GEORGE C. WALLACE AND THE POLITICS OF POWERLESSNESS : the wallace campaigns for the... presidency, 1964-76

This is the only complete study of the Wallace phenomenon. It covers all of the presidential campaigns and views wallace from a variety of vantage ints: historical context, content anal­ysis of speeches, and analysis of elec­tion data, including voting statistics and attitudinal patterns of supporters. Poli­tics of Powerlessness examines na­tionwide support for George C. Wal­lace in the presidential campaigns of 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1976. A number of election and candidate preference surveys are used as sources of data on supporters. An understanding of Wal­lace's appeal is provided through an examination of themes noted through­out his speeches and an analysis of his political history from biographical sources, personal interviews, and newspaper accounts of the time. The picture of Wallace that emerges is one of a man who saw himself as a crusader for his supporters' interests, while de­liberately heightening and intensifying their feelings of powerlessness as a means of getting votes. Carlson shows that Wallace voters were not marginal. They did not reflect a loss of status, nor were they simply outside the mainstream of political life. They were very much like major party voters, with the exception of their feel­ings of political powerlessness that me about by increased government ..rticipation in state politics. This work informed not only by a careful anal­ysis, but by interviews with Wallace, many of his followers, and people active in his campaigns. The work has the additional advantage of having follow-up analyses and interviews as, late as 1978. In this sense, it represents not only a scholarly analysis of the Wallace phenomenon, but the most up-to-date analysis as well. This is the only complete study of the Wallace phenomenon. It covers all of the presidential campaigns and views wallace from a variety of vantage historical context, content anal-ysis of speeches, and analysis of elec-tion data, including voting statistics and attitudinal patterns of supporters. Poli- tics of Powerlessness examines na-tionwide support for George C. Wal-lace in the presidential campaigns of 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1976. A number of election and candidate preference surveys are used as sources of data on supporters. An understanding of Wal-lace's appeal is provided through an examination of themes noted through-out his speeches and an analysis of his political history from biographical sources, personal interviews, and newspaper accounts of the time. The picture of Wallace that emerges is one of a man who saw himself as a crusader for his supporters' interests, while de-liberately heightening and intensifying their feelings of powerlessness as a means of getting votes. Carlson shows that Wallace voters were not marginal. They did not reflect a loss of status, nor were they simply outside the mainstream of political life. They were very much like major party voters, with the exception of their feel-ings of political powerlessness that me about by increased government ..rticipation in state politics. This work informed not only by a careful anal-ysis, but by interviews with Wallace, many of his followers, and people active in his campaigns. The work has the additional advantage of having follow-up analyses and interviews as, late as 1978. In this sense, it represents not only a scholarly analysis of the Wallace phenomenon, but the most up-to-date analysis as well. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of Tables and Figures Preface Acknowledgments Prologue: Wallace’s South 1. The Politics of Powerlessness 2. Voting Theories and the Wallace Voter 3. Public Office 1945-1963: Wallace’s Move Toward Segregation and National Notoriety 4. The 1964 Presidential Primaries: Breaking in on the National Scene 5. Wallace Support in 1964: Building a Constituency 6. Analysis of 1964 Speeches: “George C. Wallace for President” 7. 1968: The Third Party 8. Wallace Support in 1968: From Southern to National Politics 9. Analysis of 1968 Speeches: “Stand Up for America” 10. 1972: Going After the Democratic Nomination 11. Wallace Support in 1972: The Florida Primary 12. Analysis of 1972 Speeches: “Send Them a Message” 13. 1976: The Last Hurrah 14. Wallace Support in 1976: Into the Mainstream 15. Analysis of 1976 Speeches: "Trust the People” 16. Wallace Support: Demographic and Attitudinal Changes, 1964 to 1976 Epilogue Conclusion Appendix: Methods Bibliography Index This is the only complete study of the Wallace phenomenon. It covers all of the presidential campaigns and views wallace from a variety of vantage in its: historical context, content analysis of speeches, and analysis of election data, including voting statistics and attitudinal patterns of supporters.