The Battle for Public Opinion: the President, the Press and the Polls during Watergate

by L Lang, Kurt Lang

The Battle for Public Opinion documents how and why the public became disenchanted as he Watergate battle intensified and was played out each night on television. The authors chronicle the political maneuvering, the media coverage, and the changing public perception of Nixon's role. Their painstaking analysis of the main media events challenges popular assumptions with lucid presentation of fact. But the authors also offer fresh insight into our understanding of the interplay between news media and public opinion in the political process. This book is the first work to trace the emergence and development of the Watergate controversy from a social science perspective. It will prove imperative reading for anyone interested in how well the democratic institution fares when tested by crisis.

353 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983