Divider, Not a Uniter: George W. Bush and the American People, A, (Great Questions in Politics Series)

by Jacobson, Gary C.

• ISBN13: 9780321416995
• ISBN10: 0321416996
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

" This lucid, richly documented analysis is required reading for students of the George W. Bush presidency and American politics more generally." Fred I. Greenstein, Professor of Politics Emeritus, Princeton University, and author of The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to George W. Bush. "In this important, accessible, and thoroughly engaging book, Jacobson brilliantly dissects the extraordinary partisan polarization of the Bush era. He combines a lively narrative with remarkable data analysis-drawing together findings from literally thousands of polls, in more than seventy illuminating figures, many of which knock your socks off. . . The book is a must-read for anyone seriously concerned about the political process in the United States." - Paul J. Quirk, Professor and Phil Lind Chair in U.S. Politics and Representation, University of British Columbia "hellip;Head and shoulders above other books on the presidency of George W. Bush. Jacobson's carefully documented analysis, backed up by extensive reporting and data, demonstrates the purposefulness of the polarizing strategies of the Bush administration, and the reality behind the rhetoric of "I'm a uniter not a divider." Unlike most books about Bush, Jacobson's is neither ideological nor polemical." -Thomas B. Edsall, Washington Post political reporter and author of Chain Reaction: The Impact of Race, Rights, and Taxes on American Politics (with Mary D. Edsall), The New Politics of Inequality, and Red America: The Conservative Coalition and the Drive for Permanent Power, (forthcoming, Basic Books.) "This is an important book. Jacobson marshals evidence and analyzes the dynamics of public opinion to explain why George W. Bush is the most polarizing president in the history of systematic polling. His analysis is incisive and balanced." -James P. Pfiffner, George Mason University "A masterful analysis and a major contribution. Applying over a half century of poll data, Jacobson places George W. Bush's presidency and the war in Iraq in broad historical context and derives insights that intrigue and impress." -John Mueller, Professor of political science and Woody Hayes Chair of National Security Studies, Ohio State University and author of War, Presidents and Public Opinion, Policy and Opinion in the Gulf War, and The Remnants of War.

Table of Contents

Preface	viii
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
CHAPTER 2 Primed for Partisanship	19	(28)
Sources of Partisan Polarization	21	(1)
Partisan Polarization in Congress	22	(3)
Polarization and Electoral Change	25	(10)
Is Polarization Confined to Activists?	35	(6)
Religion and Partisanship	41	(4)
Economic Inequality and the Ideological Fragmentation of the Mass Media	45	(1)
Conclusion	46	(1)
CHAPTER 3 To the White House Via Florida	47	(22)
"Compassionate Conservatism"	48	(2)
One of Us	50	(2)
The Campaigns	52	(3)
The Vote	55	(5)
Florida	60	(7)
Conclusion	67	(2)
CHAPTER 4 The First Two Years: Before and After 9/11	69	(26)
The Bush Agenda	71	(3)
Tactics	74	(5)
After September 11	79	(8)
2002 Election	87	(4)
God's Instrument	91	(4)
CHAPTER 5 Going to War in Iraq	95	(24)
The Case for War	100	(1)
Saddam and 9/11	101	(4)
The Public's Response	105	(5)
Bringing Congress on Board	110	(3)
Popular Support for a Discretionary War	113	(6)
CHAPTER 6 Illusion, Disillusion, and Faith in the President after "Mission Accomplished"	119	(44)
Revising the Case for War	122	(5)
The Iraq Rally	127	(4)
The Widening Partisan Divide on Iraq	131	(7)
Belief in the War's Premises	138	(10)
The President's Credibility	148	(3)
The Religious Factor	151	(6)
Multivariate Analyses	157	(3)
Conclusion	160	(3)
CHAPTER 7 The 2004 Election: Mobilized Bases, Reinforced Divisions	163	(40)
The Democratic Nomination	165	(5)
An Avalanche of Money	170	(1)
The War in the Campaigns	171	(4)
Opinion Leadership	175	(7)
Rational Ignorance?	182	(4)
Mobilizing Voters	186	(3)
The Vote	189	(8)
The Congress	197	(4)
Aftermath	201	(2)
CHAPTER 8 President of Half the People	203	(36)
A Mandate?	204	(2)
The Campaign to Revamp Social Security	206	(4)
Why the Campaign Failed	210	(7)
The Bipartisan Consensus	217	(1)
Other Issues	218	(1)
The Terri Schiavo Case	219	(3)
The Iraq War, Again	222	(11)
Unwavering Christian Conservatives	233	(3)
Conclusion	236	(3)
CHAPTER 9 Conclusions and Speculations	239	(24)
Does Bush Care?	242	(3)
Competing Realities	245	(4)
The News Media	249	(4)
Hurricane Katrina	253	(5)
After Bush	258	(5)
Appendix: Data Sources and Question Wordings	263	(7)
Index	270