The recent issue of Perspectives on Politics included a review of our book, “Presidential Rhetoric and the Public Agenda: Constructing the War on Drugs” by Diana Owen (Georgetown University). Here’s a selected passage:
In this important study, Andrew B. Whitford and Jeff Yates move beyond the standard focus on persuasion and build upon the established theoretical frameworks of “agenda setting” and “going public.” They explore the ways in which presidential rhetoric can not only shape opinion but also can influence policy implementation and bureaucratic action. Focusing their analysis on drug policy, the authors demonstrate that presidents can exert leadership authority and change the behavior of even entrenched administrative constituencies through public rhetoric. The detailed case study provides rich historical context documenting presidential administrations’ responses to the “war on drugs” dating back to the 1930s. The authors use a multimethod approach in order to provide empirical evidence that supports their argument that persuasion can translate into action. This study establishes a new benchmark for research on presidential rhetoric.
jly
ray
abwhitford
bonneau
paulmcollinsjr
rhoward103
damoncann
slindquist
mgannhall
ecb123
Nancy Rapoport
rfording
