From the Margins to the Center fills an important gap in the political communications literature, examining the patterns of women as political communicators in the United States to determine if they have learned the "political game" as defined by men - or if they have carved out the "different kind...

From the Margins to the Center fills an important gap in the political communications literature, examining the patterns of women as political communicators in the United States to determine if they have learned the "political game" as defined by men - or if they have carved out the "different kind of politics" envisioned by Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder when she considered seeking the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination. Examining the cases of Lani Guinier, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Janet Reno, the authors explore the rhetorical choices contemporary women are making in political discourse. They frame this exploration theoretically by describing three moral boundaries that discourage women from entering political life: the boundary between morality and politics, the moral point of view boundary, and the boundary between public and private life. Guinier, Clinton, and Reno have each adopted different strategies in confronting these boundaries and in challenging gender stereotypes, and their strategies dramatically illustrate the communication of contemporary political women. Of interest to all in speech communication, political science, and women's studies.

This important text is the first to examine the Clinton presidency from a communication perspective. Experts in communication and presidential studies analyze the rhetoric, images, issues, and communication strategies employed by the President, the First Lady, and the administration. From the...

This important text is the first to examine the Clinton presidency from a communication perspective. Experts in communication and presidential studies analyze the rhetoric, images, issues, and communication strategies employed by the President, the First Lady, and the administration. From the feel-good town meetings of the campaign to the exuberant days of the inauguration, from the health care "crisis" to the Whitewater scandal and the Republican congressional landslide, this volume attempts to separate image from reality and spin from actuality in the media presidency of William Jefferson Clinton.

As we move toward the year 2000, Americans continue to debate the job of First Lady. How much power does the position actually hold? How publicly should that power be wielded? First Ladies tells the story of this curious institution and the evolution of these women's role from ceremonial backdrop to...

As we move toward the year 2000, Americans continue to debate the job of First Lady. How much power does the position actually hold? How publicly should that power be wielded? First Ladies tells the story of this curious institution and the evolution of these women's role from ceremonial backdrop to substantive world figure. This expanded edition brings us up to the present, examining the legacies of our three most recent First Ladies: Nancy Reagan, credited with raising the job to that of "Associate President"; Barbara Bush, who took a more traditional approach); and Hillary Rodham Clinton, widely billed as the person responsible for changing the job completely. Covering all thirty-nine women from Martha Washington to our current First Lady and including the daughters, daughters-in-law, and sisters of presidents who sometimes served as First Ladies, Betty Boyd Caroli explores the background, marriage, and accomplishments and failures in office of each woman. This remarkably diverse lot included Abigail Adams, whose "remember the ladies" became a twentieth-century feminist refrain; Edith Wilson, who alone controlled access to the President when he suffered a stroke; Jane Pierce, who prayed her husband would lose the election; Helen Taft, who insisted on living in the White House, although her husband would have preferred a judgeship; and Pat Nixon, who perfected what some have called "the robot image." They ranged in age from early 20's to late 60's; some received superb educations for their time, while others had little or no schooling. Including the courageous and adventurous, the emotionally unstable, the ambitious, and the reserved, these women often did not fit the traditional expectations of a presidential helpmate. Depicting how these women used the "magic wand" given to them, Caroli reveals not only how each First Lady changed the role, but also how the role changed in response to American culture. Because of their position, these women left remarkably complete records, and their stories offer us an insider's view not only of their lives but also of the history of American women in general.

Political campaigns are highly complex and sophisticated communication events: communication of issues, images, social reality, and persons. They are essential exercises in the creation, re-creation, and transmission of "significant symbols" through human communication. The essays in this text...

Political campaigns are highly complex and sophisticated communication events: communication of issues, images, social reality, and persons. They are essential exercises in the creation, re-creation, and transmission of "significant symbols" through human communication. The essays in this text examine the key elements in that process throughout the 1996 presidential campaign.

A poll as recently as 2000 revealed that a third of the population thinks 'there are general characteristics about women that make them less qualified to serve as [US] president'. As the public and the media rely on long-held stereotypes, female candidates must focus even harder on the way they want...

A poll as recently as 2000 revealed that a third of the population thinks 'there are general characteristics about women that make them less qualified to serve as [US] president'. As the public and the media rely on long-held stereotypes, female candidates must focus even harder on the way they want to define their own image through traditional mass media, such as television, and new forms, such as the internet. VideoStyle, Webstyle, NewStyle digs deep into the campaigns of the last decade sifting through thousands of ads, websites, and newspaper articles to find out how successful candidates have been in breaking down these gender stereotypes. Among their findings are that female candidates dress more formally, smile more, act 'tougher' when they can, and prefer scare tactics to aggressive attack ads.