No Place for Amateurs : How Political Consultants Are Reshaping American Democracy

A written "insider's tour", this book trawls through the fast-paced, often sordid world of the professional political campaign. A veteran campaign consultant himself, Dennis Johnson serves as guide through the world of fund-raising, push-polling, focus groups and negative attacks that form the basis of high-stakes national campaigning. Cash is flowing into political races at a phenomenal rate, but why is every campaign so thirsty for funds? More polling, consultants and TV time all require more capital. Major campaigns are now run almost entirely by professionals and this book details the skills, strategies and methods used - and the extraordinary resources these require - to provide an expose of the highly sophisticated techniques used to reach and persuade voters. As this volume makes clear, the more the candidates turn to sophisticated and unethical tactics, the less they focus on the concerns of the voters Offers An Insider's Tour Through The Fast-paced, Often Sordid World Of The Professional Political Campaign. Introduction: Canvassing The Political Landscape -- Pt. 1. Professional Campaigning: New Realities, New Challenges. 1. Celebrity Consultants And Professionally Driven Campaigns. 2. Running For Office: Not For The Faint Of Heart. 3. Case Study: Challenging An Incumbent U.s. Senator: The Realities Of A Tough, Hard-fought, Professional Campaign -- Pt. 2. Weapons Of Modern Campaigning. 4. Political Research: Digging Up The Dirt. 5. Testing Public Opinion. 6. The Media, Old And New. 7. Targeting Voters. 8. The Money Chase -- Pt. 3. Wider Reach Of Political Consulting. 9. Ballot Issues, Local Elections, And Consultants. 10. Citizens, Voters, And Democratic Choice. App. A. Citizens' Internet Resource Guide -- App. B. Leading Political Consulting Firms. Dennis W. Johnson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Political Science and Government Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 LIST OF TABLES 9 PREFACE 10 INTRODUCTION: CANVASSING THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE 14 Professional Campaigning: New Realities, New Challenges 18 Celebrity Consultants and Professionally Driven Campaigns 20 Running for Office: Not for the Faint of Heart 32 Case Study: Challenging an Incumbent U.S. Senator: The Realities of a Tough, Hard-Fought, Professional Campaign 52 Weapons of Modern Campaigning 74 Political Research: Digging Up the Dirt 76 Testing Public Opinion 104 The Media, Old and New 132 Targeting Voters 166 The Money Chase 186 Wider Reach of Political Consulting 216 Ballot Issues, Local Elections, and Consultants 218 Citizens, Voters, and Democratic Choice 254 CITIZENS' INTERNET RESOURCE GUIDE 268 LEADING POLITICAL CONSULTING FIRMS 272 NOTES 290 INDEX 332 Just days before the 1996 Democratic National Convention, a smilling, confident Bill Clinton was featured on the cover of Time magazine.