Communication in the Presidential Primaries: Candidates and the Media, 1912-2000

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In a comparison of communication in the U.S. presidential primaries of the twentieth century, Kendall examines the role of the candidates and the media during the period of primary elections. Drawing upon information from a broad array of sources, Kendall uncovers communication patterns that transcend time regarding political image, horse race coverage, and negative campaigning. She takes a strong communication perspective, arguing that the verbal context of the presidential primaries is an important factor overlooked in traditional studies. Topics covered include the effect of party rules on communication, the role of speeches and debates, the role of political advertising, and the media's construction of the primaries in the pre- television era and the age of television. Kendall examines the 1996 primaries in light of patterns discovered in earlier years, and she makes predictions and recommendations regarding the 2000 primaries. With its century-wide scope and the variety of research methods used, the book will be of considerable value to researchers, scholars, journalists and students involved with political communication and American presidential elections.

Reviews

"A timely, fresh, and highly informative portrait of presidential primaries. Kathleen Kendall hits all the hot buttons as she explores the role of speeches, debates, advertisements and media coverage in historical and contemporary presidential primary campaigns."-Judith S. Trent Professor of Communication University of Cincinnati
"The timing for Kendall's book is perfect. So many questions arise from the front loading of the 2000 primary campaign, and she provides fresh and fascinating insights and recommendations so valuable to the informed voter. It is a work of valuable scholarship that reads like an op-ed recipe for better government."-Marvin Kalb Executive Director Shorenstein Center of the Press, Politics, and Public Policy Harvard University
"This is a comprehensive, detailed, and thoughtful look at the nature of communication in primaries during the 20th century. Well-written and well-argued, it will be extraordinarily useful to students and scholars who wish to understand the evolution of the primary system in America."-Susan Herbst Professor of Political Science, Northwestern University
Her book is an important contribution to the political science fields of campaigns and communications.-Political Science Quarterly
"Her book is an important contribution to the political science fields of campaigns and communications."-Political Science Quarterly

Author Bio

KATHLEEN E. KENDALL is Associate Professor and Graduate Director in the Department of Communication, University at Albany, State University of New York. She is the author of numerous articles on political communication in journals such as Presidential Studies Quarterly, Journal of Communication, American Behavioral Scientist, and Communication Quarterly, and editor of Presidential Campaign Discourse: Strategic Communication Problems (1995).