Presidential Elections: Strategies and Structures of American Politics [Paperback]

Nelson W. Polsby (Author), Aaron Wildavsky (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1566430291 | ISBN-13: 978-1566430296 | Publication Date: November 1995 | Edition: 9th

Brimming with data and examples from the tumultuous 2000 election and laced with previews of 2004, the eleventh edition of this classic text offers a complete overview of the presidential election process from the earliest straw polls and fundraisers to final voter turnout and exit interviews. The comprehensive coverage includes campaign strategy, the sequence of electoral events, and the issues, all from the perspective of the various actors in the election process: voters, interest groups, political parties, the media, and the candidates themselves. Nelson Polsby is a master of debunking myths and analyzing trends. In this fortieth birthday edition of Presidential Elections, he continues in the tradition he and Aaron Wildavsky established as co-authors and goes one step further in following contemporary trends in frontloading and the regulation of political finance.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

For as long as I can remember, a new presidential season meant a new edition of Polsby & Wildavsky's Presidential Elections. It also meant?and will surely mean again?a slew of misunderstandings by journalists, observers, participants, and students.If only they had read this latest edition, they might begin the season focusing on real possibilities and real developments, arguing about 'where we are now' and not 'where we never were'.... (Shafer, Byron E. )

Presidential Elections is the rare book that is a classic while still being contemporary. Readers not only come to fully understand how presidential elections operate today, but also how the current process came to be, and what it is likely to become in the future. (Squire, Peverill )

With the possible exception of V. O. Key's Politics, Parties, and Pressure Groups, it is difficult to think of any other book in the history of American political science that has gone through so many new editions over such an extended time span and with such consistently high quality. What still sets this book apart from its competitors is its sense of perspective: about how day-to-day strategic decisions are affected by the institutional environment, about how the dynamics of presidential elections fit into the larger picture of American national government. (Mayer, William G. )

For as long as I can remember, a new presidential season meant a new edition of Polsby & Wildavsky's Presidential Elections. It also meant—and will surely mean again—a slew of misunderstandings by journalists, observers, participants, and students. If only they had read this latest edition, they might begin the season focusing on real possibilities and real developments, arguing about 'where we are now' and not 'where we never were'. (Shafer, Byron E. ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Nelson W. Polsby is the Heller Professor of Political Science and past director of the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC-Berkeley. He is vice president of the Political Studies Association of the UK, a member of the Academic Advisory Board of AEI, and a former Brookings and Guggenheim Fellow. He is editor of the Annual Review of Political Science. His books include How Congress Evolves (2003); New Federalist Papers (with Alan Brinkley and Kathleen M. Sullivan, 1997); Media and Momentum(editor with Gary R. Orren, 1987); Congress and the Presidency (1986); and Consequences of Party Reform (1983). Aaron Wildavsky was, at the time of his death, Class of 1940 Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at UC-Berkeley, and founding dean of Berkeley's Graduate School of Public Policy. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: Chatham House Pub; 9th edition (November 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566430291
• ISBN-13: 978-1566430296
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,992,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for one interested in presidential elections!, March 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Presidential Elections: Strategies and Structures of American Politics (Paperback)

Polsby's Presidential Elections offers a clear and cogent account of the presidential election process including the strategic incentives facing: voters, parties, interest groups, candidates, and the press. He debunks myths propounded by the popular press on why Americans don't vote (we're so mobile, not we're alienated), analyzes the differing strategic positions faced by the major parties, and shows how the news media has evolved into a crucially important interest group, with its own interests. The book is easily accessible to those who have no formal training in political science, while it offers new insights for serious students. In sum, Polsby's book should appeal to anyone who wants to understand why presidential elections operate the way they do.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A detailed look into the current democratic system, September 13, 2000

By 

Jennifer Dunn (Fairborn, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Presidential Elections: Strategies and Structures of American Politics (Paperback)

The book is very detailed and informative in the election process. The book covers everything from the primaries to push polling as well as finacing and campaign reform. The book walks you through the political process starting with the time before the primaries and ends with the rap up of the election.If you are just entering the world of politics or you would like to know excatly where your votes goes, this is a great book for you. It is easy to read and goes into great lenght on the presidential elction process. I read this book when I began my study of political science and I would recomend it as a stepping stone into politics. It is a must have for any political junkie or the average person that would like to get involved in politics.

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine analysis--and accessible at that--of presidential elections, June 2, 2011

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Presidential Elections: Strategies and Structures of American Politics (Paperback)

When I taught a course on campsigns in presidential election years decades ago, this was one of my textbooks. Polsby and Wildavsky provide a nice freamwork for analyzing presidential elections. Their writing style is also accessible to undergraduate students.

The first part of the book reflects upon the "strategic environment" of presidential elections. This ioncludes such factors as voters and what motivates them, groups, the Electoral College, money, and the information environment. The next sequence of chapters looks at how candidiates strive to get nominated and--once nominated--elected. Then, the role of issues in presidential electiosn and how elections serve to affect future policy decisions.

This volume is one in a series of estimable volumes. While this is an older volume, it is a fine exemplar of the series.