The Constitution on the Campaign Trail The Surprising Political Career of America's Founding Document

by Busch, Andrew E.

• ISBN13: 9780742548480
• ISBN10: 0742548481
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-09-16
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

The Constitution is the fundamental governing document of the United States. But to what extent do candidates and parties make constitutional arguments in the course of American elections? By examining party platforms, candidate messages, presidential debates, and television ads, The Constitution on the Campaign Trail answers that question, and the results are fascinating. Busch finds evidence for both a long, broad decline in the use of constitutional rhetoric since the mid-19th century and a limited resurgence in that rhetoric over the last four decades. The political analysis found here is firmly grounded in historical research and the conclusions reached are trenchant.

Author Biography

Andrew E. Busch is professor of government at Claremont McKenna College.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
The Constitution and Electoral Politics	p. 15
The Constitution in the Party Platforms	p. 35
The Constitution in Candidate Messages	p. 71
The Constitution in Television Advertising	p. 107
The Constitution in Presidential Debates	p. 129
The Constitution and Third Parties	p. 153
Constitutional Rhetoric and Governing	p. 177
Conclusion: Constitutional Rhetoric and Its Prospects	p. 197
A Note on the Study Method	p. 239
Coded Communications	p. 247
Data Tables	p. 257
Notes	p. 267
Bibliography	p. 301
Index	p. 309
About the Author	p. 319
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