Run the Other Way: Fixing the Two-Party System, One Campaign at a Time (Hardcover)

by Bill Hillsman (Author) "Americans own the greatest political system in the world..." (more)
Key Phrases: underfunded candidates, major party status, political ads, Election Industry, Paul Wellstone, Reform Party (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Regardless of November tallies, the real winner of this year’s presidential race will be "Election Industry, Inc.," says Hillman-voters and qualified candidates will lose out. While political reporters, pundits and professors often prescribe treatments for ailing democratic processes during an election year, Hillsman, a seasoned political marketer for such candidates as the late Paul Wellstone, Jesse Ventura and Ralph Nader, brings a unique and righteously outraged perspective to the mix. In this volume-part memoir, part campaign handbook-he attacks the den of Washington, D.C.-based political consultants and party officials ("an inside-the-Beltway collective of toadies, fakes, crooks, character assassins, racketeers, party apologists, false scientists, phony experts, self-aggrandizers, backscratchers, and backstabbers") and recalls his own strategies for promoting candidates and enfranchising voters. Third party challengers (or even outsider party members like Howard Dean and John McCain), Hillsman says, face incredible obstacles from the Republican and Democratic elite: an onslaught of "toxic" political advertisements, character assassinations and sound-bite responses to real issues. Sometimes Hillsman’s forceful prose, embellished with sardonic zingers, turns from entertaining to repetitive. For instance, after citing a poll of political professionals that revealed 37 percent of them thought it acceptable to use negative advertising to hold down voter turnout and focus on insult rather than on issues, he adds the coda: "Political consultants think that’s smart. I think it’s despicable." Ten pages later, he cites the same poll and repeats the coda almost word for word. Flaws aside, though, anyone who shares Hillsman’s ire at the current state of electoral politics will enjoy this maverick tract and its wicked upbraiding of establishment campaigning.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Growing dissatisfaction with politics as usual and the way the presidential election is run will boost the appeal of this book. Hillsman helped outsiders Paul Wellstone's senatorial, Jesse Ventura's gubernatorial, and Ralph Nader's presidential campaigns. The author is critical of what he calls Election Industry, Inc.--the political parties, pollsters, consultants, fund raisers, junk mailers, media handlers, special interests, and lobbyists who have taken over American politics. Drawing on 15 years spent working with political outsiders, Hillsman offers a critique of American politics and a handbook for the new political landscape, including the growing influence of the Internet. He outlines how political parties control candidates and shut out newcomers with new ideas, how big money influences politics, and how professionals use negative advertising to deliberately discourage voters from going to the polls, and provides an insider's look at the independent-minded politics of a range of figures, including Ross Perot, Warren Beatty, and Arianna Huffington. This is a fascinating look at current American politics and the challenges for those who want to change politics as usual. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Free Press (March 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743224469
• ISBN-13: 978-0743224468
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #661,847 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Disturbing, April 14, 2004

By A Customer

I highly recommend this book. This book works because while it points out the fault of both political parties it shares awesome stories of the little guy winning. The information about Ventura is fascinating and heart warming. I also found the info about McCain to be very interesting. I was surprised to find out how close he was to running as an independent candidate. You will also learn what the parties did to keep him from running.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and revealing - Read this book no matter your party, April 27, 2004

By A Customer

Bill Hillsman builds an interesting case for revamping our political system. His experience from the national to the local political arenas is impressive. He is funny and witty and provides a great read! This book is lots of fun for everyone interesting in learning how elections are really won and lost!! Have fun.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fly on the wall, May 12, 2004

By A Customer

After the press has built up its latest darling political candidates and subsequently torn them back down again we are often left with a bad taste in our mouths. This book lays the blame on our political system itself. But what I found most interesting were the behind-the-scenes anecdotes from Bill's experiences on various campaign trails. Those are the stories the press all too often overlooks and the ones voters want to know about most.