The Presidential Character: Predicting Performance in the White House - Hardcover

James David Barber

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0136974589 ISBN 13: 9780136974581

Synopsis

"The Presidential Character" unifies political psychology, history, and biography to help readers understand the complex factors that influence our vote. In addition, the author includes predictions actually written and published before Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush ever served and presents an analysis of how predictions work.

About this title

From the Back Cover

The Presidential Character: Predicting Performance in the White House, Fourth Edition
James David Barber

LONGMAN CLASSICS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

In revising classic works in political science, Longman celebrates the contributions its authors and their research have made to the discipline. The Longman Classics in Political Science series honors these authors and their work. Providing students with an updated context, each title in the series includes a new foreword, written by one of today’s top scholars, offering a fresh, in-depth analysis of the book and its enduring contributions.

What should we look for in a president?

This timeless question begs reconsideration in light of today’s crucial presidential election season. To that end, The Presidential Character, James David Barber’s well-known, provocative examination of who has the potential to be voted into the highest office in the land–and why–is being reissued as the newest addition to the Longman Classics in Political Science series.

Arguing that patterns in a person’s character, world view, and political style can allow us to anticipate his or her performance as president, this classic text offers explanations and predictions of the performance of past presidents and presidential candidates.

Features

• Presents a new foreword by presidential scholar George C. Edwards III, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M University, that highlights the book’s classic and enduring contributions.
• Includes predictions of presidential performance published before Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush ever served.
• Analyzes the media’s role in providing information about the political candidates and in shaping public opinion of them.
• Draws on historical, biographical, and psychological research to help voters make judicious choices in determining the country’s highest leaders.
• Encourages citizens to be actively involved scholars, critics, and participants in their government.

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About the Author

James David Barber was a Duke University political scientist and provocateur best known for exploring the psychology of Oval Office aspirants and occupants.  He spent years as a consultant to "NBC Nightly News" and as a board member of the Poynter Institute, a center for the study of journalism and media ethics in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Edition details

• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0136974589
• ISBN 13: 9780136974581
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 479