Nathan’s Reviews > The Culture of Consumption: Critical Essays in American History 1880-1980 > Status Update

"[Weapons] were touted not for what they did but for what they promised to prevent; their primary attribute was the posture of confidence they inspired in their owners. Publicity . . . became the true measure of a weapon's effectiveness."

"Winning candidates are often those who are most skilled at 'appearing to say much while actually saying little....' 'the more detailed a candidate's stance, the harder it becomes for voters to put favorable interpretations on that stand.'"