The Four Pillars of Politics: Why Some Candidates Don't Win and Others Can't Lead (Lexington Studies in Political Communication)

The Four Pillars of Politics provides a uniform foundation for evaluating political campaign strategies. The four pillars identified in this book—fear, national narcissism, consumerism, and religion—serve as attitudinal anchors that American voters use in making their voting decisions. The dominant pillar may change from election to election, leading to situations in which a candidate who wins in one election may be defeated four years later. Kitchens and Powell examine how political communication is understood by combining these four pillars with the related matrix of attitudes, beliefs, and values that are integral components of the American culture. The Four Pillars of Politics will appeal to scholars of political science, communication studies, and journalism. The four pillars of politics : an introduction The first pillar of American politics : fear The second pillar of American politics : narcissism The third pillar of American politics : consumerism The fourth pillar of American politics : religiosity Why voters frighten politicians Republicans versus Democrats The Republican Party : disaster inside and out The Democratic Party : searching for unicorns Practical lessons : why some candidates don't win Why some public figures can't lead. James T. Kitchens And Larry Powell Examine Why Political Messages Appeal To Voters In The United States By Exploring The Four Pillars Of The American Psyche: Fear, National Narcissism, Consumerism, And Religiosity. These Pillars, Combined With The Related Matrix Of Attitudes, Beliefs, And Values, Determine How Political Communication Is Understood. Examines how political communication is understood by combining four pillars -- fear, narcissism, consumerism, and religiosity -- with the related matrix of attitudes, beliefs, and values that are integral to American culture. -- Back cover