Robert Schmuhl's Statecraft and Stagecraft establishes him in a new generation of scholarly journalists and journalistic scholars who are bent on rethinking the paradoxes of politics in an era of high technology. The book focuses on the ways in which the American public mind is being shaped by the communication breakthroughs of our time.

This series of eight provocative essays examines why Americans have a penchant for going to extremes in their arts, popular culture, politics, social movements, and other aspects of life. Robert Schmuhl considers historical examples (the hunting of the buffalo in the West, Prohibition, business ventures in the Gilded Age) but concentrates on contemporary subjects, including the emphasis on what shocks the audience as entertainment today, tensions among specific groups, the decline of private life, and the excesses of news media coverage in the O.J. Simpson and Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky stories. Indecent Liberties explores the dangers and consequences of carrying fundamental American freedoms too far. In this environment, achieving a public good can get lost in a frenzy of private gain or a worthwhile idea can be pushed to unrecognizable boundaries, producing the opposite of its intended effect. When an attitude of "anything goes" takes hold, a sense of limits gets lost, and it is different to achieve harmony or a center that holds. Especially as we face a new century with talk of "hyperdemocracy" and "hypercommunications" common in intellectual circles, Indecent Liberties argues that seeking equilibrium should be a central objective for all Americans. To go to wretched excess can lead to "indecent liberties" and wretched results that throw the country off balance and endanger the future. This book asks questions about today and yesterday that require answers for tomorrow. This insightful analysis of a distinct American characteristic is for every reader concerned with America's penchant for going to extremes in ways that produce debatable, even deplorable, consequences.

Robert Schmuhl chronicles the American presidency for nearly a century, providing a compelling picture of how the functions of the office and who occupies it have changed over the decades. The Glory and the Burden: The American Presidency from the New Deal to the Present is a timely examination of the state of the American presidency and the forces that have shaped it since 1933, with an emphasis on the dramatic changes that have taken place within the institution and to the individuals occupying the Oval Office. A new chapter and other elements have been added to the book, which originally appeared in the fall of 2019. This expanded, updated edition probes the election of Joe Biden in 2020, the transition of the White House from Donald Trump to Biden, and Biden's first several months in office. Robert Schmuhl traces the evolution of the modern presidency back to the terms of Franklin Roosevelt, maintaining that FDR's White House years had a profound impact on the office, resulting in significant changes to the job and to those who've served since then. Specifically, the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms, has largely redefined each administration's agenda. News sources and social media have also grown exponentially, exercising influence over the conduct of presidents and affecting the consequences of their behavior. Schmuhl examines the presidency as an institution and the presidents as individuals from several different perspectives. The Glory and the Burden is an engrossing read for a general audience, particularly those with an interest in politics, American history, and communications.

The Glory and the Burden: The American Presidency from FDR to Trump is a timely examination of the state of the American presidency and the forces that have shaped it over the past seventy-five years, with an emphasis on the dramatic changes that have taken place within the institution and to the individuals occupying the Oval Office. In this fascinating book, Robert Schmuhl traces the evolution of the modern presidency back to the terms of Franklin Roosevelt, maintaining that FDR's White House years had a profound impact on the office, resulting in significant changes to the job and to those who have performed it since. Specifically, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms, has largely redefined each administration's agenda. News sources and social media have also grown exponentially, exercising influence over the conduct of presidents and affecting the consequences of their behavior. Schmuhl examines the presidency as an institution and the presidents as individuals from several different perspectives. He identifies recent trends in the office and probes the relationship between the White House and various forms of contemporary media. This book is an engrossing read for a general audience, particularly those with an interest in politics, American history, journalism, and communications.

Historians have long noted that the 18th century American Revolution and the 20th century struggle for Irish independence have a number of historical, political, and symbolic parallels-in both cases, separation from Great Britain took several years to achieve, required revolutionary warfare, and tested long-established allegiances. Yet while these similarities have been documented, very few historians have considered the extent to which the roots of the Easter Rising grew in American soil. For instance, not only were Ireland's "exiled children in America" acknowledged in the Proclamation announcing "the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic," a document which circulated in Dublin on the first day of the Rising in April 1916, but also, the United States was the only country singled out in this Proclamation for offering Ireland help. Remarkably, five of the seven Proclamation signatories spent time in the U.S., with one a naturalized citizen and the others influenced by the freedoms that Americans enjoyed. Furthermore, money from the States largely bankrolled the Rising, including the purchase of weaponry used and the funding of publications distributed. And direct involvement was but one dimension of the United States' connection with the Revolution-though the Rising encompassed just six days, the events in Ireland fascinated Americans, and became a major, continuing news story throughout 1916. In this work, Robert Schmuhl offers the first focused study of the United States' role in the Easter uprising and the event's significance in the evolution of Irish America. Based on original archival research conducted in Ireland, the United States, and Britain, the work brings into bold relief the central characters in facilitating and responding to the Rising. Each chapter places in the foreground one such individual-John Devoy, Joyce Kilmer, Woodrow Wilson, and Eamon de Valera-in order to inform the larger narrative about the preparation and the action of the Uprising, as well as the reactions of the Irish and Americans alike to the event. Capturing the complexities of American politics, Irish-Americanism, and Anglo-American relations in the unprecedented war and post-war circumstances, The "Exiled Children" and Easter 1916 is an important contribution to a much-neglected aspect of the struggle for Irish independence.

Robert Schmuhl chronicles the American presidency for nearly a century, providing a compelling picture of how the functions of the office and who occupies it have changed over the decades. The Glory and the Burden: The American Presidency from the New Deal to the Present is a timely examination of the state of the American presidency and the forces that have shaped it since 1933, with an emphasis on the dramatic changes that have taken place within the institution and to the individuals occupying the Oval Office. A new chapter and other elements have been added to the book, which originally appeared in the fall of 2019. This expanded, updated edition probes the election of Joe Biden in 2020, the transition of the White House from Donald Trump to Biden, and Biden's first several months in office. Robert Schmuhl traces the evolution of the modern presidency back to the terms of Franklin Roosevelt, maintaining that FDR's White House years had a profound impact on the office, resulting in significant changes to the job and to those who've served since then. Specifically, the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms, has largely redefined each administration's agenda. News sources and social media have also grown exponentially, exercising influence over the conduct of presidents and affecting the consequences of their behavior. Schmuhl examines the presidency as an institution and the presidents as individuals from several different perspectives. The Glory and the Burden is an engrossing read for a general audience, particularly those with an interest in politics, American history, and communications.

When "In So Many Words" first appeared in 2006, the Chicago Tribune observed that Robert Schmuhl's collection of essays offered "some of the sharpest and most informative cultural criticism available."

"In So Many More Words"expands on the writings in the first edition and includes seventeen new essays written during the past four years. Schmuhl analyzes the emergence of Barack Obama and evaluates America's new political landscape in light of the 2008 election. Schmuhl also looks at contemporary media and the cultural effects created by bloggers, pundits, and cable shouters. The explosive growth of news sources, he says, "comes at a public price--a continuing fragmentation of audiences and a marked decline in a commonly shared culture."

Arranged thematically, the essays are divided into three sections: Matters Political and Journalistic, Matters Literary, and Matters Person, offering readers a wide range of issues and subjects. Schmuhl introduces each section with an explanatory preview and adds postscript reflections at the end of most of the essays.

"Readers who enjoy the works of the great "International Herald Tribune" columnist William Pfaff and the estimable "New York Times "reporter and columnist Thomas Friedman will find comparable delight in Schmuhl's book. . . . T]he book ranges confidently across presidential politics, foreign policy, history, the celebrity culture and the present crisis of the news business, all with impressively sure footing." --"Chicago Tribune"

Praise for the Expanded Edition:

"Bob Schmuhl is the guy I read when I want to understand how things political, cultural, and journalistic interact--and how the world works as a result. He's an analyst who is cool and collected, and so it's cool to know that he's collected, between cloth two?] covers." --David M. Shribman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"I've known and respected the work of Bob Schmuhl my entire professional life. This expanded version of his work shines with enthusiasm for journalism, American culture, and the English language." --Roy Peter Clark, The Poynter Institute

Public interest in the 1992 presidential campaign resulted in the highest electoral turnout since the heated, war-focused 1968 race involving Richard Nixon, Hubert Humphrey, and George Wallace. In Demanding Democracy Robert Schmuhl examines the unparalleled interplay among citizens, political figures, and the media during the 1992 election year, arguing that a number of events--the hunger of an angry electorate for answers to their problems, the backlash against the sound-bites and negative spots of 1988, the impact of the "New News" with its proliferation of sources for political information, and Ross Perot's emergence as a presidential candidate--resulted in the people reshaping political institutions and the media as they demanded a more proximate and participatory democracy. After an introductory section, Schmuhl looks backward to 1992, examining in detail how George Bush, Ross Perot, and Bill Clinton were portrayed by different forms of popular communication. Some of the questions Schmuhl addresses in this section are: Why did George Bush lose the popularity he enjoyed in 1991 after the Persian Gulf War? What did the emergence of Ross Perot and his extensive use of television signify for American politics? And how was the relatively unknown Bill Clinton able to overcome doubts about his character to win the White House? In the final section Schmuhl looks forward, exploring the impact of new communication technology on the way in which we as citizens form our opinions, elect candidates, and participate in public life. He discusses the "Information Highway," speculating if it will lead to more politically attuned voters, or to people more inclined to turn away from civic concerns toward personal pursuits. And finally, Schmuhl analyzes what the predicted demographic shifts over the next half-century will mean to political life in the United States.

For over half a century, Robert Schmuhl interviewed and wrote about Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., who served as the president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 until 1987. Beginning as an undergraduate student during the 1960s, when he covered Hesburgh and Notre Dame for the Associated Press, to 2014 when he conducted his last visit with the frail ninety-seven-year-old priest, Schmuhl maintained a unique relationship with Father Hesburgh. Over time, Hesburgh's meetings with Schmuhl evolved into a friendship, which is documented in this personal and warmhearted portrait of the man who was for decades considered the most influential priest in America. Fifty Years with Father Hesburgh: On and Off the Record contains excerpts and commentary from various interviews Schmuhl conducted with Father Hesburgh about his service as Notre Dame's president, including the most difficult years of his presidency during the 1960s, when Notre Dame and other college campuses were in turmoil because of student protests against the Vietnam War and other issues. Knowing and working with four popes and nine U.S. presidents, Father Hesburgh was a moral force in virtually all major social issues of his day, including civil rights, peaceful uses of atomic energy, third-world development, and immigration reform. Schmuhl records Hesburgh's candid reflections on the U.S. presidents with whom he worked and his assessment of the years after he left the university's presidency and maintained an active life of service in retirement. Schmuhl expresses his devotion and respect in the chapters about Hesburgh's twilight decades. He describes how Hesburgh dealt with macular degeneration and blindness in his later years, enlisting students to read the New York Times and other publications to him. During the 1990s and the first years of the twenty-first century, Father Ted was, as he liked to say, "everybody's grandfather." His open-door policy extended beyond students to faculty, staff, alumni, and campus visitors, and continued right up until the end of his life. Throughout the book, Schmuhl captures the essence, spirit, and humanity of a great leader.

For over half a century, Robert Schmuhl interviewed and wrote about Reverend Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., who served as the president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 until 1987. Beginning as an undergraduate student during the 1960s, when he covered Hesburgh and Notre Dame for the Associated Press, to 2014 when he conducted his last visit with the frail ninety-seven-year-old priest, Schmuhl maintained a unique relationship with Father Hesburgh. Over time, Hesburgh's meetings with Schmuhl evolved into a friendship, which is documented in this personal and warmhearted portrait of the man who was for decades considered the most influential priest in America. Fifty Years with Father Hesburgh: On and Off the Record contains excerpts and commentary from various interviews Schmuhl conducted with Father Hesburgh about his service as Notre Dame's president, including the most difficult years of his presidency during the 1960s, when Notre Dame and other college campuses were in turmoil because of student protests against the Vietnam War and other issues. Knowing and working with four popes and nine U.S. presidents, Father Hesburgh was a moral force in virtually all major social issues of his day, including civil rights, peaceful uses of atomic energy, third-world development, and immigration reform. Schmuhl records Hesburgh's candid reflections on the U.S. presidents with whom he worked and his assessment of the years after he left the university's presidency and maintained an active life of service in retirement. Schmuhl expresses his devotion and respect in the chapters about Hesburgh's twilight decades. He describes how Hesburgh dealt with macular degeneration and blindness in his later years, enlisting students to read the New York Times and other publications to him. During the 1990s and the first years of the twenty-first century, Father Ted was, as he liked to say, "everybody's grandfather." His open-door policy extended beyond students to faculty, staff, alumni, and campus visitors, and continued right up until the end of his life. Throughout the book, Schmuhl captures the essence, spirit, and humanity of a great leader.

This series of eight provocative essays examines why Americans have a penchant for going to extremes in their arts, popular culture, politics, social movements, and other aspects of life. Robert Schmuhl considers historical examples (the hunting of the buffalo in the West, Prohibition, business ventures in the Gilded Age) but concentrates on contemporary subjects, including the emphasis on what shocks the audience as entertainment today, tensions among specific groups, the decline of private life, and the excesses of news media coverage in the O.J. Simpson and Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky stories. Indecent Liberties explores the dangers and consequences of carrying fundamental American freedoms too far. In this environment, achieving a public good can get lost in a frenzy of private gain or a worthwhile idea can be pushed to unrecognizable boundaries, producing the opposite of its intended effect. When an attitude of "anything goes" takes hold, a sense of limits gets lost, and it is different to achieve harmony or a center that holds. Especially as we face a new century with talk of "hyperdemocracy" and "hypercommunications" common in intellectual circles, Indecent Liberties argues that seeking equilibrium should be a central objective for all Americans. To go to wretched excess can lead to "indecent liberties" and wretched results that throw the country off balance and endanger the future. This book asks questions about today and yesterday that require answers for tomorrow. This insightful analysis of a distinct American characteristic is for every reader concerned with America's penchant for going to extremes in ways that produce debatable, even deplorable, consequences.

In this second edition of Statecraft and Stagecraft Robert Schmuhl brings up to date his provocative exploration of the involvement of the media in our public life by including a new chapter on the Persian Gulf War.