The 2004 Presidential Campaign
A Communication Perspective

Presidential campaigns are our national conversations--the widespread and complex communication of issues, images, social reality, and personas. In 2004, more people participated in the conversation, as voter numbers in every demographic group increased to levels of the 1970s. Here, political communication specialists break down the 2004 presidential campaign and go beyond the quantitative facts, electoral counts, and poll results of the election. Factoring in everything from "527" groups to Fahrenheit 9/11, they look at the early campaign period, the nomination process and conventions, the social and political context, the debates, the role of candidate spouses, candidate strategies, political advertising, and the use of the Internet. This enlightening book shows why more technology doesn't always mean more effective communication and how, as we attempt to make sense of our environment, we collect "political bits" of communication that comprise our voting choices, worldviews, and legislative desires.

Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Acknowledgments Chapter 3 1 Surfacing in 2004: The Democrats Emerge Chapter 4 2 Political Conventions of 2004: A Study in Character and Contrast Chapter 5 3 Presidential Campaign Films in a Televisual Convention Environment: The Example of 2004 Chapter 6 4 The 2004 Presidential Debates Chapter 7 5 Candidate Strategies in the 2004 Presidential Campaign: Instrumental Choices Faced by the Incumbent and His Challengers Chapter 8 6 Swinging the Vote in the 2004 Presidential Election Chapter 9 7 First Ladies in Waiting: The Fight for Rhetorical Legitimacy on the 2004 Campaign Trail Chapter 10 8 The Shadow Campaign in Popular Culture Chapter 11 9 Campaign 2004 Developments in Cyberpolitics Chapter 12 10 The Main Frame: Assessing the Role of the Internet in the 2004 U.S. Presidential Contest Chapter 13 11 Religion, Evangelicals, and Moral Issues in the 2004 Presidential Campaign Chapter 14 12 Videostyle in the 2004 Presidential Advertising Chapter 15 13 Explaining the Vote in a Divided Country: The Presidential Election of 2004 Chapter 16 Index Chapter 17 About the Contributors