Selling Politics: The Rise of the Political Myth-makers

by Laurence Rees

Some would argue that Dr Jospeh Goebbels is an anachronistic model of a totalitarian propagandist. But modern-day political consultants, it seems, use many of the same methods to achieve success - manipulating the media, creating a myth, inspiring the young, disinformation. Above all, today's political consultants use television to create a politician as much able to woo public opinion by image as by intellect. This book explores the insidious use of political propaganda today, largely in the United States and Britain but also in countries like India. The author follows the two most important American television consultants "behind the scenes" in this year's presidential race - the first person to get such access since Joe McGinnis wrote the bestselling "Selling of the President". One of them, Roger Ailes, has been a key figure in the election of American presidents from Richard Nixon onwards and his contributions to George Bush's success in 1988 was inestimable.

Hardcover

First published November 5, 1992

About the author

In addition to writing, Rees has also produced films about World War II for the BBC.

In New York in January 2009, Laurence was presented with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by ‘History Makers’, the worldwide congress of History and Current Affairs programme makers

In 2011 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate (DUniv) by The Open University(UK).