Polling to Govern: Public Opinion and Presidential Leadership

Presidents spend millions of dollars on public opinion polling while in office. Critics often point to this polling as evidence that a "permanent campaign" has taken over the White House at the expense of traditional governance. But has presidential polling truly changed the shape of presidential leadership?

Diane J. Heith examines the polling practices of six presidential administrations--those of Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton--dissecting the poll apparatus of each period. She contends that while White House polls significantly influence presidential messages and responses to events, they do not impact presidential decisions to the extent that observers often claim. Heith concludes that polling, and thus the campaign environment, exists in tandem with long-established governing strategies.

Author: Diane J. Heith
Publisher: Stanford Law and Politics
Published: 10/30/2003
Pages: 216
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.22w x 0.76d
ISBN: 9780804748483

Review Citation(s):
Choice 10/01/2004 pg. 372

About the Author
Diane J. Heith is Assistant Professor of Government and Politics at St. John's University.