Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: The Politics of Autism
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://www.cmc.edu/academic/faculty/profile/john-pitney-jr * https://www.cmc.edu/sites/default/files/media/academic/faculty/profile/cv-biog.htm * http://the-art-of-autism.com/the-politics-of-autism-an-interview-with-john-pitney-jr/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Male.
EDUCATION:Union College, B.A. (co-valedictorian), 1977; Yale University, M.A., 1978, M.Phil., 1981, Ph.D., 1985.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Policy expert, educator, and writer. State Senator John R. Dunne, Albany, NY, legislative fellow, 1978-79, legislative assistant, 1979-80; American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, congressional fellow, 1983-84; Republican Research Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, senior domestic policy analyst, 1984-86; Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA, assistant professor, 1986-94, associate professor, 1994-2001, professor, 2001–, Roy P. Crocker Professor of Politics, 2005–; Republican National Committee, Washington, DC, deputy director of research, 1989-90, acting director of research, 1990-91.
MEMBER:American Political Science Association, National Association of Scholars, Christians in Political Science, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Sigma Alpha.
AWARDS:Richard M. Shure Award, 1988, Glenn R. Huntoon Teaching Award, 1995, 2000, 2004, grant, 1995, honors induction into alumni association, 2001, Presidential Award, 2013, all Claremont McKenna College; Excellence in Education Award, Saratoga Central Catholic High School, 2000. Grants and fellowships from other organizations, including the Gould Humanities Study Center, National Science Foundation, Danforth Foundation, and American Political Science Association.
WRITINGS
Contributor of chapters to books. Contributor of articles to scholarly publications, including Presidential Studies Quarterly, Policy Review, Forum, Christian Science Monitor, Reason, Washington Post, and Chronicle of Higher Education. Contributor to Web sites, including the New York Times and National Review.
SIDELIGHTS
John J. Pitney, Jr., is a writer and educator. He is the Roy P. Crocker Professor of Politics at Claremont McKenna College. Pitney joined Claremont McKenna as an assistant professor in 1986. He was promoted to associate professor in 1994, to professor in 2001, and to his current position in 2005. He took a leave of absence from the school from 1989 to 1991 in order to work for the Republican National Committee. Prior to joining Claremont McKenna, Pitney worked for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Republican Research Committee, the American Political Science Association, and State Senator John R. Dunne of New York. He has written articles that have appeared in various publications, including Presidential Studies Quarterly, Policy Review, Washington Post, Chronicle of Higher Education, and on the Web sites of the New York Times and National Review. He has written, cowritten, and edited several nonfiction books.
The Art of Political Warfare and Epic Journey
In 2000, Pitney released The Art of Political Warfare. In this volume, he notes that politicians have learned valuable lessons from military strategies. They often use military terms when discussing their approaches to various political actions. Pitney includes quotes from military and political figures from the past and present, including Ulysses S. Grant, Machiavelli, Dwight Eisenhower, and Sun Tzu. “This concise and well-argued work takes an interesting approach to examining political activity,” asserted Stephen L. Hupp in Library Journal. A reviewer in Publishers Weekly suggested that Pitney’s “arguments are unlikely to change the nature of political science … but it’s entertaining to watch him try.”
Pitney discusses the 2008 election of Barack Obama, the first black president, in Epic Journey: The 2008 Elections and American Politics. He discusses the effects of George W. Bush’s approach to governing, suggesting that voters were ready for a change. Pitney also highlights the key issues of the primaries and the presidential election itself. A writer in Bookwatch described Epic Journey as “a fine historical read.”
After Hope and Change
Pitney collaborated with James W. Ceaser and Andrew E. Busch to write After Hope and Change: The 2012 Elections and American Politics. In the book, they discuss the key issues that affected the 2012 elections, and they offer information on the backstories of each of these issues. Pitney, Ceaser, and Busch released a later edition of the book that takes into account the 2014 midterm elections.
Choice critic J. Twombly described After Hope and Change as “a well-written, engaging narrative of the 2012 elections.” A. Paulson, another writer in Choice, reviewed the volume’s 2015 edition, stating: “The book’s reporting is very good, and it refreshes the memories of interested readers.”
The Politics of Autism
In The Politics of Autism: Navigating the Contested Spectrum, Pitney discusses the condition, the controversy surrounding it, and the efforts U.S. government officials and others have made to accommodate people with autism. In an interview with Patrick Jamal Elliott, writer on the CMC Forum Web site, Pitney discussed the premise of the volume, stating: “The book is about politics and policy of autism. By one estimate one out every sixty-eight children have autism, and of course every child with autism, grows up to be an adult with autism. There are various estimates of the social costs of autism, but a major point of the book is that just about everything concerning autism is subject to dispute. There are people who object strenuously to talking about autism as a cost. They see autism as a neurological difference … and that the apparent cost is really a matter of discrimination, rather than the autism itself.” Pitney told Debra Muzikar, contributor to the Art of Autism Web site: “Autism is a construct. It is a term we apply to a set of behaviors. There are differences about how we diagnose that. There is no blood test or definitive brain test that can say with certainty a person is autistic. In addition, autism’s status as a spectrum adds to the complexity. There is a saying in the autism community ‘if you’ve seen one person with autism, you’ve seen one person with autism.’” In the same interview with Muzikar, Pitney commented on legislation that has affected the lives of people with autism. He stated: “In 1975, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children legislation. It was a bi-partisan initiative. President Ford signed this legislation reluctantly. He said the statute was making promises that could not be kept. We know now that he was right. Congress has never approved full funding for the statute, which is now the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA).” Pitney also comments on the difficulties involved in diagnosing autism and treating it. He predicts how the condition may be addressed in the future.
J.D. Neal, reviewer in Choice, offered a favorable assessment of The Politics of Autism. Neal commented that Pitney “draws the reader into the book and the enigma of autism spectrum disorders.” Neal described the volume as “a fascinating read.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Bookwatch, August, 2009, review of Epic Journey: The 2008 Elections and American Politics.
Campaigns & Elections, July, 2001, review of The Art of Political Warfare, p. 18.
Choice, October, 2013, J. Twombly, review of After Hope and Change: The 2012 Elections and American Politics, p. 354; October, 2015, A. Paulson, review of After Hope and Change, updated edition, p. 327; April, 2016, J.D. Neal, review of The Politics of Autism: Navigating the Contested Spectrum, p. 1244.
Library Journal, August, 2000, Stephen L. Hupp, review of The Art of Political Warfare, p. 131.
Publishers Weekly, July 31, 2000, review of The Art of Political Warfare, p. 82.
ONLINE
Art of Autism, http://the-art-of-autism.com/ (September 7, 2016), Debra Muzikar, author interview.
Claremont McKenna College Web site, https://www.cmc.edu/ (March 21, 2017), author profile.
CMC Forum, http://cmcforum.com/ (October 8, 2015), Patrick Jamal Elliott, author interview.
QUOTED: "Autism is a construct. It is a term we apply to a set of behaviors. There are differences about how we diagnose that. There is no blood test or definitive brain test that can say with certainty a person is autistic. In addition, autism’s status as a spectrum adds to the complexity. There is a saying in the autism community 'if you’ve seen one person with autism, you’ve seen one person with autism.'”
"In 1975, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children legislation. It was a bi-partisan initiative. President Ford signed this legislation reluctantly. He said the statute was making promises that could not be kept. We know now that he was right. Congress has never approved full funding for the statute, which is now the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA)."
FEATURED, POPULARSEPTEMBER 7, 2016
THE POLITICS OF AUTISM – AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN PITNEY JR.
trumpclinton-1024x597
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on TumblrSubmit to StumbleUponShare
Autism politics is like faculty politics on PCP.
An Interview with John Pitney Jr., Professor of Politics, Claremont McKenna College, Author of The Politics of Autism: Navigating the Contested Spectrum
Politics of Autism
By Debra Muzikar
Why did you decide to write the book The Politics of Autism: Navigating the Contested Spectrum?
I have someone close to me who is on the autism spectrum. In reviewing the literature I found many books and articles from the fields of psychology and law but there was surprising little about the politics of autism. I thought there was a gap in the literature that I could fill.
There is disagreement about what autism actually is. Can you talk about that?
Autism is a construct. It is a term we apply to a set of behaviors. There are differences about how we diagnose that. There is no blood test or definitive brain test that can say with certainty a person is autistic. In addition, autism’s status as a spectrum adds to the complexity. There is a saying in the autism community “if you’ve seen one person with autism, you’ve seen one person with autism.”
There are disagreements about how we describe autism – from being a neurological disorder, a disease, a disability, a defect, a gift, a neurodiversity, etc. Can you comment on the politics of those descriptions and how the way we describe autism effects funding?
Descriptions are political. How you describe an issue determines what to do.
If autism is a disease, you seek a cure.
If autism is a disability, you seek accommodations.
If autism is a gift, you want to recognize that gift.
If autism is a realm of neurodiversity, there are many forms it can take and accommodations that can be made.
Can you talk about the politics of the term “Asperger’s”?
The interesting thing about Asperger’s Syndrome is that Hans Aspergers did not give it that name. The name was coined by Lorna Wing. Asperger’s is a more recent diagnosis being added into the DSM-IV in the 1990’s. Once it was added many people embraced it as their identity. Web groups emerged around Aspergers. Now the 5th edition of the DSM has dropped it as a separate category.
The incidence of autism has increased dramatically since the early 1990’s in California (from DDS statistics). Do you think there is a real increase in autism and how does that effect public policy?
I’m agnostic whether there is a true increase in autism prevalence. There has been an increase in awareness and a change in diagnostic criteria which can account for some of the increase. Has there been a real increase? Possibly. No one knows for sure. The big question is this. If there has been a true increase in autism prevalence, what has caused that increase? Of course, genetics is important. But what is the role of the environment? There may be a long time before we have clarity on this issue.
Autism is a bipartisan issue – both Republicans and Democrats have initiated legislation in regard to autism. Can you talk about that?
In 1975, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children legislation. It was a bi-partisan initiative. President Ford signed this legislation reluctantly. He said the statute was making promises that could not be kept. We know now that he was right. Congress has never approved full funding for the statute, which is now the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA).
Ron Santorum (R-PA) in the Senate and Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House worked together on the Combating Autism Act (whose name was later changed to the Autism Cares Act because of protests from self-advocates over the name).
Earlier, Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Bob Dole (R-KS) worked together to produce the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
In California, Republican state legislator Frank Lanterman, authored the Lanterman Act which was signed by another Republican Ronald Reagan when he was governor.
More recently, the ABLE Act was co-authored by Representative Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) and Bob Casey (D-PA).
Disability funding is one issue that both parties can work together on. Many Republicans are against social welfare for able-bodied people yet they are sympathetic to those who are disabled.
Can you talk about the influence this year’s presidential candidates have on autism?
Hillary Clinton has walked the walk since her early legal days in the 1970’s with the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). Clinton and CDF Founder Marion Wright Edelman looked at census data and were concerned about the number of school age children not attending school. At first they thought it was because of race – African-American children not attending. What they found was it was children with disabilities who were being kept at home because schools were excluding them. This discovery was a major catalyst for the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.
Clinton’s legislative proposal for autism is quite detailed and covers health insurance and screening among other things. There is a recognition that we have to do more for adults, and employment initiatives are part of her proposal.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, has done nothing for autism except to tout the vaccine issue. His properties have had lots of issues with ADA compliance Donald Trump. In addition, he made fun of a disabled person during one of his speeches. Trump’s record on disability issues is deplorable.
I’m a lifelong Republican and this will be the first time in my life I will not vote for a Republican presidential candidate.
Who will you vote for?
I haven’t made up my mind. It may be for a 3rd party candidate or it may be for Clinton if she and Trump are close in the polls.
The subtitle of your book is Navigating the Contested Spectrum – where do you see the most division in the autism community?
Everything involving autism is a matter of conflict – parents vs. self-advocates, parents vs. schools, Autism Speaks vs. the disability community, contention about ABA therapy, vaccines, different types of therapies, the cause of autism.
Autism politics is like faculty politics on PCP.
Do you teach Autism Politics at your college?
Only within the classes I teach. Last year one of my students in my introductory class was on the autism spectrum. He turned in terrific papers and participated. His papers were extremely well-written and well-researched. He is now a Sophomore and taking another of my classes. I find this to be a great sign.
How does the internet and social media effect our views and the politics of autism?
There are mixed effects.
The good effects are that it allows people to find one another. I am reading John Donvan and Caren Zucker’s book In A Different Key: The Story of Autism and in the early days it was very difficult to find information and each other.
The downside is there is a lot of disinformation out there.
It’s a blessing and a curse.
What are the politics of nonprofits in autism?
Most people don’t know Easter Seals is the primary provider for autism in this country. Easter Seals also has great information on Medicaid and social services on their website.
Autism Speaks is the best known organization for autism. They have been most successful in state insurance reform legislation. Statutes for insurance mandates have come through Autism Speaks. The organization has many critics, however. Their critics come from the vaccine groups who think Autism Speaks has a tie into big pharma and then others think Autism Speaks has been too accommodating of the vaccine theories. Self-advocates criticize Autism Speaks for not being included in the organization’s governance. They are the biggest nonprofit and therefore the biggest target.
How is autism a civil right’s movement?
ADA is a civil rights law. Complaints are to be made to the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.
IDEA is not enforced by the Justice Dept. but it is seen as the functional equivalent of a civil rights law. People with disabilities have the right to accommodations and the right to become a functional member of society. Before IDEA there was no federal law.
Autism effects scientific, research, human rights, and social/welfare policy.
What do you perceive as the biggest challenges for the autism community?
There are four major challenges.
1. Uncertainty – We don’t know how many people are affected, what causes autism, and what to do about it.
2. Complexity – There is a tremendous burden on parents who try to navigate the system. Parents spend a lot of time researching. Many parents take off lots of time for meetings. People who don’t have the resources are often left behind.
3. Inequality – People without resources don’t get the help they need. Non-English speaking and people who lack education aren’t able to access the system.
4. Contentiousness – there is a deep disagreement in the community. The time spent in arguing and fighting takes away from the time that can be spent working on solutions that will make the system better. The emotions about the issue of autism make it hard to find common ground.
John J. Pitney, Jr., is the Roy P. Crocker Professor of American Politics at Claremont McKenna College. He received his B.A. from Union College and his Ph.D. in political science at Yale. In addition to The Politics of Autism, he is the author of The Art of Political Warfare and the coauthor of several books, including Epic Journey: The 2008 Elections and American Politics and After Hope and Change: The 2012 Elections and American Politics. In addition to his scholarly work, he has held staff positions in the U.S. Congress and the New York State Legislature. He has written articles for many publications, such as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, and Politico. He is a frequent commentator on politics and public policy for National Public Radio and American Public Radio. He maintains several blogs, including Autism Policy and Politics.
JOHN J. PITNEY, JR.
Government Department, Claremont McKenna College
850 Columbia Avenue
Claremont, California 91711-6420
909/607-4224 (office); 909/621-8419 (fax)
E-mail: jpitney@cmc.edu WWW: http://www.cmc.edu/pages/faculty/JPitney
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jpitney
Career
1986-present Claremont McKenna College, Department of Government. Roy P. Crocker Professor of American Politics (2005-present); professor (2001-present); associate professor (1994-2001); assistant professor (1986-1994; on leave 1989-91).
1989-1991 Research Department, Republican National Committee. Acting director (1990‑1991); deputy director (1989‑1990), during leave from Claremont McKenna College. Responsible for policy statements and briefings.
1984-1986 US House Republican Research Committee. Senior domestic policy analyst. Responsible for background papers and public statements on a variety of domestic and economic issues.
1983-1984 American Political Science Association. Congressional Fellow. Second-half assignment: Representative Dick Cheney (WY). Prepared briefing material for House Republican Policy Committee, chaired by Rep. Cheney. First-half assignment: Senator Alfonse D'Amato (NY). Served as legislative assistant for environmental issues.
1978‑1980 New York State Senator John R. Dunne. Legislative assistant (1979‑1980); Legislative Fellow (1978‑1979). Conducted research on insurance regulation and public authorities; managed procedure for the State Senate Corporations Committee.
Education
Yale University. Department of Political Science. Ph.D. (1985); M. Phil. (1981); M.A. (1978). Fields: American politics, public policy, and political psychology. Dissertation: “Hazardous Politics: Toxic Waste and American Government.” Advisor: Theodore Marmor.
Union College, Schenectady, New York. B.A. in political science (1977; co-valedictorian).
Scholarly Writing
Work in Progress
“Autism,” chapter in Issues and Controversies in Science and Politics, edited by Brent Steel (Washington; CQ Press, 2014).
Book on autism policy and politics. Tentative completion of draft: summer 2014.
Book on private anti-piracy navies, with John-Clark Levin. (Lexington Books, in press) Note: the project is John-Clark’s initiative.
Books
The Politics of Autism: Navigating the Contested Spectrum (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield: 2015, forthcoming).
Private Anti-Piracy Navies How Warships for Hire are Changing Maritime Security (Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2013). With John-Clark Levin. Note: the project is John-Clark’s initiative.
After Hope and Change: The 2012 Elections and American Politics (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2013). With James W. Ceaser and Andrew E. Busch.
American Government: Deliberation, Democracy and Citizenship, 2d ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2011). With Joseph M. Bessette.
Epic Journey: The 2008 Elections and American Politics (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2009). With James W. Ceaser and Andrew E. Busch.
The Art of Political Warfare (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2000).
Congress' Permanent Minority? Republicans in the US House (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 1994). With William F. Connelly, Jr.
Book Chapters
“Autism,” chapter in Issues and Controversies in Science and Politics, edited by Brent Steel (Washington; CQ Press, 2014).
“The Iron Law of Emulation,” chapter in Interest Groups Unleashed, a reader on the impact of Citizens United, edited by Paul Herrnson, Clyde Wilcox, and Christopher Deering (Washington: CQ Press, 2012).
"Asymmetric Warfare: Supporters and Opponents of President Obama,” chapter in Transforming America: Barack Obama in the White House, edited by Steven Schier.(Rowman and Littlefield, 2011).
“Organ Transplants,” in Governing America: Major Policies and Decisions of Federal, State, And Local Government, edited by Paul J. Quirk and William Cunion (New York: Facts On File, 2011).
"California: The Great Exception," in Pendulum Swing, edited by Larry J. Sabato (New York: Longman, 2011).
“Resolved, the Senate Should Represent People, not States – Con,” in Debating Reform, edited by Richard J. Ellis and Michael Nelson (Washington: CQ Press, 2011).
“The Culminating Point: Democrats versus Republicans in the Bush Years,” in Ambition and Division: Legacies of the George W. Bush Presidency, edited by Steven E. Schier (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2009).
“Political Warfare During Wartime,” in High Risk and Big Ambition: The Presidency of George W. Bush, edited by Steven E. Schier (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2004) Originally presented as a paper at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, August 30, 2003.
“Nixon, California and American Politics, chapter in The California Republic: Institutions, Statesmanship, and Policies, edited by Brian Janiskee and Ken Masugi (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004). Reprint from Nexus: A Journal of Opinion (Chapman University School of Law) 6 (Spring 2001). Originally presented as a paper at a conference on “Democracy in California,” Salvatori Center and Claremont Institute, Claremont, California, October 27, 2000.
“Bipartisanship,” “Contempt of Congress," “Delegation of Legislative Power,” in The Encyclopedia of the American Presidency, edited by Michael Genovese (New York: Facts on File, 2004).
"Intellectual Challenges Facing the Republican Party,” in The Politics of Ideas, 2d ed., edited by John White and John C. Green (Albany: SUNY Press, 2001).
Clinton and the Republican Party,” in The Postmodern Presidency: Bill Clinton's Legacy in U.S. Politics, edited by Steven Schier (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2000).
“The House Republicans: Lessons for Political Science,” New Majority or Old Minority? The Impact of Republicans on Congress (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 1999), edited by Nicol C. Rae and Colton C. Campbell. With William F. Connelly, Jr. Originally presented as a paper at “The Impact of the New Majority: Republican Control of Congress,” Florida International University, Miami, January 31, 1998
“Fascism in Gabriel over the White House” and “Anti-Fascism in Citizen Kane,” in Reelpolitik : Political Ideologies in 30s and 40s Films, edited by Beverly Merrill Kelley (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 1998). Originally presented as papers at the annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association, San Diego, November 23, 1996.
“`Permanent Minority' No More: House Republicans in 1994,” in Midterm: The Elections of 1994 in Context, edited by Philip A. Klinkner (Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1996). With William F. Connelly, Jr.
“From Ward Heelers to Public Relations Experts: The Parties' Response to Mass Politics,” in Broken Contract? Changing Relationships Between Citizens and Their Government in the United States, edited by Stephen C. Craig (Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1996). With Paul S. Herrnson and Kelly Patterson.
“Ideas and the President's Party,” research note in The Politics of Ideas, edited by John White and John C. Green (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 1995).
“The Speaker: A Republican Perspective,” in The Speaker: Leadership in the US House of Representatives, edited by Ronald M. Peters, Jr. (Washington: CQ Press, 1994). With William F. Connelly, Jr.
“FHP Health Care PAC,” in Risky Business: PAC Decisionmaking and Strategy in 1992, edited by Robert Biersack, Paul S. Herrnson and Clyde Wilcox (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1994). Originally presented as a paper at the University of Maryland, April 30, 1993.
“A Congress Restored,” in Rethinking Political Reform, edited by Ruy Teixeira (Washington: Progressive Foundation, 1994).
“Republican Elites Under Reagan and Bush,” in A Conservative Revolution? The Thatcher‑Reagan Years in Perspective, edited by Andrew Adonis and Timothy Hames (Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1994).
“Republican Alternatives to the Great Society,” in Politics, Professionalism and Power, edited by John C. Green (Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 1994). Originally presented as a paper at the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, Akron, Ohio, September 13, 1991.
“Conservatism,” in Encyclopedia of the American Presidency, volume I, edited by Leonard W. Levy and Louis Fisher (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1994).
“Frames, Wedges, Magnets and Silver Bullets: Republican Strategies,” in American Political Parties and Constitutional Politics, edited by Peter W. Schramm and Bradford P. Wilson (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 1993). Originally presented as a paper at the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, Ashland, Ohio, November 10, 1990.
“What If There Were Three Major Parties?” in What If the American Political System Were Different? edited by Herbert M. Levine (Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1992).
“What If There Were No Welfare State?” in What If the American Political System Were Different? edited by Herbert M. Levine (Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1992).
Biographical sketches of Joseph Cannon, Everett Dirksen and thirteen other national party leaders in: Political Parties and Elections in the United States, edited by L. Sandy Maisel (New York: Garland, 1991).
“The Many Faces of Incumbency,” in The New Federalist Papers, edited by J. Jackson Barlow, Dennis J. Mahoney and John G. West, Jr. (Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 1988).
Articles
“Class Connections: Congressional Classes and the Republicans of 1994,” The Forum 12 (October 2014). With Nichol C. Rae.
“The Politics of Constraint: House Republicans in Retrospect and Prospect,” The Forum 6 (2008), Issue 3, article 2, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol6/iss3/art2/
"The Coming Ascent of Congress," Policy Review 100 (April-May 2000).
“President Clinton's 1993 Inaugural Address,” Presidential Studies Quarterly 27 (Winter 1997).
“The Future of the House Republicans,” Political Science Quarterly 109 (Fall 1994). With William F. Connelly, Jr. Originally presented as a paper at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, New York City, September 2, 1994.
“Using Electronic Spreadsheets in Undergraduate Political Science Courses,” Teaching Political Science, Fall 1988.
“Covering Congress,” Polity 27 (Spring 1985). With Charles M. Tidmarch.
“Leaders and Rules in the New York State Senate,” Legislative Studies Quarterly 7 (November 1982).
Short Essays
“The Midterm: What Political Science Should Ask Now,” The Forum 4 (2006), No. 3, article 2, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol4/iss3/art2/
“The Backseat Boys,” with William F. Connelly, Jr. (a retrospective analysis of our Congressional Fellowship experiences), in APSA Legislative Studies Section Newsletter, Extension of Remarks 27, January 2004.
Biography of Lee Atwater, American National Biography Online, April-May 2001.
"War on the Floor,” APSA Legislative Studies Section Newsletter Extension of Remarks, 24 (January 2001).
"The House GOP's Civil War," PS: Political Science and Politics 30 (December 1997). With William F. Connelly, Jr.
“The Study of a Fickle Political Universe,” Chronicle of Higher Education, December 15, 1995.
“What Scholars Don't Know About Term Limits,” Chronicle of Higher Education, April 28, 1995.
“The Dearth of Scholarship on Republicans,” Chronicle of Higher Education, September 7, 1994. With William F. Connelly, Jr.
“The Mixed Blessings of Graduate School,” PS: Political Science and Politics 23 (September 1990).
“Bile Barrel Politics: Siting Unwanted Facilities,” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 3 (Spring 1984).
Book Reviews
Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein, It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism; Robert Draper, Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the US House of Representatives, in The Forum 10 (July 2012).
Seth E. Masket, No Middle Ground: How Informal Party Organizations Control Nominations and Polarize Legislatures, in The Forum 7 (2009), No. 4, Article 12, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol7/iss4/art12/
Andrew Wroe, The Republican Party and Immigration Politics: From Proposition 187 to George W. Bush, in Political Science Quarterly 124 (Summer 2009): 373-373.
Sean J. Savage, JFK, LBJ, and the Democratic Party in Review of Politics 68 (Spring 2006).
Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson, Off Center: The Republican Revolution and the Erosion of American Democracy. In The Forum 3 (2006), No. 4, Article 8, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol3/iss4/art8. Also a rejoinder to their reply in The Forum 4 (2006), No. 1, Article 9, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol4/iss1/art9.
George Lakoff, Don’t Think of an Elephant! In The Forum 3 (2005), No. 3, Article 8, at
http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol3/iss3/art8
Peter J. Wallison, Ronald Reagan: The Power of Conviction and the Success of His Presidency; Peter Schweizer, Reagan’s War: The Epic Story of His Forty Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism; in Political Science Quarterly 118 (Fall 2003).
What Motivates Bureaucrats? by Marissa Martino Golden, in H-Pol@h-net.msu.edu (August, 2001)
Sidney Milkis, Political Parties and Constitutional Government, in Presidential Studies Quarterly 30 (June 2000).
V. Lance Tarrance, Jr. and Walter DeVries, Checked and Balanced: How Ticket-Splitters are Shaping the New Balance of Power in American Politics, in Political Science Quarterly 114 (Fall 1999).
Mary C. Brennan, Turning Right in the Sixties: The Conservative Capture of the GOP, in Political Science Quarterly 111 (Summer 1996).
Philip A. Klinkner, The Losing Parties, in American Political Science Review 89 (June 1995).
Irene Rubin, The Politics of Public Budgeting; and Charles Stewart, Budget Reform Politics; in American Political Science Review 84 (December 1990).
Stanley Bach and Steven Smith, Managing Uncertainty in the House of Representatives, in Corruption and Reform 4 (1989).
Conference Papers
“The Politics of Autism,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 30, 2014.
“Autism Politics: A Research Agenda,” Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 22-25, 2010.
“Political Science and the Art of Political Warfare,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 29, 1997.
“Understanding Newt Gingrich,” American Political Science Association, San Francisco, August 29, 1996.
“Republican Policymaking After Bush,” Western Political Science Association, Albuquerque, March 12, 1994.
“House Republican Responses to Permanent Minority Status,” Southern Political Science Association, Atlanta, November 7, 1992. With William F. Connelly, Jr.
“Republican Factionalism in the House of Representatives,” American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 5, 1992. With William F. Connelly, Jr.
“The House Republicans' Electoral Base,” Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 19, 1992.
“Madison v. Clausewitz: Structural Barriers to the Nationalization of House Elections,” Western Political Science Association, Seattle, March 22, 1991.
“Republican Party Leadership in the US House,” American Political Science Association, San Francisco, September 1, 1990.
“Comparing the National Party Platforms of 1960 and 1988,” Western Political Science Association, Salt Lake City, March 31, 1989.
“The War on the Floor: Partisan Conflict in the US House of Representatives,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 1, 1988.
“The Conservative Opportunity Society,” Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 12, 1988.
Articles in Newspapers, Magazines and Web Sites
“Kevin McCarthy Changes Nothing,” Politico, June 19, 2014.
“How The Godfather Explains House GOP Leadership Politics,” Politico, June 13, 2014.
“Reading the Tea (Party) Leaves of GOP Senate Primaries,” Christian Science Monitor, March 3, 2014.
“McAuliffe and Christie Victories Can't Be Read As a Sign of Things to Come,” Christian Science Monitor, November 6, 2013.
“To Help John Boehner Herd Cats, Bring Back Earmarks (And Other Ways To Fix Congress),” Christian Science Monitor, October 17, 2013.
“Why Obama's Old Bag of Tricks Won't Persuade Congress, Americans On Syria,” Christian Science Monitor, September 9, 2013.
“Speaker Boehner Up at Bat with Immigration Reform,” Christian Science Monitor, July 8, 2013.
“Is Washington Too `Broken' to Handle Big Problems Such as Immigration Reform?” Christian Science Monitor, May 22, 2013.
“Benefits Even with the Politics,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, May 9, 2013.
"Why the 90 Percent Lost on Gun Background Checks," Christian Science Monitor, April 18, 2013.
“Think You Know the Reagan and Bush Era? Think Again,” Christian Science Monitor, April 1, 2013.
"California's Balanced Budget? Hold the Applause." Christian Science Monitor, February 6, 2013.
"Inauguration 2013: Will President Obama's Second Term Resemble Reagan's?" Christian Science Monitor, January 21, 2013.
“`Fiscal Cliff’ Or Not, Tax Reform Is Easier Said Than Done,” Christian Science Monitor, December 10, 2012.
“How President Obama Can Win Over Congress,” Christian Science Monitor, November 9, 2012.
"No Mandate for Either Mitt Romney or President Obama," Christian Science Monitor, November 1, 2012.
“Note to Tweeting #Romney, #Obama Campaigns and #Journalists: Chill,” Christian Science Monitor, September 28, 2012.
“How the GOP Convention Could Help – and Harm – Mitt Romney,” Christian Science Monitor, August 28, 2012.
“Can Paul Ryan Educate Voters About Medicare Reform?” Christian Science Monitor, August 20, 2012.
"Who Will Be Romney's Running Mate?" Fox and Hounds Daily, June 26, 2012.
“What Obama and Romney Aren’t Talking About: America's Class Divide,” Christian Science Monitor, June 13, 2012.
“Top Two Blues,” City Journal California, June 8, 2012.
“An `Interview’ With a K Street Master of Campaign Clichés,” Christian Science Monitor, April 25, 2012.
"Will Obama's Re-Election Pitch Work?" CNN.com, March 20, 2012.
Review of Democracy Despite Itself, Washington Post, March 9, 2012.
“After Super Tuesday: How Damaged is Mitt Romney to Run Against Obama,” Christian Science Monitor, March 7, 2012.
"Ex Gobernador Sigue Siendo El Favorito,” La Tercera, Chile, March 7, 2012.
“Two Cheers for Super PACs,” Christian Science Monitor, February 14, 2012.
“The Most Important Election of a Lifetime?” Christian Science Monitor, January 30, 2012.
“Why Gingrich Would Lose in a Debate with Obama,” Washington Post, January 27, 2012 (online), January 29, 2012 (print).
“Un Final Aun Incierto,” La Tercera, Chile, January 4, 2012.
“When Character Counts in Choosing a President,” Christian Science Monitor, January 3, 2012.
“Five Myths about Newt Gingrich, Washington Post, November 22, 2011 (online); November 27, 2011 (print).
“Will Voters Kick Out All Incumbents in 2012?” Christian Science Monitor, October 24, 2011.
“Simply Not a Talking Point,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, October 12, 2011.
“Blurry Lines,” City Journal California, June 14, 2011.
“Don’t Do It,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, May 12, 2011.
“Becoming a Living Donor,” Live and Give (Kidnay Advocacy Network), Spring/Summer 2011.
“Voters Won’t Blame the White House,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, April 6, 2011.
“It’s Easier to Blame Congress,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, February 23, 2011.
"The Reagan Years: Not as Civil as We Think," Britannica Blog, February 3, 2011.
“No Splitting the Difference,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, December 9, 2010.
"Pelosi in the Wilderness,” National Review Online, November 19, 2010.
“Unions, Secular Whites Part of GOP’s California Problem,” Orange County Register, November 7, 2010.
“California: Brown’s Dilemma with the Budget,” San Diego Union-Tribune, November 7, 2010.
"Anger's Staying Power," New York Times Room for Debate blog, October 24, 2010.
“In Search of Enemies, National Review Corner, October 11, 2010.
"Improved Speeches Won't Work," New York Times Room for Debate blog, September 28, 2010.
“The GOP and the Temptation of Hubris,” Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2010.
“Unintended Consequences," New York Times Room for Debate blog, August 17, 2010.
“Less Potent than Past Scandals,” Room for Debate (New York Times blog), July 29, 2010.
“Don’t Expect Change,” Room for Debate (New York Times blog), June 9, 2010.
“American Woman” (review of Palin autobiography), Claremont Review of Books, Spring 2010.
“The Nader Problem,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, April 30, 2010.
“Honest, Mr. President, Abe Never Said It,” NPR.org, March 25, 2010.
“1994 and 2010,” National Review Online, March 12, 2010.
"Friction Creates Light as Well as Heat,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, February 12, 2010.
“As a Candidate, Barack Obama Set Expectations That He Could Not Meet as President,” San Bernardino County Sun, January 16, 2010.
“Parties Should Disagree,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, October 13.
“Holding All the Cards and Still Losing,” National Review Online, August 25.
“Virtual Town Halls,” National Review Online, August 11, 2009.
"Of Little Consquence,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, August 6, 2009.
"Curtains for the GOP?" National Review Online, July 8, 2009.
“Beyond Specter, Republicans Have a Steep Hill to Climb,” Christian Science Monitor, April 29, 2009.
"Transformer – Or Not,” National Review Online, April 29, 2009.
"The Next Enemy," National Review Online, March 31, 2009.
"Steele's Challenge," National Review Online, February 3, 2009.
"Here Are Your Assignments," National Review Online, November 12, 2008.
“Strange Scenario,” National Review Online, November 3, 2008.
“Two Words for Team McCain,” National Review Online, October 27, 2008.
“The Things They Thought and Did Not Say,” National Review Online, October 16, 2008.
“Phrase Not Found: Debate Omissions,” National Review Online, October 14, 2008.
“Debate Like It’s 1996,” National Review Online, October 8, 2008.
“Comeback Reagan,” National Review Online, October 3, 2008.
“Saturday-Morning Quarterbacking,” National Review Online, September 27, 2008.
“The Alinsky Ticket: McCain-Palin 2008,” National Review Online, September 16, 2008.
Go Ahead and Laugh: How Palin Matters,” National Review Online, September 1 2008.
“La Apuesta Republicana,” La Tercera, Chile, August 30, 2008.
“La experiencia y las ideas,” La Tercera, Chile, August 22, 2008.
“A Savage Attack,” National Review Online, July 24, 2008.
“The Obama Code,” National Review Online, June 23, 2008.
“Capitol Connection,” National Review Online, June 4, 2008.
“Red Bull Primary,” National Review Online, May 27, 2008.
“House Republicans in the Red,” National Review Online, May 21, 2008.
“Not a Hugger” (review essay), Claremont Review of Books, Spring, 2008.
"The Perfect Defeat?" National Review Online, April 10, 2008.
“Political Weather Report,” National Review Online, March 5, 2008.
“Public-Finance Dilemma,” National Review Online, February 20, 2008.
“Roots of Rancor,” National Review Online, February 15, 2008.
“Where the Candidates Have No Control,” San Diego Union-Tribune, February 10.
“Super Tuesday Super State,” National Review Online, February 4, 2008.
“California's Choices,” San Diego Union-Tribune, January 27, 2008.
“Las Debilidades Salen A La Luz,” La Tercera, Chile, January 22, 2008.
“Caution: Small ‘N,’” National Review Online, January 20, 2008.
“Now, Electability,” National Review Online, January 16, 2008.
“La `Obama-Fatiga’ Y El ‘Cambio’ De Hillary,” La Tercera, Chile, January 9, 2008.
"St. Barack, Not,” National Review Online, January 7, 2008
"Fuerte Revés Para Hillary,” La Tercera, Chile, January 5, 2008.
“A Vast Right-Wing of Gratitude,” National Review Online, January 2, 2008.
“The Weak Huck,” National Review Online, December 21, 2007.
"Rudy Giuliani," San Diego Union-Tribune, December 9.
“Watching With the Clintons,” National Review Online, October 22, 2007.
Brief review of The End of Government … As We Know It, by Elaine Kamarck, Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2007.
“California GOP's War With Itself,” Los Angeles Times, September 28, 2007.
“Will the Dems Go to War?” National Review Online, September 5, 2007.
“Campaign Chaos,” National Review Online, August 27, 2007.
“Sacramento’s Boomerang Reforms,” Los Angeles Times, August 26, 2007.
“Hillary’s Academy,” National Review Online, July 30, 2007.
“Sinking Senator,” National Review Online, July 11, 2007.
“`Sopranos,’ Government and Immigration,” Orange County Register, June 22, 2007.
"The House of Pelosi," National Review Online, May 29, 2007.
"An Enemy of Convenience," Wall Street Journal, May 26, 2007.
"Perfect Storm Brews in California," Politico, May 1, 2007.
“There’s a Bear in the Woods,” National Review Online, March 20, 2007
"George W. Obama,” National Review Online, February 27, 2007.
“How Conservatives Shot Small Government in the Foot” (review essay), The Politico, February 26, 2007.
“Democrats’ Haste Creating Waste,” Orange County Register, January 23, 2007.
“Way Ahead,” San Diego Union-Tribune, October 29, 2006.
“Do You Believe in GOP Magic?” National Review Online, October 16, 2006.
"Republicans: Divided, as Usual," Roll Call, June 27, 2006.
“Unpretty Poison” (review), National Review Online, June 20, 2006.
“How Angelides Can Win: Thinking Outside the Box,” Capitol Weekly, June 15, 2006.
"California 50: A Break in the GOP's Clouds? National Review Online, June 7, 2006.
"Black.White.Like.Me," National Review Online, March 9, 2006.
"The Silence of the Cats" (review), Reason, March 2006.
"California's Day After," National Review Online, November 9, 2005.
"Stuck in the Middle With You," CMC homepage, November 3, 2004.
“The Race Card,” National Review Online, October 18, 2004.
“The Missing Minus,” National Review Online, October 14, 2004.
“No Jed Bartlet,” National Review Online, October 9, 2004.
"Very Well, He Contradicts Himself," National Review Online, October 1, 2004.
A Controversial Confession," San Francisco Chronicle, September 27, 2004.
“The Man Who Called Out Evil,” National Review Online, June 8, 2004.
Lincoln, Douglas, and Kerry," National Review Online, March 15, 2004.
“Governor’s Star Power Will Meet Hard Reality,” Los Angeles Times, March 10, 2004.
"The California Primary: Too Late, Too Weird, Too Big, Too Lopsided,” San Diego Union-Tribune, February 29.
“Preemptive Politics,” Newsday, January 25, 2004.
“For Our Next Governor, No Pain Means No Gain,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., November 16, 2003.
High Stakes, Slow Change,” San Diego Union-Tribune, October 5, 2003.
“Dean and the Fundamentalists,” National Review Online, September 22, 2003.
“Accidental Genius” (review), Reason, October 2003.
“Angry Local Voters Could Be Key to Defeating Davis,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., September 7, 2003.
“Crushing One’s Enemies” (review), Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2003.
“Political Warfare,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 17, 2003.
"Worst Punishment for Davis? Just Let Him Stay in Office," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., May 25, 2003.
"The President and the Professors," Claremont Review of Books, Spring 2003.
"Reel Life Blurs Reality in OC," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., January 19, 2003.
"Gone With the Vote" (review), Reason, February 2003.
“Democrats Might Need to Look South,” Los Angeles Times, December 2, 2002.
“Ready for Next Actor-Governor?” Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., November 10.
“Election 2002: An After-Action Review,” San Diego Union-Tribune, November 10.
“The Crises of October,” National Review Online, October 22.
Brief review of I'll Be Short, by Robert Reich, Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2002.
"Take LA, Please -- Life is Better in OC," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., August 18, 2002.
“Hello, Mr. Chips: Gore’s Old News,” National Review Online, July 10, 2002.
“Governor’s Race Trip Back in Time,” Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., June 9, 2002.
“New Criticism” (review) Reason, July, 2002.
“Popular Democracy? The Virtues and the Vices of the Initiative Process” (review essay), The Weekly Standard, March 4, 2002.
“Of Professors and Ploughmen,” National Review Online, February 16-17, 2002.
“A Bad Case for Big Government,” (review essay) Claremont Review of Books, Winter 2002.
"Dick Gephardt's Beautiful Mind," Reason Online, February 6, 2002.
"There's No Future in Bad Forecasts," Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., January 6, 2002.
"A Collegiate Christmas," National Review Online, December 22-28, 2001.
"Khaki Socialism," Reason Online, December 13, 2001.
“God, War, Thanksgiving,” National Review Online, November 21, 2001.
"Why No One Sings the Blues in O.C., " Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., October 28, 2001.
“Bush’s Warriors,” Orange County Register, September 30, 2001.
"Grand Gramm," National Review Online, September 5, 2001.
“The Left Hand of God,” National Review Online, August 27, 2001.
“Could Blackouts Put Gray Out?” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, August 19. 2001.
“Chad All Over” (review essay), Reason, August/September, 2001.
"Avoiding Waterloo," National Review Online, June 18, 2001.
"State's Predicament: Follow the Electors," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., June 10, 2001.
“Getting Right with Bobby” (review essay), Reason, April.
"Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, State Democrats," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., April 1, 2001.
"Fighting on Ice," Orange County Register, March 23, 2001.
“Reagan in Winter,” National Review Online, February 6, 2001.
"McCain's Mandate?" National Review Online, January 30, 2001.
“State's Growing Population Will Drive Agenda,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, January 7, 2001.
“Not Quite Over,” National Review Online, December 14, 2000.
"The Red Badge of Spinmeistering," Los Angeles Times, December 7, 2000.
"Politics - War By Other Means," Christian Science Monitor, November 21, 2000.
"Sun Tzu in the Sunshine State," National Review Online, November 17, 2000.
“Democrats Control the State’s Political Gyroscope,” Orange County Register, November 12, 2000.
“What Al and W. Need to Know About O.C.,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, October 29, 2000.
“Sen. Moynihan, Wet and Dry” (review essay), Reason, November 2000.
"A Convention Bounce for the State?" Doubtful," Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, August 20, 2000.
“Conventional Strategy,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 6, 2000.
“Campaign Trail Leads Back to Yorba Linda,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, July 9, 2000.
“GOP’s Bad News Isn’t Terrible – And That’s Good,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, April 30, 2000.
"Rush to Vote," San Diego Union-Tribune, April 16, 2000.
"Election 2000: What's At Stake?" (contributor) The American Spectator, February 2000.
“The Governor v. the Senator in California,” Los Angeles Times, Orange ed. January 30, 2000.
"Ways to Be Wrong" (review essay), Reason, October 1999.
"All Too Shallow" (review essay), Reason, July 1999.
"That '70s Candidate," Reason, June 1999.
"Meet in L.A.? So What's to Go Wrong?" Los Angeles Times, March 15, 1999.
"Tongue of Newt: The Political Power of Language," Reason, February 1999.
"Yesterday's Tomorrows" (contributor), Reason, December 1998.
"Leadership Riff: Jazzy Vision, Steady Beat," Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1998. With William Connelly.
"Revolutionary History" (review essay), Reason, October 1998.
"Clinton the Movie Mogul," Los Angeles Times, September 28, 1998.
"A Trite Margin of Victory," Atlanta Constitution, August 11, 1998.
"Capitalist Tool Time," Reason, July 1998.
"Bad Show" (review essay), Reason, July 1998.
“The Truth Is Out There: X-Files, C-SPAN Link Finally Revealed,” Roll Call, June 25, 1998.
"The Seven Deadly Sins of Politics," Reason, April 1998.
"One for the Gipper" (review of Reagan biography), Reason, February,
"All Things Dull and Ugly" (review essay), Reason, December 1997.
"Not Ready for Campaign Time," Reason, December 1997.
"A Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (review essay), Reason, August/September
"The Crime Whose Name He Cannot Speak," Washington Times, June 6, 1997.
"The Colors of Socialism," Reason, June 1997.
"Alexis de America," Christian Science Monitor, May 22, 1997.
"`Odd Man Out' Dems Recall Frustrated GOP Minority Under Reagan," Roll Call, May 12, 1997. With William Connelly.
"Fusion Energy: The Case for Multiparty Candidates," Reason, April 1997.
"The Many Faces of Newt Gingrich," Reason, February 1997.
"Power Puff" (Review of Powertown), Reason, January 1997.
Why Dole Campaign Appears to be Going Nowhere," San Diego Union-Tribune, Oct. 13, 1996.
"The Adventures of `But-man,'" (review of Bill Clinton book), Reason, November, 1996.
"Perot's Familiar Misquotations," Weekly Standard, September 16, 1996.
"As the Great Tocqueville Never Said..." Los Angeles Times, September 15, 1996.
"Can Washington Change?" Reason, August/September, 1996.
"Candidates Have Thin Skins," Reuters, August 22, 1996.
"Will Dole Go for the Gold in California?" San Diego Union-Tribune, August 18, 1996.
"Dole Must Fight for California," Reuters, July 17, 1996.
"Dumb and Dumber" (review of Politics for Dummies), Reason, July 1996.
"Don't Vote for Me," Reason, June 1996.
"Dole Could Be Hurt By His Abortion Stance," Reuters, June 13, 1996.
"Why Affirmative Action is Forgotten Issue," Reuters, May 29, 1996.
"`Nowhere Man' for President," Los Angeles Times, March 15, 1996.
"Tangled Web," Reason, April 1996.
"HTTP://Dems.Lynch.Newt," The Weekly Standard, January 29, 1996.
Lectures, Panels, and Roundtables
Instructor, Seminar on Congress, the Constitution, and Contemporary Politics, Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier, April 10-12, 2015.
Chair, panel on presidential persuasion, pork barrel and public opinion, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 31, 2014.
Panelist, roundtable on religious and secular institutions, Christians in Political Science, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 29, 2014.
Panelist, roundtable on post-2012 conservatism, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 31, 2013.
Chair, panel on 2012 election, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 29, 2013.
Panelist, roundtable on prospects for the 2012 election, American Political Science Association, Seattle, September 3, 2011.
Chair, panel on autism politics and policy, American Political Science Association, Seattle, September 1, 2011.
Lecture on classroom technology, Long Beach City College, March 16, 2011.
Panelist, roundtable President Obama, University of California, Berkeley, March 14, 2011.
Panelist, roundtable on midterm election, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 3, 2010.
Discussant, panel on classroom simulations, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 2, 2010.
Panelist, roundtable on conservatism, Asian American Journalists Association, Los Angeles, August 6, 2010.
Lecture on classroom technology, annual conference of the Texas Community College Teachers Association, Houston, March 5, 2010.
Discussant, panel on William F. Buckley, Jr., annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, September 6, 2009.
Lecture on classroom technology, Cengage Learning presentation, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, September 3, 2009.
Discussant, panel on parties and presidents, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Boston, August 30, 2008.
Chair, panel on representation and political elites, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 31, 2007.
Discussant, panel on 2008 election, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, August 31, 2007.
Discussant, panel on Bush legacy, annual meeting of the Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, March 9, 2007.
Panelist, with Newt Gingrich, “Revisiting the Republican Revolution: 10 Years of Republican Rule,” Furman University, October 12.
Chair and discussant, panel on partisan brand names, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC September 3, 2005.
Panelist, conference on the polarization of American politics, Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, December 4, 2004.
Chair, panel on theory and practice of presidential elections, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 4, 2004.
Chair, panel on congressional committee research, American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, August 30, 2003.
Chair and discussant, panel on Congress and ideology, American Political Science Association, Boston, August 31, 2002.
Discussant, panel on term limits, American Political Science Association, San Francisco, September 2, 2001.
Discussant, panel on race, ethnicity and diversity in the 2000 elections, Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 16, 2001.
Chair and discussant, panel on the pedagogy of citizenship, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC September 2, 2000.
Chair, panel on the Christian right, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 2, 2000.
Lecture tour in Japan: lecture on American political parties (Doshisha University, Kyoto), May 26, 2000; symposium on presidential election (Doshisha University, Kyoto), May 27, 2000; lecture on presidential election (sponsored by US consulate in Sapporo), May 30, 2000; panel on presidential election (sponsored by US consulate in Osaka), May 31, 2000.
Lecturer on legislative-executive relations, Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC, April 7, 2000.
Discussant, panel on partisan realignment and regionalism, Western Political Science Association,” San Jose, March 25, 2000.
Chair, panel on incumbency effect in congressional elections, American Political Science Association, Atlanta, September 5, 1999.
Discussant, panel on opposition and minor parties, American Political Science Association, Atlanta, September 4, 1999.
Chair and discussant, panel on political leadership and the media, Western Political Science Association, Seattle, March 25, 1999.
Panelist, colloquium on political movies, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, March 15, 1999.
Lecturer, C-SPAN seminar for professors, Washington, DC, January 7-8, 1999.
Discussant, panel on party change, American Political Science Association, Boston, September 4, 1998.
Discussant, panel on campaign finance, Western Political Science Association, Los Angeles, March 20, 1998.
Chair, panel on parties and social cleavages, Western Political Science Association, Los Angeles, March 19, 1998.
Panelist, roundtable on the 105th Congress and 1998 elections, Center for Economic and Policy Education, St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, March 4. 1998.
Chair, roundtable on campaign finance reform, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 30, 1997.
Chair, panel on Congress and Presidency in the 1990s, Western Political Science Association, Tucson, Arizona, March 14, 1997.
Lecturer, C-SPAN seminar for professors, Washington, DC, January 6-7, 1997.
Panelist, roundtable on the 1996 election, Pacific Research Institute, San Francisco, October 17, 1996.
Panelist, colloquium on the 1996 election, University of California at Irvine, October 11, 1996.
Chair, roundtable on future of the Republican Party, American Political Science Association, San Francisco, August 30, 1996.
Lecturer, C-SPAN advanced workshop for professors (Tocqueville program), Washington, DC, July 31-August 2, 1996.
Panelist, roundtable on Republican Congress, Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 15, 1996.
Chair and discussant, panel on party activists and ideology, Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 14, 1996.
Panelist, roundtable on 104th Congress, Southern Political Science Association, Tampa, November 4, 1995.
Chair, panel on 1996 election, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 2, 1995.
Discussant, panel on congressional legislation, Western Political Science Association, Portland, Oregon, March 17, 1995.
Panelist, roundtable on 1994 elections and Congress, Western Political Science Association, Portland, Oregon, March 17, 1995.
Chair, panel on Republican Party in California, California Studies Conference, Sacramento, February 2, 1995.
Speaker, Oklahoma City University Mid-Year Institute, January 5, 1995.
Participant, C-SPAN Advanced Workshop for Professors, Washington, DC, June 13-14, 1994. Coauthored educational materials for reenactment of Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Chair, panel discussion of the “New Paradigm,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 4, 1993.
Participant, C-SPAN Seminar for Professors, Washington, DC, August 2-3, 1993.
Panelist, discussion of policy internships, Western Political Science Association, Pasadena, March 18, 1993.
Panelist, discussion on teaching presidential elections, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 4, 1992.
Chair, panel discussion of budget politics, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 31, 1991.
Panelist, discussion on party organizations, Political Parties and Organizations Workshop, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 28, 1991.
Chair, panel discussion of congressional realignment, American Political Science Association, San Francisco, August 31, 1990.
Lecturer, Brookings Institution Conference for Federal Executives, Williamsburg, Virginia, April 23, 1990.
Panelist, discussion of political scientists in presidential campaigns, American Political Science Association, Atlanta, September 1, 1989.
Participant, Sloan Foundation workshop on elections and social choice theory, Union College, Schenectady, New York, July 31‑August 5, 1988.
Chair, panel discussion of national party platforms, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 1987.
Professional Affiliations
American Political Science Association
National Association of Scholars
Christians in Political Science
Grants and Awards
The Presidential Award, Claremont McKenna College, 2013.
Named one of 300 best professors in the United States, Princeton Review, April 3, 2012.
Glenn R. Huntoon Teaching Award, Claremont McKenna College, 1995, 2000, 2004.
Honorary membership, Claremont McKenna College Alumni Association, May 18, 2001.
Excellence in Education Award, Saratoga Central Catholic High School, June 13, 2000.
Commencement speaker, Saratoga Central Catholic High School, June 10, 2000.
Claremont McKenna College grant for research on Republican intellectual history, 1995.
Convocation speaker, Claremont McKenna College, September 3, 1992.
Gould Humanities Center, summer grant for research on the "New Paradigm," 1992.
Richard M. Shure Award for excellence in teaching, Claremont McKenna College, 1988.
Gould Humanities Study Center, summer grant for research on party platforms, 1988.
American Political Science Association for research on minority party in US House, 1987.
National Science Foundation Fellowship and Danforth Foundation Fellowship, 1977.
Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha, Union College, 1976.
Updated 28 April 2015.
Return to homepage
John J. Pitney, Jr., Ph.D.
Roy P. Crocker Professor of Politics
Education
B.A., Union College; M.A., M. Phil., Ph.D., Yale University
Department(s)
Government
Faculty Website
http://www.cmc.edu/pages/faculty/JPitney/
Contact
jpitney@cmc.edu
(909) 607-4224
(909) 621-8419
Kravis Center 232
Curriculum Vitae
HTML iconcv-biog.htm
Areas of Expertise
American Politics, California Politics, Congress, Electoral Politics, Internet & Politics, Media Politics, National Elections, Obama Administration, Political Advertising, Political Parties, Presidency, Public Policy
Selected Research and Publications
The Politics of Autism: Navigating the Contested Spectrum (Rowman and Littlefield, 2015).
After Hope and Change: The 2013 Elections and American Politics (Rowman and Littlefield, 2013). With James W. Ceaser and Andrew E. Busch.
The Art of Political Warfare (University of Oklahoma Press, 2000)
Congress' Permanent Minority? Republicans in the US House (Rowman and Littlefield, 1994). With William F. Connelly, Jr.
Selected Awards and Affiliations
The Presidential Award, Claremont McKenna College, 2013
Honorary life membership, Claremont McKenna College Alumni Association, May 18, 2001.
Excellence in Education Award, Saratoga Central Catholic High School, June 13, 2000.
Glenn R. Huntoon Teaching Award, Claremont McKenna College, 2000 and 1995.
Richard M. Shure Award for excellence in teaching, Claremont McKenna College, 1988.
QUOTED: "The book is about politics and policy of autism. By one estimate one out every sixty-eight children have autism, and of course every child with autism, grows up to be an adult with autism. There are various estimates of the social costs of autism, but a major point of the book is that just about everything concerning autism is subject to dispute. There are people who object strenuously to talking about autism as a cost. They see autism as a neurological difference … and that the apparent cost is really a matter of discrimination, rather than the autism itself."
INTERVIEW: Professor Pitney on The Politics of Autism
By Patrick Jamal Elliott - Oct 8, 20152
Professor Jack Pitney
Without much effort, any student on CMC’s campus can get involved in a political debate if they want to. Our campus bleeds political discourse, but most of us are used to discussing healthcare, education, and gun control. The topic of autism doesn’t, to most, seem to have a place in politics. Claremont McKenna’s very own government professor John J. Pitney, Jr. went against that status quo in his new book The Politics of Autism. I had the privilege of sitting down with Professor Pitney to talk about his book, with the hope that he could shed some light on a very important, but underrated topic.
Patrick Elliott: In your own words can you tell me what your book is about?
Jack Pitney: The book is about politics and policy of autism. By one estimate 1 out every 68 children have autism, and of course every child with autism, grows up to be an adult with autism. There are various estimates of the social costs of autism, but a major point of the book is that just about everything concerning autism is subject to dispute. There are people who object strenuously to talking about autism as a cost. They see autism as a neurological difference … and that the apparent cost is really a matter of discrimination, rather than the autism itself.
PE: How would you define autism?
JP: It’s a problem of social communication, that may also entail a variety of other challenges, in sometimes, unexpected ways. A lot of people with autism have sensory issues. They have difficulty tolerating certain kinds of foods. Most people don’t think of that when they think of autism, but it’s very important to know… their brains interpret taste and textures in different ways.
PE: How long did it take you to write the book?
JP: Like Woodrow Wilson’s own joke “I would’ve written a shorter speech if I had more time”; it took me five years to make it this concise.
PE: What motivated you to write this book?
JP: Someone close to me has autism, and because of that I learned a great deal, first hand, about the issue. The more I knew from first hand experience, the more I realized what a complex public policy topic it is. Very few political scientists are working on this issue … so I figured this would be an opportunity to make a real contribution to the literature.
PE: Who’s your audience, and what message are you trying to get across?
JP: There are several audiences for the book. In the first instance there are people who teach courses in American politics and public policy. Autism is a case study for the politics of public policy. There are disagreements about the definition of autism, there are disagreements about ways to count the number of people with autism, and that’s something I talk about in the book. Another audience, of course, consists of people in the autism community: people with autism and their family members. I hope that the book will enable them to understand the policy background a little better. Third, are policy makers, staffers, and people in government who work on this issue, who might only know their own particular corner of autism policy. I hope this book will help them see the bigger picture of how autism policy works throughout the country.
The point I’m trying to make is twofold; first, everything about politics is up for grabs, there’s very few things we know about autism for sure, except that vaccines don’t cause autism. Second, the disputes over the basic facts of the issue are connected with the contentious politics of the issue. Autism politics is like faculty politics on crystal meth. It is a very passionate, very emotional issue, and feelings run hot in autism circles; and I try to get that across in the book. Another part is the sure complexity of autism politics. Not only is it a complex disorder taking many different forms, but the public policy response is very complicated because you have policies at the federal state and local levels and autism policies embraces research education social services even law enforcement. And it’s hard to get all these pieces working together.
PE: In your preface you say that the role of people with autism kind of has a small role in policy debates, but you also say that you see that role growing in the future; why do you think that?
JP: Over time, more and more people with autism will have had therapy in childhood, and gone through education programs, so they will be better equipped to take part in public debates… More and more people with autism are attending college. There are people at the Claremont Colleges who have autism. In previous generations, we didn’t have good ways of identifying people who had autism, they didn’t get the help that they needed. And consequently they didn’t develop their skills and were not able to contribute as much to political debate as they are now. Already there are major figures in the autism policy world who are autistic themselves … so we’ll hear more from self advocates in the years ahead.
PE: What kind of policies would you like to see amended or created in favor of those who have autism?
JP: Obviously I want to improve public education. We need to make sure that students in the educational system get the help they need. Also, we need to look at services for autistic adults. We know practically nothing about the fate of adults with autism. Politicians tend to define autism as a children’s issue. And when politicians talk about it, they say kids with autism, but they forget that a kid with autism becomes an adult with autism. What happens to adults with autism? Do they get employed? What problems do they have in everyday life? We know very little, so we need to improve services to adults with autism, but we also need better research. We just need to understand the issue better. So if I had to pick one thing to invest in it would be research.
PE: Do you think that one side, either conservatives or progressives, are doing more than the other in the improvement of autism policy?
JP: The unusual thing about autism politics is that it is quite bipartisan. If you look at all the major disability legislation at the federal level, it is remarkably bipartisan.
——————
Professor Pitney has hope in the future of autism. He sees the topic becoming less of a brushed over issue, and more of a real policy debate. Due to him, and other political scientists willing to examine this subject, those with autism will have even more supporters in the political world. But as Pitney acknowledged, there is still a lot of work to be done, especially in regards to research. I encourage students at CMC to help continue the conversation, whether it be in classes, dorms, or off campus.
Special thanks to Professor Pitney for allowing me to interview him.
QUOTED: "a fine historical read."
Epic Journey
The Bookwatch. (Aug. 2009):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bw/index.htm
Listen
Full Text:
Epic Journey
James W. Ceaser, Andrew E. Busch, & John J. Pitney
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780742561366, $24.95, www.rowmanlittlefield.com
No one would have guessed a black man could take the White House two years ago. "Epic Journey: The 2008 Elections and American Politic" tells the story of the 2008 presidential election and how it's a historical snapshot of American politics. Discussing the effects of George W. Bush's term, "Epic Journey" is a fine historical read that will give readers a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the recent past. "Epic Journey" is a fine addition to any political collection.
The Art of Political Warfare
Campaigns & Elections. 22.5 (July 2001): p18.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2001 Campaigns & Elections, Inc.
http://www.campaignsandelections.com/
Listen
Full Text:
The Art of Political Warfare, by John J. Pitney Jr., University of Oklahoma press, 246 pages.
Explores the relationship between political campaign strategy and that of military warfare. Shows historic parallels and provides useful lessons for today's campaigners.
(**) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
(*) RECOMMENDED
(+) NOT RECOMMENDED
QUOTED: "This concise and well-argued work takes an interesting approach to examining political activity."
The Art of Political Warfare
Stephen L. Hupp
Library Journal. 125.13 (Aug. 2000): p131.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2000 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Listen
Full Text:
Pitney, John J., Jr. The Art of Political Warfare. Univ. of Oklahoma. Sept. 2000. c.256p. index. ISBN 0-8061-3263-9. $24.95. POLITICS
Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz stated that war was the continuation of politics by different means. Pitney (government, McKenna Coll.; Permanent Minority? Republicans in the U.S. House) opens this new work with a similar premise, stating that "politics resembles warfare, so military literature can teach us something about politics." Drawing from yon Clausewitz, Sun Tzu, Charles de Gaulle, Dwight Eisenhower, and contemporary American military publications, the author applies military doctrines to contemporary politics. The book's ten chapters cover a range of topics, from strategy and leadership to morality, intelligence, and deception. Pitney draws clear examples for his arguments from the works and actions of such modern political players as Lee Atwater, James Carville, Newt Gingrich, and Bill Clinton. This concise and well-argued work takes an interesting approach to examining political activity and is recommended for larger public and academic libraries.
--Stephen L. Hupp, Urbana Univ., OH
QUOTED: "His arguments are unlikely to change the nature of political science ... but it's entertaining to watch him try."
THE ART OF POLITICAL WARFARE
Publishers Weekly. 247.31 (July 31, 2000): p82.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2000 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Listen
Full Text:
JOHN J. PITNEY JR. Univ. of Oklahoma, $24.95 (256p) ISBN 0-8061-3263-9
"Politics," writes Pitney (professor of government McKenna College), "resembles warfare" -- therefore "military literature can teach us something about politics." Observing that politicians consciously embrace warlike language and strategies, and that warfare is often used as a metaphor to help explain political activity, and that Pitney, a former researcher for the Republican National Committee, offers a close analysis of this connection. Weaving together quotes from military strategists and political theorists (like Clausewitz, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli) with commentary by recent and not-so-recent political figures (like Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight Eisenhower, Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton), Pitney offers insight and advice for campaigners and political junkies alike. More scholarly than practical, however, Pitney delves deepest into the military metaphor in American politics, dividing his discussion into military-themed sections such as strategy, "rallying the troops," and intelligence. He compares how each of h is many terms is applied in both a military and a political context. His analysis includes often engaging anecdotes of political skirmishes and victories, For instance, he relates community organizer Saul Alinsky's triumph over the Chicago city government's recalcitrance about keeping a promise made to a ghetto organization: Alinsky threatened to organize an occupation of all the toilets at O'Hare airport, and the city capitulated. But along the way, Pitney overwhelms the reader with examples. His arguments are unlikely to change the nature of political science, or to encourage scholars to break away from more traditional economic models in their work; but it's entertaining to watch him try. (Sept.)
QUOTED: "He draws the reader into the book and the enigma of autism spectrum disorders. A fascinating read."
Pitney, John J., Jr.: The politics of autism: navigating the contested spectrum
J.D. Neal
CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries. 53.8 (Apr. 2016): p1244.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association CHOICE
http://www.ala.org/acrl/choice/about
Listen
Full Text:
Pitney, John J., Jr. The politics of autism: navigating the contested spectrum. Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. 181 p index afp ISBN 9781442249608 cloth, $38.00; ISBN 9781442249615 ebook, $37.99
53-3751
RC553
2015-13910 CIP
The content of this book is more compelling than the title would suggest. Pitney (American politics, Claremont McKenna College) looks at every aspect of autism, dissecting it in intriguing ways. After a brief history of the politics of the disorder, the author examines the dynamic forces that pull discussion of it in myriad directions. These forces include--but are not limited to--the communities of science, medicine, education, and government. Questions about autism are never fully answered because it is almost impossible to do so, given the complexity of the condition: What causes it? How is it defined? What does it mean to "have" this disorder? What are the implications for society', now and in the future? The author views autism as a "political football," and in this book he kicks that football around from one field to another. In doing so, he draws the reader into the book and the enigma of autism spectrum disorders. A fascinating read. Summing Up: *** Highly recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, professionals; general readers.--J. D. Neal, University of Central Missouri
QUOTED: "The book's reporting is very good, and it refreshes the memories of interested readers."
Ceaser, James W.: After hope and change: the 2012 elections and American politics, post 2014 election update
A. Paulson
CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries. 53.2 (Oct. 2015): p327.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association CHOICE
http://www.ala.org/acrl/choice/about
Listen
Full Text:
Ceaser, James W. After hope and change: the 2012 elections and American politics, post 2014 election update, by James W. Ceaser, Andrew E. Busch, and John J. Pitney Jr. Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. 207p index afp ISBN 9781442247451 pbk, $27.95; ISBN 9781442247468 ebook, $26.99
53-1028
JK5262012
CIP
After Hope and Change is another in a series of books on American elections by Ceaser (Univ. of Virginia) and Busch (Claremont McKenna College) going back to 1992. Pitney (Claremont McKenna College) joins them here. The best of these books was The Perfect Tie (CH, Nov'01, 39-1865), about the election of 2000, which climaxed in the Florida controversy, the recounts, and the Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Gore. The reason the book about 2000 was the best was that all these books have concentrated on the events of the campaign year more than political analysis. The controversies of 2000 were so peculiar that The Perfect Tie was almost the perfect treatment. The focus on events deprives After Hope and Change of its chance to really offer an analysis of what will come after Barack Obama leaves the White House. Even the opening chapter's examination of the electoral performance of incumbent presidents lacks real historical perspective by treating incumbents the same, out of the historical contexts of their own times. The book's reporting is very good, and it refreshes the memories of interested readers. However, After Hope and Change is better journalism than it is political science. Summing Up: ** Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections.--A. Paulson, Southern Connecticut State University
Paulson, A.
QUOTED: "a well-written, engaging narrative of the 2012 elections."
Ceaser, James W.: After hope and change: the 2012 elections and American politics
J. Twombly
CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries. 51.2 (Oct. 2013): p354.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 American Library Association CHOICE
http://www.ala.org/acrl/choice/about
Listen
Full Text:
51-1157
JK526
2013-5418 CIP
Ceaser, James W. After hope and change: the 2012 elections and American politics, by James W. Ceaser, Andrew E. Busch, and John J. Pitney Jr. Rowman & Littlefield, 2013. 193p index afp ISBN 9781442217232, $75.00; ISBN 9781442217249 pbk, $24.95; ISBN 9781442217256 e-book, $23.99
Ceasar (Univ. of Virginia) and Busch and Pitney (both, Claremont McKenna College) offer a well-written, engaging narrative of the 2012 elections. Some readers might take issue with some of the assertions the authors make and perhaps challenge some of their interpretations of events and actions of the campaigns--but is not that what scholarship should do? After Hope and Change is not burdened with political science jargon but drives home the lessons political science teaches about presidential elections, candidates, parties, and politics in general. If an instructor were looking for a work that laid out "the story" of 2012 but did so while placing the events of the campaign in both their historic and academic context, After Hope and Change would be it. Instructors will find that they, or their most politically attuned students, will have plenty of opportunity to discuss how they differ from the points of view the others provide. The presentation of candidate debate performance provides one such opportunity. Summing Up: Recommended. ** General readers, undergraduate students, graduate students, and research faculty.--J. Twombly, Elmira College
Twombly, J.