What do you think?
Rate this book
The Obama Victory: How Media, Money, and Message Shaped the 2008 Election
Barack Obama's stunning victory in the 2008 presidential election will go down as one of the more pivotal in American history. Given America's legacy of racism, how could a relatively untested first-term senator with an African father defeat some of the giants of American politics?
In The Obama Victory , Kate Kenski, Bruce Hardy, and Kathleen Hall Jamieson draw upon the best voter data available, The National Annenberg Election Survey, as well as interviews with key advisors to each campaign, to illuminate how media, money, and messages shaped the 2008 election. They explain how both sides worked the media to reinforce or combat images of McCain as too old and Obama as not ready; how Obama used a very effective rough-and-tumble radio and cable campaign that was largely unnoticed by the mainstream media; how the Vice Presidential nominees impacted the campaign; how McCain's age and Obama's race affected the final vote, and much more.
Briskly written and filled with surprising insights, The Obama Victory goes beyond opinion to offer the most authoritative account available of precisely how and why Obama won the presidency.
In The Obama Victory , Kate Kenski, Bruce Hardy, and Kathleen Hall Jamieson draw upon the best voter data available, The National Annenberg Election Survey, as well as interviews with key advisors to each campaign, to illuminate how media, money, and messages shaped the 2008 election. They explain how both sides worked the media to reinforce or combat images of McCain as too old and Obama as not ready; how Obama used a very effective rough-and-tumble radio and cable campaign that was largely unnoticed by the mainstream media; how the Vice Presidential nominees impacted the campaign; how McCain's age and Obama's race affected the final vote, and much more.
Briskly written and filled with surprising insights, The Obama Victory goes beyond opinion to offer the most authoritative account available of precisely how and why Obama won the presidency.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
392 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2010
5 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 9, 2010
A solid analysis of the factors associated with the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.
Some of the features worth noting: The book begins by discussing a central characteristic of the election--the strategic environment. Here, the effects of the tanking economy and candidate evaluations (McCain too old? Obama too inexperienced?) are covered nicely. There is a pretty good analysis of the effects of vice presidential candidates on the election. A pretty even handed evaluation of Palin and Biden.
The book's heart is an analysis of five periods during the campaign--from June through Mid-August, when McCain showed some momentum; late August through early September, when the vice presidential issues emerged; the campaigns and the economic collapse from September 10 through October 14; the McCain surge just before the election; the weakening of that surge at the end.
The final segment of the book examines some new wrinkles--such as the effect of early voting, campaign spending differences, and the impact of messages.
All in all, a solid examination of the election, pretty much as one would expect from this team of researchers.
Some of the features worth noting: The book begins by discussing a central characteristic of the election--the strategic environment. Here, the effects of the tanking economy and candidate evaluations (McCain too old? Obama too inexperienced?) are covered nicely. There is a pretty good analysis of the effects of vice presidential candidates on the election. A pretty even handed evaluation of Palin and Biden.
The book's heart is an analysis of five periods during the campaign--from June through Mid-August, when McCain showed some momentum; late August through early September, when the vice presidential issues emerged; the campaigns and the economic collapse from September 10 through October 14; the McCain surge just before the election; the weakening of that surge at the end.
The final segment of the book examines some new wrinkles--such as the effect of early voting, campaign spending differences, and the impact of messages.
All in all, a solid examination of the election, pretty much as one would expect from this team of researchers.
March 26, 2015
Read only 4 sections this book was a required reading for my politics and media class, very interesting how media can shift everything in elections I wonder how the game will be played in 2016 U.S. Elections ....
August 27, 2017
Very interesting read. Went very in-depth about the amazing victory of Barack Obama.
January 4, 2012
A great political sciencey overview of the 2008 presidential election. A balanced look at what enabled Obama to win. Though Obama obviously did win, this book is just as useful for those opposed to him. I'm certain advisors to Obama's opponents have read this and better understand how media, message, and money can be spent to help defeat the incumbent. This should be read along with the fun journo-take: Game Change. That one is the desert to the the Obama Victory's vegetables and meat.
January 8, 2011
It's a rather clinical look at the election. If you're a political comm buff, then this book is perfect for you. The average person may find it very very dry.
October 2, 2013
Fascinating reminder and analysis of the 2008 election campaign. Detailed and factual, not slanted toward one party or the other.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews