Republic of Spin: An Inside History of the American Presidency. By DavidGreenberg. New York: W.W. Norton, 2016. 540 pp.

Abstract

Republic Spin: An Inside History American Presidency. By David Greenberg. New York: W.W. Norton, 2016. 540 pp. Republic Spin is captivating history institutionalization public presidency. David Greenberg takes us on comprehensive tour various iterations dark arts presidential persuasion: publicity, ballyhoo, communication, news management, image making, and spin. Drawing on archival and secondary sources, Greenberg familiarizes us with political actors and institutions spin: presidents (from Teddy Roosevelt to Barack Obama), pollsters, demagogues, journalists, political consultants, social scientists, and public relations experts command each significant era. Conflict and cooperation between presidents and press are enduring themes book. Presidents' desires for publicity remain in constant tension with their desires to control how those appeals are framed (p. 50). Despite tension, there is good deal fluidity between journalism and politics. Reporter Will Irwin, for example, followed a common journalistic practice, according to Greenberg, of writing about presidents one day and working for them next (p. 179). Republic Spin is also story about spin's discontent, social anxiety is generated by presidents exploiting new mediums for publicity. Of course, partisanship shapes perceptions intent public appeals. political opposition asserts president is doing devil's work while those in power contend they are simply appealing to better angels our nature by providing objective information and facts. Remarking on Franklin Roosevelt's exhaustive expansion public presidency, Greenberg argues that, for FDR's admirers, that publicity was welcome dose transparency. To his detractors, it was decidedly unwelcome form propaganda (p. 249). In other cases, publicity drew contempt from entire political spectrum. beleaguered George Creel, head contentious Committee on Public Information during World War I, lamented conservatives call me radical while the radicals all call me conservative (p. 113). Presidents, too, expressed anxiety about what public persuasion would do to seeming integrity Oval Office in particular and American politics more generally. As two-time Democratic presidential nominee (and two-time loser) Adlai Stevenson said political advertising, The idea you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal is ultimate indignity to democratic process (p. 282). In some cases, Greenberg revives reputations presidents. Herbert Hoover, Lyndon Johnson, and Jimmy Carter were masters spin, despite their eventual political misfortunes. …