Presidential Debates: The Challenge of Creating an Informed Electorate

by Kathleen Hall Jamieson, David S. Birdsell

How important are presidential debates today? To answer this question, the authors place modern debates in their cultural and historical context, tracing their origins and development in the American political tradition, from the eighteenth century to the present, and concluding with suggestions for improving their current effectiveness.

276 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, but in desperate need of an update. The copious research that supports the book's points make the book a worthwhile read. Many of their suggestions are based on the present, which for this book is 1988. Presidential politics and the media environment have changed significantly since then, so some of their arguments are less relevant than they could be.

The first half of the book functions beautifully as a history. An revised and updated edition would make this a must read.