Political Communication in American Campaigns

Political Communication provides a comprehensive, clear, and accessible treatment of American campaign rhetoric. This book's triangulated approach to political communication includes (1) all forms of campaign speech and oratory, (2) the rhetorical dimensions of campaign debates, and (3) candidate/campaign interaction with mass media. This approach provides today's undergraduates with a thorough understanding of the methodological approaches to strategies and practices in American campaigns. Taking a truly communicative approach to political communication, the text explores campaigns in terms of their management and message orientation and focuses on communication strategies as regards speeches, debates, and the use of paid and free media (e.g., print and broadcast ads; the Internet; etc.). Case studies of actual campaign speeches, political debates, and mass media campaigns show the application of theories and methodologies.