The Four Pillars of Politics: Why Some Candidates Don't Win and Others Can't Lead

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The Four Pillars of Politics provides a uniform foundation for evaluating political campaign strategies. The four pillars identified in this bookfear, national narcissism, consumerism, and religionserve as attitudinal anchors that American voters use in making their voting decisions. The dominant pillar may change from election to election, leading to situations in which a candidate who wins in one election may be defeated four years later. Kitchens and Powell examine how political communication is understood by combining these four pillars with the related matrix of attitudes, beliefs, and values that are integral components of the American culture. The Four Pillars of Politics will appeal to scholars of political science, communication studies, and journalism.

Reviews

It's always a pleasure to read a book with original or unusual theories, and The Four Pillars of Politics is particularly courageous. James T. Kitchens and Larry Powell show how much of a role fear plays in U.S. politics, and at last, the role of American narcissism in its politics is addressed! Narcissism is discussed fearlessly, in terms only Americans could dare to use. Well worth your time, The Four Pillars of Politics is bold and long overdue. -- Laure Paquette, Lakehead University
Kitchens and Powell have combined theory and practical application in an accessible book that should attract the attention of anyone interested in politics in the U.S. The Four Pillars of Politics provides fresh insight into the unique world of rough-and-tumble American political campaigning. This analysis has implications for both scholars and campaign strategists who want to understand how to help candidates connect with voters. -- Barry Smith, Mississippi University for Women

Author Bio

James T. Kitchens is president of the Kitchens Group, a national public opinion research firm. Larry Powell is professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.