Overview
“In this important, accessible, and thoroughly engaging book, Jacobson brilliantly dissects the extraordinary partisan polarization of the Bush era. He combines a lively narrative with remarkable data analysis—drawing together findings from literally thousands of polls, in more than seventy illuminating figures, many of which knock your socks off. . . The book is a must-read for anyone seriously concerned about the political process in the United States.”
- Paul J. Quirk, Professor and Phil Lind Chair in U.S. Politics and Representation, University of British Columbia
"…Head and shoulders above other books on the presidency of George W. Bush. Jacobson's carefully documented analysis, backed up by extensive reporting and data, demonstrates the purposefulness of the polarizing strategies of the Bush administration, and the reality behind the rhetoric of "I'm a uniter not a divider." Unlike most books about Bush, Jacobson's is neither ideological nor polemical.”
-Thomas B. Edsall, Washington Post political reporter and author of Chain Reaction: The Impact of Race, Rights, and Taxes on American Politics (with Mary D. Edsall)
“This is an important book. Jacobson marshals evidence and analyzes the dynamics of public opinion to explain why George W. Bush is the most polarizing president in the history of systematic polling. His analysis is incisive and balanced.”
-James P. Pfiffner, George Mason University
“A masterful analysis and a major contribution. Applying over a half century of poll data, Jacobson places George W. Bush's presidency and the war in Iraq in broad historical context and derives insights that intrigue and impress.”
-John Mueller, Professor of Political Science and Woody Hayes Chair of National Security Studies, Ohio State University, and author of War, Presidents and Public Opinion.
Synopsis
Updated in a new 2nd edition, this book relies on hard data to analyze the reasons why the public has always been - and even today continues to be - divided along party lines about George W. Bush. As part of the "Great Questions in Political Science" series it is written by one of the most respected scholars and writers in political science.