Political Campaign

Down for the Count explores the tawdry history of elections in the United States - a chronicle of votes bought, stolen, suppressed, lost, miscounted, thrown into rivers, and litigated up to the US Supreme Court - and uses it to explain why we are now experiencing the biggest backslide in voting rights in more than a century. This thoroughly revised edition, first published to acclaim and some controversy in 2005 as Steal This Vote, reveals why America is unique among established Western democracies in its inability to run clean, transparent elections.

The Right Fights Back, follows the campaign for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, which promises to be one of the most hotly contested and closely fought in recent memory, as establishment Republicans, Tea Party favorites, and dark horse insurgents vie to take on President Obama in the November election. From the role of Super PACS and conservative interest groups to the clashes of personality and policy that will define the race to capture the GOP nomination, this is a history-as-it-happens account of the resurgent American right at the crossroads.

Is John McCain "for real?" That's the question David Foster Wallace set out to explore when he first climbed aboard Senator McCain's campaign caravan in February 2000. It was a moment when McCain was increasingly perceived as a harbinger of change, the anticandidate whose goal was "to inspire young Americans to devote themselves to causes greater than their own self-interest".

Trust in our government has reached an all-time low. More than ever before, Americans believe that money buys results in Congress and that business interests wield control over our legislature. With heartfelt urgency and a keen desire for righting wrongs, Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig takes a clear-eyed look at how we arrived at this crisis: how fundamentally good people, with good intentions, have allowed our democracy to be co-opted by outside interests and how this exploitation has become entrenched in the system.

Control of the country is up for grabs - and Republicans have been rigging the game in their favor. Twenty-two states have passed restrictions on voting. Ruthless gerrymandering has given the GOP a long-term grip on Congress. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has eviscerated campaign finance laws, boosting candidates backed by big money. It would be worrying enough if these were just schemes for partisan advantage. But the reality is even more disturbing.

Barack Obama approaches the presidency at a critical moment in American history, facing simultaneous crises of war, the environment, health care, but especially the economy. If he is able to rise to the moment, he could join the ranks of a small handful of previous presidents who have been truly transformative, succeeding in fundamentally changing our economy, society, and democracy for the better.

He's the media's darling, an inspiration to many, and the answer to everything from healthcare to taxes. He is Barack Obama - the silver-tongued senator with a phrase for everything and a promise for everyone. Sound too good to be true?

It all started with some businessmen bankrolling Richard Nixon to become a "salesman against socialization". But in this precursor to current campaign finance scandals, Nixon had some explaining to do to keep his place on Eisenhower’s Republican ticket, so he took to the airwaves. In making his speech, Nixon left behind lines about a "Republican cloth coat" and a black-and-white cocker spaniel named Checkers. The speech saved and bolstered Nixon’s political career and set the tone for the 1952 campaign. Just Plain Dick is political history and more.

Mike Huckabee's run for the Republican presidential nomination was truly amazing. But beyond the headlines, few understand his transformation from a long-shot Evangelical candidate into a viable contender. Huckabee now presents the inside story of his low-budget, grassroots campaign. He treated middle-class and working-class voters with respect and spoke to their concerns about the economy, society, and the way our country is run.

From the man widely hailed as “the Dean of Moderators” comes a lively and revealing book that pulls back the curtain on more than 40 years of televised political debate in America. A veteran newsman who has presided over 11 presidential and vice-presidential debates, Jim Lehrer gives readers a ringside seat for some of the epic political battles of our time, shedding light on all of the critical turning points and rhetorical faux pas that helped determine the outcome of America’s presidential elections—and with them the course of history.

From best-selling author and Emmy Award-winning journalist Jorge Ramos comes a pivotal new book that explores the current and future power of the Latino vote in American politics.

Trumpty Dumpty features a series of columns I wrote on Huffington Post about the dangers of a Trump Presidency not only to the US but to the world. It begins with an article on why Trump was not attacking the cartoonists and writers who were writing critical articles about him, although he has attacked members of the media as the lowest form of humanity and journalists as horrible, disgusting, and dishonest human beings.

The more you know about Bernie, the more you will love him. "I think there may be some symbolism here," Sanders said. "That bird is really a dove asking us for world peace. No more wars." Out of all of the presidential candidates, only Bernie was invited to meet with Pope Francis in Rome on April 15, 2016. Interestingly, just as Pope Francis is fondly called the "People's Pope," many future voters are calling Bernie Sanders the "People's Candidate."

At this defining moment in our history, Americans are hungry for change. After years of failed policies and a failed politics from Washington, this is our chance to reclaim the American dream. Barack Obama has proven to be a new kind of leader - one who can bring people together, be honest about the challenges we face, and move this nation forward. Change We Can Believe In outlines his vision for America.

While Trump may be nuts and going extinct soon, he also may fight like one of the many animals featured in this book, as well as thousands of other animals. The reason for all the fighting, especially among the males, is for power, territory, and females. And like these animals, Trump is constantly fighting one foe or another.

In this thought-provoking and highly listenable book, Robert Mann provides a concise, engaging study of the "Daisy Girl" ad, widely acknowledged as the most important and memorable political ad in American history. Commissioned by Johnson's campaign and aired only once during Johnson's 1964 presidential contest against Barry Goldwater, it remains an iconic piece of electoral propaganda, intertwining cold war fears of nuclear annihilation with the increasingly savvy world of media and advertising.

For more than a year, Hillary Clinton has laid out an ambitious agenda to improve the lives of the American people and make our country stronger and safer. Stronger Together presents that agenda in full, relating stories from the American people and outlining the Clinton/Kaine campaign's plans on everything from apprenticeships to the Zika virus.

The right to vote is essential to any democracy. People have fought and died for that right. This book discusses why it is important to vote and how the electoral process works, from the nomination of candidates to primary elections to national elections. It also explains how the electoral college chooses the president. Students will gain valuable insight into civics through this book.

This year, a leap year, is a Presidential Election. But this year is different in that there are big scandals on the personal character of the two main candidates of the two major political parties. People are being forced to choose their party, choose the other main party, or choose a third party candidate. Yet we are witnessing the potential of the first female president after the last two terms of seeing the first black President take office. So I thought I would give my two cents on this election.

If you have been watching the election cycle on the news here in the United States, you will know that Donald Trump is turning everything upside down. This is not necessarily a bad thing, our political system needs a jolt, but I was wondering if there was not something more going on here. Something seems wrong. Is Trump serious about becoming president? Or is he trying to destroy the Republican Party on behalf of the Democrats? Open your eyes to the truth. Trump and Clinton are allies, not enemies.