The State Of The Union Message

Reproduction of the original: State of the Union Addresses by Franklin D. Roosevelt

?A rich, thoughtful, and systematic look at the rhetoric and evolving impact of state of the union addresses.... invaluable." ?Bryan W. Marshall, Miami University ?An excellent, well-researched, persuasive contribution to the growing study of presidential rhetoric and policy agendas.? ?Sean J. Savage, St. Mary's College?Fills a significant void in the study of presidential leadership?. an impressive examination of the history, development, execution, and policy significance of the State of the Union address.? ?Joseph Cammarano, Providence College The State of the Union is no ordinary speech on at least two accounts: it is a fundamental statement of how a president approaches current policy debates, and it is the one presidential address that US citizens are most likely to hear each year. Donna Hoffman and Alison Howard document the political significance and legislative impact?or often, lack of impact?of this most visible of presidential communications.Exploring how and why the State of the Union address came to be a key tool in the exercise of presidential power, the authors outline the ways presidents use it to gain attention, to communicate with target audiences, and to make specific policy proposals. Their richly textured analysis offers a penetrating look at the complex relationship between contemporary presidential leadership and Congressional lawmaking. Donna R. Hoffman is assistant professor of political science at the University of Northern Iowa. Alison D. Howard is adjunct instructor of political science at Dominican University of California.Contents: Donning the Hat of Chief Legislator. The State of the Union Address Through Time. No Ordinary Speech. The President as Chief Legislator. Ask and Ye Shall Receive? Conclusion.

"Mutual Contempt is at once a fascinating study in character and an illuminating meditation on the role character can play in shaping history."—Michiko Kakutani, New York Times Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy loathed each other. Their antagonism, propelled by clashing personalities, contrasting views, and a deep, abiding animosity, would drive them to a bitterness so deep that even civil conversation was often impossible. Played out against the backdrop of the turbulent 1960s, theirs was a monumental political battle that would shape federal policy, fracture the Democratic party, and have a lasting effect on the politics of our times. Drawing on previously unexamined recordings and documents, as well as memoirs, biographies, and scores of personal interviews, Jeff Shesol weaves the threads of this epic story into a compelling narrative that reflects the impact of LBJ and RFK's tumultuous relationship on politics, civil rights, the war on poverty, and the war in Vietnam. As Publishers Weekly noted, "This is indispensable reading for both experts on the period and newcomers to the history of that decade." "An exhaustive and fascinating history. . . . Shesol's grasp of the era's history is sure, his tale often entertaining, and his research awesome."—Russell Baker, New York Review of Books "Thorough, provocative. . . . The story assumes the dimensions of a great drama played out on a stage too vast to comprehend."—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post (1997 Critic's Choice) "This is the most gripping political book of recent years."—Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

A political anthology from the front lines of American poetics.