide to the language of contemporary American politics, Binning offers clear descriptions of terms such as soft money, gerrymandering, and blanket primary. Examples are frequently offered to help clarify definitions. Particular attention is given to the ever-changing organizational structure of parties and contemporary electoral systems. In addition to defining political terms and systems, however, this encyclopedia explains campaign finance reform laws and the Voting Rights Act. The more significant Supreme Court decisions in these areas are summarized, with an eye to giving readers a greater understanding of how these laws have been interpreted and applied. This encyclopedia also describes the modern political campaign. Highlighted are the role of the media, the significance of presidential debates, the influence of campaign consultants, and the importance, types, and timing of primaries and caucuses. Brief biographies of important political figures such as presidents, vice presidents, and congressional and party leaders are also included, along with a concise summary of every presidential election since 1789.

Presidential Speechwriting

Download Presidential Speechwriting PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Texas A&M University Press
ISBN 13 : 9781585443925
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (439 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Presidential Speechwriting by : Kurt Ritter

Download or read book Presidential Speechwriting written by Kurt Ritter and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2004-03-15 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rise of the media presidency through radio and television broadcasts has heightened the visibility and importance of presidential speeches in determining the effectiveness and popularity of the President of the United States. Not surprisingly, this development has also witnessed the rise of professional speechwriters to craft the words the chief executive would address to the nation. Yet, as this volume of expert analyses graphically demonstrates, the reliance of individual presidents on their speechwriters has varied with the rhetorical skill of the officeholder himself, his managerial style, and his personal attitude toward public speaking. The individual chapters here (two by former White House speechwriters) give fascinating insight into the process and development of presidential speechwriting from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration to Ronald Reagan’s. Some contributors, such as Charles Griffin writing on Eisenhower and Moya Ball on Johnson, offer case studies of specific speeches to gain insight into those presidents. Other chapters focus on institutional arrangements and personal relationships, rhetorical themes characterizing an administration, or the relationship between words and policies to shed light on presidential speechwriting. The range of presidents covered affords opportunities to examine various factors that make rhetoric successful or not, to study alternative organizational arrangements for speechwriters, and even to consider the evolution of the rhetorical presidency itself. Yet, the volume’s single focus on speechwriting and the analytic overviews provided by Martin J. Medhurst not only bring coherence to the work, but also make this book an exemplar of how unity can be achieved from a diversity of approaches. Medhurst’s introduction of ten “myths” in the scholarship on presidential speeches and his summary of the enduring issues in the practice of speechwriting pull together the work of individual contributors. At the same time, his introduction and conclusion transcend particular presidents by providing generalizations on the role of speechwriting in the modern White House.