Presidential party building : Dwight D. Eisenhower to George W. Bush / Daniel J. Galvin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Galvin, Daniel.

Series:

Princeton studies in American politics.

Princeton studies in American politics

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political leadership--United States--History--20th century.

Political leadership.

Political parties--United States--History--20th century.

Political parties.

Presidents--United States--History--20th century.

Presidents.

United States--Politics and government--1945-1989.

United States.

Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-.

Bush, George W.

Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969.

Eisenhower, Dwight D.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (353 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Modern presidents are usually depicted as party "predators" who neglect their parties, exploit them for personal advantage, or undercut their organizational capacities. Challenging this view, Presidential Party Building demonstrates that every Republican president since Dwight D. Eisenhower worked to build his party into a more durable political organization while every Democratic president refused to do the same. Yet whether they supported their party or stood in its way, each president contributed to the distinctive organizational trajectories taken by the two parties in the modern era. Unearthing new archival evidence, Daniel Galvin reveals that Republican presidents responded to their party's minority status by building its capacities to mobilize voters, recruit candidates, train activists, provide campaign services, and raise funds. From Eisenhower's "Modern Republicanism" to Richard Nixon's "New Majority" to George W. Bush's hopes for a partisan realignment, Republican presidents saw party building as a means of forging a new political majority in their image. Though they usually met with little success, their efforts made important contributions to the GOP's cumulative organizational development. Democratic presidents, in contrast, were primarily interested in exploiting the majority they inherited, not in building a new one. Until their majority disappeared during Bill Clinton's presidency, Democratic presidents eschewed party building and expressed indifference to the long-term effects of their actions. Bringing these dynamics into sharp relief, Presidential Party Building offers profound new insights into presidential behavior, party organizational change, and modern American political development.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

1. Introduction: A Common Half- Truth

2. A Theory Of Presidential Party Building

Part I: The Republicans

3. Building a Modern Republican Party: Dwight D. Eisenhower

4. Building the New Majority: Richard Nixon

5. The Politics of Addition: Gerald R. Ford

6. Building the Republican Base: Ronald Reagan

7. Leveling the Playing Field: George H. W. Bush

Part II: The Democrats

8. Operation Support: John F. Kennedy

9. The President's Club: Lyndon B. Johnson

10. Alternative Priorities: Jimmy Carter

11. Culmination and Reversal: Bill Clinton

12. Conclusion: Presidents, Parties, and the Political System

Afterword: George W. Bush and Beyond

Appendix: Methods and Sources

Abbreviations

Notes

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612964428

9781400831173

1400831172

9781282964426

1282964429

OCLC:

704274095