On Deaf Ears : The Limits of the Bully Pulpit

by George C. Edwards III

• ISBN13: 9780300115819
• ISBN10: 0300115814
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2006-05-10
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

American presidents often engage in intensive campaigns to obtain public support for their policy initiatives. This core strategy for governing is based on the premise that if presidents are skilled enough to exploit the "bully pulpit," they can successfully persuade or even mobilize public opinion on behalf of their legislative goals. In this book, George Edwards analyzes the results of hundreds of public opinion polls from recent presidencies to assess the success of these efforts. Surprisingly, he finds that presidents typically are not able to change public opinion; even great communicators usually fail to obtain the public's support for their high-priority initiatives. Focusing on presidents' personae, their messages, and the American public, he explains why presidents are often unable to move public opinion and suggests that their efforts to do so may be counterproductive. Edwards argues that shoring up previously existing support is the principal benefit of going public and that "staying private"--negotiating quietly with elites-may often be more conducive to a president's legislative success.

Author Biography

George C. Edwards III is Distinguished Professor and the Jordan Chair in Presidential Studies, Texas A & M University. He is also the author of At the Margins: Presidential Leadership of Congress and Why the Electoral College is Bad for America, both published by Yale University Press. 

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Part I Moving the Public
1 The Permanent Campaign: Why Does the President Go Public?	3	(21)
2 Presidential Persuasion: Does the Public Respond? Part I	24	(25)
3 Presidential Persuasion: Does the Public Respond? Part II — Ronald Reagan	49	(30)
Part II The Messenger
4 Charisma and Personality: Does the Messenger Matter?	79	(28)
5 The Politics of Veneration: Do the People Defer?	107	(20)
Part III The Message
6 Disseminating the Message: Can the President Focus the Public's Attention?	127	(29)
7 Framing the Message: Can the President Structure Choice?	156	(31)
Part IV The Audience
8 Receiving the Message: Is Anyone Listening?	187	(31)
9 Accepting the Message: Can the President Overcome Predispositions?	218
Part V Conclusion
10 Going Public in Perspective: What Should the President Do?	241	(14)
Notes	255	(40)
Index	295