The contributors to this volume examine the popular images of twenty-two American presidents. They attempt to determine the public standing of these presidencies and consider each president in terms of his image over time. It is argued that fluctuations in succeeding generations' interpretations of past presidents are significant to understanding the kaleidoscopic nature of presidential images. A variety of analytical approaches is employed, including examination of historical narrative, content analysis of editorials and news coverage, and explication of public opinion survey data. For public reactions and the reactions of other leadership figures, the contributors have drawn from the contemporary press as well as from the writings of historians and political scientists. This collection of essays will open avenues of thought on American political history anb shed new light on the character of past presidents. It will be indispensable to those engaged in the study of political history and political science.

The traditional documentary programming of network television's bygone era has given way to the recent explosion of ratings-driven, personality-based news magazine programming. While ostensibly conforming to a high standard of public service, these magazines, as even some of their producers admit, must succumb to the forces of public appetite and profit maximization in order to be competitive.

This study examines this phenomenon of the electronic magazine and shows how the soft news programs affect the public's view of American politics and culture. Maintaining the distinction between the syndicated, tabloid-style programming (whose survival depends almost entirely on rating success) and the more responsibly conceived network magazine programming, Spragens provides a thorough content analysis of "60 Minutes," "Dateline NBC," "20/20," and similar network series. His study traces the development of the television magazine genre from the original "60 Minutes" through the current crop of news programs; it tracks the soft/hard or sensational/serious content dichotomy and its relation to ratings; and it draws conclusions about the trends in soft news programming and their impact on the American public.

This volume was written as a sequel to a book by the same author published in 1980, titled From Spokesman to Press Secretary, covering White House Press Secretaries from 1929 to 1980, beginning with Herbert Hoover's Press Secretary, George Akerson, and ending with Jimmy Carter's Press Secretary, Jody Powell. It was resumed with Jim Brady, the original Press Secretary for Ronald Reagan, and ended with Michael McCurry, the third Press Secretary (de facto) for Bill Clinton. An effort was made to analyze the ambition factor for Press Secretaries in the concluding chapter.