Democracy for hire : a history of American political consulting

Though they work largely out of the public eye, political consultants-"image merchants" and "kingmakers" to candidates-play a crucial role in shaping campaigns. They persuaded Barry Goldwater to run for president, groomed former actor Ronald Reagan for the California governorship, helped derail Bill Clinton's health care initiative, and carried out the swiftboating of John Kerry. As Dennis Johnson argues in this sweeping history of political consulting in the United States, they are essential to modern campaigning, often making positive contributions to democratic discourse, and yet they have also polarized the electorate with their biting messages. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, political campaigns were run by local political parties, volunteers, and friends of candidates; but as party loyalties among voters began to weaken, and political parties declined as sources of manpower and strategy, professional consultants swept in to fill the void. Political consulting emerged as a profession in the 1930s with publicists Leone Baxter and Clem Whitaker, the husband and wife team who built their business, in part, with a successful campaign to destroy Upton Sinclair's 1934 bid for governor of California. With roots in advertising and public relations, political consulting has since developed into a highly professionalized business generating hundreds of millions of dollars. In fact, some of the top campaign consulting firms have merged with others to form multinational public relations conglomerates, serving not just candidates but also shaping public advocacy campaigns for businesses and nonprofits. Johnson, an academic who has also worked on campaigns alongside the likes of James Carville and pollster Paul Begala, suffuses his history with the stories of the colorful characters who have come to define the profession of consulting, from its beginning to the present. More than just the story of the making of a political business, __Democracy for Hire's__ wide-ranging history helps us to better understand the very contours of modern American politics. "During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, political campaigns were run by local political parties, volunteers, and friends of candidates; but as party loyalties among voters began to weaken, and political parties declined as sources of manpower and strategy, professional consultants swept in to carry the day. Political consulting emerged as a profession in the 1930s with writers Leone Baxter and Clem Whitaker, the husband and wife team who built their business, in part, with a successful campaign to destroy Upton Sinclair's 1934 bid for governor of California. With roots in advertising and public relations, political consulting has since developed into a highly professionalized business worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In fact, some of the top campaign consulting outfits have more recently come full circle and merged to create new public relations firms, serving not just candidates but also shaping public advocacy campaigns for businesses and nonprofits. Johnson, an academic who has also worked on campaigns alongside the likes of James Carville and pollster Peter D. Hart, suffuses his history with the stories of the colorful characters who have come to define the profession of consulting, from its beginning to its present. This will be the most complete and sweeping story of the profession to date. As such it tells not just the making of a political business but the very contours of modern American politics."-- "Though they work largely out of the public eye, political consultants-- "image merchants" and "kingmakers" to candidates-- play a crucial role in shaping campaigns. They persuaded Barry Goldwater to run for president, groomed former actor Ronald Reagan for the California governorship, helped derail Bill Clinton's health care initiative, and carried out the swiftboating of John Kerry. As Dennis Johnson argues in this history of political consulting in the United States, they are essential to modern campaigning, often making positive contributions to democratic discourse, and yet they have also polarized the electorate with their biting messages. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, political campaigns were run by local political parties, volunteers, and friends of candidates; but as party loyalties among voters began to weaken, and political parties declined as sources of manpower and strategy, professional consultants swept in to carry the day. Political consulting emerged as a profession in the 1930s with writers Leone Baxter and Clem Whitaker, the husband and wife team who built their business, in part, with a successful campaign to destroy Upton Sinclair's 1934 bid for governor of California. With roots in advertising and public relations, political consulting has since developed into a highly professionalized business worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In fact, some of the top campaign consulting outfits have more recently come full circle and merged to create new public relations firms, serving not just candidates but also shaping public advocacy campaigns for businesses and nonprofits. Johnson, an academic who has also worked on campaigns alongside the likes of James Carville and pollster Peter D. Hart, suffuses his history with the stories of the colorful characters who have come to define the profession of consulting, from its beginning to its present. This will be the most complete and sweeping story of the profession to date. Moving beyond the making of a political business, this book also describes the very contours of modern American politics."-- "Though they work largely out of the public eye, political consultants-- "image merchants" and "kingmakers" to candidates-- play a crucial role in shaping campaigns. They persuaded Barry Goldwater to run for president, groomed former actor Ronald Reagan for the California governorship, helped derail Bill Clinton's health care initiative, and carried out the swiftboating of John Kerry. As Dennis Johnson argues in this history of political consulting in the United States, they are essential to modern campaigning, often making positive contributions to democratic discourse, and yet they have also polarized the electorate with their biting messages. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, political campaigns were run by local political parties, volunteers, and friends of candidates; but as party loyalties among voters began to weaken, and political parties declined as sources of manpower and strategy, professional consultants swept in to carry the day. Political consulting emerged as a profession in the 1930s with writers Leone Baxter and Clem Whitaker, the husband and wife team who built their business, in part, with a successful campaign to destroy Upton Sinclair's 1934 bid for governor of California. With roots in advertising and public relations, political consulting has since developed into a highly professionalized business worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In fact, some of the top campaign consulting outfits have more recently come full circle and merged to create new public relations firms, serving not just candidates but also shaping public advocacy campaigns for businesses and nonprofits. Johnson, an academic who has also worked on campaigns alongside the likes of James Carville and pollster Peter D. Hart, suffuses his history with the stories of the colorful characters who have come to define the profession of consulting, from its beginning to its present. This will be the most complete and sweeping story of the profession to date. Moving beyond the making of a political business, this book also describes the very contours of modern American politics."-- Provided by publisher Machine generated contents note: -- List of Tables -- Preface and Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- PART 1: EARLY BUSINESS OF POLITICAL CONSULTING, 1930s-1960s -- Ch. 1 In the Beginning, Whitaker & Baxter -- Ch. 2 Measuring Public Opinion, Private and Public Pollsters -- Ch. 3 Radio, Television and Campaigning, 1920s-1960 -- Ch. 4 The Pioneers -- Ch. 5 Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1964 and 1968, and Consulting Abroad -- PART 2: THE EXPANSION AND GROWTH OF CONSULTING, 1970s-1980s -- Ch. 6 Money, Campaigns and the Next Generation of Consultants -- Ch. 7 Evolution of Polling -- Ch. 8 The Media Revolution -- Ch. 9 Voter Contact: Targeting, Direct Mail, and Phone Banks -- Ch. 10 Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1972, 1976, and 1980 -- Ch. 11 Consulting, Ballot Issues and Local Government -- Ch. 12 Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1984 and 1988 -- PART 3: TRANSFORMATION OF CONSULTING AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD, 1990 - PRESENT -- Ch. 13 New Generation of Consultants -- Ch. 14 Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1992 and 1996 -- Ch. 15 Technological Advances -- Ch. 16 Issue Campaigns and Government Affairs; Consultants Going Corporate -- Ch. 17 Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 2000 and 2004 -- Ch. 18 Consulting Internationally -- Ch. 19 Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 2008 and 2012 -- Ch. 20 Outside Groups, Plutocrats and Dark Money; Consultants and the 2016 Presidential Campaign -- Ch. 21 Political Consulting Today -- Appendix A: Key Consultants and Senior Advisers for Presidential Candidates, 1952-2016 -- Appendix B: American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame Inductees -- Notes -- Index Cover 1 Series 3 Democracy for Hire 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 List of Tables 10 Preface and Acknowledgments 12 Introduction 18 PART I: THE EARLY BUSINESS OF POLITICAL CONSULTING, 1930s–​1960s 38 1. In the Beginning, Whitaker and Baxter 40 2. Measuring Public Opinion, 1930s–​1960s 57 3. Radio, Television, and Campaigning, 1920s–​1960 74 4. The Pioneers 99 5. Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1964 and 1968, and Consulting Abroad 123 PART II: THE EXPANSION AND GROWTH OF CONSULTING, 1970s–​1980s 144 6. Money, Campaigns, and the Next Generation of Consultants 146 7. The Evolution of Polling 164 8. The Media Revolution 185 9. Voter Contact: Targeting, Direct Mail, and Phone Banks 205 10. Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1972, 1976, and 1980 221 11. State and Local Elections, Ballot Issues 253 12. Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1984 and 1988 270 PART III: THE TRANSFORMATION OF CONSULTING AND CHALLENGES AHEAD, 1990–​PRESENT 296 13. A New Generation of Consultants 298 14. Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 1992 and 1996 326 15. Technological Advances 350 16. Consulting, Issue Campaigns, and Government Affairs 365 17. Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 2000 and 2004 379 18. Consulting Internationally 404 19. Consultants and Presidential Campaigns, 2008 and 2012 434 20. Outside Groups, Plutocrats, and Dark Money: Consultants and the 2016 Presidential Campaign 462 21. Political Consulting Today 483 Appendix A: Key Consultants and Senior Advisers for Presidential Candidates, 1952–​2016 496 Appendix B: American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame Inductees 508 Notes 510 Index 602